We just need about 125 more participate to close out the 2009 Virtual Assistant Industry Survey. I was wondering why on earth we hadn’t been getting any further survey submissions. Well, I happened to be talking to a Virtual Assistant today on the phone and she said she had tried to complete the survey but it said it was offline. So I go take a look and sure enough, it indeed had been taken offline! Oy vey! LOL Obviously a human error by one of my assistants. Not a big deal and easily fixed (survey is online again), but I do want to remind you to tell all the administrative support…
Virtual Assistant
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The Gritty Virtual Assistant
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Virtual Assistant Industry Survey: Last Little Bit of Participation Needed
5 Feb 2010 | 7:48 pm -
What Webconferencing Ware Do You Use?
3 Feb 2010 | 4:07 pmI will be conducting some learning modules this month and need your webconferencing recommendations. What services do you or your clients currently like/use? Or, have you been on a webinar recently where you liked the webconferencing interface? If so, what were they using? Here is the snag I’ve been running into. In the past, we’ve used GoToWebinar which allows plenty of room for attendees (GoToMeeting only allows up to 25 attendees, if I remember correctly). GoToWebinar was fine when all we were doing was conducting webinars, but I now need something for conducting classes and… -
Do You Understand the Difference?
2 Feb 2010 | 9:00 amSometimes I’ll read things from other Virtual Assistants and I have to wonder whether they understand the difference between a project and providing support. In case you’re confused, I thought I’d talk about it here… A project is something that is basically one-off, one-time work. It has a start and a finish. Web design is a good example of project work. It’s a one-time thing where you are hired specifically to do that one thing and that one thing isn’t ongoing because there is a finish, which is the completion of the site design. Support, on the other… -
“A Matter of Time”
1 Feb 2010 | 9:00 am(This is a personal musing post rather than anything to do with Virtual Assistants or administrative support, just so you know, LOL.) We don’t watch very much TV at all, but there are a few shows I like to keep up with. I love that I can do this online by using Hulu.com or going to the station’s website. Technology, you are just too cool! Anyway, I was catching up on some of my shows over the weekend, one of which is NBC’s Dateline. One of the episodes I’d missed was from a couple weeks ago called “A Matter of Time,” which was about a doctor accused of… -
Show Me Your Office Space!
27 Jan 2010 | 9:00 amI got a lot of messages yesterday from folks who enjoyed seeing my office and found inspiration and ideas for adding more beauty and function into their own spaces. A few even sent pix! I love seeing other peoples’ offices as well so I thought it would be fun to start a post on just that. Shoot me over a pic of your office space to [word at grittyva dot com] and I’ll post it with your name/business and a link back to your website. I’ll add folks and their pix as I get them. 1. Vee Smith of My Super VA: I absolutely adore Vee’s shedworking office! What a lovely space,…
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ProVirtual Solutions - Mary Motz
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It’s NEVER going to be “perfect” or “done”, so just get it online already!
2 Feb 2010 | 7:37 amAs part two of my Things You Should Know Before Building Your Website series, I’m going to discuss a common – a very common – pitfall that many fall into when planning a new website project: perfectionism. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not at all saying that we should slap anything online that’s incorrect or poorly written or looks bad. I’m not advocating that at all. What I am advocating is realizing that websites are dynamic things and should be changed, edited, improved, experimented with and toyed with… a lot. This conflicts with traditional print… -
Complimentary Webinar: Shopping Carts 101 for Coaches & VAs – hosted by DVVAA
17 Jan 2010 | 7:37 amDVVAA (Delaware Valley Virtual Assistants Association) is kicking off their 2010 Monthly Teleseminar Series on Tuesday, January 26th at 8:00pm ET. Yours truly will be presenting the first complimentary webinar: Shopping Carts 101 for Coaches & VAs. This event is for you if you are thinking of starting an info-product revenue stream or would like to incorporate website shopping carts to sell your coaching or VA services. The focus of the webinar will be on e-commerce and digital product delivery for Coaches, Virtual Assistants and other Solopreneurs. In this webinar, you’ll… -
Things You Should Know Before Building Your Website: Control Your Domain Name
9 Jan 2010 | 8:18 pmIf you’re thinking of kicking off 2010 with a new website look for your business – congrats! There’s nothing like the New Year to inspire a web makeover. Planning a web project can be a lot of fun and there are great possibilities to increase your visibility with blogsites and social media too. With that in mind, I thought it would be a good time to post a series of articles to highlight what clients need to know before launching a website project. Today’s “Things You Should Know” is about domain name control. Do you control your domain name? -
Big Holiday Sale on Now at ProVirtual Domains & Hosting
21 Nov 2009 | 7:33 pmI just did some redecorating at my hosting and domains sales website – now it coordinates nicely with this site…. it was long overdue. To celebrate the site makeover, I’m having a holiday sale on all our best products: All hosting plans on sale – save up to 30%: Economy hosting plans include 10GB space – only $3.99/month. Save even more on multi-year plans. Have lots of sales pages that need their own domains? Don’t buy separate hosting plans! Purchase one Deluxe or Unlimited web hosting plan and host multiple domains on them.. save huge money and… -
Working with A Virtual Professional? Avoid These Costly Pitfalls
14 Nov 2009 | 8:24 pmI work with a lot of virtual professionals (VPs) on a variety of different web projects. Most of my VP clients have their own team of other VAs/VPs that provide a range of services for their clients. The multiplicity of similar working environments provides a lot of experience to draw from when sizing up the effectiveness of the VA team scenario when providing client services. Inevitably, this produces a lot of water-cooler chat. One of the themes that often comes up is how to efficiently provide services to clients when the client is either brand new to working with VAs, or frankly, …
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Partnering With a Virtual Assistant
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Marie Fitzgibbons of Deadline Met Virtual Assistance
8 Feb 2010 | 7:01 amCongratulations to Marie Fitzgibbons of Deadline Met Virtual Assistance, who is the recipient of this week’s VAccolade Business Entrepreneur Award. Marie is a virtual assistant living in Irvine, CA. She offers services such as client relationship management, as well as general administrative assistance. She has been a valued member of VAnetworking since July 2009. Bookmark It Hide Sites -
Diversification: Fishing with a Bigger Net
4 Feb 2010 | 8:00 amDiversification in business is good and shouldn’t be overlooked or taken lightly. Businesses just starting out are encouraged to find their place, or niche, in the business world. For some, that’s as easy as determining the types of services to be offered or products to be sold. The diversification comes into play with how we operate in a chosen niche. Following the lead of the financial sector, you’ll notice that investment planners suggest that you never put all of your eggs in one basket but diversify your assets. This may mean investing in CDs, mutual funds, saving accounts, stocks… -
15 Steps to a Successful Webinar
27 Jan 2010 | 11:26 amWebinars have multiple uses in today’s internet world. Here are just a few: • Webinars can simply be an informative talk or sales presentation, geared to converting interested parties into potential buyers (essentially moving them down your sales funnel) • Recorded webinars can be a time saving and passive income generating tool for speakers, and trainers and for those who lead workshops. These webinars are the main ingredient in on-line training courses. • Recorded webinars can also form an on-line library for small to large companies, effectively freeing employees time from tasks… -
Dianna Lambert of Online Virtual Office Solutions
25 Jan 2010 | 7:54 amCongratulations to Dianna Lambert of Online Virtual Office Solutions, who is the recipient of this week’s VAccolade Business Entrepreneur Award. Dianna is a virtual assistant living in Oshkosh, NE. She offers services such as admin support for the trucking industry, as well as general admin. She has been a valued member of VAnetworking since September, 2009. Bookmark It Hide Sites -
Janice Mitchell of Virtual Assistant, LLC
18 Jan 2010 | 6:15 amCongratulations to Janice Mitchell of Virtual Assistant, LLC, who is the recipient of this week’s VAccolade Business Entrepreneur Award. Janice is a virtual assistant living in Lake Lure, NC. She offers services such as office and project management, as well as paralegal services and event management. She has been a valued member of VAnetworking since November, 2009. Bookmark It Hide Sites
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Virtual Regeneration
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Publicity Specialist Training for VAs
22 Jan 2010 | 7:54 amOur friends Cindy Greenway and Tina Forsyth are offering the first ever Publicity Specialist training program via HotSkillsVATraining.com. Lead by publicity expert Diana Ennen, this 3 week program has been designed to provide Virtual Assistants with the skills, understanding and strategies needed to execute effective publicity campaigns. Submitting articles and press releases here and there isn’t enough and contacting the media, when you really don’t know what to say or how to present yourself can be intimidating. However, master these skills and develop a plan, and… -
Have you Tried an Unconference
16 Jan 2010 | 7:31 amI was catching up on my backlog of reading the other day and came across this article in the December 2009 edition of Inc. Its about the latest craze in attending conferences - The Unconference. What the heck is an Unconferece?Basically its a traditional conference, except there are no pre-determined topics nor speakers. Those in attendance determine what is going to be talked about. Now, there are some logistics involved, but the bottom line is - the participants toss out ideas, questions, theory's, etc. and then someone steps up to be the facilitator of that session. I… -
COLD IS A RELATIVE THING. .TOUGHNESS COUNTS!
8 Jan 2010 | 8:21 am65 above zero: Floridians turn on the heat. People in Michigan plant gardens. 60 above zero: Californians shiver uncontrollably. People in Michigan sunbathe. 50 above zero: Italian & English cars won't start. People in Michigan drive with the windows down.. 40 above zero: Georgians don coats, thermal underwear, gloves, wool hats. People in Michigan throw on a flannel shirt. 35 above zero: New York landlords finally turn up the heat. People in Michigan have the last cookout before it gets cold. 20 above zero: People in Miami all die. Michiganders close the windows. Zero: Californians… -
Happy Holidays
23 Dec 2009 | 1:34 pm -
Thank You Veterans!
10 Nov 2009 | 9:01 pm
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Virtual Assistant Forums | Virtual Assistant Network
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Marketing by Referral - Edge News & Views
9 Feb 2010 | 9:10 amWe all know the value of building business through referrals: it’s one of the best forms of advertising and there are no obvious monetary costs. A recent article at the Entrepreneur.com – 7 Ways to Get Great Referrals – has some great suggestions and ideas for generating word of mouth buzz. One of my clients could be a case study for that article; placing extra emphasis on service and client care. Handle the Client, not the Transaction My most important ongoing task for this particular client is in customer care. Every single order is responded to with a personal email,… -
Problem Proposal to contract with Present Employer
9 Feb 2010 | 8:56 amI currently work at an on-site part-time job. We have 3 offices, two of which are in Texas. We just received notification this week that all employees will need to take a 9% paycut. While talking to the recruiter, I discussed the possibility of providing virtual services to help cut costs. He asked me to get a proposal together to provide the services to both Texas offices as a cost saving measure. Any suggestions on how and what to present to the executive management? I am so terribly rusty!! I truly feel like a newbie at this!!! -
They just don't understand the concept
9 Feb 2010 | 8:51 amOver the past few months, I have met several potential clients. I handed over my business card, explained to them what I do and even spoke with them over the phone and online. Still, they don't get it. They just don't get the concept of someone working in such a capacity from a remote location. Two of these potentials actually offered me work. However, they were insistant upon me working from their offices. I don't know what to do. What can I do or say in passing that would better explain the way we as VA's work? -
Please review my website - thank you!
9 Feb 2010 | 8:49 amTeam, I built my website a long time ago. As stated in my member intro, I've not really pushed my VA service for the past 2 years. I'm ready to jump back into it full time but want to know how I can boost my web page to make it more appealing... BTW, I LOVE the calculator!! It adds a great touch to my site!! http://www.paradisesecretarial.com -
Business Card Stock
9 Feb 2010 | 8:24 amI would like to create several different business cards to represent my business and show off some of my dtp skills. What is the best card stock to use and where can I get it?
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Discussion Forum - Virtual Assistant
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Link Building
Online competition is growing fiercer as maintaining your website’s place in search engine’s top 20 results gets even harder with each passing day. So, before a company decides to go online, being among the top listed of their respected field is one of the top priorities of a firm. The most useful technique to attain a top ranking position is through Link building! When users connect to the internet to search something, they usually don’t go beyond the first two pages of the search engine results. Hence, link building is at the forefront when it comes to bringing your website at top of… -
Tips for Online Marketing Success
The Success of your online business depends on a sound marketing strategy which is aimed to increase your performance and maximize your ROI but most importantly you must be aware about your competitors and the tactics they use to drive their online performance. Here are some of the tips for your online marketing success, by incorporating them you can get the insights you need, to stay on top of the competition: Use Web analytics tools to get the information about your competitors like number of their page views, their unique site visitors and the time users spent on their website. This will… -
Understanding Cloud Computing
As many businesses and organizations are increasingly moving towards internet for their every day tasks, the potential of internet grows and the model in which businesses work is changing and evolving. One of the best examples of this is an emergence of cloud computing services. Cloud computing services are outsourcing of IT services of an organization to a different company where everything is managed by a company through the cloud. The term ‘cloud’ in cloud computing refers to internet and a family of servers. There are few things which makes cloud computing broader then hosting… -
Educating Business Owners about the Virtual Assistant Industry
I'd like to get a discussion going here about ways we can better educate business owners and the public about the VA industry. I find that many people have still never heard of a virtual assistant and wonder what it is we do and how we can help them. Let's discuss some ideas and ways we can educate and promote this industry without spamming each other with what it is we do. To get us started: 1. Explain in simple terms that any business owner can understand what a virtual assistant means. For example, most business persons are familiar with the terms secretary, administrative assistant,… -
Hello from Solsnet Inc. Canada
Choosing The Right Web Hosting Service Choosing the best web hosting service for your website can be a very recurring task, with poor web hosting service providers it can turn to be a nightmare but with well known and reliable service providers you won’t face many problems. There are some very important features that you need to scrutinize out before choosing the best web hosting service for your website. Some of these important points are: 1: Access your requirements: Like what sort of your website you have? Is it a small static website for a small company or one meant for your personal…
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blog.looseends.net
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Living in a Style Vacuum
28 Jan 2010 | 3:52 pmI’ve been working from home as a Virtual Assistant for more than 13 years now. Early on, I attended a lot of in-person networking events and met often with clients. Now I rarely meet anyone I work or collaborate with in person, so the thought of heading to my industry’s annual event (BTW, I am talking about the International Virtual Assistants Association hallmark event, the **Annual Live Summit—see the link at right) the last time I attended was 9 years ago!) has me quaking in my Danskos. Working from home has numerous benefits, and I’m a lucky woman to be able to have… -
What’s the status of one-way communication?
15 Jan 2010 | 10:09 amWith social media in its apparent heyday, what happens to your print or enewsletter campaign? Or, for that matter, your blog and website? Are those still viable markeing and branding tools? -
Building on your skills
22 Dec 2009 | 7:46 amIt’s the time of year when we all do some self assessment and then look ahead to changes we want to make in the coming year. Personally, it may be your work out routine that needs some recommitment. Professionally, it’s time to review your skills and make upgrades to your professional toolbox. AZVAs introduces professional development classes for VAs. As a part of the mission to connect VAs throughout the southwestern United States through peer-to-peer networking and educational opportunities, an ongoing series of classes taught by dynamic presenters in the industry is yours for… -
Managing the growth of your VA practice
4 Dec 2009 | 9:45 amVirtual Assistants in practice for a number of years usually reach a crossroads when their client load begins to challenge their energy and time limits. In talking with veterans in the industry, most eventually remodel their business plan taking it in one of the following directions, all of which take them out of personally providing day-to-day direct services: a. build a virtual team b. sub out the work c. become a trainer or coach Have you built up your practice successfully only to run into this dilemma? Where are you on that continuum? Let’s have a conversation about these and other… -
Please Mind Your Manners
16 Nov 2009 | 9:18 amPlease bear with this veteran VA while she spouts off on some assaults on common courtesy she’s noted of late. Lots of us who work in home offices find we have far fewer opportunities to attend meetings in public places these days. The proliferation of online meeting options has saved us time and money, enabling us to pop out to get a cup of coffee or let the dog out while participating with our colleagues in a virtual meeting room. The convenience and relative newness of virtual meeting spaces is the reason that the protocols aren’t yet firmly in place. I’ll assume that the…
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virtual-assistant « WordPress.com Tag Feed
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Get Over Your "Virtual" Fears
9 Feb 2010 | 7:00 amWe all have obstacles and hurdles in our careers. I have found that my greatest obstacle is my prospective clients’ fear of the word “virtual”. I was recently interviewing with a Realtor I know who approached me who was looking for a “Virtual Assistant”. After we spent time reviewing the tasks he needed to delegate, he pronounced that he really wanted me to work in his office 20-25 hours a week. Why? Reviewing the list he provided, 90% of it could be completed virtually out of my office. Since he was local, the remaining items could be completed in his office once or twice… -
A Method of Marketing your VA website!
9 Feb 2010 | 6:33 amAs many days in my business, it pretty much starts out the same. I get up turn the computer on, while it loading I get the kids up for school. While they are getting ready, its time to check the email, then get the kids out the door with kisses and hugs, check forum comments in VAnetworking, and get my tweetdeck chirping away. After the setups and emails its time to get to the nitty gritty of my workday. I work for a couple hours on my clients projects. Some days are longer working hours than others but I have managed to figure out my time, so I don’t spend hours at the computer,… -
Learn How to Delegate to a Virtual Assistant
8 Feb 2010 | 11:53 amThe truth is, you can’t afford NOT to delegate to a Virtual Assistant. Of course, for entrepreneurs – your business is your baby. And I know that, because mine is, too. It’s easy to get into the mindset of “It will be faster just for me to do it” or “I am afraid I will forget to tell an important detail.” I’ve also hear clients say “I am too much of a perfectionist” or “I have no idea what to delegate”. That probably sounds very familiar to some of you. Experts say that in order to have your business grow, you need to… -
Top 7 Reasons to Hire a Virtual Assistant
5 Feb 2010 | 10:17 amSharing Article by Laura Legendary… Evidently I’ve been living under a rock. Recently, I stumbled across the small business solution that turned my overwhelming to-do list into something manageable. It’s called Virtual Assistance, and it has freed me from the burden of what would otherwise be time-consuming busywork. Simply put, a Virtual Assistant is an off-site employee who provides web or administrative support services, conducting nearly all transactions electronically. read more… -
@LissaDuty, 2/4/10 2:37 PM
5 Feb 2010 | 8:36 amLissa Duty (@LissaDuty)2/4/10 2:37 PMGo to 35 mins 2 hear just me! RE: Link to web radio show I was interviewed on last night discussing Facebook Fan Pages http://bit.ly/dr2GG8 Sent with Tweetie Best wishes, Ana Lucia Novak facebook.com/CyberQueenVA 650-771-0777 Sent from my iPhone
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Virtual Buzz Assistant
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Virtual Assistant Database Backup
21 Jan 2010 | 8:52 amSetting up websites and blogs can be very cheap. However, properly managing them and getting results from them are a whole different matter. Recently this blog lost the database that runs it. It was just gone one day. If you are a virtual assistant, it is fairly easy to learn how to do database backups. And [...] -
How to find a Virtual Assistant Job
2 Jan 2009 | 11:08 amAre you looking for a virtual assistant job? First, what are you really good at as a virtual assistant? Do not go out and look for anything that is a virtual assistant job. I looked over Virtual Assistant Jobs on oDesk and many different kinds of things come up. Virtual Assistant Wanted – Outbound call center. Virtual Assistant Wanted [...] -
VA New Year Goals
30 Dec 2008 | 5:48 amJust in case you are not able to make your new year goals, we have assembled a list of possible resolutions for virtual assistants to choose from. Follow up with clients more Document things better Give 111% Insist on clear objectives before beginning a task Meet someone new every day Speak at 3 local business events Network with new people Write 250 blog [...] -
Is Your Business Blog Failing?
28 Dec 2008 | 8:16 amIs your business blog failing? A virtual assistant can help your business blog be a big success. Request a Blog Assistant Here Blogging has some very tricky elements. People fall in love with the idea but they fall short on execution. Here is why. Business blogs do not have as much personality. Business blogs do not connect well with [...] -
Virtual Assistant as Affiliate Manager
24 Dec 2008 | 9:17 amOn this Virtual Assistant Blog I argue that you cannot be successful as a general virtual assistant. We help people become much more targeted in their skill set and become Virtual Marketing Assistants – or Virtual Buzz Assistants, as we call them. But even that is rather broad. You can specialize in just one expertise and be [...]
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The Virtual Wire
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First Friday Pep
5 Feb 2010 | 3:02 pmI started off February a bit down in the dumps. Not because of any one thing, but more because I had been ill a few times in January which: Slowed me down with my work projects Made me realize that I need to be practicing more “self-care” Highlighted that the two above were in conflict, i.e. to catch up on my projects, I am unable to practice enough self-care. So as I pondered the semantics of my dilemma, I became more down as the solution appeared elusive. So I stopped thinking about it and just started to create a better outcome. And in the usual theme of our first Friday post… -
So you're hoping to gain influence?
4 Feb 2010 | 8:47 pmEverywhere we look, that "cry" for significance can be felt. Have you seen it, sensed it, felt it? I imagine it comes from a longing deep within ... well, uh, that's another story for another time and place. In the solopreneur and microbusiness world (where I fit), there seems to be an enormous amount of striving to be heard by the masses. Equating real influence because of the number of followers or friends acquired is the acceptable mindset (at least it seems that way for many). This is more than puzzling to me. I appreciate hearing straight talk when it comes to the role… -
What it takes to take a vacation
2 Feb 2010 | 6:57 amSo I hope that you all have planned for some time off this year. If you are a solopreneuer, that could mean that you totally shut down your office and no work is done. This equates to lost revenue, customers not being taken care of (and could possibly find a different vendor), etc. So how do you avoid that issue and keep the business running when you are gone? Hopefully you are a solopreneuer that has a plan!I am gone from the office quite a bit every year to participate in mastermind group meetings, professional development seminars, etc. As a virtual assistant, I can't afford to lose that… -
Sharing a load’a knowledge
29 Jan 2010 | 8:54 amYes typical British slang, which is usually used when people are talking about money, i.e. “I’ve got a load’a dosh” translates into “I’ve got a lot of money.” I know I am being silly, but I just felt like it today. This title signifies how I feel this month, especially after the sort of year I have had. In 2009 I invested in a fair amount of training, some still to be completed, and so I started 2010 feeling completely full to the brim with knowledge and now my task is to disseminate this to my clients. Continuing in the theme I started last week, looking at my client… -
Something more to think about
28 Jan 2010 | 9:32 pm"You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him." --James D. Miles I found this to be evident in my own experience, unfortunately. Perhaps, you have as well. To be completely and fully aware of how we view and treat our fellow human beings takes deliberate effort. It is effort well spent, I believe, and will certainly reap good and positive results. Certainly, more and more of us are becoming increasingly aware of this fact and are committing to act upon it. That's my hope.
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Clerical Advantage Virtual Assistance Services
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Easy Footers and Sidebars with Headway
7 Feb 2010 | 11:28 amToday I wanted to post two more videos showing just how easy it is to create a site that you can customize for your business. In the last video, I showed you just how simple it is to change colors, add a custom header and move the navigation around the page. In the two videos below, I’ll demonstrate how quickly I can add a customized footer by using Headway leafs and adding widgets to your sidebar to further customize for your needs. If you’ve found these videos helpful, you might also want to check out Headway Videos for lots of helpful tutorials for Headway. Related Posts:… -
What’s the Hoopla About Headway?
26 Jan 2010 | 4:45 amYou might have heard about the Headway theme for WordPress? It might even be the reason you ended up here on my website. But do you know why there’s been such a buzz about the premium theme? It depends on who you talk to. The visual editor, the ability to add ‘leafs’ to create a layout that fits your needs, the ability to customize a site without css coding are all reasons you’ll hear given. But I think everyone will agree that regardless of what you want to accomplish, Headway makes it easy. Check out the video below to see just how quickly you can give a site… -
What’s So Great About WordPress?
21 Jan 2010 | 6:30 amIf you’re reading this, you are probably already aware that one of the most important things you can do for your small business is to create a website. If you’re just starting out or looking to give your current site an overhaul you are faced with choices as to just how to build one. You can: Have a professional site built for you Use one of the template or sitebuilder based sites to do it yourself Build a ‘blogsite’ on the Wordpress framework If you’re familiar with me at all, you know that I’m a firm believer in building a ‘blogsite’ rather… -
How Do You Handle Rate Negotiation?
11 Jan 2010 | 6:00 amI recently followed a thread on one of the forums I frequent that told the story of a virtual assistant contacted by a potential client who was actually shopping around for the lowest price during their consultation call. While I think it’s rather rude to be doing price negotiations with several professionals while on a consultation call with another, it’s human nature to search for a bargain. Add to that the fact that many popular books promote finding the cheapest virtual assistant possible and it can add a layer of frustration to the consultation process. And I’m sure… -
Did you Resolve to Grow a Successful Business?
4 Jan 2010 | 7:55 amToday is the first Monday of the New Year. I think any of us whom own and operate our own business would say that we always resolve to be more successful in the coming year. In an effort to assist you with that task, I’ve worked hard over the past few weeks in order to be able to offer you some help. It began with the Virtual Assistant Survival Series. I’ve gotten some really amazing feedback from you about the series and its value to you. In my final post of the series, I shared the fact that I had been required to cut out huge portions of information in order to keep the…
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Executive Assistant To Virtual Assistant!
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Transition from the Corporate Office to Your Office
27 Jan 2010 | 9:00 amAspiring entrepreneurs dream of the time when they can tell the boss “See Ya!” and start working in their PJs. Working from home is definitely a relief from the commute, stress and politics of the office. You have your freedom to call the shots and do things your own way. Tweet This! Share this on Facebook Share this on Linkedin Digg this! Share this on Reddit Share this on Technorati Stumble upon something good? Share it on StumbleUpon Subscribe to the comments for this post? -
How to Find Your First Ideal Client
26 Jan 2010 | 8:00 amThis is the question that plagues all virtual assistants regardless of how long they’ve been in business. Clients are our lifeblood. But you don’t want to be so anxious for business that you will take on just anyone as a client. You need to have standards for what you will and won’t put up with in a client. Virtual assistants have to be proactive about finding and acquiring these ideal new clients. Thanks to the Internet, prospecting for clients has become easier in regards to your ability to reach more people in a shorter amount of time. But the basic business practices that apply in… -
Turning Your Website into a Client Attractive Marketing Tool
25 Jan 2010 | 8:00 amSmart virtual assistants recognize the power the Internet has to build their reputation and bring new clients to their doors. We often invest money in a beautiful site, launch it and expect to be flooded with new clients. Unfortunately, they don’t usually come. A beautiful web design and catchy business name is not enough to attract clients anymore. Tweet This! Share this on Facebook Share this on Linkedin Digg this! Share this on Reddit Share this on Technorati Stumble upon something good? Share it on StumbleUpon Subscribe to the comments for this post? -
Why Smart Virtual Assistants Create Systems
22 Jan 2010 | 7:40 amVirtual assistants are gifted professionals who can typically organize and run any business their clients hand to them. But when it comes to being organizing and running their own businesses, that’s more of a challenge. When you’re wearing multiple hats it is easy to put off creating our own systems. A smart virtual assistant’s business should strive to run as smoothly as their local 5-start restaurant. At anytime you should be able to add a new client to your workload and not miss a beat in your productivity and service standards. Creating and documenting your business procedures can… -
How Smart Virtual Assistants Leverage Time to Increase Profits
20 Jan 2010 | 8:05 amWe each have 24 hours in a day and 168 each week to accomplish ALL the items on our to-do list. How do you maximize your time each day so as to be profitable in your business? Tweet This! Share this on Facebook Share this on Linkedin Digg this! Share this on Reddit Share this on Technorati Stumble upon something good? Share it on StumbleUpon Subscribe to the comments for this post?
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VirtuAllin Virtual Assistant Blog
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Virtual Assistant Sandra Shares 5 Best Business Podcasts
25 Jan 2010 | 4:54 pmQuite by accident, I stumbled upon a terrific blog today and I just had to share with all of you. Sandra of ProVA by Design has her finger on the pulse and I highly recommend you go grab her RSS feed so you can enjoy her posts. Today, she posted a terrific article on how to become a life-long learner by subscribing to the 5 best podcasts for business.You can listen to podcasts anytime, like when you're driving or doing housework by loading them into an MP3 player. She's done the workRead More... -
Win a Free 10 hour block of VA Services Twitter Giveaway
21 Jun 2009 | 11:00 pmMaybe you've considered working with a Virtual Assistant but you just weren't sure how to use one or what to have one do for you. A savvy Virtual Assistant can take on any and all of those tasks that keep you from your core competency - those tasks that drive you crazy and often get neglected or rushed.Starting this Tuesday, just a simple tweet on TwitRead More... -
5 Rotten Things Your Clients Will Say
9 Jun 2009 | 11:00 pmSometimes I'll run across a blog post that makes me laugh out loud and today is no exception... Now, not all clients will be this rotten, but if you've ever had just one bad egg then this post over at Web Designer Depot will surely make you LOL. 5 Rotten Things No One Else Has Told You About the Clients You&rsqRead More... -
Virtual Assistant's Take on Mashable's Thought Capital
25 Apr 2009 | 11:00 pmToday, Mashable had a stunning 'how to' post on building your thought capital with Twitter. After soaking up the juicy knowledge shared in this post, I thought it might be nice to share how I think Virtual Assistants specifically can utilize Twitter more effectively to build their own thought capital. TwittRead More... -
What is a Virtual Assistant? Do I need one? Work with a VA FREE
15 Mar 2009 | 11:00 pmJust what is a Virtual Assistant and how can a Virtual Assistant save you time and money? Virtual Assistants are independent contractors who partner with you to take all that busy work off your plate and get you back out doing what you love - your core competency isn't dealing with adminitrative headaches! That's our core competency!A Virtual AssistanRead More...
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The Virtual Fast Lane
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Celebrating love … business-owner style
8 Feb 2010 | 12:14 pmI've always said that small-business owners are a scrappy bunch, and I think we all share the love we have for our businesses -
From handshakes to hugs
3 Nov 2009 | 12:50 pmIt doesn't take long for folks you run into at business functions to morph from introductions, to passing acquaintances, to referral partners, to full-blown friends. I've seen it happen in three events, tops. -
Book Tour: The Commonsense Virtual Assistance
22 Oct 2009 | 2:31 pmSue L Canfield recently released her book, The Commonsense Virtual Assistant – Becoming an Entrepreneur, Not an Employee. Today, she’s stopped by our blog. We’re especially excited to see this book published because tips and quotes from Rescue Desk are featured on a few of the pages throughout the book Why did you write this book? My husband, Joel D [...] -
When the Winds of Change Blow
3 Sep 2009 | 5:39 amWhen an opportunity for the new and different rears its head, pay attention to what you do with it. You can ignore it, go with it, fight it or embrace it. -
Exploring A Career As A Virtual Assistant – Virtual Book Tour Stop #6
24 Aug 2009 | 9:14 amMy VA colleague, Jessica Maes, has just launched her book Exploring A Career As A Virtual Assistant and she is currently on virtual tour to promote it! Jessica operates a busy Virtual Assistance practice from her home office in Madison, WI. Additionally, Jessica has taught a class at the University of Wisconsin through the Minicourse department [...]
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Your Savvy VA
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Love is in the air. Are you ready for Valentine’s day?
8 Feb 2010 | 11:11 pmWith Valentine’s day right around the corner have you thought about what you will be doing with or for your someone special? Are you a busy professional that doesn’t have enough time in the day to get what needs to get done never mind make dinner reservations or maybe setting up delivery for flowers [...] -
5 Social Media Tips for Better Corporate Social Responsibility
4 Feb 2010 | 9:22 amvia mashable.com Posted via web from YourSavvyVA Share this on del.icio.us Digg this! Post this on Diigo Share this on Reddit Stumble upon something good? Share it on StumbleUpon Share this on Technorati Share this on Mixx Tweet This! Subscribe to the comments for this post? Add this to Mister Wong Share this on FriendFeed -
WordPress Launches on Android
4 Feb 2010 | 9:18 amvia mashable.com Woot Woot! Thank you. Posted via web from YourSavvyVA Share this on del.icio.us Digg this! Post this on Diigo Share this on Reddit Stumble upon something good? Share it on StumbleUpon Share this on Technorati Share this on Mixx Tweet This! Subscribe to the comments for this post? Add this to Mister Wong Share this on FriendFeed
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Andrea Kalli Virtual Trainer and Assistant, LLC » Blog
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The Power of Keyword-Rich Domain Names in Book Promotion
5 Feb 2010 | 4:46 amThe Power of Keyword-Rich Domain Names in Book Promotion Guest Post by Dana Lynn Smith Many authors choose a website domain name that closely matches the title of their book. That’s great for book promotion purposes. But if your domain name doesn’t include important keywords, you could be missing out on search engine traffic in promoting your book. According to Search Engine News, a domain name that exactly matches the keywords entered into a search engine will automatically give that domain a significant advantage in the search results. Having keywords in the domain name also… -
Tips from an SEO Support VA: How to Ensure Continued Search Engine Optimization Success
4 Feb 2010 | 5:22 amWould you like a few tips from an SEO Support VA? One of the greatest strengths of internet business is the near complete lack of startup costs. While brick-and-mortar business can command thousands, sometimes hundreds of thousands, of dollars in startup costs and overheads, an online business can be launched for under $100. However, there is a hidden currency to online business that often goes ignored: opportunity cost. When you invest in endless SEO campaigns to go nowhere, you are taking time away from potentially more lucrative activities. While SEO is often touted as the ultimate form of… -
Video Marketing: Three Tips for Maximum Exposure
3 Feb 2010 | 9:38 amYouTube is becoming one of the most popular places on the internet for marketers to get their message out there, either as part of a direct viral marketing campaign or as the result of someone picking up something of theirs and putting it online. With incredible viral capabilities and a huge inbuilt audience, YouTube should be your number one target as a viral video marketer. These three tips will help you get the most out of YouTube, maximize your viewers, and provide alternative revenue streams beyond your direct customers. #1: Shoot for mass appeal, but don’t sell your core audience… -
The Concierge Virtual Assistant: The Ultimate Multi-Tasker
2 Feb 2010 | 5:42 amA business may have a variety of needs. The business owner has needs that may go unmet because they are always busy with work issues. For a virtual assistant looking for a niche, this type of client needs the multitasking expertise of a concierge professional. Organization is hard to manage for some businesses. It is enough to work on creating products for clients or managing the services that they provide. In the grand scheme of things, other important stuff gets missed. Someone needs to pay attention to detail so that events and product unveilings go off without a hitch. The Market A… -
The Virtual Assistant Internet Researcher
29 Jan 2010 | 5:39 amThe Internet is an amazing tool for many people but it is not necessarily easy to decipher. A virtual assistant with the skills to dig out relevant information from the rest of the jumble can specialize in research. Internet researchers are in great demand for all sorts of clients. In school they teach students to pick out the theme of a paragraph or story. After reading it is the job of the student to figure out what is the most important part of what they have read. As a researcher, that is what you will do for others who do not have the time or the skill to find it themselves. Compiling…
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1Click Virtual Assistant
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January Check-in
8 Feb 2010 | 5:00 amWith all that’s been going on in January, I am seriously questioning the idea of building a part-time business. Is it really possible? How should I adjust my goals and expectations? How should I schedule tasks and manage my time? But first, I think I ought to report on my January progress: Just to remind you (and myself), my business goal for the first 6 months of this year is to “Create a sustainable part-time social media support business providing sufficient supplemental/second income for the household” (and yes, there is a $ assigned to this goal). In order to achieve it… -
How to Get 5000 Twitter Followers by Next Monday
1 Feb 2010 | 5:00 amThe single best social networking advice that I’ve ever heard and that’s been corroborated by many was to concentrate on quality, not quantity. Quality meaning, of course, if you keep producing quality content and interact with others in a personal and un-spammy way, you will end up with a high-value, if possibly kind of smallish, network. But what if you really REALLY need to have a lot of followers for some big announcement or product launch that’s going to take place … oh, how about 1 week from today? Here’s a plan – search for your keywords and… -
5 Time-Saving Twitter Tools For Busy Business Owners
25 Jan 2010 | 5:00 amLately I’ve been doing a lot of Twitter-related work, helping out some very busy business owners to organize and manage their Twitter accounts. Which, ironically, left me with very little time or energy to keep up my own tweeting - a typical case of “shoemaker’s children”. Dealing with a social network notorious for sucking up all the free (as well as not-so-free) time while in a terrible time-crunch made me appreciate some of the fantastic Twitter tools out there. I know, I know, there are plenty of lists out there that list dozens of great Twitter tools: Top 5… -
Should I Automate Social Media
18 Jan 2010 | 5:00 amIf you already have social networking profiles, including LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, FriendFeed, etc. then you know that you need a lot of time to maintain all this virtual “real estate”. You also know that as a small business owner you are already pretty much maxed out. Fortunately, automation comes to the rescue! But wait, aren’t you supposed to be 100% authentic and automation is the opposite of that? Wouldn’t automating some of the social media work go against the spirit of social networking? I don’t think so and here’s why: Your time is finite and… -
Pros and Cons of Business Networking
11 Jan 2010 | 5:00 amOne of my goals this year is to attend 4 real-world face-to-face networking events each month. Why bother with offline networking at all? After all, several virtual assistants I spoke with told me they do all their marketing and networking strictly online. Face-to-face Networking Builds Trust My personal experience with online-only networking is a mixed bag. I met all my past and present clients online. The problem is that some of my business relationships soured in large part because of their virtual nature. For example, dismissing an overdue invoice with promises of payment at a later…
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Marketing For VAs
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Overcoming “Writers Block” – Part 2
16 Jan 2010 | 7:43 pmClick here to leave a comment -
Saving Time with Google Blogs
7 Jan 2010 | 10:05 amClick here to leave a comment -
Don’t get stuck making the call of shame in 2010
1 Jan 2010 | 7:26 pmThere is nothing worse than having to call a client to tell them your computer quit on you and that you lost all of their data. (Embarrassingly, I speak from experience!) It’s just amateur and a call you should never make. You need a backup strategy when you are handling client data. Your clients will have no tolerance for losing their data, nor should they. It’s like telling your sixth grade teacher the dog ate your homework. It’s not going to cut it. It’s 2010 and there are numerous, affordable and user friendly options available for remotely backing up your data. I’m talking… -
Overcoming “Writers Block” – Part 1
29 Dec 2009 | 12:26 pmClick here to leave a comment -
I Prefer Gossip over Research
26 Dec 2009 | 1:27 pmUnless you’re a professional copywriter, churning out quality articles, press releases and blog posts for your clients is challenging. This is especially true when you’re writing for a new client. And since producing quality content is a must, accelerating the “getting to know you” stage of the market space your clients operating in is essential. We all know researching an unfamiliar industry or market is time consuming. And the time we spend researching is often not 100% billable. So my advice is to gossip on them. And one tool I would highly recommend to aid in your gossiping…
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Absolute PA Blog
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6 tips that add value to your workshop
1 Feb 2010 | 1:29 pmPlanning a workshop or seminar? Here are six value-add tips to think about when hiring a venue. Workshop content will always reign as the most important factor but the following points are often overlooked by trainers and coaches. Considering these factors will ensure your workshop is remembered for the right reasons and score extra brownie [...] -
6 great ways to use your VA
19 Jan 2010 | 11:03 amVA, Virtual Assistant, Virtual PA. You’ve heard about them but what do they do and how can they help you grow your business, exactly? Here are 6 ways a VA can support you in your business activity. Manage your contacts Networking and collecting business contacts is one thing but entering them on your database? Yawn. Surely you’ve [...] -
10 tips to motivate your work mode
14 Jan 2010 | 6:27 amHands up, who’s got the holiday blues? If you’re finding it difficult to get back in to work after the holiday season here are 10 great tips to help get your mojo back. Have a good breakfast. The most important meal of the day. If you work from home build in a ‘commute’. Maybe walking to the [...] -
A belated Happy New Year from Absolute PA!
6 Jan 2010 | 3:53 amFirstly, may I wish you a belated Happy New Year! I hope you made the most of the holiday season and it was an enjoyable one for you. My Christmas holiday was how it should be – spent with friends and family, involving lots of eating, drinking and relaxing. It did mean that my good intentions [...] -
Why you need a good Virtual PA
18 Dec 2009 | 3:05 amI often get asked by other business owners, ‘So, what do you do?’ When I tell them I’m a Virtual PA, 9 times out of 10 they presume that I take phone messages for a living. Don’t get me wrong, a phone answering service is a very valuable one, I use one myself. But [...]
