A VA What?

Thanks to VANA (Virtual Assistant's Networking Association) for their input on this. I had posted something earlier giving full credit to the author but I guess they didn't like their information shown and demanded I take it down. VANA on the other hand has graciously stated that as long as a person gives them credit they are happy to share. So here goes .... What is a VA (Virtual Assistant) and why do you need one?

Top 10 Things A Virtual Assistant (VA) Can Do For Your Business
By VANA member Diana Ennen

Have you ever wondered, “What exactly is that Virtual Assistant that you keep hearing so much about?” The answer is simple. A Virtual Assistant, or VA, is an administrative professional who provides immediate professional support, services, and skills to busy entrepreneurs and business managers via the Internet.

But “What can a Virtual Assistant do for me?” is a little more complicated. The ways in which a VA can help you and your business are as unique and diverse as the individual VAs are themselves. To help narrow down the possibilities, the Virtual Assistants at the Virtual Assistant Networking Association (VANA) forum, ttp://www.VAnetworking.com were asked to list the top 10 things they could do for their clients.

This is what they said. A VA can assist you with marketing support, increasing your clientele and freeing up valuable time to service your customers. They also can handle all your marketing and publicity helping you to spread the word about your product or services. Many Virtual Assistants specialize in web design and search engine optimization. Once you work with a VA, they know your business inside and out, who better to help you prepare your website. A Virtual Assistant can make your next presentation shine by giving it that polished professional presentation which is sure to capture your audience and promote all your products and services. A Virtual Assistant can be instrumental in proofing, editing, and typing all your correspondence, pleadings, manuscripts, etc., thus allowing a more professional edge to all your business communications. A Virtual Assistant can take over all your bookkeeping, bills and accounts payable. Let them worry about payroll so you can worry about the important tasks of running your business.

A Virtual Assistant can plan your next company event or outing providing for an enjoyable and memorable time for all. Think how much more enjoyable it can be when the burden of planning is removed. Because VAs work on an “as needed basis” and only when you have work, hiring a VA can save you money. Clients only pay for the work done, and don’t have to pay for benefits, equipment, or supplies. What a cost savings that can be.

A VA can save you space because s/he works from his/her office as an independent contractor. Hiring a VA can save you time because you will not have to spend time hiring an employee or temporary help, as well as training the new staff. A Virtual Assistant can schedule your appointments, manage your calendar, organize your desk, and make running a business that much smoother.

Tawnya Sutherland is the founder of The Virtual Assistant Networking Association Forum (VANA), the largest member based Virtual Assistant global networking community for aspiring and successful Virtual Assistants online. She states, “By bringing “the best of the best” of Virtual Assistants to the VANA Community, we make it easy for clients to partner with successful VAs.”

Stop by Virtual Assistant Networking Assocation (VANA) today and find that VA you’ve been looking for. They are waiting, ready to assist you with all your business needs.

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*Source: Virtual Assistant Networking Association (VANA)
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.

Use Live Bait When Fishing for Business

By now I’m sure everyone has heard of the term networking – and has been out there meeting and greeting other businesses for many years. But do we really understand what SHOULD be involved in networking? That I’m not so sure of.

The overall concept of networking is to meet people in other businesses and to exchange cards and numbers. According to www.dictionary.com, networking is: a supportive system of sharing information and services among individuals and groups having a common interest. This, on the surface, is easily accomplished.

“Hi, I’m Nancy from The Work Place. Here’s my card.” You can give out a lot of business cards that way (and get them as well). But what is really accomplished here? Not much except getting rid of your cards.

There are actually a couple of forms of networking that go on in the business world on a regular basis. There are events, such as a Chamber of Commerce After Hours Get Together where people stand around and chat while munching on snacks and balancing a glass in the other hand. Here you have people bumping into you greeting you, asking you what you do and then moving on. You have very little time to get to know the other person, and most of the time the object seems to be to hand out as many cards as possible.

The other type of regular networking is a weekly or monthly meeting where people sit around a table, introduce themselves and share leads or referrals with each other. Today’s article will discuss this type of networking in more detail.

A referral group, as this type of meeting is often called, is a great form of marketing as you have a ready made audience that’s mission is to support other people in the group. However, all too often it seems that (in this form of networking as well as the other forms) people decide to get out there and network with only themselves in mind. In other words a “gimme attitude”. I can tell you right now, this is NOT going to work well for you. One such networking organization that’s been around for many years is called BNI, or Business Networking International, and it has the philosophy of “Givers Gain”. What this entails is that you go into a networking event or meeting with the idea that you can help others. YOU become their marketing arm. When you help provide them with quality leads (we’ll discuss this later), then they will, in turn, provide the same to you. How do you do this?

Called Spheres of Influence, most people have a circle of some 200 others that they know. And each of those 200 knows another 200 – an ever widening ripple of contacts for a business network to connect with. Here’s a scenario of how it might translate:

Joe Realtor has been getting requests from his new home buyers/sellers for someone that can come into the home and fix little things like power washing or carpet cleaning. He asks the others in his networking group if they know of any really good handymen that can handle this type of job. Charlie Home Builder says, oh yeah. I have a great handyman service that I use all the time. Let me get in touch with him and have him call you. His name, by the way, is Harley Homebody.

Later that day, Harley calls Joe and they set up a time to meet and talk a little about what they both do and are looking for. Eventually, Joe has someone that he feels comfortable referring his clients to (his clients become happy campers) and Harley gets a lot of new business and can become repeat or additional referrals.

This is a simplistic way of describing how referral networking operates, but it gives you a good idea of a very possible end result when done correctly. But, another thing to keep in mind is the difference between leads and referrals. Often people in these groups are pressured into thinking that they have to provide names ... This can be anything from “I think I heard my neighbor next door say he was going to sell his house. Hey Joe, why don’t you give them a call.” to I saw a little league team that needs new t-shirts. Ms. Printer, why don’t you track down the Paulie’s Pizza and Sub Shop and tell them about your t-shirt printing business.” These are called LEADS and are basically nothing more than cold calls – or at the very best, lukewarm calls.

A referral, on the other hand, is like the previous example of the handyman. The person GIVING the referral makes sure that it is something that is really wanted and then does what he or she can do to arrange a “meet” between the two people that will be conducting the business together. The way to start getting these referrals is through creating a sense of trust between yourself and the other members of your group. It is not always quick and easy, but it is well worth it in the long run.

It can be very frustrating for someone to get lead after lead after lead and to have nothing ever materialize. You wouldn’t want to be in that situation would you? So, here are a few tips to get you started in the networking arena:

1. Make sure that when you provide a referral its one that you KNOW should be pursued. Talk to the person wanting the work first to make sure that he or she should be expecting a contact from the referral recipient. Then let the “recipient” know that they should call so and so, as that person is expecting their call.

2. Always be on the lookout within your circle of 200 for people who need the services of those in your network and actively market their businesses for them with these 200 contacts. If you hear of someone needing something, talk to them right away to find out what it is they need and how someone in your group might be of service to them.

3. On the other side, if you are the recipient, follow up with that referral right away. Don’t let it grow cold and then become frustrated because it doesn’t pan out. When given a name/number/email, contact them right away. Tell them that you got their name (or whatever) from your colleague and was told that they needed x service – something you would be happy to sit down with them and discuss. Have your credentials ready and your praise for the colleague that gave you their name.

4. Don’t sit back and expect to start receiving referrals right away. It is a process in which you must earn the trust and respect of the others in the group. This can be done, in part, by following tips 1, 2 and 3 above. Also, you always need to provide the best quality service to your clients (and this includes the others in your group) that you can. By providing top quality the others know that you do what you say and they will feel comfortable giving others your name... Remember, its their reputation on the line (as well as yours) if you screw up the work they have referred you for.

Marketing and sales are two of the most important ways that a small business gets their clients and their revenues. Referral groups are a great, and inexpensive way to do that marketing and sales. Remember these tips and get out there and start networking. You’ll begin to reap the benefits soon.

Database Management

Is work slowing down these days? Do you wonder what has happened to your customer base? What have you been doing to bring individuals in to buy your “widget”? For people who are used to having more business than they can handle, a slowdown may come as somewhat of a surprise. And they’re not sure what to do to get things back on track. The answer, for most concerns, is to form valued business relationships with past, present and potential clients. Through regular prospecting for new clients as well as keeping in touch with those you already have worked with, you will generate maximum economic profit.

According to Jay Conrad Levinson, the marketing guru of “Guerrilla” fame, “most business owners contact prospects once or twice and if they don’t show an interest, the business owners move on to greener territories...Guerrillas continue romancing those they are courting. Eventually, those prospects feel so cared for, so important, so attended to, that they switch over and begin to patronize the guerrilla who never stops courting.”

If direct mail is not part of your marketing mix, it may be time to rethink your strategy. By targeting a specific group of prospects (don’t forget your present and past clients, too!) with personalized greetings and offers, direct mail can be the least expensive method of marketing you use. It is an economic way for entrepreneurs to work on a tight budget.

There are two important parts to marketing with direct mail. The first, already alluded to is the fact that such marketing probably will not work overnight and so it is vital to maintain the momentum of the media. Things like timely reminders of needed services; cards and letters on the anniversary of a purchase; birthday and anniversary cards; periodic surveys; invitations to seminars; contests; frequent buyer programs; and more are all part of this direct mail saturation. It is felt by most marketing experts that it takes at least seven “hits” before a client will recognize your name or act on your offer. Therefore, you need to plan ahead and create marketing pieces that will make the most of your potential. Continuous interaction is the best way to keep your name in front of your potential clients.

The second part of this important process is to have good, qualified lists. The best offer in the world will not do you any good if you’re sending it to someone who simply is not interested. For example, mailing a dentist’s teeth cleaning reminder to someone who has dentures or who has moved away, will be a waste of money, both in the printing and in the mailing costs. If the dentist had recorded in his database that this particular client had left the area or had had a full set of dentures made, would know that a mailing would do no good. Thus, having a good database, with accurate, up-to-date information in it is also vital.

What information should be collected? Anything that is obtainable and would be of benefit to your company is fair game. However, in a survey conducted by DIRECT magazine (2/96), the following types of customer data were maintained on the database by 50% or more of the companies surveyed:

➝ Names of prospects
➝ Length of time he/she has been a customer
➝ Number of purchases annually
➝ Dollar value of purchases (monetary)
➝ Recency (date of most recent purchase)
➝ Frequency (how often he/she buys)
and ➝ Source of original lead or contact.

Other information maintained by many companies were things like: age/date of birth; other purchase influences; sociodemographic information; SIC code; promotional history; company info; nonrespondents; and types of purchases. The people that answered this survey stated that their database enabled them to move people through the pipeline from “suspect” to advocate in a highly efficient and effective manner. They boasted a very high rate of repeat business among their clientele, and since keeping a customer costs a mere fraction of the initial cost of acquiring one, most of that added revenue went straight to their bottom line.

By creating an image of your business as caring and concerned about your clients, you are giving those clients a sense of security and confidence in you. By recognizing the customer and using his or her name, by talking about personal things before getting down to business, by listening very carefully and sincerely, your business will create a loyal customer. And when you have a loyal customer, you not only have increased revenues, but a feeling of value and worth to yourself as well. And isn’t that really what its all about?

Customer Service

I've talked before about customer service. It is, to me, the most important part of any business. There are so many companies out there that do exactly the same thing that you do, and you're probably not THE BEST in the market at what you do, so why should someone bring their business to you? If you give your clients excellent customer service, along with the best product or service possible, then you have a chance at retaining that client for repeat business. Here are some thoughts on how to do that:

Seven Ways to Attract and Keep Clients With You

1) Personalize your service and be focused while interacting with the client. Know your clients' birthday, important events, remember last personal topics raised, concerns and problems conquered.

2) Take time to listen to your client; listen carefully - do not let your mind wander during the listening process. Take time to find out the real motives and emotions, perceived and real problems.

3) Be unique, provide advice as a professional to a professional even if the person opposite you does not appear to be a professional at all. Such advice is always taken more to heart and will sow the seeds for your success.

4) The secret of keeping clients is to show interest by frequent follow up. Show that you care and that their success is your success.

5) Always establish and keep deadlines. Do not promise what you cannot keep. If you are unable to keep your promise, call and explain how and why circumstances have changed, explain your new approach and re-establish the new deadlines.

6) Do not keep your clients in the dark. Inform them on the status and let them partake in the progress of their business from your own angle. Be an integral part of their business life.

7) Don't argue, but persuade by showing examples of successful approaches to obstacles. Don't preach, but explain why you advise to go about their affairs in a particular way.

If you practice these techniques, then you have an excellent chance at keeping your clients happy and getting not only return work but referrals as well.

Take care all and have a great weekend.

Proofreading Booboos!

Newspapers are a daily marvel, and sometimes they can even be considered a miracle. There are over 1700 dailies published in the United States alone, with a readership of over 60 million people. Despite the careful proofing, the possibilities for error are almost endless, especially when you consider the added pressure of deadlines. Most editors will print corrections, although they, too, have been known to add to the confusion. Here are a few samples:

1. Important Notice: If you are one of the hundreds of parachuting enthusiasts who bought our Easy Skydiving book, please make the following corrections: on page 8, line 7, the words “state zip code” should have read “pull rip cord.”

2. It was incorrectly reported last Friday that today is T-shirt Appreciation Day. In fact, it is actually Teacher Appreciation Day.

3. There was a mistake in an item sent in two weeks ago which stated that Ed Burham entertained a party at crap shooting. It should have been trap shooting.

4. From a California bar association’s newsletter: Correction: the following typo appeared in our last bulletin: “Lunch will be gin at 12:15 p.m.” Please correct to read “12 noon.”

5. We apologize to our readers who received, through an unfortunate computer error, the chest measurements of members of the Female Wrestlers Association instead of the figures on the sales of soybeans to foreign countries.

6. In Frank Weston’s March column, Rebecca Marney was erroneously identified as a bookmaker. She is a typesetter.

7. There are two important corrections to the information in the update on our Deep Relaxation professional development program. First, the program will include meditation, not medication. Second, it is experiential, not experimental.

8. Our article about Jewish burial customs contained an error: Mourners’ clothing is rent—-that is torn—-not rented.

9. In the City section of Friday’s paper, firefighter Dwight Branson was misidentified. His nickname in the department is “Dewey.” Another firefighter is nicknamed “Weirdo.” We apologize for our mistake.

10. Just to keep the record straight, it was the famous Whistler’s Mother, not Hitler’s, that was exhibited. There is nothing to be gained in trying to explain how this error occurred.

11. Our newspaper carried the notice last week that Mr. Oscar Hoffnagel is a defective on the police force. This was a typographical error. Mr. Hoffnagel is, of course, a detective on the police farce.


The moral of this blog, then, is to say, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE proof your work before sending it out. It could save a whole lot of embarrassment.

Networking For Success

Networking is an important part of a business' success but the way people network and how they think networking should be conducted are up for grabs often. Here's an article that I think states well what we all should know about the art of networking .... Enjoy.

We've all heard that networking should be an integral part of our total marketing plan, but what is networking?

Simply stated, networking is contact to establish relationships that can lead to business. Sometimes the path to business is direct; other times it is indirect, as is the case with referrals: The person you know knows someone else who needs your products or services.

Networking means making these contacts and building on them by talking with people about what you do and who you are. It also is in turn, listening to them to see how you might assist them in what they do.

These contacts, the people you need to know or the people that can help you might be right under your nose.

"Making these contacts" happens in a number of ways but it usually is an initiative by you to introduce yourself, start a conversation or an introduction by another person.

"Contact to establish relationships that can lead to business," only happens when the "relationship is mutually beneficial." Networking is giving and receiving, with the giving usually happening first. If one party does all the giving then the relationship will not last and the
networking truly ends. Networking relationships take work and cooperation by all parties involved. Networking relationship are not one night stands.

Networking just doesn't happen. It has to be part of your plan with activity and initiatives associated with it, a time table established and responsibility assigned. It is a learned skill. Everyone is not born with national networking skills or local skills either. The skills are
learned because of the process involved.

We view the key components of the process as:

1. Planning the events
2. Setting networking goals
3. Knowing who to target
4. Relationship building
5. Establishing trust
6. Follow up
7. Continuing the relationship

Once again this is not rocket science but if it helps you focus one part of your effort, plan for the next level of effectiveness and produces results more than you are getting now then this article is worth more than its price, (which was free).


Al Lautenslager is a professional speaker, author of The Networking Workbook (available at http:// www.networkingworkbook.com), consultant, business owner and entrepreneur and speaks frequently to groups as key notes or workshops on the subjects of guerrilla marketing, finding opportunity, networking and entrepreneurism. He is also a certified Guerrilla Marketing mentor offering marketing coaching and consulting to businesses.

Chief Cook and Bottle Washer

Ever feel like you're running around in circles trying to do everything yourself? All the work of the business AND have a personal life too? Doesn't work really well, does it? There is help however. Ever heard of outsourcing?

Get up early some morning and go down to your local Starbucks... What do you think you’ll see? People having meetings. People talking on the phone. People working on their computers and even typing on tiny little Blackberry keyboards. Out in the street, you have men and women running to catch the metro/local transportation. Cars go whizzing by on their way somewhere (delivering the kids to school, rushing to the job, or heading out for that first sales call). WOW. We are busy, aren’t we.

Are you one of those people? Do you feel like you’re spinning and when you land, you’re not sure if you’ll be right side up, or upside down? Don’t you wish that there were some way that you could get some of this work done and not be the one doing it? Maybe find someone to help you figure out how to do the work more efficiently and even brainstorm new ideas? But unless you find that genie in the bottle, its not going to happen right?

WRONG. There are businesses out there that have been created just for such purposes. They offer many different ways to help you remove some of the stress of your very busy life. It can be as simple as making sure your phone is answered by a human so a potential client doesn’t get a machine, and is delayed in reaching you. It can be as complex as getting a brochure designed, printed, and mailed – on time – without involving lots of work by you. Or it can be as long-term as finally getting your database cleaned up, functioning, useful, and available for analysis.

These and many, many more tasks – simple for a larger organization – become gargantuan efforts for a small or micro sized business. Time, effort, and good will are spent far too extravagantly in relation to the problem and solution. But thanks to these outsource companies, they become your partner by taking the time to learn your business and proactively support your goals. With current technology such as the Internet, email, and fax machines to name a few, they are able to complete your various office tasks therefore allowing you more time to run your business.

While I’m talking especially about office administrative specialists, there are many different types of businesses that do outsourced support services. One of the nicest things about such companies is that you only pay for the work that’s done. You don’t have to worry about taxes, salaries, sick leave or all that other “BUSINESS STUFF”. That’s one more thing that makes running your business more efficient and less time consuming. So, the next time you find yourself “running around like a chicken with its head cut off” start asking around and I’m sure you’ll find just the right person/company to help support you and in turn help increase your profits, and your personal time.