AUGUST 31, 2009
ISSN 1947-105X | Vol. 3, No. 35

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WORKING WITH VIRTUAL ASSISTANTS ISSUE

In This Issue:

• A Note from Danielle
• FEATURE ARTICLE: What Can a Virtual Assistant Do for You? A LOT!
• NEXT TELESEMINAR: Is Your Consultation Converting Prospects Into Clients?
• VACOC NEWS: Join the Virtual Assistants Ethics Pledge
• Grateful Moment
• Marketplace
• Find a Virtual Assistant
• About the VACOC

A Note from Danielle...

If you haven't worked with a Virtual Assistant before, I'll bet you've wondered what a VA could do for you in your business. The answer is A LOT! I thought it would be fun this week to shine the spotlight on a few of our members and some of the administrative support activities they were involved in last week for their retained clients.

Yours in goodness and success!

Danielle Keister
Founder, Virtual Assistance Chamber of Commerce

- FEATURE ARTICLE -

What Can a Virtual Assistant Do for You? A LOT!

As a small or solo business owner without staff, you may have purchased one-off secretarial services here and there when you were under the gun and didn't have the time or skills to get something done. And it helped, I'm sure, albeit perhaps in an isolated sort of way. But did you know that administrative support is something else entirely?

Support, by definition, means to hold a thing up, such as the foundation of your business. That isn't done on a start/stop basis. It is continuous. This is exactly what Virtual Assistance is all about--providing you with a foundation of across-the-board administrative support that serves the big picture of your business and your goals. The byproduct of that relationship--and necessary ingredient for the delivery of that support--is a shared and growing body of knowledge that increases in value and efficiency to you the longer you work together.

Here's what some of our members did for their retained clients just last week:

Gloria Luzier of Superior VA Solutions LLC: Reviewing, proofing and editing of articles and blog posts; compiling, managing and uploading ezine articles; scheduling and coordination of radio talk show guests; handling and management of correspondence; updating social media; updating subscription lists; conducting Internet research.

Libby McIntyre of McIntyre Office Assistance: Entering receipts and scanning into online expense report; submitting expense reports; reconciling of credit card statement with expense report itemizations; transcribing clinical notes; posting billing information; handling correspondence and invoice mailings; scanning business cards and creating v-cards; proofing/editing correspondence; spreadsheet entries; insurance claim follow-ups.

Carol D'Annunzio of Divine Virtual Assistance: Conducting research; writing projects; proofreading and editing; updating client's database; brainstorming with clients; assisting with selection of new Wordpress blog template.

Pam Ryan of Virtual Ringmaster LLC: Conducting research; creating spreadsheet for speaking opportunities; handling lots of email correspondencce with clients and their customers; setting appointments and updating calendars; making thank-you calls to people who registered for a client's conference; updating conference FAQs; drafting contest application form; booking airline reservations; setting up conference call; preparing payment reminder emails and spreadsheet for a client's retreat; sitting in on two teleconferences a client had with business associates.

Lisa Humphries of Freelance PA: List management and maintenance; data entry; transcribing one-on-one interview; invoicing client's clients; chasing down outstanding invoices; filling product orders; sending out speaker client's pre-booking documentation; reviewing client's admin forms; tweaking client's customer systems.

Nicole Paull of Mainspring Enterprises: Collaborating on article for newsletter; editing, laying out and sending newsletter; responding to inquiries from new clients and scheduling introductory appointments; sorting through client's emails while they are away on vacation; editing content of 23 page bi-monthly info letter; submitting raw content to layout partners; final reviewing of info letter; sending PDF to webmaster.

RESOURCE: We have over 1300 registered members in our Virtual Assistant group, all of whom have been pre-screened to meet our standards of qualification and excellence. If you've decided you can't go another day without support, we offer you three ways to connect with our top-notch professionals: Find a Qualified, Reputable Virtual Assistant.

About the Author: Danielle Keister is a business advisor and innovator in the Virtual Assistance profession. An administrative professional of 20+ years and veteran Virtual Assistant of 12+ years, her logical, no-nonsense approach to business development has gained her recognition as one of the leaders in the field. She loves what she does and is passionate about sharing her knowledge and know-how with the world. She’s all about inspiring others to reach for their highest excellence. When not taking care of clients in her own Virtual Assistant practice, she is busy leading the Virtual Assistance Chamber of Commerce and helping Virtual Assistants create six figure businesses.

© Copyright 2009, The Portable Business™. All U.S. and International rights reserved. You may print this article for personal use or republish it online only if it is left unaltered and used in its entirety, including bylines, links, copyright notice, resource and author information. Contact the author for any other permission.

- NO-COST TELESEMINAR -

Is Your Consultation Converting Prospects Into Clients?

Do you wish you made more money in your Virtual Assistant practice? Are you having trouble getting the kind of clients you'd prefer to work with? Is your current process failing to convert prospects into clients? These are just a few of the issues we'll explore at the next VACOC Guest Expert Teleseminar on Thursday, September 17. Bring your questions and your curiosity. I'll share with you some of the reasons you want to have a consultation process in your practice, how long a consultation should be and the three primary goals for your consultation to achieve. If you want to increase your success in converting prospects into clients, you won't want to miss this teleseminar!

RESERVE YOUR SPOT >>

- VACOC NEWS -

Join the VACOC Virtual Assistant Ethics Pledge

Did you know the VACOC offers Virtual Assistants the most highly used and respected ethics pledge in the industry? Lots of VAs use our Virtual Assistant Ethics Pledge on their websites to demonstrate to clients their commitment to integrity and excellence in business. If you are a Virtual Assistant reading this ezine, you can, too!

It doesn't cost a dime--just your promise to honor and abide by these ideals. Simply place the badge on your website and you're good to go! The coding includes a link that opens the full Ethics Pledge in a new window so you don't have to type everything out yourself. How convenient is that?

Click here to get your badge today!

- VACOC NEWS -

New Service for Clients: Quickie Gigs™

The VACOC has a new service for clients we call Quickie Gigs™. Here's the idea:

The core business of a Virtual Assistant is providing one-on-one, ongoing administrative support to clients they work with in long-term, continuous relationship. We always encourage clients to go that route because it's where you are going to reap the most rewards in terms of value, continuity and cost-effectiveness. However, if you have not yet found your right Virtual Assistant or you are between Virtual Assistants, but still have occasional tasks and projects you'd like completed, we can help you out!

Quickie Gigs™ is for simple, straightforward administrative tasks and projects that can be completed and turned-around in a day or so (24 to 48 hours) with no fuss, no muss. All you do is fill out our online form with the project specs and once the preliminary account set-up is completed, we'll get to work right away. Simple as that! For more information, be sure and check out our Quickie Gigs™ page.

Let's Connect

We Love Hearing From You!

"I enjoyed this tremendously informative session and would like to be kept apprised of anything else coming up!"

— Donna Johnson on the VACOC Guest Expert Teleseminar with Jan King on 7/16/09.

How did YOU like this issue or a past teleseminar? Was it insightful, helpful or informative? Have topic ideas you'd like to see covered in the future? Let us know!

This week I'm grateful for...

Jonna Pantelis of JP Virtual Solutions for taking a moment out of her day to let me know of a typo on one of my Virtual Assistant business products so that it could be corrected and updated. I really appreciate acts of kindness and helpfulness like yours, Jonna. Thank you!

Marketplace

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Writing Your Personal Money Autobiography — Uncover what you really believe so you can earn more with ease! Do you like journaling and are ready to name core beliefs and do some shifting? September 10 - October 1, 1-2:30 PT, $149 before September 1. Taught by Mikelann Valterra, Director, Women's Earning Institute.

SCRATCHING YOUR HEAD? Have you been wondering what this administrative solution called Virtual Assistance is all about? Not to worry! The Virtual Assistance Chamber of Commerce has written an online guide to answer all your questions: The Client's Guide to Virtual Assistants.

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 info to our Virtual Assistant Partnership Center.

MAKE 25% IN AFFILIATE EARNINGS! Join the VACOC Affiliate Program and earn extra money simply by referring people to our website. Monthly payouts with no minimums required. Sign Up Today!

Find a Virtual Assistant Today

You don't have to live in overwhelm! Find yourself a great Virtual Assistant today, and go from struggling by yourself to enjoying more time, freedom and success.

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ABOUT THE VACOC: Founded by industry veteran Danielle Keister in 2006, the Virtual Assistance Chamber of Commerce™ is the Virtual Assistant professional association specifically for solopreneurs. Our passion is helping Virtual Assistants run smarter, more successful businesses that bring them more money and greater personal happiness, freedom and client satisfaction.

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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 advertisers above nor the quality of any products, information or other materials displayed, purchased or obtained by you as result of an offer in connection with any ad. Please do your own due diligence BEFORE purchasing any product.

© 2007-09 Virtual Assistance Chamber of Commerce™. All U.S. & International rights reserved. The Portable Business is a trademark of the Virtual Assistance Chamber of Commerce. All logos and names are the copyrights of their respective owners.