Imagine my dismay this morning when I checked my computer just before 6.30am to find that it had two error messages and the Start button was missing. Little did I know what was ahead of me for the next 10+ hours. Frustration, tears and wasted time and I nearly wiped my computer to start all over again! I did some research on the two error messages I had and it seemed to indicate it was a Windows error but it was a Dell file that wasn't operating in the gs_agentfolder. I tried to run the Dell … [Read more...]
Operating a VA business – Adding to the equasion
When we first start building our Virtual Assistant businesses we tend to concentrate on what we know best and it nearly always relates to word-processing, data entry, transcription work, book-keeping or similar. As we become more confident we start to find things we really enjoy doing and that often we can teach our clients about those things. For me in the past it has meant adding blogging to my list of services, websites and eventually setting up social media profiles for Twitter, Facebook, … [Read more...]
New look newsletter
Each year I like to start off fresh with new ideas, new plans and often new looks. The website I'm thinking about changing but haven't yet fully decided on that. It's a big job. But I have updated my newsletter and had some great feedback on the new look. Why not pop in to see my latest issue and see for yourself? And if you're not subscribed, then feel free to do so - I'd love to see you on the list! http://www.vadirectory.net/acsnewsjan10.htm … [Read more...]
Start the year off right
Christmas/New Year, in Australia at least, is generally a time for taking a break. Many companies close down for 10 days, 2 weeks or more or they have a skeleton staff operating during that period. It is a time to just relax, let go, recover from the previous year and start to plan or look ahead to the following year. Sometimes it's just really hard getting going again. Depends on where you've been at on a mental level and a physical level. It is traditionally a time to set new year … [Read more...]
Kudos to Twitter… and @Telstra!
I had a problem with one of my Telstra accounts. I'd inadvertently made a payment on the wrong account and I didn't pick it up till after I'd made the same mistake the following month. I couldn't figure out why Telstra was saying I was in arrears when my bookkeeping program told me I was all paid up. I logged into my bank account and found the error. Do you think I could get Telstra to do something about it? I'd spoken to 3 different consultants over a period of a week and each time got told … [Read more...]
The importance of follow up
We read often the importance of follow up when networking and meeting people for the first time but what about when they've already begun using your service or product? How many of you follow up afterward to see how things are going? A couple of years ago I decided to set up an autoresponder series for follow up after clients fill out the job request form on my website. I hadn't realised how valuable this simple action would be. Over that time I've received really valuable feedback as well … [Read more...]
Why I prefer email
It was only 7.45am and I was catching up with emails and playing with some photos I wanted to edit. The business line rang and I wondered whether I should pick it up yet or not. After all I don't usually start work till a bit later. I answered the phone and it was one of my clients. A cheque he'd sent over a week ago still hadn't arrived and he was ringing to say he'd only just now seen my email from the previous night. I laughed inwardly as I listened to him and then when he stopped I told … [Read more...]
Do you produce a newsletter?
I do. I have been since the second year of my business. That means I've been producing a newsletter for around 14 years now on a monthly basis. I missed a few months here and there in the early days but it has been monthly for quite some time now. In the early days, it was printed and posted and I would periodically hear from people who had a copy passed on to them from the recipient. That was always nice to hear. I would sometimes use a guest writer for the main article but mostly I've … [Read more...]
Printing still important
In the past few days I've received emails from a couple of VAs who have had computer problems and lost some emails which were important to them. They asked if I could help by resending any emails I'd sent or help locate the person who had contacted them. They did have their data backed up but not email from what I can gather. At least not a current version. Computer problems are going to happen. Email programs are not 100% robust and they do fail, fall over, and quit when we least expect … [Read more...]