Is Your Twitter Background Obsolete?

October 29, 2010

Click Here To Get this week’s Friday’s Fortnightly offer

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Superb Thoughts On Writing Articles To Develop Backlinks

October 28, 2010

Composing and publishing articles is known as one of the more traditional and most established ways to get visitors to your website. The reason? It still works! Articles mean content and the old adage that “content is king” is just as true now as it was in 1998 when the Net was just becoming commercialized.

There is a right way and a wrong way to build links to your site with articles, so make sure that you pay attention. The best way to build links using articles is to provide quality articles. Writing an “article” that is nothing more than a sales letter, or hiring a writer who can’t even speak your language will never work to build links to your website. Period.

The great thing about building links with articles is that they offer valid, and valuable, information to your visitors. The Internet is all about learning. We may be interested in selling, without a doubt, but we want to learn how to sell! People are always thirsty for information. People online are used to scanning content to see if it’s really something they want to read. Here are some tips to consider when writing articles:

• Provide interesting topics for your visitors. Get their attention and let them see you have something worthwhile to say, something they want and need to hear. These are surefire ways to build links to your site with your articles.

• Make sure that the topic you write about is in line with your website. If your site is about Internet marketing, writing articles about candle making isn’t going to benefit you. Sure, you may get some readers who will post a link to an article or repost the article on their site, but their visitors aren’t likely to be in your target audience, so why bother?

• Present your articles in an easy-to-read format for the web. In general, avoid longer paragraphs and allow your readers to glance through the material quickly. Use shorter blocks of text than in print, as well as more sub-heads and bullet points. You can even add a graphic or two at times. These are all good tactics to make your articles link-worthy. And to take advantage of this quickly, seriously consider taking on someone looking for virtual assistant training, or even a team looking for virtual assistant training to become a business, to maximise your efforts in a very short span of time.

• Your articles should always be available to be reprinted free. Never assume that just because you post an article on your website, that people know they can use it in a newsletter or link to it. Include a note at the bottom of every article giving them permission to add a direct link, or use the article in whole with your bio included.

Using articles to build links to your site isn’t rocket science. Just make sure that the articles that you write are the best quality, provide real and usable information and remember to prompt the readers to link. Take the time to distribute your content effectively, through respectable channels, worldwide. Don’t forget, someone looking for virtual assistant training can help you with all the details, at a great price too.

It’s very fortunate that good class content is everywhere. The best content doesn’t have to be absolutely original, but it does have to be top class. Fresh articles, guest blog posts, links to online resources, free downloads, etc. can all be considered quality content if they offer good value to your site visitors. And these can all bring quality backlinks to your site. Why wait any longer? There’s no time like the present!

Posted by Virtual Miss Friday | Filed Under **eBusiness** | Comments

Brilliant Pointers On Performing Request A Callbacks And Phone Appointments

October 27, 2010

If you are developing a location online to offer appointments and calls with potential clients, you have a couple of solutions available to you:

The First Option: Consultation

Certainly, a full consultation can be very involved and if I find that I have a possible client looking for a consulting session, I forward an e-mail with a questionnaire, focusing their attention on a number of actions to take before the call is scheduled. This tends to be a little bit on the formal side and I make sure that I am in control when I am conversing with them on the call.

In short, I find that consultations have been for people where they have read about virtual assistant services, or have an idea of what they are and how they can use them, but it’s not entirely clear, and we have to go through a process of discovering what I am able to do for them. So it’s a learning experience for the client, and also a chance for them to see your services more, since the door is wide open for suggestions.

On consultation calls I only ever give standard rates out on the phone, everything else from bitty project work to packages I always confirm on email with an estimate. This way when they come back several weeks later (and some do) you have an official estimate on a document with an expiry date on it – this way you can reference back your quote and it keeps things nice and clear.

The Second Option: Request a Callback

This option is for people who know what they want specifically, and will ask you about it. I’m going to show you how this all pans out during a Live Video Recording, but remember that it’s very raw and in tune with what VA –LIVE is about — keeping it real! These calls are very informal and give you a chance to quickly engage with the potential client on the phone, and also I really like them because a majority of the time the client knows what they are looking for and simply wants to know the rates you charge, so at this point you can deliver the information over the phone, and then follow up with an email.

I go over how each of these scenarios is handled, comprehensively and in-depth during my training course, which will be released shortly.

For now, I would like to share with you a few tips about these 2 methods of meeting (virtually) your potential client.

Retrieve from the Conversation with the Potential Client What You Need to Know

Make sure if there is anything that springs to mind about what they are asking for and how they want it done – Ask. It’s quite possible that you would be the perfect fit together, but you never know and you need to find out as much as you can at this stage to find out how you feel about working with them.

The Biggest Clients Come From The Smallest Things.

One of my first clients wanted to start off by buying four hours of administration work per week. He was nice to talk to on the phone and of course, I took the job. This gentleman is still with me at this time and those four hours have expanded into a part-time situation and this continues to increase, as well. We’re always looking at ways of working together. Therefore, unless you have a particularly bad feeling about somebody or think that you might not be a good fit together, never turn anything away.

I have turned away clients before based on gut instinct. Whenever I didn’t listen to myself, I became pretty miserable working for them, and ended up getting out of the situation anyway – I wish I had saved myself the hassle. Never be tempted to stay with the client just because of the money, even though it makes you unhappy, as it will have a detrimental effect on all of your business, believe me!

Keep The “Request A Callback” Very Simple.

When someone does request a callback about a specific virtual assistant service, keep it simple. Don’t try too much upsell on the call, just provide a good solution to their problem, and then follow up later. Suggesting too many options at this point or a variety of services that they are not aware of, could lead to them becoming overwhelmed. If there are services that complement what they are looking for, I will often drop these in, or if I know that they will need additional services alongside our ability to provide support for what they are looking for specifically, I will let them know at this point. As an example, if somebody is looking for diary management, I won’t try and sell them web optimisation; only if it’s a full consultation and we are talking about everything that is available.

Stay on-point, keep it simple, friendly and informal, and your virtual assistant business will reach new heights.

Posted by Virtual Miss Friday | Filed Under **Business**, **eBusiness** | Comments

Amazing Pointers On Due Diligence Checklists And Business Acquisitions

October 26, 2010

Most people understand that they will need to conduct a process known as “due diligence” when they are getting ready to buy a business. Some people might think that this is just a part of a process that can be siphoned off to their accountant, even though they realize that it might be very important. They may feel that they can trust the accountant to inform them of anything untoward and deal with these matters at that time.

As the buyer, it is your responsibility and nobody else’s to compile a due diligence checklist, which will help you to oversee the entire process from beginning to end. None of this can be delegated. This is not to say that you should do without advisors and professionals at all, but the due diligence checklist needs to be your Bible alongside you at all times, right from the moment that you think about that business purchase and all the way through until you put your signature on the dotted line.

Any mistakes here will have potentially far-reaching consequences. Remember, that as time marches on, there is more pressure, more input from third parties and more of a temptation to shortcut the process. Resist this temptation at all times and stick to your due diligence checklist, religiously. A lot of the checklist items are inherently based on a common sense approach, thankfully. You can start your process of discovery before you even tell anybody about your wishes or desires. Start to check the prospects, look at area demographics, traffic volumes and flows and other information that is fundamental to the very concept of business in the first place.

If you delegate the process of due diligence to your accountant or advisors alone, with only cursory input from yourself, you are almost certain to overlook something in the long run. A business is very dynamic and is dependent on so many external factors and influences in order to survive, let alone prosper. It is your job to understand every single one of these external influences and you cannot rely on the owner alone to alert you. This is why you should be so diligent with your due diligence checklist, following through and exploring every avenue, thoughtfully.

Understand that the owner is totally immersed in the business and may not be able to see the forest from the trees, as the saying goes. This is why you have to stand back at the very beginning and try and see some of these issues or problems, that the owner may well not be able to see, himself. You need to gather so much information during your process of due diligence that you actually know more about the business than the outgoing seller and if you get to this position you will be far more educated and confident as that purchase contract is put in front of you. Remember that a due diligence checklist should be a formal document and not something that is “in your head.” Approach this process methodically and remember that, to be most effective, the process is likely to take at least a month or more to complete.

Richard Parker is the President and founder of the prestigious Diomo Corporation – The Business Buyer Resource Center. His celebrated materials, seminars and consulting have encouraged thousands of aspiring business buyers from around the World to pursue their dream to buy a business.

Posted by Guest Post | Filed Under **Business**, **Marketing**, **eBusiness**, Development | Comments

Fantastic Ideas On Shifting Business Payment Structure For Faster Cash

October 22, 2010

If you find yourself in the uncomfortable position of being broke, it can be very difficult to wait for hard-earned cash to physically show up in your bank. A Cash flow can be a very difficult thing to manage and you might find that your business is technically doing well, but you still feel “cash poor.” Does this sound familiar to you as a business owner? Then these tips may be for you. All you may need to do is make a few little adjustments to the way that you structure your payments and you might find that profits come in a lot sooner than they used to.

Your online business may be unique, but undoubtedly customers will pay you according to a variety of different schedules and procedures. Also, keep in mind that an “on point” virtual assistant business can help you with all the details, moving forward.

Here are a few suggestions to get you thinking of ways to generate the cash in hand when you need it most.

1. Ask for payment in advance. As a service provider, if you are a ghost writer for example, you could ask for half of the amount in advance and the balance when the work is complete. This will give you some guarantee that the customer will pay you and not disappear and you will be able to keep afloat while the project is being concluded. It is best for you to consider this with brand-new clients. I wouldn’t recommend implementing this policy with loyal clients that you’ve had for years. (Use an option below with those clients.)

2. Pre-sell your services in a bundle. This is how movie websites do it. If a potential blockbuster is coming up for release in a month’s time, they will give you a low price if you order in advance. They get the money in advance, and you get the movie as soon as it hits the streets. The same technique can work for your services when you generate enough interest and anticipation. And to take advantage of this quickly, seriously consider taking on a solo run virtual assistant business, or even a virtual assistant business with a team to maximise your efforts in a very short span of time.

Example: A Virtual Assistant offers a deal for 10 hours of work for $150, a $100 discount off her normal $25/hour rate, when paid up front.

3. Offer a break on overdue balances. Everybody wants to avoid those collection calls when invoices are past due. On outstanding balances of thirty days or more, give the client a five or ten percent discount to pay their entire balance right then. In this way, you will get 90% or more of what they owe you. It might not be the entire amount, but at least you see some of the money instead of never seeing anything at all.

4. When is the balance due? Instead of giving customers thirty days to pay, shorten it to fifteen. Lay this out specifically in the terms of the contract so even if they don’t read it you are covered. You might find that some clients are more than keen to pay the entire amount upfront, if it helps them to avoid any kind of service charge or finance cost.

5. Invoice at the beginning of the month. For service based businesses where payment dates fall once a month for recurring customers, why wait until the end of the month? Invoice early so that you have more cash to use for whatever may come up during the month.

If you are always looking for ways to generate cash for your business, think again. You don’t always have to look to outside sources or create new products or services for the answers. Find ways to revamp your payment structure and outstanding invoices to get the money that you are due.

Posted by Virtual Miss Friday | Filed Under **Blogs**, **VMF**, **eBusiness** | Comments

Digital video editing depends on the technical features of the computer?

October 19, 2010

Home videos with professional footage and special effects: this is the outcome of modern digital technology. And you can turn your computer desk area in film studio production by using digital video editing programs. It sounds easy indeed, but not with all the editing softwares. Really complex digital video editing programs will not be that easy to use, due to the large number of features and functions.

Digital video editing takes more than just a camcorder. Lots of people believe themselves to be skilled, yet, when they view the recorded material they realize they are really far from perfection. Every tape contains a considerable amount of junk too: there is background noise, a lousy sound, and amateurish, disjoint shots. Digital video editing deals with all that and more, considerably improving the quality of the recorded material.

Since we’ve grown used with the quality provided by the cinema, we tend to have a really high viewing standard, and we appreciate personal productions according to it. Most viewers expect a title at the beginning, a general story line to follow in the shots, a good soundtrack, a diversity of shots, with a variation of angles, good transitions and even alternations of slow and fast shots. Digital video editing can achieve all these and more if you know how to use it properly.

Even the simplest of events that you record digitally should be edited with attention so that you achieve a good rendition. The work seems a lot more professional when you add a larger number of features. With a computer, a camera and a piece of video editing software, you have all the tools for digital video editing. Always use a camcorder that incorporates WireFire technology, or the data transfer will take hours, making it impossible to work on the material.

Digital video editing also depends on the technical features of the computer. Video processing takes a lot of CPU power because of the huge data transfer. Only a good machine will enable advanced digital video editing. A slow computer takes hours to render and write a video file, and the same process will take a few minutes on a top-notch computer. When speed compatibility between camera and PC is a problem, frames could be lost both during the transfer to the computer or from the PC to the camera.

Posted by Guest Post | Filed Under **Blogs**, **General**, **eBusiness**, Development | Comments

Some Inspirational Tips On Going Local To Generate More Cash

October 18, 2010

It’s amazing how you can generate quite a lot of cash in a short space of time and engage in one of the most profitable ventures, when you decide to turn from the online world to the off-line. When those two worlds collide, money happens. Contrary to what you might think, it’s not that difficult, either.

It’s amazing to discover that the majority of off-line business owners are not very well advanced when it comes to an online presence; they might have a website, but it is very poorly optimized. I love this market, because it’s incredibly easy to find clients, and it’s even easier to really impact their businesses. In fact, if more of us online marketers would go offline; I believe we could really make an impact in our local communities.

How is it possible to profit quickly from this?

Here are some services that you can offer that you probably do already for your own business:

Web Design or WordPress Blog Installation & Customization

If you’re a WordPress Superman or Wonder Woman, then you can fly in to save the day. If you’re not, but know one that will work in your favor too! You come across a client, your friend helps you to achieve the objective and you both make money.

SEO: Search Engine Optimization

In some markets this is hard to compete in, but if you’re in a medium-sized town, it can be quite easy to get the number one ranking position in Google for your client simply by submitting a few articles, posting a video on YouTube, and sending out some press releases. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist, but your client will surely think you hung the moon.

Managing Lists

This is another highly profitable opportunity for you to take your online skills into the offline world. Offer to set up a mailing list for your offline clients and bill to send the weekly or monthly updates. You can really step this up a notch by doing some testing and offering coupons in the ezines you send that are only sent to that list. Your client will be able to identify the success of this venture, as customers start to walk in with those coupons. A possible solution, or perhaps – a perfect solution, is to hire someone looking to become virtual assistant with a bit of experience.

Video Marketing

Plenty of offline business owners may not have time for writing, but they don’t mind standing in front of a camera to show off their expertise. Grab a Flip Mino camera and capture that video and post it to the host video sites, using some coveted key phrases. This kind of service can command a hefty price tag, because even though people might think they know how to do this, the majority of them do not! Trust me. They don’t! And to take advantage of this quickly, seriously consider taking on someone looking to become virtual assistant, or even a team of those looking to become virtual assistant, to maximise your efforts in a very short span of time.

So, where do you start? Ask around first. It’s always easiest to get in the door with people you know, or who know people you know. You should be able to create a list of off-line businesses that are profitable, while identifying a number of prospects who do not have a real web presence. From there, it’s a matter of picking up the phone and taking that first step. As with anything else, if you just think about it nothing will happen, so make that effort and take action.

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An Overview Of Business Simulation Software

October 16, 2010

Simulation software can assist you in analyzing options, evaluating alternatives, improving plans, and ultimately in making well researched and designed decisions. If you have a situation where the outcome of a decision cannot be directly and immediately observed, simulation software can be useful, especially if there are restrictions preventing you from trying other options. If you are launching a particular plan for your company, it can take up to a few years to fully observe and grasp the results. With the help of simulation software, you are able to learn what the effects of the action will be, especially when it comes to uncertain alternatives. The most vital use of simulation software is when you have a system in place that needs multiple people or a lot of time to understand and figure out; this way you can get a better grasp of the big picture.

Models created from simulation software can be used as a basic foundation for introducing additional aspects to the system and ascertaining how they will interact. Because of this, simulation software is a tool which allows you to focus on and manage things on a much larger, more comprehensive scale. This type of software can be a highly effective tool when attempting to grasp systems which are complex, and enable you to make decisions based on a larger selection of tools and approaches. There is a wide variety of simulation software which addresses many different kinds of systems. You can, for instance, look at how contaminants in water will move in an estuary, or figure out how currency exchange rates will fluctuate. What makes specialized simulation software so useful is that it is designed to help find solutions to specific types of problems. While it is often the case that such highly specialized software requires specialized skills or knowledge, there are some cases where the software or simulations are advanced enough to make the use of them very easy.

Here is the standard process for choosing simulation software:

- Commit to making an investment in purchasing the right simulation software to address the issue at hand.

- Specify the problem(s) to which you are seeking a assistance in solving.

- Decide what general type of simulation tool would be best suited for this situation.

- Survey various possible alternative solutions.

- Produce a list which contains your requirements to function.

- Choose tools that seem to most effectively meet the listed requirements.

- Conduct a more thorough evaluation using these tools and choose the best solution.

Talk to a vendor if you feel that your company could use simulation software to solve a problem or improve itself, and discuss your business’ specific issues. They can tell you the simulation software that would help you address your problem in the most accurate and helpful way.

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The System I Use To Make 7-10k Per Month, Revealed

October 15, 2010

This Friday’s Fortnightly is slightly different, and instead of offering you a discount – I am giving an extraordinary opportunity away for FREE. As many of you may now be aware, I have been working behind the scenes of Virtual Miss Friday to provide an amazing Training and Implementation Course for those looking to run a Virtual Assistant Business.

So this fortnight I wanted to announce the pre-launch of my proven system on how I make a minimum $7-10,000 per month, by being a highly motivated entrepreneur, which is specifically for special individuals who may be looking for a realistic online business opportunity, working from home.

Click here to read the full article on Friday’s Fortnightly

Posted by Virtual Miss Friday | Filed Under **VMF** | Comments

Amazing Considerations On Discovering What Your Readers Are Really Thinking

October 14, 2010

Sometimes you receive those surveys in the mail after you have visited a store and given them your address. One of the most prominent questions is, “What did you like and what can we improve on?” These questions will almost always be worded differently, the point is the same — they really want to hear your opinion about their service and want to know how good a job they are doing. As a way of getting in touch with your readers, good surveys are really critical, as you can find out what is of importance to them.

Surveys are quite helpful in most cases. It is possible to sell products online and get some sales, but it’s sometimes difficult to determine what is likely to convert readers into lifelong customers. This would mean repeat business, which as anyone with a University education should know, is better than one-time hits over the course of a few weeks.

The Point of Surveys

In a survey, you will gauge the reader’s opinion of something. This information is useful for creating a variety of things like:

• Better customer service protocols
• New products
• New programs
• New services
• An improvement in sales

But, you must do something with them for all of this to happen. Don’t just let those metrics go to waste. It’s possible to use online business companies to conduct your surveys, to correlate all the information that you would receive. It makes the job easier for you and they will also give you a breakdown of what they discovered with the surveys.

Now the rest is entirely up to you. You can create a spreadsheet outlining all the responses that you received. In the majority of situations it is far better to create a survey that offers lettered choices, rather than write-in boxes. Now, for purposes of your online business development, rank the responses. Use this as a framework for coming up with ways to try and make changes in answer to what your readers would like to see.

Reader Responses

You may have to do a few surveys to get readers to take them seriously. As an online customer, you know that sometimes surveys are simply for show. Often times, the companies who actually ask for your input never seem to do anything about the suggestions that you give. But, all of them are not like that – not by a long shot.

Almost any virtual assistant firm would tell you that this is where the relationship building begins with your readers on this front. Do make sure that you only change one thing at a time, though. When you can, draw attention to this, so that readers do know that you are listening to them. This will ensure that more people take the surveys in future, helping you to push your business forward. And to take advantage of this quickly, seriously consider taking on a solo virtual assistant, or even a virtual assistant team to maximise your efforts in a very short span of time.

Try it. Most of your readers are willing to help you, if you are willing to help them. It is not always possible to imagine what they want, but if you can give them what they want they are more likely to remain with you for a long time, instead of looking around for somebody else to help them.

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