DECEMBER 22, 2008
ISSN 1947-105X | Vol. 2, No. 51

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In This Issue:

• From the Editor
• Feature Article: 8 No-Cost Gifts that Will Truly Mean a Lot
• VACOC News: VACOC Angel Network Raises Over $520 for a Member in Need
• Next Free Teleseminar on January 15, 2009
• Marketplace
• Find a Qualified Virtual Assistant Today
• About the VACOC

From the Editor

Time, attention, caring, giving of yourself... these are some of the very best gifts you can share that don't cost a dime. This year, instead of wasting paper or buying meaningless "things" that may end up being regifted or thrown away, why not give something from the heart that can truly be of value and make a difference in the lives of those business associates and providers you care about? Christine Wade is here this week with some most excellent, creative ideas.

Regardless of your faith, on behalf of all of us at the VACOC, I want to wish you and yours a magical holiday season!

Be fierce!

Danielle Keister
Founder & CVO Virtual Assistance Chamber of Commerce

8 No-Cost Gifts that Will Truly Mean a Lot

Is there someone out there in the business world that you truly appreciate, but don't want to send a costly gift which they might never use? Why not give them something that will be out there on the Internet for all time; a gift that keeps on giving: word of mouth! And don't let them find out about your good deed accidentally. Send them a holiday-themed email and let them know. Following are eight no-cost gift ideas that will truly mean a lot to the business colleagues, vendors, associates and clients in your life:

1. Endorsements. Many social networks, like LinkedIn, have an endorsement feature. This is like a testimonial... basically it's like telling the world that you've worked with that person and would recommend him or her. Anytime you can do this for a service provider, it is something that is really appreciated.
   
   
2. Testimonials. Write a nice testimonial that speaks to your service provider's potential clients. What do you want them to know about that provider? What do they excel at? Would you consider hiring them all over again? Provide your glowing review and give your service provider explicit permission to use this testimonial in whatever manner they see fit: print, website, newsletter, etc.
   
   
3. Backlinks. Create a link on your website called "Preferred Service Providers" or something similar and write a nice summary of their services and link to their website.
   
   
4. Rankings and Reviews. Many trade organizations that service providers belong to have a ranking or review system tied to their member profiles. You can go in and rank them from 1 - 10, give them so many gold stars, write a nice review, etc. This is always appreciated!
   
   
5. Referrals. Find out exactly what referrals they prefer and then send potential clients to them. You love quality referrals... so do your associates and providers! Be sure to let them know whenever you send someone their way.
   
   
6. Give an Award. Create your own award on nice paper that says whatever sentiment you deem appropriate and mail it to your intended recipient. Here's an example: Print out an award certificate from your computer, with a goat on it that say "Greatest of All Time" on it (get it, G.O.A.T?). There are tons of templates online or in your Microsoft programs for such things. Your "award winner" can scan the award into their own computer so that they can use it on their website, etc.
   
   
7. Record a Testimonial. Go to Audio Acrobat or other online recording type service that does podcasts and record an audio (or video, if you prefer) testimonial of their services. Send it to them and they are sure to be thrilled!
   
   
8. Blog About Them! (With a link to their site, of course!) I know that when you find a great service provider out there, you tend to want to keep them all to yourself... but is that really fair? Tell them, and the whole world, how great they are and how much you appreciate them and the service that they provide to you. Be specific. How have they saved you time, money and energy? Saving you frustration is sometimes priceless as well. Honor your service providers by telling others about them so that they can continue to stay in business and provide you with the services that you have come to rely on and enjoy! Happy Holidays!

RESOURCE: If these no-cost ideas aren't what you're looking for, here is a very informative article from HRMreport.com that discusses the tricky etiquette of business gift-giving.

About the Author: Christine Wade, a self-professed, self-taught computer geek turned Virtual Assistant (specializing in the Real Estate support industry), had over 12 years experience in the corporate world in administrative positions (ranging from general to executive assistance, as well as management) before she decided to venture out on her own in March of 2000 and opened her virtual doors. Stop by her website and see what her clients have to say about her services, learn why she gets so many word of mouth referrals for her company and perhaps even decide to experience it for yourself!

VACOC News: VACOC Angel Network Raises Over $520

In November, a popular member of the VACOC was facing dire financial circumstances, well beyond life's normal trials and tribulations. The really terrible thing was that she had been working hard at learning and building her business and was on the verge of getting on her feet in her business when disaster struck. Without power, Internet and phone service, she was completely dead in the water as far as getting and working with clients.

Enter the VACOC Angel Nework, a charitable arm of the VACOC set up to help members facing extreme, extenuating difficulties without a lot of bureacracy. Once it was determined this member needed help, the VACOC Angel Network mobilized quickly and raised over $520 in less than one week. The member got her services restored, and her business was literally saved by the loving hearts and kindness of her fellow members.

VACOC Holidays Food Drive Challenge

Community food banks around the country are in dire need. With rising food prices and companies continuing to lay employees off in the declining economy, many local agencies are reporting a nearly 50% increase in demand from families needing assistance. Many of these agencies have bare pantry shelves or are otherwise not prepared to assist what many expect to be record numbers this year.

Enter the Virtual Assistant community! In view of the rising need and coming holidays, the Virtual Assistance Chamber of Commerce is issuing a challenge to Virtual Assistants worldwide to mobilize as an industry to do what they do best—helping others—by donating a minimum of $10 or more to their local food banks and charitable organizations this holiday season.

We'd love to hear how you've helped those in less fortunate circumstances. Share your stories and ideas on our VACOC Facebook Discussion Board...

Join the VACOC Kiva Lending Team

Wanna add "philanthropist" to your list of titles? Then join the VACOC Kiva Lending Team!

Kiva is the world's first person-to-person micro-lending website, empowering individuals to lend directly to unique entrepreneurs in the developing world. It's free to join and you can make a loan at any time to help a fellow entrepreneur out anywhere in the world. It's good karma and you are repaid 100% in full when the load is paid off.

You can lend as little as $25 to a specific low-income entrepreneur in the developing world (hey, $25 is a WHOLE LOTTA MONEY in those areas). You choose who to lend to—whether that's a baker in Afghanistan, a goat herder in Uganda, a farmer in Peru, a restaurateur in Cambodia, or a tailor in Iraq—and as they repay the loan, you get your money back. We love it because it's a hand-up, not a hand-out.

If you join the VACOC lending team of Virtual Assistants, you'll be joining forces with one of the most respected Virtual Assistant associations out there and working with us to alleviate poverty. Once you're a part of the team, you can choose to have a future loan on Kiva "count" towards our team's impact. The loan is still yours, and repayments still come to you, but you can also choose to have the loan show up in our team's collective portfolio, so the team's overall impact will grow.

Anyone is welcome to join our team. I hope you'll join! To sign up (it takes like one minute!), visit: http://www.kiva.org/community/viewTeam?team_id=2197

The Results Are In!

The 2008 Virtual Assistant Industry Survey went fabulously and the results are fascinating. I want to thank all the participants for their efforts in promoting it and making it the best yet! All Virtual Assistants who participated in the survey and signed up to the mailing list at the end get a free copy of the survey.

If you are a Virtual Assistant and didn't participate this year, we really encourage you to take part in the next survey. You will be contributing to the effort that is helping the industry grow AND you'll get a copy of the full survey results report once the survey period is over. Only those who participate get the full survey report at no charge.

In the meantime, we offer an abridged version of the survey (about half) which gives some of the basic statistical data. Feel free to "take one down and pass it around." You may also publish the results contained in the survey highlights report as long as attribution is given to the VACOC.

Next FREE Teleseminar: January 15, 2009

Are you determined to make 2009 your best year yet? Then join us for the next VACOC Guest Expert Teleseminar on Thursday, January 15, 2009, with Passion into Profit mentor Cari Vollmer as she shares her world-famous vision boarding process and how to create a vision board that will keep you powerfully aligned with your dreams and goals.

RESERVE YOUR SPOT TODAY >>

- M A R K E T P L A C E -

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TIRED OF WADING through the thousands of Virtual Assistant sites on the Internet? Would you like qualified, competent and reputable Virtual Assistants to come to you instead? Simply submit your Request for Partnership at the VACOC RFP Center.

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Find a Qualified Virtual Assistant Today!

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ABOUT THE VACOC: Founded by industry veteran Danielle Keister in 2006, the Virtual Assistance Chamber of Commerce™ is a professional association committed to empowering business-minded Virtual Assistants grow smarter, more successful practices, and providing business owners with free tools and resources to connect with reputable, qualified Virtual Assistant professionals.

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Disclaimer: Neither Danielle Keister nor the Virtual Assistance Chamber of Commerce™ endorses the accuracy or reliability of any of the paid advertisements above nor the quality of any products, information, or other materials displayed, purchased, or obtained by you as a result of an offer in connection with any ad. Please do your own due diligence BEFORE purchasing any product.

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