So we all know that posts have been missing. Well they have not been missing, infact you now need to select that you want to view them- so here is your answerr

You will need to make a LIST

1- Select the LISTS heading, then click MORE when it appears. This is at the bottom left of your page

2-Select CREATE A LIST.

3- Name your list (Businesses, Favourites).

4- You will now see ‘Add friends to this list to see their updates’. Select ADD FRIENDS.

5- Dependong on how big your list is, it may take some time to load. Once loaded, go to the drop-down menu at the top left of the screen that says FRIENDS (arrow down). You will now have the option PAGES. Select.

6- When you can see the thumbnails of all your pages go through them all, clicking each one.

7- Select DONE

WOOHOO- all your pages status updates can now be seen

Be sure to do the same and make a friend list so you can switch between the two.

 

Erin

I have seen it, I’m sure you have too. When people check in to somewhere on Facebook, remotely. Facebook Places true intent is that when you are out and about, you check in, letting people know who you are with and where you are.  

This is a great application to use when out at a restaurant or a football game (for example), but have you ever considered that when you check in to someone’s or your own home, that you are sharing that address with the World?

When online, you try to keep much of your information private, only sharing this with the people close to you. But just how close are your ‘friends’ on Facebook.

I have to admit, I have friends on my list, which I met through my Business. I haven’t met them personally, and although I know who they are online, do I know who they are offline? The answer is ‘No’ which brings me to my question- is the Facebook Location application safe?

Does everyone in your list need to know that you are now not home, as you have checked in at a Restaurant, and perhaps that brand new Computer you were so excited about in your previous post, is now home alone?

I am not suggesting your friends, will come and take advantage of that- but what about other people that are looking at your wall?

I was having a conversation about the Places Application with my brother on the weekend. He dislikes it as when his mates come around to his house, they check in, advising the World where they are and the exact address of my brother’s house. This is not his decision to put it out there, though his friends.

Of course, this is a personal opinion, and perhaps a caution to you, to be careful and mindful of what you put out there for all to see. Perhaps a timely reminder to check the Security Settings on your personal page.

Erin

 

 

Ok so you are over the overwhelming feeling of starting out in your Business, but where are the clients?

It will take some time to build up a relationship with customers and clients, but start small and work your way up.

When I first started in my Business, I asked Family and Friends. Yes I said start small. You never know who they may know and knowing a friend of a friend could work in your favour.

I suggest writing a template that introduces you and your services remembering to put in WHY people should use a Virtual Assistant, but more importantly, why they should use YOU. This can be something you keep for new clients or even when replying to adverts of jobs that may be advertised.

You will need to Market yourself. This may be hard, as I still find it hard to write about myself, but it is something you will have to overcome if you want to be successful in your Business.

Press Release
A press release is a great way and huge opportunity to get your Business out there. You can have a go yourself, but as I mentioned before, I am not great writing about me, so when I first started out, I went to a PR Specialist and had a Press Release written for me. If you want to view an example of mine, please let me know and I can email that through to you.

Once you have your press release, release it. Send it on to all your local newspapers and printed sources relating to your field of Business. When I did this, I was featured in WA Business News, had numerous calls and jobs booked in. I gained a long term client out of this who I am still working with to this day, so it does work. You can also pay a professional service to distribute your Press Release.

Networking
Networking- is the process of establishing a mutually beneficial relationship with other business people and potential clients and/or customers. I would have to say that Networking is the BIGGEST way to get you and your business out there. It is so successful that around 80% of my clientele comes from networking. This can be online or in person.

The purpose of networking is to basically increase your Business.  I have found that people like to get to know who they are working with before they use me as their Virtual Assistant. This is fine by me as I love to know my clients and what they do for their Business, before assisting them with it.

Here is a list of some great networking websites:

www.facebook.com
www.linkedin.com
www.twitter.com

Forums

www.hiremymum.com.au
http://www.wahmnetwork.com.au/forum/
http://www.homebasedbusiness.sbdc.com.au/forum/default.asp
http://connect2mums.com.au/
http://www.virtualassistantforums.com
http://businesswomenunite.net/forums
http://www.youngbusinessnetwork.sbdc.com.au
http://ygenclub.com/

Of course not all of these websites may be of interest or relevance to you, but these are the websites that I use and have been beneficial to my Business. It is easy enough to find websites to network on that are for you and your business; it is just about taking the time to look for the ones that work for you.

You can also join Business groups in your area and attend get togethers, courses and events with these groups. Most allow you to attend without being a member, so try before you buy and experiment with the groups. Here are a couple that could interest you.

http://www.womensnetwork.com.au
http://www.businesswomenconnect.com.au

Remember with Business you also need to find time for YOU. So a great site and club to be a part of is www.thepinkbookclub.com.au. This is networking on a different level.  This is a group dedicated to woman finding time for themselves and although it is not business related, always remember where ever you are; you are always representing your Business. You will always have your ‘Business cap’ on, even when you do not realise it. Never miss an opportunity to let people know what you do, of course within reason. You just never know where people you meet can lead you.

Newsletters
Newsletters are also a great way to tell people what you do and what you can do for them and more importantly, why they should use or buy your product. I have to admit; I did stop doing a Newsletter for a few months and recently started this back up again and I am so glad that I did. I list New Services that I have recently added to my website, news and information about the Industry and I also feature non related information to keep the newsletter interesting. Here are some websites that I would recommend for Newsletters

www.mailchimp.com.au
www.constantcontact.com.au

Something NEW and Different
Another great way of marketing yourself is in Video. Why not use video when talking about your business or what you can do? A business friend of mine recently launched her new Business, Zigma Web Design. One of her Services that I think will take the Industry by storm is Video Business Cards. It is still very new , but will soon catch on and when something like this does come up and presents itself as a great way to promote you, jump on and take the ride. You can view examples of what Mary-Lou can do on her website http://www.zigma-web-design.com/

Advertising
Advertising your business is yet another way to get your Business out there. Instead of placing an advert for a job, place an advert for potential clients. Julie from Arrowood Agency advertises on Gumtree, an online advertising Directory and says “I get quite a few responses allowing me to choose from a couple of different projects , fortunately I haven’t had to advertise for awhile now as I was able to get a couple of good contracts to keep me going”.

If you take the time to add your Business to online directory’s and advertising websites, it will pay off.

You can also team up with Businesses in your industry and do link exchanges on websites and even Newsletter swaps.

My Opinion
My opinion is that at the moment, online Networking is so huge, that if you are not doing it, then you are crazy and seriously missing out on many potential leads.
Facebook is at the top of online marketing tools. Business Pages are so popular, that many Businesses are finding that this is where many of their new clients are coming from. I recently read an article on WAHM Biz Success called ‘Facebook? You’re Mad If You Don’t’ and everything in here is so true, you are mad if you don’t. Facebook is a powerful marketing tool, and many people are still unaware of this. So if you have a Business, jump onboard and begin by making a Facebook Business Page.

There are many other ways of gaining clients and I think the one thing that you must remember is, you are your Business, and no other person is better at representing it that the person that knows the most about it, You.

Remember, by 2015 people will be asking not ‘What is a Virtual Assistant?’ but ‘Who is your Virtual Assistant?’

 

Erin Dawson
Dawson Documents- Virtual Assistant
www.dawsondocuments.com.au
erin@dawsondocuments.com
www.facebook.com/dawsondocumentsva

 

 

As you know, I believe that every business needs a presence on Facebook.  It’s the ‘go-to’ place where people share information and referrals.

Have you noticed that news services, TV shows and even advertisements these days carry a link to their Facebook page?  They have (finally) recognised the power and the opportunities that a Facebook page can bring you.

If your business isn’t represented, you could be missing out on a lot of opportunities.

Let me give you an example of what can happen for your business.

Georgie Girl is an online business specialising in handmade baby and toddler clothing,  The business set up a Facebook page about twelve months ago and already has 11,200 ‘likers’ and probably more by this stage.

The owner, Tina Mihalitsis, uses her page to keep her customers informed about new collections and stock releases.  As she says it’s so simple, easy and effective.

Facebook is actually like having a free website but it’s far more interactive which brings many more opportunities to convert a liker into a client.

Tina says,” I believe that any fan or liker is a good one!  There is nothing as beneficial as maximum exposure and I would hope that anyone and everyone would hit the ‘like’ button on the Georgie Girl page.  It is said that only 20% of your audience will end up buying or are genuine customers but I would prefer to have that 20% plus the other 80% on my page and interacting.”

I asked Tina how Facebook had helped her business to grow.

“The exposure my business page has brought me is invaluable.  The most brilliant part is that all of the exposure has been totally free and you are able to reach your target audience directly in their own homes.  Word of mouth via Facebook has meant that growth and popularity have viral type characteristics and happen very, very rapidly.

Without Facebook my business would not be one tenth as popular as it is today.  I am thankful for the amazing opportunities that have come my way via my Facebook business page.”

Tina offers these tips for businesses:

• Always encourage lots of interaction on your business page.
• Do regular status updates to keep people interested and involved.
• Ensure the presentation of your page is professional and inviting.  To do that make sure your logo is professional. Edit and update your photos often and always ‘speak’ politely and professionally via your page.
• Link to your website and blog.  She loves being able to link to her other business pages and being able to link to her madeit.com.au store.

 

Recently, Georgie Girl also was lucky enough to be featured in a small clip on the TV news.  It sent people flocking to her Facebook page and the demand for her clothing shot up.  Tina knows that most people have their own Facebook account and that means that they feel safe and comfortable connecting in that environment.  That’s how she got such great impact from the short segment.

If this doesn’t convince you to get a Facebook page for your business, nothing will!

But that’s OK.

You can watch from a safe distance as we connect with the market that might have been yours.

https://www.facebook.com/georgiegirlhandmade

http://missgeorgieg.com.au/

http://www.madeit.com.au/storecatalog.asp?userid=11724

 

Erin Dawson

www.dawsondocuments.com.au

www.facebook.com/dawsondocumentsva

ERIN@DAWSONDOCUMENTS.COM.AU

 

 

Ok, so you want to be a Virtual Assistant (VA) but that’s as far as you have gotten so far?

Read on and this may assist you in starting your business and completing those next couple of vital steps.

When I started out with Dawson Documents, I was so overwhelmed with what I needed to do, to actually start working. Before I even thought about a client or completing work, there was so much more I had to do.

Research plays an important part in starting any Business. You need to be aware of what else is out there, exactly what they are offering, why they are offering it and what they are doing to get themselves known. You will need to know all of this and be clear with what YOU want to offer and what YOU want to achieve from your own Business. Google (www.google.com.au) of course is the number 1 search engine, so start searching. After doing your research you will find that some say the Virtual Assistant industry has become so popular because it helps women become entrepreneurs yet also achieves a work/life balance. This is just one reason I became a VA.

You have completed your research and you have your Business name, now what?

As mentioned in the First Article ‘I Want to Be a VA’, start by getting an ABN. It is a great idea to get your Business Name registered for Tax Reasons and to ensure the Business name you want is available. As much as no one likes to admit, there are people out there that will copy what you are doing. You will experience this some way or another in Business. You can register your ABN here www.abr.business.gov.au

So you have your Business name, your ABN, do you know what you want to offer? Another option you have is to consult a Business Coach. There are many around and they all offer different services. A Business Coach Company I am working with at the moment is Enever Consulting (www.eneverconsulting.com.au), and this is just one from many available to you.

Websites- the World Wide Web is a most important part of your Business. Your website will convey what you do and what you can offer your clients. You can build a website, or get one made for you.  My opinion would be to give it a go, especially if funds are an issue to start with. A great option is webs.com. You can utilise and build on the free option and once you are ready to go live with your Website, pay the monthly membership to get the bonus features and to also eliminate other advertising banners on your page. Please feel free to ask questions regarding this. Two others great website builders are www.webcitypro.com (there is a fee for this though check out for free with the trial period) and www.wordpress.org.

You then also need to purchase a domain name to match your Business name. You have the option to purchase a.com or a .com.au name. Being in Australia I decided with the .com.au (www.dawsondocuments.com.au) Looking back now I should have purchased both as recently after completing a Google search, I had seen that someone has brought and is now using the .com option, so my advice would be to purchase both.  You can get a domain name for as little as $12 per year. Again, you can shop around. A couple of websites for domain names are www.crazydomains.com.au, www.cheapdomains.com.au, www.godaddy.com and www.webcity.com.au.

So what is everyone else doing?

There are many Resources out there for VA’s. A good place to start is by checking out the Virtual Assistant Forums located on the Internet. Become a member, ask questions and familiarise yourself with what other VA’s are doing. Here are a couple of my recommendations:

www.virtualassistantforums.com/
www.vanetworking.com
www.virtualassistantnetworking.com

Set Your Prices

What are you going to offer your clients? You need to be very clear about this. What will you offer and how much will you charge. When I first started my prices were lower compared to now- though I have kept them quite low as I know how hard it can be in Business and if a business needs to outsource, I love nothing more than for them to turn to me (outsource) and I like to keep things affordable for others in similar situations. Make a list of what you can offer your clients and a price for your Services. You can charge by the hour, use retainer packages or charge by the task completed; this is purely your choice.

Most clients are likely to hire Virtual Assistants because 1) they can save money by hiring a VA for a task rather than paying for a full time staff member 2) The job can be completed more quickly than if they were to complete it themselves and 3) they simply do not have the time, resources or knowledge to complete the task at hand.

A Virtual Assistant pays for their own equipment, utilities, superannuation and joke or not, coffee so it is a far more economical solution for a Business to hire a VA. Again, remember to start small and work your way up.

How much time are you going to spend on your new Business?

All people who work from home in their own Business decide to do so for their own reasons. One big reason being that they want to be at home with their children so deciding how much time you are going to spend on your Business is important, not only for you, but for your family. My priority is my family (I have 2 children and a Husband that I could sometimes call my third child) and they always come first, before my Business. I work around them, which means scheduling my work time around mostly my 3 year old Social life. Sometimes I think he has a better Social life than me. Setting a routine and sticking to it is important, if you don’t, you may find yourself drowning before you have even started, so make it simple for yourself from the start.

Do you have the right equipment?
When I started out I had just an old computer, and that was all I had. I now have a laptop so I can take my work away with me (yes I went to Bali last year and took my laptop). I have since upgraded the Computer and Laptop, have a Printer to keep up with paperwork and am now building a new house just to get my own home office. Ok so the new house just isn’t for me, but having your own workspace is important. When running a Virtual Assistant Business it is important to keep your organisation up to date and always practice what you preach.

Now you have started, you are on your way to having your own Virtual Assistant business. Where are the clients you ask? Next article I will go through and suggest the best ways of getting your clients and marketing your Business.

Remember, by 2015 people will be asking not ‘What is a Virtual Assistant’ but ‘Who is your Virtual Assistant.’

 

Erin Dawson
Dawson Documents- Virtual Assistant
www.dawsondocuments.com.au
erin@dawsondocuments.com
www.facebook.com/dawsondocumentsva

 

 

According to articles on msn.com, a Virtual Assistant (VA) business is one of the hottest home-based businesses going around. A Virtual Assistant can be so something every business needs, the costs are low to start, and although some businesses need to be educated on how a Virtual Assistant works, and why they benefit their company, once they know how to use a VA- they would most likely never go back to hiring a ‘Staff Member’.

There are many things to consider if you do decide to start your own Virtual Assistant business. This series of 5 Articles will help you understand just what it takes to be a VA.  I will tell you  what you need to get started, give you the resources that you need, what to do once you have started, how to get those clients, how to market and brand your Business and how to keep your business going.

First of all- What is a Virtual Assistant? A Virtual Assistant is much like your office employee, though can be more beneficial to your company.

The services provided by a Virtual Assistant are done so from their own office. Hiring a Virtual Assistant is an asset to any company. They can save time, stress and help build your company to where you want it to be.

Virtual: pertaining to a conceptual, rather than physical presence

Assistant: a person who contributes to the fulfilment of a need or furtherance of an effort or purpose

I have been running my business as a Virtual Assistant (VA) for just under 2 years now. I have received many emails from ladies from all walks of life. Some are working and want a change but most are Mums who are at home with their Children, wanting something more than to just be at home looking after the children.

The emails I have received all follow in the same direction- to one Question- ‘How do I become a VA’?

Is it as simple as me saying- You go- you can do it?  My answer is: Yes you can, BUT, you have to have the skills, passion, patience and support to do so.

First off, having the experience and knowledge of Administration is something you have to have. My past employment included working in Administration and Human Resources, so I had the experience to be a VA. I also have completed several Certificates at TAFE including a Diploma in Business, which also teaches you relevant skills needed for on the job.  If you have not completed courses this may be an option and you may like to visit:  www.tafe.wa.edu.au, www.tafe.sa.edu.au, www.tafe.vic.gov.au, www.tafe.qld.gov.au, www.tafensw.edu.au, www.cdu.edu.au (NT).

If you have the communication skills, experience and knowledge- then you are half way there.

You then will have to decide if you just want to subcontract out to other Virtual Assistants or go with the option of starting your own business.

Links to Sub Contract Out:
www.asecretary.com.au, www.indeed.com.au

To start your own business you will need to consider:

• Business Plan: www.business.gov
• Business Name: Something that relates to your Business and You. I chose Dawson Documents as Dawson is my Surname and Documents covers a very wide range of services I can provide. I also added ‘-Virtual Assistant’ to the name so it really defines what I do.
• Website: There are many website builders and options out there- finding the right one for you can take some time, but once you do, you will be grateful for the time spent looking for it. Of course you can always hire a VA to complete your website and of course there are many Web Designers out there.  If you need some options, please let me know and I can assist with this though I will cover this Article ‘What You Need- Getting Started.
• Email and Contact Number: It is so important to brand your business. A Business email shows professionalism and people are generally more trustworthy of a business email. For example dawsondocuments@bigpond.com is less professional than erin@dawsondocuments.com.au. Again, there are many options out there; you really can’t afford not to have your own business email.
• What services will you provide? You need to decide who your target market will be and what you can offer them. Be firm about what you offer. If you find you want to offer more to your clients, there are many courses out in the www that you can take-up. Many Virtual Assistants have a Niche: Real Estate, Legal. Accounting etc
• ABN: You can go here www.abr.business.gov.au and Register your Business Name and get an ABN for Free.

Lastly there are some great VA Forums out there you can join to gain knowledge and get started if that is what you wish to do.

So that is ‘Getting Started’. In this 5 Part Series I will go over what else you need to get started in your VA Business and Answer any questions that you may have which I will also incorporate into the Series.

Remember, by 2015 people will be asking not ‘What is a Virtual Assistant’ but ‘Who is your Virtual Assistant.’

 

 

 

Erin Dawson runs Dawson Documents- Virtual Assistant as a home based Business. She has 2 children that take priority over her work (and a husband to look after as well), though her Clients are always not far behind. She assists Businesses with their Administration, Design and Facebook needs and works until the Client’s tasks are fulfilled.

 

 

A Virtual Assistant can make a huge difference to your business by relieving you of work and stress but not everyone is ready or willing to call for help.  If you are one of the people who prefer to do everything for themselves, I might still be able to assist you.

I have just created an e-course that will show you step by step how to manage your workload so that you don’t burn yourself out.  The course is free and you can access it from my Facebook page

Get Your Business on Track – I show you some tips and tricks for getting back on track and staying there.

Managing Facebook – Facebook is an almost essential tool for modern business but it can be a time sucker, pulling you further and further off track.  Learn how to use Facebook so that your business gets the best possible exposure without it taking up all of your time. It IS possible and I know how to do it.

Prioritising Your Work – Working out which piece of work needs to be done first is an art.  It’s also something that we don’t often take the time to do and then we panic because something suddenly becomes urgent.  I help you to decide which are the top priorities in your work so that you are never caught out again.

Planning Your Day – I have included a clever planner that will help you manage your days easily.  It’s so much easier to plan when you have a format to follow.

The To-Do List – My to-do list will become your best friend.  It turns your priorities and plans into actionable steps.

Record Keeping – The difference between a happy client and an angry one is a good spreadsheet.  Mine will help you to track your invoices and accounts as well as record important events like client birthdays.

What If…? – What if you DID decide to get rid of the jobs you hate doing?  What if you DID decide to use a Virtual Assistant?  I help you to work out which are the things that you might be able to hand over so you can free up your time for the things that really matter.

The e-course leads you through a step-by-step process that will help you to streamline your work and make your life a whole lot easier.    It’s free to do and will save you time, money and stress by giving you a complete set of tools for controlling your business..

 

Why should you be on Facebook if you are in business? In short, it is FREE advertising for you, your organization or business.

Today, professional and business personalities are increasingly using the number one social media website in the world to engage with their audience in a meaningful way. Politicians are using Facebook as target audiences are so easy to reach with minimum effort and outlay involved. Facebook provides a platform for all kinds of businesses to engage with a network of friends, clients old and new and colleagues. You can think of Facebook as another tool available to you and your business to connect with your clients.

Everywhere.  There are currently over 400 million users on the planet and the numbers are growing daily; an estimated 100 million users of Facebook use Smart phones, this number also grows daily. Don’t forget this is free advertising and all you need do is set aside some time to set your status updates and send information through your news feed on a regular basis.

Meaningful; the strength of your online presence is dependant on the quality of your networks. One third of all groups on Facebook are now professional groups. You can utilize these groups to build your networks and reconnect with old friends on a professional level.  Communities are the life-blood of the world and a Facebook provides access to a huge global community.

Ranks very highly in Google searches, the most popular search engine by far, thereby creating maximum exposure to a massive audience. You may well have a more professional website that you can operate alongside it however Facebook should be an important part of your online toolkit. Facebook is powerful – 5 billion pieces of information are shared weekly.  That breaks down to 8,000 pieces of information every second!!

Make your home page a Facebook Business Page.  You can use it to incubate ideas, join in or start conversations and for putting the “social” into social searches. By acting on the feedback, it can improve sales or enhance the service that you are providing.

It is very simple to use.  You do not need high level computer skills to be able to navigate through setting up a Fan Page but if you are worried, you can find a Virtual Assistant to create your page for you. . Facebook evolves daily and the developers are constantly coming up with new ways in which it can be used.

Facebook is a unique cocktail of personal and business pages. This is exactly why Facebook has taken off like a rocket and attracted so many loyal fans. Facebook provides a microcosm of life in a virtual setting. It’s like a market place with shops selling goods, professional giving advice, tourists shopping for gifts and then there is the town square with its coffee shops where folk just hang out and chat.  Future employees will be familiar with the layout of Facebook and able to use the interface quite readily as will your clients or customers.

Facebook is a great way to lead people to your website.   You can talk about your products or a service which encourages people to click through to your site and ultimately leads to sales.  In fact, most of my clients are from Facebook.  If I did not have a business page I don’t think DDVA would be as successful as it is.

Remember, though, that there are rules and a certain etiquette that must be followed if you want your page to be a success.  Use your common sense and you will be fine.

Right now Facebook is not going anywhere; it’s going to be around for a long time, so start building your presence.  It will certainly lead to a boost in your business income.

That’s why you SHOULD be on Facebook!!

What client, Dani from Bee & Me says-

Having a profile pic/welcome page has helped my business look professional and to let likers know exactly what I do by landing on my welcome page.  It has also made my logo more well known.

Facebook itself has helped my business enormously by getting my name out there, connecting personally with likers/buyers and they can also have a small peak into my personal life with what I share on my page.  When customers get to know you, they buy from you and keep coming back when they get great products and also great service.  People don’t always remember your website but they can always search for my business on facebook and that way can keep in touch with me regarding any custom orders, new stock and also new fabrics that are coming in.  Without facebook I would need to spend a lot of money on advertising to get the exposure that I’ve received from having a business page.

It has also helped me in my search for supplies and I’ve connected with so many other businesses that I have done collaborations with.

Erin