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OCTOBER 26, 2009
ISSN 1947-105X | Vol. 3, No. 43
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BUSINESS MANAGEMENT ISSUE
In This Issue:
A Note from Danielle...
I always find it shocking in this day and age to hear of people who aren't
using contracts in their business. Their reasons are many: they don't
want to sully the relationship with legal talk, they think business should
be conducted on a handshake, a person's word is good enough, it's not
polite... In this issue, I talk about some of the reasons why using contracts
in business is the smart--and professional--thing to do.
Yours in goodness and success :)
 Danielle
Keister
Founder & Virtual Assistant Expert
Virtual Assistance Chamber of Commerce
This
week I'm grateful for...
 Stephanie
Love Rosenberg for taking a moment out of her day
to alert me to a possible typo. It's small kindnesses like that, extended
for no other reason than to help, that make the world a lovely place.
We Love Hearing From You!
 “I
wanted to let you know that I find your newsletters informational and
enjoyable and look forward to their arrival!”
— Denise Haney.
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!
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FEATURE ARTICLE -
Are You Using Contracts in Your Business?
 Can
contract-free business be conducted without anything going wrong? Of course.
I believe there are more honest people in the world than dishonest people.
But that doesn't make operating without contracts in place a good idea.
Let me share with you some of the ways that contracts help both you and
your customers and clients:
- Formalizes your agreements and obligations to each other.
A contract isn't just for your benefit as a business owner. It's also
there to protect the interests of your client or customer by memorializing
in written form what is expected from everyone, and what each parties'
rights and remedies are when those obligations are not met.
- Keeps everyone's memory intact. The human memory
is a frail thing. People sometimes conveniently forget when it's in
their own interests. But business can't happen unless the needs and
interests of both parties are served. Putting it to paper helps ensure
that business is taking place and keeps everyone honest. Should
something go awry, there is less room for dispute over the facts when
they are set down in writing beforehand.
- Helps prevent misunderstandings. Nothing is foolproof,
but the exercise of spelling out the terms of the relationship on paper
forces you to think things through and promotes clarity and thoroughness.
Establishing the parameters and outlining everything as clearly as possible
helps set, reinforce and manage proper expectations in clients.
- Sets a professional tone for the relationship. A
contract elevates your image as a professional. Clients and customers
know they are dealing with a business and not a hobby. In turn, they
will treat you and the relationship with more respect.
- Increases your ability to get paid. A contract never
guarantees payment, but in a worst case scenario, you are far more likely
to prevail in court should you need to pursue a client or customer for
nonpayment or other breach of contract. Verbal agreements, while still
legally binding, are far harder to prove, and some things must legally
be in writing to be enforced.
RESOURCE: It's never a good idea to
use just any ol' contract. Those templates you picked up at the office
supply store are so generic and full of legal holes, it's not even funny.
Contracts should be customized for your business and then looked over
by an attorney. If you are a Virtual Assistant or other independent service
provider, the VACOC offers some of the very
best quality contract templates on the Internet.
 About
the Author: Danielle Keister is an author, business advisor and
innovator in the Virtual Assistant profession. Through her organization,
the Virtual
Assistance Chamber of Commerce, she is passionate about helping
Virtual Assistants grow stronger, more financially successful practices
that lead them to greater personal happiness, freedom and client satisfaction.
An administrative professional of 20+ years and veteran Virtual Assistant
of 12+ years, her no-nonsense approach to business development has gained
her recognition as one of the leaders in the field.
© 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.
-
VACOC NEWS -
Take the 2009 Annual Virtual Assistant Industry Survey
UPDATE 10/26/09: 584 participants
so far—only 416 to go! We're shooting for 1,000 so if you are a
VA, be sure and take the survey and keep those promotions going. They
really, really help. And if you are a client, please forward this email
to your Virtual Assistant. :)
Each year, the VACOC conducts an industry-wide survey with the purpose
of taking a representative, group snap-shot of those who are in the business
of providing ongoing administrative support. Virtual Assistants
who participate get the survey results report absolutely free!
Our goal this year is 1,000 participants. Judging from past years' surveys,
the report will be about 75-100 pages chockful of useful, fascinating,
eye-opening data. So don't delay—the sooner we hit the mark, the
sooner YOU get your copy!
Take
the survey >>
- 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.
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