RSS Herald Mobile

Image is Everything!
By Janice D. Byer, CCVA, MVA, Docu-Type Administrative & Web Design Services

Marketing is an integral part to any business, especially for a Virtual Assistance who has to rely on a professional and creative image. How you get the word out about your VA service can have a tremendous impact on the success of your business. Just throwing together a business card or brochure to hand out, or a quick website is not enough. You need to create a marketing strategy, one that will portray you as capable of creating an image for your clients.

Your marketing strategy is all about creativeness and communication. How you communicate your message will have an effect on how you are perceived in the minds of your customers. If your own marketing material is not enough to get the attention of your potential clients, or if they have a negative perception, then how can you expect them to have confidence in you being able to help them with their needs?
Having a clear idea of what drives your customer to buy can help you to communicate to them why they need your services and how you can create and maintain their image.

So how do you go about making sure that you are saying the right thing and portraying the right image, and that your potential client will keep you in mind?

1. Determine the objective of your marketing material. What do you want to accomplish with this piece of advertising? Do you want your client to call you for further information, do you want them to cash in a coupon or to bookmark your website for future reference? Give them a directive.

2. Decide who will be your target market. Are you trying to sell to a large corporation or to the mother of small children? 'Who' is going to buy from you is 'who' you need to focus your message on.

3. Compose a positioning statement. In a single sentence convey exactly how you want your customer to perceive you, something that will stick in their mind. (ie. "We specialize in word processing.....")

4. Now, add a primary benefit to that sentence. (ie. "...so you can get experienced help when you are short staffed or overloaded...")

5. And then, throw in a supporting benefit. (ie. "...saving you time and money on your staffing needs.")

6. Now, work with this sentence to get your main message across. If you only had space for one message, what would it be?

7. Add any other supporting messages that will convey the benefits of having your product or service. (ie. "No need to provide equipment. We do everything in our office.")

8. Give your customer an opportunity to provide a desired response. How do you want them to react to your communication? (ie. "Wow, this is a great service that will save me money" or "I could really use this service to get a handle on things.")

9. Make sure to project the right tone in your communication. Use a number of adjectives to describe your product or service, expressing how you want to be regarded. (ie. professional, innovative, exciting, friendly, newsworthy, creative, etc.)

10. Last, but not least, consider how you are going to execute your message. Does it fit best on a 3-fold brochure and what kind of paper do you want to use? Do you need a tear-off coupon on it? Does your message fit best on one page of a website or several pages? How are you going to turn your marketing strategy into hard copy or virtual copy?

All in all, you are designing and executing your marketing strategy to attract potential clients and to show them your creativeness and capabilities. Always have them in mind when putting ideas down on paper or on the web. What you think is appealing may not be appealing to your customer. Ensure that your message will catch their eye and impress upon them that your service can make their lives so much easier in more ways than one.... and better than your competitor!

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, (www.docutype.net/business_ebooks.htm) which is filled with the secrets of her success. Visit her website for more information and to get your copy.

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IAVOA Corner
By Clara Fyffe

A'ttention! Or Is it Tension? It's Time to Loosen Up!

What a day it's been! Your schedule is overflowing, and you've been stuck in front of that computer screen for hours! Your eyes are burning and feel gritty. Your vision is blurry. Your temples are throbbing, your neck is stiff, your arms feel heavy, and your fingers are stiff and swollen. Your spine aches, and your legs and feet are in agony! But, durn it, there's still hours of work to be done. You just want to cry. Help!

Okay, you asked for it. Help is on its way. You already know that I'm not the most healthy VA in our group. Because of that, I've spent a lot of one-on-one time with doctors and physical therapists. When I decided on this computer business, my medical staff were a little concerned as to how it could - or would - affect my already painful body.

Fortunately, my doctors and especially my physical therapists were willing to work with me on a plan of action - action being the operative word - so that I could safely and efficiently operate my VA practice not only initially, but far into the future.

Many of you are probably young and healthy and don't experience many physical maladies from a long day in the office. Let me tell you, it's a thousand times better to learn now how to prevent problems than later when the pain won't let go.

For those of you who are in my boat and feel that you are sinking in a frustrating whirlpool of pain, I have solutions for you, too.

I want to share with all of you the little tricks I've been taught over the years that have allowed me to continue working. Some are so simple that you wonder why you never thought of them yourselves. Others you may already be practicing. Most of them have made such a difference in my life that I am excited to share them with you and hope that you will benefit, as well.

First, you'll need a simple kitchen timer. You'll see why.

Since I love looking at trees, I'll give you my favorite trick first. I am assuming that most of you have a window in your office. And I'm hoping that you can see trees in the distance out that window. If not, pick another distant object, preferably green or some other soft, gentle color. Ready? Here's what to do.

You've been staring at the screen for hours, maybe designing a graphic or pouring over appliance report. Your eyes are burning, blurring, and starting to jump around. First, do not let hours pass without a break. Remember the kitchen timer? Set it for 30 minutes. When it rings, scoot your chair back, face the window, and relax your eyes. Stare out at those trees in the distance. Just lazily gaze for a least one minute, relaxing your eyes completely, for at least one full minute. Then, place a couple lubricating eye drops in each I and keep them closed for one more minute. Make sure you use lubricating eye drops and not those "get the red out" drops. You'll be amazed how refreshed your eyes feel with just this two-minute break. Oh, and don't forget your yearly eye checkup!

This next tip is for your hands. As you know, carpal tunnel is an enemy of the computer user. I'm also a quilter, so I'm familiar with aching hands. There's a neat product that I use, both for stitching and for typing. They're very snug fingerless gloves that hug your hands and wrists. They're made of Spandex and feel, oh, so good on sore, tired hands. Consider these as a normal part of getting dressed for work.

Get out that kitchen timer again. I know that most of us sit for hour after hour at our keyboards, usually with not the best posture, either. I know that I lean my elbows on the desktop, which pulls on my shoulder blades. So, set that timer for 30 minutes again - and keep it ringing every half hour throughout your day. When you stop to rest your eyes, you need to also perform the following rituals, too, without fail.

As soon as the timer rings, do your two-minute eye rest, then stand up tall and straight. Raise your arms above your head and stretch your hands to the ceiling, pulling up onto your toes. Twist at the waist a couple times. Then - and the doctor says this is the most important - march in place for a full 5 minutes! Even better, you can leave the office altogether and take a 5-minute walk outside. Just make sure that you include this 5-minute walk every single half hour.

One of the biggest hazards to computer work is the high incidence of broken veins and blood clots. Just like you hear about riding in airplanes and cars, it's imperative to get up and move often. Half hour walks for computer users is recommended. It'll save not only your legs, but your tummy and back, too.

Finally, using a special computer footstool is a great idea, and they're not too expensive. These footstools allow your feet to "rock" back and forth, helping to keep your circulation moving. They also have "bumps" on them so that you can take your shoes off and massage your feet while you type. If you don't have one, get one.

I know that you probably don't like the idea of giving up work time every half hour, but, please trust me, there is nothing more important that you can do for yourself and your loved ones. Take care of yourself while you can. Listen to me, the voice of experience, and grab that kitchen timer now. I promise; it's worth it.

By Clara Fyffe

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Outlook Productivity Tips: Outlook 2007 & Google Calendar Integration
by Andrea Kalli

Outlook 2007 Calendar and Google Calendar integration Finally! A great new Outlook 2007 feature is its ability to incorporate integration with Internet Calendars. Internet Calendars are calendars that are shared through the Internet. These calendars are based upon a global Internet standard that allows calendar information to be exchanged between people regardless of the application that is used to create or view the information. This particular video focuses on how Outlook 2007 now works with Google Calendars. A really great feature for someone that needs to update another person's Outlook calendar and have been looking for a simple solution that is free. The really great thing is that Outlook periodically checks the Google Calendar for updates, and if any are found, they are downloaded to the calendar copy in Outlook. Couple this feature with the side-by-side calendar view and the new calendar overlay view, and you've got some slick functionality.

More to come on how to utilize Internet Calendars with Outlook and other great new calendar functionality.

Provided by Andrea Kalli Virtual Trainer and Assistant, LLC. Productivity training, support, and customization for Microsoft Outlook and SharePoint users. Come visit our website at www.virtualassist.net and feel free to contact me at akalli@virtualassist.net.

Click here to view Andrea's helpful videos from these tips!
Andrea Kali is a virtual Trainer and virtual Assistant. Visit her website at virtualassist.net

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Editor's Corner
by Kathy Ritchie

Last month we focused on setting up for multiple clients, this month we're discussing the various tools and forms that we can use to make our work more efficient.

Trillian (www.trillian.cc) is an essential tool for communicating with other Virtual Assistants. Trillian is capable of using the AOL, MSN, ICQ, Yahoo! and IRC platforms. For instance, Janice Byer, of Docu-Type Administrative & Web Design Services (www.docutype.net) in Canada, is a co-worker of mine with several joint clients. She is also the web designer for the RSS Herald (www.rssherald.com). By using Trillian, we are able to communicate real-time and deal with problems or issues at that moment without waiting. Plus, instant messaging is more affordable than calling Canada.

Forms that are vital in my practice are Communication Logs, Postage Logs, Work for Hire Form/Agreements, Client Data Form, Job Estimate / Proposal, Invoices, and more. Many of these forms are set up in table formats, with protection, allowing me to tab through and enter information quickly and easily. Ongoing forms or logs that will be used in figuring the bills are printed and filled in by hand until month end. Some of these forms are available for download in PDF format on my website's resources page.

Accounts Payable and Receivable. Billing day… my absolute favorite day of all!

Establishing your billing routine is vital for smooth operation of your practice. For me, billing day (for long-term, on going clients) is the last working day of the month. On this day, I compute the month's total per client, generate invoices, and distribute using the client's preference. Some clients prefer using PayPal (www.paypal.com) while others want the invoice physically mailed, or sent in a file via email to them.

Don't forget to add in postage you've spent on your clients, long distance calls, or supplies you've used for your clients. To remember this, I keep the logs I've been maintaining all month, in the tickler file under the specified month. When I begin my month end bookkeeping, these logs are pulled out and calculated into the invoice total. It's very important to generate new logs for the coming month. Make this a practice for billing day as well.

I handle my accounts payable duties by paying bills by their due dates. I depend heavily on my tickler file into which these bills are placed by due date. For instance, if the due date is October 15, I file the bill into the October 8th slot, giving me 7 days before the due date. Then, of course, paid bills are marked, and then filed.

Being a Virtual Assistant is the most rewarding career I've ever had. I love my commute - across the hall - and I love the freedom of working in my bathrobe. However, working virtually or remotely can be frustrating as well. By maintaining accurate and up to date client records, we can begin to reduce the stress of running our own business.

Because we work for ourselves, we must be responsible in our record keeping. This is our Bible. These records will make or break us if we are ever audited, and these records are vital to settling client disputes.

Thank you!, Kathy

Kathy Ritchie is the Editor of the RSS Herald and owner of Ritchie Secretarial Service, a successful VA practice since 1996. 303-367-4545 or Office 303-600-4716 fax Geography is no boundary! Complete - Virtual - Office Assistance - we're what you need! http://www.thebestva.com kritchie@thebestva.com
Catch me working at www.kathyritchie.com

25 Things you can do right now to Kick-Start your Marketing!
by Cheryl Callighan, MVA/Mentor/Coach E-Office Assistants

Do you market your business consistently? I'll bet not. You know how it goes, you market and market until you've got more business than you need. Once your schedule is filled with new clients and their projects marketing is the first thing to go on the backburner.

In a month or two you find your calendar sparse and you crank up the marketing machine again. What if you consistently took one action a day or a week to market your business even in the busiest times? You could keep a steady stream of prospects in your pipeline and perhaps you could avoid the roller coaster of marketing (the ups and downs) when you need work.

Below is a list of 25 things you can do today, tomorrow, this week, next week and even for a couple of months to keep the marketing ball rolling along. Pick 3 to 4 things to start with right now if you need immediate results, but if you're looking for a consistent strategy, pick 4-5 things you can each and every week/month to keep those prospects flowing into your pipeline.

In your office -

1. Review membership directories.
2. Actively maintain your contact database by adding contacts that contact you via email. Don't forget to add those people who contact you via phone or snail mail too.
3. Find a list broker and purchase a list.
4. Read electronic newsletters from associations you belong to and see who's getting promoted or moving on.
5. Read the local business section of your newspaper to see who's who and what's what in your community.
6. Create a survey for your target market and offer to share the results with everyone who completes your survey.
7. Write articles for local newspapers or periodicals.

On the Web -

8. Use the search engines to research your target market.
9. Explore online directories.
10. Subscribe to business directories such as Dun and Bradstreet, Hoover's Standard and Poor's, Thomas Register. All offer online directories; some free others for a fee.
11. Offer a bonus on your website to entice to subscribe to your newsletter or register.
12. Publish and e-zine or blog. Chances are if people like what you write they will forward it others to read.
13. Publish articles online. Submit your articles to e-zines or sites your target market reads. Make sure your bio offers readers a free gift for visiting your website.
14. Post to message boards, answer questions aimed at your niche market. Always include your signature block so people can contact you.
15. Create podcasts and post your regular podcasts to a podcast directory.
16. Offer free tele-seminars on your product or service, record and post to a podcast directory or offer the audio for free download on your website.

Out in the World -

17. Libraries may have the business lists you can't afford. Ask your librarian for assistance.
18. Attend networking events. Make it a goal to collect X number of business cards at each one. Make sure you add these to your prospect database ASAP.
19. Join a regular networking/referral group such as LEADS or BNI (Business Networking International) or your local chamber of commerce.
20. Canvass on foot. Visit office buildings or industrial parks and collect information about the tenants.
21. Sponsor a contest. Ask people to enter a drawing for valuable prizes and publish the results.
22. Exchange lists with a colleague or an associate. Trade contacts with someone who shares your niche market.
23. Offer rewards for referrals. Create an affiliate program, pay referral fees or give discounts on future services. All of these can be incentives for others to refer prospects your way.
24. Offer to give a presentation at a networking event or meeting about your product or service or maybe offer some tips on choosing your product and service.
25. Never miss a chance to hand out or leave a business card with someone. At a restraint leave your card on the table, at the dry cleaners or repair shop leave your business card for "contact" information.

About Cheryl Callighan -

Cheryl Callighan is a Master Virtual Assistant, founder and director of the University of Virtual Assistants and owner of eOffice-Virtual Assistants LLC. Cheryl has 18 years experience as an entrepreneur and successful business owner. She currently coaches and mentors start-up Virtual Assistants through several Virtual Assistant organizations as well as through extensive training at the University of Virtual Assistants.