by Ace Concierge | Virtual Assistant | Sep 17, 2014 | Delegation, Virtual Assistant
How often do you just want to collapse at the end of the day; falling into the couch like you’ve become an integral part of the fibers? Letting it absorb all the day’s hectic work, demands, challenges and headaches? It’s like a warm embrace from a heating pad.
I know you’re wiped out…
Oh come on! You know that feeling. You heave a huge sigh and every muscle seems to release while you close your eyes in a moment of tech-free silence. Yes, you DID turn off your devices, even for just a few minutes.
You’ve stolen a few minutes of luxurious bliss. You’re content and relaxed.
UNTIL… suddenly, your mind hops back into overdrive; reviewing your day, your ‘To Do’ lists and what needs to be done ON and IN the business.
It’s exhausting and exasperating.
Does it ever end you ask? Is there a break from the rat race? A few minutes? A few hours? …Anything??
Brain Diversion
Try this, visualize yourself on an island retreat in the Caribbean where gentle breezes sway your hammock under a palm tree and your chilled glass leaves condensation on your fingers. You take a sip as your tongue savors the tantalizing fresh island coconut, pineapple and rum combination while the tin sounds of the steel band lulls you into a sense of comfort and relaxation.
Then, reality slaps you on the forehead and you open your weary eyes to sadly see the evidence all around you of mounds of work needing attention. Ack.
Get a grip and take a look at your options.
- You can return to working for “The Man” giving up your entrepreneurial dream, punch a time clock, be an employee, and live by his rules. (Sigh)
- You can commit a heinous crime where the feds pay for your housing, meals, healthcare, clothes, gym membership and maybe even a law degree. (Yikes)
- Lastly, you build a solid strategy leveraging your time and focus your core skills so you aren’t burnt out and dragging at days end. YAHOO = You Have Other Options.
I venture to guess that number three is the most inviting? I hope so.
Delegating
Delegating has long been a success tool for growing your business. There are hundreds of articles focused on the positive power of outsourcing. The goal is moving the low-payoff activities from YOUR desk so you can focus on your core genius, the things only you can do.
Build the Team
Forming a team is a growth mentality. It can take an army to build a business. A team to orchestrate your success and manage each facet of your internal systems and processes. You can’t wear every single hat in your business and expect to experience forward movement. You can get stuck, stagnate or otherwise hit a plateau and that isn’t why you founded your business. Failing to off-load those low-payoff tasks also caps your income opportunity.
As others point out, delegating isn’t a fad or a quick fix but a time tested method to help you scale your business beyond yourself. Think about your business and your goals. What should you be outsourcing?
In order to grow a successful business, it’s important to let go of some perfectionism and delegate certain tasks so you can focus on your strengths. Diana Adams
“You cannot grow your business all on your own so stop trying to. It’s time for you to trust others to help you. Without delegation your business will be limited by your own time and energy.” Matthew Swyers
My advice for entrepreneurs who wish to expand their business? Simply let go. Take on only the responsibilities you and only you can do. And as for the rest, delegate. Jane Wurwand
If you want to grow your business past a certain level, you’ve got to add more people. You’ve got 24 hours in the day, and you’re never going to get more. So if you need to take care of more stuff… because that’s what you need to do to grow a business – do more stuff – you’ve got to add other people’s 24 hours. You’ve GOT to delegate. Laura Roeder
Most entrepreneurs have great talents but many times they think they can do it all. That can really stall the growth of the business. By outsourcing the day to day back-office tasks, the business owner has more time to focus on generating income. Laura Lee Sparks
Outsourcing has made a powerful impact on their growth, productivity and bottom line. Small business, augmented by a global pool of human capital, can compete directly with the biggest players in their space, and win. David Walsh
At first I felt like I was the only person who could do the work efficiently; I wanted control over everything. But I wanted my business to grow and in order to do that I had to let go and start delegating. Tonya Thomas.
When you outsource, you can focus your time, attention and resources on your company’s core competencies–and spend your time setting new goals and finding ways to achieve them. Nancy Mann Jackson
WOW. Those are some pretty impressive quotes, don’t you think? You may know some of these of these business owners or maybe you don’t, but no matter what, they are leveraging their skills, time and expertise with the help of others. They are creating virtual teams to outsource various aspects of their daily business competencies in order to grow.
If they can do it, you can too.
You may be digging in your heels, putting up your hands, saying you can do it all yourself. Take a peek at your perceived roadblocks and determine how to best overcome these hurdles. I know how it is as I was the same way but I knew:
- I had to practice what I preach
- If I wanted to grow, I had to delegate
- I needed to work more ON my business rather than IN it all of the time and outsourcing was the tool
I did it and I have never looked back. Yes, a virtual assistant also delegates to virtual assistants.
If you’ve ever thought about delegating or have a few questions, let’s talk about your options because you don’t have to build your company alone.
by Ace Concierge | Virtual Assistant | Sep 10, 2014 | Content Marketing, Organization, Productivity, Social Media
How many times have you started your day feeling a little discombobulated? Out of sorts or otherwise, a hot mess?
Maybe your alarm didn’t go off, you’re missing a sock, can’t find your keys or worse, your coffee pot died! Oh yes it did. It’s not even a Monday! This is a horror and seems to set the tone for the rest of the day.
You throw up your hands and opt for the bedhead look. If you’re like me, you might even have a little crazed Medusa look going on. No, I’m not doing an HOA or SKYPE video call with you.
HOWEVER, you cannot bring this uncoiffed mentality into your social media marketing world. Oh it is so tempting to just jump on board and start posting, commenting and singing your song. Who cares about the different platforms, best times to post, what to share, syndication sites, building relationships and the whole ménage of social etiquette, tips, tools and suggestions? Right?
A little chaos and messy hair feels good.
Close your eyes for me. Just for a second. Now shake your head from side to side. Flip your hair up and down. Run your hands through it. Yeah, you men too. Okay, gradually open your eyes. Doesn’t it just feel a little freeing to let go?
Okay, you’re done. Come back down in your chair and focus!
If you’re like most small business owners, you think social media is just something you do versus a marketing tool that you MAKE time for. Remember, the majority of your customers and prospects are online and consuming information every day. If you aren’t online and making time for social media, you can rest assured that your competition is.
I will tell you this: YOU do NEED a social media strategy; a plan of attack. Nothing is accomplished by haphazardly flitting around tapping a few keys here and there. This goes beyond just the SMM goals for your company. You need more than that.
Focus on strategy, not tips and tools. It begins with your audience, their objectives, who are you connecting with and what they need from you. Pam Moore, CEO of Marketing Nutz
You should outline a daily plan for each of your social profiles, including goals for each one.
A daily routine will help to keep you focused and productive, otherwise, you will be spinning the hamster wheel of frustration. It is already so difficult to keep up with everything, figure out social media AND operate your business. Who has time for all of this??
Social media can be a tremendous time suck. Many business owners spend 12-20+ hours a week maintaining their online presence. Do you really have this kind of time? Can you afford to step away from the core of your business to search, write, edit, post, comment, share and otherwise be seen, be heard and engage?
Again, your routine and time management will keep you from wasting needless unplanned hours. Everything has a road map or a blueprint. Create one and stick to it.
Simply posting or tweeting a random thought without a strategy behind it is a recipe for disaster, and a complete waste of time. Rebekah Radice
Let’s assume (and I do hate this word):
- You have defined your SMM goals? Yearly? Monthly? Weekly? Daily?
- The tactics you will use to achieve them
- Understand your audience, their needs and their most used platforms
- You maintain a content or editorial calendar
- You search and curate content to meet the needs and questions of your audience
- You write weekly rich and valuable blog posts
One through six are the bare naked basics, part of your standard workflow.
Your daily schedule can make you or break you. If you find yourself with a knotted nappy head then you should probably revisit what you do every day and how deeply you sometimes get dragged into the abyss. You should be using time tracking tools or those that limit your website use, but that is a whole other post. Simply put, discipline yourself.
Ready. Set. Go.
- Outline your SMM platforms, include the URLs and logins
- Include the dates/times you will post on each.
- Type of post (examples): URL, quote, image, reshare, educational
- Create lists and groups in each channel of thought leaders, colleagues, friends or other important people in your network that you follow, engage with or want to share their content
- Gather a list of the RSS feeds of industry blogs or those VIPs above enabling you to read, share and discuss their content
- Curate information from the above as well as content that mirrors/supports your company products and services, buyer’s needs, drivers and pain points
- Search industry keywords and trending topics on sites like Triberr, scoop.it, buzzsumo, tagboard, Twitter search, topsy, paper.li, or pragmatic.com
- Find and implement time saving tools to curate and schedule content
- Automate: schedule some of your daily content
- Retweet, share and comment on posts
- Create relationships: engage in meaningful conversations (NEVER automate the personal touch. NEVER)
- Create relationships: yes I repeated myself because this is worth repeating. Don’t just shout out some content and run away. That isn’t social. Not by any means. If you want to see and feel a return then be personable not a conveyor belt of URLs.
- Follow your routine. Set aside time each and every day to accomplish these social media tasks, at a minimum. Even jump on at least twice a day to manage your digital space. Schedule this time on your calendar like you would any other appointment
- Most importantly: Shake hands. Smile. BE HUMAN. While cliche, be social, don’t do social if you hope to see any type of payoff.
Remember social media isn’t an overnight million dollar sensation. It’s almost a lifestyle. An investment. It takes time, nurturing, honest engagement, understanding and a hell of a lot of patience.
You’ve got this and with a little help from a few tools and perhaps a virtual assistant (Ace), you can manage a successful social media plan AND operate your business.
If you’re tired of doing it all or not having enough time in the day to do much of anything, let alone pour a fresh cup of coffee, simply click on the Contact Us button and we can talk.
Come on… it’s easy. You deserve a little sanity. A little hair product for a more coiffed look. We’re here to help YOU.
by Ace Concierge | Virtual Assistant | Sep 3, 2014 | Content Marketing, Marketing, Social Media
Back in the day, and yes I’m dating myself here, there was an ingenious advertising campaign devised by Wendy’s using the slogan “Where’s the beef?” Everywhere, from Saturday Night Live to the White House, people were asking “Where’s the beef?” and poking fun at investigating where the true value of something resides in comparison to face value assumptions. Back in the day, Wendy’s used the campaign to highlight the fact that Wendy’s burgers were actually larger than Burger King or McDonalds, and that these competitors had simply used larger buns to create an illusion.
Recently, I’ve been looking for the “beef” in my social media marketing. Like many small business owners I wear a lot of hats, and fortunately my passion for my business far outweighs the tremendous hours that are required. Particularly as a small business owner, I have to be discerning about where I spend my time and how.
Social media at times feels a lot like those competitor burgers – enormous yet not a lot of meat or substance. It’s a delicate balance to keep up with social media etiquette, find relevant and interesting content and even retweet and repost others’.
I’m fairly new at social media, having dragged my feet for years, but I could quickly see that you could spend all day every day attending to social media endeavors and still never quite get done, let alone have any time left over for your “real” job. I’ve enthusiastically embraced that social media is an integral and important tool for us to use. The reality of incorporating social media into my existing responsibilities created additional challenges. Social media takes a lot of TLC, patience, and dedication, and success doesn’t often happen overnight, or look like you expect it to.
Recently I found myself creatively asking my social media coach that old Wendy’s question, “Where’s the beef?” I began to list the justifications for my perceptions. Almost any small business owner could recite them in his/her sleep:
- There are only so many hours in the day.
- I’ve got to put my time where it makes the most sense strategically.
- Every hour I spend doing one thing means I’m not spending it doing another.
- [Fill in your own!]
By the end of our conversation, however, I realized that I’d unwittingly fallen into the same illusion that the viewers of the old Wendy’s commercials had suffered. I’d been looking at the numbers associated with my social media initiatives rather than the quality of those relationships themselves. In other words, I’d been looking for the big buns as the burgers rather than the beef itself.
Is it more impressive to say that you have 25,000 twitter followers than 5,000? You bet! In the course of two months since I started with social media, I’ve gained a few hundred net followers. Does that compare with the visions of what I could gain during that time? Not even close. The numbers had been how I was defining my success and had also over time become the source of my frustration.
But just as the bigger buns created the illusion of delivering bigger burgers, the focus on numbers is also an illusion. There are numerous ways to create a massive following, from purchasing followers, to setting aside my operational tasks and focusing exclusively on social media initiatives. That would get me the big buns I desired, so to speak. But that’s not what I really wanted. I didn’t want just big buns – what I really wanted was a good, high quality burger.
That’s what I need to remember, what every small business owner needs to remember when they start asking, “Where’s the beef?” Those efforts we make, every new social media connection made organically, adds the quality into the burger you’re creating.
“Social media is the vehicle, not the destination. You can’t just ask, ‘What’s the ROI of social media?’ You have to ask, ‘What’s the ROI of specific activities that we engage in via social media?” Hal Thomas
I’ve created new relationships with those in our audience who are genuinely interested in who we are, what we offer, and want to partner in ways that benefit both of us. The “beef” in social media isn’t really about the numbers. Yes, it looks impressive, but the true growth comes from the quality of the relationships you form. Within the past two months, we’ve found new columnists to write for us as well as new radio guests and those burgeoning relationships were formed easily and swiftly in ways that we never could have done without social media. The “beef” has been found and the quality of that beef will continue to feed my small business in ways that a couple of fluffy, big buns never could on their own.
Guest Author:
Christine Andrew
Christine Andrew is the founder and CEO of CoSozo, a wellness and empowerment media company she created in response to what was ultimately the terminal illness of two of her loved ones. CoSozo, literally Greek for “Healing Together” was founded on the desire to bridge the information gap between the alternative and allopathic medical worlds and empower individuals to make informed decisions that align with their own personal beliefs.
Christine held a long and successful career in the biopharmaceutical industry, primarily in the development and implementation of quality systems. As a consultant, Christine worked with manufacturers both within the U.S. and internationally to prepare for and successfully pass regulated industry inspections and also to develop systems and strategies to produce and maintain quality standards.
Today, Christine has what she calls “the best job in the world” using the powerful platform that CoSozo has developed to bring the spotlight to issues, information, and resources that can help people everywhere live happier, healthier and more fulfilling lives.
by Ace Concierge | Virtual Assistant | Aug 27, 2014 | Customer Service, Marketing, Small Business
What you serve to your customers is what keeps them coming back to you. Feed your audience more than a side dish of products and services. Anyone can make the same entree as you but when you spread on a little aioli love or some spiced up wasabi sauce, it is you who tantalizes the tastebuds.
Add some authentic sizzle.
A true taste of flavor of what it is like to do business with you instead of the competition. What makes you so different, so incredibly unique that your audience should shake your hand in partnership? Step away from the mediocre and predictable to be outstanding in your field.
Make a list of:
- The inspiration for starting your company
- Your most distinctive qualities
- Your company’s assets
- Your solutions to pain points
- Your customer’s needs
- Why does your product or service matter
- Your vision to give back and embrace your audience
Review your list!
- How do you put this into action every day?
- What message do you send to your fans and followers in each of your posts?
- Does your content reflect any or all of the items you listed?
- Do you embrace your followers?
- Does your audience feel valued?
Get into your customer’s head. Be their thoughts, anticipate their actions and feel what they are feeling. Remember, you aren’t writing for yourself, but for THEM. Know what they find meaningful and engage with them on their terms.
If you can be them, you can recognize what they need and it isn’t just your product but a solution to their difficulties. Your condiments are what will make the difference in their lives, their daily routines, or business operations.
Create brand evangelists who want to scream into a megaphone about your business. Don’t just run to the bank with their money. Show them they truly mean something to you beyond a burger and fries. They are the cornerstone of your meal. Without them, you have no business.
No one likes to gag on a dry hard bun. Use a fresh baked baguette. Toss on some garden tomatoes, fresh basil, garlic infused olive oil, some diced kalamata olives, sea salt and ground pepper. This little treat is something that entices the senses. It’s not dry. Boring. Or status quo.
“Here is a powerful yet simple rule. Always give people more than they expect to get.” – Nelson Boswell
Think of the times when a vendor, potential partner or service provider has made you feel special or important. Did you tell anyone about them? Were you a repeat customer? If you know what impacts you to be loyal, to share your experiences with others, then deliver that same “emotion” to your audience. To your customers.
A recommendation from a friend is more credible and noteworthy than a paid advertisement.
It’s that simple.
Go the extra mile and pay attention to every detail, no matter how minute it seems to you, it will generate an impression. Do this with an authentic heart because it resonates deeply within you. Because it comes naturally – it isn’t something that is forced but instead a part of your innate persona. That is being real. That is appealing to the palette.
Don’t fake it and bake it. People can read BS and if you are only “under the cover of kindness” that is what will show through. Your voice is evident in every word you write, every comment, phone call or message. Keep it real or button up your lips.
The quote below by Melissa Bolton embraces the whole concept of service, business and the customer experience. Do it right. Do it because it IS RIGHT.
You leave pieces of your brand behind you wherever you go.
When people love what you do, it shows. They want to see you succeed and will do all they can to help.
Sprinkle your brand seeds to in the right field,
and your brand evangelists will help you grow them through accolades and referrals.
Empower them to WANT to share the word about you, your company and your services with the finest garnishes because they deserve it.
Earn their trust, loyalty and voice.
What condiments do you serve to your customers?
by Ace Concierge | Virtual Assistant | Aug 19, 2014 | Delegation, Entrepreneur, Productivity, Virtual Assistant
You relish the feeling of owning and operating your own business. You are the boss. The king of your company, controlling your own destiny and driving the success of the organization. You understand the systems and processes required to prosper in the business world.
You are a visionary. A thought leader, delivering strategy and tactics to meet your goals.
Being an entrepreneur requires a mindset that isn’t just about collecting a paycheck but more about creating a thriving business, meeting needs, being intuitive and developing your company in such a way that it impacts your stakeholders. According to the US Small Business Association, there are approximately 23 million small businesses in America just like yourself, facing challenges, making innovations, adapting to change and attempting to own a piece of the market share.
Entrepreneurial mindset refers to a specific state of mind which orientates human conduct towards entrepreneurial activities and outcomes. Individuals with entrepreneurial mindsets are often drawn to opportunities, innovation and new value creation. Financial Times
This is just a small piece of the equation.
Keeping this in mind, think about all of the daily projects and tasks that you continue to add to your plate that is already overflowing. It is a meal for many. How are you able to scale your company while managing all of the day to day, routine and mundane tasks? It’s like flipping the lever on a container of jelly beans and filling up the bag until it overflows, scattering a rainbow of colors all over the floor.
What happens next?
Aside from a sugar high, you are left with an inedible mess on the floor. Sure, the colors are pretty; they may have landed in some obscure graphic design but they are of no use now. Make the most of your life, your passions and your valued time.
STOP! Don’t burden yourself with the unnecessary. It’s a liability to you and your company.
You know what you do best. You know why you started the business. You have the entrepreneurial mentality but like many small business owners or solo-preneurs, you (we) tend to wear every hat in the company. Hats that should be distributed to more than one person. To a team.
Empower yourself for higher performance!
But the essence of teamwork is not actually perfection – the essence is constant growth. One of the must-have things you will need as an entrepreneur is a loyal right-hand person who will not leave you no matter what troubles you will face in your entrepreneurial journey. Victorino Abrugar
Being an entrepreneur is no simple endeavor. It requires a 24/7/365 days a year drive, dedication and commitment to growing your business. It isn’t a hobby – it’s a lifestyle.
What makes a business owner a CEO of their company and what keeps them slugging it out alone?
In “Stay Focused on Your Core Genius,” by Jack Canfield he clearly demonstrates the power and need to delegate what doesn’t serve you and your valued expertise.
I believe you have inside of you a core genius… some one thing that you love to do, and do so well, that you hardly feel like doing anything else. It’s effortless for you and a whole lot of fun. And if you could make money doing it, you’d make it your lifetime’s work. For me, my core genius lies in the area of teaching, training, coaching and motivating. Another core genius is writing and compiling books.
Over my 35 year career, I have written, co-authored, compiled and edited more than 150 books, and I love to do it! I do it well, and people report that they get great value from it.
Compare that to the other people in the world who go through life doing everything, even those tasks they’re bad at or that could be done more cheaply, better, and faster by someone else.
They simply can’t find the time to focus on their core genius because they fail to delegate even the most menial of tasks.
Most entrepreneurs spend less than 30% of their time focusing on their core genius and unique abilities.
Read this once. Twice. Three times.
What are you holding onto that doesn’t represent your core genius? That isn’t the greatest value of your time and expertise? Anthony Iannarino believes, “The most productive people spend their time where it produces a greater return on investment. They invest their time where it produces the outcomes that they really want.”
My clients outsource to me for these exact reasons. It is impossible to do it all and be it all to everyone while operating a successful business. While you may want manage every single aspect of your company from top to bottom, it will come at a price. There comes a point in time when every entrepreneur needs to realize it is time to step back from the desk, the daily activities and become the CEO of their company. The overseer who is no longer tromping in the trenches but actively running the business. Working ON it, rather than IN it, instilling the long-term vision required for your company’s growth and longevity.
“Scale Your Business Beyond Yourself.” When you choose the activities and projects you are going to delegate, commit to making the best use of these hours. Don’t simply be busy or squander your time on social media. Have a plan in place for those new found hours dedicated to working on your business, productively! This is a high payoff investment.
In fact, by the time they’ve launched a business, it often seems entrepreneurs are doing everything but the one thing they went into business for in the first place.
It takes time to create new habits and get in the flow with different systems, but once you re-establish your entrepreneurial role, you will experience greater growth in addition to deeper visions for your company. It is a future of win-wins. Live your dream as the entrepreneur, not the employee. As Jason T. Wiser of On Track Tips says:
Stop being a one man band, start being a business owner. You no longer need to do it all yourself, but you need to know how to delegate and let go of tasks.
Are you ready to take the advice of Jack and Jason to scale your business? If not, what are your roadblocks?
