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Theresa

Loyal To the Bone as Only a VA Can Be

Have you ever heard the expression – “loyal to the bone”? A quick search on Wikipedia says “loyal to the bone” means: steadfast in allegiance or duty.

So why do I preface this post with that phrase, because it signifies an experience I just had that, to me, personifies what partnering with a Virtual Assistant means. Let me expand.

In my world as a Virtual Assistant, last week was “one of those weeks” where you question the decision you made (in my case 3 years ago) to enter the world of the self employed. A situation happened that could have either helped solidify the client/VA relationship I had OR it could have severed the ties.

Get Your Local Business Clients Noticed with Google Places

As a Virtual Assistant/Professional have you noticed an increase in demand for your services from local business owners? If yes, then make sure your client’s website sits prominently in the Google listings. For local business owners, it’s all about getting found in the community.

 

Google Places

 

A Google Places account allows a business to:

  • Have that prominent Google map show up beside the web address in the Google listings
  • Add up to 10 photos in the listing to showcase the outside of the building or the goods and services sold within the establishment

Put Aside Your Email and Communicate Graphically with Screenshots and Video

Working virtually can often be wracked with miss communication and sometimes misunderstanding. Have you ever had a long dissertation of back and forth emails between a person about a certain project? It can be tricky to communicate your ideas and thoughts via email. Effectively communicating as a Virtual Assistant allows the client/VA relationship to grow so you may want investigate the option of adding video and screen shots to your communication methods.

The Product Launch Secret (psssst…It’s all About the Virtual Assistant… pass it on)

Have you ever launched a product on the internet? Actually launching the product is the easy part, its the build up before the launch that takes time and energy. You could do it all yourself or have your Virtual Assistant be an integral part in the process from pre-launch, launch and post-launch.

Sales Page:

  • write text for sales page – if your VA is a great copywriter, have them work with you to write up the sales page content
  • format and upload the sales page to your server
  • add product image
  • add shopping cart link

Affiliate Marketing, Social Media and a Virtual Assistant – A Match Made in Heaven

Affiliate marketing and social media can be compared to peanut butter and jam; a combination that just works. More and more internet marketers are introducing their affiliates to social media sites to help them generate affiliate sales. It’s a great idea and it does work. You’ll find that only a small percentage of affiliates have large email lists that can accommodate broadcasting affiliate announcements or emails so moving to more popular social networks such as Facebook and Twitter are more available and easier to help spread the word about your products or services.

Thanks for Making Great Tools Google


What Would We Do Without Google

“Jimmy got a job at Google”! If you have ever seen the move “21″, you may remember Kevin Spacey’s character quoting that line in reference to a MIT college student giving up the chance to win millions gambling in Vegas by choosing a career at Google instead.  (I hear it’s a great place to work!) You can understand why when you investigate the endless free resources available for you as Virtual Assistants and, more importantly, how they can help streamline your client’s systems.

Here are a couple of my favorite Google Applications:

Streamline Your Twitter Marketing with Hootsuite.com

 

Can you believe that Twitter has only been in existence since March 2006? It’s still a big anomaly to some entrepreneurs which is why Social Media Virtual Assistants are in big demand. Many VA clients are looking to their VA’s for insight on how to streamline their Twitter activities. When asked which Twitter system I recommend, I always reply “why Hootsuite” of course.

 

5 Reasons Why You Should Consider Using Hootsuite

A Social Media Contract – Necessary or Not?

It is not surprising today that many Virtual Assistants (VA’s) are asked to help streamline social marketing activities for their clients.

Which is understandable.

Just keeping on top of comments on your Facebook page, reading tid bits of information in your twitter stream and connecting on LinkedIN is enough to make anyone’s head spin. But the question that always come up is:

“To What Extent Should a VA Manage a Client’s Social Media Presence?”

Your Social Media Presence – Getting the Word Out

I’ve been talking to many prospective clients this week in preparation for business planning for 2010. Not surprisingly, one of the biggest service online business owners are looking for is social media help, more specifically how to use Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Many of these soloprenurs are ready to jump into the social media circle but are not sure how to let their followers, subscribers or customers know where to find them in the social media platforms. Here are some quick suggestions to “get the word out.”

1. Your Newsletter is Key