New Values at VA-Supports February 22, 2010
Posted by Laura A. Lee in Business Services, Company, Costs and Fees.Tags: VA-Supports; VASupports; VAS; Laura A. Lee; Laura Lee; Non-profit; Virtual Assistant;
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God requires His people to make a difference when their lives intersect with others. We have taken some time to consider how we want to be viewed as a company and have determined it critical to make the following improvements:
(1) Non-profits receive a discount of 50% with reimbursement of unused hours.
(2) We donate 25% of our profits to non-profit organizations.
(3) Employees volunteer at least 10 hours/month.
(4) Employees are required to take 5 hours/month of continuing education.
Ephesians 2:10 – For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus, to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Website Traffic October 7, 2009
Posted by Laura A. Lee in Company, Marketing, Online.add a comment
Financial crisis has made web site owners to take targeted traffic issue more seriously. Today if your web site is not bringing money, it makes no point to run it – recession is not the best time for expensive and time consuming hobbies.
I have recently joined a free membership that is a great fix for getting traffic, especially during the recession time (free is the best price one can get).
Unlike many memberships where they promise you loads of traffic, these guys have picked up a group of volunteers in Sept 2008 and pushed their sites to page 1 in Google within 2-9 weeks. Sites were in different niches: health, money, spiritual growth, computer games. Proofs provided on the project site.
The idea of the membership is simple – they give you access to unlimited number of one way links; quality links, from relevant sites, no link farm or typical link brokerage junk involved.
You have total freedom in building as many back links as you need, and this pushes your web sites to the 1st pages in search engines.
Plus, they reward active members with giving them extra (BONUS) one way links. For example, if you add just one site to their membership – they will be giving you +7% more free backlinks instantly.
Claim your membership and start building targeted traffic here: http://www.freetrafficsystem.com/a.php?p=25095
Client Gifts August 27, 2009
Posted by Laura A. Lee in Advertising, Business Services, Company, Marketing, Networking, Virtual Assistants.Tags: Advertising, Business, Business Services, Laura A. Lee, Resource, VAS, VASupports, Virtual Administrative Supports
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When I suggest offering a gift, it doesn’t have to mean something expensive. Choose something that will help the client remember your company. That’s the key for any of these marketing tools, isn’t it? Maybe it’s a calendar with your company information, a datebook, or a magnet. Maybe it’s post-its or a key ring. It could even be a simple as a coupon for a free or discounted service. The thing is you want to get them in your door, so to speak.
Whether it is sending them to your website, signing up for a service, or even registering for your mailing list, get them connected and then you can nurture the relationship into something that profitable for your business. Remember, it takes a prospective client several times to see and hear about you before deciding to make that purchase. So, get out there frequently to ensure they remember you above the competition.
Advertising August 7, 2009
Posted by Laura A. Lee in Advertising, Business Services, Company, Virtual Assistants.Tags: Advertising, Business, Business Services, Laura A. Lee, Resource, VAS, VASupports, Virtual Administrative Supports
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With all of the advertising methods out there, it is critical to know where your target market frequents. This is another reason to research and know who your target market is.
If you sell diapers, you don’t want to market to the college crowd. That would be a waste of resources and time. Although, it may bring in some business, you should consider advertising in appropriate areas to reach a higher percentage of the market, such as newsletters for new moms, events for families of young children, etc.
Advertising is such broad term for the ways you can reach out today. It no longer needs to be a great expense either. There are free and low cost advertising opportunities all over the place. Don’t count those out. If there is a free place to post an upcoming event for your target audience, list it. You never know where that next client may come from. Get out there in newsletters, business seminars, networking groups and anywhere that your target group spends time.
Do you feel as though there isn’t enough time to research your target market sufficiently or are you unsure of the ways to get started? VA-Supports.com Whatever Your Needs, Whatever Your Deadlines, We Are At Your Service!
Online Networking July 13, 2009
Posted by Laura A. Lee in Marketing, Networking, Online.Tags: Advertising, Business, Business Services, Laura A. Lee, Resource, VAS, VASupports, Virtual Administrative Supports
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Getting involved in networking online may seem like a daunting task of immense time wasting. And it can be, if you aren’t careful about where and when you do network. Joining every networking site there is on the internet is not practical for any business, nor are they all appropriate for recruiting the ideal target audience for your service or product.
Consider a site like Facebook. It can be a great way to promote your business, but it can easily turn into something personal instead of business. If you create a profile for your business, keep it that way. Avoid adding ‘friends’ that are just that. Keep it for business contacts and business information. Keep personal data off your profile.
Now look at a site like LinkedIn, which is designed for professionals. It doesn’t ask for your age or marital status. It offers ways to connect with other groups of professionals to promote your business.
So, once you decide which sites to network on, how do you determine the necessary time to devote to produce a positive result for your business? That’s a tough call as it can vary significantly between businesses. One way that I reduce my time in networking is saving a copy of my profiles for when I join a new site. That way, it’s more of a cut and paste than rewrite, which can save a lot of time from duplicating the same information. I also set aside a timeframe each week for networking and stick to that alone. I don’t allow myself to spend time every day, as it can turn into a ever-growing time commitment.
Once I have been networking on a site for a while, I track my time and results to ensure the site is a positive marketing tool for my business. If I have been on a site for quite a while with little or no result, I reduce or eliminate my time on that tool and move on. Finding marketing that works for you may seem a bit like ‘trial and error.’ And that’s ok, that’s what marketing is: finding your target audience and drawing them in to your business.
When it comes to tracking the effectiveness of a marketing tool, I use a simple spreadsheet similar to this:
|
Time |
Value |
Result |
Result Value |
Total Value |
|
| 1/1/09 Join Site |
2 hrs |
($60) |
($60) |
||
| 1/7/09 Updates |
30 min |
($15) |
($15) |
||
| 1/14/09 Updates |
30 min |
($15) |
20 hr/mo 6 mo contract |
$3600 |
$3585 |
|
Results: |
$3510 |
||||
Note: For multiple networking sites, I detail the results of each individual site to ensure all my efforts are effective.
It is critical that you are aware that networking does take time. As mentioned previously, it can take someone 9+ times to hear about your business before he/she makes contact or a purchase. So, it can take several months.
Tracking where your customers are coming from is also critical in helping determine the effectiveness of your marketing efforts. Simply asking where they heard of you can make all the difference in understanding what works for your business and what doesn’t.
What Are Virtual Assistants? January 17, 2009
Posted by Laura A. Lee in Business Services, Company, Virtual Assistants.Tags: Business Services, Laura A. Lee, VAS, VASupports, Virtual Administrative Supports, Virtual Assistant
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Virtual Assistants (VAs) are becoming the wave of the future for businesses, whether they are small startup companies or large corporations. VAs are even becoming more popular for individuals planning weddings, parties or need help with their personal finances.
A VA is someone who provides office support from an off-site location. Each VA has different niches and services that they offer.
Generally, Virtual Assistants have their own business. This is a great benefit for companies who contract with them because the Virtual Assistant is vested in their company and is dedicated to your company as it directly impacts theirs.
In 2007, it was estimated that there were between 8,000 and 10,000 Virtual Assistants worldwide and they vary in costs anywhere from $20 to $75 an hour depending on services provided.
Virtual Administrative Supports charges a flat rate of $30 an hour for all services provided. Additional discounts are available on retainer contracts and for referrals.
Email Marketing January 10, 2009
Posted by Laura A. Lee in Email, Marketing.Tags: Business, Email, Email Marketing, Follow-Up, Laura A. Lee, VAS, VASupports, Virtual Administrative Supports
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Email Marketing: This requires permission. Start a sign-up where potential customers can receive email updates, discounts, and information about your company. Although you may be tempted to request a full name, company, mailing address, phone, etc, most people are extremely protective of their information and are not open to giving you all of the information. In all reality, all you really need is their first name and primary email address. Requesting piles of information turns away high numbers of potential customers, so start with just the basics.
Did you know, on average, a person needs to see something 9 times before accepting or buying into it? Wow! That’s a lot of follow-up! That is why an email marketing system is an easy way for you to keep your company in front of the prospects. It is low-cost, time-efficient, and effective. Just think, if you were to individually follow-up with each of your prospects, how much time would it take to send a personalized email, make a phone call? It would consume your day, but an email marketing tool is an automatic follow-up.
But what about the personal touch, you may ask? Well, that’s why we ask for the first name. Include the first name in the email. Tell a brief statement about you personally – people really enjoy learning about you. It gives them the sense of knowing you, which increases the probability of gaining their business. It’s the KNOW, LIKE, TRUST FACTOR.
10 Tips for Direct Networking December 18, 2008
Posted by Laura A. Lee in Direct Networking, Networking.Tags: 10 Tips, Direct Networking, Elevator Speech, Laura A. Lee, Networking, VAS, VASupports, Virtual Administrative Supports
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Networking allows prospects to know and learn about you and the company. It provides a face for clients who prefer that method. Here are 10 tips for networking:
1. Dress professionally and always take a brief moment to check once you arrive.
2. Make sure you are comfortable, don’t wear those new shoes that will hurt your feet or a shirt that bunches and requires frequent adjustments.
3. TURN YOUR CELL PHONE OFF! Or at least set it on vibrate. Answering a phone presents the appearance that something else is more important.
4. Spend time with those you don’t know! Don’t catch up with old friends or contacts, use this time to meet new and expand your contact list.
5. Share information about your company with those you meet. Have an elevator speech prepared (10-20 seconds) to give a brief overview when the opportunity presents itself. Then let it go. Let them ask for more information, pressuring will only turn them off to your company.
6. Always be well stocked with business cards to hand out anytime you meet someone. Even consider having your personal phone number on the back of some for personal meetings. This gets your business information out there and back to the home or office with them. Also consider a small gift like a pen, but make sure it’s a nice one, not just a stick pen.
7. Be a good listener. People can tell when you are not interested. Always present interested body language and remember to make eye contact.
8. Collect as many business cards as possible. Take notes about each person on the back of their business card and include why you need to make contact.
9. Send a thank you note. It was nice to meet you. After meeting someone, send them a note, just make sure it’s personal and ALWAYS SIGN YOUR OWN NAME! Never type your name on it. Very impersonal!
10. Follow up! Referring to the notes on the back of their business cards, send the information about your company that would best pertain to them.
Why Are VAs So Expensive? December 16, 2008
Posted by Laura A. Lee in Business Services, Company, Costs and Fees, Uncategorized, Virtual Assistants.Tags: Laura A. Lee, VAS, VAs Compared to Employees, VASupports, Virtual Administrative Supports, Virtual Assistant, Virtual Assistant Costs
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When you take a few moments and consider what the actual cost of having an employee, you will see that having a VA is the way to go (see chart below).
You only pay for the time on your projects, not chatting with co-workers, bathroom breaks, or personal emails.
You don’t have to worry about taxes, insurance, benefits, etc as the VA takes care of all those costs themselves since they are a contractor.
According to VANetworking.com, a regular employee’s 8-hour day can be reduced to 3-4 hours with a VA.
How much work could you get done if you hired a VA for a full 40 hours a week instead of a regular employee? That’s easy – DOUBLE WHAT YOU’RE GETTING NOW!
VAs are often also more experienced in a variety of areas and have more flexibilities in the job duties you’d like accomplished.
Cost Comparison Employee Assistants
Hourly Rate $20.00 $30.00
Fringe Benefits @ 35% $7.00 $0.00
Overhead Rate @ 50% $10.00 $0.00
Total Effective Rate of Pay $37.00 $30.00
*Hours Per Year 2,080 hrs 480 hrs
TOTAL Annual Labor Cost $76,960.00 $14,400.00
That’s a savings of $62,560! What can you do with that kind of savings?
*Now, you may be asking why there is only 480 hours for the VA listed. Virtual Assistants are generally more experienced and more efficient than employees are; plus, you do not pay for breaks, co-worker chatting, or even bathroom breaks. You can devote far less time to the project to get the same results, only approximately 480 hours a year versus 2,080 for the employee.
