March
15
2010
Everyone knows that doing Marketing for you business is important, but do you have a set plan? Goals are very important and like anything else you should have marketing goals and a plan on how to get those goals completed.
Set a goal and decide when you want it done. Be specific about what you need to get done in steps to accomplish that goal and then just do it. Also be clear about what you want out of each marketing step, how many people you want to have contact you from it, how many will become customers, etc.
For more specifics on how to set good goals refer to my post http://theceosvirtualassistant.com/ceosvirtualassistantblog/?p=140
March
4
2010
When working it is Top Priority to always have goals that you are working towards. Some people have problems with goals because they make a list of goals that they want to accomplish and then they do nothing about getting any of those goals done. Maybe they don’t know where to start or how to go about doing the task to complete the goals.
So here is what you need to do:
- Write down a list of your goals that you would like to accomplish in the next week, 30 days, 6 months and year, each listed separately of course.
- Next write a 1,2 or 3 next to each goal to signify what priority they are. For example a 1 would be something that you absolutely have to get done right away. A 2 would be something that you really need to do, but after the #1s are done and a 3 would be something that you would like to get done whenever you have the time.
- A lot of people stop there and just try to get their goals done. However, you really need to follow a few more steps to really get them done the fastest way. So next you need to actually decide when you want each of these goals accomplished by. Set a very specific date like 3/5/2010
- Now put your goal deadlines into your day planner, online calendar, outlook, blackberry, or whatever it is that you use to keep your calendar. Make sure it’s one that you are actually using otherwise it won’t help. When putting them in always start by putting in the 1s, then follow with the 2s, and fill in any open times with the 3s.
- Now, set reminders for these goals. They should be 2-3 days before hand for small things and a week or two for larger things.
- Still not done yet, now actually schedule in time to work on your goals for each day, week, or month depending on when they need to be done. Treat them as important as a client meeting and don’t reschedule them unless it’s an emergency.
- For larger goals you will also need to break them down into steps that need to be accomplished. This will help you get those larger goals down to more manageable goals and then they won’t seem so overwhelming.
- If you need to you can actually use a program like Microsoft Project to visually show you where you stand on your goal and what the steps are that you are working on to get you there.
Well, now you have very specific steps to take on how to set your goals. They work great for personal goals too. Now go start writing down your goals and don’t let anything else stand in your way anymore.
October
9
2009
Thank you for visiting the CEO’s Virtual Assistant blog where I talk about all types of things for business. Today I will be discussing which is better a VA or Employee? So lets see all the pros & cons of each side.
Using a Virtual Assistant
Pros Cons
| The VA supplies all work equipment | They can’t bring you coffee |
| You only pay for time worked, no down time pay | They can’t run local errands for you |
| VAs pay for their own vacation/ sick days | They aren’t there to chat with in the office |
| You don’t need extra office space | You have to work more because their isn’t someone to talk to at the office, leading to more productivity so might still be a positive thing |
| You get more work done because you concentrate on the stuff you really need to do | You have to do your own filing |
| VAs pay their own taxes | |
| VAs are not employees, so we provide our own insurance | |
| VAs tend to get more work done in a smaller amount of time, no office distractions | |
| VAs are running their own business and therefore are more motivated to get your work done | |
| VAs can do a variety of task such as answering phones to building your website, doing work of 2 or more people all in one. | |
| VAs provide their own ongoing training | |
| No need to pay advertising to find an employee | |
| You can have as many different VAs as you want | |
| Since most of us work from home, no reason for not working because of the weather | |
| Once a project is finished , or if you don’t need them anymore then they are done, no extra time, no hurt feeling | |
| As a VA we see it as if your company succeeds then we are successful too. |
Using an Employee
Pros Cons
| They can run local errands | They work certain hours every week, some down time that you have to pay for |
| They can get your coffee | You have to pay taxes |
| They can do your filing | You have to pay for unemployment |
| You have someone there in office with you | You have to pay for vacation and sick days |
| You get to have lunch meetings | You have to advertise for filling the position |
| You need extra office space | |
| You need extra office equipment for them | |
| They may need their own phone extension, more expense | |
| Office talk leads to less productivity | |
| For each employee, you have more added expenses | |
| Really bad weather might keep them from being able to come in | |
| Most employees only have training in a certain field where VAs tend to do a multitude of areas. | |
| Company expenses that have to be reimbursed such as mileage, lunch, supplies, etc. | |
| Employees may not see your company’s vision as their own and not work as hard toward it. |
Having an employee is more of wanting someone there in the office to be there with you and run local errands. Using a VA just makes more sense. So I am asking you today, Why don’t you use a VA and see where it takes your business?
October
8
2009
Hi and thank you for visiting the CEO’s Virtual Assistant blog. Today I am discussing Family first – Always remember to keep it in the family. Now this may seem to be a bit strange to be talking about as far as business goes, but family and friends are going to be one of your biggest networks that you can have. If your family and friends know you are serious about what you do then they will pass you name along when they hear or see of someone that is in need of your services. Just a few minutes ago I got a call from a friend sending a referral my way. We actually get a lot of clients from our family and friends because they see people that would benefit so much from what we can offer them.
So you should be doing the same thing too. Always remember to keep you family first when you hear of something someone needs and you have a family member or friend that offers that service. If you want them to refer you then you have to be willing to refer them too. If you don’t then slowly their referrals will just stop coming and you have then lost a large networking circle that you once could rely on.
Especially when you have something like a virtual business. Family and friends can send tons of people your way and they don’t even have to be local. Think of each person telling 100 people a month and multiply that by how many people. That is a lot of networking that you aren’t even doing yourself. Why would you want to ruin that? Well of course you wouldn’t, so remember referrals go both ways. Always think of family first when they can offer a service that someone you know is needing.
October
1
2009
Thank you for visiting the CEO’s Virtual Assistant blog where I talk about all types of things for business. Today I will be talking a little bit about Errors- how to correct them? So first let me say that nobody is perfect no matter what they think. We all make errors and just know that it’s ok. Even in business people make mistakes. The problem is how people deal with the errors.
So what exacly is the correct way to deal with the errors? First off, admit that you made a mistake. Trying to hide it always lead to bigger problems. Then actually fix the problem(s) that are there. Don’t delay in fixing them and don’t focus on them after it’s fixed. Simply move on after the problem is fixed because focusing on it or the fact that you made a mistake doesn’t do anybody any good especially yourself.
Just learn from that mistake and know that there will be many more mistakes in life to come, both business and personal. The way you deal with an error or mistake is all about how you handle it. Admit you made an error, deal with it, and move on. Simple I know, but it works and not everyone does it.
September
30
2009
Thank you for visiting the CEO’s Virtual Assistant blog where I talk about all types of things for business. Today I will be talking a little bit about Keeping your website easy to navigate. You know when you go to a website and you just can’t find how to get anywhere on it? Well that is exactly what we want to keep you from doing. Don’t get me wrong I think having a creative website is a wonderful thing and expresses individuality. However, you have to still make sure that people can access all the different areas of your website and not get stuck on one page.
So my first suggestion is to always, always,always have a site map at the bottom of all of your pages on your website. That way if they can’t find the other links to your other pages then they can always count on being able to go to the bottom and finding what they need.
Secondly you should have it either labeled as to what it is or have it where when you mouse over it, it tells you where the buttons are and what they are for. Remember that the whole purpose for the website if for people to visit it and see all that you have to offer, they can’t do that if they can’t find it.
If you are still having problems then hire a website designer or a virtual assistant that does website updating and/or website design.
September
29
2009
Thank you for visiting the CEO’s Virtual Assistant blog where I talk about all types of things for business. Today I will be talking a little bit about Establishing Credit. Most of the things I mention can be used for establishing credit for your business or personal credit.
First of all you should always make sure that all bills are ALWAYS paid on time. If something comes up and you are going to be late then take the time to call and tell them what is going on. When it’s not a regular occurance they are usually very understanding and work with you if they can. Don’t ever just ignore them if they call or send something in the mail because that will only make matters worse. Despite what people seem to think, most companies will try to work with you if you let them know what is going on even if you are more than 30 days late.
Next thing you should do is try to get an unsecured credit card in you or your companies name. Use that card to make purchases every month, but don’t go over 3/4 of the limit. Then when it’s time to pay make sure you wait until the bill has actually been cycled and then pay it, otherwise it won’t show on your credit. Also don’t always pay the full amount, leave just a little bit on the card as a carryover balance and still add purchases for the month. Leaving a little amount will show on your credit too and that is actually a good thing.
Get everything that you can put into your business name and make sure your account is always in good standing. Ask the companies if they report to credit companies because not all do. Things like cell phones do report to credit companies so that may be a good place to start. Then make sure you keep the account in good standing.
Medical bills ( I know this mostly applies to personal, but I thought I would still add it). It’s something that almost everyone has and I know medical bills can be scary especially when you have no insurance or when you have had major hours spend at the hospital. However, you can never just not pay them. Hospitals and doctors are usually very easy to work with. Tell them your situation and make an agreement to pay so much per week or month. Then always make sure to make those payments. They do report to credit companies and even though it may show a large amount due, people checking your credit will also see that you have made regular payments and are paying it off no matter how slow it may be.
Mostly just remember that everything can be reported to the credit companies. Don’t think just because a business is small that it can’t or won’t report. Keep things in good standing and relay information about what is going on. It’s better than not doing anything and getting bad ratings on your credit report.
September
23
2009
Choosing your domain name is like buying a house. It is a very important decision and shouldn’t be taken lightly. When you are choosing a domain name it is very essential to pick one that works well for your company, tells a little about what you do, and/or is somewhat easy to remember. It use to be that you could pick one word for your domain name, but now it seems to be difficult to even get two words for the domain name now. Don’t worry though there are still tons of domain names left that are creative and would work well for your company.
Try no matter what to always get a dot com name. People will remember a dot com name easier than a dot net, dot info, or dot me. Of course you can use a dot org if you are an organization. However, people that are not organizations should not be using a dot org name and unfortunately there are lots of people out there that do it anyway. So beware, that is a no-no.
First thing you should try is your business name. If that isn’t available then try your business name with hyphens. Still no luck? If you have an llc or something like then add that to the end of your business name, even if it’s pretty long. Example: www.theCulbertsonOrganizationllc.com You can also try to get the abbreviations for your company name. Using the before example they used www.tcollc.com as the shortened version for people to use and for emails. Then you can try adding your state abbreviation after your company name or use whatever you do added by the state abbreviation. I am a virtual assistant so one I could use is www.virtualassistantks.com that is of course if it is available.
Another suggestion I have is to buy all the domain that are available for the .com that you buy. I mean buy the .info, .net, and .org. The reason for that is so that nobody can come close to copying your business domain name, it keeps people from getting confused. Then just forward all the others to your .com site.
You can go here to buy your domain names and hosting plans. If you are still needing help then contact us a CEO’s Virtual Assistant and we will help you the best way we can. Oh and if you don’t know where to go to buy the domains we can help with that too. Email us at info@ceova.com or give us a call at 913-538-7163.
September
22
2009
Which one is better, debt consolidation or debt management? Well, it actually depends on your situation. Debt consolidation is where you get a loan to pay off all your debts and then just make payments for only the loan. The drawback for this is you usually have to have a really high credit score , which if you have that much debt most likely you don’t, or you have to use something like a house for collateral on the loan. Most people in a situation where they are considering this don’t even have the option of choosing debt consolidation.
So lets talk about debt management. Debt management is when you yourself or a company that you go through has made a plan to pay a certain amount to each of your debtors until they are all completely paid off. You could find a company that does this and you would send them a certain amount each month and they work with your debtors to lower the interest rate to get it paid off sooner. However, when you opt to go with a company like this pay attention to how much goes to the company and how much you are actually paying to your debtors. Sometimes it’s easier and cheaper to go through your debtors yourself and make arrangements with them to pay them off. There are some non profit places out there that do debt management and therefore their rates are quite a bit cheaper.
Then there is also Debt Settlement and that is when things are really bad. This is when your debtors have sent your account to a collection agency and you now have to deal with them to make payment arrangements or agree to pay one sum to pay and close out your account. Just know that when they go to collection agencies it is on your credit report, and if you make an agreement not to pay the full amount then that is on your credit report too. Some may not mind that they are there, but if you have too many then it tends to look bad on your part.
So whether you are using debt consolidating, debt management, or debt settlement always find out the best thing for you or your company. Research, research, research! Find someone that you are comfortable working with and the terms of the loan or payments are exactly what you are looking for. Also be weary of anything that looks too good to be true because it usually is.
September
21
2009
What exactly is direct marketing? Well direct marketing is when you are marketing to customers directly, such as email marketing, sending mailers, and Telemarketing. Now you can do two different kinds of marketing, solicited and unsolicited. The only way I would recommend unsolicited is by sending mailers, otherwise you can be considered a spammer or even get into trouble by calling people on the no call list.
So why do you need to do some direct marketing? Well, if done right direct marketing can be a great source of getting interested parties turned into customers. One of the things you can do is offer a newsletter for people to sign up for by email and have it pertain to things that coincide with your business. They may not become a customer right away, but if you give them useful information they will see how valuable you are and will use your service and/or refer someone else to you.
One of the best things about direct marketing is that it can be measured to find out how successful or not so successful it was. If you send out 100 emails a month and 10 of them order something or use your services then you know that it was 10% successful. Unlike other methods of advertising (ads, commercials, billboards, posters, etc), you can actually see if something is working for you or if you need to delete it all together and try something different, or focus on the one(s) that are working.