New stats on Social Media
May 13, 2010
Social Media Revolution 2 is now out and I am still surprised by the amount of people in business today that are ignoring the significant fact that they need to get an online presence and to enhance it with social media.
Check out this new video – and thanks to Erik Qualman for releasing it.
5 Tips for Successful Research Projects
February 3, 2010
Research projects take time to complete and when they’re done properly they can harvest a mountain of profitable information. Do you know what to expect if you’re the person requesting the research? What about when you’re the VA doing the research? Would you know what you need to do in order to provide your client with solid research project results? Here are 5 tips to use for successful research.
1. Make sure you understand the topic.
Even after the topic has been discussed you may need to familiarize yourself on what it is you are researching to ensure a full understanding. Sometimes you may be asked to research something that you have no prior knowledge of. It is helpful to ask the client for an outline of their research parameters.
2. Be clear on the expected format of the final report and what the research is being used for.
It’s important to know what kind of report is expected. Is it data that needs to be compiled into an Excel spreadsheet? Or perhaps the client is using it as part of their presentation and it will be publicly distributed therefore requiring a formal written report. Or maybe they just need a list of url’s where they can sift through the information. If you know ahead of time it makes your research easier as you’ll know what pieces of information you’ll need to collect along the way such as url’s, resources etc.
3. Know the best way to contact the client for key questions that may arise during research.
Good research always creates questions. You may come across a vein of information that you think could be applicable however before using billable time on it you should double check with the client first. Knowing a sure way to contact the client during your research process is important.
4. Obtain information from client that they already possess on the subject.
It’s always a good rule of thumb to obtain any information that the client may already have on the subject. There’s no point in doing the research twice!
5. Use different search terms.
Always try different search terms for the subject you’re researching. There’s usually more than one description for different subjects and it can add a whole lot more information to your research. If the sites you’re looking on have a search tool use it as well. Use terms that you come across in your research. For example there may be an acronym used to refer to the subject in an article.
Is Your Blog Effective?
September 17, 2009
Ok so you have a blog – like most other smart business owners out there, but how come some blogs seem so much more prominent than others?
When was the last time you checked your site for it’s effectiveness? How do you know whether or not it’s effective? Is there something missing from your blog that you aren’t aware of?
All of these questions probably bounce around inside your busy mind from time to time. But for some reason there are people who choose to ignore these thoughts because it seems so daunting to actually sit down to do. You’d have to research all of the criteria for the effectiveness and then apply it.
Well here’s a few things to start off quickly in your new quest and get you analyzing your blog in a new way:
- Check your page ranking whether it’s in Google or Alexa. Then check your competitors. Where does your site rank in comparison?
- Do you have a Google Analytics account? Have the stats sent monthly to you and compare it with that month’s activities (keeping a record of this on the calendar helps) to see what is working and what isn’t.
- Is your content useful/intersting/important to your target market?
- Are you using the latest plugins?
- Is your blog social media friendly?
After you’ve checked these points you’ll no doubt have some work ahead of you but isn’t your blog worth it?
Five Social Media Tasks To Outsource To A Virtual Assistant
June 23, 2009
A couple weeks ago, I had the pleasure of attending the live event put on by Craig Cannings (VAClassroom.com)and Leesa Barnes (Marketingfit.com)titled,
“Five Social Media Tasks to Outsource (And still be authentic)”
They discussed these five specific tasks that businesses should outsource to a virtual professional:
Social Media Strategy
Social Media System
Social Media Submission
Social Media Technology
Social Media Tracking & Evaluation
These are five hot areas that many business are delegating to Virtual Professionals right now.
Here is a MP3 recording of this 75 minute event that breaks down the specific tasks you can provide for your new and existing clients.
MP3 RECORDING: http://www.vaclassroom.com/audio/outsourcesocialmedia.mp3
Also, there is still a short time left to take advantage of the “Early Summer Special” on VAClassroom’s Social Marketing Specialist Training Program.
http://www.vaclassroom.com/socialmarketing/cmd.asp?af=933566
Here is your $100 discount coupon: SUMMER09.
Top 5 Reasons Why Your VA Should Be Contracted On A Retainer.
April 6, 2009
Do you have a VA? Are you a client who works with your VA on a month-to-month basis wondering at the beginning of that month whether or not they are going to have time for you? Have you experienced the disappointment that your VA couldn’t allocate more time to your project because they were already too busy? Scrambling to get your project in before someone else does?
Alleviating these monthly headaches can be easily remedied with a retainer. A virtual assistant retainer is commonly designed as a “package of hours” that is prepaid at the beginning of the month with a discount in the fee. Retainer packages are unique to the virtual assistant. There are several reasons why it is better to utilize a retainer but here are the top 5 reasons:
1. Guarantee your VA’s time.
When you purchase your retainer at the beginning of the month you are guaranteeing your VA’s time in advance. No more wondering if your latest venture will fly or falter because you will have the assistance that you require to do so.
2. Cost efficient.
A discount is applied as part of the retainer package. The more the hours purchased the larger the discount.
3. Optimize your time.
Knowing in advance that you have the undivided attention and dedication to your projects is a great strategy to streamlining the process to complete it; not to mention the time it will free up to focus your attention on more important issues.
4. Stress buster.
No more stress added to an already busy workday! You can relax and take a big breath because you know that your VA is ready and scheduled to perform the tasks they were contracted to do.
5. Budget friendly.
It’s always much easier to budget and allocate funds when you know what your bill is going to be.
So stop running your business month-to-month and contact your VA today to find out more about a retainer package. It’s just better busines sense.
