Moving Home

This is the last post I shall be making on this blog! I have moved my blog over to a new home. You can find it at:

http://www.traceylawton.com/howvaworks

You can read my latest post there:

How To Keep Your Newsletter on Track

Resources - Transcription Guide

Each month in my newsletter I feature a Great Resources section, designed to provide you with extra information for running your business online. In October's issue the feature article was a Q&A Transcription Tip Sheet.


Keeping with the theme of transcription, these are some of my favourite sites, both for transcription software and equipment, and file transfer services.


File Transfer Services

Send This File
http://www.sendthisfile.com/

Magic Vortex
http://www.magicvortex.com/

Dropload
http://www.dropload.com/

Transcription and Dictation Software

Express Scribe Transcription Software
http://www.nch.com.au/scribe/

Express Dictate Professional Dictation Software
http://www.nch.com.au/express/index.html

Quickscribe Digital Dictation and Transcription Software
http://www.quickscribe.com.au/digital-transcription-software-player.aspx

Transcription Equipment (UK)

Speak IT Solutions
http://www.speakit.info/index_graphics.php

Transcription Equipment (USA)

Transcription Gear
http://www.transcriptiongear.com/

Your Guide To A Stress-Free Holiday Season

If you start planning now you can avoid all the hassle and stress that comes with this time of year. You may already be feeling the extra pressure. Perhaps your calendar is starting to fill up with Christmas get-togethers. Or maybe your client is pressuring you to get a project complete before the end of the year.

Whatever the reason for the extra pressures, here are 5 tasks that you SHOULD be delegating to your Virtual Assistant to ensure that you have as stress-free a holiday season as possible.

#1 Organizing and maintaining your mailing list

Now is a really good time to go through all of your contact data and ensure it's up-to-date. One really quick way of doing this is to set up a mail merge (either via email or mail) letting your contacts know that you are updating your data. Send them the information you already have, and ask them to fill in the gaps.

Updating your contact data is a two-part process; the first part is to set up the email/letter and merge it with your data; the second part is to then update the data as you get it back.

The first part is really easy and quick; the second part isn't so!

I recently did this exercise with my own contact database so I know that the second part takes up more time than you would think, and if you are really pushed for time this would be a really good task to delegate to your Virtual Assistant. She will have the time needed to update your contact data once it starts to come back.

#2 Designing custom holiday promotions

Whether you want to send holiday greetings or a seasonal newsletter to your clients your Virtual Assistant can help you with this. A really good card service that I'm currently using is Send Out Cards http://www.sendoutcards.com - it's really quick and simple to use. You can even upload your own handwriting font to personalize your cards even more.

Your Virtual Assistant can help you with this too, as once you have an account set up she can upload your contact database, and organize the cards for you -- all you have to do is select which card(s) you want to send!

Other ways your Virtual Assistant can help with holiday promotions is designing newsletters, flyers, or other promotional items ready for you to send out.

#3 Sending out your holiday promotions

So, now you have your custom-designed promotions and your up-to-date mailing list, but do you have the time to send out your holiday promotions? Your Virtual Assistant can help by sending out your holiday cards and promotions for you. Once you have your promotional literature and mailing list organized, she can save you time by sending them out on your behalf - via email or post.

#4 Planning your Holiday Event

If you're thinking of hosting a seasonal seminar or workshop your Virtual Assistant can help you organize and plan the event -- from sending out the invitations to collating the RSVPs, producing the literature, or booking the venue. If you want to organize your own seminar contact me (http://www.traceylawton.com/contact.htm) for my no charge special report 'How To Plan and Host The Perfect Seminar'

#5 Helping you plan your New Year marketing campaigns

If you're already thinking past Christmas and into the New Year, your Virtual Assistant can help to organize your New Year marketing campaigns. Think of the relief you'll feel at knowing that your New Year marketing campaigns have been organized BEFORE Christmas!

I hope this has given you a taster of the many ways a Virtual Assistant can help you run your business, not just during the Holiday season but all year round. By partnering with a Virtual Assistant you can spend more of YOUR time doing what you do best!

Online Business Networking Event on November 14th and 15th

I wanted to share with you an exciting online networking event that is being held later this month. It's being run by my colleague, Biana Babinsky.

:: Do you want to meet your potential clients online?

:: Do you want to expedite the process of online networking and start building networking connections faster?

:: Do you want to learn how to use online networking to get clients and partners?

Join us for the first MarketingSalad.com Online Business Networking Event on November 14th and 15th. During this event you will meet other online business owners, learn how to create online partnerships and promote your own products and services. The event is free to attend.

The networking will take place through a mailing list. You will be able to participate and respond to messages when you have time.

Register AT NO CHARGE here: MarketingSalad.com Online Business Networking

I'll be there, and I hope to see you there too!

How to Get the Most Out of Your Database

Imagine how much simpler your life would be if you had all your business contacts together in one place. One click of your mouse would reveal how effective your latest marketing campaign has been. Know at a glance which of your products/services is the most profitable.

Your custom-designed database will put this information right at your fingertips. Today, I'd like to share with you my tips for ensuring that your database gives you the business information you need, when you need it!

What is a database?

A database is a collection of information relating to a particular topic kept together in one place, for you to access whenever you need. You can use a database to simplify your:

MARKETING CAMPAIGN--set up a database to plan your marketing campaign; track results of your marketing campaign; or analyse trends in your marketing campaign.

CLIENT & CONTACT MANAGEMENT--set up a database to keep track of your clients and contacts; analyse your business--which products/services are the most profitable; or see which clients are buying which product/service.

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT--set up a database to keep track of your spending; manage your invoices to clients; or monitor overdue invoices.

MEMBERSHIP ORGANISATIONS--set up a database to keep track of members; send out membership renewal letters; or monitor subscriptions.

Your list for database uses will likely be much longer--just brainstorm a list of all the places where consolidated information would make your life easier!

The secret's in the planning

You want to get the most out of your database, right? Then make sure to plan it right from the start.

Before you go running off to set up your database you need to ask yourself these important questions:

::What do you want to use your database for?
::What data do you want to keep track of?
::Who will be collecting the data?
::How much data is there to collect--50 records or 500 records?
::Who will be doing the updates?
::What reports do you want your database to generate?

You may find it easiest to map this out on a piece of paper first. Work out how your database is going to fit together. How will each category relate to the others?

Get the maximum use out of your database

By now, you've invested a lot of time in your database plans, design, and setup. Don't miss this important step: getting the most out of your creation.

First, you'll want to make the database as easy to use as possible. Create one-click touches to produce the information you need. Set up shortcuts so you can create the most important reports quickly. And make sure you really consider the easiest way to enter new data.

By applying this advice in your own database, yours will be easy to use AND have the maximum use value to you!

5 Top Transcription Questions Answered

Transcription services are a large part of my business and I have many years’ experience in this area. I get a lot of enquiries from clients who are not sure about the transcription process, what digital transcription is, how they get their audio files to me etc. etc.

So I’ve decided to compile all that information into one easy Question and Answer tip sheet, and share with you some of my transcription secrets!

Q1. What sort of transcription do you do?

I undertake all kinds of transcription, from general dictation of letters and reports, to conferences and group meetings. Some of the areas listed on my website are:

General correspondence and reports
One-on-one interviews
Research interviews
Teleconferences
Teleclasses
Meetings
Recorded telephone calls
Financial end of quarter teleconferences

I am also a certified Medical Transcriptionist, so I can work on your medical transcripts too!

Q2. How do I get my audio files to you?

Digital audio files can be emailed to me as email attachments; I can download them directly from your website via FTP; or I can utilize a file transfer service.

Standard cassettes and CDs can be mailed to me, and I can return them once your audio transcription project is complete.

Q3. What type of digital audio files can you handle?

The simple answer is most of them! I use Express Scribe transcription software and it can handle most of the major audio file formats, including:

DSS
WAV
Mp3

I also have audio conversion software should your file not be one of the major audio file formats.

Q4. Can I send my audio file as an email attachment?

Well you could if you wanted to, but I advise against doing this for several reasons:

a. Digital audio files can be huge and can take a long time to send and/or receive via email.

b. Most ISPs put a limit on the size of a file attachment that you can send and/or receive via email. For example an hour long audio file saved as a .WAV file can be more than 40mb - my ISP won't let me receive file attachments that are more than 15mb!

c. If you are on dial-up then it can take HOURS to send email, thus blocking your email mailboxes.

d. Sending information via email isn't always secure and if your digital audio file is confidential then email may not be the best way of transferring the data.

Instead I recommend that you utilize a secure file transfer service to send me your digital audio files. I have an account with Send This File for you to use.

Q5. How do you ensure the security of audio, especially with transferring digital files over the internet?

This is a very real concern for clients, especially those who work in the legal and medical professions. Often their audio files contain confidential and sensitive client/patient data.

Again this is where the file transfer service comes into its own. The service I use at Send This File uses a secure transfer (128-bit SSL Encryption) which is the same industry-standard internet security that Internet banks use. I can also return completed documents via Send This File, thus ensuring the same level of security.

I hope that this has answered all of your transcription questions, but if it hasn’t then just contact me and I’ll happily answer your questions.


Related articles:

Online Transcription Solutions for Transcribing Your Teleclass

Guide to Digital Recorders

The Many Uses of Transcription

Manual Article Submission System

One of the most successful online marketing strategies you can do these days is to submit your articles to various article submission websites. This is a great way to promote your services, your expertise, and your book (if you're a published author!). It has been well documented that one-way links to your website increase search engine rankings more than reciprocal linking, and article submission is an excellent way to achieve one-way linking.

However, the downside is that it takes time to manually submit your articles, and if you have several articles, you could spend hours submitting them to the various websites. There is software available that will automatically submit your articles for you, but you do need to check this out carefully. And if you do decide to manually submit your articles you need to have a system in place that makes maximum use of your time, but also keeps a detailed record of which articles you've submitted where, and when.

Below are my tips for an organised and efficient article submission system (I use it so I know it works!):

1. Convert all your articles to plain text, using Notepad - to make copying and pasting easier

2. Set up a spreadsheet which is broken down into various workbooks for article submission sites, ezine directories, and ebook directories

3. On the main workbook for submitting articles list all the article submission websites down the left-hand column (set up as hyperlinks), a column for username, one for password, and a column for each article listing the date it was submitted and the URL.

4. As the article submission is hyperlinked you can just click on it and it will take you to that site. You know your username and password (it's on the spreadsheet) and you can then you can submit each article to the article directory by copying and pasting from your plain text document.

I hope this streamlines the article submission process for those of you who do manual submissions.