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Further
Reading ...
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POWERFUL PARTNERING - Manya Arond Thomas
“Asking is the beginning of receiving. Make sure you don't go to the ocean with a teaspoon. At least take a bucket so the kids won't laugh at you.” Jim Rohn “You get the best out of others when you give the best of yourself.” Harvey Firestone ...
THE ONE PERCENT SOLUTION! - Philip E Humbert
Many years ago, someone told me that the key to success is not doing something big or spectacular, but doing the little things extraordinarily well. When we think of Olympic athletes, it's tempting to pretend that they are somehow "different"....
Developing your management style - Anthony Harrison
One thing a lot of us don't do in sales is take time out to analyse things. How are we doing it? Why are we doing it? Can we do it better? Taking time out to assess your management style is one of the most fundemental tasks a person can do. We...
Planning Is The First Step - D C Wartenberger
Starting a home based business is less complicated and takes less preparations than most off home business need. No search for an office or a shop, no money you need to pay in advance to rent or buy a place. Not need to order a stock to be able to...
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A "Cyber" Staffing Solution for Small Businesses
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Written By:
Christina Morfeld
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Consultants, entrepreneurs, and other independent professionals often find themselves performing a juggling act: providing their products and services while also carrying out tasks related to marketing, customer service, and day-to-day operations. As important as these activities are to business survival, they don't directly contribute to the bottom line and, more importantly, they divert attention away from those that do.
While that can be said for a company of any size, small office/home office businesses (SOHOs) typically have fewer options than larger firms for addressing these concerns. A SOHO's needs are likely to be varied and ongoing, but traditional temps and contractors are usually best-suited for assignments of limited scope and duration. Additionally, workload fluctuations might prohibit the hiring of a permanent employee, even on a part-time basis, and many SOHOs don't have the space or equipment to accommodate on-site workers.
Fortunately, advancements in technology have spawned a new industry, called "Virtual Assistance," that provides SOHOs with the relief that they need.
Virtual Assistants (VAs) are experienced office professionals who provide administrative and other support services remotely. Because these activities can be handled effectively via telephone, fax, email, and the Internet, physical location is irrelevant. A skilled VA can benefit your business whether he or she lives across the street or across the globe.
Typical VA tasks include word processing, database management, customer contact and follow-up, bookkeeping, and event and travel planning.
While most VAs are generalists, some provide niche services as well. Bonnie Jo Davis, for example, also designs and manages websites, handles search engine submissions, and contributes articles to online directories and databases. In other words, she uses her advanced Internet skills to create and sustain a powerful Web presence for Davis Virtual Assistance ( http://www.davisvirtualassistance.com ) clients who desire it.
VAs with limited time - continued below ...
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continued ...
or creative abilities often partner with other companies (such as mine, Affinity Business Communications, http://www.affinitybizcomm.com ) that specialize in writing, graphic design, or other services outside their own area of expertise. These affiliations offer the convenience of "one-stop shopping" and strengthen the value that both firms provide to their clients.
VAs typically charge between $30 and $75 per hour. While this may seem costly at first, remember that - as independent contractors - they do not generate expenses related to payroll, benefits, equipment and supplies, downtime, and, in most cases, training. Rather, VAs are highly-skilled business professionals who (a) have fully-equipped home offices, (b) are ready to "hit the ground running," (c) only get paid for time worked, and (d) enable you to focus your energies on the income-generating activities that you enjoy.
Delegating administrative details is only one of the many rewards of aligning yourself with a VA. VAs strives for long-term, collaborative, and goal-oriented partnerships with their clients and work closely with them to grow and manage their businesses. As entrepreneurs themselves, they understand the unique needs and challenges of SOHOs.
Bottom line: A talented and enterprising VA recognizes that he or she has a vested interest in your success. Working within the context of that strategic relationship, he or she is always mindful of the "big picture" and committed to outstanding results!
Copyright 2002 Christina Morfeld and Affinity Business Communications, LLC.
All rights reserved.
About the Author
Christina Morfeld is president of Affinity Business Communications, a provider of high-quality instructional design, technical writing, and content development solutions. Whether writing to instruct, inform, or persuade, our work is reader-focused, benefits-oriented, and results-driven. Visit our website at http://www.affinitybizcomm.com to learn how we can increase your firm's sales and effectiveness!
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7 Tips to Get More Mileage Out of Your Publicity - Bill Stoller
7 Tips to Get More Mileage Out of Your Online or Offline Publicity by Bill Stoller, Publisher Free Publicity, The Newsletter for PR-Hungry Businesses http://www.PublicityInsider.com/freepub.asp You worked hard to get a story on your business in a...
Develop Your People and Make More Money - Lorraine Pirihi
What is the no. 1 asset in your business beside yourself? It's your people.Then why is it they often fall to the bottom of the list when it comes to doing anything to help them improve their performance and look after them? If you want your...
Do You Want To Remain Anonymous? Or Would You Prefer To Be Famous? - R M Blackledge
Do You Want To Remain Anonymous? Or Would You Prefer To Be Famous? R.M. Blackledge TheWorkAtHomeBlog.com © Copyright 2005 The internet is known as "the global information superhighway" for a good reason. As this year's unfortunate Tsunami in...
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