You can grow your business without sacrificing your personal life.

Wouldn’t you like to create more free time and spend more of your working hours on tasks that are worth your hourly rate?  Are you tired of being a Jill or Jack-of-all-trades?

A virtual assistant can be one of the biggest weapons in your company.  A VA can handle administrative tasks, act as a resource on everything from reputable repair companies to local top restaurants, and market your business in new ways you never imagined.  A virtual assistant can support your business by taking on tasks such as Web maintenance, marketing mailings, or creating Flyers and brochures. 

The biggest challenge in choosing a virtual assistant is finding someone who clicks with you.  A virtual assistant has to be your right-hand person and know that you can count on her to delegate the work you’ve given her.  This is why it’s important to have frequent communication with each other and be able to understand one another.  Price can be a huge factor in choosing the right VA, but remember that price doesn’t always win over experience.  Once you find the perfect VA, you’ll feel stable and comfortable to work with her. 

It is important to write out a plan before exploring the virtual world.  Write a list of where you need the most support.  Ask yourself, ‘What jobs can I give the assistant?  What am I comfortable doing on my own?’  Once you’ve geared up with what you need help on, the interview process will run smoothly.  Make sure to hire an assistant that complements your character and has the skills in the field you need help with.  Remember to hire someone who has values because you can always teach new skills.

The internet has a vast amount of Virtual Assistant websites.  Each profile is different and most VA’s specialize in a task of expertise, so it’s important to contact the one that you feel has the experience that reflects your business.  Make sure to view a VA’s portfolio page where you’ll see a few of the work she’s done in the past.  Most VA websites have an “About Me” page that can give you a brief description of the assistant and when and why they started a virtual assistant business.  You will usually find a “services” page that includes all the tasks they can perform.

Have fun with your search!  You’ll thank yourself once you’ve found your perfect match!

How to work with a Virtual Team

When working with clients and/or business partners that are hundreds of miles apart, it is crucial to understand how to use virtual meetings.

Here are a few suggestions.

1. Instant Messaging

I’m sure you’ve used them to keep in touch with family and friends. Who says you can’t use it for business? With IM’s you can see everyone’s message and collaborate just as if you were in an in-person meeting. You can categorize each person by lists, such as friends, family, co-workers, business partners, and so forth. Most IM's will allow you to save the chat for future reference. You can also share files and folders as well as view each other on a webcam if desired. The only tricky side to all this is that everyone has to have the same program running on their computer.

2. Set up a Virtual Office

Having a teamwork agenda is a great way to keep up-to-date with what’s going on and what needs attention. You can manage this agenda by creating a SharePoint site that your team can use and access it to update calendars, reports, add to do lists and organize documents. Microsoft SharePoint is a collaboration site and has many customizable features that you can use to fit your business needs. You can get alerts when someone changes or updates a document. You can set up a SharePoint site using Microsoft Office SharePoint Portal Server by clicking here.

3. Virtual Conference Room

Make a slide show presentation, have a staff meeting, brainstorm, or even train a group of people by using a web-based conference. Everyone can see the same information at the same time, as if you were all in the same room. With Microsoft Office Live Meeting, you can share files and documents and even save the presentation for someone who wasn’t able to attend the meeting. Prices vary by the term you accept which can be per month, minute, or per user basis. All you need is a computer with internet access and a phone.

Traveling to California!

It has been crazy for me these couple of weeks. I feel like I have completed nothing and it is driving me crazy.

My mother has health issues and may need gallbladder surgery. She is still not sure what is wrong with her. Since she speaks very little English, it is up to me to translate for her. I have not spoken to her doctor yet, but it seems that she has different issues with her health. She wants me to fly to California to be with her in case there is need for surgery, whether it’s for her gallbladder or not.

I recently found out that some but not all airlines offer military discounts. Of course, I am going to take advantage of this incentive for being a dependent. With the economy the way it is, I want to save as much money as possible!

I had purchased a ticket on Thursday to leave Saturday, July 18, 2009. The price was “ok” at a cost of $201.20 for a one-way trip. Unfortunately, I was not able to make the flight and called to reschedule. I found out the ticket I purchased was not a military fare. On top of that, the representative told me that I had missed the two-day wait on canceling/rescheduling a ticket and will have to pay a $150.00 administrative fee. You can imagine my eyes getting wide and the overwhelming feeling of disappointment.

I have never flown with Delta Airlines, which by the way is now merging with Northwest Airlines. This will be my first and last time I will ever fly with them again. My preferred airline company is Southwest Airlines. I have flown with them for the past 4 years of my life and have been pleased with their service. They do not charge a baggage fee or a cancelation fee (to a certain extent but nowhere near the two-day wait period Delta has). Sure, you don’t get an assigned seat, but I don’t mind where I sit on the plain as long as I get to my destination unharmed.

Anyway, I was able to get a cheaper flight for Tuesday at the military fare, which was a difference of $56.00. The representative tells me that I would receive a refund of $20.00 for the ticketing fee, which military and their dependents do not have to pay, plus $36.00 that I overpaid because I was deceived into believing I was paying for the military fare.

Sunday rolls around and I get a confirmation e-mail from Delta. The e-mail confirms a refund to my checking account for the ticketing fee but not the difference of the ticket. I called Delta again and asked to speak to a manager. Sadly, the manager was not able to issue me a refund. I asked for the corporate number because I was not going to lay flat even for $36.00. I finally got a hold of someone today but I am still unsure whether to believe I will receive the reimbursement or not. Something tells me that I will have to call them sometime this week.

I tried to cram as much as possible into my luggage but remain under the 50lb weight limit to avoid paying more than the standard $15.00 fee for the first suitcase. For now, I pray and hope I have a safe flight but no matter how smooth the ride may be, I am never going to fly with them again!

VA's for Real Estate

Many real estate agents who thrive for success are experts at multi-tasking. Like a drug, they are addicted to open houses, marketing ideas, and constantly trying to please their clients. This gives them less time to do the things they want to do and more of the things they have to do in order to keep the flow going. This is one of the reasons why they hire a virtual assistant.

A virtual assistant can do wonders for you. She can prepare your brochures, send newsletters, submit your advertisement, and answer any questions your clients may have. If she doesn’t have a real estate license, you can find out what your state allows your unlicensed assistant to do. Check with your Real Estate laws for more details.

A VA can perform basic administrative tasks that can make you lose focus of what’s important in your business; your clients! If you have a family, you’ll be able to enjoy quality time with them. Wouldn’t you love to sit back and relax every so often and still enjoy the fact that you’re generating the same, if not more income? Wouldn’t it be nice to not stress over what needs to be done and know that it has been taken care of?

What’s great about hiring a VA is the ability to use her only when you need her. If you only need help with marketing, phone calls or appointments, it can happen! The freedom of having a VA to support your business needs should sound like heaven to you, because it really is a piece of heaven. VA’s are independent contractors, so you won’t have to pay their FICA, vacation time, or contribute to their health care benefits. Think of it as a business expense, something you write off on your taxes, but still beneficial to you and your title.

If you find yourself cluttered with paperwork and always rushing to get where you need to be, then you need a VA. Don’t hyperventilate in the morning because you slept in for an hour. There’s no need for you to go to bed late trying to catch up on work. Get your beauty sleep! And that goes for the men too! I know you want to be successful, but in order to succeed; you need to be disciplined and seek assistance when you most need it. Trust me when I say, a VA will lift that brick off your shoulder and help you to focus on what’s important in your business.