How Virtual Assisting Works

Moving Home

2006-12-05T11:11:00.000-05:00

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

2006-11-13T12:21:00.000-05:00

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

2006-11-06T13:40:00.000-05:00

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

2006-11-01T10:41:00.000-05:00

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

2006-10-24T13:30:00.000-05:00

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

2006-10-10T13:02:00.000-05:00

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

2006-10-02T10:20:00.000-05:00

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.

Teleseminar by Biana Babinsky : Making Money With Information Products

2006-09-25T11:53:00.000-05:00

Biana Babinsky, the online business coach, expert and author, will be teaching a teleseminar on Making Money With Information Products on October 12th at 8pm Eastern Time.

Are you are a coach, consultant or solopreneur who wants to increase business profits, while working fewer hours?

How would you like to have other people recommend you and your products and services to their colleagues?

Do you want to be able to make money, while you are on vacation?

You can achieve all of above by creating information products and selling them online! Join Biana Babinsky for the Make Money With Information Products Teleseminar and start learning how to create a products empire that will take your business to a whole new level!

Here is what you will learn during this information-packed teleseminar:

* The very first step you must take to start creating products

* Exactly how to quickly and easily determine which products will be the most profitable

* The critical information about what makes people buy your products

And much more.

Register for it now at Make Money With Information Products Teleseminar

Is Time Management An Issue?

2006-09-17T20:07:00.000-05:00

A VA colleague posted a great article on her blog recently regarding time management with clients. She looked at the issue of time management and how it related to VAs in terms of managing their clients. This is an issue for all solopreneurs/small business owners so I duly jumped in with my two cents on this topic:

Hi Kathie,

This is a great topic - thank you for discussing it. When I started to get busier I realised I needed a system that would allow me to anticipate or schedule in client’s work. I designed a really simple spreadsheet with the weeks along the top and the client’s down the side. I encourage my clients to book work with me in advance so that I can put this in my schedule. For regular clients I can book in so many hours for them each week, and because my spreadsheet totals the number of hours booked each week I can see what my commitments are and what I have left.

I find that it’s really working, not only because my clients can get ‘booked in’ so to speak, but when I get an enquiry for new work I can look at my schedule to see if I can meet their deadline. It not I tell them ‘I can’t do it for you this week, but I do have free time the following week.’

This system works well for me!

If you find yourself having time management issues with your clients, then give my system a go!

Resources - Collaboration and Team Working

2006-09-13T08:56:00.000-05:00

Each month in my newsletter I feature a selection of resources that will help you to run a more efficient business. In September's Newsletter the topic was online collaboration and team working.

If you're upcoming projects involve collaboration and team working, then check out these sites:

Thruport Hot Office - http://www.hotoffice.com/

Collect, organise and get things done with Backpack - http://backpackit.com/

iTeamwork - http://www.iteamwork.com/

Radio Show - Authors Needed!

2006-09-08T12:55:00.000-05:00

One of my colleagues, a small business coach, has a client who runs a radio show. They are always on the lookout for speakers, authors, coaches, professionals, and experts to take part in the radio show, via the telephone, and provide informative and educational content for their listeners. Subjects are about entrepreneurship, small businesses, issues affecting small business owners, advice and services for small businesses to name but a few.

I am putting together a database of my author/writer contacts so that my colleague can pass these details onto her client when they are looking for participants to interview for the show on these topics.

If you would like to be included in my database, thus providing you with another avenue for marketing your book, email me for further details.

Guide to Digital Recorders

2006-08-30T10:29:00.000-05:00

This week I had an enquiry from someone who wanted to know more about digital recorders and how to get an audio file into a Word document. So here's my guide to digital recorders!

Part 1 - Digital Recorders

Digital recorders are very similar in size to a cell phone, and come with a USB cable, or docking station, that goes directly from the digital recorder into your PC. You record your interview and, once you're finished, plug your recorder into your PC via the USB cable, or docking station, and transfer your recording onto your PC. Your digital recorder is portable, so you can record your interview/dictation anywhere you choose.

The files that are created from your dictation are called audio files and come in many different formats, the most popular ones being WAV, DSS and mp3. You then save this audio file to any folder on your PC.

You can buy a digital recorder from any electrical/office supply store, such as RadioShack, Best Buy, Staples, or Office Max. Two of the more popular models are made by Olympus:

Olympus DS 3200

Olympus DS 4000

You can also view a selection of Digital Recorders and compare prices and specifications.

Part 2 - Getting Your Digital Audio File into a Word Document

I transcribe from digital audio files and turn them into Word documents. So once you have your audio file saved to your PC, you can send me your file via my upload page at:

http://www.traceylawton.com/upload.htm

And I will transcribe it and send you back a completed transcript as a Word document.

Stay Organised With These Great Resources!

2006-08-20T20:16:00.000-05:00

As part of my monthly newsletter I always include a section on 'Great Resources'. This can be a website, a service, or information from one of my partners - anything that will help you run and keep your business organised! They are usually resources that I use myself too, so you have the advantage of knowing that they're recommended by someone who's used them!

August's newsletter featured an article called Organise It or Dump It! and these resources tied in with that subject:

Digital Post-It Note software from the makers of the paper Post-It Notes:
http://www.3m.com/us/office/postit/digital/digital_notes.html

MyHours.com - on-line time tracking solutions http://www.myhours.com

IBackup - as recommended in July's PC World magazine. An online backup facility. http://www.ibackup.com

Has Your Website Copy Been Stolen?

2006-08-01T08:53:00.000-05:00

There has been quite a lot of talk this week on a VA forum that I belong to. One of the VAs has had her web copy stolen - the perpetrator quite literally copied and pasted this VA's web copy into their own website and passed it off as their own!

Whilst the very nature of the world wide web makes it nigh on impossible to stop this happening (after all there are so many websites out there that plagiarist probably think you'll never find out!) you can be proactive to ensure that you are not a victim of plagiarism - after all, why should someone else benefit from your hard work?

The first step in combating plagiarism is to go to Copyscape and check that no-one else is using your web copy. You simply enter your URL and Copyscape will check all online sites for copy that is either very similar to yours or exactly the same. You can then go and check it out for yourself to see if someone has stolen your web copy. I did this and found everything was okay.

If you do find that someone has stolen your web copy then contact them immediately and ask them to remove the information.

A VA colleague has posted a very good article detailing what you should do in the event that someone has stolen your web copy. You can read about it here:

Your Content Without Consent: How to Guard Against Internet Plagiarism

3 Great Tips to Promote Your New Book!

2006-07-28T13:10:00.000-05:00

You’ve done all the hard work; you’ve got your book written, you’re a self-published author, and now you’re ready for customers to come and buy your book! Before they buy your book though, they need to know it’s available.

How can you let the world know about your book without breaking the bank?

After all, you’ve just spent most of your budget on getting your book published; you don’t have a lot left for glitzy advertising campaigns.

Below are my top 3 tips you can use to promote your book, and still keep within your budget!

Tip No. 1 One Page Website

Set up a one-page website featuring just your book. The domain could be the title or similar of your book. This would direct search engine traffic to your book, and this would be linked to from any other materials that you may write relating to your book, e.g. articles. You would link back to your website in your Author Resource box.

Tip No. 2 Write and Submit Articles

This is a great way to gain promotion and exposure for your book. It has been well documented that one-way links to your website (Tip 1 above) increase search engine rankings more than reciprocal linking, and article submission is an excellent way to achieve one-way linking.

Gather together some articles of between 500 and 1000 words (700 is standard) that either relates to the topic of your book, or you can lift directly from your book into 'How To....’ or ‘x Top Tips for …’ articles. These can then be submitted to various online article websites.

Tip No. 3 Get Blogging!

Set up a blog to show off your expertise, publish your articles, and build your credibility. Link your blog to your one-page website, and vice versa, to help build your credibility and recognition. Use your book title as your blog name.

Back Up Drives

2006-07-04T13:57:00.000-05:00

One of my clients recently had some computer problems. Her laptop had died, and she said to me during our chat:

I haven't backed up my desktop. So if this goes, as well as the laptop ... I'm sunk

I'm sure that we have all found ourselves in a similar situation at some point. Last year my hard drive went and needed to be replaced. Fortunately, I'd backed up all my critical work the day before on to CDs, but I still spent a lot of time recovering and downloading files and programs which I hadn't backed up.

The system that I was using involved backing up files and folders to several CDs i.e. one for clients, one for accounts, one for business etc. It was time-consuming and a bit of a faff; consequently I didn't backup as regularly as I should!

For a system (any system, not just backing up) to work it needs to be simple and easy to maintain, and once it's in place should run like clockwork.

This made me review my backup policies. I needed a more reliable system - one that was simple and easy to maintain, and would run like clockwork once I'd set it up. I'd heard and read a lot about external drives, and especially the Maxtor One Touch II. I decided it was high time I took the plunge and bought one. It's the best investment I've made in a long time. I can regularly, and most importantly EASILY, back up my whole PC. My backup system now runs itself, and I feel confident that should anything happen to my PC I have an up-to-date backup in place.

You can find out more about the drives at: Maxtor One Touch II (this is the one I have)

And I also bought mine from New Egg as I found it to be the cheapest!

Case Study : Virtual Assisting in Action!

2006-06-28T12:48:00.000-05:00

I thought I'd share with you how I work on a day-to-day basis for one of my clients, and show you that your assistant really doesn't need to be in the same office as you!

Who is my client?

Jan Wallen, Turn What You Know Into Cashflow. Jan is a busy speaker, coach and author who doesn't live in the same place as I do - so there's very little chance of us ever having face-to-face contact, yet this doesn't stop me working for her as her assistant.

We've been working together for some time and, even though I do a whole range of jobs for her, some of the more regular work I do is:

* Arranging coaching telecalls with her clients

* Sending out emails on her behalf - I have my own email address through her domain, so I'm easily recognisable to her clients and associates

* Maintaining several databases, one if which is the contact database

* Co-ordinating and maintaining her schedule through a web-based calendar management system

* Preparing and distributing mail outs (snail mail!)

* Researching various topics and/or getting quotes together for services and products

* Keeping my client on track with various projects that are ongoing

* Collating her Ezine material into an Ezine Book

How do we manage this working arrangement?

The main means of contact is via email, in fact we email one another all the time. But we do have a regular weekly telephone call which allows us to get to know one another, and also update each other on what we've been doing, what needs to be done etc.

Each week I prepare an agenda for use during our telephone call and this works out really, really well. It means our telephone calls are productive, we don't miss out any important points, and it helps us to stay on track during the call. Then afterwards I type up the notes of our call and send it to Jan. This forms the basis of my workload for her for the week, and provides the agenda for next week.

We accomplish a lot on these calls, almost like we're meeting in person.

During the week we both use this agenda as a starting point for our work. Jan knows what she has to do, or send me, so that I can do my jobs. I know what she is expecting me to do during the week, and I don't overlook anything.

This agenda is a critical part of our working relationship, and really is a live working document.

What technologies do I use to facilitate my work for my client?

* Email
* Telephone
* Internet-based calendar management system
* File transfer service (for transcription work and exchange of audio files)
* Microsoft Office 2000

I hope that this article has given you an insight into the day-to-day work of a virtual assistant and shows you that I can do just about anything that an in-office PA can do.

Why You Need An Email Signature!

2006-06-21T09:31:00.000-05:00

Whenever you receive an email from me you will ALWAYS see my contact information at the bottom and know exactly how you can get in touch with me. You will see:

# My name
# My company's name
# My telephone and fax number
# My email address (with an active hyperlinks)
# My website address (with an active hyperlinks)
# And an active hyperlink to the signup page of my newsletter

But do you have all of your contact information on the bottom of all of your emails? If not, why? And why is it so important that you have an email signature? Well, because:

# Your clients and potential clients know exactly how to get in touch with you
# It's a good marketing tool
# You can use it to promote special offers
# It can drive traffic to your website
# It tells people who you are and what you do

Setting up an email signature is simple to do, and I will tell you how! As a general rule of thumb your email signature shouldn't be more than about six or seven lines long otherwise it just becomes too big and may detract from your email. After all you don't want your email signature to be longer than your email!

Your basic email signature should contain:

# Your name
# Your company's name
# Your telephone, fax number, and email address
# Your Website URL with an active hyperlink
# And maybe a line promoting one of your services, a special offer, a link to your newsletter, or anything else that you would want to let your target audience know about.

Set up your email signature so that it AUTOMATICALLY goes out on every single email that you send, whether it's a new email or you're replying or forwarding on an email.

Here's how to set up your email signature ...

Outlook
1. Go to Tools
2. Options
3. Mail Format
4. Signature Picker
5. Click on 'New' and then enter a name for your signature i.e. Business
6. Client on 'Next' and then design your signature in the blank box. You can change the font, font size, and text colour
7. Once done click on 'Finish' and preview your signature in the preview window. If necessary, go back and edit it.
8. Once you're happy with your new signature click on OK.
9. Ensue that the 'Use this signature by default' box has the name of your new signature in it, and click on OK.
10. Congratulations - You're done!

Outlook Express
1. Go To Tools
2. Options
3. Signatures Tab
4. Tick 'Add signatures to all outgoing messages'
5. Deselect 'Don't add signatures to all 'Replies and Forwards'
6. Add your signature in the Edit Signature text box
7. Once you're happy with your new signature click on OK.
8. Congratulations - You're done!

My First Online Training Event!

2006-06-07T19:39:00.000-05:00

As a participant in last month's Online International Virtual Assistant's Convention I realised just how much technology enables us to work virtually. I was able to attend a seminar and mix with other VAs, clients, and associates from around the globe - all from the comfort of my PC.

This led me to come up with an idea for one of my clients! I have been working on a custom-designed Access database for this client for the past couple of months. This database has been designed to track stock inventory and, as a result, is complicated and took many hours of work.

My client wanted me to make the database as user-friendly as possible so that data input, and querying and running reports off the database, was simple and straightforward. I also wrote a training manual to go along with the database.

After attending the online virtual assistant's seminar, and experiencing this technology for myself, this sparked an idea. I thought 'Wouldn't it be great if I could provide my client with an online training session to show her how to use her database.'

I researched this possibility, asked others for advice, and came up with a plan for an online training session - which took place this morning! It was fantastic and went really, really well.

For the training session I used GoToMeeting. When you arrange a meeting through this service you have access to:

- a meeting room
- instant messaging and email facilities within your meeting
- a single number and access code for voice conferencing services, which is great if you have several participants

The really neat thing about this service is that, if you are the meeting moderator, anybody who attends your meeting can see your desktop and any applications that you have running - in this case my database! And you can also hand over control of the mouse and keyboard to your participants.

I conducted an hour-long training session with my client and was able to talk her through her database exactly as if we were in the same room with both of us sat at the PC. In reality, my client was in a different country to me - how cool is that!

I was able to show my client:

- the many different data entry forms
- how to navigate the database
- how to enter data
- how to query and run reports

After the session was complete, I asked my client for her thoughts on how she felt the online training session went. Here's what she had to say:

"Using the virtual meeting room, we could follow along easily as Tracey used the database according to her instructions. We didn't have to worry about going on the wrong screen or adding or deleting things where we shouldn't - Tracey did all the work for us!

We thoroughly enjoyed it and benefited from such super training. I highly recommend this venue (and Tracey!)"

NEW Marketing Salad

2006-05-30T13:32:00.000-05:00

I just heard that Biana Babinsky, the online business expert and author, is on a mission to help hundreds of solopreneurs to get more clients and earn more money online. Biana wants you to succeed with your business, get more clients, get more online publicity and make more money online. This is why she is giving you access to all of this for just $9.97/month:

- How-To Guides and Worksheets that help you zero in on specific concepts, and learn how to use them effectively.

- Business Audio Recordings on search engine optimization, online networking, and much more are available.

- Expert Teleclasses on online business and marketing, PR, newsletter publishing, article writing and more directly from experts.

- Members-only forum to ask questions, get answers, and mastermind with other members.

Learn more and Join Marketing Salad!">Join Marketing Salad

Online Virtual Assistant Conference a great success!

2006-05-22T11:07:00.000-05:00

This weekend's Online Virtual Assistant Conference was a great success; I was speaking to other VAs and associates from the USA, Canada and Australia, and I attended a couple of seminars - all from the comfort of my PC.

I hope you had the opportunity to visit my booth and see for yourself how VAs are making use of the most up-to-date technology around. If not, then you can still visit here:

Tracey's Exhibitor Booth (open thru' June)

:: Are you interested in finding more about virtual meeting rooms?
:: Are you looking to hold an online conference or seminar?
:: Are you wondering how you can pull your team together for a project meeting, without having the expense of travel costs?
:: Do you need to make a presentation to a client or colleague but don't have the time to travel to meet face-to-face?

If you've answered 'Yes' to any of these questions then I'd like to offer you the opportunity to try out a virtual meeting room for yourself. I have access to an online meeting room for the next 45 days while my booth is still open. Let me know and we can make an appointment and I'll take you on a tour of the technology and show you what it can do.

To be able to speak you need a microphone and headset, but if you don't have one we can talk through instant messenger.

Just drop me an email: tracey@traceylawton.com

Avoid These 5 Costly Database Mistakes!

2006-05-15T11:34:00.000-05:00

You want a database that you want to keep using again and again and bring you real business benefits. And you want to make sure that it grows with your business, right?

Then apply these 5 simple tips to avoid costly mistakes:

1. Plan thoroughly beforehand--poor structure means your database won't perform properly.

2. Keep your database design simple. Don't over-complicate it by adding unnecessary information.

3. Use the correct software package for the job--if it's a database to track a marketing campaign then a table in a Word document won't offer you the flexibility of a custom-designed database.

4. Make sure your database can grow with your business--if you need to add additional data at a later stage set in place a process for doing this.

5. If you're finding setting up your database difficult then seek professional support to get the job done right.

The secret's in the planning. When you hire me to create your database I'll happily spend time with you to make sure the planning of your database precludes any of these costly mistakes.

Contact me today and get your database started.

Online International Virtual Assistants Convention

2006-05-10T19:14:00.000-05:00

I am very excited by the upcoming International Virtual Assistants Day (May 19) and thought that I'd share with you my press release, detailing the event. I hope to see you there!

Visit the Convention

Local Virtual Assistant Celebrates Inaugural International Virtual Assistants Day: May 19, 2006

FINDLAY, OH – For most professionals Friday, May 19, 2006 will be an ordinary workday – but not for Tracey Lawton, a virtual assistant who lives and works from her home office in Findlay. She will be celebrating the first annual International Virtual Assistants Day (IVAD).

Proposed by the online advocacy group, Alliance for Virtual Businesses (A4VB), IVAD is now officially registered with Chases Calendar of Events, the recognized authority of special days, weeks and months. IVAD will appear in the 2007 edition and will be held annually on the third Friday of May. The inaugural celebration of International Virtual Assistants Day coincides with a three-day assembly sponsored by the Online International Virtual Assistants Convention (OIVAC) running from May 18 – 20, 2006. Virtual Assistants worldwide will display the free IVAD logo and creed on their websites.

“This day of observance not only allows us to celebrate individual accomplishments, but also affords us the chance to pat the backs of our colleagues as well,” says Lawton, whose company specializes in transcription and administrative support services.

Lawton, a former office manager originally conceived the idea for her business in November 2001. She started a new career in order to have a more flexible working life.

Virtual Assistants or VAs are independent entrepreneurs who work remotely and use the latest technology to deliver professional administrative, creative, managerial, technical, business back-office and/or personal support services to busy professionals. Clients only pay for the time actually spent working on projects and often retain a fixed amount of hours per month for service.

Typical services could include everything from general secretarial and word processing services to desktop publishing, website creation and marketing. Projects are often handled over the phone, by fax, e-mail and even instant messaging. Most attractive is the fact that VAs are also responsible for their own space, equipment, taxes, training, healthcare, insurance - overhead costs that make hiring an employee expensive.

Since 1996 more than 5,000 professionals around the world have become VAs. More than 90 percent of them are highly-skilled working mothers who choose to start their own businesses in order to achieve a better work/life balance. According to a study conducted by Brenner Books in conjunction with A4VB in 2004, the United States accounts for the largest number of VAs followed by Canada, Australia and Great Britain.

“This will be a very special day for everyone involved in the VA industry because it will allow us to bring together all VA organizations and their memberships under one umbrella,” says Alliance for Virtual Businesses founder Sharon Williams. “VAs are making important contributions to the growth and stability of small businesses everywhere, and the establishment of IVAD simply acknowledges all of those virtual professionals who work so hard to honor our creed: Dedication, Experience, Expertise and Determination to Succeed (DEEDS).”

About Tracey Lawton Transcription & Admin
Launched in 2001, Tracey Lawton Transcription & Admin specializes in transcription and administrative support services to busy solopreneurs, authors and writers. Visit the website at www.traceylawton.com

About Alliance for Virtual Businesses
Established in June 2003 the Alliance for Virtual Businesses™ is a volunteer-directed organization, whose primary mission is to promote the growth of free enterprise between virtual assistants, entrepreneurs, small businesses, corporations, associations and other business entities. At the web site client-related case studies, industry-related demographics, and a wealth of other types of information are available to facilitate learning about our industry. Visit the website at www.allianceforvirtualbiz.com.

About Online International Virtual Assistants Convention
The OIVAC is an online, interactive, "live" yet virtual environment convention of Virtual Assistants, traveling Pathways to Successful VA Practices. Visit the website at www.oivac.com.

How Was The Virtual Working Process For You?

2006-05-02T12:42:00.000-05:00

Some clients are still quite nervous at the thought of working with someone who isn't even in the same office as they are. They feel that in order for their work to be carried out efficiently and effectively they need to at least meet with that person, or have some kind of contact, other than email.

I mean, how can you possibly carry out a good job when you're not even in the same country as your client??

Whenever I complete a project for a new client I always send them a client feedback form and one of those questions asks them 'How was the virtual working process for you?' This gives me some valuable feedback on how clients are finding virtual working and if there's anything I can do to make that process easier, and allay any fears which they may have.

I have put together a collection of those replies for you, so you can see how my clients are managing with virtual working. I am based in the USA and these clients are from the USA and the UK - so a truly virtual working approach! I have never met any of these clients face-to-face, and some of them I haven't even had a phone conversation with!

The virtual process went so smoothly. I was really surprised by that because I'd never done it before. And I figured we'd need to at least talk on the phone, but you were able to understand everything so easily. It was really amazing. I can't tell you how impressed I was both by the thoroughness of your questions and the depth of your work.

Prompt replies to any communications, always keeping me informed of any issues that
arose, accurate transcripts with excellent turnaround times and most of all a friendly and professional service!

Fast response and feedback.

Very prompt, conscientious service and accurate work!

Your response; Even via email, you are able to demonstrate a warm welcome attitude.

So if you have any questions at all about working virtually with me, just drop me an email mailto@tracey@traceylawton.com and I'll be happy to answer them!

How To Manage Your Time and Billing Systems

2006-04-12T11:47:00.000-05:00

If you're one of the many solopreneurs who provide services to clients and charge them your time (like I do!) then you need to keep accurate time recording systems. Do you know exactly how much time you're spending working for a client, or do you just take a rough guess? If you're just guessing then you could be losing money by not correctly recording your time. Worse still, you could be overcharging your clients!

There are many ways that solopreneurs charge out their time. Some charge by actual time worked; some by the hour; some by the half/full day; and some by the session or course.

However you charge your clients you still need to keep accurate records of time spent working for them, otherwise how can you correctly invoice them?

Whichever method you use for billing your clients, I've given you some tips below on how you can keep an accurate track of your time.

Charging Actual Time Worked/Charging By The Hour

For both of these I recommend using software where you punch in and out as you're working for your client. There are two very popular ones available TraxTime (free trial but you can also upgrade to the paid version) and TimeStamp ("donationware").

TraxTime http://www.spudcity.com/traxtime/traxtime.htm

TimeStamp http://www.syntap.com/downloads.htm

Both of these software packages will allow you to punch in and out of each project, add notes as to what you're working on, and produce reports so that you can accurately bill your clients. They are both very good packages and do the job. I have used both, but my preference is for TraxTime.

If you're billing your clients hourly, then you can easily round up/down to the nearest hour using either one of these packages.

Once you have your data printed off each month, then invoicing becomes a cinch! You simply transfer the data to your invoicing system. And if you don't have an invoicing system yet, look out for an article coming later in the year!

Charging Half/Full Day

The above packages can be used if you're charging your clients a half or full day, just so that you can keep a report of which day(s) you carried out your work for them. But a spreadsheet will work just as well.

You can set up a workbook per client, and it can contain two worksheets - one for tracking half/full days worked, and the other for tracking expenses. Then at the end of the month you can easily see how much you have to bill your clients for - and you have a record of work undertaken!

You can even take this a step further and set up a summary workbook that will total up all the time spent and expenses incurred for the whole year by linking it to each client's individual workbook!

Create a Database for Your Membership Organizations

2006-03-27T13:21:00.000-05:00

In one of my recent newsletter articles I discussed what is a database and how can you use one? A database is simply a collection of data stored together in one place and anytime you need to keep a track of someone or something you set up a database.

One type of database that I discussed is for tracking members of an organisation.

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

I recently undertook this work for a client and the database I set up for him was a simple spreadsheet database (you don't always need to create an Access database!). It listed:

* The member's names and addresses
* Which Chapter they belonged to
* Their position within the organisation

My client now has a fully-working database on which he can sort the data by member, by chapter, by position, and target mailings accordingly. He can even send a mailing to the whole membership base!

Marketing and Virtual Assistant Support for Authors and Writers

2006-03-21T21:49:00.000-05:00

I'm really pleased to announce the launch of my new service : Marketing and Virtual Assistant Support for Authors and Writers.

This service has been launched as a result of several months of research with authors and publishers, during which time I discovered that if you self-publish then you have to do all the marketing and admin yourself. And this is after you've spent months writing your book!

Are you a Self-publishing Author/Writer who LOVES writing, but has run out of steam when it comes to marketing your book?

I can give you back that time so that you can focus on your writing! Whatever stage you're at in the self- publishing process, I can provide you with the support you need!

Whether your work is published, about to be published, or has not yet reached the manuscript stage, all of the extra administrative and marketing tasks involved can take you away from what you do best - WRITING!

Learn more >> I'd love to get your feedback!

Be Famous - Host A Seminar!

2006-03-13T16:13:00.000-05:00

Imagine hosting your own seminar. Whether you dream of hosting clients for the weekend, prospects for a few hours, or colleagues for a lunch-hour workshop, let's make this year the year you realise that dream! Planning and hosting a seminar, workshop, or other event's not nearly as hard as you might expect. And today I'd like to share with you the five secrets to a flawless event.

Decide on a format
Remember, your event doesn't have to be in-person. You could conduct it virtually--over the telephone or Internet. You could offer webcasts and live chats, an email list for lengthier discussions, or you could use an online meeting space.

Decide whom to inviteWill you advertise the event? Open it only to your select clients? Offer it to a targeted list of prospects?

Decide what topics to cover
Next, you'll need to really get at the core of your topic. Sure, you're going to focus on your expertise. But what, precisely, about your expertise will you devote the time to?

Get the right support
There's a ton of planning involved with creating a workshop or seminar. You'll need to find the perfect venue (or technological support, if it'll be virtual). You'll need to find hotels for guests to stay at, arrange special rates, and plan special activities during down time.

Close the feedback loop and do it again
You're going to love holding your event. You'll shine in the spotlight, your participants will have a delightful time, and you'll all have an extraordinary experience.

This is a shortened version of an article I wrote on hosting your own seminar. For the full article visit http://www.traceylawton.com/newsletterarchives/mar06.htm

Online Transcription Solutions for Transcribing Your Teleclasses

2006-03-09T16:50:00.000-05:00

When you visit my Online Transcription Services page on my website you'll see that I give a few examples of how a VA can help you.

A service that is becoming very popular with clients is transcription of their teleclasses, and I use this as an example on my website:

You need your recorded teleclass transcribing. You can either record it as it takes place and send me the digital audio file for transcription; or I can dial in, record the teleclass, and transcribe it afterwards. I then email/mail back the completed transcript to you, and email the completed teleclass transcript to the participants.

I have transcribed two teleclasses lately for two different clients and both were very happy with the results. One was a full transcript of the teleclass; the other was just the Q&A session only.

Why would you want to have your teleclass transcribed?

1. You can distribute it to the participants afterwards so that they have a record of the call, thus providing added-value.

2. You can turn the completed transcript into a 'special report' and sell it on your website.

3. If you run a series of teleclasses you can compile these into an eBook to sell, thus generating a passive income stream.

Tracey provided fast, excellent service at a reasonable cost. She also returned our project well before deadline.

Using Spreadsheets in your Day-to-Day Business

2006-02-28T12:43:00.000-05:00

Spreadsheets aren't just for sums! They are a wonderful tool you can use in your day-to-day business to help keep you organizined and on top of your tasks. Here's my three top tips for making use of this versatile program:

Tip #1 'To Do' List

How do you manage your day-to-day tasks? Do you have a notebook for your To Do lists and cross out each one as you go along? Or do you have little yellow post-its stuck all over the place? Is this really the best way of managing your daily tasks?

Spreadsheets are a great way for you to organise your To Do list. Set up headings in the first row and add your tasks below. You can then sort your list by any column that you choose, making it an interactive To Do list. And best of all, your list is contained in one place.

Create a shortcut to your To Do list and place it on your desktop so that you can access it easily, or just keep it open and minimise your screen each time you're not using it.

Tip #2 Create a Simple Mailing Database

Another great use for a spreadsheet is to set up a simple mailing database. Perhaps you've researched a target market and want to send them a mailing. By creating a spreadsheet to input their name, address, phone number, email address, and website you can easily keep a track of your data.

You can also use this data to carry out a mail merge via Word. Create active hyperlinks for the email and website addresses and you can email or visit their website directly from your spreadsheet.

And if you add an additional column for 'Responses' you can simply monitor your success rate too!

Tip #3 Track Potential Clients and Follow-ups

If you regularly have enquiries from potential clients, whether they're phone calls or directly via your website, you can set up a spreadsheet to track this data. You can see where your enquiries are coming from, which method of marketing is the most effective, and if the prospect turned into a client.

You can also add an additional column for 'Follow-up Date' and perform a sort on this column so that you know who to follow up with and when!

Data Security

2006-02-21T11:58:00.000-05:00

Being a virtual assistant is a wonderful career and a very cost effective solution for a lot of companies - small businesses, solopreneurs, and large corporations who want to outsource some of their administrative tasks.

One area where virtual assistants are a great asset is in the area of transcription. With digital transcription being the preferred format these days, it's very easy for clients to send us their work. However, it does raise an issue of confidentiality, particularly for those clients who are from the legal and medical profession. By sending data via the internet they have concerns about how safe it is, particularly as it's usually client or patient data that is being transmitted. I received one such enquiry this week from a Doctor's pratice in the UK. I was asked:

How do you ensure security of patient data especially with digital files over the internet?

This is a very real concern for these clients and one they need to feel reassured on. As virtual assistants how do we assure our clients that when they transfer their digital audio files to us their data will be kept secure?

One way of doing that is by utilising a secure file transfer service - which I do. It's called Send This File And here's the reply I sent back to the potential client:

To answer your specific question about the security of patient data, to receive audio files from a client I use a file transfer service via Send This File http://www.sendthisfile.com and the service uses secure transfers (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.

In addition to this, I have a confidentiality clause within my project booking forms which states quite clearly that all work I undertake for a client will remain confidential at all times - even when our contract has come to an end. This is something that all virtual assistants should adhere to, and it should be stated in their contracts.

Your VA can provide you with Marketing Support

2006-02-13T10:59:00.000-05:00

This week I had a colleague asking me:

Please tell me what a VA does exactly, I would love to be informed! I struggle with tracking and paperwork definitely! I registered for constant contact to stay in touch with my clients, and have no idea how to use it, it sits there..........I think I'm not organized enough.....

I thought this would make a great article because this is a very common question that clients ask us. Here's my reply:

To answer your questions, a VA can do a variety of different things, it simply depends on their area of expertise. Basically though think of a VA as a secretary, which is what we all are. You will find that pretty much all VAs who offer transcription, typing, word processing, office management, administrative tasks etc. all come from a secretarial background.

Take a look at my profile page, and you will see this is exactly the background that I have.

www.traceylawton.com/profile.htm

We have taken our years of experience and have set up our own businesses offering secretarial/administrative/personal assistant services. Because of the internet and email this means that we can now operate from our own offices (usually in the home) and provide the exact same services that an in-office secretary provides, except make the coffee! I have clients in the UK as well as the USA and I've never even met them. There are some clients that I haven't even spoken to on the phone; our work is carried out solely via email!

I have a FAQ page on my website that covers a lot of the basics of a VA. You can take a look at it here:

www.traceylawton.com/faq.htm

Let's take Constant Contact as an example of what a VA could do for you. I have been using Constant Contact myself for the past two/three years to produce my own newsletter and understand exactly how it works. I could:

- Take all of your client data, in whatever format that may be in, and create a simple spreadsheet of their name and email addresses.

- I would then upload all of this data into your Constant Contact account. You would then have your subscriber list sitting there ready to go!

- You could then send me the details of an email marketing campaign that you would want to send to your mailing list. For example, you may be running a special promotion on products and offering a discount. You would want to pass this promotion onto your clients (subscriber list).

- I would then draft a marketing campaign in Constant Contact offering this promotion to your clients. I would send you an email copy of the campaign for you to approve prior to it going out.

- We would then agree a date on which you would want this campaign sent.

- I would schedule the campaign to go out, and your clients would receive an email in their inbox detailing your special promotion. If they wanted to take advantage of it, there would be a link for them to click through to your website or special page offering your promotion, and then they'd be able to purchase the products that are on special offer.

- You would then be able to log into Constant Contact after the campaign has been sent to see how many people opened your email, who opened your email, who clicked through to your special offer page, and you would then know who bought your special priced products from your orders!

That's the basics of how this would work. There is a lot we can do afterwards. For example for those clients that opened your email and took advantage of the special offer we could save as an 'Interest Category' within Constant Contact and target those clients next time with another special! Once you've got your subscriber list into Constant Contact the possibilities are endless.

You could also add a subscriber box to your website (again this is something I could help you with) to get your website visitors to sign up to your subscriber list and this would be one way of growing your list.

This is just one area where a VA could help you, and the only thing you would need to do is send them your client data, and approve an email marketing campaign.

Transferring your Digital Audio Files to me couldn't be simpler!

2006-02-06T16:45:00.000-05:00

This week I started work for a new client (yippeee!) and during the course of our conversation he asked how he could get his audio files to me for transcription, as he'd had problems with using email in the past.

So I thought I'd share with you the most efficient way of getting your digital audio files to me so that I can transcribe them.

I advise clients against sending me their digital audio files via email. Why? Because:

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

2. 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!

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

4. 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 clients utilize a secure file transfer service to send me their digital audio files. I have an account with Send This File for my clients to use.

I passed all this information on to my new client, and he took advantage of my digital audio file upload page to send me his audio files. I then received the work via Send This File, transcribed it, and sent it back. Simple!

Activity Planning Made Easy!

2006-01-23T10:45:00.000-05:00

Did you start off the New Year with lots of new project ideas? Have you written these ideas down, or are they still floating around in your head?

Well, here is a simple and effective way of keeping a track of all those ideas - set up an Activity Planning Spreadsheet!

If, like me, you prefer to work off computer files then setting up a spreadsheet will make your activity planning run a whole lot smoother. Unlike a paper-based list you can change or update your activities without having to scribble out stuff and make it look messy!!

I am taking a dose of my own advice! My spreadsheet is really simple - just four columns headed Quarter 1, 2, 3, 4. I took a list of all the projects I wanted to work on and prioritised them. For example there are a couple of projects that aren't important but I'd like to do, so I thought these would be good to do in the Summer months when it's quieter. These projects have gone into Qtr.3. And the really good thing about this spreadsheet is that you can cross off (using the strikeout font) the projects as you do them (a visual thing; it makes you feel like you're actually working on your projects) or just simply move them (cut & paste) into the next quarter if you didn't get them done in the quarter you planned to.

A simple idea, but it works!

If you'd like to receive regular tips and advice like this one direct to your Inbox each month, then sign up for my newsletter here and receive an exclusive report Is Your Current Office Setup Holding You Back

A fully working Excel spreadsheet!

2006-01-16T11:35:00.000-05:00

My client approached me because he needed a fully working Excel spreadsheet to track tournament data - he'd already designed the spreadsheet and wanted someone who knew Excel very well to input the formulae and get it working!

That's where I came in! The spreadsheet started with inputting tournament members names, keeping a track of their scores, carrying the data through to the next worksheet (which represented the next round), automatically updating the score data, eliminating those members who didn't win their round, listing winners who were going through to the next round plus their scores and so on, and eventually declaring a winner.

This project was very challening and a lot fun to do. I am used to working with budgets and finances, so to do this was something a little different from the usual request.

At the end of the project my client was very happy with the work that I'd done, and he'd got exactly what he wanted!

If you have a slightly unusual request for a spreadsheet, contact me and I'll be happy to help!

A VA really is a cost effective, flexible solution for your business

2006-01-10T21:10:00.000-05:00

I'm sure you've read all about the benefits of hiring a VA? The flexibility, using them only when you need to, no employee costs, overheads, vacation leave, sick leave etc. etc.

But it is true - a VA really is all that ... and more!

I have a new client whose requirement was exactly that. She wanted to hire a VA who could do

'occasional work on an hourly basis'

My client is getting exactly that by hiring me, but she is also getting so much more.

She's getting all the beneifts of a professional administrative assistant with over 18 years experience, but without all the overheads of an employee.

- She doesn't have to find work to keep me busy.
- I am 100% productive as she only pays me for the work that I do for her.
- If I'm sick or go on vacation, she doesn't have to pay me.
- I have my own fully-equipped office so she doesn't have to provide me with any office equipment.

What can be more cost effective and flexible than that!

If you have further questions about working with a Virtual Assistant, I have set up a FAQ page on my website where I explain the all benefits, and answer some of your common FAQ, in more detail.

Of course, you can always email me directly to ask!

Creation of a Marketing Database Solved this Client's Problem!

2006-01-03T22:41:00.000-05:00

My client approached me with a problem she was having in setting up a database. What she wanted was a database to track a marketing campaign that she was planning, but the problem was (or should I say problems!) were:

1. She didn’t have her target audience researched;
2. She didn’t know how to set up a database; and
3. She’d been putting off this project for the past six months as it just seemed too daunting to do on her own.

This is where I came in! She and I were already known to one another, and as she knew that I specialised in database design, she came to me for a solution. I was able to do ALL of the above for her.

Once the project was complete I asked my client for some feedback about how she found working with a Virtual Assistant (as this was her first experience), and this is what she said:

Q: What were the problem(s) you were facing with your project?

A: I had this killer project that I’d been putting off for six months and I didn’t have a lot of time to tell you what I needed done.

Q: Were you at all concerned about working with someone so far away from you?

A: I was a bit of an unbeliever. I mean, really, how could someone in Ohio take care of a project for me? Here I am in North Carolina. And let’s face it, like most entrepreneurs, I don’t like explaining myself more than once. And I definitely didn’t like the idea of you asking a lot of questions, or coming back again and again not understanding what I was looking for.

Q: So, given your reservations, how did the virtual working process go for you?

A: The virtual process went so smoothly. I was really surprised by that because I'd never done it before. And I figured we'd need to at least talk on the phone, but you were able to understand everything so easily. It was really amazing. I can't tell you how impressed I was both by the thoroughness of your questions and the depth of your work.

Q: How do you think the database would have gone if you’d done it yourself?

A: Now that the database is finished I realise not only was it a project that would have been a nightmare for me to do myself, but the database I would have created would have cost of hundreds of hours, not just to create in the first place, but to keep up, and to use. So, you’ve really saved me thousands of dollars worth of time.

What's stopping you from getting your projects done?

2005-12-22T21:06:00.000-05:00

... probably the same thing that's stopped me from getting this blog updated this week - a lack of time!

So, my excuse for not updating my blog this week (and I warn you it's a long one)...

We are in the process of having our basement finished as my family (mom, dad, brother and fiancée) are coming over from the UK to visit for Christmas/New Year and I needed the extra room. So that's been going on the for the past eight weeks. Then my husband has been working away for four weeks and he came home this past Saturday. So we have spent the last few days trying to get all our stuff back into the basement to get it ready for next week, which means that I haven't been anywhere near my PC since last Saturday! Hence the lack of an updated blog.

Well, there you have it! The rather lame excuse.

My friend, Julie Bestry, is a professional organizer Best Results Organizing and here's some advice she gave me:

Take Five--take five minutes, even set your kitchen or office timer, to limit yourself. It's AMAZING the amount of progress we can make if we just give ourselves a self-contained deadline. It's obvious the task won't be completed in five minutes, but it's like cooking an egg. Even after you take it off the heat (the timer's already buzzed), it keeps on cooking. If you start writing a blog entry, an email, a summary, heck, just five minutes of brainstorming and writing whatever comes to you will let the idea keep simmering in your brain as you move on to other tasks.

So try it out, see how you get on! And brainstorming the notes will be enough to enable you to hand something off to your VA to shape up ... and bing, bang, boom, you're done.

Have a wonderful Christmas and New Year!

5 Tasks You Should Be Delegating To Your Virtual Assistant

2005-12-11T20:30:00.000-05:00

You don't need me to tell you that this is a really busy time of year for most people. There's extra pressure with clients wanting their projects completing before Christmas; you're invited to social events with clients, colleagues, family, and friends; you have your Christmas shopping to do! And you still have to run your business.

So, with all this additional workload and stress, how can a Virtual Assistant lighten the load for you?

Here are 5 tasks you SHOULD be delegating to your Virtual Assistant to ensure that you have as stress-free a holiday season as possible:

#1 Designing custom holiday promotions

Need to send Christmas cards to your clients? Or maybe you have a special holiday promotion? I can help you here by designing custom Christmas cards, calendars, flyers, postcards, brochures, or any other promotional item.

#2 Organizing and maintaining your mailing list

Is your mailing list all together in one place? Or is it on bits of paper and business cards that you've collected over this past year? Do you even have a mailing list? I can help you here by setting up and maintaining a mailing list for you. It doesn't even have to be just for the holiday period, I can maintain your list all year round so that you can send regular mailings and promotions to your clients.

#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? I can help you here by sending out your holiday cards and promotions for you. Once you have your promotional literature and mailing list organized, then I can save you time by sending them out on your behalf - via email or post.

#4 Planning your Holiday Event

Thinking of hosting a seasonal seminar or workshop? Then let me help you organize and plan that event for you--from sending out the invitations to collating the RSVPs, producing the literature, or booking the venue.

#5 Helping you plan your New Year marketing campaigns

If you're already thinking past Christmas and into the New Year, then let me assist you by helping you 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!

Business Book Club - Update #1

2005-09-29T12:04:00.000-05:00

What's been happening at the Book Club?

The Book Club is really coming together now. Our first book is due to be started next week, and I'm really excited about that!

Since my last post I've worked on:

contacting more authors to fill up the timeslots for the remainder of next year
sending letters to book vendors to secure discounts on book purchases for the members

I've been updating my client on a regular basis so that she knows what's been happening too.

The book club now has it's own web page and is inviting new members. If you'd like to find out more then email me and I'll give you the details!

All of this work has been carried out totally virtually, through emailing with both my client and the authors involved.

I'll let you know how it's going again at the end of November when we've reviewed our first book and have had our live teleconference with the author.

Until then ...

What's this blog about?

2005-08-04T14:48:00.000-05:00

The 'Virtual Assistant' profession is a new industry that not everyone has heard of or even understands. Think of your Virtual Assistant (VA) as your secretary/Personal Assistant/administrative officer, whatever term you want to use, except that she isn't based in your office but in her own office - wherever that may be.

What is a Virtual Assistant?
A Virtual Assistant (VA) is a highly experienced, administrative professional who provides first class business support services to their clients, without ever having to set foot inside their office. Traditionally they will have worked in an office environment for many years and will have gained a wealth of knowledge and experience at a high administrative level.

What does a Virtual Assistant do?
A Virtual Assistant can do almost any job that the traditional secretary or personal assistant who sits next to you in your office can do. They can schedule your appointments, deal with your correspondence and emails, provide you with typing support, liaise with your contacts, work on your projects, in fact any job that a secretary in your office can do, your virtual assistant can do virtually.

Okay, so now you know what a Virtual Assistant is and what they do, but you're still not sure how they work and how they get their client's work done. That's where this blog comes in. I will give you REAL clients and REAL projects and chronicle them for you so you can see exactly how a Virtual Assistant supports her clients.

Any questions, just email me! mailto:tracey@traceylawton.com

Setting Up A Business Book Club

2005-08-04T14:38:00.000-05:00

The Project

A few weeks ago my client approached me and asked me to help her with setting up a Business Book Club. In her words, "The book club is a great idea and I just need someone who can implement it. I'm glad you chose to take the reigns because that's a lot less work I'll have to do."

So, in order to get the Business Book Club up and running my role is to:

Research a book list
Choose books for the Book Club
Contact the authors and ask them if they would like to be a featured author
Put together a calendar of books for the coming year
Schedule in the authors
Get in touch with books vendors so that we can offer Book Club members a discount on the purchase of their books
Pull everything together so that when the Business Book Club is launched we have authors and books in place

The launch date for the Business Book Club is getting closer so it was important that we at least have our kick-off author in place. This past week we've secured the first two authors.

How does all this work get done?

So far it's all been done via email and IM (instant messaging). I have also had to do a lot of internet research to get the book list together and to find out contact details for the authors.

What do I need to do next?

Over the next few weeks there still needs to be a lot of work done to keep the momentum going with the Book Club. I will need to:

Follow up with authors we haven't heard back from
Get in touch with book vendors
Send weekly status reports back to my client so she knows what's happening

What's been happening since my last post?

I've been in contact with my client through MSN Messenger and updated her on the status of the bookclub. This was a great way to communicate - quicker than emails!

We have our first three authors in place and we now need to work on the Book Club membership.