Virtual Assistant Program

Here is what our virtual assistant services will provide you:

Flexibility – schedule personal assistants by the hour (low minimum number of 5 hours can be used over any period of time).

We have US native English speaking virtual assistants. We also have virtual assistants who speak Spanish and French (some other languages may be available).

No fixed or monthly contracts.

Guaranteed satisfaction – we will make sure the job is done right or the client is fully refunded

Types of Services Offered –

Administrative

• · Appointment Scheduling
• · Billing and Invoices
• · Data Entry
• · Letters
• · Research for meetings and presentations
• · Presentation preparation
• · Proof reading
• · Product comparisons and reviews
• · Research and reports
• · Transcription

Sales and Marketing

• · Content writing for blogs and articles
• · Customer Support
• · Data entry and database management
• · Web research
• · Ebay

Personal

• · Job Search
• · Letters, Invitations and Thank you notes
• · Event Planning
• · Reservations
• · Travel arrangements
• · Facilitate moving/account changes/arrange for service set up
• · Sell and search for items on Craigslist, Kijiji and so forth
• · Student services

All of our VAs are competent professionals and are paid the highest possible wage that still allows us to be competitive.

The typical rate for US based virtual assistants is anywhere from $25 - $45 per hour. They have been seen as high as $60 per hour. Our rates: $13.75/hour.

Contact

Update Small Business

contact@updatesmallbusiness.com

877.265.6568

Virtual Assistant Services

5 hours @$13.75/hour $68.75 10 hours @ $12.38 $123.80

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By: Twitter Buttons

Here is a quidk synopsis. Originally posted here:  Why Hire a Virtual Assistant? Speedy KAVAINT.COM W3C Software Directory COUNTERDEAL.COM

By: Twitter Buttons

Many online small business owners are familiar with the idea of article marketing. But for those who are not, here is a quick recap.

1. Article Directories

The goal of article marketing using directories is to establish yourself as an authority in the subject matter (best if you use strong keyword phrases for your subject matter) that is related to your website (or landing page or any other place to which you want to direct traffic). The more well written your article is in terms of style and content (it must have value to readers), the more it will be “picked up” by other bloggers and website owners who are looking for content to place on their sites. Where do other online businesses “pickup” your article? They get it from the article directories where you had previously submitted your article. In order to use your article, the article must stay exactly the way it was written and it must contain your author box (which talks about you and very importantly contains a link back to the webpage of your choice).

The more desirable your article is, the more it will be placed on various websites (which of course means more links pointing back to your site). A well written article will also “pre-sell” your readers. They will perceive you as an authority that is worth of being placed on other sites. So, in addition to having the backlinks (which will contribute to higher page rank), article writers who distribute well written articles will experience increased traffic to their sites because a relationship is being established with the reader.

Many authors are concerned about duplicate content, i.e. having their original article spread around cyberspace and therefore diminishing the value it has on their own sites. The most important thing an author can do about this, is to make sure that the content that is about to be distributed through article directories has been posted on their sites first (make sure to ping it so it is also the first place for it to be indexed in the search engines… pingomatic.com is one such place to get this done).

Some authors prefer that they do not have one version of their article spread across cyberspace. Luckily there is software that can effectively recast your own original articles for you and do it in a way that makes the variations sound similar to your writing style. These are relatively inexpensive and can give you peace of mind over any duplicate content worries. Often you will find article submitter programs offered with the article rewrites.

One such service that I use for submitting articles will allow you to spread the submission over time in a more natural way.

2. Ezine Article Marketing

Article marketing through ezines is less well known but it is highly effective. Here is the reason: when your article is submitted to article directories, it becomes one of many in the article directory from which visitors may choose. Your article may sit there untouched and unread simply because it is lost among all the other articles listed there (particularly if the article topic is popular). When an ezine goes out to its list of subscribers, your article is the one and only about your topic going out in that mailing. Ezine owners will make sure that the article they pick to be included in their ezine is highly relevant to their subscribers. Thus the added benefit to the article writer who submits to ezines (besides high visibility) is that the article will be seen by readers who are highly interested in the subject matter of the article (which will increase the chance of those readers visiting your site). Not only will you get increased traffic to your site, but you had the opportunity to pre-sell to someone who already had a high interest.

The most efficient way of locating ezines related to your niche who are also looking for articles is the Directory of Ezines. There is a cost to be a member of the directory, but the ability to spread your links, thoughts and name is well worth it. Additionally, you will learn which ezines are the best to advertise in for your niche as well as identify list owners who may want to participate in a joint venture with you. It really is cost effective and efficient.

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Strategies for Competitive Advantage in Small Business

Your competitive advantage begins when you adapt an internal “can do” attitude which inspires you to go “above and beyond” the call of duty to your customers. But which ones? It may often be forgotten, but every small business owner needs to be aware of the two sets of customers that must be pleased in order to achieve a long term competitive advantage.

Before competitive advantage strategies can be launched, you must consider the needs of your “buying customers” (i.e. Those who pay for your products and services) and your “supplying customers” (i.e. your employees). If you work to keep both of these groups happy (and do not sacrifice one over the other), you will set the stage for weathering the economic storm and outpace the competition. The reason is simple. When you treat your employees as though they were gold, you will ease the stress and worry that they feel during these economic times and they will perform better. They will be better able (and more willing) to implement “above and beyond” strategies for retaining your buying customers.

Here are some strategies that small businesses should implement by enlisting the help of their employees:

Start by developing customer loyalty campaigns. This is easy to do if you have an email list. You can create downloadable coupons, preferred customer sales and special events. Anything that you do that shows appreciation, even if it is low cost, will be seen as doing more than expected. Employees need to extend this appreciation to their regular interactions with customers. This will be more natural when genuine good will exists within your business.

Educate your customers by giving them product reviews (and maybe even a fair assessment of your competitors…as long as your strengths remain obvious). Be candid and transparent about your own products and services. Your honesty will be appreciated and this will increase customer loyalty.

Being willing and able to admit mistakes are a natural offshoot of always being honest with customers. Let’s face it… mistakes happen. It’s just one of those inevitable things that must be dealt with…and being open about it is a sure way to mitigate the pain for your customers and business alike.

Be sure to reassure your first time buyers with introductory prices and unconditional money back guarantees whenever possible. Even if you are barely making a profit, this first time around, it is worth having the opportunity to acquaint new customers with your business. The first experience they have with your business is critical. Introductory offers are a better way to attract customers than permanent price reductions. By letting your customers know that the price they are getting is introductory, you will not have to defend raising your prices later on.

Find reasons to update your customers. If you keep your updates informal, your customers will feel as though they are special and a part of your “family”. Your business’ website should be regularly updated with compelling content that will inspire your customers to always check back for the “latest”. You can achieve this by creating opportunities for you customers or clients to give their opinions and ask questions. Website should provide easy and obvious ways to contact your business.

Let your customers know that you are an important part of their community as well. Your website and social media presences should be informing customers about the ways you are involved, the charities you support and any other community efforts you help. Your business can tell the world a lot about itself by the good deeds it does. And talking about these activities through social networks is not obnoxious (unless you are a braggart) in the way that overtly promoting your business’ products and services is.

When your business adopts the attitude of treating your employees just as importantly as your patrons, there will be greater team work and a more efficient implementation of these and other strategies for competitive advantage.

This may sound terribly boring as well as very much like beating  the proverbial dead horse but keyword research is so critical  I must mention it.  It needs mentioning because so many new entrepreneurs are recognizing the opportunity that exists for starting an online business.  Excellent keyword research will lay a foundation for the possibility of quicker success.

Why?  Because good keyword research will tell you a lot.  It can tell you what terms are being most searched and it can provide you with insights on the amount of competition that is fighting for those words.  If your competition for a particular keyword is huge and it also involves strong players, you are better off finding another search term within your chosen topic (or perhaps even another niche).  In some established markets, it is just too hard for start up businesses to effectively compete.  The best way to compete is to carve a niche using terms that your target market is looking for but which have been overlooked to some degree by your competition.

This is the case with the Virtual Assistant niche.  There are 3600 searches per month for this term - which is a good - but there are 1.8 million competitor pages for this term.  Because of the economy, competitors (e.g. businesses offering Virtual Assistant services) are entering this business on a daily basis.  This is not to say that there is not an opportunity to make money here.  It means keywords must be chosen carefully.   I believe virtual assistants will be in ever increasing demand; especially as small businesses recognize the value in using virtual assistant services and the number of searches increases further yet.

The point is that anyone who is attempting to create an online business and fails to use the right keywords will be sorely disappointed when the new business is lost in cyberspace.  Enormous efforts to get it found will be needed.

A really thorough keyword research would avoid this type of headache and would boost the new Virtual Assistant entrepreneur (or any entrepreneur) in the right direction right from the start (to get business coming in sooner).

Let’s consider the other extreme.  The new business owner  does a keyword search and  finds less competitive keywords by using the Google Adwords Keyword tool.  The business who uses these will probably start coming up on the top search engine pages pretty soon.

What is the problem here?

Well… if only a few people are actually searching for the keywords chosen then you will still have trouble. Further compounding this is the fact all the visitors who do find you will not become your customer.  Many are just looking for information.  They are not in the buying stage.

The keywords Virtual Assistant have a medium to low value in terms of being used by buyers. There are better ones for startup Virtual Assistant businesses to use.

A good keyword search will help you discover keywords that are more likely used by buyers instead of information seekers.

So despite the fact that this is nothing new, it is worth repeating.   Keyword research is vital to the foundation of your online business.

This is not to say that establishing your business will be assured.  It is to say that finding a way to effectively compete in an arena in which your target market is looking and buying will be to your advantage.

Whatever your business endeavor is, good keyword research must be done right and it should be done on an ongoing basis in order to keep market share earned.

Don’t know what to do?  Call me!

877-625-6568