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Open Doors by Catering to Your Clients
By Janice D. Byer, CCVA, MVA, Docu-Type Administrative & Web Design Services

For many entrepreneurs, our clients are not only our source of income, some are also our friends. We appreciate them for far more than how much work we do for them. We should show our appreciation throughout the year to these valued people but especially during the holiday season.

Yup… it's that time of year… time to think about how to best display your thanks to your valued clients and contacts for being a part of your business and its success. Not all entrepreneurs can afford big gifts, especially in the start-up phase.

There are certain things that you can give to your clients that you could make yourself. Not only can this be a way of showing your appreciation, it is also a way to give your personal touch to the gift. And when you add that personal touch, your clients will be reassured of your exceptional customer service, thoughtfulness, and why you are, or soon will be, successful!

When you provide personal gifts you also gain a sense of fulfillment. It is very heart-warming to know the appreciation that will be felt by your clients for your special efforts.

The following are just a few ideas of homemade gifts that are both economical and personal:

Coasters - You know all those CDs you get in the mail, newspapers and magazine? Hang onto them and create coasters from them. You can get CD labels at office supply stores on which you can print a design, picture, or info about your business; foam or cork backing at craft supply stores; and lacquer finish (that will withstand heat) at home repair or paint stores.

Bookmarks - Pick up some coverstock paper at your local business supply store and design a bookmark. You can print a full sheet of them on the coverstock. You will then have to cut them or you may be able to get perforated cards in the shape of bookmarks. Again, anything can be put on here, including just lines with the heading "Notes From This Book". For an added touch, buy some tassels and punch a hole in the top of the cards to put the tassel in to.

Calendars - Everyone needs calendars, especially busy entrepreneurs. The following are just a couple of relatively easy calendars that you can create and they make the perfect gift.

Pocket Calendars - You don't need a laminating machine to whip together a few business card calendars, perfect for carrying in a wallet. Most business supply stores carry self-laminating sheets. You simply put together a small calendar with your desktop publishing software, cut them the size of your business card and glue them on the back, arrange them on the laminating sheets and cut them to size.

Wall Calendars - Again, your desktop publishing software can be used to design each month and print them on separate sheets of paper. As an added touch, allow room to list inspirational sayings, put in a word search puzzle, or a light comic strip (being careful not to go against any copyrights). Then put each month into a sheet protector remembering to set them up like a normal wall, flip calendar. Slide a binder clip over the top ends and punch a whole in the center of the other end and your calendar is ready to be hung up. And don't forget to send a dry erase marker so your client can write down their appointments.

Magnetic Calendars - You have a couple of choices here. You can put your business card or enlightening phrases on a magnetic sheet and attach them to a tear-off calendar. Or, you can use pre-cut business card size magnetic sheets to make a card holder, note page holder, or small calendar. Actually, with the larger magnetic sheets, you can let your imagination run wild.

Gift Certificates - Design a gift certificate to provide your clients with one of the services you have to offer. If your client generally has web design services from you, offer them one of your administrative services so they can see the variety of help that you can provide them. Or, how about offering your client free ad space in your newsletter or a banner ad on your website. One thing to remember is to put different time frames on each certificate. The last thing you need is to have everyone redeem his or her gift certificates at the same time.

Key Chains - Here's where your self-laminating skills will come in handy again. Design small key chain cards, putting you company information on one side. On the other side, put your client's information; a scenic picture; calendar; or marketing tips. You can include just about anything that would appeal to your clients. You will have to pick up some key rings (be sure to check yard sales, dollar stores, and craft supply stores) and then simply laminate the cards, punch a hole in one end and slip the key ring in that whole. Here's a tip… be sure to cut the laminate sheet far enough around the card so that water will not get in. You may even want to punch the whole in the card first and then punch a smaller whole in the laminate so there is some sealing there.

Another idea, if your budget will allow, check with your local dollar store or craft supply store to see if they have key chains that will allow you to insert your own message. Less work but could be more costly.

You get the idea. Let your imagination create something both personal and professional. Each of these ideas will take time to do so be sure to start in plenty of time to create them and then send them to your clients. One thing about these ideas is that your budget will thank you. Take a look around your office right now…. What can you use to make a special gift?

Janice Byer, owner of Docu-Type Administrative & Web Design Services provides professional, creative and affordable virtual office assistance and small business website design. She is a Certified Canadian Virtual Assistant (CCVA), certified Master Virtual Assistant (MVA) and co-founder of the Canadian Virtual Assistant Connection (www.cvac.ca). She is also the author of Surfin' The Net - Docu-Type's Virtual Collection of Links, as well a number of Business Building Ebooks. Visit her website (http://www.docutype.net) for more information.

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Simplify, Simplify, Simplify: The Art of Organizing Your Computer Part 1
By Clara Fyffe

Last month we talked some about organizing your computer files in general. This time I'm going to just try to show you a little better way to organize your "My Documents" folder - so that it doesn't burst at the seams as mine previously did. But, even though my computer is fairly organized now and I can find any document I want, my office is still inundated with paper: receipts, letters, business cards - just paper, paper, paper! I'm going to tell you about a fairly new product for organizing your computer files to get rid of the paper clutter. Really! I'm gonna get one! More on that in a bit.

First, let's get back to the "My Documents" folder for a few minutes. I know that many computer users get in a hurry and then slide into the habit of saving files onto the Desktop, rather than in an appropriate file. Just like an actual desktop, the computer's Desktop can be quite a catchall as well, and clearing it during your organization will make things much easier for you. You fully intend to move it after while, but more often than not, the "I'll move it" times don't come 'til a week or so later. It's important to move the files off your Desktop and into their appropriate folders. At the end of each day, take a few moments to cleared off the Desktop.

As you all know, the "My Documents" folder comes with quite a few subfolders, such as "My Pictures," "My Video," "My Downloads," "My Music," etc. Rather than popping all your pictures into the "My Pictures" folder, create additional folder categories for them. For example, using the "My Pictures" folder, I create subfolders of "Rusty's Family," "Jeremiah's Family," "Indianapolis Trip," "Genealogy," "PowerPoint templates," etc, so that the pictures are easy to find.

To make it even easier, I include subfolders within subfolders. For example, under "Jeremiah's Family," I have folders titled "Elijah," "Titus," and "Solomon" so that I can find individual photos of the boys more easily. Even my "My Music" folder has subfolders, such as "Country," "Folk Music," "Light Jazz," "Classical," and so forth.

I think it's a good idea to file in this way to save time and frustration when hunting for a specific file. I "subfolder to subfolder to subfolder" with all my documents. It's just a quick and easy way to locate anything.

Now, for the fantastic product invented to create "paperless offices" for all of us - the
NeatReceipts scanner - they refer to it as a Scanalizer. This is a remarkable machine that is catching on quickly with computer users who want an easier and accurate way to manage receipts and other documents.

It only measures a small 10.8"x1.6"x1.3" and weighs only 10.6 ounces. It scans any document from 1"x1" to 8.5"x14". This machine is USB compatible, and the resolution of 600 dpi! You can take it with you wherever you go, too. Its size allows you to pop it into your briefcase for travel. It doesn't even need an electrical plug-in, running on the USB connection alone.

NeatReceipt uses advanced Optical Character Recognition, allowing for clear and precise scans. The scanner allows you to manage just about every single piece of paper in your office. It "reads" the scanned image and recognizes the different parts of the receipt or whatever doc you've scanned. Everything from your mortgage bill to your tax receipts, all the forms and other paperwork you have in your business - everything can be scanned into digital format. It automatically reads data from receipts and business cards and puts it into spreadsheet format for you.

With business cards, the person's name, title, address and company information is captured and syncs directly with Outlook, Plaxo and vCard. The scanner looks on receipts for the date, the total, the vendor name, whether you used your credit card or cash, and places the information in an easy-to-read spreadsheet. The info in the program can be exported to most all Windows applications, such as Quicken, QuickBooks, Excel, MS Money, Word, and more.

One of the best benefits for NeatReceipt is that this is the one and only machine from which the IRS will accept the digital forms of receipts and any other paperwork scanned in. They will no longer require that you save your paper receipts and documents. Saving tons of paperwork makes this machine well worth its price.
For all it does, NeatReceipt has a fairly good price: $229.95. You may choose to also purchase the carrying case for the unit and its USB cord for only $19.95. Read more about this cool machine by going to www.neatreceipts.com. I think this is a terrific product and having seen reviews and demonstrations, I'm definitely going to get one.

Clara Fyffe

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Outlook Productivity Tips: Sharing Outlook Items
by Andrea Kalli

For those of you using Outlook for contact management, here's a tip that will help you keep track of actual bulk mailings to your clients. You know, like when you send Thank You cards to those that attended your recent event, or mailing out the latest catalog to the Board of Directors. By utilizing Tasks and Categories, this is easily accomplished. At this point, I'm going to assume you are giving Categories to your contacts as keywords. First, always start in your Contacts folder, then change the view to By Category. Once you locate and select all the contacts given a specific category, use the Actions menu and select New Task for Contact. This new task is now linked to each of the contacts you selected in this category. Fill in the information about what you did or need to do, attach any files you like, update the Status field appropriately, click Save and Close. To verify the information is now available and visible in the contact records simply open up a couple of them and view the Activities tab. You'll see the same task and its status on each and every one of them. See the video for a step-by-step on the process.

#2
Think about adding your vCard to your AutoSignature. It provides a universal business card that is not application specific. So when the recipient receives your email they can quickly add you as a contact to their own address book, no matter what kind they use. Start by creating a new contact record in your Contacts folder for your business. Provide all the needed information you would normally have on a business card. Then create a new Signature for your emails, add the vCard to it, and voila! You are ready to hand out your electronic business card to every person you email.

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

Ethically Speaking

Recently, I heard a couple disturbing stories. In the first story, a virtual assistant charged their client for their learning curve (the client was training them on something the VA said he/she could already do, or on something that was new to the VA).

Its always been a position of mine that if the training will benefit me and my other clients, I don't charge full fee for my learning curve. I don't feel its fair. I use the same concept when I must purchase software for use with a client. If I'll use that software with other clients - its unethical for me to consider asking the one client to reimburse me for the entire cost.

I also heard about another virtual assistant charging the client for 'chat' time. After their business talk time was concluded, the conversation moved to chatting, and the virtual assistant charged the client for the entire time.

In my opinion, this is tantamount to calling your mom and charging her to talk to you-its just not right! I can completely understand charging for the business talk time but NEVER the chat time!

Just my .02

Happy Chatting!
Kathy Ritchie

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