Virtual Assistant Directory - Need a Virtual Assistant? Find a Virtual Assistant

3 years ago, an idea sparked the Internet business community, and spread like wildfire. The idea was based on the premise that individuals, small businesses and corporations alike could take advantage of advances in technology by sourcing out much of their administrative tasks to "Virtual Assistants" (VA's).

The idea certainly was a good one. After all, the VA would work from their own office, provide their own equipment, pay their own taxes & insurance and much more. Basically, the VA would take over administrative tasks for the client, as well as relieve the client of the strains of hiring an additional employee or employees. Even better, the VA would be the clients personal success coach, not only helping them get on track in their personal & business lives, but helping them stay on track and even succeed beyond their initial personal & business goals.

Since the dawn of the Virtual Assistant idea, however, many formerly successful VA's have been relegated to the title of online freelancer. While a few VA's remain focused on the task of providing solid administrative services to their clients, most now work on smaller, less personalized services. Many of the VA's that I know who once handled contracts for clients on an on-going basis are now struggling just to find one-shot projects that will help pay the bills.

The problem is not that the VA's services are not useful. In fact, far from it. Hiring a Virtual Assistant has many, many advantages, particularly for the small business owner or individual. With a VA by their side, these types of clients can make major advances towards acheiving their goals in their business, as well as personal lives. The best part is that because a VA works entirely over the Internet, and by fax & phone, they allow the client to get back to what's important - business!

Unfortunately, many would-be clients tend to shy away from the services of a VA simply because, even after 3 years on the scene, the client fails to see exactly how the Virtual Assistant process works. In addition, they remain hesitant because those in the VA industry have not been able to get their message across in a manner that relieves the client of their fears of working with a VA.

So, how do VA's overcome that fear? A proven formula has yet to be found, though some have found success with a variety of client based 'offers', such as discounts or freebies until the client reaches a goal. Others have begun offering a trial period that allows the client to get a 'feel' for the service before actually paying for it.

Unfortunately, these can have a negative effect on the VA industry by painting the VA as being less than worthy of the client's time or effort. For those that would use these 'gimmicks', I would strongly suggest that you place a little more faith in yourself & your abilities before giving your services away.

There is no doubt that there is a huge market for the services of a VA. I have had the opportunity to discuss this issue with a number of marketiing and branding 'gurus', and their response is always the same: until the potential client is properly educated and their fears addressed, many VA's will continue to struggle.

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David Ware is a Virtual Assistant, successful freelance writer, husband & father. He can be contacted at dave@24hourassistant.com, or at http://www.24hourassistant.com

Susan Holmes is an author and professional speaker. She travels frequently and hates coming home to piles of bills, unheard telephone messages and thousands of e-mail. Susan works harder and harder spending most evenings and weekends doing administrative chores and spends the workday servicing clients. No matter how hard she works Susan cannot get ahead. She begins to suffer from the symptoms of stress. She can't sleep, doesn't bother to eat regularly, suffers from anxiety to the point of feeling paralyzed when confronting the mess on her desk.

Susan wishes Superman really exists so that he can swoop into her home office and rescue her from the foot high stacks of paper on her desk that are threatening to topple over. Susan tries to keep up as best as she can but soon she is so overwhelmed that she turns away paid speaking engagements in order to do administrative work.

Can you identify with Susan? Do you dread opening your office door because it isn't a pretty sight? Hopefully you have a friend like Michelle. After months of trying Michelle finally talks Susan into having lunch. Michelle is taken aback at how tired Susan is and how unhappy she seems. After Susan confides in Michelle she gets silent and stares at the table. Michelle jumps in an offers Susan a solution that will both relieve her of her stress and allow her to pick up more speaking engagements.

What is this magical solution? It is a Virtual Assistant (VA). Michelle has been using a VA for several years because she once was in Susan's position. Michelle explains to Susan that her VA handles all of her administrative and marketing tasks in addition to answering the phones from a remote location. The benefits of working with a VA becomes clear for Susan as Michelle tells her that she only pays for the time her VA works for her and that benefits and taxes are not an issue. Susan begins to think about all of her tasks she can outsource to a VA that would allow her to take on more speaking engagements. Susan also realizes that a VA can market her book and her articles and search for more lucrative speaking engagements. Michelle then explains that a Virtual Assistant handle a multitude of tasks including:

Answer phones
Business correspondence
Article Submission
Paperwork
Design marketing materials
Typing
Document formatting and clean up
Proofreading and editing
Marketing
Direct mail
Voice and e-mail monitoring
Research
Select and ship gifts
Travel arrangements

Lunch is soon finished and Michelle is suprised to see that Susan looks more alert and happy. Michelle offers to search for and screen VA's while Susan organizes the work that needs to be turned over when someone is hired. Finally, Susan tackles those stacks of paper on her desk and the dust bunnies with gusto. Within just a few hours she is ready to delegate work and a few days later, thanks to Michelle, she begins working with Alice. Susan and Alice create a set of tasks that Alice will handle daily and then Susan packages up all the paperwork from her desk and sends it to Alice. In addition to the daily work Alice does she also motivates and supports Susan in her business goals.

Several months down the line Susan shares the secret of her success with her other friends and one by one they seek out and hire a Virtual Assistant. Lives are improved and businesses grow at a fast pace.

If you can identify with Susan then you need a VA. Don't let money issues hold you back. A VA can be suprisingly affordable when you calculate how much more billable work you can accomplish instead of handling daily tedious tasks. Go through that messy pile of papers on your desk and organize them with an eye towards delegating everything that you can. Seek out and hire a VA that will help you avoid going crazy and you will be glad you did!

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Bonnie Jo Davis is a Virtual Assistant who helps small businesses succeed by taking over those daily tasks that can drive even the most level headed entrepreneur crazy. For more information about Bonnie visit Davis Virtual Assistance.

he latest trend in outsourcing is "virtual assistance," and it can help you be your most productive while assigning time-consuming, non-critical tasks to someone else.

It's almost midnight and there you sit, working on tasks that must get done. Maybe you don't need a full-time assistant, or don't want someone else working in your home office. Whether a business owner or a professional working for someone else, it's hard to deliver peak performance when spending time on things someone else should be doing. A Virtual Assistant (VA) can help you break that logjam.

What is Virtual Assistance?

A VA is a person running his own business, a trained administrative professional who can be your partner in your business success. He just does it remotely using technology instead of shared physical space.
How to Find Virtual Assistance

Virtual Assistants are located around the globe, with a variety of backgrounds and expertise. Professional associations offer Virtual Assistance training and certification. As with any important business decision, take the time to find a good fit. AssistU and the International Association of Virtual Office Assistance are two places to begin your search.
The Cost of Virtual Assistance

Virtual assistance does not come free, and some might think it isn't cheap, either. Most VAs work on an hourly basis, charging between $30 and $75 per hour. By considering it basic clerical work, one may expect to pay under $10 per hour, but these are not your average clerks. In weighing the cost of virtual assistance, it is important to look at how much you can increase your revenues by delegating to a trusted professional the things that prevent you from focusing on other key tasks that further your business goals.
When Virtual Assistance Works Best

A few quick examples speak volumes:

Andy Birol, of Cleveland's Birol Growth Consulting, advises business owners to generate higher revenues and profits by concentrating on the things that they are good at, like to do, and are valued by customers. When he first started his business, Birol took his own advice and found competent help that freed him up to focus on his own revenue generating skills.

Birol partnered with Carolyn Berg, the owner of CyberOffice Solutions, located a four-hour drive from Cleveland. Berg supports Birol's business through database management, customer contact, follow-up calls, website maintenance, and the handling of marketing materials. She also helps with one-time projects. Birol wanted to kick off a new product line with a spectacular event at the Cleveland House of Blues. Berg worked with HOB management to coordinate the event, handle wrist bands, name tags, and marketing materials, plus worked with two of Birol's other service providers to create the kick-off presentation.

Virtual assistance companies often span several industries. Berg's client list includes a landscape consultant, hardware store owner, and Harvard professor. No two clients are alike: She keeps the calendar of the Harvard professor, while handling invoicing and other recordkeeping for the hardware store owner. Her most unusual partnership: a balloon art broker who provides independent balloon artists to various events. Berg coordinates the schedules of the independent artists, helps them manage their supplies inventory, and acts as the customer service representative.

Vicky Likens, owner of Virtually the Best, has a client who is a corporate executive with a full time assistant at work, but needs help handling her home life. Likens plans parties and vacations, does gift shopping, and even managed the process of hiring a nanny, including screening candidates to a final four for client interview.
How to Work with Virtual Assistance

Vickie Sullivan has hired administrative support in various forms for most of the 20 years she has owned and operated Sullivan Speaker Services. She finds the VA relationship -- she works with Likens -- the most successful by far. The key distinction for Sullivan is that the VA is a fellow business owner focused on helping Sullivan's business grow, not an employee that she must figure out how to keep busy.

Sullivan appreciates having full access to Likens while paying only for actual hours used, and touts Likens' superior technical talent. There are trade-offs. Likens, located in Maryland, cannot do physical filing for Sullivan, located in Arizona. But Sullivan finds it easier to bring in occasional filing help while critical day to day assistance is provided by Liken, who Sullivan describes as her COO.

Establishing an effective relationship is crucial. Speaking separately, Birol, Berg, Sullivan, and Likens each stressed effective communication, clear expectations, and the client seeing the VA as a partner. Attempts at micromanagement by the client will doom the relationship. Sullivan and Likens talk weekly, with most communication occurring by email. Things will fall through the cracks, but no more so than in any traditional office environment.

From the paradigm of shared space, some struggle to envision the type of work a VA can do. Berg suggests that you jot down the 10 most important administrative functions not getting done. The VA can help you define a process for how that work can be completed long distance. Once the client tastes success, other potential VA-provided services become apparent.

Not every VA is a good fit for your business, just as you may not be a good fit for every VA. The interview process is important for both of you. Matching styles, matching needs and skill sets, and having a mutual willingness to change the relationship over time as you gain experience working will make the difference between a VA that makes your business better, and one that doesn't.

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Rebecca A. Morgan has been an authoritative voice in business operations for more than 25 years. Founder and president of Fulcrum ConsultingWorks, Inc., Rebecca draws on a wealth of expertise when assisting clients in defining and executing profitable operations strategies.

When the Internet took off in the 1990s, many predicted it would end Realtors’ jobs. Ha! Not even close! In fact, the Internet has bolstered Realtors in many ways. One way is through the arrival of virtual assistants (VAs) -- those who work off-site. Many specialize in helping Realtors.

And there’s a good reason VAs are flourishing: efficiency.

Sure, productivity is vital in business. But productivity without efficiency is a sure path to a slow and painful death in real estate – or in any other business. VAs help you put a laser-like focus on what you do best – sell real estate.

I practice what I preach: my director of technology lives in British Columbia. And he saves me a bundle every year. I don’t pay for his equipment, office space, insurance, vacation days, sick days, training or any other budget-draining items. I pay him only for what he does best – so I can do what I do best. Talk about synergy.

I like VAs because they go to the very heart of my business: developing and implementing systems that put real estate practices on autopilot so Realtors can enjoy more of their life.

So what do you need to do before you hire a virtual assistant?

- Research VAs. There’s an ocean of information about them on the Internet. Search on the words virtual assistant for literally thousands of results.

- Revisit your business plan. I’m a big proponent of business plans, especially ones that make service to your clients a top priority. And you’ll want a VA who understands your commitment to your clients. Beyond that, identify tasks best handled by VAs then turn those tasks into a job description. With systems, everyone on your team knows exactly what’s to be done. So diagram every task the VA will complete in a workflow, show deadlines and required results. You’ll end up with detailed checklists for every task so all future VAs will know precisely what’s to be done. (This goes for work on a ‘position’ versus ‘project’ basis – if the job requires ongoing work versus just a single undertaking.)

- Know what you’re willing to pay. One of the advantages of VAs is that you’re not limited by location. So you can shop around for VAs who live where wages are perhaps more reasonable. So don’t limit your search to just your community.

- Know your technology needs. Don’t fret too much about this; VAs are usually well versed in computer and software requirements. And costs are minimal. For example, a VA can access your computer files for as little as $20 a month using one of many different internet based applications that exist today.

So let me challenge you right now – today. Take a few minutes and assess your efficiency in your real estate practice. Are you as efficient with your time – day in and day out – as you can be? If not, you’re cheating yourself. Give virtual assistants a closer look and your success will be virtually assured! Good luck!

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About the Author:
Bob Corcoran is a nationally recognized speaker who is the founder of Corcoran Consulting, an international consulting & coaching company that specializes in performance coaching, and the implementation of sound business systems.http://www.CorcoranCoaching.com 800-957-8353 Info@CorcoranCoaching.com.

Time is precious to ALL business owners…so anything that frees up time and helps business is invaluable! A Virtual Assistant (VA) does both – and more! Business owners – like you – hire VAs to free up time, help business and SAVE money! Yes…I said SAVE $$$. That may seem like an oxymoron, but just stay with me here. VAs are self-employed. They pay their own taxes, their own insurance, they pay for their own equipment and furniture, for their own training, etc. Plus! YOU CAN MORE THAN LIKELY WRITE OFF VA’S FEES AS AN EXPENSE – and you don’t have to pay taxes for a VA (as you would for an employee) or provide benefits and insurance…THAT’S HUGE! Any savvy business person sees the value in this right away!

So, why should you hire a VA?

1. To save money

2. To fill a position or to help with a temporary project

You (i.e. business owner, entrepreneur, etc.) pay only for the VA services used – only when needed – no down time. One week you might have 20 hours of work for the VA, the next, only 5. Why would you pay a full-time, onsite employee (who probably can’t get done in a day, what a VA gets done in 2 hours!) benefits, vacation, taxes, lunch breaks, chatting at the copy machine, etc…when you can partner with a VA to do it for you in half the time – for half the expense???!!!

Jennifer Cummings, Entrepreneur and Owner of Keytura, Inc., who has been using virtual assistants and virtual outsourcing for years says, "My virtual assistants and consultants have helped me execute so many of the ideas I just had sitting on my desk. Using their services, I take action...which means I make more money! They are invaluable to my business!"

At this point you might be asking, “Well, how do I know this VA is doing what I’m asking her to do? How can I trust her?”

Well, that’s not hard. #1 - If your VA is not doing what she says she’s doing, it’s eventually going to become VERY obvious. Things won’t be getting done and it will show. #2 – Your VA will keep track of – and provide you with a detailed record of – tasks completed & time they took. #3 – and this is HUGE…

Your VA is a business owner just like you!

Your business success is KEY to your VA’s business success!

If your VA screws up your business, she is – in essence – screwing up her own. What person in his or her right mind would do that???!!! You both (you and your VA) need to think of each other as business PARTNERS because that’s exactly what you are. You are partnering your businesses for success!

So, where can you find a VA? Try places like: http://www.IVAA.org, http://www.elance.com, or http://www.guru.com. You won’t be sorry you made this decision. Your increased profits, productivity and ROI will show you that VAs are something that “just make sense!”

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Jennifer Claggett is a virtual assistant and a stay-at-home mom. Visit her website at http://www.VirtualAssistantMom.com to learn more invaluable, easy-to-use virtual assistant tools and information.

1. You've missed out on opportunities because you forgot to follow up or didn't have time to submit a proposal.
2. You've sent out articles, proposals, or other important correspondence with spelling or grammatical errors.
3. You haven't sent out your "monthly" newsletter in several months.
4. You often work evenings and/or weekends to stay on top of administrative tasks.
5. You have projects requiring skills and/or software that you don't have.
6. You have lots of great ideas for your business, but no time to carry them out.
7. You haven't updated your website in over a year.
8. You've been procrastinating about tasks on your to-do list for several weeks - or longer.
9. You've had to turn down opportunities because you couldn't figure out when you would do the work.
10. You'd love to take your business to the next level - if you only had the time.

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Janet Barclay, MVA and owner of Organized Assistant, provides administrative assistance and website services to coaches, professional organizers and other small business clients.To receive monthly tips for Maximizing Your Time and Space, request a subscription to her ezine, The Organized Assistant Resource.

You start off alone. Be it as a solo business owner or a manager looking after a part of a larger business. It gets busier, you get distracted from what you want to do, because there's only one of you and you've only got one pair of hands.

So you need to find help.

Sometimes you need to find help fast, but there are things you can do to prepare.

If you think ahead and plan, many of those nightmare situations can be overcome.

By ensuring that you have a great group of people around you, there will be more to fall back on when the going gets tough - because that, as they say, when the tough really do get going.

Big challenges can be very difficult to face - and they can be fascinating and exhilarating. So here's some thoughts on how to make the best of these times, by getting ready in advance and making it work.

1. Plan Ahead

Look out for what you might need in the future and plan to make business life far, far easier for yourself. Decide what your business will be when it's the best it can be and focus on getting to there. think then about whether the resources are within or outside your business, which will depend on the size of it.

2. Size Doesn't Matter

Even if you are small, tiny even, don't think you can't afford a specialist - it will often make sense, both in relieving stress and financially. I mean you didn't get into your business to always do your books did you? (And if you did, maybe you want to try bookkeeping as a business!). Chris Barrow aka The Million Dollar Coach always reckons the first thing any self-respecting entrepreneur should do, is get a PA. In these days of VA's (virtual assistants) it's becoming a do-able option for all.

3. Look For Talent

With your mind set on what you want, look out everywhere for people who can help. If you are small business owner, that might not be for a little while, but keep your eyes open, both within your own business, your family and your acquaintances. Anyone, anywhere - be alert!

4. Build Networks

Get out there and make sure that you listen to people who might use some of the experts you need. This means that if you have to choose, you have already got testimonials up front. This makes it a lot easier. Recommendations work! Many local specialists, when they are worth their salt, get more than enough clients through recommendations rather than need to advertise.

5. Seek Recommendations

Again, it's about keeping your eyes and ears open. You need a whiz with computer experience. By talking about it and listening hard, you may well find the help you need. Didn't you know that your cousin Myrtle's step-brother is learning all about HTML at college - shame on you!

6. Set Quality Standards

By being very clear about what you want from the help you get, you are much more likely to get it. You will save yourself a lot of time and probably money by getting really specific (so, dot 'i's and 't's very carefully). It's very interesting how what comes out of our mouths is interpreted in so many different ways than we might expect (hint - it's always your fault, not theirs - so get over it).

7. Measure Performance

In with the standards you agree with your help, be they a member of your own team, or an external contractor, it is vital that you have a way of measuring performance on a regular basis. Keeping your requirements SMART (Specific, Measurable, Agreed, Realistic and Timescaled) will make this much easier. And don't be afraid to require penalties from external contractors if the fail to deliver.

8. Take Some Risks

Sometimes you have to wing it. So, if you take as much care as is practical, you can take a few risks with those who you have to help you. So don't be afraid to give more responsibility to one of your team, especially if they show promise - give them the opportunity, support and your confidence and often they will deliver way beyond what you expect.

9. New Blood

If you are missing an ingredient with your internal or external help, don't be afraid to get someone new in. It helps everyone if the right person is in the team, and there are a lot of folks out there who can do a great job. Anyone doing a poor job knows it and is not helping you at all. For outside help, if you have even a hint in your gut that it isn't working, be tough and get it fixed - or get out - dragging bad deals on is a very bad deal for you.

10. Give Accountability

And finally, make it very, very clear who you are holding accountable for the help you hire, whether it is in your business of from outside. You have a name to an accountability and that's that. They are where the buck stops. Internally, it can be through one-to-one meetings and milestones, externally, well, much the same although maybe a little more formally. Set them up with agreed 'T' - timescales and make them stick.

Being aware of the help you need well in advance, will make a big difference for you - you can focus on the aspects of business you bring value to and, while we're on the subject of value, have fun and get a life for yourself as well.

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About the author:

2006 Martin Haworth is a Management Coach. He has hundreds more at his website, Coaching Businesses to Success.

For those of you who are still in the dark, a Virtual Assistant, or VA, is an executive level, administrative professional who works from his/her own office to support clients using some of the latest available technology. The Internet has brought many skilled professionals out of the corporate environment and back into their homes, enabling them to create a better work-life balance, while still performing in the roles they love. The VA is one such professional. Working from their home-based offices and making use of the Internet, telephone, fax and email, VAs are able to offer small and medium-sized businesses a quality of administrative support, previously only available to the corporate giants, in a cost-effective manner.

A Virtual Assistant’s service offering may vary, but you are guaranteed to find one out there who is able to perform the exact functions your business needs. You will find that hiring a VA will REVOLUTIONIZE your business.

1. A VA brings invaluable work experience and training to the table. You may even find that they will teach you a trick or two. Be it software, hardware or grammar, you can be sure that your VA knows his/her stuff!

2. Because VAs run a business themselves, they have a unique understanding of what your needs as a small business owner are. They will be able to assist and advise you on matters pertaining to Marketing, Branding, Web Design and e-Commerce. What avenues of advancement have you not yet explored with your business? Are you sure that you have all your bases covered? Your VA can help.

3. Get organized. If you attend conferences and AGMs I’ll bet you have a ton of business cards cluttering up your desk. Let your VA scan and enter them into a database for you. Future mail campaigns will be a breeze with a ready-made contact list all neatly stored on a CD.

4. Is there a special project boiling over on the back-burner that you’ve been wanting to do? Your VA can help with research, planning and coordination, leaving you free to continue your focus on your core-business function.

5. If you’re too busy to remember important dates, anniversaries and meetings, your VA, with a tailored reminder service, can assist. From ordering flowers for your mother, to sending a thank you note to a client and even arranging gift baskets for investor, they aim to please.

6. Conceptualizing marketing items can be agonizing if you don’t have the know-how, equipment or creative flair. Most VAs have a wide range of software packages at their finger-tips, as well as experience in creating flyers, brochures and business cards for their own company’s. Put your ideas to your VA, they will dazzle you with the results.

7. Planning a much-needed break with your family? Let your VA take care of the details; flights, car hire, accommodation, even a list of “must-see” places of interest. Your VA can handle it all, down to the very last detail.

8. If you’re on the road a lot, chances are your cell-phone is often out of signal range and there is no one in your office to take a message should that all-important client call. With the call answering service provided by many VAs, you can divert your calls and rest assured that your client will receive the personal touch rather than dealing with an annoying automated answering device. Your messages will be passed on to you in order of importance and you won’t need to sort through lengthy messages on voicemail.

9. Conferences and networking functions can take a lot out of a small business owner. It is imperative that you attend and make a dazzling show of it, but in order to do so, you have to neglect existing clients. This will no longer be a problem with a VA. They can handle all your conferencing arrangements; table-hire, banner design and creation, even gift bags for client samples. It’s that easy!

10. If you have a lot of correspondence, and you’re a bit of a “keyboard klutz,” your VA can help. Many VAs offer a fully digitized transcription service. Simply record your memos/letters onto your computer and email them to your VA, s/he will have it neatly typed and ready for mailing in no time! Other VAs may provide dictated typing as a service, so that urgent e-mail is just a phone-call away.

Now that you’ve heard all that a VA can do, where can you find one? That’s easy. VAnetworking at http://www.vanetworking.com is an invaluable resource when looking to partner with a VA. With over 2,400 professional VA members you are certain to find exactly the service you are looking for. According to Tawnya Sutherland, founder of VAnetworking.com, and author of the Virtual Assistant Start-Up System states, “Our forum is leading the way in revolutionizing the VA Industry by offering expert advice to VAs on how to be the best VA they can be. That’s why partnering with one of our VAs can help your business grow and operate on a more proficient level.”

Diana Ennen, president of Virtual Word Publishing, http://www.virtualwordpublishing.com and Publicist for the site states, “Our team of VAs are varied with different skill sets and different visions for their business. That’s why teaming up with a VAnetworking.com VA can give your business all the support it needs.”

So if you’re looking for a Virtual Assistant or want to start a virtual assistant business, now is the time to stop by VAnetworking.com and see everything they have to offer.

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Article from the reservoirs of the largest online social network for Virtual Assistants located http://www.VAnetworking.com. Tawnya Sutherland the founder and author of The VBSS System, a Virtual Business Startup System, is a Certified Internet Marketing Specialist sharing her online marketing experience at this VA community to help aspiring and successful VAs turn clicks into cash at their websites.

Have you ever heard of a Virtual Assistant? If you are a busy entrepreneur, you need to pay attention! A Virtual Assistant (VA) is an independent contractor who provides administrative support services by utilizing advanced technology to complete work and communicate with clients.

Below is a list of 10 ways a VA can help you get back to the business of building your business.

1. Secretarial Services. Are you spending too much time scheduling appointments? Do you have piles of routine paperwork to process? Do you wish you had someone to research and arrange your travel? A Virtual Assistant can assist with these tasks including scheduling appointments, completing forms, making travel arrangements, researching topics and maintaining a contact database.

2. Research. The Internet is a fabulous tool for research, but it can be quite time consuming. A VA can perform research for you and provide you a report on the findings. Before you know it, your project will be completed.

3. Presentations. Do you need a PowerPoint presentation? When you fax your notes, sketches and charts to your VA, they will be transformed into a professional slide show complete with handouts and transparencies.

4. Database Management. All business cards need to be in a database. Mail or courier your stack of cards to your VA and they will create a custom database for you. When you acquire new cards, send them to your VA and your database will be complete and up-to-date for your next marketing campaign or Christmas card mail! A VA can handle that too!

5. Email Management. We live in a “now” society and with so many people using email, it’s important you stay on top of it. Emails should be responded to within an hour, how are you doing? A VA can regularly check your email, respond where she can and notify you of urgent matters as they arise. This is a great service to consider if you are going on vacation or are often away from your computer.

6. Word Processing. Perhaps you need a handwritten document typed. Fax it to your VA and she will type it and either email it back to you or print it on your letterhead and put it in the mail for you. If you’ve typed up a proposal or a manual that needs to be formatted, simply e-mail it to your VA and she will give it a polished finish and send it back to you. Your VA can even convert a document to a PDF making file transfers quick and easy.

7. Personal. Do you wish you had a personal assistant to schedule your appointments, remind you of important dates and send thank you cards on your behalf? A VA can take care of all of these things and more. Anything you have an in house assistant take care of can be done virtually…except brewing the coffee!

8. Purchasing. A VA can order office supplies, hire someone to paint your office or purchase a laser printer by researching the best price, presenting you with quotes, and ordering the items to be delivered right to your office.

9. Invoicing. A Virtual Assistant can invoice your customers for you. Fax or email the details and she will create your invoices, print them off, address them and put them in the mail for you.

10. Track expenses. Are your receipts in piles around your office, your purse or the glove compartment of your car? You can put all your receipts in one envelope, (one for each month) and mail them to your VA monthly. She can create an Excel spreadsheet, break down the GST and easily track your expenses for you. This year, you will be ready at tax time!

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Ready to start adding hours to your day? Jaime Lee Mann is the owner of Mann Made Time, a Virtual Assistant business based in Kingston, PEI. You can contact her by phone at 902.675.4008, email jaime@mannmadetime.com or visit her on the Web at www.MannMadeTime.com.

Working with a variety of solo professionals over the years I have noticed a few things:

Solo professionals often bite off just more than they can chew. They do this because they want to succeed. I think that if they take on a little bit more, they will do more and, therefore, succeed more. Stop spreading yourself too thin and get the help you need.

They often forget that they can't do everything. Everyone is an expert at something, but no-one is an expert at everything. Solo professional doesn't need to mean "lone wolf". If you are not good at something, get someone else to do it. Your clients will appreciate that the work is done well and not just completed.

Solo professionals tend to focus on too many things at once. The old phrase, "do one thing, and do it well" comes to mind. If need be, get a virtual assistant to help you mange your greatest resource - your time. A good VA can weed out those time wasting emails and voicemails. They can help you prioritize your schedule and help give you the time to spend on your area of expertise.

Solo professionals can have a habit of mixing business with pleasure. Sometimes it is difficult to keep a handle on your own finances and keep your personal money separate from your business money. Hire a virtual assistant who specializes in bookkeeping and get them to help you budget and plan how and where you spend your money. They can also handle the "divorce" of your personal and business finances.

Solo professionals are great at what they do and they get paid accordingly. They can also have more expenses than a professional that is in a partnership or firm. Hiring a virtual assistant is more cost effective for the solo professional than hiring in-house administrative assistance. Since the VA is private contractor with their own office, you don't have to put out money for more space, equipment, health benefits, and other employee related costs. Also, since a virtual assistant is only paid for the time that they work for you, there is no money lost to long lunch breaks, personal calls, or even sick days.

If you are a solo professional, and if you need some help, consider hiring a virtual assistant to partner with you for your success. You will be glad you did.

To find out more about virtual assistants and how they can help you as a solo professional take a look at www.righthandmanva.com or http://right-hand-man.blogspot.com

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Darrell A. Williams is the owner of Right-Hand-Man Virtual Assistant Services - a Multi-VA team practice. Darrell has over 7 years experience in the administrative support field. He has worked for non-profit organizations in Canada, the US and the UK. He has also worked as an event planner and personal assistant. Darrell has not only been self-employed, but has also held management positions in several companies and has worked in private sales contracting. Through our commitment of constant educational upgrading, Darrell recently increased our company's capabilities by completing a Legal Administrative Assistant training program. Darrell's specialties include legal administrative assistance, editing, proofreading, document formatting and calendar management. http://righthandmanva.com

We're all busy throughout the year but the holidays seem to add undue stress to our lives and our businesses. No need to stress, call on a virtual assistant to get you through the holidays and start the New Year off on the right foot.

1. Design custom holiday cards
Want to stand out from the crowd? Let your virtual assistant design a custom holiday card that's sure to impress your clients.

2. Organize and maintain mailing list
Do you often miss the opportunity to send holiday cards, or any other mailings, because your mailing list leaves a lot to be desired? Let your virtual assistant organize your contacts and maintain them on a regular basis.

3. Send out holiday cards
You've got your cards and your list is ready to go. Let your virtual assistant sign, seal and deliver them to the post office while you spend your valuable time on revenue generating tasks.

4. Event planning
Whether you're planning a corporate party or a personal gathering you can get overwhelmed with all the details. Let your virtual assistant handle the many details associated with your holiday event planning.

5. Travel arrangements
Trying to get home for the holidays or have guests coming to visit you? Let your virtual assistant make flight arrangements, hotel reservations, and coordinate transportation.

6. Gift buying
Finding the perfect gift for the client who has everything can be a real nightmare. Let your virtual assistant arrange for the perfect gift that will make a lasting impression.

7. Give yourself some time for you while your VA keeps your business operating
Give yourself a gift this holiday season - some time for yourself. Let your virtual assistant keep an eye on your email and voice mail while you enjoy some much needed time with family and friends.

8. Jump start the New Year by working with your VA to plan marketing strategies
Now is the perfect time to start planning your marketing strategies for the upcoming year. Let your virtual assistant help you strategize and re-energize your business growth with a solid marketing plan.

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© 2003 Kelly Poelker

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kelly Poelker is a certified Master Virtual Assistant, President of Another 8 Hours, Inc. and Co-Author of Virtual Assistant - The Series: Become a Highly Successful, Sought After VA . To learn more about how to utilize a virtual assistant visit her website at http://www.Another8Hours.com.

Consultants, entrepreneurs, and other independent professionals often find themselves performing a juggling act: providing their products and services while also carrying out tasks related to marketing, customer service, and day-to-day operations. As important as these activities are to business survival, they don't directly contribute to the bottom line and, more importantly, they divert attention away from those that do.

While that can be said for a company of any size, small office/home office businesses (SOHOs) typically have fewer options than larger firms for addressing these concerns. A SOHO's needs are likely to be varied and ongoing, but traditional temps and contractors are usually best-suited for assignments of limited scope and duration. Additionally, workload fluctuations might prohibit the hiring of a permanent employee, even on a part-time basis, and many SOHOs don't have the space or equipment to accommodate on-site workers.

Fortunately, advancements in technology have spawned a new industry, called "Virtual Assistance," that provides SOHOs with the relief that they need.

Virtual Assistants (VAs) are experienced office professionals who provide administrative and other support services remotely. Because these activities can be handled effectively via telephone, fax, email, and the Internet, physical location is irrelevant. A skilled VA can benefit your business whether he or she lives across the street or across the globe.

Typical VA tasks include word processing, database management, customer contact and follow-up, bookkeeping, and event and travel planning.

While most VAs are generalists, some provide niche services as well. Bonnie Jo Davis, for example, also designs and manages websites, handles search engine submissions, and contributes articles to online directories and databases. In other words, she uses her advanced Internet skills to create and sustain a powerful Web presence for Davis Virtual Assistance (www.davisvirtualassistance.com) clients who desire it.

VAs with limited time or creative abilities often partner with other companies (such as mine, Affinity Business Communications) that specialize in writing, graphic design, or other services outside their own area of expertise. These affiliations offer the convenience of "one-stop shopping" and strengthen the value that both firms provide to their clients.

VAs typically charge between $30 and $75 per hour. While this may seem costly at first, remember that - as independent contractors - they do not generate expenses related to payroll, benefits, equipment and supplies, downtime, and, in most cases, training. Rather, VAs are highly-skilled business professionals who (a) have fully-equipped home offices, (b) are ready to "hit the ground running," (c) only get paid for time worked, and (d) enable you to focus your energies on the income-generating activities that you enjoy.

Delegating administrative details is only one of the many rewards of aligning yourself with a VA. VAs strives for long-term, collaborative, and goal-oriented partnerships with their clients and work closely with them to grow and manage their businesses. As entrepreneurs themselves, they understand the unique needs and challenges of SOHOs.

Bottom line: A talented and enterprising VA recognizes that he or she has a vested interest in your success. Working within the context of that strategic relationship, he or she is always mindful of the "big picture" and committed to outstanding results!

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Christina Morfeld is a writer for Suite101.com and president of Affinity Business Communications, a provider of high-quality instructional design, technical writing, and content development solutions. Whether writing to instruct, inform, or persuade, our work is reader-focused, benefits-oriented, and results-driven. Visit our website at http://www.affinitybizcomm.com to learn how we can increase your firm's sales and effectiveness!

Time has become our fiercest enemy - and the only way to "beat the clock" is to develop a strong support circle to help us maximize our time and balance our lives. It doesn't matter whether you are a businessman or a work-from-home mom trying to juggle the demands of career and family, there are NOT enough hours in the day to accomplish everything that must get done. Life and professional coaches, virtual assitants, trainers and organizers are among the fastest growing segments in entrepreneurial new business ventures in the past 5 years. Successful, ambitious, energetic professionals are realizing that by employing this type of "support circle" they actually have more time to enjoy life and make peace with the accelerating passage of time.

Can these practitioners help you find more time in the day to accomplish the tasks that ONLY you can do? The answer is YES! For those who grew up in the 1950s and 1960s, it was the professional child care provider and the daycare centers that were the "revolutionary" new concepts of their time. Growing up in the 1960s, my parents rarely traveled or socialized without us and never employed someone to care for us. Unless you were from a wealthy family, it was grandparents, aunts and uncles, or trusted neighbors that were called upon.

As our society moved to the two-family income, in-home child care and daycare centers became commonplace. Can any of us even imagine life with no daycare, after-school programs, au pairs, or nannies?

The same evolution of virtual assistants, life and professional coaches, home and office organizers and other emerging service providers is now more prevalent and finding their niche working with business professional that have simply "run out of time" and feeling the stress associated with their frustration.

These professional services are no longer seen as "fluff" or luxuries. Those who have embraced the concept of utilizing these services have taken a step back to evaluate how to manage and optimize their time. If at the end of the day they can feel good about the professional accomplishments while honoring the relationships that are fundamental in life, then whatever the costs of building this professional support circle is well worth the price.

Friends, clients and business and personal acquaintances appear more interested in their overall happiness than accumulating more money, larger homes, or staying on the fast-track in the corporate world. In many cases developing and nurturing a "support circle" allows them to achieve greater financial rewards than they ever dreamed possible without sacrificing a fulfilling family life.

When people can spend an extra few hours a week with their family rather than catching up on paperwork or reconciling their checkbook, or their life coach recommended finding a virtual assistant, organizer, or financial planner allowing them to focus on their professional passion, it is a testament to the reliance of their "support circle" that is contributing to their personal happiness.

In order to avoid feeling frustrated and out-of-time, or trying to play catch-up on both business and personal deadlines while neglecting time with family and friends, NOW is the time to invest in a professional support circle. That is time spent you will never regret!

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Melissa Vokoun is President of NuVo Partners, a Comprehensive Virtual Assistant firm. After 25 years on the executive management fast-track, she is a leading advocate for balancing personal/professional and family life. Contact her at melissa@nuvopartners.com for more information.

A virtual assistant can help you grow your small business or home based business by handling your administrative support tasks. If you're a successful small business entrepreneur, you've already learned the value of outsourcing tasks (even ones you're capable of doing yourself) in order to spend your time strategically growing your business and working on bottom-line functions.

You probably already outsource tasks like your accounting and advertising. But did you even know that you can outsource your clerical and administrative support tasks to a virtual assistant? Also called a VA, a virtual assistant is an independent contractor who works from his or her own home or office space. A virtual assistant works virtually, thanks to technology like email, telephone, fax machines, postal mail and courier services. Virtual assistants can work for you on an hourly basis, project basis or on a monthly retainer basis.

Once you find a virtual assistant that meets your criteria, you will develop a long-term working relationship so that you can call on this VA for years to come. As your business grows, you may even develop working relationships with multiple VAs who can handle your administrative business needs. That way you will always have the administrative support you need at a moment's notice and you can outsource projects to various VAs based on their specialties such as Internet research, press release writing and distribution or translation. That's in addition to the ordinary administrative tasks a virtual assistant can do for you like database entry, updating your Outlook contacts, mail merges, creating reports and more.

Here are 12 reasons that you want to hire a virtual assistant now:

1. You will have more free time to spend with your family and friends.

2. You will have more time to work on growing your business.

3. Pay only for work you need completed.

4. Reduce your business overhead costs. You don't provide benefits, office equipment or office space. You don't even provide a paid lunch hour and holidays!

5. No need to train staff. VAs come equipped and trained in their specialty areas.

6. You will be provided with skills that you don't have but need (e.g. Create PowerPoint slide presentations).

7. Virtual assistants provide you with additional help. VAs are an additional set of hands.

8. You will have someone who helps you implement your great ideas quicker to build your business faster.

9. Virtual assistants do even your boring tasks! Hate data entry? Hire a VA to do it for you.

10. Get help with emergencies quick. 24 hour support available (by some VA's and VA agencies).

11. Use software you don't even own (many virtual assistants own and use PowerPoint, Adobe Acrobat and more).

12. VAs are professionals and independent business owners. They understand better then anyone your needs as a home-based or small business owner and give your business the same care and service they expect in their own business.

When you use the services of a virtual assistant, you're investing in your business growth.

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Karen Fritscher-Porter publishes http://www.GetYourAssistant.com - a global directory of virtual assistants for hire to small businesses and home-based businesses. Visit now to hire your next virtual assistant.

Imagine having an administrative assistant who books your travel, orders supplies, takes meeting minutes and keeps your calendar -- but never steps foot in your office. With the help of the Internet, a growing number of admins now consider themselves 'virtual assistants,' serving the needs of several clients who in turn save the costs of overhead and benefits. On-line resources like OfficeClick.com, a free Web site for administrative professionals, are integral in helping admins juggle their clients and tasks efficiently.

Tisha Silvers, who is profiled this week on OfficeClick.com, is a 'virtual assistant' who supports clients around the world from home while raising her six children. She learned about the world of virtual assistants while working as executive assistant at the Crenshaw Christian Center, a large religious organization in Los Angeles, and simultaneously running a part-time secretarial service from home.

She now runs her own virtual business called Agape Business Solutions: "Unless I'm actually taking notes from a meeting, I do my work when I want to -- while the kids are at school during the day or at 2 a.m. when I know there won't be any interruptions. I'm working fulltime and making good pay, between $35 and $50 an hour."

As president of the Los Angeles chapter of International Association of Administrative Professionals, Silvers is working hard to explain the virtual world to admins who work in traditional office settings, and to explain the corporate world to those working in virtual settings.

"Technology is coming at you left and right and the work world is changing so quickly that you have to dedicate yourself to staying on top of it. You have no choice if you don't want to be left behind," said Silvers.

"Considering how much business is being conducted on the road through laptops and cell phones, many admins rarely see the managers they support. It makes sense that a new generation of Internet-savvy admins has taken this one step further, performing nearly all of their job functions -- including managing the office -- from their home office or another remote location," said Jamie Rapperport, CEO of OfficeClick.com, Inc.

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About OfficeClick.com

OfficeClick.com (http://www.officeclick.com) is a free Web site for America's 10.5 million administrative professionals, who influence over $200 billion in spending per year. The service integrates daily administrative tasks, constantly updated content, lively community discussions and e-commerce.

Virtual Assistants, or VA's are changing the way we do business. Not only is this field growing tremendously, but it's offering employers and business owners alike an attractive new alternative to hiring employees.

Perhaps because this is a relatively new industry, it's hard to pin down exactly how many Virtual Assistants there are out there.

Susan Valeri was a VA before she even knew she was a VA.

"I started [doing this work] and then I came across the term Virtual Assistant on the Internet and I thought, '...that's me!'. I didn't really know that there were other people doing it," Valeri comments.

So is there an easy way to define a Virtual Assistant? Not according to Stacy Brice, President and Chief Visionary Officer of AssistU, an organization that provides training and coaching to virtual assistants.

"The definition of what a VA will vary, depending on who you ask," Brice contends. "I have a very much branded definition [and that] is that a VA is a person who owns her own business, works from her home office, provides administrative and personal support across the board to clients who can be down the street or around the world...but in collaborative, long-term relationships."

Some define a VA as anyone who works from home and provides any sort of support virtually.

Stacy disagrees. "If you're a Marketing Consultant, and you do that from home, that doesn't make you a Virtual Assistant, that makes you a Marketing Consultant who works from home. So, I think that using the term Virtual Assistant as a catch-all for anything a person can do from home, that is supportive of other businesses, is a false definition."

The International Virtual Assistant's Association (IVAA) defines a VA as:

"VAs are independent contractors who provide administrative support or specialized business services from a distance, through the Internet, fax, telephone or another method of communication. They can help a company that needs extra people to meet seasonal demands; provide unique skills for a special project; or step in to meet the demands of business growth, locally, domestically or globally."

Despite the varying definitions, what everyone can agree on is the fact that this is a growing industry that can be a lucrative home business opportunity. At the same time, a Virtual Assistant can offer tremendous benefits to the business owner that contracts them.

Virtual Assistants are not hired as employees. They are business owners themselves and are hired on a contract basis. An employer who works with a VA has the distinct advantage of not having to deal with taxes, unemployment insurance, sick leave, vacation pay, or benefits. Rather than having to provide additional office space, and be responsible for the development and supervision of an employee, they can enjoy the support and assistance of a professional without the headaches of hiring and managing employees.

And while VA's are in a support role, that doesn't mean that they are in a subordinate role.

According to Brice, the ideal VA is someone who "genuinely loves being in a support role and doesn't see that as having to be in a sort of one-down position. Someone who can really see that if I use my skills in supporting you, I can absolutely be your equal. I'm just bringing a different set of skills to your table."

Asked about the skills that make for a successful VA Brice responds, "I think that VA's typically are talented admins, who just want out of the corporate world."

Of course, basic administrative skills are a must. At AssistU, fewer than half of the applicants get to the first interview.

Says Brice, "I don't want to be teaching someone to use Word for the very first time. I don't want to be talking to someone about telephone etiquette. Of course we can talk about that on a higher level, but what was important to me is that these people come out of a background where they already have a certain number of years with that kind of experience. I think that someone who doesn't have any administrative type background would find it possibly very much more difficult to become a fabulous VA."

Another critical skill would have to be resourcefulness. Most VA's are generalists, that is they offer a variety of services to clients across different industries. Sooner or later, a client is going to ask them to do something that they don't know how to do.

"It's not so important that any VA can do it all," says Brice. "What's more important is that she knows how to get it done. Because if you're my client, and you need something done, and I don't know how to do it or I don't like to do it, you're not really going to care as long as I can get it handled for you."

As with any business, flexibility is important. Susan Valeri, who lives in the Central time zone, has a client on the West Coast. This can be both a benefit and a challenge.

"[It] works out great for me because by the time she wakes up, I've got her work done!" On the other side of the coin, "She's getting revved up when I'm getting ready to have dinner. So I can hear my email going off while I'm cooking."

In addition to administrative skills, soft skills are also integral. A successful VA is someone who can be proactive about how they can help a client to achieve their goals, and they need to be able to convey this to a potential client.

And as with any business, integrity is vital. One of Valeri's responsibilities is to answer emails regarding her client's business. "I'd better be honest, open and knowledgeable about her business," she insists. "Get a good grasp of my clients business, how they want things run, what their product is, so that I can intelligently answer inquiries."

Aside from the obvious impact that integrity has on the success of any business owner, it also affects the type of client that a VA attracts.

"If I act with integrity, then I'm going to get more business and I'm going to attract the kind of people that I want to do business with," Valeri says.

Brice agrees. According to her, one of the smartest things a potential VA can do is to invest in their own life because, "you'll become more attractive and be able to attract a more high quality client." If your goal is to work with people of a high caliber and high ethics, you'd better demonstrate those principals yourself.

While most VA's are generalists, many specialize in a particular field. For example, when Brice was a VA she was deeply niched and only worked with best-selling authors. One advantage of becoming niched is the ability to charge a higher hourly rate. According to Brice the low end of the pay scale is about $30 per hour. In fact, she feels that a VA cannot make a profit billing at less than that. She projects that by 2003 the average experienced VA will be billing at around $60 per hour, and "much higher for someone who's deeply niched and incredibly good at what she does." Brice herself commanded over $100 per hour for her services when she was a VA.

While this is a fairly new industry, there are several organizations that offer support and resources to VA's. Many VA's agree that becoming a member of one of these organizations can be a tremendous help to someone starting out.

Valeri says that looking back, she would have joined a professional organization earlier to start networking with other people doing this type of work.

And Brice offers this advice:

"Look at all your options. Look at what it would be to get trained, and really investigate that. Look at what it would be to go it on your own and investigate that, as well. And find the organization, whether it's AssistU, or another VA organization. Find the organization that you believe is going to support you in the way that you need to be supported. And be honest with yourself about it. That's where I see alot of arrogance. 'I've been an administrative assistant for 12 years, I don't need any help.' Trust me, you need help. This is a brand new world. Working virtually is not the same as being an assistant in the corporate world. It just is not."

Want more information?

AssistU hosts a free telediscussion about Virtual Assistance. For information on how to participate, visit http://www.assistu.com/va/va_tele.shtml

Learn more about what AssistU offers: http://www.assistu.com

Visit Susan Valeri's website at http://www.virtualassistantsusan.com

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Sharon Davis is the Mother of two girls, the owner of 2Work-At-Home.Com and the Editor of the site's monthly ezine, America's Home. In her spare time she reminisces about what it was like to have spare time.

Paula Harris has an assistant who always seems to be there for her--even though they're not based in the same city or even in the same state. Harris, a Chicago television producer and promoter, last year hired Vonetta Booker-Brown, a "virtual assistant" based in Bridgeport, Conn., to answer her phones and handle other office-type duties. Now, says Harris, "I can concentrate on running my business without getting overwhelmed by administrative tasks."

Virtual assistants, or V.A.s, are typically home-based, self-employed workers who handle everything from travel arrangements to bookkeeping. The twist is that they aren't physically located in the same place as their employers. Typically, they are hundreds, if not thousands, of miles away, and they stay in touch with their bosses by phone, e-mail and fax. The market for V.A.s has grown large enough in recent years that today there are several trade groups that represent workers in the field, including the Virtual Assistants Association and the International Virtual Assistants Association. "Anyone can use a V.A., from a corporation to a small-business owner," says Rebecca Trelfa, a virtual assistant who entered the field through AssistU.com an online V.A. training, certifying and networking group that was founded in 1997. "[Virtual assistants] are an excellent choice for someone who does not need the physical presence of an assistant to run errands or do on-site filing."

Virtual assistants usually have to pay for their own benefits and expenses. Clients typically hire them on either a project or a retainer basis and sometimes take on more than one at a time. Hourly rates for V.A.s usually start at $30. However, the compensation rate may vary, depending on skills and services.

Hiring a V.A. can make a small company seem larger or help a self-employed person appear to have a staff. Says Trelfa: "I used to have a dedicated phone line for one of my clients in my home office and would answer it as if I were just at another one of my client's business locations." V.A.s have also become something of a status symbol. Says Booker-Brown, who operates a virtual-assistance business called RightHand Concepts: "When a client's customers see that they have an assistant, it lends a certain legitimacy to their business in the minds of others."

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From the Nov. 17, 2003 issue of TIME magazine

Virtual Assistants face the challenge of competing with temporary agencies. Find out more information about meeting these challenges and convincing prospective clients why it will benefit them to utilize a Virtual Assistant vs. a Temp.

Owning and operating a Virtual Assistance business has many challenges that need to be addressed. Some may be small and some big, but all help us to learn and grow our businesses.

One of the biggest challenges is convincing prospective, and sometimes apprehensive, clients of the benefits of utilizing the professional services of a Virtual Assistant (VA). And, an additional aspect of that challenge is to project the advantages of VAs in comparison to temporary agencies and their employees… the VA's competition.

With that in mind, we will cover here some of the important differences that you, as an up and coming VA, can outline to those whom are showing an interest in your services but are still unsure of the differences.

1. Temporary employees (temps) are just that, temporary. They're here today and may be gone tomorrow. A VA, on the other hand, is available on an ongoing basis or can be called upon, at short notice, when an extra pair of administrative hands is required.

2. VAs take a vested interest in the success of their clients and their businesses. VAs believe that the absolute best job possible will not only help their own reputation but will also help to build the client's business. The more successful the client is, the higher possibility of more work needing to be done by the VA or more referrals. A temp, however, may look at the assignment as just a means of padding their resume or getting a paycheque.

3. Training and experience is also an issue when comparing VAs to temps. VAs are generally those that have had many, many years of experience out in the workforce. This knowledge, along with any additional training and schooling, allows them to provide a wide gambit of services, all of which they have had many years to perfect. VAs also tend to be more apt to upgrade their skills in order to provide their clients with the most up to date and professional services that they can possibly provide.

Temps, on the other hand, may be those that are right out of school with little or no 'on the job' experience, or those who are simply looking for something to fill their time. Not to mention, when a temp is hired, they have to be trained. Now, if that temp is not available when the next assignment crops up, another temp will have to be brought in and thus more time is needed to train that employee. And so on.

4. Now, let's look at the rate differences. Actually, the two may seem similar in cost but not in other aspects. The rate paid to the temp is actually split between the temp and the agency that contracts them out. Then it must be taken into consideration the time the client needs to spend training the temp, the space used by him/her, and the equipment that is needed and requires maintenance.

A VA's rates, comparatively, help to upgrade equipment, software and skills. This, in turn, allows for more and better services to be available for the client. It also means that the client doesn't need to worry about providing space and maintaining equipment that a temp would need, which can get quite costly when in the hands of an inexperienced employee.

5. The next difference is to look at the types of clients that temps and VAs are most likely to be contracted by. Medium to large companies generally would call in a temp when they have enough work to keep them busy for an extended period of time or when the work involves specific duties that need to be handled in-house (ie. reception). However, these companies may also have a need for the services of a VA when they have an occasional project that requires immediate, experienced attention or when they do not have the training time or equipment available for a temp.

Small business owners and SOHOs (Sole Owner Home Office) are most likely to need and utilize the services of a VA as opposed to bringing in a temp. The projects are usually varied and may be far between or not enough to keep an employee busy in-house. The completion of the project may also be hampered by the lack of space and equipment that would be necessary if a temp is brought in. It is unlikely they will ever use the services of a temp and they are more receptive to the idea of contracting a secretarial service.

6. VAs charge for the actual work they do, hour for hour, whereas a temp is paid for time worked and any time they sit idle, waiting for more work or another project to do.

7. And, unlike a temp who has loyalty to the agency they are contracted through, a VA is usually an entrepreneur and works with and for the client. As a fellow small business owner, a VA has a vested interest in the success of their client's business.

Although temporary agencies are more visible to the public, due to their increased size and marketing budgets, they are not the only answer to help alleviate the administrative overflow for both small and large businesses. Working together, we can all help to educate potential clients on how we, as VAs, are the best answer to their office assistance needs.

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About the Author:

Janice Byer is the owner of Docu-Type Administrative Services, a successful Virtual Assistance company that specializes in making each and every client believe in the wonderful aspects of utilizing their services. For more information, and to read other articles by Ms. Byer, visit her website at http://www.docutype.net/.

Imagine this scene. You have three projects to finish today, and just enough time to do them. A client calls, and all of a sudden you have an extra project. It’s okay, you tell yourself; you can stay late to finish it. Your accountant calls and you realize you have to get receipts logged into a spreadsheet by tomorrow. You think, it’s okay, I’ll stay up late tonight to do it. You’ve done it before! The phone rings again. It’s a call from a new prospect you’ve been courting for months with an assignment due tomorrow. Arrrrgh! You could scream. Or you could call your virtual assistant.

The virtual assistant can log the receipts, take on parts of the five projects, or complete a whole project herself. Your panicky feeling leaves you just as quickly as it came. Thanks to your virtual assistant.

The term “virtual assistant” is a relatively new term coined by the late Thomas Leonard, the founder of Coach University in 1992 and the International Coach Federation in 1994. Leonard was a business coach and speaker who spent a great deal of time on the road. Because he was always traveling, he didn’t need a physical office. However, he still needed someone to handle the administrative tasks of his business. He hired assistants to do this work from their own home offices, and referred to them as “virtual assistants.”

The word virtual implies that something is not official. A virtual dictator, for example, is a person who acts as a dictator, even though he is not officially recognized as one. A virtual assistant does the work of an administrative assistant, even though he or she does not officially work in your office as an employee. Some virtual assistants work for companies that also include employees. Many virtual assistants work for entrepreneurs who don’t have a need for full-time employees.

A virtual assistant can be a cost-effective solution for businesses, because it eliminates the need to hire a new employee, for whom you must provide office space, equipment, training, benefits, employee taxes, and vacation time. Because virtual assistants provide these things for themselves, you save time and money. Also, virtual assistants charge by the hour or project, so you pay only for actual time worked.

As long as 30 years ago independent workers began providing secretarial services from their own homes using typewriters and tape recorders. As we gained the use of fax machines, computers, the Internet and e-mail, a whole new world of communication opened up. It became possible to be virtually connected to others around the world.

Today, virtual assistants communicate with customers by phone, fax, e-mail, overnight mail, instant messaging and web conferencing. They perform tasks such as database management, mailings, event coordination, spreadsheet building, resume writing, file conversion, and correspondence writing.

In many cases, virtual assistants do more than provide a technical service. They actually become partners in your business. The more successful you are, the more you will use your virtual assistant, so he or she has a vested interest in working hand-in-hand with you to help you develop successfully.

Some businesses use several virtual assistants, each with a different specialty such as website creation and maintenance, graphics and logo design, administrative support, mailings, database management, or bookkeeping and payroll services.

In fact, one virtual assistant cannot be everything to everybody. Each assistant brings to the table a specific set of skills based on experience. Most will readily refer you to another virtual assistant if a project is outside of their expertise.

Using a virtual assistant is not a solution for everyone. If you need help full-time or the nature of the work doesn’t allow delegation, for example, a virtual assistant won’t work. Although the cost is often very reasonable, new businesses might not be able to afford the services of a virtual assistant. It’s also difficult to work with a virtual assistant if you are not comfortable using the Internet, e-mail, or voice mail.

Can you identify with any of the statements below? If so, you might be a perfect candidate to use a virtual assistant.

- “My business is growing so fast I can’t keep up with day-to-day tasks.”
- “It seems like I’m always working and don’t have time to spend with my family or do anything fun.”
- “My business needs to grow, but I don’t have time for marketing because I’m doing everything myself.”
- “I don’t know how to use this software program, but I don’t have time to learn.”
- “I missed another deadline because I had too many things to do and not enough time to do them.”

Are you having another one of those days when there’s way too much to do? Hire a virtual assistant and calm the chaos!

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HINZtime Virtual Assistance offers expertise in administrative and marketing support for coaches, authors, and podcasters. Glenda Hinz provides exceptional secretarial and organizational skills, with relentless attention to detail, accuracy, and confident efficiency in a professional, solutions-oriented business environment. The next time you find yourself bogged down by time-consuming tasks, save time and money by partnering with HINZtime to calm your administrative chaos!

Glenda has attained Brainbench certification for many business fundamentals, including math, spelling, ethics, writing, and typing speed and accuracy (www.brainbench.com). She is a member of the International Association of Virtual Office Assistants, the International Virtual Women’s Chamber of Commerce, and the Alliance for Virtual Business. She currently serves as Secretary of the Women Business Owners Network in Lincoln, Nebraska.

You probably know what virtual personal assistants are. There are lots of articles and resources online already that tells about who they are, what they do and how they can be helpful to you and your business.

One of the vastly written topics about virtual personal assistants is about how to choose the right one. The advices given can be very useful once you decide that you want to enlist the services of these kinds of assistants.

Let us look at virtual assistant in a different prospective and discuss about the clients that these assistants are working for. Just like the clients, virtual assistants also have their idea of what an ideal client is.

Below are some of these characteristics.

Professional and Ethical.

How a business will operate depends on the people running and working for it. Being ethical and professional in the workplace is two of the most important factors that help business run smoothly.

Being professional and ethical in dealing with your virtual assistants will drive them to provide the result that you expect. In addition, once they are treated correctly, they reciprocate by exceeding your expectations and even do additional work just to show how they appreciate working for you.

Effective Communication.

Effective communication is vital since your assistant is not working anywhere near you. Thanks to the internet, people can now have real-time conversation with other people from anywhere around the globe.

Take advantage of the many communication mediums online to get your instructions through your virtual assistant. It is best to list your tasks ahead of time and point out important matters so that miscommunication will be avoided.

Technology-Wise.

Most businesses are being done online. So it is important that you as a client should know about what computers, internet and software can do nowadays. Technology is the common ground that binds you to your virtual assistant. A vast understanding of how it will work to your advantage is a must.

In addition, make sure that you are at ease with using these technologies. This is an assurance that you will also be at ease with a virtual assistant and the fact that they are working for you from distant places.

Real-time Information.

Do not expect your virtual assistant to provide you with a good output if you have given the project to them later than usual. As with any other employee, enough time and resources is necessary for a task to be done properly.

It is important that you make yourself available ahead of time especially if there are deadlines to beat. Virtual assistants are professional workers. They know how to handle pressure as long as they are given enough time to prepare for it.

Pays On Time.

Ineffective employees are the result of not being compensated properly and on time. So you really cannot blame them if are not giving you the results you want. The fault may be yours in the first place.

If you want your virtual personal assistant to remain effective, pay them on time and compensate them for a job well done.

If you are these characteristics and more, then there is no reason why working with a virtual personal assistant will not work out for you and your business.

Agents of Value Virtual Personal Assistant is a webmaster staffing company based in the Philippines that provides direct access to motivated agents for cost-effective web services.

Over the years, the Internet has produced a slew of new and innovative concepts and communication capabilities. One such concept is that of the Virtual Assistant. A Virtual Assistant, also known as a VA, is a professional administrative assistant who is not actually present in your office but works virtually. VA’s bring with them a variety of administrative skills that range from word processing and internet research to creating and maintaining popular blog sites and article submissions.

A virtual assistant’s vast knowledge of the internet allows business owners to expand and market their company all over the globe and empowers those businesses with specialized tools to help their company prosper and grow. By hiring a VA, the owner will be able to better manage his time and give their clients the personal touch they deserve.

Four things VAs can do for growing businesses are:

• Internet Research. VAs can research a particular business market to give that business the leading edge over its competitors.
• Design new and innovative marketing tools. VAs can take a current newsletter or brochure, give it a new design and send it out to existing clients.
• Blog Creation. VAs can create and update those highly popular company blogs that are sure to bring new clients to that site.
• Article submissions. VAs are instrumental in sending out articles to the right target market and thus getting clients more exposure for their products with the people who would be interested in buying them.

Finding the right VA is now the key to success for most businesses. As Diana Ennen, co-author of Virtual Assistant-The Series: Become a Highly Successful, Sought After VA (www.VA-TheSeries.com) states, “With today’s virtual assistants having extensive training and knowledge of the Internet and how to help businesses succeed, more and more businesses are looking for qualified VAs to help them. But it’s important to find the right VA. Businesses should look for one that has the unique skills you are looking for and also will offer the right professionalism to your business.”

One such Virtual Assistant Business, Innovative Virtual Creations (IVC), located in the small town of Franklin, Louisiana, does all the above and more. Jeannine Bertrand, founder of IVC, started her company with more than 16 years of computer knowledge and vast newspaper experience. Bertrand is devoted to helping businesses create better marketing pieces and get more exposure for their business with her professional skills and experiences.

For more information on Innovative Virtual Creations, visit them on the web at ivc4u.com.

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Jeannine Bertrand founder of Innovative Virtual Creations, started her company with over 16 years of computer knowledge and newspaper experience. Their services includes but are not limited to desktop publishing, word processing, internet research, article submissions, designing marketing materials, etc.

Contact Information:
Jeannine Bertrand - President
Innovative Virtual Creations
1914 Chatsworth Road
Franklin, LA 70538
Phone: 337-828-9360
email:jeannine@ivc4u.com

Ok, they won't do that, but virtual assistants can help you with administrative tasks.

Virtual world, virtual reality, virtual offices . . . in today's high-tech environment, it seems everything is going virtual. Even the office assistant: In case you haven't heard, virtual assistants (VAs) are one of the latest must-haves to hit the modern entrepreneurial arsenal.

VAs-that is, independent contractors who handle clients' noncore support needs via e-mail, fax and phone-go far beyond the traditional role of temporary employees or even business support services. In fact, as entrepreneurs themselves, they have vested interests in their clients' success. Typically, they become integral parts of their clients' businesses, handling a wide range of duties like basic administrative support, accounting services, human resource assistance, concierge services, collections, sales and marketing support, research and more. They generally charge by the hour: anywhere from $20 to $45. But on the plus side, you pay only for the time they actually spend working for you, and you don't incur any other employment costs.

If you're spending too much time on administrative chores and not enough time on the tasks that really drive your bottom line, hiring a VA may be the solution. Chris Durst, CEO and co-founder of Staffcentrix.com LLC, an online resource center for VAs and their clients in Woodstock, Connecticut, predicts that in the coming years, VAs will be widely sought additions as growth partners for small businesses and staffing solutions for larger firms.

So how to find the right VA? Networking and referrals are probably the best techniques; you can also do an Internet search. Once you've located some strong candidates, find out as much as you can about their skills and expertise. "The interviewing process for a virtual assistant isn't much different than interviewing a prospective employee who comes into your office physically," says Durst. Start with an e-mail correspondence, and then "meet" over the phone-if not in person-before making a final decision.

In deciding which tasks to turn over to a VA, Durst recommends drawing up a list of things you'd like to farm out, then try a VA with the duties that have least impact on your business before moving up to more critical tasks. Many VAs will offer the first hour or two at no charge to give both themselves and you a chance to make sure the relationship will work.

For more details on finding and choosing a virtual assistant, log on to the International Virtual Assistants Association's Web site at www.ivaa.org, or Assist University's at www.assistu.com.

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Jacquelyn Lynn left the corporate world more than 13 years ago and has been writing about business and management from her home office in Winter Park, Florida, ever since.

For hundreds of businesspeople and professionals, hiring a virtual personal assistant has indeed made their work and careers a lot easier to manage and care for. Outsourcing has never been easier and more organized, leading into the rise of virtual assistants and employers who gets excellent results and good work done.

Since outsourcing and virtual assistance might be new to some people, many may wonder how best to interact with their virtual assistants and how they can establish good rapport with them. Well, there are a lot of different types of virtual assistants just as there are a lot of different types of bosses and employees. Working in a “virtual office” just made it a lot easier and a lot more straight-to-the-point.

The basics? When getting a virtual personal assistant of your own, be mindful of a couple of things to get work done more efficiently and smoothly.

Be specific.

You have a virtual assistant and you have specifically chosen him/her for the task you want. Now it is best to be specific what he or she ought to do in working it. Expect the questions that will be asked beforehand and get ready to answer them. When orienting your virtual assistant, you can either talk to him/ her by phone or write down your instructions. Either way, a clear definition of the purpose and the work will help your assistant tremendously.

Establish good communication.

Checking up with your assistant daily is not really that difficult. All it takes is just an email away. Some clients and their virtual assistants require a progress report, but it ultimately depends on your management style. A good thing to establish early on is rapport and good communication. Have an effort to know your virtual assistant and what times are convenient for him or her. Again, you can do this through phone call or through a chain of emails, your choice.

Define and expect a goal.

Set goals and standards that your assistant should follow. It is actually helping your assistant into creating or developing the kind of work you have in mind, the output that meets your expectations. Voice out these goals and lead your virtual assistant in your headed direction. Eventually, often soon, your assistant will be able to know what you want and present the work that you like ahead without you even telling them. This is what good rapport does for you.

Be open for suggestions.

As a good plus, your virtual personal assistant has probably had previous experience working for other clients and accounts, making him or her a seasoned and skilled person at his or her work. Keep your mind open for suggestions and techniques you may not have heard before. These ideas only serve to produce better work. Its quite alright if you do not like them anyway, you have the final say what goes.

Provide feedback.

It is quite helpful when you provide feedback every now and then. Your evaluation points out what needs to be done and how your assistant is doing. Just be constructive and all will fall into place. Praises and a pat in the back are also good in boosting up morale.

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Agents of Value Virtual Personal Assistant is a webmaster staffing company based in the Philippines that provides direct access to motivated agents for cost-effective web services.

Great question!

Freeing your time is an indisputably key element in growing your business! When you delegate tasks to the capable hands of a professional Virtual Assistant (VA), you can quickly and easily refocus your energies on other aspects of business directly linked to generating revenue.

Partnering with a professional Virtual Assistant will:

Increase your revenue. Delegating administrative tasks frees you to focus your energy where it needs to be—on generating revenue and growing your business!

Increase your productivity. A Virtual Assistant manages the duties that devour your time and productivity, allowing you to focus on producing. You avoid spending precious time addressing the minutia of business.

Save you money. Virtual Assistans are fully-equipped technologically with updated software and hardware, eliminating the need for you to purchase additional equipment or software.

They also save you the expense of securing a full-time or even part-time employee (such as worker's comp insurance, Federal and State taxes, office space, equipment, supplies, and other costs).

Every hour spent on VA services is 100% productive. You only pay for the time it takes to efficiently and thoroughly complete a job.

Save you time. An hour of VA service performed is not the same as an hour you spend doing the job yourself. VA's are entrepreneurs just like you whose only business it is to support you! They don't have the pressure of many other tasks, all demanding their attention. They focus on supporting you by performing administrative duties and offering constructive input on the aspects of business where you require the most help; that is all they do!

Save you frustration. It can be extremely frustrating to look at your to-do list and know that there is no way you will be able to get to every task, let alone finish them! What begins to happen is paralysis. Managing tasks becomes overwhelming, and it becomes easier to retreat than prioritize, delegate, and focus on the one task in front of you. When you delegate your tasks to a VA, you will quickly be able to start crossing items off your list!

You also avoid the frustration of investing time and money learning a new skill-set to get the job done. Your professional VA already possesses the expertise and a proven history of getting the job done— most of the time before your deadline! They can save you hours of hassle and exasperation.

VA's who possess expertise in a specific industry can provide even more benefit. Many offer consulting services and "insider" knowledge often based on many years of experience. Tapping into this resource is a smart way to save yourself many hours. When you can trust the advice of a professional, or confidently delegate a project, you have the peace-of-mind to focus on managing and growing your business, thereby generating more income!

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by Charlon Bobo, Muse works™ © 2005

All rights reserved. Charlon Bobo is the Founder and Creative Director of Muse works™, a dynamic trend-setting Virtual Assistant enterprise in Southern California that caters to the niche needs of entrepreneurs in the handmade beauty industry.

To learn more about Muse works™, please visit Muse works™ and Muse works™ Blog.

You may contact Charlon at 805.405.4944 and via e-mail at charlon@museworks.org.

Finding someone to help out with your business is about finding the right match. You want to make sure that everything works out on both a business level, as well as with a well defined relationship. This will help you to get the best quality of work that is possible for your business, and will help when you need to build a long term working relationship.

One of the ways that you can be sure to get the right relationship is to look at the possibility of working with virtual assistants. Virtual assistants can be found in a variety of areas, all working with other agencies or by themselves. If you are considering a virtual assistant, you will want to make sure that you decide whether to work with them when they work for themselves, or are working under someone else.

If they work for themselves, you have just as much of a chance as finding someone that is effective with what they do. The best way to see what the virtual assistant is doing is to simply look at the ‘about the owner’ page on a website. Most virtual assistants will let you know who they are, what their experience is and what they specialize in. This will give you a good idea of what type of work you will be getting and the quality that is offered through the virtual assistant.

You will also be able to see what types of business credentials a virtual assistant has by finding their website. You should be able to see links to virtual assistant networks on the site. Things such as the International Virtual Assistant Network or the Virtual Assistant Chamber of Commerce can help to verify that they are virtual assistants as a business and that they have the ability to function as a complete business.

Working with an independent virtual assistant simply means finding the right credentials through the individual. By examining the website and learning about the person, you will have the ability to determine whether the person can work with you in a professional member and to build a relationship through the business terms that you have found through their individual site.

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Alan Liew is a full-time entrepreneur and he currently owns and operates Online4income.com. The website is designed to provide information and guide to help people start <a href="http://www.online4income.com">making money online</a>. You can also visit his blog to find free e-books and tools for <a href="http://moneymakerinfo.blogspot.com">making money</a> online.