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I thought it might be worth visiting some email etiquette for all as the majority of the readers of this newsletter are now on email.

It is important to consider that when emailing people you are on show, whether you like it or not, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This is one of my ‘pet’ subjects on which I speak when giving a public presentation about the Internet. I am constantly amazed at the number of people who have never thought about it, including secretaries, but once it’s mentioned they say ‘oh, yes, I hadn’t thought about that!’ Let’s face it – many people use email at work AND at home – but who they are does not change.

It is best to type messages in full, and do not use phonetic spelling or lots of abbreviated words and half sentences. I know it is common practice on chat programs to shortcut the process, but email is quite different, and these days, generally accepted almost the same as a written letter. The reason not to type email in the shortcut form is that it can become habit-forming and not something you would want to promote to prospective clients, bosses or other business associates. It is important to remember that your ‘professionalism’ is on show 24 hours a day via email - a small point, but important.

Another thing – develop a signature block and let people know who you are and what you do! I have it set as an automatic feature whenever emailing, or replying to email, and sometimes forget to delete it when emailing my parents or other family members – but that doesn’t really matter. The thing to remember is that anyone is a potential business associate and letting them know who you are and what you do helps promote your business or your industry. It is a business card that is on show all the time.

Third – take notice of the correct spelling of people’s names. I’ve lost count of the number of times that people have replied to an email of mine and spelt my name as either Kathy or Cathy – it’s neither. In addition, I’m sure the spelling of your own name is just as important to you and it is quickly noticed when someone spells it incorrectly.

It’s these little things that make the difference between an average business operator and one who does that extra something – every little thing counts when it comes to attracting clients and associates and keeping them. Taking the time to care about these things and looking after even a client’s name goes a long way to developing good business relationships. KMT

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Kathie M. Thomas, AFAIOP, MVA, ASO is the founder of "A Clayton's Secretary", a Virtual Assistant Network with members in many countries. Dedicated to teaching others about operating business over the Internet, Kathie is a multiple award winner as both a Secretary and Virtual Business Operator, and has over 30 years' experience in the secretarial/administrative field. She registered her business in March 1994 and is one of the senior VAs who launched the industry globally. http://www.vadirectory.net.

I had great feedback from my last article, and was asked to write further on the subject; hence my title.

This month I’ll share on Email Etiquette in discussion groups. For those who are not yet aware, on the Internet there are hundreds of thousands of discussion groups available in any topic imaginable. The most popular group systems used are YahooGroups.com, Topica.com and SmartGroups.com but there are others. Some web owners set up their own private groups too, via their website.

The idea behind these groups is that someone starts up or moderates a topic and people become members (at no cost) if they are interested. Some of these groups have closed memberships, i.e. you have to be involved in whatever that group is about and outsiders cannot join, whilst other groups are open to all and sundry.

With the whole world being open to membership for these groups cultural differences need to be considered and it is possible to easily upset a member and suddenly you have a heated argument with many others getting involved and the original meaning and context completely shoved aside! I’ve seen this happen in groups and it’s a shame, as it often just takes a little thought and consideration to realise that perhaps the writer didn’t fully understand the language, or hadn’t actually meant what may have sounded rather rude. There have been times when someone has written something I thought was offensive or wrong and rather than emailing back to the list via the group email address, I have chosen to email the writer direct instead. A much better way to handle a misunderstanding.

A good rule when handling/writing email for group discussions - read through it first and then check which address it is going to, before clicking ‘Send’.

The suggestion last month about using signature blocks really applies in this situation - how will people know who you are, or where you come from if you only sign off as ‘Kathie’?

Another suggestion - trim the message before sending it back to the group. What I mean by this is do not leave all the original discussion and replies at the tail end as this is unnecessary and makes it inconvenient for those who have chosen to receive a daily digest of messages (they keep reading the same things over and over otherwise) and difficult for those who are on limited bandwidth for email. But don’t delete the whole previous message - if you are responding to something, or adding to the discussion. There are often multiple discussions going on and it could prove difficult for the reader to understand what you’re saying, and in what context, if the whole previous message is deleted from your response. I have at times read something posted to a group and thought ‘huh?’ There is a happy medium here.

Discussion groups give you an opportunity to learn from others and share ideas, but more than that, it allows you to make friends on a global scale, and then the world really does seem to become smaller. And, if you are really knowledgeable in your field, it also helps enforce this to others and before you know it, you become a respected member that others seek to learn from and perhaps be mentored by. What a privilege that can be!

One word of warning - belonging to multiple groups can become time consuming and addictive! You could find yourself spending more time reading and responding to messages than getting your work done. So, if you work virtually like I, and my team do, that can become a real danger to your business. As in all things, moderation is the key, and you stand to learn many things and make lots of friends.

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Kathie M. Thomas, AFAIOP, MVA, ASO is the founder of "A Clayton's Secretary", a Virtual Assistant Network with members in many countries. Dedicated to teaching others about operating business over the Internet, Kathie is a multiple award winner as both a Secretary and Virtual Business Operator, and has over 30 years' experience in the secretarial/administrative field. She registered her business in March 1994 and is one of the senior VAs who launched the industry globally. http://www.vadirectory.net.

Further to my previous issues this subject continues - part III.
This month I’ll share on Topic Changes and Read Receipts. Both can give you some trouble if you’re not careful.

Topic changes
This applies particularly to discussion groups, but could also take place in normal everyday exchange of emails between two or more people.

It is common that subject matter in emails change quickly - one person might send an email with one topic, another replies and it prompts them to add another topic in that reply and then others start replying to the changed topic - but forget to change the subject heading - which can be very confusing for those later joining in the discussion and difficult to relocate one of the originating messages if filed away electronically - with the unchanged subject heading. This applies to searching through archives online also.

When responding to an email take a moment to think about it - are you changing the topic, should the subject heading be changed and whether the replied message requires any trimming of the original message before hitting the ’send’ key. This can be particularly important when responding to business leads or enquiries relating to your business. A general rule of thumb for email seems to be to keep the number of topics discussed to a minimum - and start new email messages for new topics.

Auto Responders and Read Receipts
A supplier, who gives me excellent computer support, had been receiving a lot of emails over the past few months and she struggled to keep up with them in her busy workload. So, she decided to set up an auto respond to emails saying she’ll be in touch within 7 days. She also added ‘read receipt’ so she knew her message had been read.

Not long after I started getting a lot of emails from this supplier, all with the same message (autorespond). I’d sent her a few messages some days before about a computer problem a client was experiencing. After around 75 of these messages I rang and left a message on her pager. 150 more emails and I rang again. Her business partner rang and said he was heading back to their office to see what was happening. More emails.

My supplier rang the following morning sounding very sheepish. She hadn’t thought about the consequences of an auto respond linked with a read receipt. In her defence, she’d been very tired and was working late. Every time my computer logged another of her responses it sent back a read receipt and her autoresponder sent another reply to my read receipt, autorespond, read receipt, autorespond, read receipt, autorespond………. get the picture? I had some idea of what might be happening but could not stop the process. All I could do was block her email address at my end until she woke up to what was happening.

Just thought you might appreciate what can happen if read receipt, and auto respond are used together without thinking as to why you would do that. Of course, if you use them separately you are unlikely to run into this kind of trouble. Next month I’ll touch on using the Blind Carbon Copy (BCC) field and the use of backgrounds for your emails. KMT

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Kathie M. Thomas, AFAIOP, MVA, ASO is the founder of "A Clayton's Secretary", a Virtual Assistant Network with members in many countries. Dedicated to teaching others about operating business over the Internet, Kathie is a multiple award winner as both a Secretary and Virtual Business Operator, and has over 30 years' experience in the secretarial/administrative field. She registered her business in March 1994 and is one of the senior VAs who launched the industry globally. http://www.vadirectory.net.

i recv reely strang email at times, in sms typ. if i typed a letr like sms and sent it off it wd’nt b well recvd so wd y do th same in email? b4 sms came along i believe ppl took more care in typing.

Perhaps it’s an old school way of thinking but I much prefer my email to be typed properly – just as I would type any other document. Yes, I am a trained typist, and that may well account for the way I think but it really does annoy me when I see people who would otherwise be considered professionals, resorting to an SMS way of typing their email.

And being a trained typist even trying to type in that format is really difficult – it doesn’t come naturally so I hope my opening paragraph at least gave you some idea.

Doesn’t look very professional, does it? And yet I constantly receive email from people who resort to this type of communication. Resorting to all CAPS is another annoyance and a ‘no-no’ in email – online it’s recognised as shouting, but perhaps it’s because they get sick of switching the caps on and off, or perhaps they don’t understand the use of the shift key. However, I know of many two-fingered typists that tap out documents very adequately, at a speed of over 40wpm (40 words per minute to the uninitiated). My husband, an electronics engineer, is one of them and he is amongst many others like him at work. Not everyone has the luxury of having administrative support these days to do the typing for them – and considering that computers, and the internet are here to stay, I think that learning to type, or at least getting familiar with the keyboard, is a good thing to do.

There are courses you can do online, or by correspondence and you can pick up books in the shops, or via Amazon.com or eBay.com about keyboarding skills or keyboarding technology. For those who like the challenge, you can even do a typing test – try http://www.typingtest.com for example.

My biggest concern is for people who expect to make a living providing services to others where the use of email is prevalent in their approach to business. Email has put us on show 24 hours a day, 7 days a week but if you’re experienced at typing, it should come naturally anyway, and shouldn’t be an issue when preparing an email to send out. In fact I struggle with SMS on my phone and usually resort to logging into telstra.com and use the Webnotes there to send an SMS to my family or friends. I’m rarely far from my computer so that’s easier and quicker for me to do – rather than fumbling through the numbered keypad and entering something incorrectly and getting a befuddled message sent. It amazes me how quickly my daughters can SMS – all with the use of one thumb it seems!

I know some of you are probably laughing at the image of my fumbling with my mobile phone to tap out a message! May I encourage you all to think carefully before sending out an email to ensure it reflects you and your business, in the way that you would want it reflected.

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Kathie M. Thomas, AFAIOP, MVA, ASO is the founder of "A Clayton's Secretary", a Virtual Assistant Network with members in many countries. Dedicated to teaching others about operating business over the Internet, Kathie is a multiple award winner as both a Secretary and Virtual Business Operator, and has over 30 years' experience in the secretarial/administrative field. She registered her business in March 1994 and is one of the senior VAs who launched the industry globally. http://www.vadirectory.net.

As we near the end of another year we often find ourselves thinking about things not always present during the rest of the year. It is usually a time of reflection, appreciation, acknowledgement, rejuvenation and celebration!

Personal schedules tend to be very hectic and fast paced so it is even more important you make time to consider your business. Reflect on your accomplishments, acknowledge your successes, and appreciate the people in your community who have contributed to these. We often tend to forget the things we do and focus on what we didn't do, make a decision to change that today. I challenge all of you to write down and celebrate your business over this holiday season!

What do I need to be thinking about, business wise, at this time of year?

What will be the focus of your business for 2003? Will it be marketing, passive income, starting a newsletter, a new or improved web site, bringing on associates, gaining 5 new clients? Decide what direction you want to head in the upcoming year and schedule time to focus on moving forward in that direction. Get clear on what needs to happen to get there. This is the time for looking at the big picture and setting your goals for the new year.

Make sure you have supplies for your day timer, a new calendar, planning board etc. Take the time to restock your office supplies and renew any memberships.
Do I send cards or presents to my clients?

If you celebrate the holiday I feel it is important to acknowledge it in some way. If you have just started with a client you may want to mail a card or send a virtual greeting. For longer term or ideal clients a gift may be appropriate. Consider putting together a full page document that has perhaps a poem, quote or tips for the holiday along with your personal greeting. You may want to make a donation to a charity on behalf of your clients such as food baskets or toys for children. Whatever you decide will be the right choice.
How can I reduce stress during the holiday season?

We tend to put a lot of pressure on ourselves at this time of year with lots of additional things to do, places to go and people to see. My suggestion for reducing stress during the holiday season is to check your motives. Are you doing things because you want to or because you feel obligated? If it doesn't bring you joy don't do it. Withdraw from the Martha Stewart contest. Ask yourself "If I don't do this will the holidays still happen?" Give yourself permission to say no. Keep it simple!

Plan activities that allow you to relax and enjoy the season. Take a family walk after dinner, go for a drive to see the lights, have a hot bath, listen to music or watch a movie. Whatever it takes for you to stop and really relax and enjoy. Do only what brings you joy.
As a sole proprietor how can I take vacation?

We all need time and space to rejuvenate ourselves both personally and professionally and it is important to make sure we take the time and space. For sole proprietors it is not always an easy task however you can take steps to make this happen and this is when your community can come in handy.

When planning vacation time try to make sure it has a minimal impact on your clients. In other words if your client is an accountant, tax time would not be a good time to go on vacation. If at all possible have a VA your clients can call on if they need support or work done while you are absent. Make sure you indicate on your voice message you are out of the office and if you have voice mail I recommend you use an extended absence greeting. You will also need to have your emails responded to. You can do this by setting up an autoresponder through your hosting company if you have a web site or by using the rules wizard in Outlook. Ideally if you can set up someone to check voice mail, email and respond to clients while you are gone it maintains a high level of professionalism.
What are some good tension-tackling tunes for the holidays?

Check out this site and find out
http://www.topten.org/public/BF/BF38.html

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Mary-Lou Ashon successfully launched her Virtual Assistant company in 1997 and holds expertise in organizing information, creation and implementation of administrative procedures and marketing. She has proven that dedication, communication, loyalty and a flare for marketing are keys to developing successful client relationships. Mary-Lou has a keen desire to promote awareness of VAs as a career option both internationally and at home in Canada and has developed a cost effective, convenient and high quality training program which you can locate at http://vatp.ca/.

The Information Highway is your roadmap. What's your destination and how are you going to get there!

A key communication tool for any Virtual Assistant is email. It allows for information exchange at our fingertips knowing no boundaries or time restrictions. It can be your best friend or your worst nightmare!

In this edition of Ask the Master we are going to explore the world of email and look at how this technology can support us. Fasten your seatbelts.

What email program do you recommend?

There are lots of programs available that may suit your needs however my personal preference is Microsoft's Outlook, not Outlook Express but the full version of Outlook.

The reason I use and recommend this program is two fold. The program is much more than just an email program. You can keep your calendar, reminders, contacts, journal entries, task lists and notes all in the same program. It is very robust and eliminates the need for 2 or 3 different programs. It also has filtering and organizing features along with lots of options for processing emails and the ability to set up multiple accounts.
How do I access my client's email from my computer?

Since I use and know Outlook the instructions I provide will be for that program. However, most email programs are similar and you should be able to figure it out for your specific program.

Go to "Tools", "Accounts" then "Add" a mail account. The wizard will ask you for a "Display name" and the "Email address" (use your client's). It will then ask for the client's "Incoming mail server" (usually a Pop3) and the "Outgoing mail server" (SMTP) and the Pop3 and SMTP is normally the same for both. Next will be the "Account name" and "Password" for the account and then how you will be connecting to the Internet, dial-up or LAN. If you select dial-up you will need to set up the information to connect to the client's dial-up connection or their ISP (Internet Service Provider). LAN settings require no additional information.

Basically you are just setting up your client's ISP account information on your computer using their information. You will need to fine tune the account to indicate "Reply address", if you want it included when receiving mail and if you want to leave a copy of the messages on the server so the client can still download.
How can I send emails on behalf of my client?

To send an email so it looks like it comes from someone other than yourself you follow the instructions above only this time use your account information and the "Display name" becomes the name of the client you want to represent and the "Reply address" is that of the client as well. When you are sending emails you simply select the option to send it on the appropriate account.
What is the difference between aliases, pop accounts and auto-responders?

Not everyone will have access to these features and they are usually provided by hosting companies to go along with your web site.

When you are hosting a domain name such as vatp.ca you can create aliases for that domain name like marylou@vatp.ca or info@vatp.ca that are forwarded to your real ISP address such as address@shaw.ca. These are called aliases.

A pop account is an email account set up on the hosting company's server and not forwarded anywhere. You would use your regular email program to access the account. Pop accounts eliminate the forwarding aspect.

Auto-responders send an automatic reply when an email is sent to your account. It sends a pre-configured custom reply back to the sender. The auto-responder can also deliver the original message to an alias or POP account as defined by you so you also receive the original email. Use them to send thank you notes to customers, let them know you are on vacation, and much more.
What are some tips for managing emails?

One touch all your emails. Either do it - now, delete it, delegate it, date it to do later. Plan and block specific time to process email instead of responding as they come in. Colour code emails so each client has their own colour. Organize email as it arrives by sorting into folders. Implement urgency coding with clients i.e. URGENT in subject requires 24 hour turn around etc. Filter spam. Limit subscriptions to ones you actually read. Set up private email addresses for clients only. Communicate what you do or do not want to see i.e. jokes.

Set up boundaries that support the best use of your valuable time.

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Mary-Lou Ashon successfully launched her Virtual Assistant company in 1997 and holds expertise in organizing information, creation and implementation of administrative procedures and marketing. She has proven that dedication, communication, loyalty and a flare for marketing are keys to developing successful client relationships. Mary-Lou has a keen desire to promote awareness of VAs as a career option both internationally and at home in Canada and has developed a cost effective, convenient and high quality training program which you can locate at http://vatp.ca/.

What are your dreams? What are you goals for 2003? What do you need to do or whom do you need to be to get there? What daily action can you take to get there? Have you written them down?

Many thanks to the individuals who came out to the informational sessions. It was great to have people from across the country connecting and asking questions!

One of the greatest fears of being self-employed can be financial, especially for those who come from a corporate environment. Building a business takes time and money and you do not usually see an immediate return on your investment. Fortunately there are lower start up costs associated with this profession than a lot of others particularly retail businesses. When you know what to expect you can plan financially. The following is an idea of what to expect. Plan your future.

How do you charge for services?

There are several ways to charge for Virtual Assistant services and you may use only one method or a combination, depending on the work you are doing.

The most common method, especially when you are starting out, is an hourly rate. You have to decide if you will implement a minimum number of hours required along with what your billing increments will be, such as per 1 minute or per 15 minutes. As you gain experience, success and a reputation you can increase the hourly rate to reflect your skill level. Some clients may provide a budget with a fixed number of hours per month.

Another option for charging of services is project based. This involves providing an estimate or costing of the job based on the desired end result. Be very cautious when providing the estimates as unless you have lots of experience with the work you will be doing. You can easily under estimate the amount of time it will take and this can be costly to you.

The other way of getting paid is to go on a monthly retainer or stipend. Be sure to get clarity of the number of hours attached to the fee and you may want to track the hours initially to make sure it is a win/win situation. The method makes invoicing and budgeting easier.
How do I estimate the cost of a job or project?

Make sure you have all the information and details on the job so you can accurately cost it including your expenses if any. Notice how long it takes you to do certain tasks; edit and format one page of text, enter one contact into a database, process 20 email etc. Ask if any VA's in your community have done a job like this and can offer some insight. Consider adding a safety margin to the total, it is better to come in under budget.

My rule is to double it!
What can I expect to earn as a VA?

It really depends on what your business looks like, such as are you doing it part time or full time, how much you needed to invest to get going etc. Most businesses do not make money in their first year however this does not always apply to this profession and you can make $10-$12,000 working full time. You can usually expect to double your income in the second year and in the third year reach the $30,000+ mark. By the fifth year expect $50,000.

Once again this is not true for everyone and depends on a lot of different factors. My purpose for sharing this with you is so you do not have unrealistic expectations about your income capacity. You alone will determine your success so dream big!!
How many clients will I need?

This depends on income goals, number of hours per client and hourly rate. Figure out what this needs to be for you. The average VA has between 4-5 steady ideal clients once they are established. It may take 2-3 years to get there.
What about subcontracting work?

This can be a source of passive income for the Virtual Assistant however you also need to be ready to manage and be held accountable for the results. Keep in mind that you will be the party in between your client and the person doing the work so communication and trust is key. Some services such as bookkeeping are not recommended to outsource but provide the resource to your client.

You can set it up so that you charge your client a higher hourly rate than what you are being billed or you can set it up that you get a percentage of the fee being paid. If you prefer to just provide the resource you can also consider charging a flat rate referral fee or the percentage referral fee as well.

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Mary-Lou Ashon successfully launched her Virtual Assistant company in 1997 and holds expertise in organizing information, creation and implementation of administrative procedures and marketing. She has proven that dedication, communication, loyalty and a flare for marketing are keys to developing successful client relationships. Mary-Lou has a keen desire to promote awareness of VAs as a career option both internationally and at home in Canada and has developed a cost effective, convenient and high quality training program which you can locate at http://vatp.ca/.

Simply put, a vision statement allows others to know what your vision for your company is. Where do you want your company to go? What is your company’s ultimate goal? To help put together your vision statement take the time to close your eyes and think about what your company will look like in 5 years. The picture you have created is your vision and will work towards developing your vision statement.

When asked by others what your vision statement is, are you providing them with an answer that truly allows them to envision that picture you are working to create? Will that picture tell them where you ultimately are headed with your business?

Keep in mind that how you word your statement can mean the difference between excitement and pure boredom on the part of your potential clients, investors and others that will aid you in reaching your vision. Since our clients buy based on emotions, which emotion (excitement or boredom) is more likely to have them “chomping at the bit” for your product or service? In the same respect, we also need to excite potential investors to aid us in reaching our vision. Although investors try to remain impartial and look at the facts before investing, the ability to create excitement could be the missing ingredient required to entice them to invest with your company.

To demonstrate the power of emotion, let’s look at an example of a simple vision statement:

ABC Virtual Assistants provides administrative support with the goal of educating others to increase their client base.

Yes, this is a vision statement because it clearly states where ABC Virtual Assistants are headed, but do you really care? Has this statement excited you to the point of wanting to jump on board with them and assist them to reach this vision? Have they created a picture for you so you can see clearly how they will do this? Can you envision their ultimate goals? Most likely the feeling evoked by this statement is “Who Cares”. This I am sure is not the reaction we are looking for from potential clients and investors.

Let’s take another look at that vision statement, but this time let’s ensure there is an emotional component to the statement:

As pioneers of the new age of Virtual Assistants, it is hoped that someday soon people will be asking “Who is your Virtual Assistant?” as opposed to “What is a Virtual Assistant?” ABC Virtual Assistants hope to accomplish this by educating others through seminars and speaking engagements and by providing exemplary administrative services to their clients. We will work until the term Virtual Assistant is a household term.

Which statement has allowed you to see a picture and truly envision the future for the company? Which company do you think will be more successful in reaching their goals?

The next time you are putting together a vision statement for your company or sharing your goals with others helping you to create a thriving business, remember to ALWAYS include an emotional component to that statement.

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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

Many of us find it very hard as Virtual Assistants and mothers to balance time for work and time for family. Perhaps the biggest problem is that as our business grows and we become more and more successful it is often at the expense of time with our children. It is at this time that it is crucial to remember just why you became a Virtual Assistant. For many of you I am sure the answer is the same as it is for me; to have a career that allows me to also be at home with my children.

So what is a successful Virtual Assistant to do? How do we run a successful business and be a fulltime mother (or father)? The answer is in finding a balance that works for you, your business and your family. Here are some ways to ensure that you can balance both:

Schedule around your family’s schedule
Make sure to schedule productive working time during school hours, naptimes and after the children have gone to bed for the evening. By productive working time, I am talking about the important client matters that require your full attention and focus. Also schedule time to return phone calls when the house is more likely to be quiet and you are less likely to be interrupted. This will allow you to maintain your professional image.

Enlist the help of others
Look to your support system and enlist the help of your spouse, older siblings, friends and grandparents to help during busy times. If you don’t have a nearby support system, enlist the help of a student or young adult as a “mother’s helper”. Why not find another working mom in your area and agree to trade play dates? Set up a system where you can take her children one day a week and in exchange she can take your children one day a week. Make sure that you utilize this time and whatever you do, don’t over utilize the services of a helpful friend or relative.

Get them involved in your business
Even if your children are young, explain to them about your business in terms they can understand. By understanding that you just aren’t “playing on the computer” they will be able to respect what you are doing easier. I know my son finds it very exciting to go to school and explain what a Virtual Assistant is to his friends. If your children are older, find small jobs that they can help you with such as filing, affixing stamps/labels, shredding papers, etc.. They will love to be a part of what you are doing and most children are just eager to spend time with you and love to feel that their parents want them to be a part of their business too.

Set time aside for family time
It will be much easier for your children to respect “work time” if you respect “family time”. Give your children your full attention when you are with them. If your idea of quality family time is putting on the TV while you are chatting with friends on the internet, it will be much harder for them to distinguish between work time and family time. If necessary utilize a timer to allow your child to begin to see the distinction between the two times. If you begin to spend quality time with your child they will be more likely to give you the space you need during work time.

Reward your children
Make sure that as your children learn the boundaries that you have set that you praise them and reward them for allowing you to get your work done and for not disturbing you during that time. By rewards I don’t mean buying them something every time that they are following your boundaries, I am talking about rewarding them with praise and extra quality time.

With a little creativity, some good scheduling and discipline on your part to follow these guidelines, not only will you have a thriving business, but also a thriving family.

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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

The holiday season is just around the corner……AHHHHHH!

Are you like me and wondering how busy this season is going to be? And, how we can make this season special for both ourselves and also for our clients and contacts?

As VAs, we help others stay organized throughout the year, but this time of year may bring a break in the client workload. So why not keep the weeks leading up to the holidays busy by helping your valued clients make this holiday season special for their customers?

If you haven’t already done so, now is the time to let your clients know that you can help them reduce the stress they may experience during this festive and hectic time of year.

First, let them know that you can mail out their Christmas cards for them. Sending out these yearly sentiments can be very time consuming for your already overworked clients. Organizing everything for them can allow them to save an amazing amount of time…. time they may want to spend keeping the rest of their business running smoothly, or time they want to spend enjoying the festive season

They will not have to worry about shopping for cards; addressing, stuffing and sealing the envelopes; applying the postage; or even getting out to mail them. You can handle all of that for them.

If you happen to make the labels for the envelopes by compiling the contact information in a database, all the better. This is another benefit your client will appreciate and it will assure them that they are receiving a great service. You see, by keeping all their contact information in a database, they can use it over and over throughout the year to keep in contact with their customers. All they will have to do, or you can do for them, is keep the database up to date.

If your client wants to send a more special gift to their contacts, but are not sure what to send, why not provide them with a list of websites or local stores that provide wonderful holiday gifts? Most VAs are members of a variety of email list groups and those lists contain many businesses that would be perfect. This will save your clients time, as they won’t have to worry about searching for a good supplier and that perfect gift. It will also make you look more professional in their eyes because you took the initiative to provide them with complete customer service. Not to mention, you will be helping fellow small business owners by referring their websites.

Why not make gift certificates available to your clients to send to their customers? Everyone has someone on their gift list that is hard to buy for and, as they already know that your services are worth every penny, why not offer some of your much-needed assistance to their own customers?

Now that you have helped your clients spread the joy of the season to their customers, what are you going to do to show your appreciation to them at this special time of year?

I know the budget of a new VA is not all that big, so we need to show our clients that we truly appreciate them but we don’t want to break our budgets. So, what can we do?

Well, first and foremost, a Christmas card is a must. By sending them out early, you are showing your clients that you care and that you are organized. But remember, a Christmas card is representative of the season and should not be used as an advertising medium. However, it is the perfect opportunity to be creative without spending a lot of money.

A Christmas card is sent in a plain envelope…. lets spice it up a bit. Don’t forget to have your return address on the front of the envelope. That just leaves the back….what can you do there? Here’s an idea…. make up coupon on your word processor (or other software) and print it on the back of the envelope. Or, you could print a holiday poem on here. This will not only get the attention of your client but everyone else who comes in contact with it between your office and your client’s.

You may also consider putting a coupon inside the card offering your valued clients 2 hours free on their next assignment (or some other form of appreciation). Be sure to put a deadline on the offer.

If your budget will not allow you to mail cards to all of your clients and contacts, then consider sending some of them virtually. There are many wonderful greeting card sites to choose from and the thought is what counts here, right?

Some of my personal favorites include http://www.bluemountain.com, http://www.cardcentral.net, http://www.card4you.com, and of course, Kathy Ritchie’s site at http://www.thebestva.com.

Whichever way you want to show your appreciation to your clients, make sure that you have each individual client in mind when you choose your gift and be creative. Your client will be impressed with your forethought and with your ingenuity.

****

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.

Keeping your focus while completing tasks can be one of the most challenging steps in your virtual assistance business. Since you are in the virtual world or thinking of becoming a virtual assistant, you might be thinking:

- Who’s going to know (or find out)?
- I’ll only be gone for ten minutes…
- I can do it later…no one will notice!

That’s your biggest mistake right there.

Being able to keep your focus on one task at a time will allow you to prioritize a lot better, and finish the task at hand.

As I mentioned before, you should keep a notepad of all your goals or ideas you have for your business and produce these projects one at a time. Seeing your goals and/or ideas on paper will allow you keep that focus you first had when you thought of them and you will see your projects through.

Here is my challenge to you:

1. Write down 3 – 5 goals you want to succeed at in a time period…you decide. It can be one month, three months, six months or a year.

2. Focus on one of those goals for the time period you decided to choose.

3. Look at your goal every single day and think about ways you can achieve this goal throughout the day.

4. Tell someone! It can be your husband/wife, family member, friend, co-worker, mentor, coach, or even me! I’d love to hear how you do at this challenge.

5. Do not start another task until this is complete.

6. Finally, you should see the end result of your goal.

It’s an easy challenge if you are willing to focus and be aware of all the steps involved. This will take a lot of focus and it will also help you in your business as well with staying on top of the task at hand. I cannot wait to hear from you and help you see your goals through!

Looking forward to sharing many successes with you!

****

Trina Lamarche
Efficient VA

Want To Use This Article In Your Ezine or Website? You have my permission, as long as you include this complete blurb with it:
Trina Lamarche (Efficient VA) started her virtual career three years ago by helping launch and setup Business Services, ETC, a virtual assistance firm. After two years working for other people, she realized what she really wanted to do; become an owner of her very own virtual assistance business. In the past year, she has been working part-time as a ‘Virtual Assistant’s Assistant’ (a term she coined while working on client work one evening.) Always the overachiever, she decided to open a second virtual assistance company, Efficient Virtual Assistant (EVA), working directly with clients. Contact her at info@efficientva.com.

If you are a Virtual Assistant who uses teleclasses to promote your courses, products or coaching services, you know that getting people interested in your class is essential. And the first exposure your potential clients have to your message is in your teleclass description. By putting some thought, along with tested and true marketing principles, into your description, you are more likely to attract your ideal client. Here are 5 easy steps to follow.

(1) Target Practice

Have you defined your target market clearly? Of course, the biggest audience is best, but what you need for your teleclass to succeed is a message that speaks to your particular niche market.

Define your niche in very specific terms. Rather than “virtual assistants” go further into the market: “virtual assistants who are mothers of children under the age of 6, and who are feeling overwhelmed by the combination of work outside the home and family life”. This will help you tailor your message to your specific target.

(2) Speak to a Single Person

Now that you have defined your target market, construct an image of a typical member of that group. Give your person a name, hair style, height, weight, etc. Make a “virtual target” complete with a name. Those who are visual learners will be able to do this quite easily, but it a great tool for writing your class description to have your target become as “real” as possible.

(3) Create an Outline

Bullet points are the best thing since sliced bread when writing a teleclass description. Make an outline of the top 3 to 5 things that you want your target to learn during your class. Be excruciatingly clear and specific.No detail is too small for the outline and no stone should go unturned here.

This is the “meat” of your description so take your time with this and consider what you want to impart, and what you feel the target needs to hear.

(4) Answer the Questions

Take the target’s place and make another outline of the top 3 to 5 things you think that your target would like to know about your teleclass subject. Consider all the angles from which your target may approach your teleclass.

If you know someone who is in your target audience, ask their opinion. Are you part of a message group that you could poll? Take this research and use it to your advantage.

(5) Write Away!

Now that you have your outlines, use them to craft your description. Keep it short and sweet. An attention grabbing headline is a must as most people will decide within seconds whether to read on or move on. Tell them what they will learn and how it will help answer their questions or address their issues.

Make your description conversational. Avoid technical jargon to make your description easily readable. Make it concise, as most listing services have a word limit. Create an opening, body and end; you can use your opening as a teaser or summary on some listing sites.

Don’t forget that even the smallest things will impact your reputation as a teleclass leader. Be aware of your spelling, grammar and tone of voice. They all represent you to your target. Since your ultimate goal is to grow your practice, pay attention to the fundamentals that create your foundation.

About the author

Jill Chongva founded Virtual Assistant Diva Administrative Services in 1999 as a way to combine her administrative and computer talents with the thrill of entrepreneurship. She provides clients with Executive level support services using web and PC-based technologies, and has now expanded her business to website and graphic design. For more information, please visit her website at www.vadiva.com

Being a virtual assistant can be a very rewarding and lucrative career. However, finding clients who are interested in partnering with a virtual assistant and that are a good "fit" for your particular business can sometimes be a challenge.

Depending on how you promote yourself, you may be sending out the wrong message as to the skills and abilities that you offer. Instead of listing many areas of expertise or services that you offer, it might be in your best interest to focus instead on just six or seven “hot spots”. These would be the areas where not only do you have the most experience and expertise, but they are also the kind of tasks you enjoy the most.

Perhaps you love word processing, proofreading and bulk mailishots, but you hate to crunch numbers, and mathematical or accounting spreadsheets give you nightmares!. When you set up your website to attract clients, remember to only list those qualities that you enjoy and do well and omit the ones that you don't do so well. Saying that, you still need to advertise a well balanced list of abilities and skills in order to remain marketable.

There are many areas where virtual assistants are in high demand and the stronger your advertised skill set, the more likely you will be to get assignments. If you have specialist skills, such as shorthand and transcription, these are in high demand and should definitely appear in your “hot spot” list. Event management is another area where clients will partner with a virtual assistant to ensure each aspect of the task is completed in a timely and efficient manner.

The most important thing is to make sure you can deliver what you promise. If you make claims that you can't live up to, it will most certainly undermine your credibility and you will be viewed as unprofessional. You know how quickly good news about your business can spread through referrals from satisfied clients? Well, remember that the bad news can spread just as quickly, creating a negative reputation and loss of business. No self-respecting VA wants that, right?

As more and more businesses are realizing the dramatic benefits of partnering with a virtual assistant, the industry is becoming more demanding. Identify your own “hot spots” and focus on keeping up to date with any new developments in your specialized areas in order to stay at the top of your game.

Play It Smart. Virtual Assistance is a great career that allows you to work from home in your own time and on your own terms but just because you can go to work in your pyjamas if you so choose, it doesn’t mean you can be anything less than professional at all times.

*****

Article written by
Helen Byrne, a UK-based Virtual Assistant and Owner of Virtualoso - Virtual Office Solutions Online (http://www.virtualoso.info). In order to promote the concept of Virtual Assistance to a wider audience, particularly in the UK, Helen also created http://www.PA-as-you-go.com as a simple introduction to the business.

If you're just starting out in business, you've probably already been told by a number of people that Networking is an essential activity to get involved in. It's a great piece of advice and, even though it might fill you with absolute dread, it will provide a huge number of business contacts. Whilst not all of these will be directly relevant to you and your own business, referrals to third parties happen all the time and this really is the whole point to getting involved in Networking.

Even though I've only recently set up my own business as a Virtual Assistant, it had been in the pipeline for a long time, and one of things I knew I had to face up to was the fact that I'd have to put myself out and about on the Networking circuit. I can tell you that, out of all the hurdles associated with setting up a new business, the Networking hurdle was my most feared. I'm not a natural Sales Person but I am a natural talker - and the more events I've attended, the more I've realised that being able to talk is the only skill you need. Oh yes, and a stack of business cards!

In order to survive as a Networking Newbie, I'd recommend the following tips:

SMILE !!
Even if you're feeling completely overwhelmed, wear a smile. It will attract other people towards you and instantly boost your confidence.

Approach other people standing on their own.
Remember - you're not the only one feeling awkward. They’re also more than likely to be as nervous as you are.

Extend a firm handshake.
It gives the impression that you're confident and comfortable in the situation and you definitely mean business.

Always try and ask about your new contact first.
This will demonstrate that you're not a selfish Networker because you’re showing that you’re more interested in the other person than in talking about yourself.

Be a good listener.
Even if you're talking to someone whose business is of no direct relevance to your own, appreciate that you're all there for the same reason.

Keep your own business statement brief.
Accompany your verbal statement with your business card and direct people to your website for more detailed information. Keeping it brief at the beginning enables others to ask specific questions which you can then answer in as much depth as is required.

Be polite and honest.
You will make a good impression with many new contacts because they remember your friendly personality and honesty, not necessarily what line of business you're in.

Acknowledge the contacts you've made.
Always follow a Networking event by sending a brief two-line email to every contact you've made along the following lines: "nice to meet you, added your details to my database, hope to see you at future events". Nothing more is needed - unless, of course, potential business was discussed at the event with one or more individuals. Then a more personalised message is called for.

So, all in all, it doesn't have to be that scary. By implementing some - if not all - of the above tips, you can actually look forward to attending future events free from anxieties.

So, what are you waiting for? Go on, give it a go!

*****

Article written by
Helen Byrne, a UK-based Virtual Assistant and Owner of Virtualoso - Virtual Office Solutions Online. To promote the concept of Virtual Assistance in the UK, Helen also created PA-as-you-go.com as a simple introduction to the business.

If image is everything, what image are your projecting? Would you hire your services?

In today's competitve business world it is so important that your business truly reflects your professionalism and you project that image to potential clients. Most consumers do some comparison shopping before honing in on the most likely candidate. I know for me personally, I generally check out three places before narrowing it down. First impressions go a long way so let's talk about how you can ensure the best first impression.

What is one of the first things to consider when creating an image?

You will need to make a decision on several elements. Once you have decided on a company name you will need to create a logo. Your logo may simply be your company name in a specialized font, or contain an image that represents your company, or both. Whatever it is make sure it looks professional and not just some cheesy graphics. You want something that you are going to be able to brand. Pay attention to ads you see in magazines or on T.V.
What else supports the branding of my company?

Part of the branding includes colours. What colours will represent your company? They can be bold or subtle but remember to pick ones that have good contrast. Ideally two colours and no more than three as your main branding colours.

Another thing you will need to decide on is the fonts you will use in all your materials. Make sure it is something that is easily readable such as Arial or Times New Roman and stay away from fancy script fonts. You also want to be sure that your font is big enough to read usually nothing smaller than 10 points. Consider whether you will incorporate your company colours.
What can I do to fine-tune my marketing materials?

Since you marketing materials are generally the very first impression someone has of your business, pay particular attention to detail here. Consider if all your materials have a consistent look to them. Consistency is one of the keys to looking professional and supporting people in identifying with your brand. It can be as simple as whether you justify your text, italicize your document titles or the style of bullets you use.
What about business cards?

This is often an important marketing tool and should be paid special attention to. I highly recommend you have these professionally printed versus doing them at home. I know when you are just starting out budgets are tight but if you are going to invest in something this would be the item. With today's digital printing you get them in full colour at reasonable prices. Remember to consider using both sides of the card as well. No sense having all that blank space when you can utilize it.
As a Virtual Assistant where does personal appearance fit in?

Sometimes when we work at home a lot we forget how to dress for face-to-face business functions. Be sure that you have clean, neat and professional looking clothes to where to networking events, client meetings, workshops or conferences. Just because you work at home doesn't mean you can dress that way when representing your company out in the business world. First impressions still count!

****

Mary-Lou Ashon successfully launched her Virtual Assistant company in 1997 and holds expertise in organizing information, creation and implementation of administrative procedures and marketing. She has proven that dedication, communication, loyalty and a flare for marketing are keys to developing successful client relationships. Mary-Lou has a keen desire to promote awareness of VAs as a career option both internationally and at home in Canada and has developed a cost effective, convenient and high quality training program which you can locate at http://vatp.ca/.

Information allows for making an informed decision. What information are you providing potential clients?

I'm going to take a step back from last month's topic and take a look at information packages. Potential clients who are exploring the hiring of a Virtual Assistant want to know about whom they may be hiring, what services are being offered and sense that this person will meet their needs. Let's explore what information would provide that.

What is the purpose of an information package?

This is your first opportunity to connect on a personal level with a potential client. They may have visited your web site however this is the first one-on-one contact they will have with you. Needless to say you want to make the best first impression and connection possible that will invite further exploration of a client/VA relationship. This is the tool you will use to make that connection.

What information should be included?

First provide a letter of introduction that thanks the individual for their inquiry and allows for that personal touch. Highlight any services you feel they may be interested in if you have knowledge around their business (check their web site if provided). Next include a bio on you and your company. You then want to include a list of services you provide and any testimonials you have from clients. If you don't have testimonials from clients get some!

When should I use the information package?

This is very useful for email inquiries especially from someone you don't know at all. It is a way of introducing yourself and your services. You can even offer it on your web site as a downloadable file as long as you have a way of capturing names email addresses for follow up.

It also something you can offer to send to people you met at networking events. Ask if they would be interested in receiving your info package. In some cases you may have already developed enough of a connection with a potential client to forgo the info package and set up a time to discuss their needs one-on-one.

What else can I include?

Another great idea to include is a series of questions that will help the potential client in determine where support may be needed in their business. Include questions such as "What do you like doing the least in your business?" or "If there was one thing you could delegate to an assistant what would that be?" This is a good way to get the individual to see and recognize where they may be able to use your services. Never underestimate the power of questions!

What are the next steps after sending the package?

In the package you want to invite them to connect with you over the phone to further discuss how you made be able to support them in the success of their business. Be sure to follow up shortly after and ensure they received it and if they have any additional questions. Follow up again to invite them to have a conversation with you and possibly offer them a discount or free trial or invite them to be part of your newsletter or other service that you offer.

****

Mary-Lou Ashon successfully launched her Virtual Assistant company in 1997 and holds expertise in organizing information, creation and implementation of administrative procedures and marketing. She has proven that dedication, communication, loyalty and a flare for marketing are keys to developing successful client relationships. Mary-Lou has a keen desire to promote awareness of VA\'s as a career option both internationally and at home in Canada and has developed a cost effective, convenient and high quality training program which you can locate at http://vatp.ca/.

I came across a program recently that allows you to log into your blog (almost any blog platform) and submit a post. The tool is like a mini version of MS Word and allows you to easily edit your post, add images, and set the properties for the image, even link voicefiles. I did find the connection set up a minor challenge but after going back and viewing their set up video it became more obvious what to do.

So I did a post to test that program and you\'ll see the evidence of that at http://vadirectory.net/blog/?p=93. I saw it written up in a newsletter for public speakers in the US. You can download a 30 day trial at http://www.blogjet.com/. The good thing about this program is that you can prepare your posts and save them on your computer as drafts and then when you’re finished you can publish from the program and it posts it online. You can tick the setting that says ‘delete draft after publishing’ so you don’t end up with heaps of old files on your computer.

As a Virtual Assistant it is worth subscribing to newsletters for your client’s industry. For example I support public speakers, consultants, trainers and business coaches. So I like to read the newsletters and websites they might frequent and it’s good to keep in touch with their industry changes as it alerts me to further services I could provide to my clients. Periodically I might see a request or advert for something that relates to what I do and I can respond to it. I began blogging because of a client request. And I’ve learnt a number of other programs because of needs various clients had. I also frequent discussion forums for different client industries in order to learn about their particular needs, to assist with research when asked, and also to continue making others in those industries aware of my own industry of Virtual Assistant. What better way to promote to your target market than to mix and mingle with them in their own environment?

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Kathie M. Thomas, AFAIOP, MVA, ASO is the founder of \"A Clayton\'s Secretary\", a Virtual Assistant Network with members in many countries. Dedicated to teaching others about operating business over the Internet, Kathie is a multiple award winner as both a Secretary and Virtual Business Operator, and has over 30 years\' experience in the secretarial/administrative field. She registered her business in March 1994 and is one of the senior VAs who launched the industry globally. http://www.vadirectory.net.

Whether you are a seasoned Virtual Assistant (VA), or you have just opened your doors to new clients, your marketing strategy should not only involve bringing in new business, it should also include keeping your current clients, your most important asset, happy and coming back for more or referring your services.

Top-notch customer service is the most important contributing factor in the success of your business. Unfortunately, there are some business professionals who don’t live by that sentiment. I’m not sure if they don’t understand the advantages of making clients feel like number one, but let’s see if we can’t keep ourselves from forgetting those that have helped our businesses get where they are today.

Providing exceptional customer service centers around ensuring your customers are happy. They need to feel that you improve your business to help improve their business. There are several processes that will prove your dedication to exceptional customer service and are a must for all business professionals.

Provide the best service and provide it on time. Keeping customers happy means you give them your very best and you make sure to deliver when you say you will. If for any reason you have to delay delivery, be honest with your client and inform them of the situation. If the delay will be of any inconvenience to your client, be sure to compensate them or offer to help alleviate the crisis.

Really listen to your clients and their needs. You may be able to provide expert advice but they usually know what they want. Work WITH them to give them exactly what they need and that will help improve their business. And, the same holds true when reversed. If your client makes a suggestion to you to help improve your business, consider their opinion. After all, they are the experts about what they need from you.

Strive to always improve your services. With the advancements in technology, it is always a good idea to update your skills. But, that shouldn’t be the only reason. Enhancing your services allows you to offer more to your clients and thus keeps them happy.

Provide a guarantee. This is a vital aspect of exceptional customer service. Satisfaction is something everyone wants. If they are 100% happy with what you have provided them, they will be your biggest contributor to future business. If they aren’t happy, make sure your rectify the problem.

Provide prompt responses to all communications & inquiries. Don’t keep your clients waiting. Try to return phone calls within 24 hours, or at least 36 hours. People become impatient and will move onto the next business for what they are needing. Respond to emails on the same day if possible and answer all written inquiries within 3 business days. The longer inquiries wait to be responded to, the greater the chance of losing their business all together.

Always say Thank You! How good do you feel when someone says thank you to you? That sentiment should be shared. Send out thank you cards to those who request a quote and when a new client comes on board. To save costs, send e-cards or emails of thanks.

Customer service is vital to ensuring your business’ successful future. By keeping your clients happy, you are adding to the value of your business and the services you offer and proving to others that your are the person they should be talking to when they are in need of your services.

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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.

Developing an effective holiday marketing campaign can make for a rewarding and fun project. If your products and/or services are desirable, creatively packaged, and ready to go then follow these great tips to kick start your campaign and keep it alive:

1. Advertising Postcards - postcards are a very cost effective marketing tool. A quick and simple way to get these little gems created is by contacting your virtual assistant. Printing centers have excellent deals during the holiday season. Tip 1: Mail postcards by end of first week in November to ensure your clients have enough time to take action. Tip 2: As your customers are busy making business plans for the new year the timing of your postcard mail out can play a key role in getting your business on their list.

2. Email Blast - great time to use all those email addresses you collected from your website or networking events.

3. Website ad - use your site to it's full potential, add a banner, an article, or better yet add a "feature of the month box" onto your site. Your regular traffic will appreciate quick access to your specials and any new traffic will be sure to spot it right away.

4. Press release - take advantage of the power of free press - submit your campaign to sites such as Ezine articles.

5. Google Base - it's free and effective and has many unique categories to list your products and/or services.

6. Signature line - why not add a brief note to your signature and/or out of office note. Tip: Did you now you can create a free signature online at My Live Signature.

7. Letterhead - add a feature product one liner or banner.

8. Invoice - incorporate a small note into your invoice.

9. Voicemail - why not mention it in your voicemail greeting too.

10. Word of Mouth - Hot news travels fast so start chatting - online forums, at networking events, even at the gym.

11. Craiglist - Google picks up Craiglist ads fast. Try to incorporate related key words into your ad.

Tip for Virtual Assistants: in an effort to assist your clients with their marketing campaign you will have to implement your campaign by the first week of October or sooner.

I had a VA contact me today, concerned because she’d been ‘off the air’ and unable to access her website and email. She’d had to use a free email account to send a message to me. The webhost had taken her payment but not kept record of it and had taken her off the web. She had proof she’d made payment - it showed up in her statements but they were being difficult to contact and not responding.

There is a very important thing for all to realise in a situation like this. What belongs to you and what you should have control of.

If you own a domain name you should have log in access to make changes to it, for example if you wish to shift webhosts, you should be able to log in and make the appropriate changes to point the domain to a new webspace. Having your ISP or webhost organise a domain for you is fine, but you should have log in access and control as the owner. I’ve lost count of the number of clients I’ve helped recover access to their domains - when I’ve been able to investigate the domains I’ve often found that either the webhost or the ISP was listed as the Tech, Admin & Registrant contacts - the client’s name wasn’t listed anywhere.

If you don’t have access to your domain name, change that situation today. Register with a registrar today and then apply to get your domains transferred from wherever they are currently.

Furthermore, if you have had a website designed for you, you should have access to log in and download the files, or have them sent to you. When you engage someone to design a website for you and you’ve paid them for it - the site belongs to you. They have no right to withhold it - providing you have paid for what was done. The webhost or designer does not hold ownership of what you engaged them to do.

So, if you have either ISP (internet access) or webhost (where your domain and website is housed) problems, you should be able to set up with a new ISP or a new webhost and have your domain and website transferred over within the 24 hour period in most cases. Often much less than that - perhaps 2-3 hours, depending on the situation.

Make sure you know what you own, what you have access to, and that you know where to go to get help if you need to shift things quickly. KMT

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Kathie M. Thomas, AFAIOP, MVA, ASO is the founder of "A Clayton's Secretary", a Virtual Assistant Network with members in many countries. Dedicated to teaching others about operating business over the Internet, Kathie is a multiple award winner as both a Secretary and Virtual Business Operator, and has over 30 years' experience in the secretarial/administrative field. She registered her business in March 1994 and is one of the senior VAs who launched the industry globally. http://www.vadirectory.net.

How do you do it? How do you cope with family and working at home?

I was asked these questions recently at a networking breakfast but it's not the first time I've been asked such questions. Perhaps the answers came naturally to me, perhaps they were instinctive, or maybe they were something instilled in me at a much younger age, but it all seems pretty much common sense these days. And yet not so for others. Hence why they ask the questions I suppose.

What am I talking about? Managing my business at home with a young family of 5 daughters. The girls are grown now and 3 have left home, but when I first started working at home, they were aged 7-13, with the eldest in her first year at high school. It was a juggle, but the juggle of being in a corporate job and trying to work out club activities, RDOs, days of sickness, after school care, school holiday care and so on was more difficult to handle. It was easier for me to be at home, find work to do and get it done whilst they were at school, or in bed and be available for them when the running around needed to be done - and it was cheaper than paying someone else to do it. Not only that, but if the girls were sick, they could be in their own beds, where they really needed to be.

From the start the girls had to learn that they could not use the phone during business hours, and they had to train their friends not to call during business hours. If, however, they were on the phone and another call was coming in on call waiting at any time, they had to know how to switch over to that call and answer it professionally. I know that at least a couple of my daughters hated doing that initially but today it comes as second nature to them. I've been complimented by many people on how well the girls handle the phone. One of them ( 20 year old) works on a thoroughbred horse stud in country Victoria these days and her boss loves her answering the phone because she knows how to do it properly. What's more she also knows how to handle a computer, do web design, handle email, types over 80wpm and is a gem to have in the office - although she's actually there to work with her passion - horses. My 19 year old walked into a job quickly early this year, after leaving school only 2 months earlier, because she had good office skills - she'd been working part-time for me at home for 18 months.

But, it wasn't always that way.You have to set the ground rules and have a mindset. Do not allow the children to use the line you use for business during your business hours. Do not allow them to answer the phone, particularly if they're toddlers - they might sound cute, but your prospective clients aren't looking for 'cute', they're looking for 'professional'. And the most important 'do not' of them all is - do not let them touch your computer! The number of people I know whose computers have been infected by viruses or overtaken by spyware and adware - because their kids also use the computer and download music or other file sharing programs, that bring with it a multitude of other software packages; nasties you do not want on your computer!

My girls were not allowed to touch my work computer at all, and in 1994 a computer at home was not only a novelty, it was pretty much a talking point. Same with having a photocopier - their friends would come to visit just to see it. It was two years after I started my business that the girls were allowed to touch the computer - after it was replaced by a newer model and my business was no longer on the older one.

Today computers are quite inexpensive - I paid over $4,500 for a standard 425mg computer operating on Windows 3.1 with no other software programs, printers, scanners, modem or any of the extras that come today. It was a good computer in those days. But today, if you're running a business at home, you should be able to pick up a cheap second computer (perhaps even a second hand one) for your children to use so that you can keep them off yours. It's good insurance and you really need to do this.

Finally, set boundaries for yourself and your business. Have a room you can close the door on so that when you are out of the office 'you are at home' and not at work. If possible, install a second line and keep it for business use - where it only rings in the office and not throughout the house. Don't let the phone rule you. You are entitled to some time off! It took me a few years to learn this.

So my message today is - keep it professional at home, and encourage/teach your children to do the same. The benefits pay off as they get older, and it also helps maintain your professionalism.

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Kathie M. Thomas, AFAIOP, MVA, ASO is the founder of "A Clayton's Secretary", a Virtual Assistant Network with members in many countries. Dedicated to teaching others about operating business over the Internet, Kathie is a multiple award winner as both a Secretary and Virtual Business Operator, and has over 30 years' experience in the secretarial/administrative field. She registered her business in March 1994 and is one of the senior VAs who launched the industry globally. http://www.vadirectory.net.

There are some tools and strategies you can use to improve your listing on a search however there are never any guarantees. While I certainly don’t know everything there is to know about search engines I will share with you what I do know.

Search engines use various tags associated with a web site however they don’t all use the same criteria for indexing sites. This is what makes maintaining a consistent ranking virtually impossible. Some search engines allow only words, some allow phrases, some may allow only 8 words others 20. What is consistent is the search for the number of times you mention key words or tags, in context, on your site.

Ideally you want to appear on the first two pages of the search in order to have a chance of being viewed.

Search engines use the meta description, keyword and title tags to index your site. Description tags provide a brief and concise summary of your page\'s content and description of your site, which can be used by search engines or directories. Keywords are a brief and concise list of the most important content contained on the page and contribute to your search engine ranking. Put your most important keywords first.

Unfortunately, so many unscrupulous webmasters have abused the description and keywords tags that search engines have had to reduce their importance so they are not a major factor search engines consider when ranking sites, however they should not be left off your site.

Keywords are the most important piece of information used by the major search engines to determine the topic of your page, and thus the ranking of your page in their search results. The title tag is the most prominent piece of information displayed in the search results to viewers. For instance if you did a search under “virtual assistant training program” my web site would appear as “Virtual Assistant Training Program – VATP – making a difference” which is the title of my home page. Every page needs to have a unique title and clearly communicate the contents of the page to the viewer. The title of your page becomes the title of a bookmark when a visitor adds your site to their favorites menu. Think about whether they would need to edit the title of the bookmark so they know what it contained.

When creating key words pick 5 to 10 words to optimize the content presented on the page. If you can\'t narrow your list of keywords down to 5-10 words, then the content on your page may not be focused enough.

Update your site content regularly, particularly your home page, and submit to the search engines monthly.

Another web site ranking strategy is pay per click. This is where you bid on key words. If you win your bid you pay the amount you bid for every click onto your site from the search engine.

An important strategy to implement is being linked by other sites. The more sites that link to yours the better your rankings will be.

Track web site changes for effectiveness. Are the changes you make having a positive impact on the traffic to your web site? Ask clients or potential clients what they would like to see on your web site. Look at the #1 ranking sites on various search engines to see what they have. When building your site consider any dial up issues i.e. too many graphics, flash movies, load time, build for all screen settings.

Google has 4 times more users than any other search engine right now so your main focus should be there. Yahoo, Ask Jeeves round out the current top 3. Also consider AllTheWeb, HotBot and Teoma.

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Mary-Lou Ashon successfully launched her Virtual Assistant company in 1997 and holds expertise in organizing information, creation and implementation of administrative procedures and marketing. She has proven that dedication, communication, loyalty and a flare for marketing are keys to developing successful client relationships. Mary-Lou has a keen desire to promote awareness of VA\'s as a career option both internationally and at home in Canada and has developed a cost effective, convenient and high quality training program which you can locate at http://vatp.ca/.

There are tons of ways to being efficient in your virtual assistance company that I just had to write another article!

1. Being Organized
There are so many ways to keep organized in your business. First thing you need to do is clear your desk! Working in a clutter will slow you down especially if you are constantly looking for something you are missing. After you clean off your desk, take an organizer for your papers, even if it’s an inbox, and put your papers in there neatly. Take all your office supplies and put them in your drawer neatly. There you have it, the top of your desk! Since we are working virtual, our main concern for being organized is our computers. I have my companies (I have two) in separate folders. In those folders, I have folders like:
- Client Projects
- Confidentiality Agreements
- Invoicing
- Newsletters
- Articles
- Website Updates
Now, your folders might be completely different and you might not like having about 10 folders but it works for me. If I am looking for something for a client, I just go to my clients’ folder and there everything is in their individual folder. There are endless ideas to being organized!

2. Being Able
Being able means showing your intelligence and talent to your clients. This will improve your business and show you are efficient if you are one step ahead of your client at all times. They will appreciate your ability to ‘read their mind’ and it shows that you have been doing your job all along!

3. Are you good at your job?
It’s simple. Your clients will be able to ‘figure you out’ in the first month of having you as their virtual assistant. If you are good at what you do and prove that to them, you are being efficient for their business. Being good at your job includes:
- Looking into problems on your own and realising that its okay to ask for help too!
- Answering their questions without hesitation.
- Staying focused on your work.
- Completing tasks before the due date.
- Making sure the work is done right.
Like organizational skills, the list can be endless and it ranges on the type of you work you do.

Looking forward to sharing many successes with you!

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Trina Lamarche
Efficient VA

Want To Use This Article In Your Ezine or Website? You have my permission, as long as you include this complete blurb with it:
Trina Lamarche (Efficient VA) started her virtual career three years ago by helping launch and setup Business Services, ETC, a virtual assistance firm. After two years working for other people, she realized what she really wanted to do; become an owner of her very own virtual assistance business. In the past year, she has been working part-time as a ‘Virtual Assistant’s Assistant’ (a term she coined while working on client work one evening.) Always the overachiever, she decided to open a second virtual assistance company, Efficient Virtual Assistant (EVA), working directly with clients. Contact her at info@efficientva.com.

How often in your role as a Virtual Assistant do you receive a phone call or a query via your web site asking if you write résumés?

Many people associate Virtual Assistants with ‘typing services’, not realising the full scope that can be covered by a Virtual Assistant. However, in many respects they are not far from wrong. Most VAs have excellent typing and formatting skills, but how many have strong résumé writing skills (skills which many job seekers don’t realise are vital) when this is a market that can work in beautiful harmony with a VAs existing business structure.

I have heard from a number of VAs who turn away résumé clients as they don’t feel confident enough in their skills, though they have told me they would love to offer this service. The main reason for their rectitude seems to be they have no knowledge or understanding of modern day formats or how to go about drawing out the relevant information. Like anything else, this can be learnt adding another stream of income to their service portfolio.

Perhaps you even offer this service already but have never felt really comfortable that you are doing the correct thing. Take a look through these following tips to boost your skills and confidence.

Like Everything Else In Business, Résumé Writing Has A System

Yes, résumé writing does take an eye for concise sentence construction, a strong focus on detail and excellent formatting skills. Many VAs already have these skills so it then becomes a matter of learning the systems to boost your résumé expertise.

Résumé writing can be divided up into a series of logical steps:

Establish The Client’s Focus:

To write a truly effective résumé and cover letter you must have a focus to work with. If a client comes to you simply wanting ‘a job’ the spectrum is far too broad to be able to do your best for him or her.

For some the decision will be easy or is already made. He or she has trained for a specialised area and their focus is predetermined and narrow. For others whose training and experience is multifaceted or more generalised this is the time to decide which way they want to go. It is much easier to hit a target you can see than to just shoot blindly hoping for the best.

Draw Out The Relevant Information:

Often the client won’t know what is relevant to the position they are targeting, and to begin with neither will you. So draw together everything about them – the study they have done, levels achieved, special projects etc; places they have worked, what their basic duties were but most importantly what difference did they make, what were their achievements, how did their being there enhance the company, what did their peers say about them; what organisations do they belong to and why and how have they contributed; what are their interests and why.

You may not use all you gather, but you won’t know until you have it all before you just which pieces of the puzzle are relevant and which the most important.

Know Who The Résumé Is Being Written For:

Next step is to know who the résumé is going to – what kind of company, what attributes, skills and qualifications will they be looking for, what is the job description supplied if it is a specific role.

If your client will be sending out general applications to a number of companies or recruitment agencies you will still need to have an overview of the industry and the industry specific needs.

Then Bring It All Together:

Look at which of your client’s skills, qualifications and achievements marry up with the company’s requirements and in what way they match. How can these skills improve and contribute to the company or industry you are targeting. These are the skills you are going to want to bring to the fore and highlight at every opportunity.

These are what your introduction – or Summary or Profile or whatever you wish to call it (frankly I don’t give it a name) - will be written around. They will also guide you in choosing the most relevant information to use and which pieces of information to highlight before the others.

But How Long Should A Résumé Be?

This question often borders on the how long is a piece of string question – there are so many variations and contributing factors and individual opinions. I know of recruitment consultants who only want one page and others who think four is too short.

A one-page document will be suitable for a new graduate (though don’t stop at one page if they have relevant information to share) and three or four will be more suitable to an executive. Also, there are fads with lengths. Not long ago it was absolutely taboo to go over two pages no matter who the job seeker was, but now things are more flexible.

My simple answer is: as long as it takes to sell your client effectively, providing – and this is crucial – providing the résumé is written in clear, concise, error-free text, not wasting one word, not adding one piece of irrelevant information, not leaving out one piece of vital information and laid out in a professional, balanced format. SIMPLE!!

Basically you are there to sell your client. If you like, think of a résumé as a marketing brochure. Say you are selling a car – will the buyer really care that nuts and washers were used and what size they were. Certain things are taken for granted. You would not waste space and words highlighting that a secretary or PA typed correspondence. Of course they did, that’s their job.

What you do highlight is if they did it faster or more accurately or they were trusted to write the letters themselves or that they had signing authority. This information gives a far clearer picture of the person’s ability and/or level or standing within the company than to simply state the obvious.

So next time you receive a query to write a résumé, use these tools to confidently create a stronger marketing tool for your client and another stream of income for yourself.

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Beverley Neil is an internationally accredited, multi-award winning résumé writer, web site copy and content writer and author of Launching Your Professional Résumé Writing Career. For further advice or information Beverley can be contacted via http://www.onlineresumewriterscourse.com

When we look towards creating a strong and thriving business, we sometimes forget we can’t do it alone. Just as a baseball team has essential players each with their own role all working together to win the championship game, so too must you have all the necessary players in your business. No one person can cover all the bases without feeling tired and stressed which is why a good team learns the dynamics of each of the nine players and works towards emphasizing each others strengths. So who are the key players that can help you reach the success you are dreaming about and help ensure you create a thriving business.

Banker
Opening a bank account is an easy process, but taking the time to truly get to know your banker and to become visible to them is essential to good business growth. With the onset of online banking and ATMs, we have lost that “personal touch” in a number of cases. Many times spending some time with and getting to know your banker can be an important step to creating a thriving business. Your banker can suggest products and services to replace or enhance the services you already have.

Lawyer
A lawyer is a good person to have on your team even if they are not someone that you use frequently. At the very least, your lawyer can assist you to create the necessary contracts to protect you from possible lawsuits. Another thing your lawyer can do is be the “sound of reason” during a tough situation and provide you with the information to make the best decisions for you and your business.

Accountant
Many of us like to prepare our own income taxes, especially when we are a small business and just starting out. By consulting an accountant and bringing them onto your team, you can learn what it takes to maintain proper accounting records and what deductions are or are not acceptable in your business.

Insurance Agent
Business insurance is an important investment to make in your business. Before starting any business one should consult with an insurance agent to ensure you are covered for any eventuality. If you are in business already and don’t have an insurance agent on your team, now is the time to find one. As they say “better safe than sorry.”

Mentor
Who is it that you look up to? Who inspires you to make the business decisions you make. Every successful business owner can tell you the name of the person or persons who fill that role for them. Many may not have personally met their mentor and others may have a mentor who is not necessarily a business owner themselves. Your mentor will become a valuable player in providing you with a direction for your business.

Coach
The person you utilize to fulfill the role of coach may or may not be a professional. The coach role I am talking about is the person who gives you the push to think further and harder. They are the person you go to with your ideas and who provide you with support and encouragement to make your dreams come true. After all, if we aren’t working towards fulfilling a dream for our business, why be in business at all?

Supportive Family
A supportive family is one of the most essential players to your business success. Having someone to stand behind you through the ups and downs of your business and cheer you on towards success will be the key to truly creating a thriving business.

An Assistant
We can truly never “go it alone” if we want to create a thriving business. You need to have an assistant even if they are simply someone who helps you when you are sick or on vacation. Your assistant could take the role of employee, subcontractor, spouse, virtual assistant or perhaps something as simple as an answering machine message or autoresponder set to answer your messages during absences.

You
Finally we have gotten to the most important player in creating your successful team. Without you, your business would lack the vision, determination and skills to “go the distance”.

Keep in mind that even if you are playing more than one position at any one time, the roles and requirements for a successful business team never change. By ensuring your business has at least one of each of these players, you will have truly created a thriving business and are well on the way to winning the championship game.

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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