The Top 10 Ways to Maximize Your VAnetworking Membership ~ Written by a VAinsider!
By VAnetworking member Frances Palaschuk
Since 2005, my ultimate information source for virtual assistant networking, professional development and support has been VAnetworking, the Virtual Assistant Networking Association. It’s hard for me to choose what the top, top tools that VAnetworking offers are but if I had to, my top 10 choices would include:
- Virtual Assistant Networking Association Toolbar ~ this tool is a must, must have for all VAs! Why? Well to name a few reasons:
- The mini RSS Feed; imagine being able to keep up with every single forum post, RFP, contest, seminar and everything in between by just one click. By scanning the headlines you can easily pick and choose which topics are of interest to you while keeping up to the minute on everything!
- The VA Tools ~ you can’t live without this one. Basically, it’s a drop down list that will connect you to the top resources you need to start and run a successful VA business. Each category branches off into a mini directory that will link you to a choice of popular and effective tools currently being used by our fellow VAs.
- VA Goodies ~ goodies? Yes, Goodies! And they are just that. This is another magical drop down list that again has links to all of the top VAnetworking resources including the VAnetworking Seminar Room, VA Directory, VA Contests (where you have the chance to win hot prizes including free advertising & training +++), VA Free Websites, and much more.
- The VAnetworking Seminar Room ~ this is where you can participate in weekly chat sessions with fellow VAs as well as engage in professional development seminars on hot industry topics such as Internet Marketing, Business Development, Time Management ++. As the topics evolve with the industry, these seminars alone will give you enough ideas, skills and even that extra push you may need to take your virtual business to the next level. And that is only a few of the reasons why I love the VAnetworking toolbar!
- Virtual Assistant Networking Association Forum ~ I am not sure if it’s because the forum is broken down into specific, niche areas of interest to VAs; the statistics that track each post according to date, time, and popularity; the advanced search function; or the actual “real” people that give some of the best “virtual” advice around but this VA forum continues to exceed my expectations.These tools are all perks offered with a standard free membership! Can you imagine what some of the enhanced benefits that I am currently taking advantage of as a VAinsider look like?Well, let’s start with my favourite VAinsider Membership Benefits:
- The VAnetworking Seminar & Newsletter Archives ~ like a lot of you, I am a Mom to a really active, stubborn toddler and as much as I try I just cannot attend every seminar or remember everything I read in the newsletter. So, needless to say I rely on the archived versions and refer to them regularly. Recently, some of the key information I had to search for, which actually made me some quick cash, was on podcasting. I had a client who wanted me to install a podcast on their website (a client who I gained through the VAinsiders RFP system!). I needed a reliable source of information on how to do this. The first place I searched was the seminar archives and voila ~ there was a seminar that gave me the key information I needed to get this done accurately, and quickly.
- VAnetworking’s Monthly VAinsider Virtuoso Marketing Seminars ~ lead by Tawnya Sutherland herself; this is my favourite VAinsider exclusive benefit. Marketing, especially Internet Marketing is something all VAs should, and I absolutely must, keep up to date on. I offer it to my clients as a service with a guarantee that states, “I am committed to keep up to date on the virtual industry as well as everything within the scope of services that I offer”. Now, can you image how much money I would have to spend without being a VAinsider to attend National seminars, maintain certifications and not to mention build and maintain relationships with the top gurus themselves. I am a behind the scenes kind of gal and wouldn’t even if I tried be able to keep up with the extreme level of dedication, participation and industry networking that Tawnya demonstrates. Take a look at some of her credentials on her website. I have marked my calendar and am eagerly anticipating the exclusive opportunity to attend these Internet Marketing Seminars with Tawnya Sutherland.
- VAnetworking Request for Proposal (RFP) System ~ As a VAinsider I had the exclusive opportunity to gain 30 clients in 24 days through the VAnetworking RFP System! And, all 30 clients were actively looking for a VA! I was also lucky enough to have a detailed VAnetworking guide, “7 Essential Keys for Responding to RFP’s”, written by Darrell Williams, of Right Hand Man to help me every step of the way. I am not sure where else I could have had this exclusive opportunity.
- Exclusive Marketing & Advertising Opportunities: Did you know that VAnetworking gets over 4,500,000 hits a month? Where else can you afford to advertise on a site that gets this amazing amount of traffic? You could have a banner ad for as low as $50 per month. Imagine how impressed your clients and leads would be if you had a “client spotlight” section on your website and could tell them that you advertise with a banner ad on a site that generates 4,500,000 hits a month.
Additionally, my VAinsider Membership makes it simple for me to maximize my marketing and advertising campaigns. Here’s how:
- An Upgraded listing which includes a banner ad to rise above other listings at the Virtual Assistant Search Engine Directory. The largest VA directory on the net!
- Two special advertisement/announcement posts in the forum. Did you know that active VAnetworking Members have responded to general Virtual Assistant questions over 18,000 times as of Oct. 2007?
- Preferred Advertising rates at VAnetworking, including a 25% discount and higher banner ad positioning versus a non-Star member. Some advertising areas include The VA Advertising Shop, Newsletter advertising, VA Chat Page, VA Article Directly, Main landing pages.
- Access to participation in various publicity campaigns run by VAnetworking experts to help promote Virtual Assistants and your business globally.
To find out about all of the exclusive benefits that you could take advantage of as a VAinsider simply visit the VAinsider Membership Benefits section of the VAnetworking website today.
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*Source: Virtual Assistant Networking Association
The ever popular, friendly, informative, educational & resourceful network for successful and aspiring “IN THE KNOW” Virtual Assistants and Achievers globally that everyone online is talking about.
