How often do you look at the clock and wonder where the day has gone? How often do you look at the back-to-back blocks of bookings in your calendar and feel overwhelmed? In this busy digital age filled with the distractions of email, social media and apps, it’s easy for our days to become filled with tasks that distract from our potential productivity. Maybe your day becomes filled with administrative tasks that need to be done, but they aren’t the best use of your time. You might be too accessible, and your day is filled with too many email and telephone…
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When the time comes to grow your business, partnering with a virtual assistant can be one of the most beneficial, life changing steps that you can take on the path to your entrepreneurial success. A well-matched virtual assistant should be like a business partner who is invested in the success of your business. Investing in the proper systems and making time for the on-boarding process can be the key to accomplishing your business goals. When you prepare and invest in the partnership with your virtual assistant, it can be like joining forces, increasing your productivity by more than 50%. When…
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The days of simply reading and liking social media posts are over. The most active and engaged social media users spend time asking questions, starting conversations about topics that are important to them, and sharing content that is meaningful to them. If your business wants to engage in meaningful conversation on social media, you need these top 4 tools. 1. Be Professional But Not StiffThink of social networking as virtual cocktail parties: charm, wit, and jokes are encouraged while maintaining professional boundaries and keeping the conversation relevant to all involved. There is an element to this type of conversation that…
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All entrepreneurs are busy—pretty much all the time. That part is not likely to change. The essence of effective time management is maximize results with the time you put in—in other words, working smarter and not harder. These tips on time management for entrepreneurs will help you do just that. DoRemember the 80/20 principle, which says that, on average, 20% of a business’ clients make up 80% of their sales. While mundane tasks like keeping up the books and ordering office supplies need to get done, the 80/20 rule says it’s smarter and more cost effective to outsource these tasks…
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If you’ve ever started your own business, you know that there are—or at least seem to be—an endless amount of steps to take to get your business up and running. If we listed them all, this blog post would quickly turn into a book! In this post, I am taking for granted that you already know what services or products you want to offer and how to finance your venture, and are ready to get the ball rolling. The following is my small business launch checklist. 1. “Paperwork”All small business owners need to go through the “paperwork” process of starting their…
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“Copy” refers to written information that will be published in a book, newspaper, magazine, website, ad, or on social media sites. Copy is a silent but powerful medium through which clients, prospects, and other businesses are introduced to and stay connected with your business. Without this written content, your business’ ability to represent itself would be limited to images, your brick-and-mortar store (if you have one), and personal interactions. As you have probably guessed, professional copy is an important part of your business! Many small business owners are experts in their own right, but few are also talented, effective copywriters.…
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If you’re anything like me, you’re an ambitious entrepreneur who—at one point or another—has felt sure that no one else can do your work better than you. Or that if you just work a little harder and a little longer you can get it all done. I have news for you: if you want and expect your business to expand, thrive, and be successful and sustainable, at some point it will (and should) become too much for one person to handle alone. Growth is great—burnout and overwhelm are not. Here are 6 signs that it’s time to outsource your work…
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The impact social media has on online retails sales grows greater each year. While social shopping and sharing may only lead to a small percentage of sales, the number of sales is growing. Additionally, social media clicks, referrals, and shares accounts for more retail traffic than any other online route. Let’s take a look at the numbers to better understand how social media marketing and networking impacts your business. Facebook is the leading social commerce platform It is responsible for 50% of all social referrals and 64% of total social revenue. It is the #1 social platform for sharing articles,…
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In today’s unpredictable economic climate, it’s more important than ever to put your clients first. Your clients ARE your business, so offering them real value is essential to the long-term financial stability of your business. Additionally, clients who do not feel valued themselves will not spend their hard-earned dollars on your products or services—period! Here are three big ways your business can put clients first. [Tweet “Clients who do not feel valued will not buy your products or services—period!”] 1. Meet Their NeedsInstead of racking your brain for new ways to improve your product or service to turn a better profit,…
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Despite the growing popularity of virtual assistants and employees, many business owners have never even considered hiring a virtual assistant because of budgetary fears, a desire to be the only steering their company, or one of many other reasons. The truth is that partnering with a virtual assistant can not only increase profits but can also offer you even more control over your company’s future. While US-based virtual assistants charge higher hourly rates than you’d pay an in-house employee, they also work less and work faster, so in the end you’re paying less money for better work. A virtual assistant…
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