One of the team asked me today a question I'd not thought about before - at least, not in detail. It's one of those things that you tend to develop an unwritten law about - and each person has their own law. She was responding to a job request late in the day and asked up to what time would be suitable to call the client? We discussed some times and I suggested that anything up to 8.30pm is often ok for many people but not for others. Probably best to call and ask if 'now is a convenient … [Read more...]
Do You Have a Newsletter?
If you don't already provide a newsletter to existing and prospective clients, now is as good a time as any to start thinking about it and preparing one. Perhaps you might feel you have nothing to say, or perhaps you don't feel confident in your own writing ability. But don't despair because you can get good articles from any of the article submission sites available online, such as www.goarticles.com, www.articlecity.com, www.ezinearticles.com, www.ideamarketers.com and others. The authors are … [Read more...]
Industry Forums Are Very Useful
Recently one of the ACS team asked members on our chat forum about online facilities that would allow training via the internet to take place. She had an overseas client who needed training in the database program she was using for them and she was looking for something where the client could see what she was seeing on her computer at the same time. Sound like something of the future? Not at all! It can be done today and that's what makes this industry so exciting - the possibilities … [Read more...]
Just who is the expert?
One of the ACS team sent a message yesterday about an advert she saw. This is it: · Work from home listening and typing up lectures · Paid $15 per completed transcription Transcriptionist required to listen to recorded lectures and transcribe lectures in fields of either : 1. medicine OR 2. organic chemistry OR 3.physics and mechanics of solids Lectures run for no longer than 1hour in duration Can do as many lectures per week as desired but minimum of 6 required She sent an enquiry to … [Read more...]
When a VA is seeking work
I periodically get emails from new VAs who are seeking work as a VA. Most of the time they are from countries in which English is not their native language, and they offer to take on my work and do it at a much cheaper rate so that I am still getting paid by my client at my normal rate but they're doing it for me at a cheaper rate. Whilst, in theory, this might seem like a good idea to the new VA who is keen to get established, there are a number of problems with this approach: 1. Virtual … [Read more...]
What Does It Take To Be A VA?
I had an interesting email discussion with a member of my team in the past week. She's trying to decide whether or not to renew her membership or whether to return to the workforce. She's only been a member for just under six months, so not very long. I had to ask her some questions to get an idea of where she is at and what has taken place at her end to know what to advise her - she was obviously seeking advice, rather than just tell me she wasn't staying with the team. A number of items … [Read more...]
Client or Employer?
The team and I were having an interesting discussion yesterday about a job that had been posted via a vacancies list at a well known organisation, and also about approaches by email. There is concern these days about which ones are genuine and which ones are illegal. My response follows: "If it has anything to do with processing accounts, handling money on their behalf, being a finance officer or similar - STAY RIGHT AWAY FROM IT. In fact, any offer of a 'job', so to speak, by email, should … [Read more...]
Posting on Chat Forums
I belong to a number of chat forums, some relate to the VA industry, some are other business related, some software, and a few more that are connected to personal interests. What disturbs me the most is that on any of the chat forums that are business related in some way, people continue to post to the forums just like they sending an SMS to a friend or carrying on a phone conversation with a family member. They forget they are in a business forum. Things I recommend you do when … [Read more...]
Maintaining Professionalism 24/7
I belong to the TrumpU forum and post periodically when a topic pushes a hot button. The latest one was about whether spelling and grammar matters on posts. Below is a response from another member of the forum and my answer follows. I was pleased to get encouraging responses thereafter. RE: Thankyou Mr. Trump for getting these Forums going ...Yesterday @ 11:31 PM EST I must disagree with you about not wanting an edit / spellcheck feature on this forum. We all make mistakes typing. This is a … [Read more...]