When a potential client is ready to buy what you’re selling, how are you going to make sure YOUR name pops into their head first? Marketing techniques are tricky because the moment you’re ready to promote your services is not necessarily the moment your customer is ready to buy.

A well thought out, professional newsletter sent on a consistent basis keeps you in contact with your list and keeps your company and product in front of your clients without pressuring them to purchase. At the same time, it ensures that when they are ready to buy, they’ll have quick access to your contact information.

Why newsletters work:

• You get a second chance to make a first impression.
  Now, I don’t mean that literally. After all, the first time is the first time. What I mean is that you get a second chance to introduce yourself, your business and your products. As time passes, a potential client you met at a networking breakfast who is finally in the market for your product might not remember that you sell it. Or maybe in that conversation you mentioned your teleseminar, but you didn’t get the chance to tell her about your retreats or eBooks. A newsletter gets that chance back for you.

• You can showcase your creativity and personality.
  Taking the time to design and write a professional newsletter gives you the chance to make a real impact on your potential clients. If face-to-face interaction isn’t your forte, a newsletter provides an opportunity to really shine and stand out. If you’re great at one-on-one, following up a meeting with a polished, informative newsletter is the perfect way to reinforce your message in the minds of new people on your list.

• You can reach many people at once.
  Imagine if you had to call every person you know to tell them about a new program. Or, what if you relied only on breakfast networking meetings for interacting with potential clients. That’s a LOT of time you’re spending “out there” when you could be spending time billing. Besides … think of the calories! (Really, don’t we all go to those things for the buffet?)

• Fans make better customers
  Banner ads and pay-per-click campaigns make good dents in your marketing budget, but you can’t really connect with random people who may or may not be interested in you, like you can via a newsletter. People are on your list because they want to be there. They (hopefully) look forward to what you have to say, and look to you as an expert of some sort. THOSE are the people that you want to spend your marketing dollars on. People who have invested time in you already.

Newsletters remind your potential (AND EXISTING) clients of what products and services you offer, keep them aware of new launches and make sure that when they’re finally ready to make a move, you’re within easy reach.

Things to put in your newsletter:

• Helpful Tips and Tricks
• Lists with useful information
• Links to articles
• A short personal note

Things to NOT put in your newsletter:

• Too many promotions (buy! buy! buy! = unsubscribe
• Spelling mistakes or poor grammar (this is REELLY importint, see how dumm it looks?)
• Unnecessary, super personal details (We are glad your athlete’s foot is better, but…TMI).

How often should you send out your newsletter?
There is no magic number for how often you should send your newsletter. I’d say not more than once a week, but don’t let more a month go by without making some contact with your list. If you send a lot of promotional material to your list, take that into consideration. You don’t want to bombard them with daily messages. (That’s what Twitter is for. We’ll get into that in a future post.)

The bottom line is, make your newsletter short, interesting and valuable. It’s a representation of yourself and your business; make sure it’s well written and looks professional. Most important, be consistent and get your message out there. After all, how are they going to know if you don’t tell them?

I had a conversation with a new client recently. He was hiring his first VA and was asking questions about how we worked, trying to understand the process.

“I’ve got enough in my budget to do part-time, maybe 10 hours a week. Can we schedule someone for two hours a day to start?”

He was thinking of a VA as a traditional part-time employee who has a set schedule and is paid for their hours whether there is work or not. I explained that the great thing about VAs is that there are no pre-determined timetables. “You never pay for anyone to wait around for something to do; you only pay for the time your VA works on your project.”

He went on with his questioning. “What about adding an additional person to the project? I have a lot of work coming up and I don’t want to bog anyone down. Is there an extra charge for adding another VA to my staff?”

My answer? “Nope.”


When you use a VA service, you only pay for actual “time-on-task.” Let’s say your project takes twenty hours to complete. It doesn’t matter whether that work is accomplished by one VA in twenty hours, or ten VA’s who work two hours each; you’re billed for twenty hours. Period.
 
If you haven’t used a virtual assistant before, it’s a new concept to get used to. We don’t bill in increments, or have minimums. We literally bill by the minute. You don’t pay for us to sit around and wait for emails to come in. You only pay for work done on your account. And, there’s never an extra charge for having a second (or third, or fourth) person come on board. You are simply billed for the cumulative time it takes to complete projects or tasks.

Think of it like your water bill. You’ve got faucets all over your house, right? There’s one in the kitchen, another in the bathroom sink, your tub, your shower. Anytime you want water, you turn a handle and it’s there. You’ve got constant access to water whenever you want, but you don’t have to let the faucet run all day just in case you get thirsty or need a shower. You control the flow and when your statement comes in, you’re only charged for the water you actually used. The same applies to your VA. You’re billed for our time-on-task, not for the convenience of having us available.

Of course, if you want to work within a specific timeframe or budget, we can accommodate that. For instance, if you wanted to only spend 10 hours a week on your project, we would keep track of our billable hours, and notify you once we hit a total of 8 to keep you aware of where we were in the process. Once we reached your maximum of 10 hours, we’d contact you and wait for approval before continuing with more work. The process and overall budget are totally up to you!

“Time-on-task” billing for VA’s works so well for business owners because we’ll accommodate you no matter what your workload is. It’s natural for businesses to ebb and flow. Some days there is a lot going on, and at other times the workload decreases. Regardless of how much or how little work you have, your team of VA’s is available when you need them.

One email or phone call can open up your VA faucet and when you’re ready, another one can turn it off. You can set parameters ahead of time or simply have us work until the project’s finished. It’s all up to you!

Aren’t you amazed when you meet people who aren’t on Facebook? You squeal at them, “You’re not on Facebook?!” You shake your head and wonder whether they might be Amish. At the very least, you’re sure they’re still using a VCR.

These days, not having a Facebook profile is like not having a telephone. Imagine – not being able to track your third grade boyfriend’s progress on his virtual farm. Ridiculous.

Ok, so maybe we’re a little obsessed with FB, but we’re not the only ones. And it’s not all just Bejeweled Blitz and status updates we’re interested in. Facebook is filled with ads and invitations and marketing opportunities that have the potential to reach over 350 million active users with 50% of them logging on everyday. One of the most popular ways is by using a Fan Page. It’s a super simple, fill-in-the-blanks process that you can have up and running in less than thirty minutes. (Of course, you’d want to spend a little more time than that ) And. IT’S FREE!

Now, as if that’s not enough, here are some more reasons you should be taking advantage of Facebook Fan Pages:

1. Fan Pages are automatically indexed in Google. Not only will you have access to Facebook users, but you’ll be listed in the world’s most popular search engine – in most cases you’ll be on the first page!
2. There’s no limit to the number of Fan Pages you can create. Make a Fan Page for every business you have, every product you sell, and every event you want to promote. The possibilities, as they say, are endless!
3. Easily share messages with your entire fan base. Update your status using photos, videos, links or as an invitation that will be listed on every fan’s Facebook calendar.

Upload photos, advertise business hours and location, take advantage of the free message board … it’s pretty amazing. Plus, whenever your fans are active on your Fan Page, their actions will be noted on their personal News Feed, which in turn reaches all of their friends! The potential for growing your customer base is unbelievable. FOR FREE!

The Facebook Fan Page, just face it, you really can’t go wrong.

By Team Member: Dawn Pigoni, Go2Girls Social Media Support

Lately there has been a lot of talk, both in the professional organization I belong to, and among entrepreneurs looking to hire their first (or second, or third) virtual assistant, about overseas companies who tout VAs for only $3 an hour. My colleagues are expressing true concern about staying competitive and marketing themselves in light of such bargain basement rates.

Allow me to address their concerns with some (admittedly sarcastic) comments and questions of my own.

“Why would anyone pay $45 an hour for my service when they could get it for so much less?”

Why would you pay for a pricey filet mignon dinner when you could have a hotdog for a fraction of the price? Same thing, right? I mean you get full, both meals are beef … ish. (They say hotdogs are beef, but really, who knows?) A meal’s a meal. Riiiight?

And for the restaurant serving that pricey filet mignon: why would you spend all that time selecting the proper cut of steak and seasoning it and charring it just right and plating it in that fancy way when you could just drop a log of meat in some boiling water? Hmmmm?

Are you picking up what I’m putting down?

“But, they all have MBAs!”

Sure, that’s what their advertising says. So what? Have you checked your junk folder lately? If I wanted, I could have fifteen masters degrees by next week (and a year’s supply of Viagra). Ask where these degrees come from – I guarantee it’s not Cornell.

“How can I possibly compete with rates like those?”

If you think that the $3 VA is your competition, I strongly encourage you to:
1. Gather your marketing materials.
2. Set them aflame.
3. Start over.

Seriously, stop marketing your business on price. You don’t want to be the “best deal.” You want to offer the “best value.” When you are producing results for your clients, cost is not their concern; quality is. (Okay, they care about money, but they aren’t focused on that point alone). You don’t want to be a bargain. You want to provide excellent work at a mutually beneficial rate for you and your clients. Right? Right.

When your clients give you referrals do you want them saying, “She’s so cheap!”
Or would you rather they say something like, “She’s efficient, organized and returns amazing results!” And, “She took my project, finished it on time, on budget and gave me marketing ideas that turned a profit in record time!”

Listen. Overseas VA superstores are not your real competition. There will always be someone who is cheaper than you. Don’t let that be your focus. Charge what you know you are worth. Set your rates at a competitive level and provide room for growth for you and your company. Then, let it lie.

When it comes to marketing your company, promote yourself based on merit and quality of work. Prove to your clients that you DO get what you pay for. If someone can’t afford you, be okay with that. Besides, do you really want to work with clients who are satisfied with $.99 store work? Wouldn’t you rather have clients who understand and appreciate what you and your team bring to every project that comes across your desks? Exactly. Leave your time and talent free for clients who are looking for the results you’re providing.

I promise, they’re out there.

How many of you sit and procrastinate and procrastinate and procrastinate and … you get what I mean. Or think that you can’t get things done because you don’t move forward with a purpose? Why waste time checking emails if you are just going to leave them in your inbox to check again later? Take action people!

Not sure how to get started? Here are some tips:

Clear The Clutter
Seriously, how long has it been since you’ve seen the surface of your desk? How do you expect to get anything accomplished when it takes five minutes to find a pen? Clean up your mess and find your focus! Your workspace should be just that – a space for work. It’s not a dumping ground and, as cute as your Kid Robot figurines are, it is not a museum. Life provides plenty of distractions; you don’t need your desk to be another one.

Tackle It or Toss It
Each time you go to your email inbox, decide that you are not going to leave it until you have addressed every message. Yes, EVERY message. Thanks to subject lines, spam is easily detected with a quick scan of your inbox. Scroll through your messages, highlight the spam, hit delete. Boom – anywhere from a quarter to two-thirds of your messages … gone.

Then there are messages with subject lines like “25% off entire site!” that come from your favorite online stores. Do you really need temptation like this in your work inbox? No. You don’t. Take a little extra time and find the unsubscribe link in the message, or create a rule to send it to another folder to read it later. Most legit companies offer easy access to account settings and you can remove yourself from their mailing lists in a number of mouse clicks.

Once you’re down to your “real” emails, open each of them purposefully. Then complete the action, or file it. It’s that simple.

Organize And Prioritize
Speaking of filing … you absolutely must (You must!) have a system for organizing your information. A file full of photos named img009, img010, img011, img012, ad infinitum, is not helpful to anyone. However, if you have a photo named, “Jim Smith Headshot” in the Jim Smith Photos sub-file that is found in the Jim Smith client folder … well, do I have to say more? Having a clear filing system – and ADHERING TO IT – is imperative. Workers all over the world who don’t take the extra sixteen seconds to accurately title and file their work documents waste countless hours searching for information that should be at their fingertips. Don’t let it happen to you.

Once you’re well organized and ready to work … where do you start? Well, that depends. It depends on deadlines, the complexity of the assignment, the agreements you’ve made with your clients. Take a look at the entire scope of what’s ahead of you, make a priority list and follow it methodically. Of course, you may have to make adjustments from time to time, but knowing what you have to do and when you have to do it, lessens your stress and ups your productivity. Who doesn’t love that?

It’s true there isn’t enough time in the day to get EVERYTHING done (Ahem, that’s why Virtual Assistants exist, ahem.), but there are ways to be more productive in each task you attack.

Go get ‘em, tiger!

Last week, I went to the Costa Mesa Chamber of Commerce networking breakfast. The meeting was great! People were friendly, and actually quite interesting. I met some cool business people – mobile computer services , a health insurance guy, a wild animal photographer , and this other woman. I remember that I liked her and thought we might have potential for working together. She did something … interesting. But I can’t remember what. Know why? SHE DIDN’T BRING HER BUSINESS CARDS. Ok, seriously? It’s a NETWORKING event. Even if you don’t brush your teeth that morning, at the bare minimum you should bring your business cards. (Though, you should totally brush your teeth.)
 
What’s the purpose of attending a networking event if you’re not going to network? The point of these meetings isn’t having breakfast. The point is to make connections. Whether the event is centered on meeting other people in your industry or to recruit new clientele, if you’re taking the time out of your certainly busy day, you should make the most of it. The event organizers put a lot of time and effort into creating the right atmosphere, the right guest list, and the right programming to facilitate networking. So, follow their lead and do your own prep-work to take full advantage of the prospects they’ve laid out for you.

1. Define Your Goals
Are you looking to make a sale? Meet like-minded people? Knowing why you want to attend a networking event will dictate how to prepare.

2. Gather Your Materials
Now that you know why you’re going, figure out what you’ll need while you’re there. As I mentioned, business cards are a must. In addition you should take a notebook and pen (one that works) for taking notes. Make sure your calendar is up-to-date and have access to it so you can make appointments on the spot. If your calendar is on your Blackberry, make sure it’s fully charged.

3. Prepare Your Presentation
You may not be an official speaker at the event, but you are responsible for a presentation. Each person you meet will be a chance to make a lasting impression on a potential client or associate. Make a mental list of key points you want to make about your business.

4. Dress Appropriately
This should be a no-brainer, but it’s worth mentioning. Make sure your attire is professional, no matter what the invitation requests. Not all networking meetings require a suit, but “dress casually,” should never mean, “wear cut-offs and flip-flops.”

5. Follow Up
Great interactions and piles of business cards are worthless if you don’t continue the conversation. Follow up with the contacts you make and try to make appointments within the first week after the event.

It’s really simple. Networking events are for networking. Showing up unprepared, like our friend without business cards, is no different than skipping the event altogether. Take the time to prepare so that you get the most out of your networking meeting. Order extra business cards and organize your calendar before you go. Be engaging and purposeful during the meeting and pursue your leads once the meeting is over.

You say you’re having a hard enough time finding space in your schedule for the meeting, much less accomplishing the preparation and follow up necessary? Hmm … maybe you could use a VA.

When we think of outsourcing our administrative tasks, what first comes to mind are the basic, day-to-day things, like travel arrangements, events planning, calendar management, transcription and word processing. But the truth is, if we are to run a tight ship – a productive ship- we need to outsource much more than the obvious. Doing so literally frees not just you, but your entire team. It allows everyone to focus on what they’re productive roles in your business are supposed to be – and it gets everyone pointed in the same direction, the bottom line.

So how do you rethink outsourcing? First, ask your immediate staff to list two things: 1) Tasks they hate doing, and 2) Functions that take up more than five hours of their work week.

Let’s talk about #1. We all hope that our careers will be challenging and dynamic – tasks that we loathe are not only annoying, they are distracting. Removing those from an employee’s plate will reinvigorate them and show that you value their creativity and input. Delegating tasks will payback you and your company exponentially in added value.

Okay, #2 is trickier. A lot of our five-hour (or more) functions are project oriented, and thus, don’t feel like things we can outsource. But think about it. How much time do you (and you salaried staff) spend researching or preparing reports. Handing those tasks over to an hourly team of skilled professionals is one of the best business decisions you can make. Remember, these tasks are exactly a VA’s strong suit. Virtual Professionals often have administrative backgrounds, which means they are fast, efficient, detail oriented and highly responsive to deadlines. More importantly, these professionals had the chutzpah to leave their safety net and start their own companies. So they are savvy business owners who understand your professional needs and goals. (And of course, there’s always the added benefit of – well, no benefits! No sick time, no down time, no free lunch.)

#3. (You didn’t know there was a number three, did you?) Well there is. One of the most important things to consider delegating to a great VA team is the writing. Believe me, this is huge; the writing is everywhere. It’s inside your company, outside your company, online, etc., etc., etc. Here are just a few areas where a great writer can be hugely effective:

• Revamping your website verbiage to make sure that EVERY WORD has added value
• Writing (and distributing) your blog and ezine
• Renovating your online profiles (or creating them to build your web presence)
• Creating dynamic and engaging PowerPoint presentations
• Writing and printing your marketing materials
• Press releases
• Corporate newsletters
• Writing your speeches and developing teleseminars
• Day-to-day correspondence

The bottom line is that what you say and how you say it matters. It is either an invitation or it isn’t. Handing your message to an expert writer to translate to the page is freeing, and it is smart. A great writer not only gets your message, but also captures your voice and style. They also provide a level of objectivity that you simply cannot have toward your own work. (So one question worth asking when you hire someone, is, “Do you have someone else proofread your work for content and grammar.”)

Remember, a VA is much more than a secretary. Your VA is a one-stop-shop, per-diem, hourly, partner in your success.

According to Wikipedia, “The telephone is one of the most common household appliances in the developed world and has long been considered indispensable to business, industry and government.” So why is it that so many of us hate it so much? The phone is a wonderful invention that has kept families in touch, averted disasters and spawned many a puppy-love affair over the years. It has also become a weapon of torture thanks to the telemarketing industry. In business, phone conversations are a necessary evil that, while potentially bringing in new work, keeps you from doing the work you have already procured.

Well, have we got great news for you! Were you aware that there are VA’s who have centered their entire workday around making phone calls for you? No longer do you need to spend hours connecting with people on the phone in order to arrange to connect with them in person. Your VA can do that for you … and so much more. Here are some examples:

· Do you have a stack of business cards from your recent networking breakfast or tradeshow that you have been meaning to wade through? Hand them off to a VA. Your VA can pre-screen potential clients, set up appointments and weed out the ones who aren’t quite right for you and your business. You can stay focused on the bird in your hand while your VA wrangles in the ones in the bush.

· “No, thanks. I do not need to order toner.” “I am sorry, we have already distributed our charitable donations for this year.” “No, we don’t have time for a customer survey right now.” “Really. We’re completely stocked with toner.” For every one true business call you receive, you get four other calls that do nothing other than waste your precious time. A receptionist service can help you avoid telemarketers while not missing out on actual clients’ calls. Have your VA answer inbound calls, take messages, transfer the good ones directly to your line, and reiterate, as many times as necessary, “Seriously, we have plenty of toner.”

· Potential clients are very important, but what about those existing clients of yours? And remember those previous clients? Where did they go? Have a VA call them all. Schedule appointments, set up sales meetings, arrange business lunches … all without actually picking up the phone. Perhaps you are teaching a course and need to make sure the attendees are prepared with their materials. Maybe you have organized a tradeshow and need to confirm with the participants. Let your VA take over these essential yet time-consuming tasks while you concentrate on the big picture.

The talent for multi-tasking is vital in today’s business world. Maintaining current clients, cultivating potential clients, and screening those pesky toner salespeople are tasks that need your constant attention. Thanks to VA’s, you no longer have to do it alone.

So, the fire department just declared your desk a fire hazard because of that shoebox full of tiny slips of paper you keep on it, eh? What’s up with that? Are you making confetti for New Year’s? Do you have some elaborate papier-mâché design you’re working on? Wait. They’re your business receipts?

Oh.

Sure, it’s a nice box – one with a fold over lid sturdy and enough for snow-boots – but is that really the best solution? Perhaps you’ve attempted to keep your receipts organized but found that the most overwhelming number of receipts is in the file, “Miscellaneous.” With all the work you have to do, who has time for bookkeeping anyway? Fear not, there are Virtual Assistants who specialize in accounting and they’re standing by to help you with all of that … stuff.

Stop worrying about tax laws, QuickBooks and … eew … math. Give that shoebox to a professional and watch the magic! Your accounting VA will enter your receipts, keep track of your income and spending habits and keep your finances in line. (Of course, if you hand over the literal shoebox, we suggest you attach a Starbucks gift card to the top.) Also, a savvy bookkeeper can help you analyze your business costs. Where are you spending too much? Where can you save money? Where should you spend more? (Perhaps bookkeeping?)

Here are some tips for using your accounting VA efficiently and for turning all of those pieces of paper into a nice, organized set of books you can call your own.

1. Decide what kind of help you need. Do you want someone to take complete financial responsibility or just maintain your general ledger? The more specific and focused your request, the more efficient and cost effective your relationship with your new accounting VA.

2. Ask your VA how to help them help you. For example, if you can pre-organize your books a little before sending over the bulk, it will expedite their transfer into the accounting program. You’ll save yourself some money and save your VA a lot of stress (and billable hours).

3. Stay on top of things! Remember how that shoebox started as a manageable handful of receipts? Look at it now … packed full with a notice from the Fire Department taped to the top. Remit receipts and other paperwork to your VA on a regular basis. You’re finally organized – keep it that way!

4. Step up your system. We’ve discussed your shoebox, now let’s talk about that scanner underneath it. Yes, scanning in your receipts and paper invoices is time-consuming, but this is the electronic age and, apologies to the USPS, snail mail is SO last century. Take the time to turn those slips of paper into electronic files. Once you’ve gotten through the initial pile, maintenance will be a snap.

5. Before signing a contract with a new VA, take the time to decide exactly what your expectations are. From simply submitting monthly Profit & Loss reports to maintaining payroll and managing business expenses; figure out what system and level of involvement works best for you. The possibilities are endless … just ask!

It’s 4:30 Friday afternoon and you’re at your desk. You’re having a conversation with a potential client and they’ve just told you they love your ideas for their new project! In fact, they’re so excited they want you to present them to their board members at their next conference … on Monday … in Scottsdale. (You live in Miami.) They also need you to make your own travel arrangements. “Can you invoice us? It’s so last minute … you understand.”

Sure, you understand. You understand that you don’t have unlimited funds to front for a last-minute ticket to Scottsdale but you absolutely have to be at that conference and in your most confident tone you reply, “Not a problem! See you in Arizona.” Now you’ve got two days to do laundry, pack, re-arrange next week’s meetings, buy a plane ticket, clean out the fridge (You won’t let that happen again.), prepare a showstopper PowerPoint presentation, update your contract and … shoot! What about the dog?

Don’t panic! Delegate! Let’s take a look at your challenges one by one and see how a Virtual Assistant can help you meet each of them.

Challenge 1: Getting to Scottsdale
Last minute fares at low prices are rare, but they’re out there. You need a cheap ticket but you don’t have the time to search. A VA does. A VA will search the Internet for the best possible rates on flights between Miami and Phoenix (there’s no airport in Scottsdale) and they’ll arrange ground transportation to your hotel upon your arrival.

Challenge 2: Finding the right hotel
You want a nice room with a comfy bed. A place that’s close to your client’s office and that has options for dining. Give a VA all of your requests and let them find the spot that’s right for you, and your budget.

Challenge 3: Re-arranging your schedule
A VA can move your appointments around and re-schedule meetings for you. They can notify your clients that you’ll be out of town and give them any necessary contact information. You can even have your VA ask your best friend for a rain check for brunch.

Challenge 4: Revitalizing your PowerPoint presentation
Do people check their Blackberry’s during your PowerPoint slideshow? Are you really using clipart to get your point across? Do you know how many PowerPoint presentations the average businessperson has to sit through? Make yours stand out! Have a VA spice yours up so that the audience’s attention is on your presentation, not on their iPhones. Seriously … clipart? That’s like using MSWord to create your contract.

Challenge 5: Updating your contract
Don’t tell us you used MSWord to create your contract. Does it look like you just learned the program yesterday? And are you REALLY using MSWord to distribute business documents? Have a VA convert your files into professional looking document by incorporating your logo and branding. It will bring your business to a whole different level.

There you go. Five challenges presented, five challenges met. Oh … what about the dog? Don’t worry. The hotel your VA found accepts pets and a dog walker has already been arranged.

Now, don’t you have some laundry to do?