Holistic Business

If you read my other time management tip here, don’t feel like you’ve been tricked.

This is NOT Tip 2.

I really think Tip 1 is important enough to warrant some expounding.

Basically - admit you are powerless over time.

What I mean by this is that no matter what you do, there is still only going to be 24 hours in a day, 7 days in a week, and 52 weeks in a year - deal with it.

I think the phrase “I didn’t have time” is a copout and not really owning our feeling and actions.

We DO have time - just not enough to do everything we’d like.

So - admit it and move on.

When it comes to our business - time is money. You should be able to easily put a price tag on every minute of your time. Some of that time is actually providing whatever service it is for your clients. For me in my Virtual Assistant practice (and hopefully for you too), that’s the easy one. That’s the priority, that’s what I will ALWAYS have time for. It’s a promise that I made firstly to myself and secondly to my clients.

It’s the other areas that blur. Marketing, research, continued education, keeping up with new technology, writing, networking, contact management, article submission, blogging, etc. All of these things fall into one of 4 categories:

1. I enjoy it and always make time for it.
2. I enjoy it but don’t always make time for it.
3. I don’t enjoy it and begrudgingly make time for it.
4. I don’t enjoy it and usually never get to it.

The first one is a keeper. These are the things you should not outsource to an Administrative Support Professional or give up because if you enjoy it and make the time, chances are good that you excel at it. Don’t mess with something that is not broken.

The next 3 - these are the ones that scream for attention.

Tip 2 will deal with how to better manage these 3 categories. (Hint: by finding ways to deal with 3 and 4, you’ll be able to move tasks in category 2 up a notch!)

Stay tuned, and in the meantime, keep note of what category your tasks fall into for you.

That’s the first step!

Technorati Tags: time management, Virtual Assistant, Marketing, research, networking, contact management, article submission, Administrative Support Professional

I told myself not to get my panties in a bunch over stuff like this. But - they are bunched up in the most uncomfortable way.

Or, to give it a day and see if I still felt the same way in the morning. But - I know I will.

And, after all - this is my blog and I can rant if I want.

I get Google alerts for many things - among them Virtual Assistance.

I was quite dismayed and ticked off to see something that came across today.

No link and no honor or increased traffic to the blog - the author, in my opinion, is rude by not allowing posts or linking to a business Web site or an e-mail address that’s easy to find for people to offer a differing opinion. So, I’m not leaving the link to his blog here. Just a matter of ethics.

Hence - my need to rant.

Someone, who by his own admission, has never worked with a Virtual Assistant, posted (and got listed in the alerts to boot) that he thought about “getting” a Virtual Assistant but decided to save himself some money and hired “someone else”.

OK. There are a lot of offenses and points I could run with, but I’ll limit myself.

He most likely hired a college student, home typist, or high school student. Fine and good if that’s the level of support you need.

But - why the comparison to a Virtual Assistant?

It’s a whole different ball game. There is no comparison.

He may as well advise people to:

• Hire a first year accounting high school student to prepare their business tax return
• Pay their dog groomer to cut their own hair before a major meeting
• Print their business cards themselves on card stock and get the cheapest paper cutter out there
• Get the town drunk to watch their children after school

OK -maybe I’m getting carried away here (not much), but you get my drift.

All of these things will - save you money.

But - at what expense?

Why can’t people that don’t know what they are talking about in certain subjects just keep their mouths shut?

I’m very passionate about what I do and this sort of thing just gets under my skin.

That’s it - got it off my chest - thanks for listening.

By the way - if you want to counter what I’ve said - I take comments and welcome e-mails.

Just go to my site - A Capital Solution - to e-mail me or leave a comment here. As long as it’s not spam or MLM crud - it will get posted.

Technorati Tags: Virtual Assistance, Virtual Assistant

We moved into a new (old) house almost 2 years ago.

Our old house had full length mirrors on the backs of a couple doors - the new house, not a one.

We finally got around to purchasing one of those standing full length mirrors.

I gave myself a once over last night before going out and relished in the fact that after almost 2 years, I could again - see the whole picture.

This morning, as I walked past that mirror, it occurred to me that it’s very common to have the same problems with a business. It’s not easy as an owner to take “it all in” - yet that’s the impression everyone else is getting.

First impressions - which very often is your Web site - what does this say to people? Does it say - professional business person, or someone who is brave enough or perhaps financially strapped enough (usually more the truth) to have created their site themselves?

Unless you are a professional designer this is most usually a mistake. I know, I had sites that I did myself for quite a few years. No matter what ideas I had and how much I tried - I never could have accomplished what my site creator did with my Web site.

If you do in-person networking or do speaking engagements - what do your handouts and marketing materials say? If you have a knock-dead brochure but your handouts look like a copy of a copy of a copy and has typos - the brochure gets forgotten.

If, when you get on the phone with a client and there are children, dogs, a dishwasher in the background - what kind of impression is that giving? Or worse (and this just happened at a tele-seminar I attended) - if you are typing in the background while your client or potential client is talking - don’t you realize they can hear that?

Have you ever attended a party and seen someone that was so good-looking and well put together that you couldn’t help but keep an eye on them? Then to hear hateful words come out of their mouth, or see them get drunk and make a pass at their spouse’s boss, or curse up a blue streak? Yea - the image is forgotten because the whole picture took center stage.

So, to truly operate a Holistic Business - you need to be aware of how all the pieces make up the whole.

Find the one thing that you think needs the most improvement and plan to do something every day to improve upon it.

If it’s your Web site and you can not afford to hire a professional at the moment - take this time to work on your copy and contents.Consciously put away a certain amount of money every week (even if it’s only $10) towards your goal. Start researching the Web sites of your target market and experts in your field. As you see sites of experts in your field that you like - check out who their designer is. Give them a ring and find out their rates. A well put together 3 page site is sure a heck of a lot better than a below par 7 page site.

Just don’t spend so much time on the “one” thing that all the other pieces are left to flounder.

Ask some trusted colleagues, clients, or better yet your Virtual Assistant what they like and/or don’t think gives the right impression of your “package.”

Find balance and strive for that WOW! factor.

Technorati Tags: Holistic Business, Virtual Assistant

If you are using IE (Internet Explorer) and not Firefox, consider switching - it’s FREE!

Firefox did something really smart in my book. Their browser works on either a PC or a Mac. That gives them points right there as far as I’m concerned.

They’ve also got some features that can save time if you are online a lot.

For instance, if you frequent the same listservs and forums and have bookmarks coming out your ears you’ll LOVE tabbed browsing. You can set the tabs up in your bookmark bar right on the screen keeping them easy to get to and then everything you put in the tab opens up and you merely need to go from tab to tab.

The new Firefox version (2.0) also warns you if you go onto a site that is known for phishing, has an integrated spell checker, and allows you to add to/remove/reorder what search engine results show up when you use their search field.

Did you know if you are using the Firefox browser it makes it so very easy to identify and sign up for RSS feed? If you are reading this in Firefox, look up at the address bar. See the icon to the right? Yup, just click on that and you can sign right up for the feed. It then takes you to a page where you have a choice as to how you want to receive the feed.

And speaking of that, I love Google. My personal Google page has feed from all my favorite blogs, local weather, inspirational quotes, top news, and a Sudoku puzzle to greet me every morning when I log in with my first cup of coffee. Oh, and a timer. When I know I have a lot on my plate I like to set the timer so I don’t spend too much time browsing and reading!

Technorati Tags: Firefox, Mac, save time, tabbed browsing, RSS feed, Google

Professional organizations are a wonderful thing. Well, the really great ones are.

I think every profession has at least half a dozen online networking forums. They can differ vastly in the amount of information freely given, their ethical stand, and the quality of their resources. Then, there is the issue of members when it comes to the forum itself.

The members that frequent a forum will make or break it. Substance, cohesiveness, professional skills, and all around camaraderie are not always found all in one place – it is a rare thing.

I happen to be fortunate enough to have found such a place for Virtual Assistants. The Virtual Assistance Chamber of Commerce. I truly know I am with friends and colleagues – certainly not competitors - that’s for sure.

I really can’t say enough about what I gain from being a part of this organization.

In addition, there is a wealth of information there for anyone considering the services of a Virtual Assistant. Timely, concise, and accurate information all around.

If you have not found “the place” for yourself out here on the net yet to broaden your business skills, meet with others that believe in growing and elevating your profession – keep looking. It is most likely out there. If it’s not – consider starting one yourself.

Once you do find it – let others know about it.

Being able to share and celebrate successes, get specific guidance and insight into potential problems from the veterans, and just talk shop is invaluable.

Togetherness is a wonderful thing!

Technorati Tags: Professional organizations, Virtual Assistants, Virtual Assistance Chamber of Commerce