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Tuesday, 28 April 2009

Swine Flu is the New Hot Topic?

If you’ve opened up any news pages at all, you’ve no doubt seen headlines all over the place about the Swine Flu, which apparently the WHO (World Health Organisation) is stopping just short of calling a pandemic. It could be just me, but it feels like the media is doing another one of their hype things, where they try to get us all worked up into a frenzy over something that’s not entirely threatening or devastating. Okay, I do realise there have been fatalities in this case, but that’s 0.002% of the population, and total suspected infections are less than ½ of 1%. I wouldn’t mind if they talked about the tragedy of people who have lost loved ones to it, but the media seems to focus on how quickly it’s spreading and how there won’t be a vaccine for a while, etc. Does the media’s tendency to do this bug anyone else, or am I being ridiculous? Go on, be honest…

Labels: Health, Media, Swine Flu, VA, virtual assistant, World Issues

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Monday, 27 April 2009

Customer Service Nightmares

Ooooh… have I got a story for you! I won’t bore you with the step by step, but basically a few weeks ago BT made a right mess of my life for a week!!! They intentionally knocked out my phone lines AND my internet, with no warning, and then couldn’t fix it! I spent hours and HOURS each day on the phone to them – I wanted to cry I was so frustrated! In the end, they finally got my phone back on half way into the third day, and got my internet back up on the fifth day. It was IMPOSSIBLE trying to get any work done! And when all was said and done, not only did they not offer any compensation for all the money I spent on stop-gap measures (of course! Why would they?) I didn’t even get an apology! I was absolutely shocked with how they handled things, it was completely disgraceful… but to then not even have a phone call or a letter of apology?! It was truly horrific. All JUST before we moved office!! Does anyone else have customer service horror stories to tell?

Labels: business, customer service, Office, PA, VA, virtual assistant

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Wednesday, 22 April 2009

Personal Profile – It’s Just as Important as Business Profile

I once had a personal profile in the Christmas edition of Prima magazine. I’m a great believer in the value of consumer PR and it’s interesting that I had quite a bit of response from that piece which focused on me personally rather than the business. I think there is great value in raising your own personal profile alongside looking at opportunities for your business. People connect with people and whatever you do in your marketing, and I think it’s important to let your personality shine through – it’s often what can help set you apart.

Labels: become a virtual assistant, business, PA, press, profile, virtual assistant

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Tuesday, 21 April 2009

Extraordinary Events

Last Thursday I attended the Herts Connection event – it was a fabulous evening full of mixing with great people, and as always, I recommend taking advantage of good networking opportunities to promote your own Virtual Assistant company (or any business!). Fraser Hay, renowned business start-up coach and multi award winning entrepreneur, was on for the evening, and it was the first time I had ever seen him speak – he was absolutely brilliant! I would highly recommend him to anyone. His talk was very interactive and was a real eye-opener, and a little frightening – we all figured out the massive loss we’re suffering due to ineffective marketing. Ouch! But hands down, the highlight of the evening was the prize that I won – Fraser’s 8-week, one to one coaching package! I am so thrilled about it I just had to share. Has anything extraordinary happened to anyone else in the last week?

Labels: Fraser Hay, Herts Connection, networking, virtual assistant, virtual pa

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Tuesday, 17 March 2009

Online survey - how is the recession effecting you?

I’ve just set up a short survey, as I want to know how the recession is affecting you; its particularly aimed at PA's, or those thinking of setting up their own virtual assistant company. Are you worried about your job? Could the Government do more to help you? Please take a few minutes to complete the short survey by clicking here - it’s anonymous and will help me understand the impact the recession is having on the PA and virtual assistant world. There is also the chance to win £50 M&S vouchers for completing the survey. Let me know what you think!

Labels: : virtual assistant training, virtual assistant, virtual pa, virtual pa training

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Monday, 16 March 2009

I’m on YouTube! What do you think of my video?

I am so pleased – and proud – that my video has gone on YouTube – check it out here! you can see me delivering a few minutes from my virtual assistant training course: How to Win Clients and Sky Rocket Your profits. I love doing my training sessions and am really pleased to have this professional exert which gives those of you thinking about becoming a virtual assistant and real glimpse of the one-day workshop. What do you think of the video?

Labels: virtual assistant, virtual assistant training, virtual pa, virtual pa training

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Friday, 13 March 2009

More power to Twitter – are you making the most of this phenomenon?

I am really enjoying using Twitter (and OK, I may spend too much time on it too!) I have found it to be a great way of keeping in touch with friends and colleagues and for business use. My number of followers is increasing daily (well over 1900 at the time of writing this blog) and I can use it to promote my services, show videos and pictures – but because it is very restrictive on number of characters (140 which includes spaces, punctuation etc!) all the information is short and punchy – and can be lots of fun (with clever uses of abbreviations too, its not all text speak). Have you signed up yet? Come and follow me at twitter.com/asklilach.

Labels: business, followers, pa training, training, Twitter, virtual assistant, virtual assistant training, virtual office assistant, virtual pa, virtual pa training

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More power to Twitter – are you making the most of this phenomenon?

I am really enjoying using Twitter (and OK, I may spend too much time on it too!) I have found it to be a great way of keeping in touch with friends and colleagues and for business use. My number of followers is increasing daily (well over 1900 at the time of writing this blog) and I can use it to promote my services, show videos and pictures – but because it is very restrictive on number of characters (140 which includes spaces, punctuation etc!) all the information is short and punchy – and can be lots of fun (with clever uses of abbreviations too, its not all text speak). Have you signed up yet? Come and follow me at twitter.com/asklilach.

Labels: business, followers, pa training, training, Twitter, virtual assistant, virtual assistant training, virtual office assistant, virtual pa, virtual pa training

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Tuesday, 10 March 2009

It’s already March 2009, where is the year going? Do you have enough hours in the day?

As I have previously blogged, I am really very busy at the moment with both businesses going very well and expanding. I have new clients for my virtual assistant company and the training side has just hosted a well-attended and positive workshop. My problem is that I am almost too busy; I don’t seem to have the opportunity to sit back and review the direction my company is taking and steer it way the way I want to go, which is an important process and one that I really believe in. I need to recruit some more staff, but time for that seems impossible to find – and its already March! I shouldn’t complain really – but hey oh, that’s human nature too. Do you have enough hours in the day?

Labels: business, busy, expanding, growing, virtual assistant, virtual assistant training, virtual pa, virtual pa training

1 Comments:

Dean said...: I am much the same as you, very little time so much to do and now i have really gone and done it by getting involved with an affiliate brand to further promote the businesses for more exposure!

168 hours is not enough when you include time to sleep, take kids to school and the other routine jobs that need doing; 10 March 2009 14:15

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Monday, 9 March 2009

Climb every Comic Relief mountain – Are you doing something funny for money?

Comic Relief will shortly be upon us (Friday 13 March – a great comic date!) And already nine celebrities, including Gary Barlow and Alesha Dixon are making the effort to climb Mount Kilimanjaro - Africa’s highest mountain - to raise £1 million (check out the official website for more details, including blogs http://www.rednoseday.com/climb). I do enjoy Red Nose Day, and my daughter is does too, we’ve got the red noses for ourselves and for the car; we’ll be off to buy the oh-so-trendy tee-shirts soon and support the school’s fundraising initiatives. Comic Relief does fantastic things to support long-term projects in UK and Africa. I just wondered what you were planning to do for this year’s Red Nose Day?

Labels: celebrities, comic relief, rednose day, virtual assistant, virtual assistant training, virtual pa, virtual pa training

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Tuesday, 3 March 2009

As RBS announces huge losses – Are we paying for the former CE’s pension?

Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) recently announced the largest annual loss in UK corporate history, with total losses of £24.1 billion (yes that’s right billion!). RBS, a 282-year-old bank, had to be bailed out by the government last year and is now under criticism as its former chief executive, Sir Fred Goodwin, is already drawing a pension of £650,000 a year, despite only being 50. He was given a £16m pension pot which he can claim from for life, when he took early retirement in October, as part of the government's rescue of the faltering bank. It looks as this former employee has been handsomely rewarded for huge failings of a major financial institution. Is this fair criticism, are we (the tax-payer) really paying for this man’s extortionate pension?

Labels: banks, pension, RBS, virtual assistant, virtual assistant training, virtual pa, virtual pa training

1 Comments:

Cashmere Lashkari said...: Hey Lilach,
Love the concept of your services. Hope to hear more from you on twitter.; 09 March 2009 01:01

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Thursday, 26 February 2009

Unemployed: Can job centres benefit from the private sector experience?

With the recent news that unemployment has reached nearly 2 million, it has been revealed that Job Centres cannot cope with the quantity and quality of workers coming through their doors. They are being criticised for not providing an adequate service for highly skilled, white collar professionals and the Government has announced that private companies will work alongside traditional job centres to redress this issue during the recession. I’m not sure we could expect local Job Centres, who are perhaps more used to placing lower skilled workers, to rise to the challenge of understanding the needs and markets of the more accomplished employees. Perhaps those white collar workers should look to retraining to find a suitable job. Do you think its right that recruitment agencies are being asked to work with the job centres?

Labels: job centre, jobs, recruitment, retaining, unemployment, virtual assistant, virtual assistant training, virtual pa, virtual pa training

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Tuesday, 24 February 2009

The Oscars, what a joy – but do you agree with the results?

The Oscar news is great; the Brits did really well, with Kate Winslet finally winning her golden statue after 5 previous nominations and ‘Slumdog’ with a huge haul of eight Oscars including best director and best picture. My favourite dress of the night was Ms Winslet (again!) in her beautiful two-tone Yves Saint Laurent dress; she looked so elegant – with not a tear in sight. I haven’t seen all the films that were nominated (sometimes its difficult to find time to get to the cinema), but I am pleased that the British representatives did so well. Do you agree with the winners? And what about the fashion; not much ‘bling’ in evidence this year, presumably due to the recession? What are your thoughts on this year’s Oscars?

Labels: bling, entertainment, films, Hollywood, Oscars, virtual assistant, virtual assistant training, virtual pa, virtual pa training

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Monday, 23 February 2009

Panorama: Are banks doing enough to support small businesses?

I don’t work for the BBC, but I saw this and thought it could be worth watching and worth telling my blog readers about it too. It’s a Panorama programme looking at small businesses like ours. More than 100 small businesses are shutting up shop each day, according to the Federation of Small Businesses, which predicts some 30,000 firms will have gone bust by the end of this year. In an attempt to turn the tide, the government has come up with proposals including the £1.3bn Enterprise Finance Guarantee Scheme to throw small businesses a lifeline. Dragon's Den star Theo Paphitis, examines whether the banks are doing enough to support small businesses.

Watch it tonight: Monday 23 February BBC One 8.30pm: Panorama: Credit Where It's Due

Labels: BBC, Panorama, small business, training, virtual assistant, virtual assistant training, virtual pa, work

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Thursday, 12 February 2009

The weather – is this global warming?

If it’s not snowing (the biggest flakes I ever saw on Sunday night), it’s raining and cold, which turns to sheet ice overnight. I’m never sure whether my daughter can get to school, or my staff can make it to work! On the flipside, the wild fires in Australia look awful, even more so if the rumours about arsonists following nature are true. Whole towns have disappeared, whole areas devastated, the resultant landscape is catastrophic. I don’t profess to know anything about global warming, and I don’t really want to start a debate about it in this blog; I just wanted to know whether this weather is what we can expect from now on – the wild variations?

Labels: arson, become a virtual assistant, fire, global warming, ice, snow, virtual assistant, virtual pa, weather

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Tuesday, 10 February 2009

St Valentine’s Day – What do you think?

So here we are, a few days from St Valentine’s day. The gift shops are stuffed to the gutters with heart shaped offerings, and the card shops the same - a bit gruesome, if Wikipedia’s explanation is to be believed! There are all sorts of Valentine-themed events, whether its dances and balls or singles nights at the local supermarket. Probably the only worthwhile things are the charity events, such as the Kiss for Bliss. The special care baby charity are organising a World Record attempt to form the longest kiss chain in London. But what do you think of Valentines Day? Great as a focus for consumer businesses in their post-New Year promotions; or blatant commercialisation of tradition.

Labels: charity event, commercialism, hearts, promotion, Valentine, virtual assistant, virtual assistant training, virtual pa, virtual pa training

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Monday, 9 February 2009

Move to cap top US executives pay – will it catch on here?

The new US president is about to impose a ceiling on the executive pay of companies who have received a US taxpayer bail-out. The ceiling will be $500,000 (around £350,000) - or $100,000 more than President Obama receives! This seems to be a measure to placate the American public, outraged that these executives still received their huge payouts after the State rescue. However, the move is an initial step in a wider attempt to overhaul executive pay practices. This is something that has been much discussed in the UK; what do you think, should executives from ‘rescued’ companies still receive bonuses and exalted pay?

Labels: America, employees, executives, Obama, pay, state rescue, usa, virtual assistant, virtual assistant training, virtual pa, virtual pa training

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Wednesday, 4 February 2009

Snow stops play! Did it affect your business?

So it snowed in Britain this week; schools were closed (much to the kids’ delight), motorways shut; thousands of people didn’t make it into their place of work –allegedly costing businesses millions of pounds. I am very fortunate, as I do not have far to travel to get to work, and so was at my desk at 8.30am as usual on Monday morning. I am thankful that I didn’t have to go into London, as it appears there were no buses or taxis available either! Have the severe weather conditions affected your business?

Labels: buses, millions, schools., snow, travel taxi, virtual assistant, virtual assistant training, virtual pa, virtual pa training, weather

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Friday, 30 January 2009

Can you recommend a decent read?

Can you recommend a decent read?When I get the chance, I do like a good book - and I mean to really read, not just grace the shelves of my bookcase or enhance my coffee table. This maybe a bit of fun 'chicklit' on holiday, an inspiring biography at the weekend or even a decent cookery book. I also like to catch up with some business books, and I have recommended some in the past (check out my website links page ). What books have your enjoyed that you'd like to pass onto the rest of us. Something that has inspired you, helped you or just plain entertained you. Can you recommend a decent read?

Labels: books, read, recommend, relax, virtual assistant, virtual assistant training, virtual pa, virtual pa training

2 Comments:

Anonymous said...: I don't know you so I'll just through a few random suggestions out:

Right now I'm reading "Speak Memory" by Vladimir Nabakov (yes, of "Lolita" fame) - really good.

You may also enjoy "This is Not Chick Lit" a collection of short stories by various authors

http://www.amazon.com/This-Not-Chick-Lit-Original/dp/0812975677/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1233338783&sr=8-1; 30 January 2009 18:06
Anonymous said...: I heartily recommend any Terry Pratchett books. If at all possible, try to start with his first book, "The Colour of Magic", and work your way through, chronologically, so you'll recognise the characters as they reappear, however, any of his novels are a stand-alone hoot!

Terry is an intelligent writer, hilariously funny observer of human nature, a slightly sarcastic philosopher whose gentle irony does not scrape its claws on the blackboard of your soul, and yet he leaves you thinking... and wanting more.

Sometimes he is so funny I have to make sure there is no-one else in the room (apart from my partner or daughter, both of whom are used to the odd mwaaaah! coming from my direction, when I am reading one of his Discworld novels).

Read and enjoy!; 03 February 2009 17:17

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Thursday, 29 January 2009

Are you taking advantage of the quality people available?

Its tough out there. Some companies are struggling; some are rationalising and having to let people go. I’ve mentioned before that I believe that this is a good time to start a new business or try a new venture. If you have a business, with good prospects and plans then it’s also a great time to employ quality staff. As the unemployment figure grows, think of it as an opportunity to get those people that you need to grow your business, whether it’s experience, enthusiasm or energy that you are looking for, or all three! What are you doing, are you taking your pick of applicants?

Labels: virtual assistant, virtual assistant training, virtual pa, virtual pa training

1 Comments:

Gareth said...: Interesting thought.

I quite agree. Now is the time for movers and shackers.; 03 February 2009 10:34

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Tuesday, 27 January 2009

Business Software: is it any good?

I have just bought into a new software program that will help develop my company and provides email sequencing for enquiries to my training business. I have nearly 2000 on my mailing list and I want to ensure that potential clients receive all the information they need. However the set-up procedure is time consuming itself. It seems to me that software, or any tools of your trade are only as good as the time you can devote to them: preparation, preparation, preparation! I'm in danger of spending more time setting the thing up as it meant to save me! Have you had similar experiences?

Labels: business software, mailing list, time consuming, time saving, virtual assistant, virtual assistant training, virtual pa, virtual pa training

2 Comments:

Jeff Ogden said...: Time is the most precious commodity one has today. Software needs to be simplified. Look at the iPhone and iPod. Macs are selling. What do they have in common? Elegance and simplicity.; 27 January 2009 14:48
Gareth said...: What software did you get. I simply takes time to learn how to use it. If it is desingend well, the setup is simple and figuring out how to effectivly use it should be logical to some degree.; 03 February 2009 10:39

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Friday, 23 January 2009

Have you kept your January resolution?

Here we are, near the end of the first month of the year and I want to ask you about your resolutions! Did you put any in place? Personal or Business? And the BIG question…have you actually kept those resolutions? One of mine was to make more contributions to Blackstar on ecademy. But with my work becoming ever-more busy and a trip to hospital, this has slipped behind. I am hopefully making up for it now, with regular blogging and I am planning more developments for my clubs (with apologies to my club members!). So, what were your resolutions and have you kept them?

Labels: January, planning, promises, resolutions, virtual assistant, virtual assistant training, virtual pa, virtual pa training

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Wednesday, 21 January 2009

Now is the time of Obama

There were some pretty amazing scenes at this week's inauguration, where over one million people saw Barak Obama become the 44th president of the United States of America. It was full of 'pride, pomp and circumstance' as befitting such a monumental event, with parades of past presidents and speeches. Whatever the colour of your politics, or your thoughts of America, it was a fabulous spectacle, and one that we can tell our children about. Now is the time for change, as Mr Obama favoured saying during his electioneering. It's good to hear on the news that he has already making an impact to the foreign policy and his plans to revive the economy. Do you think now is the time of Obama?

Labels: America, Obama, president, usa, virtual assistant, virtual assistant training, virtual pa, virtual pa training

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Holidays – What have you planned for 2009

It’s very tempting, when you run your own business, not to take time off, to think that your input is too valuable for you to be absent for holidays. The truth is that you need to take some time off, to recharge your batteries. You may even think of a brilliant money-making, time-saving, or business-altering idea whilst you are sunning yourself on the beach or skiing down the piste. You could take a mobile/laptop with you, if you feel that insecure, but limit yourself to one call into the office every few days, or number of minutes on email. You should, of course, have managed your business prior to your departure: advise your clients; use a call handling service, such as mine; or if you employ staff or a virtual assistant, trust them to do a good job. This will then allow you the luxury, or rather the necessity, of a well-earned break, comfortable in the knowledge that the business is being taken care of. So start now, plan those trips and holidays in, whether they around the kids holidays, or your slower time (or hopefully a combination of the two, if you have both to consider!). Planning is the key to ensuring that this works successfully. I’m off to plan mine now, what holidays have you got to look forward to?

Labels: become a virtual assistant, holidays, virtual assistant, virtual assistant training, virtual pa

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Tuesday, 20 January 2009

We are all doing our best in these economic times, when will it end?

So, we have been crunched by the credit squeeze, jobs are going in all sectors, and not just the retail industry. We are all trying to be sensible with spending; watching our figures; ensuring our cash is flowing. We are all doing our best to make it through these tough economic times (we think we have it tough - how easy for us, compared to those in war-torn areas). How long can we manage like this, fearful of taking risks with our businesses, knowing that we may not get loans to expand or develop new products and ideas. It feels like we are treading on eggshells, and we don't know how long the path is going to be. What are your thoughts, will 2009 be the turn round year, or will our positive attitude not return until we are out of the "noughties"?

Labels: become a virtual assistant, cashflow, credit crunch, economic downturn, figures, job losses, virtual assistant, virtual pa

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Monday, 19 January 2009

Train travel - can it really be THIS bad?

I had to go into London recently (a regular but not daily trip, lucky for me) to a client meeting. I was appalled at my awful experience of travelling by train: not only at the expense, but also the service; the over-crowded carriages; and the lack of communication about the problem. On the trip in, no trains were stopping at my local station, so I had to drive to a further away, mainline station. The trip home (in the early evening) was even worse; we had to push our way onto the trains, and then were told to get off! It took so long, I was even worried that I would not make it home at all. The experience left me feeling exhausted and disgusted. I believe the problems stemmed from the awful incidents earlier in the week (the plane crash, the overheat power cables and/or the car in the level crossing.). However, they were all things that had occurred on previous days and surely could have been planned, organised, or at the very least communicated to the passengers. Has it really got this bad? Does anyone have a solution?

Labels: become a virtual assistant, virtual assistant, virtual assistant training

1 Comments:

Anonymous said...: Thank You Lilach,
i had read your blog and it is bad that london train travel is awful experience of travelling by train, this was happend with me on last london travel.
Palace on wheels
Tags : indian luxury trains,Palace on Wheel Tour; 02 February 2009 05:55

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Wednesday, 14 January 2009

The office move - what are your moving stories?

I have recently moved offices, which is great news as it means my business is expanding, but boy, was it back breaking work! We literally moved the desks, cupboards, filing cabinets, drawers. All the computers, printers and technology (think of the wires!). Thankfully, it all went pretty smoothly (thanks to my husband and staff for their input too!). There was no interruption to my client work and only minimal disruption to emails etc. All this took planning and it also gave me a great opportunity to review my filing, and general clutter that can accumulate over time (when was the last time you looked at a rolodex?!). I am really pleased with the new office layout, and how it works for me and my staff. Have you had a similar experience? What are your office move stories?

Labels: becomea virtual assistant, computers, expanding, growing, new office, office move, planning, smooth move, technology, virtual assistant, virtual pa

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Monday, 12 January 2009

First day at school – was yours traumatic?

My daughter is in her first week at ‘big school’ (reception class!). She has been brilliant about it, going in very well and happily (making me feel a bit smug, as there were other, tearful children in the playground – and even more upset mums!). However this morning was our turn, with my little angel in tears, set-off by a friend of hers. I phoned the school later, and of course she’s playing happily, so I was probably more affected by it than anyone. It just goes to show, you can’t be sure of anything. I have learnt my lesson: You think you know your children, but they can surprise you at any point! Have you had any similar experience?

Labels: children, first day, lessons, mums, school, tears, trauma, virtual assistant

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Tuesday, 2 December 2008

Technology and gadgets – what are they good for?

Things do seem to develop at break-neck speed. No sooner do you turn around with your new, latest must-have than something else is new on the market, improving and changing our lives. We are a fan of Channel 5’s TV programme called The Gadget Show. It runs a weekly competition (a substantially revenue generator I should think!) with a total prize fund of £15-£20,000 to one winner. But, what would you do with it all? I would not know what most of the gadgets were, let alone what to do with them. Do we really need all this stuff?

Labels: gadgets, technology, virtual assistant, virtual pa

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Thursday, 27 November 2008

Can’t give business away!

I have recently been handling the sale of a family home following bereavement. It’s a stressful time, without having to deal with a loved one’s estate, as the whole family are grieving. I have been really surprised, if not a little shocked, at the response from estate agents whilst trying to arrange a valuation viewing. After calls to half a dozen agents, only one was interested in coming out the next day. Although it’s now being resolved, it’s made me think that it is hard to give business away at the moment – have you had similar experiences?

Labels: virtual assistant, virtual pa

1 Comments:

Phil Edwards said...: Can't understand that. You'd think any business is better than none at all.

Funnily enough my parents (both 85!) moved last Thursday, from a 4 bedroom house - 'home' for 48 years - to a 2 bed retirement flat. Very hectic and highly emotional day but we got through it. Their agent and removal men couldn't have been more helpful. Even gave them a bottle of wine as a 'welcome to you new home' present. It's so nice to have a happy ending.

Sue
Virtual Assistant Sussex; 02 December 2008 09:41

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Tuesday, 25 November 2008

No more happy hours - what are your thoughts?

Pub happy hours should be banned and supermarkets stopped from selling alcohol at a loss in order to combat drink-fuelled disorder, MPs have said. There is no doubt that the sight of drunken 'youths' on the streets is distressing - and probably even disgusting. But is this a case of further government interference controlling our freedom. What are your thoughts on this latest proposal?

Labels: virtual assistant, virtual pa

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Friday, 21 November 2008

Are you having a Christmas party?

I've obviously got the holiday bug at the moment - I think its something to do with November seeming to be an exponentially short as we rush head long into the manic shopping spree that Christmas has become. Its time to spread some seasonal cheer and I wanted to know what your party plans are. Are you planning to host a Christmas party (if you have time to organise one?!) and is it for your clients and/or staff?

Labels: christmas party, virtual assistant, virtual pa

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Thursday, 20 November 2008

Seasonal holidays are coming near - do you buy your clients gifts?

There are 36 days until Christmas and I hope your planning (or even shopping) is well underway. Christmas Day itself is on a Thursday this year - whilst Hanukkah begins on Monday 22 December. What plans do you have to buy your clients seasonal gifts?

Labels: christmas, virtual assistant, virtual pa

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Wednesday, 19 November 2008

The Recession – What’s the story?

This is a real, global financial crisis. The IMF are making loans to countries, banks are leaning on government crutches; there are global job cuts, and house prices are falling. And yet amidst all this bad news are glimmers of hope! Petrol prices are falling too (as are diesel, but not as fast), sales are in the stores (in time for Christmas shopping) and we are all learning to pull our belt in. Are we in the eye of the storm, or through to the other side. What’s the story of the recession?

Labels: recession, virtual assistant, virtual pa

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Tuesday, 18 November 2008

X-Factor: Can you handle criticism?

The television schedules are full of reality shows, the most popular of which are the shows in which contestants are exposed to the barbed tongue of expert judges. See X-Factor or Strictly Come Dancing for details! Those harsh words seem to be exaggerated as part of the entertainment performance, but they do offer constructive criticism for the contestants to improve. Do you offer (hopefully in a less disparaging manner!) to your employees or work colleagues, or have you been on the receiving end of such words? (my personal favourite has been the "dee you double elle - DULL" from Craig Revel-Horwood on Strictly! - but I also like Arlene comments on the male dancers!)

Labels: virtual assistant, virtual pa, X Factor

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Monday, 17 November 2008

Interest Rate Cut - Does it help?

Well, the huge 1½% interest rate cut in the Bank of England base rate last week seemed to take everyone by surprise! The UK interest rates are now 3%, the lowest level since 1955. Did you foresee the level of the cut - and more importantly do you think it will improve the current economic climate?

Labels: interest rates, virtual assistant, virtual pa

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Wednesday, 12 November 2008

Freebies: Good or bad?

Businesses sometimes offer freebies as part of their marketing activities, to attract new customers to trail the company, or perhaps a new product. Does your company do this, or do you feel it would devalue your offerings? I do provide some free services, as I feel it adds value to my company and offers a point of difference compared to competitors. For example as part of my training business, I provide services for potential virtual PAs to use such as a free tele seminar and a guide to setting up a VA business. What do you think about freebies, do they work for your business?

Labels: free stuff, virtual assistant, virtual pa, virtual pa training

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Friday, 7 November 2008

Amercia: New President New times?

I don’t know much about American politics, I’m sure there are many more people on this network that do. But the coverage of the American presidential election has been greater than ever in the UK. I was just wondering, now that a new president has been elected (congratulations Mr Obama), what that means for the UK? Will it affect our business relationship with our cousins across the pond?

Labels: president, usa, virtual assistant, virtual pa

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Wednesday, 5 November 2008

X-Factor: Are you watching?!

You have to admire the press team behind the X-Factor. They are remarkable at feeding the tabloid newspapers and celebrity magazines with fresh, almost daily stories! In the news today was one of the finalists 'sacking' her mentor (see today's Mirror!) which was quickly denied today - Rachel Hylton issued a statement to say: "Dannii is still very much my mentor and I respect her opinions." If you wanted the details! Do you find yourself being caught up in the stories?

Labels: virtual assistant, virtual pa, X Factor

1 Comments:

sue edwards said...: I'm afraid to say I watch the X Factor every week. I even taped the results because we were out. There's so much (hidden) talent out there and the competition gets harder each time.

It's one of the programes I enjoy watching just to chill out.

Sue
Virtual Assistant Sussex
Office admin made easy; 06 November 2008 15:45

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Friday, 24 October 2008

Blue Peter is 50

Blue Peter is 50 - what's your best memory?Just a bit of nostalgic fun! Blue Peter, that bastion of British children's television, is 50 years old this year and is the longest running children's television programme in the world! It has long been an institution in many a family home, making toys and puppets from empty toilet roles, lollypop sticks and sticky back plastic! It is good to see such an old intuition still popular in today's changing culture. In a similar vein, my mother has always said, be true to yourself. What nostalgic memories do you have, that are still good to hold onto today?

Labels: blue peter, virtual assistant, virtual pa

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Monday, 20 October 2008

Unemployment has risen - are you laying people off?

Figures have just been released for September and the number out of work is now 1.79million, according to government figures and the official unemployment rate is up from 5.5% to 5.7%. Are you having to let anyone go from your offices, are you cutting back on time yourself - or working longer hours for same or less payment?

Labels: unemployment, virtual assistant, virtual pa

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Friday, 17 October 2008

How safe is your money?

OK, its time to ask, ‘how safe is my money?’ Not only in terms of your personal finances, but also your business bank account too. Banking collapses were unthinkable until recently and then credit crunch bite, global market turmoil hit, and logic was turned upside down. A quick trawl through some financial websites, and the answer seems to be to ensure your money is in a UK registered bank or Building Society savings account, current account, small business account (with annual turnovers below £1 million) or credit union, but not savings stamps or hamper schemes. It is worth taking the timeout to investigate your own finances and their safety, and ask the question: how safe is my money?

Labels: money, virtual assistant, virtual pa

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Thursday, 16 October 2008

Networking - do you do more or less?

Networking is a great way to meet, build and develop client and colleague relations, but it doesn't come free. Along with the travel and associated costs, there is your investment in time to consider. Whilst they no doubt work, if handled correctly, it is worth considering the amount of networking that you undertake. In this current economic climate, are you planning to do more networking, or less?

Labels: networking, virtual assistant, virtual pa

1 Comments:

Anonymous said...: I love "Networking" and meeting new and interesting people. I was lucky enough to find a free marketing course advertised locally. I met some lovely people who were happy to play "business card swap" and all I paid was my bus fare!; 01 December 2008 23:30

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Wednesday, 15 October 2008

Football - feel good factor or distraction?

There are a host of football World Cup qualifiers playing tonight, and no doubt soccer fans will be glued to their televisions (if they have paid the subscriptions fees!). In England, there always seems to be a feel good factor when the team does well - but the opposite if they perform poorly. Does this affect your business, or is it just some light relief in these disheartening times?

Labels: england, football, virtual assistant, virtual pa

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Credit Crunch again - this time its comforting!

Apparently during times of economic downturn, consumers buy traditional toys such as teddy bears, wooden castles and spinning tops. Apparently, it’s all to do with reassurance and intrinsic value – teddy bears are about comfort whilst wooden castles symbolise security. What other comfort or security products will consumers look for this season?

Labels: credit crunch, virtual assistant, virtual pa

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Monday, 13 October 2008

The Credit Crunch - is it affecting you?

According to research for BACS (the payment clearance company) 64% of southern businesses have been affected by the economic turndown, compared to under half (48%) in the north. On a more positive note, my local Chamber of Commerce says that Hertfordshire businesses are 'demonstrating high levels of resilience' in face of an increasingly challenging economic environment. For me personally, all my clients continue to work positively and I am as busy as ever. Has the economic climate affected your business yet - or is the media hyping it up?

Labels: credit crunch, virtual assistant, virtual pa

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Friday, 10 October 2008

The world's biggest free seminar

When I was at school we used to look forward to those rare days when our schoolteacher would say 'ok everyone. Today we are going to learn from watching television'. Like I say, it was rare. But today it is more true than ever - and Youtube is one of the most powerful resources of them all. My approach to the VA business has certainly benefited from watching films of the great business trainers, such as Anthony Robbins, Zig Ziglar and Jim Rohne - people who have been adding value to companies for over 30 years and are now running virtual seminars from the comfort of my computer!

Labels: seminar, virtual assistant, virtual pa

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Wednesday, 8 October 2008

Growing pains, growing gains

One of the benefits of working for a large company is that the HR or training department often provides a whole range of self-development courses that you can try out when the mood takes you. This just isn’t the case for a small company when you are your own boss or one a very few employees. But ongoing training is important – just as it’s essential for a lawyer to do continuing professional development (CPD) or for a doctor to learn about the latest medical answers, it’s crucial for us to take the occasional day off work to improve our skills and knowledge. It might be a pain but it’s better for us and our clients.

Labels: virtual assistant, virtual assistant training, virtual pa

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Tuesday, 7 October 2008

Goal setting: How and when?

Goal setting is often talked about but how many of us do it regularly and actually keep to it? There's an old saying that goes "know where you come from and where you're going". Although we know our personal history and (hopefully) the history of our company, how clear are we about our goals? It's very easy to amble along in our work and allow the future to unfold as it goes along, but when we make specific plans and measure our progress against them, chances are that we'll be able to make some magic happen.

Labels: goal setting, virtual assistant, virtual pa

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Friday, 3 October 2008

Pride of Britain - what have you done today to make your self feel proud?

With the Pride of Britain awards on TV recently, it has made me think about doing things that make you feel proud. I have already previously blogged about the Olympics and how that can make you feel proud by association. But what about on a more local level - what are we all doing that makes us feel proud? I can easily point to my Virtual Assistant company, of which I am immensely proud, but it could be as simple as parents in the playground asking for my honey-cake recipe. What is you proudest achievement?

Labels: pride of britain, proud, virtual assistant

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Thursday, 2 October 2008

Downturn skills – motivation

One of the worst things we can do during a downturn in the market is to sit around and do nothing. I’ve always believed in being a self-motivator and as one business guru put it, ‘positive thinking is all well and good, but it’s useless without positive ACTION’. I was once taught that you should never leave the scene of a decision without taking a positive step towards realising your new goal. If we’re going to get through this credit crunch, those who survive will be the people who take charge of their own destiny. It starts with a single action…

Labels: credit crunch, motivation, virtual assistant

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Wednesday, 24 September 2008

Read a book, change your world

I've just finished reading Duncan Bannatyne's biography and I regularly seem to forget how inspiring it is to hear the stories of people who've succeeded. This isn't a world-shattering statement - that books contain useful information and uplifting tales - but while I'm growing my VA business I find it very helpful to discover the challenges other people have faced growing their businesses, and what they've done to get around it. Duncan's story literally goes from running an ice-cream van to sitting on the Dragons Den; there's something for all of us to aspire to.

Labels: duncan bannatyne, virtual assistant, virtual pa courses

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Tuesday, 16 September 2008

Sustainable Business Practice isn’t just for the big boys.

It is with a sense of pride that I turn my computer off at the mains, drop my thermostat a few more degrees and print on both sides of my paper. As I recite my mantra of “Reduce, Re-use, Recycle” to my team I hope that they feel as passionately about it as I do – we are making a difference.

Whilst I am sure that I’m not next on the Greenpeace black list, I do recognise that as an employer and small business owner I have a responsibility to implement Sustainable Business Practices wherever possible and to encourage my suppliers to do the same.

Labels: business practice, virtual assistant, virtual pa courses

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Tuesday, 9 September 2008

Business Travel – a dying trend?

As I pencil in another conference call and Skype my biggest client I can’t help but feel that it is quite some time since we had a face to face meeting. Financial, time and environmental pressures mean that we are increasingly holding virtual meetings and communicating online.

It is all very efficient and cost effective but I miss the human interaction and the chance to spend quality time with my clients, colleagues and suppliers. I miss the good old fashioned art of conversation…. feel free to come and see me and tell me what you think!

Labels: secretarial services, telephone answering, virtual assistant, virtual pa courses, virtual pa training

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Wednesday, 3 September 2008

Is my future being demolished by demographics?

With the UK population experiencing a shift in demographic profile, by 2020 we will see the over-65s outnumbering the under-16s. This is a harsh reality for those of us who are half-way through our working careers. I am feeling the need for a proper review of my financial planning to make sure my Golden Years are everything I hope they will be. As a small business owner, how are you planning for your retirement?

Labels: secretarial services, virtual assistant, virtual assistant training, virtual pa courses

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Wednesday, 27 August 2008

Gadgets or Guff?

Having fallen in love at first sight with my iPhone, the honeymoon period has come to an abrupt end. If I actually manage to have a conversation longer than 30 seconds without activating the MUTE button with my ear then I have to spend the subsequent 30 seconds wiping the touchpad/screen clean of dirty fingerprints.

I can’t help but wonder if an intelligent keyboard has really made my life easier, whether watching music videos in widescreen whilst on the go was really a requirement and if instant access to the world’s stock exchanges will help me understand them any better. Or does it just look good when someone calls me…………..?

Labels: gadgets, virtual assistant, virtual pa courses

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Wednesday, 6 August 2008

The toughest audience – ever!

I organise events for my clients and I’m great at it. I am focused, methodical and creative and I deliver brilliant events to a variety of audiences. But my latest challenge, my daughter’s fourth birthday party, had me quaking in my boots.

These demanding little consumers are energetic, excitable and dare I say it cynical. The invites had to be enticing, the entertainment spectacular and the timing perfect.

Despite the pressure the party was a resounding success – my daughter was on cloud nine and still hasn’t really come down and her friends really went for the Princess and Pirates theme – actually so did we.

As we finish off the last of the cake I sit here wondering what the theme should be for next year. After all, only 310 days before the invitations need to go out.

Labels: event organising, virtual assistant, virtual pa courses

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Sunday, 3 August 2008

Blogging for business – does it work for you?

I blog on a regular basis and I find that it is a useful tool both in linking up with others and to maintain profile. I know that others have varying degrees of success with it and that it takes a great deal of sustained effort. Once you commit to a blog you have to keep to your promises and deliver. I’d be interested to know how others blog, how they leverage this tool and whether they believe they can see its impact on the bottom line. Does it work for you and can you clearly measure its impact on your business?

Labels: blogging, virtual assistant, virtual pa courses, virtual pa training

3 Comments:

Truly Ace said...: I've been maintaining a regular business blog for over 18mths now and it's been exceptionally fruitful for my business.

It's more than doubled website traffic since it started. It's opened opportunities for me such as guest blogging spots/expert spots on other websites with high traffic.

In addition I now even have my first advertiser due to the level of blog traffic!

I would recommend running a regular business blog to any business owner.

It has yes also had an impact on my bottom line.; 09 August 2008 16:24
Bev said...: I recently read on a virtual assistant forum post that one VA gained some of her clients from her blog. So I'm gonna try and make a comment to blogging regularly to see if this can work for me.; 12 August 2008 14:05
Virtual Assistant Sussex said...: My website and blog are quite new (about 2 months old) and therefore only gaining a handful of 'hits' so far. My main problem is what to put on it on a regular basis that will be of interest to others - any ideas? Do blog ideas have to be related to your website or does it matter what the subject matter is?; 19 October 2008 12:18

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Tuesday, 8 July 2008

The internet – could you do business without it?

It’s amazing to think how the world of business has changed with the internet. If you are reading this then the chances are that the internet has a role to play in your business and its success. How do you split your on and off line activities and the way in which each contributes to you business? Do you know what the split is and can you measure your activities to gauge their impact.

I do wonder how I would work if the internet disappeared overnight – would you cope and how?

Labels: internet, virtual assistant, virtual assistant training, virtual pa training

1 Comments:

Truly Ace said...: I wouldn't cope is the simple answer, my business is entirely supported and based around the Internet.

I think quite a lot of businesses are now - and why not embrace the technology that allows this.

Is the Internet going anywhere? I hope not! :); 15 July 2008 21:44

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Tuesday, 1 July 2008

How do you get your message across at a networking event?

I do quite a lot of networking. I enjoy the experience because I view it differently now to when I started. For me, it’s about building relationships not getting business. One issue I’m very conscious of is how to set myself apart and make myself memorable. Think about the networking events you have been to in the last six months. How much do you remember from what people have said to you. I’m pretty sure you will struggle to remember much. So, if you can’t remember the majority of what people have told you, how do you expect to be remembered yourself and what are you doing to change that?

Labels: networking, virtual assistant, virtual assistant training, virtual pa training

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Thursday, 26 June 2008

Have you reviewed your goals recently?

We’re already half way through the year – how have you done on achieving the goals you set in January? I’ve found that it’s a good idea to go back and review them on a regular basis. In fact, they should be in your mind constantly. It can be very easy to get side-tracked. I think the key is to focus on less, not more, and to pursue that with an obsessive determination. It’s not easy and, of course, you learn a lot from not achieving straight away what you had planned. Having said that, you only really fail if you stop trying – there’s always a way you just have to believe it’s possible and change what you do until you reach your goal. So, what were your goals for this year, and how close are you to achieving them?

Labels: goal setting, virtual assistant, virtual pa training

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Tuesday, 20 May 2008

Marketing – is it all just trial and error?

The more and more I talk to people about marketing the less scientific and more random it seems to be. The constant mantra of ‘test, test, test’ is spouted but as a small business you may not have the budget to really make the most of testing. So, what do you do? You try a few things and then when they don’t work you stop them. It’s unlikely you will have the budgets large enough to keep testing your approach as everyone suggests. Of course, it’s different for every sector and for businesses in those sectors – is there a magic answer?

Labels: marketing, virtual assistant, virtual pa training

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Tuesday, 6 May 2008

Credit crunch – are you feeling the heat?

There is constant talk at the moment about the credit crunch, banks struggling, mortgage products being taken off the market, rising prices. Sometimes the talk can be worse than reality and the media certainly gets stuck into whipping up a storm. So, have you felt the impact personally and have you noticed it on the business front? It’s not going to get better any time soon so are you putting plans in place to protect yourself should things get tight?

Labels: credit, virtual assistant, virtual assstant training, virtual pa training

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Wednesday, 30 April 2008

Anyone been to Downing Street?

I ask because I have an invitation and would like to know what to expect. I'd urge anyone who thinks twice about entering an award to just go for it. I've been short-listed for the national Mother@Work Awards 2008 and will be attending the awards ceremony at Downing Street in June. Running a business can be a challenge at times and when you set up on your own it can be quite lonely. This type of recognition really does show that you can achieve anything you focus on.

Labels: Downing Street, Mother at Work Awards, virtual assistant, virtual pa training

3 Comments:

Amanda Vlahakis said...: I've applied for/entered about four awards over the years and only been shortlisted once about four years ago.

I sort of can't be bothered now because I always think "What's the point, my business clearly isn't impressive enough" :-))

Defeatist attitude I know!

Good luck at Downing Street!; 04 May 2008 22:14
Alison said...: Congratulations! Which category have you been nominated in? My mum nominated me for the Exceptional Working Mother category and I'm on the shortlist too ..... I'm absolutely terrified!!; 07 May 2008 12:57
Alice Elliott said...: Just wear something smart and comfortable. That's what my mother wore when she collected her MBE from Prince Charles - and she was the only female recipient not wearing a hat.

Congratulations, though. Let us know how you get on. You don't have to curtsy to the PM - thank goodness.; 12 May 2008 17:49

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Thursday, 10 April 2008

Networking – what do you ask?

What’s the first question you ask when you meet someone at a networking event? Or, are you the one answering the questions? Does it vary and does that mean you don’t have a networking strategy? Networking is a first step in building a trusted business relationship but still, in this day and age, people treat it like a glorified raffle – a bit of random selection and hope for the best. I’ve lost count of the number of times I chat to people about a networking event and they say how disappointed they were not to come away with any business. Would you really consider giving someone business when you’ve only just met them and maybe only spent a total of about ten minutes talking to them. I wouldn’t. It’s all about quality not quantity and how you follow-up on that initial meeting, isn’t it?

Labels: networking, virtual assistant, virtual assistant training, virtual pa training

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Wednesday, 2 April 2008

Gordon’s Nightmares – Cooking or Marketing?

Gordon Ramsey’ Kitchen Nightmares – is that about cooking, good business sense or marketing or all combined? It’s interesting that despite the programme being highly predictable it’s not only entertaining, of a sort, but a lesson in marketing. In fact, it’s probably one of the best examples to demonstrate how understanding what a local population wants, and then giving it to them, is really what business is about. Of course, there are may other lessons which are repeated – doing your research, finding your niche and keeping things simple but they are linked to marketing and good business sense. So, is Gordon a fabulous chef or an expert businessman?

Labels: Gordon Ramsey, marketing, virtual assistant, virtual assistant training, virtual pa training

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