Virtual Assistant Articles Directory - Virtual Assistance Articles | VAnetworking.com

So you have taken a step towards truly growing your thriving business and hired a Virtual Assistant, here are seven ways to ensure your partnership will be a success:

1. Good Communication
Since your Virtual Assistant will not have a physical presence in your office, it will be important to establish and follow a good communication plan. Determine whether you would like your Virtual Assistant to contact you with updates daily, weekly, monthly or as needed. When providing your Virtual Assistant with instructions ensure they are always direct, precise and understandable. Also ensure your VA is aware of your preferred method of communication (telephone, e-mail, facsimile, etc.).

2. Be Open
First and foremost, in order to have a successful working relationship with your VA you must be open to the concept. Also, be open to any ideas or suggestions your VA may have and offer reasons why or why not you think the ideas are worthy of further consideration. Remember to give your VA time to answer your inquiries because although they may not have the answer, they do have the resources to find the answer for you.

3. Trust the Partnership
Just like any relationship, trust must be earned. When working with a VA it will be especially important to trust that when they say they are working for you they truly are. Try starting your relationship off slowly to “test the waters” and gradually work up to larger, more demanding assignments.

4. Have Patience
Remember to give your VA time to learn your business and your preferences. Provide your VA with the guidance they need and remember they may have a lot of questions as they learn how and why you and your business operate. The end result will definitely be worth all the time, patience and understanding you devote to making the partnership succeed.

5. Give Up Control
I know you have been wearing many of the hats for awhile, but don’t be afraid to hand over some “control” to your VA. Just remember by allowing your VA to handle your administrative headaches you gain the opportunity to focus your time and energies elsewhere. By giving up control you can “hand off” all those tasks you dread, knowing they are being handled professionally and accurately.

6. Be Respectful
Remember that your VA is likely to have boundaries you should be aware of. Be respectful of your VA’s office hours, turnaround time and how they wish to receive instructions. Through mutual respect and appreciation, your VA can become a vital part of the success and growth of your business.

7. Plan Ahead
Please try to remember that in most cases, your VA has other people they work for so keep that in mind when scheduling when you provide them with work. Don’t leave things until the last minute.

Now that your VA is handling your administrative headaches it is time to concentrate on the things that matter to growing your business. These are the things that attracted you to your business in the first place. By partnering with a VA, you gain the opportunity to spend more time on the things you enjoy doing. Spend more time with your family, wine and dine a new client or try a new marketing strategy. By partnering with a VA, you can concentrate on truly growing a thriving business.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Yvonne Weld is the owner of ABLE Virtual Assistant Services and offers administrative and bookkeeping support to busy solopreneurs. She is also the author of The Ultimate Guide to Creating a Thriving Business and Managing Your Thriving Business for Success. For more information and for your free downloads, visit her Web site at http://www.yvonneweld.com

How much is your time worth to you? Every minute that you spend doing paperwork is a minute lost for developing your product or service, networking with potential clients, or making sales. In simple terms, every minute you spend on administrative tasks is a minute you could have spent growing your business. But, without the resources to hire an Administrative Assistant, how can you get the help you need?

Virtual assistance is an industry that has grown immensely in the past few years. This development is due in part to the growth of the internet and new technologies, which have made working with an Assistant, as simple as sending an email. It has also grown as a result of the number of entrepreneurs that simply don’t have the space and/or the money to hire an in-house Assistant. More and more small businesses are coming to the realization that the solution to this problem is virtual assistance.

Outsourcing administrative work allows entrepreneurs to focus on the income earning aspects of their business while saving the money that would have been spent on hiring an Administrative Assistant.

Most Virtual Assistants offer two options for acquiring their services. For those who need help regularly, most VAs offer retainer plans, which allow you to purchase their services in monthly time blocks. This is a good option when you need multiple tasks performed each month. For example, if you have a customer database that needs regular maintenance and weekly invoicing that must be performed, then hiring a Virtual Assistant on a retainer basis will enable you to outsource those tasks and get them off of your own to-do list. If you need ten hours of service per month, you only pay for ten hours of service. If you need twenty hours of administrative work completed per month, you pay for twenty hours, and so on. Most Virtual Assistants offer discounts for clients who purchase their services on a retainer basis. Usually, the more hours purchased, the larger the discount.

For clients who only need an occasional project completed, such as a document typed or the completion of a spreadsheet, services can be purchased on an hourly basis. This means that if your project will take only an hour to complete, you will pay for only one hour of service. Your Virtual Assistant will be able to give you an estimate on the amount of time the project should take to complete. Some VAs have a minimum hourly requirement however, so it’s best to inquire about this first.

When working with a Virtual Assistant for the first time, it is always best to start with a small project to see if you and the VA are compatible. Once you have established that he/she provides quality work and that you communicate well, you can decide whether or not to continue sending projects or retaining their services.

The growth of the Virtual Assistant industry has made it possible for anyone to have their own Assistant. Whether you are an office of one or one hundred, virtual assistance might be the answer for you. Acquiring quality assistance will free up your time and simplify your life.

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Kelly Sims is a Virtual Assistant and President of Virtually There VA Services. To find out more about virtual assistance and how using a Virtual Assistant can simplify your life, visit her website at => http://www.virtuallythereva.com. While you’re there, don’t forget to sign up for her free monthly newsletter providing useful information that enhances and simplifies the lives of busy entrepreneurs.

It takes money to make money. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. You’ve heard all the clichés.

As a small business owner, you know that cliché or not, these adages are often true. Your business life is a constant risk-benefit analysis. There are so many decisions to make. Each decision can be the key to success. On the other hand, each choice can send you right down the track of failure.

It’s no wonder small business owners often feel so stressed!

One of the major decisions in the world of small business is when to grow and how fast. Do you have more work than your present staff can handle? Is there an area of your business that you’re thinking of expanding but don’t have the required manpower? Maybe you’ve already decided to adopt that new marketing plan, but it’s turning out to be a lot more work than expected.

So as a small business owner, what do you do now? Do you call the local newspaper office and start advertising for a new employee? Can you really afford to do that? What about using a temp agency? Could that reduce the risk to your business?

Well, you could try either of those options, but have you fully analyzed what the cost to your small business will be. Employees, temporary or not, inherently cost you more than you think.

For each employee, you’ve got to worry about so much more than just wages. You’ve got to consider the payroll taxes, the insurance costs, the cost of your time hiring and training this person, extra office space and equipment, etc.

What if you’ve done the analysis of these risks vs. the benefits to your small business and found that you just can’t afford the risk right now? Do you give up on all your growth plans?

Of course you don’t! You look for other options. Have you ever considered hiring a virtual assistant?

Virtual assistants can help in a variety of ways. There are virtual assistants who specialize solely in administrative tasks. You can also find an assistant who focuses more on marketing and advertising plans.

Why is hiring a virtual assistant different than taking on an on-site employee? For starters, you will most often hire virtual assistants on a project to project basis. You may also hire them on a retainer basis, but either way they are working on a contract basis for you. This means that you are not going to be dealing with taxes, benefits, or any of the other human resource issues associated with an on-site employee. Also, you need not feel obligated to your virtual assistant. If you are not pleased with their work, you simply don’t hire them again! No need for performance reviews or warnings, just find a new provider.

It’s important that you do enough research to make sure you find an assistant who you feel comfortable with and with whom you find communication simple. Also, make sure both of you are clear about the expectations and terms of your agreement.

Hiring a virtual assistant may seem like a foray into a strange, new world, but for small business owners trying to get the most bang for their buck, it might just be one option worth checking out.

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Dana Wallert is the owner of an online virtual assistance company. She has many years experience in sales and marketing, as well as office management. Find more about Dana and sign up to receive her free monthly newsletter at DW Office Solutions - Virtual Assistant Services Dana has also ridden horses her entire life. She currently provides several barns with virtual assistance. She also runs a new horse information website called Horse Topics offering information on all aspects of horsecare, riding, etc.

The start-up phase of any new small business is usually the most thrilling, but it's often the most demanding as well. With licenses and registrations to apply for, business and marketing plans to write, business cards, logos, pamphlets, and letterhead to create and much, much more, how can you find the time and money to get it all done? Delegating to an employee is most likely not yet an option, and you may not have the time or some of the skills necessary to complete the numerous tasks on your plate. A Virtual Assistant might just be the ideal solution. The following are some important reasons to consider hiring a Virtual Assistant to assist you with the start-up of your business:

1) Most new small businesses have a limited budget, and often hiring an Assistant, or any employees at all, is out of the question. Hiring a Virtual Assistant will allow you to delegate projects as needed. This means, instead of paying a bi-weekly salary as you would to an employee, you pay only for the hours worked on the projects that you have assigned. You can delegate as much or as little as your budget allows.

2) A Virtual Assistant is also a business owner. They have been through the start-up phase of their own business, and may be able to help you with some of the challenges you face. Often, you can rely on your VA to provide you with objective opinions and ideas about your business since they have been there before. They may even be able to let you know what strategies and ideas have worked best for them.

3) A Virtual Assistant can perform a great number of the duties on your to-do list. This is beneficial to you because it means you don't have to go to multiple sources for a variety of tasks. Most VAs offer a number of services ranging from pamphlet and business card creation, to bulk mailings and more. Some Virtual Assistants can even design a simple website for you. Delegating some of these duties will allow you more time for some of the other more crucial tasks that you must complete.

4) Even if you are one of the fortunate few who have the funds available to begin hiring employees, you may not yet have the office space or equipment that your employee(s) will require. A Virtual Assistant is fully equipped and ready to work from their own office.

Getting your new business up and running is a challenging process, but one you don't have to experience alone. Don't let the lack of space or funds required to hire an employee hinder the start-up growth of your new business. Hiring a Virtual Assistant with administrative skills and entrepreneurial experience may be just what you need to help you get your business off to a great start.

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Kelly Sims is a Virtual Assistant and President of Virtually There VA Services. To find out more about virtual assistance and how using a Virtual Assistant can simplify your life, visit her website at => http://www.virtuallythereva.com. While you’re there, don’t forget to sign up for her free monthly newsletter providing useful information that enhances and simplifies the lives of busy entrepreneurs.

Picture this - an August afternoon, 30 degrees C in the shade, not a cloud in the sky, and your family has gone to the beach without you... again. You’re shackled to your desk by your ready-to-collapse pile of paperwork, unread emails, and endless to-do list.

If you’re a small business owner, this picture is probably all too familiar.

Say hello to the new kid in town – the virtual assistant. In case you haven’t heard, virtual assistants, or VAs, are contracted administrative professionals that support your small business from their own offices.

Virtual assistants help end the daily grind by putting more time back into your day, week, and summer. They specialize in the routine administrative duties that keep you from making more money, spending more time with your family, or taking a long-overdue vacation.

Here are some ways a VA can help you enjoy a much-deserved break this summer.

1. Keep up with your blog entries. Not only can a VA write and post your blog entries, he or she can research and compile a list of topics to write about.

2. Return your voicemails. Callers usually don’t mind leaving a voicemail, but they do expect calls to be returned in a timely fashion. A VA can give you a reprieve from your phone by checking your voicemail and returning calls on your behalf while you’re away.

Some VAs offer an answering service and provide a dedicated line that they use exclusively for your business.

3. Reply to your e-mails. You can set up an out-of-office reply message during your time away, but an email message returned by your VA will have a personal touch your clients will appreciate.

4. Create and distribute your monthly newsletter. You’d love to get away, but your newsletter is due next week, and you haven’t even researched the feature article. A VA can format, ghostwrite and distribute your newsletter on time.

5.Keep up with business correspondence. Whether it’s paying bills, sending out invoices, or writing thank you notes, a VA can get it done on time while you’re vacationing.

Now that you know how a VA can help you, how can you find one? Type “virtual assistant” into your favorite search engine. You’ll find virtual assistant businesses, directories and associations to help you find a VA that will suit your business needs.

And once you’ve found the right VA for your small business, maybe you can start taking weekends off too.

Denise Willms is a former Virtual Assistant who now helps other moms work from home. Her free weekly newsletter WAHM-Articles Ezine is packed full of expert advice, inspiration and information for work at home moms.

Hiring a Virtual Assistant (VA) can be one of the smartest business moves you will ever make. A good VA will be able to assist you in handling your administrative workload, allowing you more time to focus on growing your business and generating revenue. Here are just ten of many ways that a Virtual Assistant can provide much-needed support to your small business:

1. General Administrative Support
If you ever wished you had an administrative assistant on call, a Virtual Assistant may be the perfect solution for you! VAs can provide general administrative services such as word processing, data entry, spreadsheet and database maintenance, desktop publishing- the list goes on and on. In fact, if you could give it to an administrative assistant, you can give it to a Virtual Assistant!

2. Invoicing
A Virtual Assistant can facilitate your invoicing, ensuring that your clients receive timely, accurate invoices. By partnering with a VA to prepare your invoices, you can gain a tremendous amount of time each month to focus on other aspects of your business that require your specialized attention.

3. Email and Voicemail Management
If you get large numbers of emails or voicemails, a Virtual Assistant can manage your inboxes. They can sort through the spam and reply to messages that don’t require your attention, leaving you with fewer messages to wade through everyday. A VA can also provide you with a consolidated report of voicemail messages, allowing you to return a number of important phone calls from a single report.

4. Online Marketing Management
A Virtual Assistant can assist you with your online marketing plan. They can manage your pay-per-click campaigns, post articles, submit your website to search engines, add your website to online directories, create banner ads, prepare and send email newsletters, etc. Since VAs make their livings online, many of them keep abreast of the latest trends in online marketing.

5. Customer Response
Use a Virtual Assistant’s services to keep existing and potential customers happy and returning. A VA can effectively and efficiently handle customer questions and complaints in an appropriate manner. By providing your customers with a timely, helpful response, a VA can help you build a stronger relationship with your customers.

6. Event Planning
Nothing is better than a well-planned event. Enlisting the help of a Virtual Assistant in coordinating your seminars and company functions can take a tremendous amount of burden off your shoulders, allowing for stress-free coordination of your events. They can make arrangements for the location, speakers, catering, photography, etc- and notify the attendees, too.

7. Travel Arrangements
Whether your business requires you to travel extensively or occasionally, a Virtual Assistant can help coordinate and consolidate your travel plans. A VA can arrange your transportation, accommodations, in accordance with the meetings and events you will be attending. They can compile a detailed itinerary for your trip, ensuring that your travels are well-planned and hassle-free.

8. Internet Research
A Virtual Assistant can efficiently perform internet research, consolidating the information you seek and saving you both time and money. A VA can use their extensive research skills to your benefit, providing you with incredible value by investigating requested topics and providing the results in the desired format.

9. Calendar Management
Managing a busy schedule effectively doesn’t happen by chance. Team with a Virtual Assistant to help you stay atop of important dates, appointments, contacts and events. They can help you stay organized and prepared each day, with minimal effort on your part, reminding you of obligations and events ahead of time.

10. Project Management
Large and small projects alike can be managed by a Virtual Assistant. A VA can keep your project on track by organizing and coordinating resources, objectives, deliverables, etc. They can relieve the everyday stress of project management while ensuring that deadlines are met and progress continues.

A Virtual Assistant can provide you with customized support solutions for your small business. By teaming with a Virtual Assistant, the unique needs of your business can be accommodated while reducing your workload and providing you more time to grow your business and achieve your financial and personal goals.

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About the author:
Rosanna Tussey is a Virtual Assistant, providing customized administrative support solutions to small businesses and entrepreneurs worldwide. She is also a VA mentor and instructor for CertifiedVP.

Rosanna@officesupportnow.com
http://www.officesupportnow.com
(505)349-0375

You can outsource almost any function over the Web.

The young founders of Manhattan's StockObjects don't need a pep talk on the power of the Internet. That's where they make their living, marketing a Web-based library of animated pictures, 3-D models, and other multimedia elements for companies' Web sites. And when they need to custom-produce projects for their library, they hire programmers from around the world -- again, over the Internet. So when StockObjects wanted some Net-savvy financial help, Chairman and President Mark Tribe turned to a Net-focused accounting firm for help: Virtual Growth Inc.

The firm, also in Manhattan, offers clients such as StockObjects the services of a chief financial officer, controller, and accountant over the Net. For example, as part of the ''Virtual CFO'' service, StockObjects Chief Operating Officer Jeff Phillips plugs quarterly financial data into an Excel software template set up by Virtual Growth, and the program generates a balance sheet and cash-flow projections. Phillips E-mails those spreadsheets to the firm, where an assigned CPA interprets the data and advises the company on strategy. Besides acting as CFO, Virtual Growth does traditional accounting work, files tax forms, takes care of payroll, and pays the bills. The total cost: $1,700 a month. Granted, it's not quite the same as having a full-time financial staff. Business communications are handled mostly by E-mail and telephone, along with periodic face-to-face meetings. But hiring a full-time CFO could cost $100,000 or more. StockObjects President Tribe says the arrangement works well for now. ''They're not a substitute for a CFO -- they're allowing us to go longer without one.''

''GOT TO BE CHEAPER.'' It's the latest twist on outsourcing: Small businesses are starting to get help from virtual services camped out on the cyber-frontier. Do a little surfing and you'll find ''virtual assistants'' who word-process, plan events, and handle other office chores over the Net; online consultants who dispense advice by E-mail; a computerized transcription service; and human-resource management companies that let you tap into expensive software for managing employee benefits. These virtual service providers will probably never shake your hand. The bulk of their work will be done by E-mail, electronic file transfers, password-protected Web sites, and Web-based software.

Although the move to ''virtual services'' is in its infancy, small-business consultants say these services are worth considering. Outsourcing, in general, can cost 50% less than hiring a full-time employee, according to Hackett Group, a Hudson (Ohio) consultancy. And Bill Ebeling, a partner at Boston's Braxton Strategy practice of Deloitte & Touche Consulting Group, predicts that more services will be migrating to the Web soon -- particularly those that rely on databases -- because of its greater speed, convenience, and lower cost. ''If you can program something, and it fits 75% of business situations, it's got to be cheaper than a human being,'' says Ebeling.

Such thinking propelled Stephen King to start Virtual Growth in December, 1995, figuring he could focus on financial strategies for his clients while letting software handle the donkey work. ''Clients don't want to pay for bank reconciliations and sales-tax calculations, they want to pay for consulting advice,'' says King, whose 17-person firm serves about 50 small businesses, most of them new media startups in New York, Boston, and Phoenix.

Another new service that hopes to capitalize on savings from technology is Falls Church (Va.)-based V.com LLC, which was launched in mid-August. The firm has created a database of federal Occupational Safety & Health Administration regulations that will let clients design their own compliance program rather than pay a consultant. At V.com's Web site, you fill out a questionnaire, and the database spits back both a compliance checklist, tailored to your business profile, and a schedule to follow to stay within the law. Fees are expected to range from $550 to $1,000 a year, depending on the number of users at a company.

Although the system won't alert you automatically when regulatory changes take place, V.com's attorneys will update the database frequently, and clients can check in to get updates on changes. ''We could do this thing by hand, but we'd have to charge about 10 to 20 times what we're charging,'' says Managing Partner David C. Frankil.

''TO DO'' LISTS. Need some secretarial or administrative help? Thanks to the Internet, virtual assistants, who often work from their homes for customers they never meet, might make your business run more smoothly. For fees ranging from $15 an hour and up for word processing to $50 an hour for more sophisticated services, such as event planning or publicity, virtual assistants handle business by E-mail, file transfers, and Web sites. For example, at the Web site of virtual assistant Chris Durst, owner of My Staff in Woodstock, Conn., clients can check virtual calendars, where Durst has scheduled their appointments, or get reminders on their ''to do'' list, which she keeps current.

Meanwhile, Branch Office, owned by Amy Sarai in Bridgewater, N.J., and her sister JuLie Hewett in Huntington, W.Va., works with about 30 clients, some as far away as Japan. Client Robert Horowitz, a Stamford (Conn.) investment adviser, uses Sarai to supplement his part-time office help. ''Amy is doing things for me that someone who's not in the virtual world can't do, like searching the Web and managing E-mail,'' he says.

Another new service hardly depends on human contact at all, thanks to voice-recognition technology. CyberTranscriber lets clients such as Tom Thees, owner of the Pinnacle, a 120-employee company that owns three meeting and banquet facilities in Toledo, dictate letters and memos from his cellular telephone anywhere, anytime. Operated by Speech Machines of Menlo Park, Calif., the service's computers translate speech into text at 120 words per minute. After proofreaders check for misspellings, the text is E-mailed back to the client. In addition to a monthly subscription fee (table), Thees pays about $3.50 a page -- the same as a local transcription service -- but gets it back much faster.

Smaller companies are just starting to go online for access to the type of sophisticated human-resources software big companies use. Employease Inc. in Atlanta is marketing a new service for small and medium-size companies that manages benefits information on its computers. Company employees can log on to a password-protected Web site to change or update benefits information, and a company can analyze data to see how it is utilizing benefits. At $1 to $4 per employee per month, plus setup fees, it's cheaper than buying your own software system, which can run upwards of $100,000. And you don't have to install, maintain, or upgrade it.

HOMEWORK. In some cases, traditional outsourcers are starting to offer a new Internet option as a convenience. Roseland (N.J.)-based Automatic Data Processing Inc., a big-payroll processor, plans to bring its service online in the coming months. Clients will be able to log on to ADP's Web site and enter all the relevant information on employees' hours right into ADP's payroll database. Now, the majority of ADP's 40,000 customers call in their payroll information.

If you're interested in finding virtual services, be prepared for a little homework. Try using an Internet search engine to browse under specific topics, such as accounting, or inquire about virtual services with the relevant trade groups. Checking references becomes particularly important when you can't meet your virtual providers in the flesh and have only their Web site to go by. And, as with any outsourcing, there's no free ride. ''Remember,'' warns Heather Ashton, an analyst with Hurwitz Group, a Framingham (Mass.) consulting firm, ''the function still requires management.'' Or, should we say, virtual management?

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By Anne Zieger in Reston, Va.

This article was originally published in the Sept. 14 print edition of Business Week's Enterprise.

Anything and everything can already be found online. It is the same thing with employees. The advancement in technology made it possible for people to work together harmoniously even if they are worlds away. This is the same essence behind virtual personal assistants.

Business owners are finding it stressful to get work done with minimal manpower assistance. Some of the reasons for this are because the budget is not sufficient or there is just no more space in the office for more people.

Hence, virtual assistants. All over the world, there are much more skilled people that can help businesses grow with the use of their professional knowledge and technological tools. Virtual personal assistants are hired for the many advantages they provide.

What are these?

Increased productivity. Majority of virtual assistants are skilled in the art of multi-tasking. You are not only getting a virtual secretary, you are also getting a worker that has experience in website maintenance, planning work schedules, marketing your products and many more. These all depend on the VA you are hiring. You have lots of choices depending on the skills that the virtual assistant is capable of.

Time saver. Working with a virtual assistant means that tasks are delegated so that more results are produced in no time. Having one that works on a different time zone means that your business is kept running day and night. During the time that you are enjoying the luxury of sleep, your assistant is busy getting work done.

Inexpensive. One of the major reason why virtual assistants are chosen is because they do not cost as much as the regular employee. You will find that the regular cost for a virtual assistant is much lower than what you are paying your employee now. Furthermore, the owner does not have to provide additional work space and equipments. These are already provided for the assistant. Necessary software and database can also be made available if there is a need for them.

More income. Saving on manpower and equipment costs mean that you are getting more income out of your business. A lot of money is spent on resources that do not come cheap nowadays. VA services are aware of this. That is why they provide valuable virtual assistant service for a price that would not put a big hole in your pocket.

Less work and stress. This is all you. Once the virtual assistant has gotten a feel of daily work and schedules, you are set free to go out of the office and start living your life. Virtual personal assistants are known to be productive 100%.You can finally take the break you deserve. Plus, you are worry-free knowing that your business is in good hands wherever you may be.

Do you want to take advantages of all these benefits from your employee? Or would you rather be stressed and focused on working all day and night long?

The choice is yours. Just think why you are overworking and sacrificing too much when there is always a virtual assistant out there that can make life easier for you.

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.

Here's how our author uses a virtual assistant...

Sometimes, when I'm looking mournfully at a pile of accumulated bills, old newspapers, and bank statements, my virtual assistant seems a million miles away. If I need copy paper or printer cartridges, there's no one to run down to the local office superstore except me. If my overgrown files need culling, that's my problem.

The rest of the time, though, my virtual assistant is a lifesaver. Before I found her, I had given up hope of doing all my daily chores. I was too exhausted to follow up on delinquent paychecks or scout around for new customers. My business was starting to grind to a halt. I found my assistant, Chris Durst, as part of my research for the accompanying story on virtual assistants. Her name, with 30-odd others, was posted on a Web site maintained by a fledgling trade group called the Global Association of Virtual Assistants. On the site (www.va4hire.com), I scanned a list of names and qualifications, opting for someone with the broadest possible clerical and administrative skills, closest possible location, and most reasonable rates.

TIME MANAGER. Chris came to the virtual assisting business, I learned, after years of running the branch office of a time-management consulting firm known as Priority Management. When Priority Management's owner pulled up stakes and moved to New York, he decided to keep Chris on as a telecommuter for a year.

After that gig ended, she told me, Chris had gotten used to working from her Connecticut home and managing key office chores virtually. She decided to establish her own virtual assistant firm, MyStaff LLC. Setting rates low enough to attract customers with a wide variety of budgets, Chris began recruiting clients, and she now works primarily with professionals such as architects and lawyers.

After hearing her story, I poured my heart out to her about my professional troubles, complaining of 14-hour days, missed appointments, late payments, and frazzled nerves. She listened calmly, never rushing me and asking only pertinent questions, then agreed to help.

Though I wouldn't have expected such a concession, Chris offers her first two hours of assistance for free. Within those two hours of work alone, Chris managed to catch up with several elusive sources and find a delayed check adrift in one customer's accounting department. I was hooked.

LOW BILLS. Gradually, over that month, I began to feed her more responsibilities. I started by simply asking her to set appointments and E-mail me reminders. One at a time, I began adding more tasks, including follow-up phone calls of all kinds, research, and working with vendors. Everything flowed smoothly, with Chris taking the initiative on many projects I'd nearly forgotten.

Luckily for my bottom line, she charges for her time in quarter-hour increments, presenting me with surprisingly low bills of $200 to $300 per month. Given her attentiveness, it's hard to imagine that she services several other clients, but I'm glad she does -- that's why I can afford her.

Chris lives in Woodstock, Conn., a region so rural that cable television is only now coming to her street. She buys beef from local farmers and bakes her own bread, keeps house for her two children and husband, and rises at 4:30 a.m. to take a daily stroll. She often begins her workday before the sun is completely up and hits the sheets at 8:30 p.m.

I'm based about 450 miles away in Reston, Va., ultra-wired home of some of the world's biggest Internet businesses. I'm a night owl who prefers to write until 3 a.m., eat my dinner from a box, and turn the housekeeping chores over to a competent professional. If circumstances permit, I like to start my day at 10 a.m. -- and sometimes even later. Thanks to the Internet, though, our disparate workstyles mesh almost magically. Late at night, with no ringing phone to disctract me, I can summon what administrative skills I have and sort through problems like overdue payments or research needs. As I burn the midnight oil, I often get creative streaks and dash off as many as a dozen E-mails listing work that needs to be done.

"WOODSTOCK OFFICE." While I'm still fast asleep, Chris is already scheduling telephone interviews, posting appointments on a Web-based calendar that she maintains on her site, sending out her own flurry of E-mails inquiring about payments, or preparing expense reports. We talk via phone once or twice a week, sometimes just to engage in a kind of virtual water-cooler chat but also to discuss ways of handling difficult problems, such as long-overdue checks. Eventually, I hope to hand over far more of the work, when I officially make MyStaff the "Woodstock office" of my tiny empire. Once that happens, it'll be far easier to move the dreaded financial work and filing to Chris.

Some might suggest that I'm ill-advised to consider turning the "keys" of business accounts to someone I've only met once. In theory, she could cut a single check to herself and empty out the account, but she'd get away with it only once. Given how much easier my life would be if I could outsource these functions, I think it's worth the minimal risk.

Far from being concerned about being defrauded, I'm actually more worried about how to keep information flowing between us. It can be a pretty major inconvenience having my assistant so far away. In particular, it's a nuisance when it comes to managing paper. Chris and I can work on digital documents very smoothly, but when we try to track paper documents, there's always room for delays.

As competent as Chris is, I still have to fill out my own tax forms, write checks, and keep track of my expense receipts, all tasks I could potentially delegate to someone working with me on the premises. I haven't yet found a way to turn over my financial chores. I'm a terrible bookkeeper, but I still have to keep up cash-flow spreadsheets. It's too awkward to have her track the financial picture when I'm handling most of the payments and depositing all of the checks.

I've found over time that the combination of Internet connection, phone, and fax machine are more than flexible enough to get the work done. After all, most of what I do is ship collections of words from place to place -- be they bills, article drafts, or research -- and these virtual channels serve the purpose just fine in most cases. All told, I'm quite happy with the virtual assisting arrangement, which has taken an enormous amount of hassle out of my day. The way I see it, a virtual right hand is far, far better than none at all.

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By Anne Zieger in Reston, Va.

This article was originally published in the Sept. 14 print edition of Business Week's Enterprise.

A Virtual Assistant is a business owner who provides administrative support and specialized services to assist businesses and executives with their overflow. A Virtual Assistant can handle any task that is usually handled by an in house employee, but unlike an employee, a Virtual Assistant shares your goals to succeed in business; they only succeed if you succeed. But why would you want to work with a Virtual Assistant instead of having the physical presence of an employee?

No Hidden Costs

A Virtual Assistant takes care of all the usual employee related costs including such things as wage related costs, vacation pay, sick days, statutory holidays and benefits. Not only that, when you hire a Virtual Assistant, you are no longer required to pay overhead costs associated with an employee such as providing a computer and the associated software programs or even a desk. With an employee, these costs can add up to 50%-100% over the hourly rate of pay you are paying your employee. With a Virtual Assistant, what you see is what you pay; if the Virtual Assistant charges $35 per hour this is the price you pay.

No Time Commitments

Virtual Assistants can provide you with services on an as-needed basis. If you only require 1 or 2 hours of service this month, that is all you pay for. Where would you find an employee who is willing to work for just 1 to 2 hours per month? In most areas, labour laws require you to pay your employee(s) in 3 to 4 hour blocks of time. So even if you could find someone willing to work for just 1 day per month, you may have to find enough work to keep them busy for those hours or pay them even though they are not being utilized.

Experience/Expertise

Most Virtual Assistants specialize in a niche area where they have experience and/or expertise. This allows you, as a business owner, to work with a highly skilled and experienced person no matter the task at hand. As a business owner you could easily utilize the services of several VAs, each with their own specialty. You could have one VA handling your bookkeeping, one maintaining your Web site and another still planning your corporate events and meetings.

No Wasted Time

Productivity inefficiencies are a huge concern for employers these days. Many employees, when asked, admit to wasting their employer’s time on such things as personal matters, surfing the Internet and socializing with other employees. With a Virtual Assistant you only pay for the time they are actually working on your job. When they are talking to their mother on the telephone, surfing the Internet or socializing, it is on their time and not yours. Many Virtual Assistants take this one step further and dedicate blocks of time completely to your job and will not even answer phone calls or emails during that dedicated time. When they are working on your project it has their complete and absolute attention until the task is completed.

Fellow Business Owner

Perhaps the most important consideration when comparing Virtual Assistants to employees is that unlike an employee, a Virtual Assistant is also a business owner like you. Both you and your Virtual Assistant are interested in achieving success because as your partner they only succeed if you succeed. VAs, more than employees, understand what it takes to run a successful business.

Remember, however the biggest advantage to working with a Virtual Assistant is that you are not limited by the talent pool within your geographical area. Thanks to technological advances, your Virtual Assistant can be the person that best fits your needs and personality, regardless of whether they are in the next state or province, on the other side of the country or even in a completely different country than you are.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Yvonne Weld is the owner of ABLE Virtual Assistant Services and offers administrative and bookkeeping support to busy solopreneurs. She is also the author of The Ultimate Guide to Creating a Thriving Business and Managing Your Thriving Business for Success. For more information and for your free downloads, visit her Web site at http://www.yvonneweld.com

Virtual personal assistants are taking over the world!

Not literally though. For the most part, virtual assistants are taking over what other employees used to do. Because of the many benefits that they provide for businesses, they are fast becoming the most sought after workers that a business cannot do without.

You have probably heard of business owners tell about how they have found a good virtual assistant. And you wonder about how they got so lucky. Luck has nothing to do with it actually. It is all about the hiring process.

Now, how do you go about hiring a virtual personal assistant that is best suited for your business needs?

1. List your specific needs.

What do you need the virtual assistant for? And what are the skills you require?

Virtual assistants are capable of doing common office work like typing, compiling and answering emails. There are also that are capable of maintaining websites, programming and even internet marketing.

There are really no limits to what a virtual assistant can do. Most assistants have already work with other clients in the past. Take note of what they can do best. And check if they are willing to do other things besides what they already know.

Providing a detailed job description will make it easier for the assistant to check if they are capable of doing what you need them to do.

2. Give an initial test project.

Reading about what the virtual assistant can do is not enough. To be certain about their capabilities, you can give out a test project for the assistant to complete.

Make sure that the test project is related to what the virtual personal assistant is supposed to do once he or she is hired. Through the test you can test the skills of the assistant, plus the speed, quality and accuracy in which the project was done.

You can also create a test project which will help you determine how professional and how the assistant will respond to deadlines and stress. Through these tests, you can get an initial understanding of what kind of worker you are getting.

3. Interview.

Being on other sides of the planet should not hinder you from communicating with each other. Thanks to the internet, you can now interview candidates through mediums of communication over the internet like Yahoo, MSN or Skype.

Do not let distance hinder you from interviewing your chosen virtual assistant. Even after he or she has passed the tests with flying colors, you still need to talk to them personally and see if the both of you are comfortable with each other.

Clear and constant communication is necessary in the virtual assistant set up. Check to see if you are getting through the assistant clearly and with no problems at all. If not, then that assistant is not what you are looking for.

Keep these things in mind during the virtual personal assistant hiring process. They will serve as your determining factors to help you distinguish if the assistant is perfect for you or not.

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.

So many small business owners - especially those who work from home - are very pressed for time.

After all, as an independent professional, you must wear the hats of: accountant, salesperson, customer service representative, marketing manager, distribution manager, tax professional, and countless others. While you may need help desperately, you probably think you can't afford to hire someone. The truth be known, you can actually SAVE money by using an assistant.

Think of it this way. How do you make your money? Providing a product? Offering a service? Soliciting memberships? Regardless, you have to DO something (promote the product, perform the service, solicit the membership) to get that money. When you must be all things to all people, it takes valuable time away from the one thing that brings in cash for you. Hiring an assistant can free you up to make more money.

Here's an example:

Let's say you spend 10 hours a week on actual moneymaking ventures. Your average income in one week is $1,000. You spend the other 30 hours per week answering emails, doing bookkeeping, providing customer service support, and so on. If you could delegate many of the duties that don't absolutely require your attention to an assistant, you could devote possibly 20 more hours to making money. That would give you 30 hours a week to make money and only 10 hours per week to do other things.

Don't think you can afford an assistant? Oh, sure you can! Virtual Assistants perform a wide range of duties at very reasonable rates. They work via phone, email, fax, and postal mail rather than being a full-time employee of your business. This way, you only pay for the services you need.

Let's say you DO hire a Virtual Assistant. He/she works 20 hours week for a rate of $35 per hour. That equals $700. On the other hand, YOU spend those 20 hours a week making more money. That would give you an additional $2,000 per week (using the same example above). You would actually make MORE money ($1,300 more) hiring a Virtual Assistant than you would doing it all yourself.

Where do you find good Virtual Assistants? You can search the Web, ask your business associates for recommendations, or check out some of the Virtual Assistant (VA) directories online such as http://www.assistu.com. I highly recommend http://www.kesslerva.com.

Whoever you choose, make sure they have experience performing the duties you want to delegate. Also, be sure they allow hourly work without contracts (at least in the beginning) so that you can get a feel for how he/she does business.

Virtual Assistants can free you up to do what you do best, make money. This is a very affordable alternative to running yourself ragged, and trying to do everything yourself. After all, isn't one of the perks of being a business owner supposed to be more freedom?!

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Diane Hughes, http://ProBizTips.com

Your business is growing and you have decided it is time to hire an Office Assistant. Hiring in-house staff can become complicated. Questions to answer are “where to advertise”, “what skills and experience should the candidate have”, “what will their work schedule be”, “what equipment and furniture do I need to purchase” or “what if they don’t work out”. Before writing up your recruitment ad, consider the advantages of contracting a Virtual Assistant.

1. With a VA, you save money as you don’t have to provide office space, furnishings or equiment. Every VA works from their own office environment.
2. With a VA, you don’t have to worry about coordinating work schedules. Simply send off the work to be done with a due date.
3. A client only pays for the actual time a VA spends on completing the task. No money spent on bathroom visits, water cooler chats, or coffee breaks.
4. When hiring a VA, there is no need to pay for fringe benefits like health insurance, vacation pay or employer wage deductions. A VA takes care of all their own overhead costs.
5. In-house staff will probably require training. A VA is already proficient with the latest tools and technology to do the job.
6. As an independent business owner themselves, a VA has the ability to see the bigger picture. Unlike an employee, a VA knows and understands the challenges of running a business.
7. A VA invests in their own business and has the software available to complete projects. A client can save money by not having to use their funds to purchase software for every new project.
8. As a worldwide organization, VA’s have a resource pool available to call upon. If there is a time constraint, they have access to numerous connections who can be called upon to complete the job.
9. Commuting is never a problem with a VA. Your work will get completed even during the worst weather. No down time due to traffic accidents, construction or vehicle emergencies.
10. As each client relationship is protected with a Confidentiality Agreement, you can be confident in the integrity of your VA and don’t need to worry about confidential company information being leaked at the water cooler.

When working out the true costs of hiring an employees versus contracting a Virtual Assistant, a client not only benefits by having a more qualified, more experienced professional on hand, but once the math is done, the VA often comes in at the same price or lower!

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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.

The Virtual Assistant industry is on the rise as more and more businesses use this service to outsource some of their tasks. The internet has enabled professional Administrative Assistants to leave the corporate world and set up their own businesses, providing skilled support to busy entrepreneurs and business managers.

If you have come to the conclusion that you can no longer keep up to the increasing demands of your growing business and you need someone to assist with your daily duties, you may find the following list helpful.

In determining whether contracting a Virtual Assistant is the best option for your particular circumstances, begin by reviewing these ideas and then formulating your own plan, taking into consideration what you would like to start delegating. Then, as you establish an ongoing relationship with a Virtual Assistant, you can change, add or delete duties and projects, customizing what works best for you. One thing you can always count on is that your Virtual Assistant will always be ready and flexible to change and grow with you as they come to learn your business and your unique needs.

1. A VA can organize, write and send newsletters allowing you valuable time to service your customers.
2. A VA can manage and organize your database ensuring information is always up to date and readily accessible when contacting customers or sending out sales and marketing information.
3. VA’s have great organization skills when it comes to keeping communication going. As a single contact source, a VA can act as liaison between management and staff keeping information flowing.
4. Your web site is your portal to the world. A VA will perform regular updates and upload edits it in a timely manner freeing up your valuable time for other priorities.
5. Let a VA assume your Bookkeeping requirements. By delegating this important task, you can rest assured that all your accounting will be properly managed and bills paid on time.
6. Research can become very time consuming. Rather than bogging down busy in-house staff on a project, hire a specialized VA in the field of research who will provide you with the content you are looking for.
7. A VA can manage your emails and calendar, schedule appointments or make travel arrangements. It’s like having your own personal Secretary on hand. Don’t miss another appointment or double-book a meeting by having your VA taking care of the details.
8. As part of your team and familiar with all aspects of your business, a VA can easily create effective PowerPoint or web-based presentations for your company.
9. A VA can assist you with preparing reports, article submissions and press release submissions. Materials will be professionally packaged for each specific media or business type. Printed and electronic materials will be edited and proofread to ensure you are making the right impression.
10. Partnering with a VA in another country half-way around the world will allow you to have your work completed while you sleep. Everything will be ready and waiting for you as you arrive in your office the next day.

***

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.

Most small businesses or entrepreneurs do not have a large budget for hiring additional staff when demands warrant it. Often times, a business owner may think it is more cost effective to do the work themselves rather than spending operating capital on part-time staff.

The following list itemizes the cost benefits of contracting a Virtual Assistant and making it an affordable option. Putting a VA on your team is a wise investment that will have long-term effects on your productivity, time management, stress and, ultimately, the bottom line.

1. Because a VA works on an “as needed” basis, you will be able to save money by not having to hire additional part-time staff. A client only pays for the work performed with no extra expenses such as wage deductions, benefits, office equipment or supplies.
2. A VA brings specialized knowledge of running a business to the table. They can review your existing systems and make recommendations on methods or technologies to streamline your operations.
3. A VA can research suppliers and suggest more cost-effective alternatives, allowing you to be more informed when making purchasing decisions.
4. With a tailored reminder service, a VA can respond to meeting requests as well as keep you informed of upcoming events. You will save time and be more organized as you plan ahead.
5. In order to optimize your marketing plans and budget, a specialized VA can show you where to concentrate your efforts and achieve a better return on investment.
6. A VA can assist you in designing a web design that is user friendly and presents an image that potential customers will enjoy and visit frequently. Through utilizing SEO techniques, a VA will improve your web site’s rankings, resulting in increased on-line sales leads.
7. To save you time in dealing with potential customers, a VA can manage and organize inquiries. By pre-filtering and prioritizing inquiries, you will see improved results in responding to and following up on sales leads.
8. To ensure that emails and voicemails are responded to promptly, a VA can pre-screen messages and prioritize in order of importance. That way, you can deal with any urgent matters and keep your customer service reputation in tact.
9. VA’s are proficient in English and grammar and will maintain high standards in producing outgoing written material. No need to worry about inferior workmanship and the extra expense of redoing a project.
10. When planning your next business trip, whether for yourself or employees, you can leave it all in the hands of your VA. They will search out best prices for flights, accommodations, and vehicle rentals, complete a conference registration and provide a complete itinerary when everything is confirmed.

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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.

Virtual assistants are becoming extremely popular especially in the small business realm. This fast growing group of professionals often possessing a specialty in one or more of marketing, graphic design, general administration, bookkeeping, web design, event management, phone answering service… and the list goes on. Think of any segment of your business; there are probably virtual assistants out there that can provide support to you in that area. Here are a few reasons why you should not hire one.

1. You are a Jack of all trades and a master of none. You don’t care about the quality of work or service you provide to your clients or the business image you project with your unprofessional documents and work. You are happy taking on the job of 4 or 5 people even if it results in half-done projects. A virtual assistant can take a number of mundane or specialty tasks off you so that you can focus on managing your business effectively.

2. You are a glutton for stress. You thrive on stress and will rather go without vacations, downtime or quality time with your loved ones. You enjoy working when you are ill and run down. Your aim is to burn yourself out while working round the clock and you love to sweat the small stuff. Virtual assistant can take on your overflow work or cover your business during vacations or sickness. You can hire them for ongoing projects or one-shot projects.

3. Who cares about money anyway? You are a small or mid-sized business owner who would rather hire full-time staff to cover seasonal or part-time positions. You are happy to pay your staff even if the their workday activity allocation is similar to the example below:

Daydreaming – 20%
Keeping in touch with family and friends – 30%
Online shopping – 10% (20% at Christmas)
Pay personal utility bills - (5%)
Office discussion group on Survivors, American Idol or The Apprentice – 25%
Performance of duties according to job-description – 10% (75% when the boss is in the vicinity)

Virtual assistants are only paid for the work they do, not the work they don’t do.

4. You would rather use office space and equipment inefficiently. You appreciate dust-gathering office furniture and office equipment that would not operate themselves. Virtual assistants work out of their own fully furnished offices and are able to provide finished projects to you whether you are on a cruise in the Bahamas or at your home office.

5. You aspire to receive an award from your local chamber of commerce in recognition of your efforts in one or more of the above listed points.

Enjoy the humour intended in this article, but thoroughly consider and explore ways in which a virtual assistant can partner with you for success.

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Bisi Adepo-Bassey is the owner of Business Aid, providers of business support services. http://www.mybusinessaid.com/.

How a VA can give you 225 more hours in front of your clients....

Part I of II (series)

As a sales professional you are faced with the daunting tasks of meeting sales quotas, satisfying clients, putting out client fires, preparing call reports, sending out literature, and following up on leads—just to name a few. Achieving these tasks while managing your life can be challenging at times. Achieving success in the world of sales is a challenge unto itself.

Making effective use of your time and resources is the key to overcoming these challenges and achieving success. Effective time management can offer a substantial increase in your revenue; not to mention a reduction in your stress level.

So how do you overcome these challenges and implement effective time management? Consider partnering with a virtual assistant. A virtual assistant, or VA, is an independent business professional offering administrative support and other specialized services to those who want to achieve growth in their business while saving time and money.

By partnering with a virtual assistant to keep you on track and to handle some, if not all, of those daunting tasks I touched on earlier you can quickly save yourself as little as five hours per week - or more. That's right, just five hours a week, one hour per day! What could you do with that extra five hours per week? Make a few more sales calls, take a customer out to lunch, or maybe…take a day off for yourself. And, you'll save money in the process.

"Excessive and redundant paperwork is one of the biggest time wasters for sales people. Even if the paperwork is necessary, nothing is more wasteful than having a $150k salesperson spending selling time doing paperwork that could be done better by a much less expense administrative professional," states Barry Maher, author of "No Lie: Truth Is the Ultimate Sales Tool" (McGraw-Hill, 2003) .

Let me give you an example:

* You make $100,000 a year (combined annual salary, bonuses, and commissions) = $55.55 per hour based upon a 225 day work year.
* You spend one hour per day, or 225 hours annually, on tasks that you shouldn't be handling yourself which costs you $12,498.75 per year.
* Take that 225 hours and partner with a virtual assistant, at an average cost of $35 per hour, and you save over $4,600 per year PLUS you gain an extra 225 hours of time.

It's a win-win situation!

Visit Part II of this two-part series for more details on how a VA can save you time-and money!
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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.

How a VA can give you 225 more hours in front of your clients....
Part II of II (series)

In Part I of this two-part series I shared with you the time and cost-saving benefits of partnering with a virtual assistant, or VA. Part II covers the specific tasks that your VA can handle for you while you spend your time generating revenue, or taking some much-needed time for yourself.

These Top 8 Ways were developed based on what I have identified as some of the biggest time-wasters for sales professionals. This list is in no particular order.

1. Email management
Email can be both beneficial and detrimental in conducting business today. It can be a distraction and a major time-hog. Turn your email off and let your VA screen your email. The VA can get rid of all the unwanted messages, handle routine responses and designate a special folder, or even a separate email address, where messages are placed that need your attention.

2. Paperwork
Paperwork comes in many shapes and sizes. Aahhh…the vision and grandeur of a paperless office - NOT! While we'd like to think we can do away with paper it's not as easy as it might sound. Your VA can be instrumental in organizing your mail, call reports, sales reports, faxes, and forms. Your VA can even do your filing. Yep, believe it or not, the filing-it really can be done without the VA being in your office.

3. Following up on leads
How many times have you gone to a trade show, returned to the office with a pile of leads, and never took the time to follow up on those leads? My hope for you is never, but, unfortunately, it does happen. Don't let those leads fall through the cracks. Your VA can enter them into your database as well as work with you to qualify the leads and organize them accordingly for follow up in person, or otherwise.

4. Sales meetings - planning and preparation
Meetings, meetings, and more meetings; at times you think you're meeting to talk about the meeting. The good news is you don't have to spend the 48 hours prior to start time (with no sleep) preparing for the meeting. Call on your VA to prepare your presentation, put together any handouts, and do whatever research that needs to be done. If you're the one running and planning the meeting your VA can be instrumental in making all the arrangements, coordinating attendees, and ensuring that all attendees get the most out of the meeting in the least amount of time.

5. Literature fulfillment and mailings
Satisfying literature requests can take up a great deal of time. Your VA can prepare and ship your literature packets to potential or existing clients. Maybe you have a new product or service to announce? Let your VA prepare the mailing list, assemble the information packet, create the mailing, and take it to the post office for you.

6. Contact management
Contact management systems are great but it takes a lot of time to keep them updated in order to remain effective. Let your VA maintain your database while you spend your time meeting with your contacts.

7. Marketing materials
Creating just the right look and feel of your marketing materials can be both costly and time consuming. Your VA can be instrumental in coordinating your brand across all marketing material. Whether it be coordinating the work with your vendor of choice or utilizing the expertise of your VA, you can be sure that you will look good in the eyes of prospects and clients.

8. Sample management
If a prospect requests a sample then chances are you've generated a solid lead. No time to spend following up on those samples? Unsure of whether a sale was generated? Not a problem. Your VA can implement a system for tracking and following up to ensure you're getting the most out of your samplings.

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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.

So you have partnered with a Virtual Assistant and now you are trying to think of ways to truly utilize them to your benefit. Here are twelve ways you probably have never thought of:

1. Internet Research
Want to stay a step ahead of the competition? Have your Virtual Assistant (VA) research what your competition is up to and provide you with a detailed report. Maybe you want to have an interesting and original corporate party this year, have your VA research a theme and provide you with a list of ideas. Maybe you want to know the best bang for your marketing dollars. Your VA can put together a detailed report including Internet rankings, costs and associated benefits.

2. Off-Site Data Storage
Ever wondered what to do with your computer backups? Have your VA store a copy of your data files at their offices. Now your business files and data will truly be protected from fire and theft.

3. Organizational Tasks
A VA can assist you in implementing new office systems that will assist with the information flow within your office. They can keep you on track so you no longer miss important dates or meetings. Ask your VA to provide you with some great tips to help you and your business become better organized.

4. Follow Up
A VA can follow up with your clients – send thank you notes, conduct surveys, etc. They can ensure your client doesn’t feel that the service ended once they paid you. A VA assists in making your clients feel they are important.

5. Business Support
Whenever you want to bounce ideas off of someone or get a second opinion, your VA will be there for you and your business. Ask your VA whenever you need a helpful hint on how to do something more efficiently or even if you just don’t know how to do something; they can assist you to complete the task. After all they too are a business owner and know what it takes to run a business.

6. Directions
A VA can provide you with directions to any location – be prepared before you leave for your business meeting and know exactly how to get there. Perhaps you are lost and in the middle of “no-where”, putting a call into your Virtual Assistant can help get you back on track and headed in the right direction.

7. File Conversions
Word to PDF or PDF to Word – a VA can assist you in converting documents to a format you can amend/edit or distribute without the fear of it being edited or amended.

8. Purchasing and/or Supplies Management
Your VA can assist you by ordering your supplies/inventory items and having them delivered directly to your office.

9. Business Card Management
So what are you doing with all those business cards you collect at networking functions and corporate events? Why not have your VA input them into a spreadsheet or contact management program so they are usable to you?

10. Human Resources
A VA can assist you with your staffing needs – they can take care of placing advertisements, screening resumes and applicants and conducting reference checks.

11. Reminder Calls
Ensure you are never left waiting again. Have your VA contact your clients and remind them of upcoming events. Perhaps it is you that needs the reminding; have your VA remind you of important meetings and dates.

12. Event Planning
Be it a conference, a seminar or a meeting, your VA can assist you with all the details from concept to on-site coordination – they can ensure all permits, licenses and equipment are there and ready for your use and that location, snacks and registration are accounted for.

As you can see there truly are many ways to utilize a Virtual Assistant over and above those tasks you are utilizing them for right now. The tasks your Virtual Assistant can complete are limited only by your imagination and their skill set.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Yvonne Weld is the owner of ABLE Virtual Assistant Services and offers administrative and bookkeeping support to busy solopreneurs. She is also the author of The Ultimate Guide to Creating a Thriving Business and Managing Your Thriving Business for Success. For more information and for your free downloads, visit her Web site at http://www.yvonneweld.com

Virtual Assistants are fast becoming a popular industry. It is through education that this field is beginning to truly grow. Hopefully someday soon people will be asking, “Who is your Virtual Assistant?” rather than “What is a Virtual Assistant?” Virtual Assistants are the key to allowing small business owners to truly create a thriving. Before deciding to work with a Virtual Assistant there are six questions that need to be answered.

What is a Virtual Assistant?
First and foremost, you must understand what the term means. Simply put, a Virtual Assistant is a business owner who offers administrative support, virtually. The International Virtual Assistant Association defines a Virtual Assistant as “an independent entrepreneur providing administrative, creative and/or technical services. Utilizing advanced technological modes of communication and data delivery, a professional Virtual Assistant assists clients in his/her area of expertise from his/her own office on a contractual basis.”

Why would I want to work with a Virtual Assistant?
There are many advantages! First, there are no hidden costs. The Virtual Assistant takes care of his or her own expenses including office space, equipment, computers and software, and all wage-related expenses. A Virtual Assistant is not like other employees; instead she becomes a member of your team and has a stake in the success of your company. If you don’t succeed she won’t succeed.

Most Virtual Assistants have many years administrative experience and can handle a variety of tasks. Many work outside of traditional business hours to provide flexibility. With a Virtual Assistant on your team you have an opportunity to grow your business rather than just maintain it. You can get back to the things you love doing…while the tasks on your TO DO list are looked after.

How do I find a Virtual Assistant?
Internationally, there are three associations that list Virtual Assistants – VA Networking, International Virtual Assistant Association (IVAA) and International Association of Virtual Office Assistants There are also two associations that list Virtual Assistants in Canada – the Canadian Virtual Assistant Connection and the Canadian Virtual Assistant Network. Thanks to technological advances, a Virtual Assistant doesn’t need to live in close proximity as communication is available through email, facsimile, Internet, and telephone.

What can a Virtual Assistant assist me with?
Virtual Assistants can assist you with everything from basic administrative functions (document preparation, correspondence preparation, transcriptions services, etc.) to specialized services such as Web site design and maintenance, bookkeeping, ghostwriting and editing services, marketing and event planning. Each Virtual Assistant has his or her own skill set and services. Many have established connections with other Virtual Assistants and will contract out specialized work or direct you to another Assistant.

How do I communicate with a Virtual Assistant?
The most popular methods in communication are email and telephone; however, facsimile, courier, and postal services are often used. Many who have worked with Virtual Assistants have set up post office boxes that are accessed by the Assistant to ensure all client correspondence is handled directly by the Assistant.

Is there anything a Virtual Assistant can’t do for me?
A Virtual Assistant can perform any task that an in-house assistant can …except make your morning coffee.

Now armed with this information, I am sure you can see how partnering with a Virtual Assistant truly does make good business sense. It is a key step in creating a thriving business.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Yvonne Weld is the owner of ABLE Virtual Assistant Services and offers administrative and bookkeeping support to busy solopreneurs. She is also the author of The Ultimate Guide to Creating a Thriving Business and Managing Your Thriving Business for Success. For more information and for your free downloads, visit her Web site at http://www.yvonneweld.com

Running any office can be challenging, even in the best of circumstances. Whether the company is a small business or a large corporation, as it grows so does the amount administrative tasks that need to be carried out on a daily basis.

For some companies, all that is required to alleviate the overload is to empty the in-boxes, file the paperwork and clean off the desks. For others, prioritizing assignments can help to get most of the work performed in an organized fashion. However, some of the projects may still remain unattended to.

Bringing in part-time or temporary employees is one way to get these assignments done, but only feasible if there is a steady flow of work, enough to accommodate an extra staff member and the additional wage. Not to mention, you would have to supply space, equipment and training time for this additional person. You could also try doing the administrative chores yourself but this would interfere with spending more time on your revenue generating activities.

The best solution to help ease your office overflow, without breaking your budget or having to provide space and equipment, is to hire a virtual assistant (VA).

These highly trained professionals work from their own offices. Most have had many years of administrative experience and can usually take on any assignment with little or no training from you. VA's specialize in various fields, from word processing and resume preparation to database management and website development. But, generally, an off-site assistant can help with almost any office task that requires completion.

Hiring a VA provides you with numerous benefits, not just the fact that they are already trained and that they have their own equipment to work with, but also that they are available whenever you need some help. This allows you to save money by not having an office member that is being paid to sit and wait for work to do. You pay the VA on a 'time on task' basis

They also take care of their own expenses, which again saves you the money that you would normally have to spend on benefits, source deductions and lost time wages.

Most VA's are self-employed entrepreneurs, and unlike a staff member, they have a vested interest in the success of your business. They work with you to help you keep up and to grow. To most, it isn't simply a 9 to 5 job, but a career choice that they take great pride in.

Most VA's have local client lists, but are also able to assist 'from afar'. By using any of the communication devices available today (ie. phone, fax, email, etc), projects can be accomplished without ever having to meet face to face. And, with the growing ease of the Internet, finding a VA almost anywhere in the world is quite simple to accomplish as well. By simply typing 'virtual assistant' into any search engine, you can locate the one person who can take some of the load off of your shoulders.

Whether you are a home-based business who needs a website developed, a small business that is looking for a way out from under the paperwork or are part of a large corporation that has an extra assignment that no one seems to have time to do, a Virtual Assistant can be the answer to your problems. They can be your sounding board and offer feedback and advice when a fresh perspective is needed.

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Janice Byer, owner of Docu-Type Administrative & Web Design Services (http://www.docutype.net) provides professional, creative and affordable virtual office assistance and small business website design. She is a Certified Canadian Virtual Assistant (CCVA) and Master Virtual Assistant (MVA). She is also the author of Surfin' The Net - Docu-Type's Virtual Collection of Links, (http://www.docutype.net/SurfinTheNet/linksebook.htm) which is filled with the secrets of her success. Visit her website for more information and to get your copy.

Administrative and clerical tasks are the bane of every industry. No matter how small or large your business is, you will eventually find yourself with stacks of paperwork that need your attention. And when will you find the time? If you are busy seeing your clients during the day, then the paperwork waits until the evenings and weekends. This can make for some very long days and total exhaustion. Hiring a virtual assistant is becoming the best option for many professionals.

Virtual assistants are administrative professionals who, for a variety of reasons, have chosen to work from home offices. Virtual assistance is an industry that is swiftly nudging its way into the outsourcing arena. There are currently about 2,000 virtual assistants worldwide, and this number is growing daily. There are virtual assistance accreditation schools, chat groups, professional organizations, and annual conferences. As a virtual assistant, these administrative professionals are independent contractors who provide office support remotely, using current computer technology and the Internet.

Let’s look at the differences between hiring staff and working with a virtual assistant:

When you hire support staff, you will need to provide some amount of training. You also will provide a space for that person, and supplies needed to do the job. In addition, your staff expenses will include taxes, insurance, vacation and sick pay, raises, overtime pay, and usually a pension or some type of retirement plan. You will also be paying that person for idle and non-productive time; you will be expected to do annual performance reviews; and you are expected to manage and supervise.

In comparison, when you hire a virtual assistant, you are hiring someone who already specializes in the type of work that you do, so you automatically eliminate the need for training. Virtual assistants work from their own offices and use their own supplies and office equipment. Virtual assistants pay their own taxes and insurance. And best of all, you only pay a virtual assistant for the hours worked.

Virtual assistants are flexible enough to be able to work only the hours that you will need them, on an as-needed basis. Some businesses contract for a certain amount of hours a month and are assured of having those hours reserved for them. Other people hire a virtual assistant on an occasional basis, perhaps if they have a project, mailing, or campaign coming up and need the extra assistance.

You can go on the Internet and find an unlimited number of people who provide office support services; the difference is that virtual assistants have not only the administrative background, but also the training in how to use that background in a global marketplace. Working with a virtual assistant gives you the benefits of having your own personal assistant without the extra costs and associated managerial headaches. Most virtual assistants are very flexible and will do whatever is needed to fulfill your administrative needs. For a lot of businesses, it is the most practical and cost-effective way to get the administrative work done.

Healthcare professionals who find themselves in the position of having an overflowing to-do box and wondering what to do about it, may be well advised to consider hiring a Virtual Assistant.

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About the author: Rita Ballard, GVA, C.Ht. is a licensed hypnotherapist and the owner of Healer's Helper, a virtual assistance business providing administrative support services to healthcare professionals. For more information, please visit www.healershelper.com Virtually Restoring Balance, One Task At A Time!

You might have heard of a little emerging industry called “Virtual Assistance”. Well, this industry is little no more. It is quickly gaining popularity among businesses of all sizes from around the globe. Virtual Assistant (VA) business owners usually are former brick-and-mortar professionals that now work for themselves and maintain their base office from their home. They usually have had several years experience in the business world and are former professionals in such fields as business administration, office management, legal and medical offices, accounting, graphic and web design, and so much more.

What can a virtual assistant do for me?
By now, you should be asking yourself, “What can a Virtual Assistant do for me?” Your head is probably churning with ideas and questions. VA’s can help you with such things as marketing, website design and maintenance, database development, email management, desktop publishing, bookkeeping, research, travel arrangements and so much more. Some VA’s will specialize in offering you a specific service (ex. bookkeeping). Not all VA’s will perform all services; however, those in the VA industry maintain close relationships with other VA’s that can assist you with your needs.

Here are just a few examples of what a Virtual Assistant can do for you:

- You are a non-profit organization and you offer free information to your website visitors but this has generated a hundred emails a week in your mailbox. A VA can respond to these emails with a form letter, put the requested information in the mail and add these potential clients to your database. You don’t have an organized database? A VA can help you with that too.

- You have been in business for a while and your website is in need of a complete overhaul. If the VA offers website design services, he/she can revamp your website and help you write effective copy for it so that it will be attractive to potential customers.

- You have just published your first book and you need to create buzz about it. A VA can help you develop press releases.

How much is this going to cost me?

Are you convinced yet to give a Virtual Assistant a try? By now, your interest is probably peeked and you want to know more. For starters, there are many small to mid-size business owners that maintain a full-time staff. You need to rent office space, provide medical benefits, pay taxes, etc. for a full-time staff that might not be enthusiast about helping you to grow your business. While a VA’s responsibility is not to grow your business, they do make it their business to see that your everyday mundane tasks are completed so that you can concentrate on your business. A VA works with you, not for you. Most VA’s charge an hourly rate that can range from $25 - $45 an hour and may have monthly retainer packages available for regular clients. You can do the math to see that you will save money because you are not shelling out the expenses of a full-time staff. You are sub-contracting work to the VA; hence, being able to invest more time and money into your business.

How do I choose a Virtual Assistant?

Well, with any new venture that is going to help your business grow, you must do your research. Having a computer and being able to type does not make someone a Virtual Assistant; however with hard work, dedication, skills in different fields and organization a superb Virtual Assistant can emerge. Also, gaining the respect of those already in the industry can bring much success to new VA’s. Choose carefully and ask for references. Ask yourself if this particular VA will fit my needs. Most VA’s will offer a free 15-minute consultation. Prepare and have questions ready before you make the call.

Much of the VA popularity is due to the Virtual Assistant Networking Forum. This forum boasts 9,000+ members and is a meeting place for veteran VA’s to share ideas, new technology and hone up on their skills. It is also a stepping stone for those aspiring to start their VA business. Businesses can also visit the website to submit an RFP and find a Virtual Assistant that will fit their needs.

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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.

What is a Virtual Assistant? A Virtual Assistant is a highly skilled, independent entrepreneur who provides business services in a remote or virtual environment. Some have used terms like telecommuter or working from home.

Employers are looking for alternatives to having a full-time employee. Hiring a skilled Virtual Assistant helps to cut costs normally associated with on-site employees (no need for extra overhead and space, taxes, benefits, continued training), and frees up valuable time to focus on higher priority tasks that will inturn increase profits.

Assistant For You!, a Puyallup based a virtual assistance and web design company, specializes in website design and promotion, Administrative and Real Estate Support.

November 1, 2003 marks Assistant For You!’s first anniversary. Ms. Bresser attributes her success to keeping on top of the current trends in targeted industries allowing Assistant For You! to adapt to specific client needs.

For those wanting to start a Virtual Assistance company, Ms Bresser suggests, “niche in an area that you are not only good at, but love to do.“ She urges finding an established Virtual Assistant as a mentor during these rough start-up phases. “Having a mentor will help you avoid pitfalls that many face,” says Ms. Bresser.

For more information about the Virtual Assistant industry and why you should hire one, contact Assistant For You! today. We can be reached directly by phone at (253) 537-7703, by email at heather@assistantforyou.com, or on the web at http://www.assistantforyou.com.

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About Author:

Heather Bresser, Virtual Assistant and business owner of AssistantForYou.com, offers high energy and her outgoing personality to her varied clients, and has been able to help them with marketing and growing their businesses through providing innovative website design and marketing strategies.

What do you do if you’re a sole operator or independent professional/executive in need of professional, confidential admin support, but don’t want to go to the expense and hassle involved in hiring your own staff?

What if you don’t have the space for staff, or necessary expertise to complete a particular job?
Your best office support staff member goes off on maternity leave and you think your only alternative is to hire an expensive and unmotivated temp?

Think again! Virtual Assistants (VAs), also known as Virtual Office Professionals or Virtual Business Associates, provide an alternative, cost-effective staffing solution for businesses of all sizes, including sole operators. They are not temps, but small business operators with a vested interest in their clients’ success.

You can think of a VA as a “remote” or “home-based” secretary. They are independent consultants who provide a range of personal assistant and office support services for clients - or they might specialise in just one, like bookkeeping or transcription. They are called “virtual” because they provide these services from their own offices - rather than using the office space and equipment of their clients - and because they utilise the technologies made available by the internet, such as email, instant messaging, chat servers and web-based conferencing tools.

VAs provide profound cost-saving benefits to the businesses and individuals they partner with, and have an important role to play in today’s business environment, as they form a large part of the growing trend towards home-based business.

Many people have difficulty grasping the concept of a remote assistant, so it is not surprising that understanding the benefits poses a problem. So what are the benefits, what’s in it for you and who would benefit from the partnership?

VAs can perform the same services as office-based employees but without the associated costs such as payroll tax, worker’s compensation, superannuation, sick and other leave, or training. There are no equipment costs as VAs utilise their own equipment, and there are none of the associated costs of wear and tear, office space, lighting, power, telephone and so on.

In addition, the VA is available out of normal hours, on weekends, and public holidays. How much do you lose, both in monetary terms and in terms of productivity, on office politics and staff chatting in the coffee room? Clients pay only for time on task when they partner with a VA so there is no time/money lost on these typical office behaviours.

VAs partner with clients, which means that a longer term relationship can develop in much the same way as one would with an onsite personal assistant - yet clients do not have the associated costs of an employee.

So why wouldn’t you just use a temporary staffing agency to “fill the gaps” in your administrative support needs? Temps do not always offer the most cost effective solutions for clients as on-costs are still factored into the hourly rate by the agency. In addition, when clients partner with a VA they get consistency of support - not a different person each time they need assistance, necessitating training of each new temp in their business procedures. The VA has a vested interest in helping clients succeed in their own business goals - a temp does not have the same interest.

VAs offer a wide variety of office support services including secretarial support, personal and executive assistance, word processing, database management, transcription services, mail outs, bookkeeping, web design, desktop publishing, presentations, spreadsheets, and office services such as faxing, email and scanning. Clients have access to specialist skills that may not be available through a temp agency or serviced office, and access to latest technologies including web-based conferencing, online calendar and document sharing and project collaboration, real time chat and digital transcription services.

With clients across three States of Australia, and both coasts of the continental USA, I rarely see my clients. But with the technology available today including email, fax, instant messaging services, digital transcription technology, internet telephony and internet-based file sharing facilities, I’m as close to my clients as if I was in the next room!

So doesn’t that mean that being a VA is as easy as knowing how to type and “drive” a PC? Absolutely not! A colleague recently put it best when she said, “The myth is that anyone can be a virtual assistant. Being a VA is more than just ‘proclaiming’ I am a VA, logging on to a computer and creating a web site. Professional VAs transition years of office administration experience and specialisation from a corporate setting to running their own successful business. Those experiences can include enrolment in advanced training courses, managing offices and supervising large numbers of personnel - all while acting as the assistant to the owner. Others had responsibility for local area networks (LANs), creating and maintaining corporate web sites, planning major events, etc. These are just a few examples of qualifications that help make a VA a 'professional'.”

For more information on how a professional VA can help you and your business, contact eSOS by emailing lyn@exescstress.com

For your free digital voice recording software, log onto the eSOS website at http://www.execstress.com and start enjoying the benefits of partnering with a professional VA today!
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Lyn Prowse-Bishop, MVA, ASO - Australia’s first certified Master Virtual Assistant (MVA), an EthicsChecked VA, Accredited Secretary Online (ASO), and 2006 Thomas Leonard International VA of Distinction Award Nominee - has been in private practice since February 2000 as owner/manager of Executive Stress Office Support, providing executive assistant, office support and admin services to independent consultants and professionals around the world.

One of Brisbane's most respected virtual assistants, Lyn is also founder of the new Australian Virtual Business Network (www.avbn.com.au), is on the steering committee and speaks at the annual Online International Virtual Assistants Convention (www.oivac.com), and also serves on an international committee looking at standards for the VA industry.