by Ace Concierge | Virtual Assistant | Jul 25, 2013 | Entrepreneur, Small Business, Virtual Assistant
A code of ethics and honor exists amongst most Virtual Assistants, at least with the tremendous women in my network. As entrepreneurs we pride ourselves with strong character and morals, not just because we are business owners and great human beings, but we are also trusted with managing our client’s business. We are privy to logins, credit cards, proprietary information and other business “secrets.” We treat these components with the utmost confidentiality, similar to HIPAA.
I recently discovered another Virtual Assistant who copied some content from one of my blog posts. I was irate of course. I labor over my blog posts, hoping they are rich and valuable to you, the audience. I immediately became incensed with anger and frustration. Those were not her words I was reading, but mine. Her title was even taken from a different post and she also stated the upcoming content of her next post, which of course can found on my blog. Maybe it was her idea, all fresh and new, but it certainly appears a little suspect. She is even a “Certified VA” with a badge on her website and a link to their code of ethics.
VAs are trusted with so much and if one is going to steal another’s content, what else may she consider? I feel very strongly about my industry and the trust from my client base. It is always an honor when Ace is chosen as remote business manager. My reputation stands for itself as does the other Virtual Assistants I know and follow. We work hard and earn our place in the business world. When I see something like this, it just makes me question someone’s business sense and character.
“Character is the firm foundation stone upon which one must build to win respect. Just as no worthy building can be erected on a weak foundation, so no lasting reputation worthy of respect can be built on a weak character.”— R. C. Samselat
As soon as you publish original content, it is protected by the copyright law, even without the symbol. This translates into the fact that people can’t repurpose or publish your content without consent.
- If you want to do a little research about your site and content, try CopyScape. It is a simple tool I discovered many years ago which will clearly display what content has been copied.
- Using Google Authorship also helps to reaffirm what is owned and protected by you.
- Make sure you take screenshots of the offending content.
- Email the perpetrator with the exact details, including the images, requesting that all copyrighted content is removed.
- If your correspondence is not successful, you can also contact the search engines directly under the DMCA Law or Digital Millennium Copyright Act
A little permission goes a long way. Ask. Give credit. Share honestly and professionally.
Know the laws and your rights.
by Ace Concierge | Virtual Assistant | Jun 27, 2013 | Delegation, Small Business, Virtual Assistant
Yes! I do have one too and I am not sure how I would function without her or the rest of my team. You see, I do practice what I preach. Delegating isn’t just something I recommend for you and your business. I need to do it too.
WHY? Delegating daily tasks and projects enables me to be more productive and efficient. As a solo-preneur, there are only so many hats you can wear before you become overwhelmed and burdened with too many activities on your plate.
Scale for growth: In order to continue a path toward growth, I knew I needed to function at an optimum level. This meant outsourcing to my team enabling me to focus on core tasks that only I can do.
Two Fold Project: I wanted to expand my reach both locally and in my digital universe. In my daily content curation for my client base, I discovered a few articles about RSS feed directories and local online listings. I forwarded these to my trusted virtual assistant, including a few questions, wanting additional research, a compilation of the top sites for each and I also included the approximate time to be spent on each action step.
After a few clarifying e-mails, we had formulated a plan of action. I soon received a list of directories for both queries for approval along with some well thought out details and suggestions.
Results: I am now listed on several RSS feed directories who pull my blog posts while others require manual submission. The local directories have all been updated with my business information and links. Today, I received a spreadsheet containing all of the data, logins and submissions.
“That was easy.”
I can’t tell you how excited I was to have this time consuming project moved off my plate, giving me the time to manage other client business needs as well as other Ace projects.
Outsourcing gives me such great benefits beyond just time. I know I have a team to collaborate and brainstorm ideas. There is accountability. We meet virtually as needed and fully utilize a variety of tools to enhance communications and project management.
Feel the freedom and partner with a virtual assistant. I do.
by Ace Concierge | Virtual Assistant | Jun 6, 2013 | Social Media, Virtual Assistant
Managing your business can take an army and you can’t do it alone, but who should you trust to help you with your business operations? Your proprietary documents? Trade secrets? Login credentials? Client lists?
An established, entrepreneurial virtual assistant. You need a vested partner who understands what it takes to run a company.
You need a “weapon of mass production.” A virtual assistant will help you to effectively manage and execute your business dealings at a great cost savings too because you only pay for project time. There are no hidden costs, insurances, training, equipment or “benefits.”
A VA can be your brainstorming partner, your sounding board for your ideas and innovations.
A VA will seek out other vendors and collaborators.
A VA is your right arm and second pair of eyes for editing, proofing and creating documents.
A VA will help manage your calendar and appointment scheduling.
A VA is your researcher for content curation.
A VA keeps your ears on social media trends and analytics for your brand.
A VA enables YOU to focus on your core genius – the tasks that you do best.
A VA is your time manager.
What are you waiting for?
Isn’t it time you stopped doing all of the low payoff activities that demand your attention but don’t generate income?
by Ace Concierge | Virtual Assistant | May 30, 2013 | Organization, Small Business, Virtual Assistant
Helping to manage a client’s business requires attention to detail, thoroughness, time management and accuracy. As a virtual assistant, my client base has entrusted their business operations and daily tasks to Ace. It is vital for success and smooth processes that we utilize the best tools and software to ensure that everything is properly executed and facilitated with no errors.
One of my favorite project management platforms is Teambox. It allows for one centralized location for communications, tasks, notes, files, time tracking and accountability.
Teambox Structure
- Projects – This is what you are working on, the main objective.
- Tasks – The different pieces of a project. Assign tasks to different members of your project.
- Members – These are the people that are involved in the project.
- Notes – A shared workspace for you and your team. Share notes from meetings, whiteboard ideas and collaborate.
- Conversations – Communicate in real-time about specific tasks or the project as a whole.
- Files – Share files that are relevant to your project with members of your team. You can also share specific files with people who aren’t members of the project.
The dashboard is very user friendly and simplified, displaying your projects and each feature mentioned above in real time. You can click on “recent activity” for an overview of each project or click on each project separately. One of the features that is most useful are the notifications which are delivered to my email and I can respond from there or login directly to TB.
Teambox is also integrated with Dropbox, Google, Github, RSS Readers and mobile apps. It makes it easy to access from anywhere, keeping you on task, connected and up to date.
My clients each have their own login, enabling them to upload files, create notes and assign tasks. Along with the conversations, keeping all of the project details in one location ensures efficiency and successful project management.
As a collaborative tool, Teambox also offers group chats with your team where you can even share files, videos and stay in direct contact as the project moves forward. The syncing opportunities have produced numerous options and capabilities to cross share content, stay in touch and manage the task calendars within the application in addition to any that you have synced.
If you are working with a team, you may only want specific people to view a task or conversation. Setting up privacy rules is fast and simple by choosing who the “watchers” are of the specific task or conversation. It remains private with only the people you choose.
Project management is a necessary component of every business, large or small and if you don’t have some type of system or program in place, data can get lost, tasks forgotten or missteps may occur. Find and test drive a platform that works for you and one that you will commit to using.
Image credit: Lifehacker
by Ace Concierge | Virtual Assistant | May 2, 2013 | Entrepreneur, Virtual Assistant
Do you want to dance offshore or dive in with an established professional entrepreneur to help manage your business? Building a company is hard work and takes an extensive amount of time and energy to successfully manage and facilitate growth. There are vast amounts of daily responsibilities that coincide with your SOP, business development, customer service, social media, troubleshooting and all of the other 98 hats we must wear.
Can you really do it all? Commit to every single task, project and activity for you, your company and your clients? Probably not. I know I can’t. Spreading yourself too thin wreaks havoc and diminishes your output, sometimes to the point that things either don’t get completed or they didn’t have 100% of your attention.
It is here you decide you truly need help.
Enter the Virtual Assistant.
Many are familiar with the online directories, freelancing job sites, offshore call centers and of course the established virtual assistants. What do you do?
If you are looking for a vested partner, a real team player who has an honest interest in your business, then choose an entrepreneurial virtual assistant instead of the offshore tasks doers. I would believe your ideal assistant is someone:
- Who understands what it takes to start and grow a company
- Who has administrative experience
- Who has an extensive skill-set both on and offline
- Who consistently goes above and beyond being a task master
- Who takes a genuine interest in you and your business
- Who wants to be a part of your team
- Who prefers a long term partnership to help build and fortify your company
- Who drives to learn and educate themselves on related technologies, platforms and current industry news
- Who can and wants to see you succeed
- Who can provide you with testimonials and samples of their work
- Who “gets” your mission, values and ethics
- Who is available at your convenience, making allowances for work life balance, family and time zone differences
- Who timely responds to your emails and other communications
- Who values and respects your feedback to ensure your 100% satisfaction
The Virtual Assistant Industry | A Network of Professionals will provide you with a list of tips and questions to ask your potential virtual assistant.
When you team up with another like-minded entrepreneur, you are given the opportunity to have a dedicated partner in your success not someone who merely receives a task oriented email to complete. While the call centers and other off-shore operations may seem like a financial win, consider what you are opting out of for a few dollars.
I began my business in 2002: Virtual Assistants, Passion, Preference and Persistence and like the other virtual assistants in my network, we are here for YOU, helping to drive your business to meet your aspirations and dreams of entrepreneurship.
Think about your business goals, direction and management. What is important to you? Who most will benefit your team?
by Ace Concierge | Virtual Assistant | Apr 16, 2013 | Delegation, Time Management, Virtual Assistant
Image credit: actioncoach.com
As a virtual assistant I try to help educate my clients and prospects on the high value of delegating some of your daily business operations to better leverage your time and your skills. It is a low cost, high payoff activity to maximize your business growth. As entrepreneurs, the amount of hats we must wear can be overwhelming and very time consuming. It is almost impossible to do it all and perform at 100% of our capabilities. We can become worn out, lose track of time, have higher stress levels, become distracted, less focused, inhibit our productivity, have a decreased work life balance, miss deadlines, become backlogged or not complete our To Do lists. These things are not acceptable and will not foster growth and forward movement.
“It’s important to be working on tasks that have the biggest impact on the growth of your business–everything else should be delegated.” Iyla Pozin
I have learned the fine art of delegation as well. I certainly can’t preach the value of outsourcing to my clients if I am not doing it as well. Once I began delegating more of my daily business operations and back end admin tasks, there was a sigh of relief. The “aaahhh” feeling that I knew my team was helping me to be more effective and productive. I am a control freak; however, hand picking my personal virtual assistants gave me the confidence I needed to be able to send them tasks and projects.
Delegating has given me more time to work ON my business rather than IN it. I continually refine and revisit what I will outsource, as there is always room for improvement but if I am going to make suggestions to you, I too must follow the same premise. I have also discovered that the more I read, research, and learn about new tools for you, the more I apply them to my own business. I am grateful that you have chosen Ace as your virtual assistant. It is because of YOU that I too have been able to flourish and become even more productive, which I didn’t think was possible being so OCD about time management and productivity.
“If you are ever going to grow your business beyond what you can contain in the grasp of your outstretched arms, you’ll have to let go of a great deal of what you do to fill each day.” John Jantsch.
What will you delegate today?
