Scratchpad Secretaries

Social Media Series - Linked In Follow Up

2009-07-06T12:39:00.001-07:00

Back in June, I wrote about Linked In and I committed to giving it a shot. Well I did, and I thought I'd share what my experiences are to date.

I uploaded my GMail address book and was astonished to find just how many of my contacts were also on Linked In. I sent them a request to add them to my network and am delighted to report that 100% accepted and added me to theirs.

So then what?

Well, next, it's a really good idea to take the time (remember... budget your time for social networking or you'll get sucked into the abyss!) to visit each and every ones' profile pages to see what they're up to these days. Also, the power of social networking lies in the "2nd tier" connections. Who your connections are connected TO. Go through their list. Is there anyone where there may be a potential business opportunity? For you OR your own connections OR someone you may know. This is important. This is how you network.

So that's where I am right now as I delve back into Linked In. I have to follow up and follow through. I have to budget my time to go through my connections to look at their connections.

And perhaps catch up with old colleagues along the way!

Care to share Linked In success stories? Leave a comment letting us know how you found success using this powerful networking tool.

Social Media Series - Linked In

2009-06-19T13:02:00.000-07:00

LinkedIn. The first social network I joined professionally. I had such high hopes. Yet I was extremely let down.

Because I didn't use it.

LinkedIn is a wonderful tool for many reasons, I'm sure, but these three are what struck me:

You're in a corporate setting and want to keep up with people from organizations you used to work for
You're looking for a new job
You're an entrepreneur and want to connect with other like-minded individuals, old colleagues, and/or potential clients.

For all of the above however, you've got to put in some leg work.

Here are some quick tips:

Import your address book from whichever email client you use.
Connect with colleagues and classmates from past jobs/organizations/schools
Join groups (there are TONNES!) that are in line with your goals, objectives, interests.

The power of LinkedIn lies in your connections. Don't be shy. Social networking doesn't work if you're shy or a wallflower.

Scenario #1:

You're old college classmate has a connection in the industry you are trying to break into. Great! Now what?

Simple: ask him for an introduction. See how easy that was? You'd do it in "real" life, so make sure you do it online as well. The hard part is starting a dialogue with this new contact you wanted to meet. That is up to you. I usually start with asking for a few pointers or their opinion, or perhaps checking out their profile and visiting their blog and leaving a few comments (if relevant).

BUT BE AUTHENTIC. Don't mess around. You don't need a bad online reputation. Be authentic. I can't stress this enough. You want to meet them for a reason, so let them know that, but be authentic. Play nice. Be genuine.

Scenario #2:

You've found a group that is totally your target market.

Join it!

And hang out for a bit. See how it works. See what they're talking about. And jump in! Introduce yourself. Join the conversation. Add connections this way. Engage. Discuss. Again, if relevant, ask for opinions and advice, and OFFER opinions and advice! Be the expert in your field that you are. Don't be shy. Major piece of advice for you? Don't shop your business 24/7. Not "in your face" anyway. Be subtle. Be polite. Nobody likes someone knocking on their door every day, selling their wares. So don't do it in social networking either.

If you're like me and belong to a few networks, pick and choose times/days for networking. Otherwise you could be on them all day. Perhaps you'd take 45 minutes every three days for LinkedIn and another 45 every two days for another one, etc etc. (But always have Twitter running on your desktop!) Seriously, social networking can be addictive, so budget your time accordingly!

As I'm now dedicated to increasing my LinkedIn profile, feel free to connect with me and help me build my network!

The Flip Side: A Virtual Assistant's Advice - WomenEntrepreneur.com

2009-06-08T20:20:00.001-07:00

The Flip Side: A Virtual Assistant's Advice - WomenEntrepreneur.com

Posted using ShareThis

Social Media Series - Facebook

2009-05-05T21:46:00.001-07:00

Facebook.

200 Million people can't be wrong.

Two. Hundred. Million.

200 million people that you have immediate access to. To share your business with.

Simply by building a page.

And it really is simple.

They used to be pretty much a static brochure but recent changes have helped Pages to be more interactive; to engage the user. To get people engaging each other on your page.

It's fantastic. I have alot of work to do on my own page, and alot more work to do to get fans and to get them interacting... but that's the fun part!

If you have a personal profile already, Facebook Pages has been redesigned to be more like that profile. With the Wall, Info, Photos, etc, all tabbed separately. Users can therefore find information quicker with easier access. You can also choose which tab you would like to be the landing page! You can upload video, photos, notes (my blog is automatically fed to my Facebook Page, which is a bonus! Saves me time, and gets to my fans pretty much yesterday!).

The options are endless and I'm STILL finding new ways to use the page, to update it, to make it more engaging to fans... the list really does go on. The opportunities with Facebook Pages are pretty mind boggling.

I'm only just skimming the surface myself and I can't wait to totally jump in!

Read through the stats. Read a bit of the press. Discover what Facebook Pages can do for you. Discover how it can increase your reach. Stick a button on your website. Get fans. And get them talking. About you!

Give us a jingle, let us help you out with it all!

Social Media Series - Twitter

2009-04-19T22:24:00.000-07:00

It's all about Twitter these days. We all knew it wouldn't be long until Hollywood jumped on board and now that they have, well, everyone's all-a-twitter (sorry, couldn't help myself!).

Let's start by following me (@scratchpadsteph). That's what you do on Twitter.

You follow people.

See what they're up to. See where they're going. See where they've been. See what they had for breakfast, and what they're planning for lunch.

Follow people in your line of business. Follow your competition. And then check out who they are following. And so on and so on.

See what they're saying. See what conferences are coming up. See who's attending. See who's speaking. See who's giving away passes. See the latest news in the industry. As it happens.

Because it's all happening. And all in real time.

The people you follow will probably follow you back. That's what Twitter users do. When someone follows them, they follow that person back (most times that is. There is something to being choosy about whom you follow... that's for another post).

So have something to say.

In 140 characters or less.

It's microblogging at it's finest.

You can twitter breaking news (ie: plane in the Hudson).

You can announce a new blog post and link to it.

You can twitter a promotion (Twitter Tuesdays! 20% off first @reply!).

(By the way, @reply is how you respond to someone. @scratchpadsteph is me. If you want to, for example, provide an answer or opinion to something I've tweeted, you start with @scratchpadsteph and it'll get my attention. Actually, you can use @scratchpadsteph anywhere in the tweet and it'll get to me. Everyone else who follows you will see it also though, so if it's something you wish to be kept private, you can send a DM (direct message). See.. there's so much you can do!)

You can twitter a question and get instant feedback, instant answers or opinions - FROM THOSE WHO KNOW! Yes, follow the experts in your field and you'll get expert opinions and direction.

In real time.

It's the place to be. So jump in, participate (send an @reply to things/twitterers that interest you!), and enjoy. But remember, tweet about both professional things AND personal. Throw your personality in there. Personally, if someone is only pushing their latest product and nothing personal or funny , I unfollow immediately. We want to get to know you!

Go to Twitter. Set up an account. Follow me.

I look forward to your tweets!

Social Media Series - Biznik

2009-03-17T22:16:00.000-07:00

Biznik. The little (growing) social network that could.

I love Biznik. Love Love LOVE Biznik. It's easy to navigate. It's easy to communicate with other members. And they're welcoming. And helpful. And intelligent. You can learn alot from the good folks on this one.

Biznik is great for small businesses, especially one-man operations. There are quite a few business coaches and authors, but there are also many many other professionals showcasing their businesses/professions.

Other reasons why I like Biznik:

Search: You can easily build your profile and search for others in the same category, OR search for members you'd like to become familiar with or do business with. The search option is very intuitive.
Articles: You can write articles and post them almost immediately. I say almost because they must be approved first, but they are very quick to approve and post. Very quick. Members are quick to comment on your articles as well, which is great to build relationships, brands, and communication. And you might learn a thing or two as well!
Networking: You can contact people in so many ways, it's fantastic. Simply send them a message that you'd like to add them to your network, send a referral, or attend a live and in person event in your local area (live and in person? Imagine!), etc, the list goes on. I find Biznik members totally open to meeting and communicating with each other.
Promotions: there is a place on your profile where you can list any promotions you are having. They are also listed on Biznik's main page - if you are a paid member they show up first, if you have the free membership, they are further down on the page. But they're still there.

The founders of Biznik are social media junkies who really want to see you succeed. They're here to help you out any way they can (and they even talk to you!), and to see your business grow and to help you build your network. It's an intuitive system, very user friendly and the help forums ROCK. Any time I've had a question and posted it to a forum, it's been answered in a matter of an hour or so. You don't get that anywhere else that I'm aware of.

These are only a few of the reasons I love Biznik. The possibilities are endless on how to network on this site, I've only myself scratched the surface, but it is definitely one I'd recommend - and do on an almost daily basis.

Join Biznik, and join my network!

Hope to see you there!

Social Media Series - The Start

2009-03-16T10:17:00.000-07:00

Hold on to your Social Marketing horses!

We're about to start a six-part series on social media and how to get involved. How to use it to build your client base. How to use it to network with like-minded individuals, or the not-so-like-minded individuals.

This series will be for you if:

You want to start a Facebook business page but are overwhelmed (or just too busy)
You're hearing the growing buzz about Twitter but don't really get how it can be used professionally
You'd prefer to network with professionals in the same industry as you but don't quite now how to find where they gather online
You want to add Social Media Marketing/Management to your own list of services
You want to add to your client base
You simply want a quick and easy tutorial into the world of social media.

Over the next three weeks, we will be covering social sites such as Biznik, Facebook, LinkedIn, Ryze, Twitter and the concept of forums and list serves. So add us to your feed/reader below and get ready to get your feet wet in the world of social networking!

Telecommuting: Three Things

2009-01-27T14:19:00.000-08:00

I've just caught up with my Google Reader, finally, and came across this article on Telecommuting by Shelley Fralic, a local columnist I follow.

She is right on the money.

Three things pointed out:

Separation anxiety: when I started this business I went from survive to thrive - and I think my friends wanted to wring my neck. I never thought of it as "separation anxiety" but boy, did I talk their ears off when on the phone or over coffee! Moving from an office setting to working from home is a huge shift. No longer were people popping into my office to ask how the weekend was. No longer was I joining colleagues for lunch every day. No longer was I really in touch with alot of the people I had seen on a daily basis. So after a few months, I realized that I rambled on and on (and on and on) to friends because sometimes I hadn't talked to anyone all day. Hadn't gotten "caught up" with their lives. It was quite the revelation. Lesson? Touch base with at least one friend daily. Even a 10-minute phone call can save your sanity. I usually do mine over morning coffee or a late-afternoon stretcher.

Distractions: I started with a schedule. I got up at the crack of dawn, did yoga, read the paper and browsed my Google Reader. Until I didn't anymore. Until something shiny would float by my line of sight and it'd be all over for a few hours. I'd be off on a tangent of research, of writing, of social networking... anything and everything that took me away from my list of things to do. Until I stopped. Until I didn't get distracted (as much!) anymore. One thing that really helped me was that this isn't a 9-5 job. This is an all-the-time job. It's right in front of me 24/7. And so it's ok to work hard in the morning and stop for a few hours and resume later in the day and evening. Which brings me to her 3rd point:
The 24/7 shift: No matter where you go, there you are. My office is my dining room. I have an open floor plan. So, yeah, I'm pretty much always in my office. Or can at least see it. Can see the open laptop. Can see the four word documents that are open with works-in-progress. Can see my to-do list (pile of things stacked on top of each other in order of importance!) The bad thing? Laptop is always open. Four word documents are always on the go. To-do list gets bigger and bigger. The good thing? Laptop is always open. Four word documents are always on the go. The to-do list? Yeah...not so much. And there have been quite a few times where I've completely forgotten about supper because I'm in the middle of a frenzy of work. Lately however I've come to a place where I make sure I shut down everything "Scratchpad" for a few hours and concentrate on myself. Whether it's making a lovely dinner or simply tuning out and recharging for a few hours. It truly goes a long way.

What are your thoughts on Telecommuting? How do you get past the so-called pitfalls? Leave a comment, let us know your thoughts and ideas!

Press clip from the Ellen DeGeneres Show!

2008-12-23T20:33:00.000-08:00

This is the unedited copy of the Ellen DeGeneres clip sent by our PR firm. Check around the 4:19 mark for the gift bag giveaway; we were chosen to be included in the baskets that went to such A-list celebrities as Justin Timberlake, the Jonas Brothers, Josh Duhamel, George Lopez, Greg Kinnear and Luke Wilson! They all received virtual assistant services courtesy of Scratchpad Secretaries.

Enjoy!

How to Pitch. Part Three.

2008-12-10T16:48:00.000-08:00

In the first two posts about pitching, I talked about pitching on topic, keeping it simple, playing nice and talking the talk. Below is the final post of the three-part series - pitching your concept, your idea, your product.

1. Keep On Keepin' On! In other words? Don't give up. Ever. This is your business, your baby, you've got to shop it! Work it! Own it! Remember, it's rumoured that JK Rowlings pitched Harry Potter over 100 times before it was finally signed. Consider your product your own personal masterpiece and keep on pitching! Keep On Keepin' On.

2. Network, Network and more... Social Network. Do you follow the key players on Twitter? Do you get urgent queries fast, like, yesterday? Here's someone to follow on Twitter: @skydiver. He's the man in the know. He posts queries three times a day from his HARO list as well as tweeting urgent queries. Get to know him, get to see what he's about. He's got a fantastic system going. (But pitch on topic or he'll throw you off the list! He's quick like that - and serious. It's a good thing.) There's more places to network with reporters and PR folk than Twitter, but if you want news and opportunities in real time, it's a great place to start.

3. Make it personal. How are you different - what can you do differently to grab their attention. To get their interest? I had an opportunity to pitch Sarah Ferguson, The Duchess of York, at an event earlier this year. What got her interested was the fact that I'm a female with a new start up, heading down the entrepreneurial road. Make sure you know who you're dealing with, what their interests are, and off you go!

This could be a much longer list and an ever growing and ever-changing list. It's just a few ways to approach reporters and potential customers. Talk with other successful entrepreneurs. Network with them, network with PR people. Find out what has worked for others. Do your homework.

And feel free to follow me on Twitter at @scratchpad.

How to Pitch. Part Two.

2008-12-03T23:23:00.000-08:00

In part one of our three-part Pitch series, we outlined three ways to begin to perfect your pitch. Today, we'll outline three more. Baby steps to help you on your way to the perfect pitch!

1. Jump in, the water's fine! In other words, don't be afraid to pitch. You've got nothing to lose. This is your business, your marketing initiative, your concept, whathaveyou. So pitch away! Pitch with confidence, pitch often and pitch well.

2. Don't assume anything. You might think it's pretty obvious that everyone under the sun has an email signature that includes their contact information. Because it is pretty obvious. And everyone does have an email signature that includes their contact information. But email programs are laid out differently (ie: Gmail piles them up at the bottom of all emails - very annoying when you've got a long string of messages going), and people are laid out differently. People simply may not scroll down to find your contact info, especially if it's lost in a long string of messages! Have it clearly in the body of the message somewhere. Clearly. Link to your website, link to your email, have your name standing out. Don't forget this. Introduce yourself properly.

3. Play nice. Get a rapport going with the firm/reporter/whomever you're pitching to. I'm not talking about buttering them up - they'll see right through that - but be nice. Be professional. If you see something that will fit with what they're looking for... send it along! They'll remember you. Don't inundate, but you can send along a lead or two.

Coming up in part three: Keep On Keepin' On!

Any ideas or suggestions that have worked for you? Leave a comment, we'd love to hear from you!

How to Pitch. Part One.

2008-12-01T11:59:00.000-08:00

Ever wonder just how to pitch your concept, idea, product or service? You see people pretty much calling out to you directly to sell them, but you really have no idea how? Or you pitch like mad, but you get nowhere?

This begins a series on pitching. A "3.3" series. Three points, three posts.

1. Pitch on topic. Don't waste people's time. They're busy enough, they don't need additional emails and various other correspondence that are off base and off topic. And they'll black list you. And they'll tell their friends. Trust me.

2. K.I.S.S. Yes, it should go without saying, except it never does. Keep It Simple Stupid. End of story. Don't drone on and on. Save that for later! Write a nice and precise paragraph on why your concept/idea/product is bang on with what they're looking for. Or with what they don't know they're looking for yet! A few sentences on what your brainwave is. A few sentences on why they need it, or better yet, why they will WANT it and why they must HAVE it.

3. Talk the Talk. Speak their language. Don't go overboard with industry acronyms and jargon, that's just plain ridiculous. But do get to know them before pitching. Know their market. Know what they're after, or, what they don't know they're after yet. I was pitching a hot PR firm out of LA not long ago. I used totally different languaging than when I pitch corporations. More relaxed. More funky. More targeted. And it worked. It was a smashing success.

Coming up next in the series: Jump in, the water's fine!

Check back regularly for updates and new pointers. Feel free to leave comments with ideas and suggestions. What's worked for you? What hasn't worked for you? Fill me in!

Ninjas. They're everywhere.

2008-11-23T11:18:00.000-08:00

Gmail has introduced themes!

What fun. A passive way to insert a bit of joy into your inbox. There are about 30 different themes you can choose from. From geometric designs, right up to Candy and, well, my personal fave, Ninjas.

The gang at Google never disappoints.

Switch it up! Enjoy!

How to use a VA. Pt. 2

2008-10-30T14:20:00.000-07:00

Last week we talked about five ways to use a Virtual Assistant for administrative and secretarial assignments. Today in Part 2, we'll address five more tasks and projects you can easily outsource to a virtual assistant. Feel free to contact us for details on how we can help, or leave a comment with further suggestions!

Let's get right to it:

Blog updates. Are you currently on tour? Have speaking engagements criss-crossing the country? Want to write some "words from the road" to keep your fans updated? Have funny backstage stories to share? Or do you simply want to keep an on-line diary of your travels to keep your family and friends in the loop? Blogging may be your answer! We will happily update your blog on a daily/weekly basis, or as often as you'd like with pictures and stories and even the latest press coverage, whatever is happening that you'd like to communicate. Don't have a blog? Let us set it up for you!

Holiday & Thank you cards. Have a few hundred (or thousand) cards to send that you would like to personalize? Or just a few thank you cards? Let us do the work! We have delightful penmanship. We can even send the cards from our office. And we can set up reminders for upcoming celebrations in your life so you'll be prepared for the next round. It's time for you to relax and enjoy the holidays, let us do the work on your behalf!

Internet-based research. Have an upcoming role you need researched? Are you a costume-designer and need some in-depth design mysteries solved? Looking for that perfect prop? Do you have an idea for a new business or a side business but no time to investigate and research? Relax! Let us do it for you. We can provide comprehensive internet-based research and reports directly to your inbox.

Vacation coverage and workload overflow. Do you have an existing team to help you manage your time? Already work with a personal assistant you just couldn't live without? We often work directly with your existing staff to aid in vacation coverage, research, special projects, and workload overflow just to name a few. We step in when the going gets tough. And the tough gets going. On vacation.

Website maintenance. Ok, so your website is up and running. And there it is. Just sitting there. You have absolutely no time at all to update it, to keep it fresh. You're simply too busy. That's what we're for! Let us do that work, let us worry about keeping it fresh and interesting, while you can get back to doing what you do best! We can simply update with newsflashes, update the blog, post the latest press releases and tour dates, the list goes on. Don't neglect your site - let us stay on it!

There it is, neatly wrapped up for you. Five more tasks to delegate to a virtual assistant - to us!

Have an idea of something else you'd like to get off your plate? Give us a jingle and let's see how we can work together to help ease your mind...and schedule!

How to use your VA. Pt. 1

2008-10-19T23:09:00.000-07:00

Have too much to do and not enough time to do it? Don't know what exactly you can clear off your plate, but know that something, anything, must be done to give you more time?

Well, here's a couple of quick tips on what you can delegate to us to help ease some of the workload:

Email screening. Do you have hundreds - or thousands - of emails sitting in your inbox? Let us clean it up for you! There are various programs available where we can work remotely and directly with your system to get rid of spam, unsubscribe you to lists you ended up on (or subscribe you to what interests you!), and create a filing system that automatically puts email in the folders they belong. We can also continue to manage your inbox after it's tidied up.

Mail screening. Believe it or not, people still get snail mail. And some people we work with get thousands of pieces weekly. Let us screen your mail. We can simply have it redirected to our offices and look after it all for you. Everything from autograph requests and endorsement inquiries to managing and screening fan mail, to simply weeding out the junk...we look after it all.

Calendar and schedule maintenance. Are you one of those people who finds themselves missing important meetings or trying to juggle your personal appearance schedule when you really have more important things to do? That's where we jump in! Let us look after the details - we'll even set up systems to remind you of what's coming up. We can work directly with you or with your personal assistant/management team to get you to where you're supposed to be. And on time!

Online reputation management. We are your eyes and ears on the Net. We'll watch for news about you and your business and strategize on response messaging.

Social Media Management. Twitter, Facebook, Myspace, the list goes on. Do you have a piece of real estate where your audience is? Where your fans are? Where your target market hangs out online? We'll make sure you do. We'll set up profiles in the top networking sites and can even manage on your behalf.

See? Not so hard to delegate after all. Anything else you may be wanting to let go of? Give us a jingle to discuss!

Stay tuned for part two where we discuss 5 more tasks you can easily delegate to your virtual assistant.

Going with the Flow

2008-10-08T16:03:00.000-07:00

You know, I wanted so desperately to have my policies and procedures manual completed before heading to Vegas for the Andre Agassi Grand Slam for Children event, if for no other reason, than just to have it done. Not for the event, but just for me. It was a deadline I set. A goal.

But it’s not done.

It’s getting there. I have alot of information jotted down (and in a way that actually makes sense to more people than me!), but it’s not done. And I was mad at myself. I meet my goals. I exceed my goals.

And yet not this one.

Why?

Because it’s a working document. An organic process. Forever a work-in-progress. New ideas will pop up. Things that I might have forgotten about will suddenly appear. I’ll come up with new strategies to streamline certain processes. It’s ever-changing and ever-developing and moving forward. As small businesses should be.

So I can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that I actually have met my goal and can simply save it as “version 4” and continue growing and developing and moving forward!

So I can stop sweating the small stuff, know that I am, in fact, moving forward and add to it as needed. It's a great thing!

Scratchpad Secretaries has been selected to be in the celebrity gift bags for the 13th Annual Andre Agassi Grand Slam for Children to be held at The Wynn Las Vegas, October 11, 2008. As such, we will be hosting in the Backstage Gift Lounge. If you are attending this prestigious event, pop by and say hello!

Stay tuned for press updates, pictures and video from the event in the coming weeks.

Finding your Niche

2008-10-02T13:08:00.000-07:00

Having trouble finding your niche? You know who you want to target, just don't know quite how to get to them?

It's simple: go where they go.

SEO in 3 Minutes or Less.

2008-09-22T11:30:00.000-07:00

It seems I've been waiting for this man my whole life. (ok, ok, a few months anyway!) Steffan Antonas. He's explained SEO for the ordinary person. He's explained keywords for the ordinary person. All pertaining to links. The links you use in your blog. HOW you use links. HOW you write links. And just how to use keywords in those links. And a bit about the importance of linkbacks. (Anyone care to link to me? Let's chat!)

It's helped me to turn my thinking around (and I love when I find information, or a quote, or a blog post that does that! That totally re-arranges the pathways in my brain and gets me thinking bigger, larger, grander....), and all it took was a three-minute read. The best thing? I had no idea at all how important it was to have links in your posts. Keywords, yes. Links? No. Now that I do, it will totally change the way I write posts, do business, and increase my knowledge base for my customers therefore helping them to gain an advantage as well.

Fantastic.

To read Steffan Antonas' article, pop by his SEO post and have a look!

Systematize your business

2008-09-08T21:27:00.000-07:00

I recently read a great post over at Small Business Trends about startup lessons which really brought home the importance of something I've been working on lately.

Systematizing your business. And the importance of doing it sooner rather than later.

I'm in the process of writing my procedural manual for the business. Somewhat of a step-by-step quide on how we here at Scratchpad Secretaries do business. Our ethics. Our business practices. Our systems. How we serve our customer from beginning to end. The branding of business letters, thank you letters, surveys, how to turn a pdf into a jpeg (!)... the list goes on.

One thing I'd highly recommend is doing it as you go along. Whenever you perform a task, take a few extra seconds to make a list on the steps involved in execution. Me? I didn't do that. "I know it", I thought, "It's not rocket science."

No it's not, but if you have a new employee or sub-contractor on board, who's to say they don't do it they're own way? A different way? And just becuase something is different doesn't make it wrong, but you've got to look at the branding of it as well. Not just colours and logos, but the flow, the languaging, that sort of thing.

I started with my website, in particular the services page. I've written down the steps to each service we offer as a virtual assistant practice. And the follow up; what it takes to get the project back to the client and how we do this. Leave no stone unturned! Write it all down. Create a manual.

It will ease your mind if/when your business skyrockets overnight, or if you hit a really busy period and find yourself needing to hire some extra bodies. Just think, you have everything outlined for a smooth/smoother transition.

It will also give you a better peace of mind knowing that your values and your ethics in your business are being respected and followed and the branding will be consistent - as will your reputation!

Here's to systemization!

Five quick tips to turning Some-Day into To-Day.

2008-09-08T17:46:00.000-07:00

Have a “Wow, that would be great someday” idea? Here are five quick pointers to turning that ever so elusive Some-day, into To-day.

1. Jot it down. Start writing. The moment you have that initial brainwave, that wonderful idea, even if it's just an inkling of what's to come, write it down! It doesn't matter if it's on your computer, a notepad, scrap of paper, or a napkin from a restaurant; just get that idea on paper somewhere, somehow, right now.

2. Research. You don't have to spend hours and hours in front of the computer, not right away, especially if you only have 15 or 20 minutes spare time at the moment, but do start researching. Even just preliminary footwork can get the excitement factor rising, and can ignite that passion you originally felt when the idea hit. And that passion is what you'll need to make this idea fly!

3. Put your plan on paper. I know, I know, this seems scary and larger than life. But it doesn't have to be. Who says your business plan has to be like everyone else's? It is what it is, to you. A bit of a critical path perhaps, a bit of a marketing plan, if you're a numbers person throw some quick projections in. Once you start writing, the ideas, information, and passion will flow. Starting to write it down is the important point.

4. Get buy in from friends and family. This is so important, especially if it's a business idea. Not only for the financial backing aspect, but from a supportive and loving aspect too. Simply put, it's easier (and much nicer) to have the support of friends and family as you build your dream, than to not have that love and support. But if you don't have it? Do it anyway!

5. Just do it. No matter what. Just do it. Start implementing. Look at your business plan/marketing plan/critical path, and dig in! Get the flow going, get that energy focused and get it rollin'!

This post has been extended to a feature-length article. To read the full text, feel free to connect with me on Biznik: http://tinyurl.com/579xqz.

Quick Tip Tuesdays

2008-09-04T14:50:00.000-07:00

Here’s a great tip to change a pdf to a jpeg. This is especially great if you’re not a Photoshop whiz or design guru!

Open PDF

Open Paint

Go back to PDF

Press “print screen” on your keyboard

Go to paint, Click Edit/Paste

Save As what you want, where you want. As a jpeg or bmp or whathaveyou.

Close down PDF and Paint

Open the photo in whatever editor you have.

Modify as required (crop, etc)

File/Save As

And you’re done!

The Virtual Assistant I use for graphic design did not have the time to do this task for me, so I took a few hours and researched on the net and found out for myself. Now? I can add it to my list of services which means helping you with this sort of a task, or at least sharing the information in the form of a tip!

Subscribe to our feed at right for quick tips every Tuesday!

Go Syndicate Yourself!

2008-08-20T21:29:00.000-07:00

Not getting the attention you deserve? Need to get a new product in front of a crowd? Have something to say but don't know how to tell the world?

Want to increase your website traffic and back links?

Three little letters, with a huge impact: RSS. Really Simple Syndication. RSS Feeds take the content of your website, turn it into data and transmit it all over the Internet. FOR FREE. This data goes directly to various social bookmarking sites in the form of keywords (or Tags). (Thanks to Steve Renner for the clearest definition I've found to date.) People subscribe to your feed by clicking an icon on your site and they are notified each time you have something new to say. Personally I love Google Reader and have all my subscriptions going there. It's easy to set up and super-easy to manage; it has a straight-forward interface, which is fantastic if you struggle with time-management: it takes you no time to learn this particular application. Ok, there's my Google love for the day....

The 2nd quick and easy way to syndicate yourself is by submitting articles. The longest part of this aspect is actually writing the article! I'm using http://www.ezinearticles.com/ (according to their site, the have hundreds of thousands of visitors a day, and millions of unique visitors every month), and am about to try out two others that Twitter followers have recommended.

Here's the power of article marketing: I've only submitted one article to date (to three different sites), but have seen a spike in website traffic and have received (more than expected) comments, emails, requests to network, and have two more potential clients. All in 2 days. All from one article. And all viable leads. Can you imagine when I submit more, and to more sites?

Sounds simple? It is! It's easy. It's smart. It's Web 2.0. It's global access, literally at your fingertips.

Give us a call today for your free 30-minute consultation!

Let's get you syndicated!

Work/Life Balance. The Myth.

2008-08-11T08:00:00.000-07:00

Work/Life balance simply doesn't exist if you own your own business.

Especially if you work out of your home.

Especially if your office is in the middle of your living space!

You’re a business owner because it’s in your blood. You probably started along this entrepreneurial path because of lifestyle, it’s simply part of the lifestyle you wanted, that you envisioined for yourself or that you’re accustomed to. That entrepreneurial spirit is such an integral part of you that you can't imagine ever doing anyting else.

As John Jantsch wrote over at Duct Tape Marketing: “You already know that line that separates your business and your life is so thin that without a vision for how one will serve the other, perhaps neither will serve either.”

I LOVE that concept because it rings so true for me. My business goals are so intricately entangled in my personal goals. And I love it that way. I chose to start my own business in order to enhance my own life and I write my goals reflect that.

And that’s ok, that’s not a bad thing. That’s the entrepreneurial spirit! So don’t fight it! Put your business goals and your personal goals together. They’re actually quite connected.

It's a good thing - don't be afraid to embrace the concept!

Scratchpad Secretaries. We're easy.

2008-07-21T10:42:00.000-07:00

When I was starting this virtual assistant business I contacted various organizations and (I thought highly respected) individuals within the industry with a few questions. After all, I thought they were the experts.

Ok, if truth be told, I didn't actually contact them, I tried to contact them. I left emails, voice mails, Skyped them, but to no avail (granted I'm sometimes guilty of forgetting to change my Skype status to "away" if I'm not at my desk as well). Out of 10 contacted, only 1 got back to me.
ONE.

They're not easy.

A great quote I found the other day, "The difficulty lies not so much in developing new ideas as in escaping from old ones." (John Maynard Keynes) Yes, moving from corporate to small business owner takes a bit of a rewire of the brain, but one thing I'll always keep with me, one thing I've learned is the value of being accessible. Have various ways to be reached. Return phone calls! Return emails! And so I do this with gusto. Within 24 hours I'll get back to you if I'm not able to be reached on first try.

In this day and age, you've got to be easy.

Scratchpad Secretaries. We're easy.

Mind Your Manners

2008-07-07T10:56:00.000-07:00

Two words: Thank You.

They go so far and yet are so underused. Do you thank people for taking the time to chat with you? For acknowledging that you may be someone they would like to do business with? Heck, maybe they simply find you interesting and would like to get to know you better. If people are taking time out of their busy day to connect with you, that deserves recognition in itself.

Case in point? Twitter. I follow people because I find them interesting. They may say something absolutely hilarious and I'll dig their humour. They have opinions. Someone recommended them. I have something to learn from them. Or I know them. Either way, I'm following 118 people right now, and only FIVE said "Hey there, thanks for following me".

Only five.

If somebody is taking the time out of their day to acknowledge me, in any way, I'll definitely take time out of my day to say, "Hey, thanks." At a traditional networking event, you DO say, "It was nice to meet you", don't you? Or do you just pass your card and off you go? (I've seen it happen - people have done it to me).

I still see it all the time in online networking circumstances as well. I've recently joined a social networking site based in the UK who "practice" getting to know the members on a more personal level before pitching them your business. I have received message after message as soon as I signed up, with people pitching me. I mean right away. Not one "welcome to the neighbourhood" message, just pitches. And pitches that have absolutely nothing to do with my business.

And when someone comments on your blog? Send a thank you note. When someone follows you on twitter? Send a thank you note. When someone welcomes you to a forum or social networking site? Send a thank you post. Other than being polite, it's a great business move. I've got two clients just by sending a polite Thank You when they followed me on Twitter. It simply started a conversation.

There's absolutely no downside.

Thank you for taking the time out of your day to read our blog!