If you don't already provide a newsletter to existing and prospective clients, now is as good a time as any to start thinking about it and preparing one. Perhaps you might feel you have nothing to say, or perhaps you don't feel confident in your own writing ability. But don't despair because you can get good articles from any of the article submission sites available online, such as www.goarticles.com, www.articlecity.com, www.ezinearticles.com, www.ideamarketers.com and others. The authors are … [Read more...]
Industry Forums Are Very Useful
Recently one of the ACS team asked members on our chat forum about online facilities that would allow training via the internet to take place. She had an overseas client who needed training in the database program she was using for them and she was looking for something where the client could see what she was seeing on her computer at the same time. Sound like something of the future? Not at all! It can be done today and that's what makes this industry so exciting - the possibilities … [Read more...]
Just who is the expert?
One of the ACS team sent a message yesterday about an advert she saw. This is it: · Work from home listening and typing up lectures · Paid $15 per completed transcription Transcriptionist required to listen to recorded lectures and transcribe lectures in fields of either : 1. medicine OR 2. organic chemistry OR 3.physics and mechanics of solids Lectures run for no longer than 1hour in duration Can do as many lectures per week as desired but minimum of 6 required She sent an enquiry to … [Read more...]
Guest Blogger invitation
I've been invited to be a guest blogger at The Small Business Blog by Stefan Töpfer of Winweb. Stefan and I began conversing just before Christmas 2005 and have met twice since then - once in London and then again in Melbourne a few weeks later. We both just happened to be travelling in the right area for meetings to take place in our own home cities. Winweb has a natural synergy with what Virtual Assistants can achieve for their clients online and so it is worth checking out. So is The … [Read more...]
When a VA is seeking work
I periodically get emails from new VAs who are seeking work as a VA. Most of the time they are from countries in which English is not their native language, and they offer to take on my work and do it at a much cheaper rate so that I am still getting paid by my client at my normal rate but they're doing it for me at a cheaper rate. Whilst, in theory, this might seem like a good idea to the new VA who is keen to get established, there are a number of problems with this approach: 1. Virtual … [Read more...]
Client Case Study #3
This particular client type came via one of my team members in 1997. She'd been offered a role but was unable to take it on and forwarded the details to me. I looked at the job spec and realised that this was something I would love to do and I'd been doing it already in managing a team of VAs. So I applied for the role, was interviewed (don't often get interviewed for looking after clients but in this case, was necessary) and accepted. The role? Association Management. Managing a membership … [Read more...]
Attention New VAs!
I belong to a number of VA chat forums and the common request from new VAs on all the lists, is 'how do I get started?' I encourage you to read through the archives on those forums - it will help give you a foundation to build upon and start putting you on the same level playing field as those who have already begun. There's a steep learning curve in front of you. You'll find a lot of answers at http://vadirectory.blogspot.com/2006/01/advice-for-new-vas.html and other posts on this blog. If … [Read more...]
Until Next Year
Well, OIVAC was a success and we had a lot of people in attendance - and I've heard from many who really enjoyed themselves. Congratulations to Sharon Williams and Heather Jacobson on their award wins. This was a difficult process as the Steering Committee wanted to distance themselves from the selection process (especially since many of us were also nominated) so a coaching group were engaged to assist with the process - a learning process for all as we needed to ensure they understood what … [Read more...]
OIVAC – Over until next year!
Well the first Online International Virtual Assistants Convention has finished. The booths for the Trade Expo will be open till end June I believe. The seminars, if you registered for them, are available to log into and listen to still - if you didn't get to the presentation at the time it was running. But basically it is over until next year. Mark it in your computer calendar - 3rd Friday in May is now officially International Virtual Assistants Day and hopefully we'll start seeing this … [Read more...]
