(Add to Favorites | View All Articles | Resource Directory)
|
|
|
Hire A Virtual Assistant for those tasks you don't have time forHiring A Virtual Assistant Can Help Your Business GrowAre you a home or small business owner and you're Webmaster, receptionist, and assistant all in one, but you've found that there isn't enough time in the day to complete all of these administrative tasks? A "Virtual Assistant" could be your answer. In today's tough economical times it's hard to think of hiring someone else to assist you, but it may be more cost effective than you think. You are probably spending more time on projects, sending out correspondence, bookkeeping and many other tasks that an assistant could do. Don't have the space in your office or want to deal with payroll taxes? Then hire a "Virtual Assistant". A Virtual Assistant only works when it is necessary. In other words, you only pay when there is work to be done. You might need someone to send out your monthly newsletter, do some research for the book you're writing, keep your schedule/calendar, bill your clients or maybe it's all of the above. With today's technology she or he can live anywhere, so you do not need to provide office space or equipment. Taxes, social security, and benefits won't be a worry for you because your VA is working for herself. Finding and hiring a VA is also an easy process. Many assistants are leaving the workplace and starting their own businesses from home and bringing all of their corporate experience with them. You can get their resume and references or just hire them for a small job to start. There are many resources out there to find VA's. You can do an Internet search and there will be hundreds of names at your fingertips. There are also many sites that have VA directories, so if you prefer your VA to be in the same state then that will narrow your search results. There are all sorts of VA's, some are certified or have been trained as Virtual Assistants and others, like myself, have taken our corporate knowledge and translated it into a VA business. Hiring a VA may be the best thing for your business whether it is small, large or just starting out. Try one out; you may be pleasantly surprised at what a VA can bring to you and your growing business. About the Author: Marie Fahey is a wife, mother of two, and a virtual assistant. Since 1998 she has run her Virtual Assistant business out of her home in Massachusetts. If you have questions regarding Virtual Assistants or would like to hear more about her services, please contact Marie at Marie@MarieFahey.com or visit her website at http://www.MarieFahey.com.
MORE RESOURCES: News provided by Yahoo! News and Google News State gives online lift to small biz - Albany Business Review Small biz loans down in Crawford County - Bucyrus Telegraph Forum Small Biz: Where's Our Stimulus? - Memphis Daily News 'BusinessWeek' Axes 25 Staffers - Media Buyer Planner Kagen Holds Roundtable To Hear From Small Biz Owners - Sheboygan News (blog) Customs at odds with DHS IG over report on small-biz goals - Washington Technology Small Biz Spotlight: Slide to Play (Pt. 3) - Technorati (blog) Small biz ready to hire with increased risk appetite: study - Toronto Sun Tories pat small biz heads in open source IT procurement pledge - Register |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Promote Yourself More Successfully One of the great challenges for independent professionals and small businesses, especially when starting out, is generating visibility to ultimately lead to generating sales.One of the specific challenges, I have found, is knowing what to say about yourself and your operations and services when asked "so what do you do?"? Have you ever stumbled over your words when asked what you do?? Have you ever received the response, "Oh, I see", followed by silence?? Do you ever feel as though you do not know what to say about yourself?I am reminded of the 'elevator speech theory' (I do not know to whom to attribute its invention), which simply poses "if you were in a lift that opens on the tenth floor and in walks Bill Gates who asks what you do - what would you say, and you have only until the elevator gets to the bottom?"I have personally struggled with this at times, and equally have found that when I get it right, results flow - which initially could be as simple yet important of getting more time to converse with the person asking the question of you. The Hidden Treasure in Your Business I started working with another new client last week. He has been in business for about a year and a half. Take a Break - Have a Pity Party Pity parties are nothing new. In fact, we do it all the time and I'm guessing that you probably go to many. You Dont Yet Know What You Dont Know Someone new to business ownership recently told me, "Before I opened my business, I thought I was pretty well prepared. I knew how to produce and deliver our product. Franchise Buyers from Hell I ran a franchise company for many years, a car wash franchise, and we use to get the most ridiculous franchise buyers who thought they wanted a franchise. It seems we had to deal with these Kookoo birds because they have consumer rights and the Federal Trade Commission, which looks over franchising goes out of their way to let these consumers get away with these tall tales. Competition in the Mobile Car Wash Industry We have all seen the mobile washing units cruising our city, usually they are trucks, vans or trailer set ups with a water tank and a pressure washer unit aboard. They market their services with flyers and business cards, however most of their business comes from weekly repeats and referrals. Grants vs. Contracts Commonly folks have asked me what the technical difference is between a contract and a grant. The difference is not about the dollar value or who the buying entity is nor the kind of work being done. New Habits, Rebounding Economy Help To Sell Giftware and Collectibles Just a few years ago, when one thought of a home-based sales business, Tupperware, Avon and a host of multi-level marketing schemes might have come to mind. Today, however, changing market conditions and evolving consumer habits have converged to make home-based selling businesses a realistic opportunity with real profit potential. But Weve Always Done It This Way Sacred cows take a long time to die. We get comfortable in the way we do things and lose sight of how they could be improved. Seven things that will impair your cash flow Managing cash flow is every small business owner's most important function. Avoid these seven deadly mistakes to make sure you aren't creating cash flow problems in your business. Starting your own business is a lot like planting an orchard Think of all of your business ideas as tiny seeds that have the potential to germinate and grow into huge fruit bearing orchards! However, the proper steps must be taken; you can't scatter the seeds haphazardly on pavement and expect they will germinate. Growing a business is no different; it needs a fertile environment conducive to growth in order to germinate and thrive. Staying afloat until your business turns a profit How many "get rich schemes" have you joined? Or have you invested in numerous legitimate business endeavors only to have them not work for you? Have you started you business and now facing a complete shut down? Do you consider yourself a failure? Are your loved ones pressing you to give up?Risk-taking is a large part of entrepreneurship, in fact it is what drives it, and it's why so many people avoid small business, despite its many potential rewards. Those of us who have tried it only to have failed may find ourselves right back where we started, which could leave us feeling like total failures. Want to Grow Your Business? Make an Irresistible Offer My clients and many of my readers are small and home-based business owners, and one of the biggest struggles they face is getting new customers.Getting new customers is costly and requires a repeated effort. Franchise Territories for Mobile Businesses; Why Limitations In franchising an individual desirous of their own business will sign on with a franchising company and use their brand name, know how and expertise to make a living. The franchisor will generally assign an exclusive territory with limitations. Franchising and Royalty Payments If you are thinking of turning your current into a franchising company you will need to determine a fair and equitable franchise royalty fee. There are a number of questions you will need to ask yourself in determining this fee such as what services you will provide to your franchisee team and what that will cost. Starting a Mobile Auto Detailing Business; Dry Wash or Pressure Wash? Many experienced auto detailing professionals who have started out using a pressure washer rarely use Dry Wash n' Guard. Most would say this is a matter of preference more than anything else. Direct Mail - For Small Businesses We hear a lot of talk about junk mail nowadays. Many people will tell you that they dump it straight in the trash. Fee negotiation should not be your standard business practice You're pretty proud of yourself! After all, only four months ago you came up with the idea of opening your own business - "Jenni's Interior Design" Your friends have always said you were gifted when it came to arranging furniture and picking out colors, and you love to do it, so you decided it was time to get serious.You went to a few "Starting Your Own Business" seminars, picked out a name and registered it, had your nephew build a great website, printed up some business cards, got a second phone line, and took out an ad in the local paper - "Are Your Walls and Furniture as Stagnant as Pond Scum? You Don't Need to Break the Bank for a Fresh Look, You Just Need a Makeover!"Then you crossed your fingers and waited. Cleaning Grain Silos, Towers, Containers, and Combines If you run a pressure washing company in a rural market you will need to learn how to wash agricultural industry equipment and infrastructure. In our company The Tractor Wash Guys, we We have several years of experience washing combines. Building A Business That Works For You Before you want to build your business, you need to know why you are in this business.Many of us entered business as a technician.
|
| home | site map | articles |
| © 2006 |