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March brings breezes loud and shrill. I'll take those
breezes because it is the next step toward Spring.
Bring 'em on!
This month we welcome some new subscribers. Enjoy
helpful time-saving hints, a great article on virtual
assistants by Alexandria K. Brown and more.
Why Are You Doing Everything Yourself? by Alexandria K. Brown
When I coach my entrepreneur clients in marketing,
one problem I often see is that their businesses aren't
growing because they're simply not making enough time
to do it!
It's not that they don't understand the value of those
efforts, or they don't WANT to make the time. It's that
they're simply trying to do too much by themselves.
They're so busy running their business that they're not
working ON their business.
Are You Spending All Your Time on the Little Stuff?
Owning your own business requires wearing a lot of
hats. But it seems that when many people leave their
jobs to "go solo," they think they must work completely
solo as well. They insist on doing everything
themselves -- even tasks they know darn well they're
not good at.
They try in vain to design their own Web sites and
brochures, write their own sales copy, process their
own orders, manage their own mailing list, personally
respond to every customer call and e-mail, ship their
own products, and more. Pretty soon they're running
around like that proverbial headless chicken.
What eventually happens is their love for their work --
the reason they started their own business in the first
place -- drowns in a flood of administrative trivia.
Suddenly one morning they wake up feeling burnt out
and without that positive, creative energy they used to
have.
When this happened to me a few years ago, I was
lucky to learn about virtual assistants (VAs). VAs are
freelancers who take care of all that "busy work" for
entrepreneurs like us. Because VAs are independent
themselves, they work on an as-needed basis from
their own homes or offices, saving you the cost and
hassle of hiring a regular office assistant.
I now have two VAs -- Liz, who lives in Boston, and
June, who lives in Georgia. And I can't live without
them!
What Could YOU Delegate to a VA?
During next week, keep a log of all your activities. Then
sit down and review it. Decide which activities are truly
ones that only you can do and which you can delegate.
For example, here are some of the tasks I delegate to
my VAs:
* Responding to customer e-mails and phone calls re.
downloading my e-book.
* Scheduling business and personal appointments and
interviews.
* Bookkeeping: invoicing customers, receiving and
paying bills, reconciling bank statements, tracking
expenses and tax records, working with my
accountant. (This was my favorite to delegate -- I
despise this stuff!)
* Internet research and fact checking
* Planning my travel for speaking engagements and
seminars
* Maintaining my e-zine and customer mailing lists
* Managing my e-zine ad sales
* Handling registrations for my teleclasses/workshops
* Maintaining my Web site (copy edits, additions)
* Creating sales reports
* Shipping customer orders
* Submitting my articles to other publishers and article
sites
* Placing ads in publications and at Web sites.
* Formatting e-books and creating PDF files
* Designing PowerPoint presentations
And I don't stop there. Liz and June have also been
happy to help me with personal stuff like researching
vacations, purchasing client gifts, and reminding me of
birthdays and other important dates. Thanks to these
two amazing gals, I save my time and energy only for
my "genius work."
Worried You Don't Have the Budget?
The good news is you're not hiring your VA full time. A
VA only charges you for the hours she actually works.
Although VA rates may be more than you'd pay an
administrative employee (usually $30-50 per hour), you
don't have the added expenses of employee benefits,
office space, and equipment. You're also getting
someone who has years of experience, who loves what
she does, who already has her own desk, chair,
computer, software, fax, phone, stapler, and pens, and
who's ready to leap in and start work as soon as you
are.
Keep in mind that having a VA will IMMENSELY free up
your time to focus on the stuff that matters: marketing
and growing your business, developing bold new
product ideas and income streams, and servicing your
larger clients. You'll think much bigger and will have
much more creative energy.
Look for a VA That Matches Your Needs
If you're looking for a long-term partner who is
committed to helping you succeed (and I was), look for
someone who's graduated from a VA training program
such as AssistU (www.AssistU.com). That's where I
found both Liz and June, and I highly recommend it.
Another resource is the International Virtual Assistants
Association. (www.ivaa.org)
Don't wait until it's too late! Most of my clients put off
hiring a VA until they "hit the wall." Things like overdue
bills, a messy office, late projects, and unreturned
phone calls add up until their business almost collapses.
Take action NOW and at least learn more about getting
some help. It will be a big relief, I promise!
(c) 2003-2004 Alexandria K. Brown
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Online marketing coach Alexandria K. Brown, "The E-
zine Queen," is author of the award-winning tutorial
package, 'Boost Business With Your Own E-zine.' To
learn more about this step-by-step program, and to
sign up for FREE how-to articles and FREE teleclasses,
visit http://www.EzineQueen.com/
Virtual Assistant Services
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Consider this - |
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Each month I'm going to give you a little something to
think about. If you're worried about your debt load,
there are many ways to cut down on expenses. By
trimming expenditures, you provide yourself and your
family with a little more money to either save or divert
to other areas. Pay down a credit card or put the
extra cash in the bank toward your rainy day
emergency fund.
Are you making car payments? Here's something to
consider. If you sell the car, buy a good used car and
invest the same monthly amount into an account that
will compound and grow, you'll be making money in the
long run. For example, $400.00 per month for 48
months, returning 8% = $22,539.97 It adds up quickly!
Just a thought...till next month.
Calculate Your Savings »
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Hot Tips |
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Problem:
I have scratches on my CD's. What can I do?
Solution:
Peanut Butter will get scratches out of CD's. Wipe off
with a coffee filter paper.
Problem:
I'm tired of spending so much money on art supplies for
my children.
Solution:
Mix Kool Aid in Dannon plain yogurt and use as a finger
paint. It won't even hurt if the little ones eat it !
If you have any helpful hints, please e-mail me.
Perhaps you'll see them in an upcoming Yours, Mine and
Hours newsletter.
Yours, Mine and Hours »
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Practical Advice to Prevent Identity Theft |
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Consider printing your initials only rather than your full
first name on your next order of checks. If someone
takes your checkbook, they'll have trouble figuring out
how to sign the checks.
When writing account numbers on your check
payments to credit card companies, write ONLY THE
LAST FOUR DIGITS of the account number on the
memo line. The credit card company knows the rest of
the account number.
Never, never print or give out your Social Security
Number to anyone unless it is absolutely necessary and
you know and trust their intentions.
Of course, you've all heard that you need to be aware
of those around you when making purchases with credit
cards or debit cards. Be aware of anyone using a cell
phone that has photo ability. It's a long shot, but it
could happen.
Photocopy your wallet contents - credit cards, drivers'
license, membership cards. If your wallet is stolen,
you'll be able to contact anyone from the information
on the photocopied record. You'll also be certain which
items were taken.
PA Attorney General's Office of Public Protection »
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Transforming U Newsletter |
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Last month I introduced you to Deb Moses of Veris
Associates. The Veris Associates January 2004
newsletter featured a "Leap of Faith" article by yours
truly.
To view the story, click on the link below and then click
on the January '04 issue of the Transforming U
newsletter.
The quote Deb used at the end of the article is
particularly true of most of us. How often do we doubt
ourselves and our abilities?
"Few persons have courage to appear as good as they
really are."
-J.C. Hare (1795-1855) and A.W. Hare (1792-1834)
Leapfrog »
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Words to Live By: |
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"To laugh often and much; to win the respect of
intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn
the appreciation of honest critics and endure the
betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty, to find
the best in others; to leave the world a little better;
whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a
redeemed social condition; to know even one life has
breathed easier because you have lived. This is the
meaning of success."
-- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Quoteland »
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Keep in Touch with your Clients |
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If you're contemplating your own newsletter for clients
or customers, I highly recommend Constant Contact
for tracking, publishing, etc. It's a simple and effective
system.
For a free 60 day trial, click on the link below.
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Copyright Info |
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© 2004 Deborah Stanek Reast - Yours, Mine and Hours
Personal Assistant and Concierge Services
WANT TO USE THIS INFORMATION IN YOUR E-ZINE OR
WEB SITE? You can! Just ask permission first by
sending an e-mail to deb@yoursmineandhours.com. I'll
give you some brief information to include at the end of
the article.
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