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Strategic Alliances: Two Heads are Better than One
By Janice D. Byer, CCVA, MVA
Docu-Type Administrative & Web Design Services

Many of us have heard the term "strategic alliance", but how do we find the right one and how can it help our businesses?
Well, let's look at what Webster's Collegiate Dictionary has for a definition of each of the words:
Strategic (adjective)
: a necessary to or important in the initiation, conduct or completion of a strategic plan;
: of great importance within an integrated whole or to a planned effect or course of action.
Alliance (noun)
: the state of being allied (close association);
: a bond or connection between parties;
: an association to further the common interests of the members.
When you put the two definitions together you get an important contribution to a successful business venture. By forming a close association with another business, a connection is made to further your common interests . . . work with them to help build each of your businesses.
Each business has unique skills, services or products. By combining these traits, you can live by the old saying . . . 'Two heads are better than one'. The goal of both (or more) partnering businesses should be to strengthen your own skills while offering a wider array of services to yours and your alliances' client base.
Once you have decided that working along side another business could be beneficial to you and allow you to enhance another's business, the next decision is to determine whom you should partner with.
1. Your first step is to find a business that can bring noncompeting skills to the partnership. Their skills, services or products should compliment your talents, not conflict with them.
2. The next consideration should be the client base they serve and their ability to bring in new work or orders. If you form a partnership with someone who does little to enhance each of your businesses, you may start to resent them or they you.
3. Ensure that you like their work style. As you will be a representative of their business and they of yours, you each will be a reflection of each other's professionalism. If they have certain means of attracting new business that you do not condone, it may end up hurting your reputation. Become familiar with how they run and build their business.
4. Build a bond with your partner. Make sure that you work well together and that you compliment each other. Having a good relationship with each other will definitely be reflected to your clients.
5. Compile a list of several alliances. This allows you to work with the best person to ensure your client's needs are met. It will also assure that you have someone else to turn to should one partner be busy when you need their assistance.
6. Finally, and most important, strive to have a partnership of trust. Trusting the performance and instincts of your partner is vital when handing over a portion of a project to be accomplished.

All in all, strategic alliances are a way of boosting both your client base and others'. It also allows for a sharing of intelligence, a sounding board for new ideas and a helping hand with more intricate projects.

Janice Byer, owner of Docu-Type Administrative & Web Design Services (www.docutype.net) is a Certified Canadian Virtual Assistant (CCVA) and a Master Virtual Assistant (MVA) and author of a library of ebooks to help you build your business, including How to Set Up & Start Your First Blog. More information, including a comparison of blog software, can be found at http://www.docutype.net/business_ebooks.htm.

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Businessmen: They're Ready for Us, We Have Arrived
By
Clara D. Fyffe

Here's some good news for all of us. As of the end of last year, more than two in five companies rely on freelance or contract workers. Two in five! That means there's plenty enough to go around!

That statistic, from a Sologig.com survey last year, is only one of many interesting and intriguing facts that have sprung up in the past few years.

Fortunately for us, it is the shortage of qualified labor that is causing these companies to move toward freelancers and/or contractors. While 20% of the surveyed companies say they already use freelancers, more than 64% say they are definitely going to work with them in the very near future.

Business owners and executives are learning that highly skilled workers who choose to work from home are much more productive than those who work in-house. They say that the reason this statement is true is that the freelancers/contractors, being his or her own boss, bring a greater sense of passion and professionalism to their work. Since the freelancers are willing to give their "all" to each task they are assigned, they gain greater job satisfaction. The variety of their assignments and working on tasks that relate to their personal fields of interest fuel their entrepreneurial fires.

Not only do the business owners benefit from strong, professional freelancers/contractors, they are also coming to realize that this "outsourced" production is well worth the fees charged by the independent contractors.

Many VAs here in IAVOA have asked questions about what to charge as their hourly rate, and most "newbies" seem to think they should start extra low, like $10-$15 per hour, until they get their feet wet and their confidence up. Absolutely not!

First, remember that the rule of thumb is that you must consider only 50 cents of every dollar as profit. Who, with our skills and expertise, wants to basically give away their work for a measly $5-$7.50 per hour? If that's all you think you're worth, I guarantee that you're not ready to pull in clients nor operate a successful business. If a prospective client calls with a fairly complicated project and you practically jump up and down shouting, "I'll do it for $10 an hour!" he's gonna hang up real quick!

Business owners aren't stupid. They know they'll get what they pay for. If you're willing to charge basically the same amount as he's paying his front desk receptionist to answer phones and greet customers, he's definitely not going to hire you for a project vital to his business.

Even if you are a "newbie" to the VA industry, you do not have to act like one. Successful businessmen and businesswomen are willing to pay top dollar for top quality work. But you'd better make sure there are NO errors in his or her finished project and that you meet their deadline.

Take a gander at these figures. I was even surprised myself! The business owner and/or executive is willing to pay the big bucks to take some of the business worries off his hands and free up his time to schmooze with clients or just go golfing! Others hire in a variety of areas and, again, pay well for these professionals.

Technology-based freelancers make up 36% of the outside hires. Consultants make up 13%, accounting and financial freelancers 10%, designers 7%, marketing freelancers total 6%, human resource contractors come in at 6%, administrative/clerical/secretarial professionals make up 6%, and 5% are hired for sales.

Now, pay attention to this paragraph. This will show you how vital these skilled, professional freelancers and contractors are to the business community. Ready? One in ten business owners are willing to pay $100 per hour - and sometimes more - for a contractor who is willing to learn their businesses and who he can count on to basically take over many of the business's important functions. Nearly 18% are willing to pay $75 and more. And 34% say they'd gladly pay $50 or more per hour for reliable, professional workers. Now, 63% say they'd happily fork over $25 per hour - but we'll have to educate them!

You'll notice that some of our areas of expertise aren't mentioned in that list of professional skills the business owners are looking for. But they're learning, and we have to help spread the word. Digital transcription is a huge area that's growing fast and requires not only a quick typist, but someone skilled in spelling, punctuation, and formatting. My favorite areas - proofreading, editing, writing, re-writing, ghostwriting, and polishing all manner of business communication - none of these are mentioned, either. But the need is clearly there. I'm sure other areas have been left out, too.

The point is, we are professionals, and it's up to us to "sell" ourselves and our skills to all these business owners and executives who are finally seeing us as necessary assets to their companies.

To the "newbies" and those who think they need the money so badly they'll charge way low, DON'T DO IT! You saw the figures. Charge what you are worth! If you don't, it's going to hurt the rest of us who know our worth and demand appropriate rates. But it's going to hurt you, as well.

I have a pet peeve that is a fairly good analogy. I won't buy a can of store brand green beans because I just can't stand getting "ends" or stems in my beans! The quality simply isn't worth the price. Same thing with us VAs. I'm willing to pay for Green Giant because I know the quality is worth the price. If we charge like a cheap can of green beans, that businessman is not going to "buy" us. He wants quality and, as you see, he'll pay for it.

They're looking for us, guys. Let's go get 'em!

Clara Fyffe

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Business Bullys
by Earlytorise.com

Sooner or later, we all end up working/dealing with someone who is not just pushy, but an emotional or intellectual bully. These people are not common, but they are powerful. They can make you do things you wouldn't do for/with anyone else. They usually pressure you into decisions you don't feel good about, don't enjoy when you do them, and -- almost always -- regret later.

That's leads to an important distinction -- between a bully and a pusher. A pusher is someone who does everything he can to get you to do things you might not want to do but only when you know -- and he knows -- that these are things you should do. When and if the pusher pushes you into doing such things, you feel good about yourself and grateful to him.

A pusher -- however pushy -- has your interests at heart. A bully thinks of nothing but his own.

You might think you could stop dealing with a bully the moment you figured out his game. But the typical bully doesn't let you do that. He has a bagful of emotional tricks that he uses to keep you in his orbit.

The secret power of the bully is his charm. If he were only pushy and obnoxious, he would never work his way into your psyche. But he doesn't start out that way. He begins his relationships with wit and humor, compassion and intelligence, promise and benefit. He makes you like him and then tries to make you dependent on his reactions. You start to care about offending him. You dread having to argue with him.

It is a miserable experience to be stuck with a bully. And it's hard to get yourself free.
But you can -- and you should. Here's how:

Start by admitting to yourself and a trusted friend that you are being bullied. Say the words out loud. Say, "I am letting so-and-so bully me." This will give you some immediate relief. It will remove the added pressure of having to rationalize your unbalanced relationship with someone who clearly hasn't your best interest at heart.

Next, set a time limit for liberating yourself. It could be a week, a month, or three months, depending on how entangled your relationship is.

Set intermediate goals and write them down in your monthly, weekly, and even daily to-do lists. Give yourself specific objectives, such as "Today I will respond to his taunts by saying, 'Jack, I don't think that is a fair comment.'"

Free yourself bit by bit. If you try to force too much too soon, you will probably get yourself into an emotional situation that is over your head.

Gradually, the bully will notice that the relationship is changing. He will sense the power moving back to you. He may try to resist it, try to seduce you one more time, try almost everything as he gets desperate.

Hold strong. Just accomplish one small objective at a time. Before you know it, you will be in the catbird seat (see today's Word to the Wise). And you'll feel like a brand-new, newly powerful person.

This article appears courtesy of Early To Rise, the Internet's most popular health, wealth, and success e-zine. For a complimentary subscription, visit http://www.earlytorise.com.

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Outlook Productivity Tips: Sharing Outlook Items
by Andrea Kalli

Ok, picture this…you like to keep track of correspondence, projects, issues, etc. regarding your contacts. You want an easy and simple way to document these things. You don't want to buy new software, and you certainly don't want to have to stop and take the time to learn it. After all, it's not rocket science.

Enter, Outlook Journaling.

For the sake of simplicity, Outlook Contacts and Outlook Journaling provides a VERY easy and flexible way to document whatever you want. It's a great way to utilize what you've already got on your desktop.

It really doesn't get any easier than this.
To see how this can be done, check out the video.

My video tutorials, "Outlook 2007 What's New" are ready for purchase at Premiumcast.com. $17.95 US for 22 videos and approximately 2 hours of full tutorials.

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. Get your SharePoint user training two ways: Our video training via www.digbizbooks.com Live online workshops via www.uofvas.com View my business blog at http://virtualassist.typepad.com View and subscribe to my training calendar at http://www.trumba.com/calendars/akva Thank you and have a great day! Andrea Kalli

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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Fitness for Desk Jockeys
by Kathy Ritchie

While I'm not saying that working a desk has made me "a little more" me, I do believe that we could all use some reminders on staying fit while working at our desks. Below find some great advice from ErgoInDemand.com.

Desk exercises are recommended for computer users throughout the day. When muscles remain stationary, circulation decreases, muscles tire, tasks become more uncomfortable for the computer user to perform. Incorrect computing posture habits combined with long-term stationary sitting are considered causative of medical problems known as Cumulative Trauma Disorder (CTD) or Repetitive Stress Injury (RSI). Eye disorders, known as Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS) may be avoided by performing a few simple exercises during the day. More recently, studies have reported the dangers of Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) among office workers, IT employees and even cab drivers who habitually remain sitting for too long.

Short periods of office exercises can be easily scheduled by individuals throughout the day. Micro-breaks and rest exercise breaks as well as eye breaks can be scheduled at specific interims of the day. Each type of activity is easily performed by individuals at their desk and only take a minute or two. They fit easily in-between tasks and provide long-term benefits for employee health and productivity. Individuals who are already suffering from the effects of CTD, RSI or CVS should consult with their doctor prior to taking up specific preventative-style exercises. However, experts states that an ergonomic computer desk set up and proper working posture are most essential, so that employee do not return to sitting in improper positions for long periods.

Plan desk exercises with micro breaks and rest breaks. Movement is required by our bodies, and our bodies have been constructed for movement. Over 600 major muscles control 200 bones. Stationary computing postures, and inappropriate body positioning leads to strained or weakened muscles and serious injuries. Remaining in sitting positions for long periods of time also impede blood flow. Stretching and exercising the muscles throughout the day help maintain the body's health. However, desk stretching exercises should not be painful; slow and easy is all that's required. The information contained here is by no means complete, however, it is based on widely accepted and provided scientific and medical research advice.

30 to 60 second micro-breaks can be taken every 30 minutes. It merely requires you to train yourself to change body positions. Examples you might include would be to rest and stretch your hands , stand up tall for a brief period, perform easy shoulder stretches and leg stretches. These don't take long and they don't take you away from your desk, but they do also provide your eyes a break from staring at the computer screen.

Take office exercise rest breaks after every one or two hours of stationary computer work. These one to two minute exercise breaks incorporating movement and stretching by, for example, taking a short walk while also performing some additional gentle stretches.

Resting eye breaks help prevent the symptoms of Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS). The American Optometric Association's list of CVS symptoms include: fatigue, headaches, dry eyes, tearing eyes, neck and shoulder discomfort, pain in and around the eyes, inability to maintain focus, progressive refractive changes, changes in color perception, and others. In addition to readjusting the setting of your monitor and lighting, it's also important to rest your eyes. Unlike other office exercises, computer eye exercises can be managed as a simple desk exercise: Just move your eyes off the screen and refocusing them on a distant objects for several seconds, and also, blink frequently to keep the eye surface lubricated. Our website also offers additional information about eye strain solutions.
An ergonomic perspective. Refocus your eyes off the computer screen to rest on more distant objects for 30 seconds or so every half hour. This practice is easily incorporated into your other micro break and exercise break periods.

Kathy Ritchie, Editor

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Computers 101
Q:
I saw the letters DRM in one of your tips last week, but I still have no idea what they mean. Can you please explain it a little more? Thanks!
A:
Doesn't it just drive you crazy when you come across certain terms or acronyms and you have no idea what they mean? It drives me bonkers! That's why I always do a quick search for them and I find out right away. That way, my wondering mind wonders no more! So, you want to know what DRM stands for? Well, stay with me and you're sure to find out!

DRM is short for Digital Rights Management and it mainly deals with copyright protection issues on CDs, DVDs, etc. DRM is the technology that publishers, who are the copyright owners, use to control the access of their data, including software, music, movies and some hardware. As I said before, DRM is associated with copyright protection and also technical protection measures. Both of those technologies work to secure the access of digital media and they both work in reference to the DRM design.
There are other types of DRM as well. One in particular is Enterprise Digital Rights Management (E-DRM). That type doesn't work so much with controlling digital media, but it's more on the side of corporate documents, such as Word, PDF, TIFF and AutoCAD files. E-DRM subscribers include Microsoft, Adobe and the EMC Corporation. There are some open source companies that take advantage of it as well.
The biggest thing that surrounds DRM is the controversy over it. Obviously, the music distributors and broadcasting companies object to any sort of copying music or whichever data they're working with. On the other hand, the consumers (you!) think otherwise. Some people think that if they pay their own money to buy the CDs or the DVDs, they should be able to do what they want with them.
If you try to copy any digital media, you may run into some problems, depending on the programs you use. For example, the digital media player software you use, like Windows Media Player, etc. Although copyright protection is making a bigger scene these days than in the past, it just depends on what type of media you buy to know how many problems you'll run into. There are also programs out there today that help you get past the copyright restrictions, but all of that just makes the controversy rise even higher.
DRM is mainly used in connection with the entertainment industry, but it's making its way to other media types as well. Even stores like iTunes and e-books have placed DRM restrictions on their material. It's so easy to duplicate data these days and everyone has to try and keep their information safe. I guess that's what it all comes down to.
It's one's own opinion, but take caution in what you do when working with DRM protection. Be careful not to dig yourself into a copyright hole!
~ Erin
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