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.
