This time I am glad I listened.  I am loving Windows 7.   Although Vista has many of the same features, the upgrades that came with Windows 7 just seem easier and more fun. (Or maybe I just have more time to play????)

One of the kewlest features of Windows 7,  is the ability to display a bunch of Gadgets on the desktop.  They appear in little windows which display the relevant information  for the gadget and, you can keep an eye on stuff like sports scores, your local weather and traffic, a quick and simple to-do list  etc.,  without having to open your web browser or any other application. (You do  have to have an active internet connection to use most of the gadgets).

There are tons of gadgets to choose from.  Some of my favorites are:

• to do list

• photos

• weather

• picture puzzles

• news feed

• bing search

• zapping box

Using Windows 7 Gadgets is easy as A – B – C and D!

• A.  Which Gadgets do you have? To learn which gadgets  you already have  right click on your desktop and select Gadgets.

• B.  To install a gadget, click on it then choose add.

• C.  To change settings on a gadget, click on the wrench icon then follow the prompts

• D.  To relocate a gadget on your desktop, hover your mouse near the right of the gadget then click the little keypad image

Removing Gadgets

• From the Desktop only:
  hover your mouse over the gadget then click on the X
• From your computer:
  right click on any blank space on your desktop
  right click on  the gadget you wish to remove from your computer
  select uninstall

Get Gagets

Follow step A above then enter info for the kind of gadget you would like to see:

You could off course set up your distribution list the traditional way by selecting each contact one at a time to be added to the list but, who has time for that?????

Here are the steps (in Microsoft Outlook 2007 and similarly in 2003) to create a distribution list using your contact categories in Microsoft Outlook:

• Select CONTACTS
• Select CATEGORIES
• Once the contacts in the selected category is displayed, place cursor to the right of the first record then hold down the shift key. At the same time, select each of the records in that category until you reach the last record. (You can do this by holding down the left click on you mouse or clicking the down arrow on your keyboard).
  
• Select ACTION from the menu bar at the top (the following image relates to this and the next step)
  
  
• Select Create new message to contact
  
• Once new email message opens up, highlight all of the email address in the TO: field then right click on your mouse and select COPY (once you have done this do not press the right click on your mouse again until instructed to do so below)





• Click on the Microsoft Icon at left



• Under Create New Outlook Item, select Distribution List</li>
• Once the distribution list screen opens, click the Select Members icon near the top of the screen



• Once the select members screen opens, place your cursor in the Members field near the bottom then right click and select paste.



• After you paste, you will see a list of the contacts you included.



• Name your list using the Name field at top of the list.



• Select the Save and Close icon

To test the successful set up of your distribution list:

• Open a new email message
• In the TO: field, type in the name of your distribution list (you can also select the list by clicking on the TO button)
• Once the TO field is populated with the distribution list, click the small cross included in the distribution list name to see all of the contacts included. (You do not have to do this every time – this is just to test the set up so you can see all of the contacts in the list)

Congratulations! You are ready to organize your email contacts into distribution lists for efficient email messaging!

ONLINE INTERVIEW

There are some very successful Virtual Assistants who do not have an online presence. However, since your partnership will be a “virtual” one, it is a very good idea to consider Virtual Assistants who have a website, since it gives you the ability to learn things about them that you would not, if there is no website. Once you’ve located the website, here are some clues you will want to look for:

• Does it have what you consider a professional look?

A professional looking website , free of typos etc. is usually a sign that the Virtual Assistant considers him/her self to be a professional and will likely operate accordingly.

• Is it easy to navigate?

This suggests that the Virtual Assistant has thought through the process and is thinking about visitors to the site, which is usually a sign of a client oriented business practice. (Some business miss this point and create websites that forget about the people for whom the site should be geared)

• Are there testimonials?

While this is not a must, seasoned Virtual Assistants who have good client relationships and have provided satisfactory services in the past, can usually secure testimonials to support their business. This is a great way to get a feel for what others think about the Virtual Assistant and their services. These should include links to clients site so that you are able to see that they are real people who actually operate a business. (Bear in mind that someone new to the Virtual Assistant industry may still be well qualified and suitable to meet your needs.)

• Does it provide Company and Personal information

Since working with a Virtual Assistant is a partnership built on trust, a good Virtual Assistant should be willing to provide some level of detail about her business and her personal achievements, etc. to her online visitors. After all, often, the only way many Virtual Assistants will ever meet clients is virtually!

• Does the site provide an easy way to connect with the Virtual Assistant?

A sign up form to request an appointment or more information or, a live link to an email address is a must. Additionally, once you have submitted your request, there should be some response mechanism which immediately provides information about what you should expect next. This a level of expectation if you so in fact end up in a partnership with the Virtual Assistant: did she act in accordance with what was promised in the auto response you received when you sent your request?

EMAIL INTERVIEW

Once you have checked out the website and are satisfied that there is a possibility that the Virtual Assistant might be a good fit, the next phase of the Interview is the Email Interview.

You should use the mechanism provided at the website, to send an initial request for more information or to make an appointment. Included in the email or the place provide for comments, should be an outline of what you are looking for. It is not enough to say “I need a Virtual Assistant”. Instead, you should provide some details like “Business Coach in need of virtual assistant services to help with setting up and distributing my e-zine.  Help with other administrative tasks as well”   This way, the prospective Virtual Assistant has an idea of what the focus of a consultation needs to be, which saves you both time.

What if you wish to post a RFP (request for a proposal) to the list of an organization like IVAA or MVA? You will want to provide much more information about what your needs are.

Some sample RFPs:

Looking for a virtual assistant to help write HTML code for my newsletter and announcement templates. If you are interested please let me know your fees, terms and experience. No phone calls please and respond no later than 1/1/01

Looking for a virtual assistant to run our social networking sites; submit our information to literary agents via email ; build an email database; general administrative tasks; market our Wordpress website. Please include links to social networking accounts that you currently manage and any Wordpress sites you created or manage. Respond via email only before 1/1/01

Once you have submitted your RFP, you will want to first look for compliance to your instructions and immediately eliminate anyone who does not follow them to the letter. This is a sign that they do not pay attention to detail and are probably not likely to follow instructions very well.

TELEPHONE INTERVIEW

Now that you have either through their website or response to your RFP created your short list of prospective Virtual Assistants, you are ready for the final phase of the interview process. Here is a recommended list of questions to ask during this process:

• What services do you provide? – Although you may already have read this information on a website or it was provided in response to your RFP, it is a good idea to ask again, since the information on a website might be outdated and response to your RFP might not include some potentially important information.
• What are the skills that you possess that make you good at what you offer? – This will give you an insight into what might be available to you beyond your immediate need. Also it might reveal a skill that you had no idea a Virtual Assistant could provide.
• Are there any kinds of requests you absolutely will not fulfill? – It is a good idea to know up front if the relationship will have limitations. For example, some virtual assistants will never manage a client’s bank account or, will not write content even if they manage your social networking sites
• Besides yourself, what resources do you have in place in the event of any absences or if you are unable to fulfill a request yourself? – this will let you know what to expect in the event your virtual assistant is unavailable for any reason (some virtual assistants do take vacations, fall ill, have family emergencies etc.)
• How do you communicate with your clients? – many virtual assistants have little or no phone contact with clients and this works well for those involved. Others use a variety of ways to communicate with clients, including Skype, Project management software, specified telephone hours, specified email response times etc.
• How long have you been offering virtual assistance services? – many virtuual assistants may not have been in business for a long time but may have many years experience providing services in a traditional office environment, before staring their virtual assistance practice. However, it is still good to know since, when you put all of the pieces together, it should factor into the decision – for example, if someone says they have been in business for 5 years but have no website or no testimonials if they have a website, it might be a red flag.
• What lead you to this business choice? – the answer to this question may provide insight into the level of commitment the virtual assistant has for the business which will ultimately affect how they work with you. For example, if they say “I needed the extra income”, period, that might signal that they are not fully committed and may not give you the attention you deserve.
• Who is your ideal client? – a good virtual assistant will be able to share with you some idea about what her preferred client type is – for example, she might say she likes working with independent coaches or other “Solopreneurs” as opposed to authors or people who work for a corporation
• What is your niche? – many virtual assistants have niches and even if their niche is not in your are of business, it does not mean they will not be a good fit, instead, it can mean that the experiences they have developed as a result of their niche, they can bring valuable skills and knowledge to the table
• What are your strengths and weaknesses? – if a virtual assistant tells you she has no weaknesses, you may as well end the interview at that point since she is obviously in denial. Instead, a good virtual assistant will be able to describe with confidence what she brings to the table and, the areas in which she might be challenged, how she conquers those challenges.
• What is your availability?< – be wary of any virtual assistant that says she is available 24/7. That is not realistic and you are setting yourself up for frustrations. Instead, a good virtual assistant will have a well defined schedule and information about office hours and work policy./li>
• What is your turn-around time? – simply put, you need to understand what you can expect as it relates to your specific tasks
• Do you require clients to sign a contact? – although some virtual assistants work without contracts, it is always a good idea to work with a virtual assistant who does, for your own protection. Any contract you sign should include a confidentiality clause since it is likely that you will have to share private information with your virtual assistant.
• What is your pricing? – costs for virtual assistance services vary . Current trends show that US based virtual assistants charge around $35 – $75 per hour for project-by-project work with discounts for retainer contracts. There are many overseas based virtual assistant agencies that charge as little as $3 per hour. However, that age old truth “you get what you pay for” is especially true in this industry so beware!!!
• What form of payments do you accept? - you will want to understand if you are expected to pay with a credit card, PayPal, check etc.

Once you have asked the questions above, a good Virtual Assistant should have some questions of her own and initiate any follow-up, based on the complete telephone interview.

Happy VA hunting!

As s Virtual Business Support Professional, one such feature that I find many people overlook is OUTLOOK’S 2007 CATEGORIES feature. Categories provide an efficient way for you to manage several functions like mail merge, distribution lists etc., messages, etc

For example, using Categories, you can send personalized emails (using documents or plain email) to a group of contacts at once. You can also create Distribution Lists using Categories.

To make the most out of the Outlook Category feature, you should assign every contact in your Outlook address book to a Category. Some categories might be: Family, Clients, Prospects, Acquaintances, East Coast, etc. Additionally, you can assign categories to e-mail messages, meetings, appointments etc.

To further enhance your use of Categories for Contacts, in addition to the e-mail address, you may compile general contact information, such as:

• Postal address
• Street address
• Telephone contact
• Fax number
• Web address
• Instant Messaging address
• Web page URLs.

Click on the GENERAL tab to see these fields.

Outlook Contacts - General Information

You can also compile more detailed business information such as:

• Department
• Profession
• Manager’s name
• Assistant’s name

Click on the DETAILS tab to see these fields:

Outlook Contacts - Biz Information

Additionally, you can also store detailed personal information including:

nickname
• Title (Mr/Ms etc.)
• Suffix (M.D., Esq etc)
• Spouse/Partner
• Birthday
• Anniversary
• Address

And still further, you can add, in note format, information like the contact’s activities, and even a picture! (which shows up every time you receive an email from that contact! (How kewl is that ????)

See below to find the ACTIVITIES tab:

Outlook Contacts - Activities Tab

Remember, when you set up your contacts, you should always assign them to a CATEGORY

SETTING UP CATEGORIES:

• Go to Contacts
• Click on any contact or if there are none in your address book click anywhere on the contact screen
• Select the CATEGORIES tab near the top

Outlook Contacts - Categories

From there you will have the flexibility to color code and name each category (or you can leave the color code default name if you prefer although I highly recommend using your own names).

Now that you have set up your categories, you can add existing contacts to the desired category by simply highlighting the ones you want to add to a single category, right click then select the category. You can now sort your contacts by category at anytime as well as do some other awesome functions which you can find in under the categories menu in Outlook.

Going forward, adding a new contact from anyone sending you an email is just a click away. Open the email, then from within the opened email, select the CATEGORIZE tab, select the category and click OK. Or, if you wish to start a new category for the new contact, select New Category from the list and proceed as above.

Happy Categorizing!!!!

The answer is simple: you did not use an  actual Uniform Resource Locator, more commonly known as a URL and although a simple www.expertbusinesspartners.com entry will work in some environments, many platforms (like Facebook and Twitter)  will not make the site name live without an actual URL.

So what is a URL? According to the WEPOPEDIA, it is the global address of documents and other resources on the World Wide Web.  The first part of the address is called a protocol identifier and it indicates what protocol to use, and the second part is called a resource name and it specifies the IP address or the domain name where the resource is located. The protocol identifier and the resource name are separated by a colon and two forward slashes.”

In plain language: the entire text you see in your browser when you visit a webpage (except in instances of masking – which is another topic for another time).  See diagram below then read on:

Finding a URL

There are three common types of protocol that you can use to create a url that will provide a live link to the page you wish to share in your content:

• File Transfer Protocol commonly referred to and written as FTP (used for uploading content to websites)
• Hyper Text Transfer Protocol commonly referred to as HTTP (most common type)
• Hyper Text  Transfer Protocol Secure commonly referred to as HTTPS and used to secured content (like the stuff you see only after you have entered a password)

So, how do you enter a live link in content you post on the web?   There are two options: (depending on where you are entering the data you may have the single option only)

• HTTP:   Simply type in the url as displayed in the browser after you have entered your web page name (see diagram above and, you can simply cut and paste the url for accuracy)   e.g In your Facebook profile where you enter your Web Address, if you simply type: www.ginastorr.com, FB now automatically adds the http:// protocol, which makes it a live link and you will see it displayed as http://www.ginastorr.com (if you have that featured turned on).Another example: if you posted something to your Facebook or Twitter wall that said: visit my website at www.expertbusinesspartners.com, it will display as is but, will not be live, as it is in this post. If however you typed: http://www.expertbusinesspartners.com, it will be live as it is here.
• HYPERLINKS – Don’t you love it when you receive a document or an email that has links that allow you to see the mentioned information with a simple click? Usually, you are prompted to click on a word or phrase and when you do, you are taken to a source on the web or a URL. You’ve already seen this in action if you clicked on any of the links in this article. And, hyperlinks work in PDF documents too!  To learn more and download illustrated instructions,  CLICK HERE (you will be asked to join my mailing list to download the document – no worries, if you can unsubscribe at any time and we do not share your information, period!).

If you prefer not to download the full content, continue reading for a brief and non-illustrated version:

• enter text in document/email

• highlight text
• select insert/hyperlink from menu (placement on menu bar will vary slightly by document)

• enter url that you wish to link to
• hit ok

Now go forth and Liven Up Your Links!!!

Like most of us who have created a Fan Page one of the things that had us salivating at the mouth with this whole concept, was the ability to send updates to the droves of fans we attract. Well, I hate to burst that bubble but, when you send an update to your fan list, IT DOES NOT PLACE AN EMAIL IN THEIR IN-BOX , like the messaging and comments features do. Instead, it places them in a folder called UPDATES, which is hosted in the FB users FB in-box and is accessible by clicking on the UPDATES LINK at left.

See graphic below and follow the red arrows (I have blocked the content of this page to protect the innocent !

Where Updates from Fan Pages End UP

Bottom line: UNLESS YOUR FANS KNOW TO CHECK THE UPDATES LINK TO SEE WHICH FAN PAGES HAVE SENT UPDATES, MANY ARE NEVER VIEWED!

So why bother at all with this whole FAN PAGE thing?

Here’s why:

• when you post to your FAN PAGE, your posts will appear on the walls of your fans (this might not happen if a fan has this featured turned of but most people it is believe, do not) so even if a friend of a Fan is not a Fan, they will see your content on their friend, your fan’s wall
• if the content you posted generates any interaction with any of your fans, that interaction goes viral since your fan’s action will appear on the wall of his friends
• since users can click through to a Fan page and see content without being a fan (unlike the limited display if you are not someone’s friend) your content can be seen by more users
• every Fan Page appears in search results on Facebook  (off course provided the content is relevant to the search)
• you can have custom content available on your FAN PAGE for fans and visitors to see when ever they do drop by

OK.  But still, why then bother with sending UPDATES instead of just posting everything to your Fan Page wall? A good question and IMHO here is a great answer: sending the updates  places that content neatly in a single folder for easier viewing whereas the posts to your wall continues gets lower and lower on the radar as you keep adding posts.

One of the things I recommend doing after you have sent an update, is to post on your Fan Page wall a note to pique the curiosity of your fans : “if you are a fan, check your in-box updates for our latest breaking news  – if you are not a fan yet, join now so you won’t miss any more exciting news – don’t forget to click on the updates link at the left of your in-box” . I think you get my drift.

There are many more reasons and benefits to having a fan page but understanding how Fan Pages work is critical.

Here’s to your success!

Facebook recently released a feature that allows you to tag “friends” in your posts, which will show up on your wall. This is different from the original tagging feature which gave you the ability to identify and reference people in photos, videos and notes. The new tagging feature gives you a way to tag people and other things you’re connected to on Facebook — in status updates and other posts, which will appear on your wall.

It’s another way to let select “friends” know what you are writing about right away, instead of them having to wait to see it when they view your wall.

The way the new feature works:

“When you are writing a status update and want to add a friend’s name to something you are posting, just include the “@” symbol beforehand. As you type the name of what you would like to reference, a drop-down menu will appear that allows you to choose from your list of friends and other connections, including groups, events, applications and Pages. Soon, you’ll be able to tag friends from applications as well. The “@” symbol will not be displayed in the published status update or post after you’ve added your tags. Friends you tag in your status updates will receive a notification and a Wall post linking them to your post. They also will have the option to remove tags of themselves from your posts.
“

Happy tagging but please do not annoy your friends!!!!

How will 2010 find your business?

If you don’t know, then now is the time to begin thinking about it and taking steps to ensure it finds it the way you want it to. Will you have met  your goals for 2009? If not, why not? What are you goals for 2010?

Here are a few things you should be paying attention to now if you want to greet 2010 with a smile   or, you can ignore the opportunity to take action now then be filled with regret when you realize you let it slip away………..again!!!!

• GOALS: Review the goals you set for 2009 and do an honest assessment, then identify the goals you have for 2010.
• TAXES: Tax information (read  Home BusinessTAX Deductions: Keep What You Earn or TAX Savvy for small business to help you get you affairs in order for tax time)
• ORGANIZATION: Have you been putting of “de-cluttering” your office? Now is a great time to take a break and revisit this important task, in preparation of have a “new beginning” in 2010. Take the S.C.O.R.E. quiz to see if “stuff” has taken over our office then visit Closet Entrepreneur for some great tips.
• BUSINESS/INDUSTRY INFORMATION: Subscriptions (are any up for renewal at this time and if so have you budgeted for paid renewals of any that you intend to keep)
• ACCESS INFORMATION: Do you have all of your online access information in one place that is readily accessible? (download my free ACCESS KEEPER)
• NETWORKING: Do you have a list of all of your social networks, online memberships etc. and do you have a plan for maximizing them in 2010?   Take a look at my SOCIAL NETWORKING STRATEGY GUIDE if you are looking to refine or have social networking as a goal for 2010.
• HEALTH: Do you have a “home office health” plan? If not, I highly recommend that you take the time to create one, that directly incorporates your work habits. e.g  if you work at home, how often do  you get up from your desk and walk around? Is your office equipment/set-up good for your posture?  Is your chair right for you? etc.
• FUN: OK we all know the saying “all work and no play makes Jane a very dull girl!” If you are not already making time for some down/fun time, I urge you to do include this as a goal for 2010 and, plan for it. I guarantee you that you will feel better, enjoy work more and wonder why you have not done this before! Here is my list of favorite things to do for fun which I include in my schedule (daily, weekly or monthly):
  1. Take a swim before dinner
  2. Play a game (or several) of falling gems on my IPod touch if my food consumption does not take my full lunch hour
  3. Instead of a “water-cooler” break, take a few minutes each day to check my bird feeder and walk around outdoors.
  4. Take my husband to lunch away from the house.
  5. Go to a movie alone
  6. Meet a girlfriend for a day of “just hanging”.
  7. Check out You Tube for funny videos
  8. Play Wii games with my hubby.

  Obviously this is by no means exhaustive but I believe it is a good place to start and wish you much success as you look to the future!

Email marketing has become a vastly popular and beneficial direct marketing tool.

It is primarily being used to provide subscribers with information on service and product offerings but it has also been particularly useful in building a loyal customer base.

Today, more and more online business owners are turning to email marketing as their primary means to generate sales leads not only because the results are easily tracked but also because it is an inexpensive platform to market services on a large scale.

Because of the minimal costs involved, online business owners have a greater chance to generate a profitable return on the money they invest.

Are your exploiting this affordable took to market your business and grow your prospect/client/subscriber database?

The many off the shelf applications on the market make it seamless and affordable for any sized business.

Two that we recommend and are fully versed in utilizing (requires monthly subscription):

Or, if you already have a list or database but just need an email marketing tool and prefer to “Pay-As-You-Go”, we offer our own affordable email campaign solution. To test drive our solution sign-up below and stay tuned for an exciting ride!

Name
Email

In response, a vigorous discussion ensued.   Some folks hated them while others  loved them. Some did not quite understand the difference between a squeeze and a sales page,  while others think they do but offered varied definitions. And of course the debate goes on………….     So who’s right?           Should you “Squeeze?”

Wille Crawford writes in a 2006 article titled How to Triple Your List Building Rate with Squeeze Pages

“A squeeze page is a webpage that, when the visitor “lands” on it, he is asked to opt-in to some type of list in order to proceed further. On some squeeze pages, your only options are to opt-in or leave. On others, you are given a method to continue exploring the site without opting in. Purist would argue that the second type isn’t a real squeeze page. The rationale behind using a squeeze page is that most Internet marketers realize that the vast majority of visitor will not buy from a site on the first visit. So, these marketers make list building their top priority. If they can just collect the email address, along with permission to follow-up, then they’ll get other opportunities to make the sale later.

After building dozens of Squeeze and Sales pages for several clients whose business cover several industries, some basic rules of creating an effective Squeeze Page have emerged:

• An attention grabbing lead paragraph that speaks directly to your target
• A headline telling the visitor what you can do for them that will address the need addressed in the lead paragraph
• 3 – 5 bullet points that will compel visitors to depart with their email address and name as each offers more details about the headline
• Include “your story” to show why you are an expert or are capable of offering what you say you can
• An offer of something for FREE, that is related to the service, industry or product covered by your business (Report, CD, Recording etc)
• Limited information collected in opt-in box (usually a name, email address and one other item)
• List your privacy policy which should be that you do not sell or share their information with anyone under any circumstances – and be sure that you don’t!

Although there are several models for Squeeze Pages, you will only know which one is right for you by testing both layout and content. Several things to consider:

• What will your visitor see when they land on the page? More specifically, what appears above the “fold”?
• Content is more important than aesthetics. What you have to say is more important than the “window dressing”.  However , if your client insists that you must use graphics, then professional quality is a must and they should not become a distraction to the end goal.
• A clean look with plenty of white space makes reading content easier and removes any distractions.

Mike VanBergen, in his article “Squeeze Pages And List Building…You Can’t Have One Without The Other!: says this:

Every successful online marketer knows the importance of using squeeze pages! It’s a known fact that most customers do not buy the first time, it may take 5, 7 or more contacts from you before they do buy what you’re offering. First you need to gain their trust and build confidence with them.

This is the cheapest way to lower your advertising costs! Build a large list of opt-in subscribers/customers who trust you. It’s like money in the bank! One can never deny the fact that a squeeze page is very essential and crucial in this business; and that 98% of online marketers are still mastering the art of it using different techniques. Bottom line, list building is the secret to making money repeatedly without spending a single penny on advertising.

Daniel Moro describes a Squeeze Page this  way:

A squeeze page is a web page designed to do just one thing – to convince your visitors to opt in to your list so that you have their permission to send them additional emails and information

Here are a few of the Squeeze/Sales Pages created by the team at Expert Business Partners: (The Parenting Coach series is a great example of different pages being tested)

• Parenting Coach

• Parenting Coach 2

• Parenting Coach 3

• Life Coach

So whether you love or hate Squeeze Pages yourself, if you are doing business online and need to grow your list, using a Squeeze Page, in my opinion, is the way to go!

Anytime one of these show up and you prefer not to see it ever again, you can use the hide feature to keep them hidden from your wall. To see the hide feature, place your cursor near the top right corner of the post.

Once visible, click on the drop down arrow then select the item you wish to hide.

Hide feature at top right of each post

WORD OF CAUTION: do not select the person if you wish to continue seeing their other posts. Instead, select the application that you wish to suppress.

Once you select the feature you wish to suppress, FB will acknowledge that it has  been suppressed.

In case you haven’t figured it out, you can use this same feature to hide posts from anyone, without “unfriending
them.

How can you use Twitter for business? There are many ways but these are some of the more common ways you can use Twitter for business:

• share information quickly

• collect feedback

• connect with customers and prospects

• collect information

However, there are some DOs and DON”TS to using Twitter successfully for business.  You can learn them all in Twitter’s own “TWITTER 101″ – an in-depth guide to using its many tools and features for business development.

Tweet! Tweet!

Things to write about on Twitter:

• company information
• announcements
• achievements
• new product information
• conduct polls
• challenges
• scoops
• opportunities
• provide feedback
• ask for  information
• favorite things
• recent vacation

and the list goes on.

Don’t  forget to keep it personable and offer help where you can, while avoiding the hard sell. A good mix of personal and business will go a long way in help you build your followers list and gain you a reputation as a “Great Tweeter”!

Although many people balk at the ideas of some of the items I have listed, once you are introduced to the many tools available to manage your Tweets, Direct Messages etc., you will no doubt find, as I did, that Twitter is the new IM and email blasts  all wrapped up into one.

Fellow me on Twitter @virtualgina

Tweet Tweet!

Why bother?

Here’s why:

• Having a Page in addition to your Profile on Facebook helps with indexing and search engine ranking.
• With your Profile, you can add up to a maximum 5000 friends. With a Page,  you can add unlimited “fans”, with whom you can communicate directly.
• Great platform for connecting with clients and prospects alike
• Ability to analyze followers or “fans”
• FREE , FREE, FREE!!!!

Things to consider before you set up your page

• Name – since you cannot change this once it is set up, you want to think it through to be sure it reflects what you want and remember, it will form a part of your URL.

• Content – what do you want to do with this tool? Interact with “fans”? Create an engaging presence? Capture new audiences virally? All of the above?

• Overall look – will it mimic your brand or have its own? Which images will it have?

Take a look at our Facebook Page You can also type in names of other organizations in the  search field on Facebook to see other pages.

Here’s to your Success!

SPINNABLE WELCOME TEXT

If you already have a Tweet Later account, here are the instructions to add the SPINNABLE WELCOME TEXT. (if you do not have an account, you can sign up for an account here , free or paid)

1. Log into your account
2. Click on Accounts
3. Click on List Accounts
4. Identify  the account you wish to work with then click on edit (at right)
5. Look for the Send this email block and follow the instructions below:

• In the very first position of the text box, type the character { (it’s the open curly brace).

• Then write the first DM text (140 character max). The text box now contains: “{the DM text option one”.

• Then type the | (vertical bar) character after the first DM text (it separates the first DM text from the following DM text). The text box now contains: “{the DM text option one|”.

• Now write the second DM text (140 character max). The text box now contains: “{the DM text option one|the DM text option two”.

• Then type the | character after the second DM text (it separates the second DM text from the following DM text). The text box now contains: “{the DM text option one|the DM text option two|”.

• Repeat Steps 4 and 5 for as many DM text options you want to add.

• When you’re done, delete the very last | character that does not have any DM text to the right of it.

• At the very end of everything (where you’ve just deleted the | character), type the character } (it’s the close curly brace).

(The | (pipe) character is usually Shift and \ (backslash) on most keyboards.)
Happy Tweeting!
Join me on Twitter @virtualgina

Facebook occasionally pairs advertisements with relevant social actions from a user’s friends to create Facebook Ads. Facebook Ads make advertisements more interesting and more tailored to you and your friends. These respect all privacy rules. You may opt out of appearing in your friends’ Facebook Ads below.

To prevent this, you need to change your settings.

Here’s how to do this:

1. Hover over SETTINGS (near the top of your page)
2. Select PRIVACY SETTINGS
3. Select NEWS FEEDS AND WALL
4. Select the tab that reads FACE BOOK ADS
5. Use drop down box to select NO ONE
6. Save your changes.

A good idea: once a month take a moment to reveiw “what’s new” on FB so that you stay abreast of any changes that affect your profile and content.

We’re proud to announce that some really exciting improvements to our Email Marketing and Autoresponder tools will be introduced over the next two weeks…

The most exciting news is our freshly-designed HTML Email Templates. We’ve received a lot of feedback over the past year about the need for a variety of email templates offering the types of designs that would work best for your business.

Now, when you are creating an Autoresponder, Broadcast, or Newsletter you can quickly select and customize one of our professionally-designed templates and even save your own custom template.

Plus, we’ve made some serious improvements to the way you create, edit, schedule, and report — resulting in more impressive and effective email marketing for your online business.

We will be introducing these exciting new features over the next two weeks. And, as always, as part of our Commitment to Improvement, you’ll be able to take advantage of these upgrades at no extra cost — just one of the many benefits you receive with our completely hosted software solution.

We are so excited about these improvements as they will increase our efficiency and, further reduce costs for our clients.

If you are looking for a great tool to take your products online, we highly recommend 1SHOPPING.COM.

Enter the remarkable technology and tools on the market today which makes it not only possible, but absolutely effortless!

The list below includes many of the ways a VA can help anyone running a business whether online or not.

If you don’t see your particular need on our list, please let us know as our team is adaptive and inventive, and we will find the right solution for you!

• versatility in one source

• flexibility

• resourcefulness

When there is no money in the budget to hire another assistant or pay for traditional marketing expenses, partnering with a Virtual Assistant Professional is an affordable way to ensure your business is not left behind!

The savings resulting from hiring a Virtual Assistant Professional are tied directly to the fact that we pay all of our operating expenses. What does this mean for you:

• no overhead office expenses

• no costly employee benefits (insurance etc.)

• no paying for wasted time at the water cooler

• no paid sick or vacation days

You only pay for time spent directly working on your tasks!

See below and compare!