Social Media – Find your Connectors

For those of you new to social media, I encourage you to learn it, embrace it, experiment with it, have fun with it and reap the benefits of a wider, more interesting, and more profitable world.  What do we mean by social media?  Well, there are lots of different media types.  It all depends on what outcome or image you are looking for.  But all are invaluable to businesses.  Some examples include Facebook, U-Tube, Linked-in, Twitter, etc. 

Facebook is a fantastic place to start for the faint of heart. It is a great place to build a following of personal friends and/or business professionals. It opens up the opportunity to show your human side and have fun with the whole networking aspect of social media. Sometimes it is who you meet through others that ends up creating a miraculous turn of events in your business growth.  If you have ever read the book, the “Tipping Point”, you will understand a bit of what I am getting at. In this book, it outlines the benefit of certian social acquaintances and the role they play in causing positive vibrations. These people are known as the connectors and are invaluable to you in ways you don’t even know.  We never know where we will meet them or when but rest assure, the more exposure you have to social media, the more likely you are to encounter them.   Hence the social media scene is a must for those looking to enhance and expand the business opportunities.

MARKETING METHODS TO MASTER!

Did you ever wake up one morning – only to think you’ve been a sleep for the past decade?  Well, some days, that’s me.  And….just when I kick into high gear and think I have finally caught up to the rest of the world….and just when I finally think I have mastered what I need to know, I realize there is some new technology and application that I didn’t even know existed…. yet again. But really that’s what is so exciting about this internet and global online world we live and work in. There will always be something new and exciting to learn. So get out your whip, give your wrist that deadly “flick” and master what you need to know.

For me, learning and mastering the in’s and out’s of search engine optimization has become a fabulous game of divide and conquer. I enjoy trying and employing numerous strategies and (although I am always slightly amazed at how well a strategy might work), the game never ends. It can’t or we would all have our business names ranked number one in the search engines now wouldn’t we? So one can’t become complacent about such things can they! However, it is a game you can learn (if you have the time and inclination ….and….well….stamina)! Search engine optimization is a game of strategy but it also involves time so if you are up for the challenge, it can and will work to your advantage. But remember, SEO is just one piece of the internet marketing process. There are numerous other critical elements as well, including thoughtful and focused branding, carefully designed website wording and design, well researched and high impact affiliate and/or linkage building, regular website updating, directory submissions, well planned and well written press releases and the list goes on.

There are countless articles, blogs, podcasts, and videos out there to help maximize your potential, not to mention several great books….but if you find yourself in that unfortunate position of losing ground in the search engine ranking…. but too busy to do something about it, do yourself a favour this Christmas, give yourself the best gift of all and outsource this critical component to your personal Virtual Assistant or Marketing Assistant.

BUSINESS GREETINGS AND THANK YOU’S

As the holiday season is fast approaching, it is that time once again, if you are a business owner, to remember to acknowledge those who have demonstrated patronage and helped your business grow. This can be clients, workers, subcontractors, suppliers, etc.

Although an often timeconsuming task, it is one you should not overlook. Remember, although this is the age of technology, small and personal gestures of goodwill, acknowledgement, and/or thank you’s never go unnoticed and can go a long way towards helping to build and sustain positive business relations. It simply adds that human touch. When completing this task, however, always be mindful that the holiday season can mean different things to different people and is not celebrated by all. So, as a business owner, your greetings should be sensitive to this reality. Designing your greetings in a manner that demonstrates reflection of their contribution to your success and expresses thanks… will generally appeal to all.

If this is yet one more task you don’t feel you can squeeze into your already hectic schedule, then this would be a great task to delegate to your personal virtual assistant.

So….consider this your friendly reminder….

REMEMBER!!!…make 2009 your year to shine.

VIRTUAL BUSINESS INSPIRATIONAL START-UP STORIES…

Hi Other Virtual Professionals and Newbies:

When I started looking into virtual work and internet-based businesses a few years ago, the topic I had the greatest hunger for…was why and how people got started. I simply could not get enough of reading about their challenges and successes… and how they are doing now. I think that’s what keeps most of us going when we find ourselves on the …road less travelled…shall we say. I realize there are lots of forums out there discussing similar material…but I thought no harm in putting yet one more site out there for those willing to share their experiences so that others can enjoy reading them as much as I do. So, I invite all of you out there, to share…. if you have the time and inclination and I thank you, in advance, for taking the time. I will add my experiences as well as the time passes.

Happy Friday to all!!

Amanda

SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING – HOW ON EARTH DO I KEEP UP?

Great question!! And one that I hear often from individuals using these forums in a professional context. In this age of instant contact and online marketing, keeping up with all of the social media sites can be a daunting and overwhelming experience. I know… because I have been there… .and still am! It also doesn’t matter how well versed you are in using social media; it still requires a significant amount of time and input… something we rarely have enough of. So what do you do?

Well, there aren’t really many options if you are in the online business environment. I can tell you without hesitation that social media networking is essential to today’s online entrepreneurs so you simply cannot afford to overlook the opportunities and benefits that arise from getting yourself and your business out there. The old adage that goes with marketing has not changed.

You still need to ‘network’… ’network’… ’network’. The only difference between the physical storefront on the corner and the business storefront on the internet… is the environment and geography in which we do our networking.

I know what you are saying…. yeah… yeah… but get to the point…or better yet, get to the solution!

Okay… here it is… .you either engage in ongoing social media marketing and don’t sleep… ”ever” because you are spending all of your time developing, maintaining, updating and enhancing your social media sites OR… you look into the benefits of having an Internet Marketing Assistant or Virtual Assistant assist you with this.

You may be thinking well that’s all fine and dandy to say, but I simply can’t afford to do that? So I will respond with this? Can you afford NOT to market by ANY and ALL means possible? If you had a storefront on your street, could you afford not to place signs out front or in the newspaper or in business journals? Are you at a point where your business is generating the leads you need in order to sustain growth? If your business is growing by leaps and bounds, then perhaps this is a form of advertising you can live without. However, if your business is like most of our businesses, wherein it is contingent on any and all leads generated… and if generating those leads requires you to maintain connectivity with the global consumer market and/or other business professional…and your business is not generating the volume of activity you need in order to move to the next level, then it is imperative that you not overlook the value of this marketing activity. The key is to be noticed in all social media forums that will help you gain the most exposure for your business activity. The other key is to do it in the most cost effective manner possible.

The use of U-Tube for creative advertising – free; enrolling and participating in Facebook (industry specific) and My Space networking environments – free! And these are just a few, there are numerous others and guess what? That’s right… they’re free! Best of all, they can create some surprising, exciting and often rewarding opportunities that you may not even know existed. Let’s face it, every site you actively participate on is your billboard to the global world and you get to put that billboard wherever you think the most traffic will be. It is also your chance to portray a personal side (human side) to your business. It is an opportunity to network and learn tips and secrets from others who may be in your field. It is an opportunity for people to see how 21st century and progressive you and your business are. Best of all, it costs only your time! Don’t have time? Then maybe it’s time to do the math, give yourself the gift of time, and consider recruiting your personal Virtual Internet Marketing Assistant to carry out these endeavours for you.

Social media marketing is here to stay so leverage it in order to get greater value and much more growth! It really can offer great ‘bang for your buck’. Make 2009, your year to shine and take whatever steps necessary to get your business booming. I’ll see you on the other side… of good times!!

VIRTUAL BUSINESS START-UP – DEVELOPING DISCIPLINE!

Internet Marketing - Online Assistance

Okay….So maybe you’ve been cruising the internet and are finding what looks like some really cool, viable home-based business opportunities and you are thinking….hmmmm….yeah!!! I can DO THAT!! It really doesn’t matter what business we are talking about; it could be any online business. But for example purposes, we will use virtual assistance, internet marketing assistance or any online assistance type work.

First of all, I will start out with the positive and tell you…straight up….that there are many individuals and business teams out there doing very well. But it is important to note that you don’t reach that pinnacle of ‘having made it’ without doing a few key things:

1) You must, and let me repeat myself, MUST…MUST…MUST…do your homework. You need to research, research, research and read, read, read. The business ‘smarts’ I thought I could bring to the table a couple of years ago were only a tiny piece of what I actually needed to know to enter the virtual business world…. and I had been conducting business and had been successful in numerous positions in corporate Canada before I even thought about the venture into virtuality. The scarey part was recognizing how much I didn’t know. That said, I did come armed with a desire to learn what I didn’t know and I came prepared to ‘keep learning’ so that I would have the key knowledge and skills necessary to assist those clients who would undoubtedly come looking for very specialized skills. Fortunately and unfortunately, when working in the virtual business market, that learning never ceases but, then again, that is a big part of what makes owning your own business…so exciting. That leads me to my next point.

2) Ensure you have self-discipline. This is often a weakness we are willing to overlook in ourselves because we feel we have enough passion and other traits to offset it. But remember, passion can waiver and optimism can be hard to come by on those days when clients seem to be hard to find. This is where self-discipline will become the key to your success….and/or your failure. Remember…when the going gets tough…the tough get going. But only if they have self-discipline. I know a number of small business owners that have floundered and barely been able to cover their bills. Not because their product wasn’t a desired commodity, not because they weren’t good at what they did. Their struggles came because they simply would not stay focused and disciplined when they needed to most. They often found those little distractions that would take them away from the bigger money-making activities or they would panic and start completely changing their vision or course. If you don’t have that personal characteristic (discipline), then you need to immerse yourself in activities, books, coaching or support groups that can help motivate you to develop this skill and/or help you to sustain this trait especially when you are starting out and/or hitting your low points. Tools that can help with self-discipline are often your business plan or your vision board or a good motivational CD …whatever tools you use to help keep you focused. Revisit these often, daily if necessary – especially in the early stages….

But most of all…..keep going!!!

Agree? Disagree?

Always enjoy hearing other viewpoints.

Want to chat further? Look me up on Facebook, My Space, Linked in, or at my website at www.anfadvantage.com

WANT TO UPSIZE….THEN OUTSOURCE….WITH A VIRTUAL ASSISTANT

Well….as late fall approaches and the holiday season draws closer, once again, I hope for all of you, it will represent good times and thoughtful celebrations with family and/or friends whether you like or celebrate the actual Christmas Day event. If nothing else, I hope it simply represents a time of generous spirit and reflection. Therefore, I thought I would do a little early reflection myself and review my achievements for the current year, while considering the economy, and what this past year (or last few months) may mean for many small to medium-sized businesses…..myself included. Although I have been thankful to have a position in the corporate sector throughout the year (as I work to build my VA business), my emphasis and desire to build a comprehensive and specialized Internet Marketing Virtual Assistant business and my committment and dedication to offering top-notch service and expertise has not waivered. Although the self-learning, purchased training and trial and error has been continuous and mind-clogging (at times) due to the endless hours of work involved just to stay vibrant and current in the ever-changing industry of online mass media and marketing, I think 2008 is and has been a time, once again, of great things for myself and many others….as it has been another year of innovation and significant growth in many forums and the Virtual Assistant Business arena is no exception.

This leads me to my next thought process. As the economy stumbles and falls a bit before it catches its stride and gets back on track, this may be the opportune time for many businesses to test out the advantages of outsourcing with a Virtual Assistant in order to move in a more cost effective direction. Using a Virtual Assistant is not necessarily a whole new way of doing things, it’s simply a new mindset of how we do things. The responsibilities and activities of a virtual assistant are similar, if not identical, to those you find being performed in-house by administrative and/or information technology personnel. The only real difference is the structure in which those activities are performed. That may be the biggest challenge for traditional business enterprises to deal with. But once you can wrap your head around the technology and endless virtual possibilities, you then are able to analyze the potential benefits of outsourcing such services. Of course, outsourcing may not be a viable option for all business owners but it is more than viable for others; it just may be the only way they can affordably grow and prosper. Hence the VA is your ticket to upsizing! More thoughts to come.

NICHE LEARNING FOR VIRTUAL ASSISTANTS

Hello All:

Just one more post for the evening. As an advocate for ongoing learning, I just wanted to let you know that if you are looking to learn the ins and outs of Internet Marketing either to help market your own business or to provide added value to the clients you may already have, yet feel that you may not have all of the skills you need to do this well, I would encourage you to check out the VA Classroom. A banner/link to it can be found on my website at www.anfadvantage.com

I am currently enrolled and have found it to be a great program. I have learned so much in a very short amount of time and the information is well presented. This is must do learning experience for those looking for a niche.

INTERNET MARKETING VA EXPERTISE RISING

Many businesses may ask themselves the question…..what truly can a Virtual Assistant bring to my business that I can’t do?  Well, before I answer that question, I think it is important to first clarify that Virtual Assistants are business owners too.  This is how they make their livelihood.  VA’s aren’t just looking to work ”for” their clients (so to speak), they are looking to work “with” their clients.  This is an important distinction to note because it puts the business relationship into perspective and helps potential clients to understand why it is critical for VA’s to have expertise.  Let’s face it, just as any business firm could not stay in business without doing their job and doing it well…..neither could a Virtual Assistant.  However, expertise is even more critical in the VA world as the very essence of their business is built on this one key ingredient.  They already work, in many cases for marketing specialists, real estate specialists, professional speakers, coaches, and other professionals in specific niche industries.  That means, that the skills they offer have to be above and beyond what the average business professional would have and lets face it, business professionals are fairly web savvy these days.  So, if the VA can’t bring uniqueness and excellence, they don’t have any clients.

I recently read a VA forum page, wherein an individual was asking the question….why does a Virtual Assistant require training to be a VA.  Actually, that was a great question?  One would think that if you were going to become a Virtual Assistant, you would have all of the skills needed to build such a business.  But the reality is…that even though VA’s may have excellent office skills, they very often have to learn business development themselves.  What we, VA’s, also had to learn was all aspects of business management – just like the clients we work with.  AND…on top of that, VA’s “have to” continually develop new skills, read and practice the application of new skills, enroll in and participate in training sessions, workshops, forums, etc. and lastly, market those skills.  

Although challenging for any VA due to the huge committment of time and/or money, this represents a tremendous opportunity for potential clients – as it allow clients who work with a VA to piggy-back on the expertise that the VA is continually learning – saving the business owner (client) a significant amount of work and cost.  You, the client, are often getting the latest and brightest shining stars within the industry and you often get such expertise for a relatively small financial contribution (in comparison to the potential results and growth that your business can experience).

Looking for a Virtual Assistant – check out www.anfadvantage.com

 

A PUN FOR TODAY!
The roundest knight at King Arthur’s round table was Sir Cumference.  He
acquired his size from too much pi.
     

2009 – The Year to Shine

Hello All;

It is the final portion of the first quarter of 2009 and quite a while since my last blog. So time to get back writing. I do hope this year has started off on the right foot for each and every one of you in spite of some significant blows to our economy and, in some cases, our entire lifestyle. Please remember that, no matter what, you are not alone. Others share your disappointments, frustration and devastation but they also share your determination to keep putting one foot in front of the other. Perhaps the single most important thing you can do….is keep going. Why? Because that will empower you, it will keep you strong and it will inspire others to follow. Remember, when life throws you lemons, you have to find a way to make lemonade.

My encouragement for you all….is to take those first few ‘small’ but critical steps to rebuilding. It may be time to change up your views and strategies and take some new risks. You can do it. We all have it within us to face our fear and move on to something better and different. The key is finding the strength within to take that first step. The alternative to taking the first step is a horrible one!! It means living with doubt. It means forever asking ‘what if’. It means looking back and constantly wondering. Even if you take that new step and you are not met with immediate success, that’s okay. The important thing was that you took that step and if you can take THAT FIRST STEP, then guess what?….you can do it again….and again….and again….and keep doing it until you get where you wanted to go or until you get it right.

Don’t let any failures or disappointments of the past ruin 2009. Don’t let any mistakes scar your very core. We all make mistakes. That’s part of life. In reality, we often learn more from those mistakes than from all of our successes put together so cherish your mistakes. They helped get you to where you are today. Stronger and wiser!! Don’t sit on the fence waiting for the gate to open. Go over the fence and continue to be brave and decisive. As one door closes, rest assured another will open.

All the best!

Amanda

ORGANIZE YOUR OFFICE…BUSINESS….LIFE!!

Okay….we are coming to the end of another busy and, if you follow world news, it has been an interesting and history making year and even a devastating year for some, due to the economy and trade markets.

And wasn’t this the year, perhaps, that you started out thinking that you would make some changes and slow down a bit? Using the old verabage that….”something’s gotta give”.

Okay…now the reality check! Things haven’t slowed down…have they? In fact, they are probably just as busy and chaotic as they were last year and the year before that. Trying to manage your professional life and somehow have a personal life remains a challenge doesn’t it?

Well, there is one strategy for 2009 that you MUST incorporate or your personal and professional life is never going to change….and you need to start planning for implementation now….by making small but positive changes so that by the time January 1st, 2009 rolls around, you won’t need to make any resolutions or dramatic changes; you will simply need to keep the snowball rolling…so to speak….and won’t that feel great.

The strategy I am referring to is “ORGANIZATION”…. It’s not new….it’s not radical….it’s not even leading edge…..BUT….it is effective!! It does change the entire way you do business and also the entire way you live your life. I am sure you may have heard the phrase “clutter noise” well, in my opinion, disorganization is nothing more than clutter and clutter does, indeed, create noise. And what does noise do? It distracts and detracts. Having spent the past 5 years directly helping organizations organize and, thus, maximizing productivity, I have seen and felt, first-hand, the benefits. I also know that it works! AND IT WORKS BIG-TIME!!

So here are my top 2 tips for this blog…for getting organized:

1) Stop putting off the little stuff; find a way to deal with it. If you hate doing certain things yourself, find someone willing to help you get it done. If you can’t solicit some free assistance, then you “have to” source it out. The small cost of doing this, will not only reduce the daily pressure you have from knowing it needs to get done, but it will completely free you to move on to the next project.

2) Organize your paper work and I don’t care who you are…you have paper work. Whether it is bills, expense information, contact information, correspondence, e-mails (and e-mail is a chapter unto itself), or research publications, etc. We all have it, both in our personal and professional life. So start getting this information into manageable categories so you can lay your hands on this critical data quickly and efficiently. The time you waste looking for this information, over and over, is way more than the time it would take for you to have just organized it to begin with.

I already can hear your excuses. Yes….I know…”easier said than done”. Yes, I’ve heard them all numerous time before. But to use a common phrase from Dr. Phil (and this is probably one phrase I can relate to)….”how is your current strategy working for you”? If you are reading this, it’s obviously not working as optimally as it could or should. So what truly are you waiting for?

I promise you….the results you get from taking small incremental steps to organizing your life and business will be life changing.