Easy Relaxation Tips for Busy VA Moms

July 28, 2010 By

Relaxing at the SpaIt seems like there is no rest of the weary.  And, the weary person is usually mom.  Moms take care of hearth and home, but who takes care of her?  If you are a busy mom, learn to value yourself as a person and schedule personal time.

Personal time is a right of being a person.  Each of us has the capacity to nurture others but that type of care takes its toll.

A car is filled with gas to make it run.  Eventually the gas runs out and your car won’t move unless the car is replenished with fuel.  The same goes for you.  Emotional issues can develop when you don’t take the time to take care of your emotional well-being, not to mention the physical results of emotional neglect.

Mom time refuels the tank so that you can give to your family as well as yourself in equal measure.  Don’t be ashamed to sit for fifteen minutes doing nothing.  In the springtime, relaxing in a hammock under a tree is the perfect getaway from the pressures of the day.  Reading a book for 30 minutes can also seem like heaven to many moms.

Here are a few tips to help you fit in much needed “mom” time:

1. Get up early if you have to.  When you have kids, the day begins at a hurried pace.  Once you hit the ground running, there is no stopping you.  Waking 30 minutes to an hour ahead of time means quiet solitude to drink your coffee, read a book, meditate or listen to music.

2. Turn ordinary experiences into major events.  When you take a bath, add candles, bubble bath, quiet music and/or an inflatable bath pillow.  Your regular bath has now become a spa level experience.  If you watch a movie, turn out the lights, pop a bag of microwave popcorn and curl up on the couch.

3. Ask your significant other for help.  Kids love their mothers but time spent with dad is important too.  Let them bond with dad while you go shopping for a new outfit or root around in the garden.  Since the time is yours, do whatever you like.

4. Use the Boy Scout motto.  Always be prepared and you can spend more time in a relaxed mode.  Fix lunches the night before.  Iron clothes for the next day and place backpacks by the front door so kids can grab them on their way out.  The fewer things you have to do throughout the day, the calmer you will be with your family and not experience burnout.

5. Take exercise breaks.  When you get a few minutes the last thing you want to do is exercise but getting a little physical activity in your day has far-reaching implications.  Exercise helps you to think clearly and stretches the muscles.  Also, stress will drain away as powerful endorphins are released into your system.  Do jumping jacks during a television commercial or jog to the bus stop to pick up the kids.

6. Laugh at regular intervals.  Keep a funny calendar cube on your desk or subscribe to a daily joke site.  Laughing releases stress and can lift your spirits significantly.  It also keeps the abs tight.

Moms, take care of you.  Your family would miss you if you were not around to love and care for them.  You owe it to yourself and you deserve a break from the daily hustle and bustle.

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5 Reasons Why YOU Need a Real Estate Virtual Assistant!

May 3, 2010 By

I found this article today and just wanted to say that it has some very good reasons if YOU’RE needing a Real Estate Virtual Assistant.  And even if your are a Virtual Assistant that has clients that you support in Real Estate these 5 Reasons would be helpful to you as well too!

By now, you’ve hopefully heard about the Real Estate Virtual Assistant. These independent consultants are experts in real estate marketing and new technology for real estate professionals.  They can help you transform your business and provide growth without the commitments and expenses of a traditional on-site marketing assistant. If you’re still not convinced, keep reading for 5 real life examples of why you need a real estate virtual assistant to help take your business to the next level.

1.) You have 3 new listings….and you just promised all 3 sellers that their homes would be effectively displayed online and professionally showcased in print.  Now what?  You’re only one person and you may have just over promised.

Don’t under deliver!  Delegate the marketing efforts to your Real Estate Virtual Assistant!  MLS entry, writing the ad copy, enhancing the photos, ordering your sign rider, creating a visual tour, home brochure and just listed postcard, adding the listing to your website and all of the other top real estate sites, enhancing the listing on REALTOR.com and more.  Done and done.

You get to WOW your seller and how amazing do you look with a marketing team at your fingertips.

2.) You want to enhance your online presence BUT….you don’t know how and even if you did, you don’t have time!  A real estate virtual assistant can  analyze your website and come up with an extensive plan to attain a successful online presence.

The VA’s recommendations can include, but are not limited to: a plan to give your site a makeover (content and look/feel), adding call to actions, incorporating irresistible offers, updates to your navigation and/or page realtor-supporttitles and more!

3.) You’re getting leads from 3 different online sources….and you aren’t keeping in touch with them like you should.  RealSupport uses a 5-phased approach to organize our clients lead campaigns, making the process as automated as possible after the initial setup.

This gives our clients the freedom to go out and sell while their marketing efforts never slow down.  Armed with the pre-built email library template emails, we will tweak them and also write additional campaign emails as needed.

Tweaking and/or re-writing the pre-built template emails is absolutely necessary to ensure your emails are perceived as “personally written” AND geared toward your target market, vs. generic/canned auto emails.

4.) You setup a blog but you’re not a writer…..and you just don’t know what to write about.  As  a business owner, you know that getting your name to page one on that search engine results page is one of the most sought-after goals.

One of the best ways to improve search engine rankings is by Blogging. Your real estate virtual assistant can write blogs for you, incorporating and linking your relevant key words back to your website. You can even give your VA a list of topics that you want them to write about and they can pick and choose from your list.  If you don’t have a preference on blog topics, your VA should be creative and innovative in choosing what to write about.

Blogging consistently is KEY to better search engine rankings. Discuss your desired key words with your real estate virtual assistant. If you don’t even have blog yet, don’t worry.  This is something else your virtual assistant can handle. From the initial setup and customization to regular informative and interesting postings, delegate it all to your VA!

5.) You have 6 listings under contract BUT….you don’t have time to keep track of all of the important dates and deadlines.  A real estate virtual assistant can handle your Transaction Management – from contract to close!

Congratulations, the sale’s gone through! Now, your work is just beginning. Handling all the details of a buying and/or selling transaction, from contract through closing, is a time-consuming process that eats into the time you could be spending drumming up new business.

It couldn’t be easier: You send the transaction information along with all supporting documents as well as contact info for all involved parties to your VA and he/she will take over the entire closing process.

Your real estate virtual assistant  can handle all the phone calls and email correspondence, keeping you up-to-date every step of the way. Make sure your VA is using some type of   transaction management software.

Most VAs use online systems such as Settlement Room to manage the real estate transactions. Settlement Room allows your the VA to keep track of your closing checklist and all important dates and deadlines. All involved parties are invited into the transaction online and they can view all documents that have been uploaded, everyone’s contact information as well as any notes that we have added. If an issue arises that requires a licensed agent, your VA should contact you.  You can feel confident that your transaction is being handled professionally and efficiently, from contract to close!

But like for Reason 3, I use Constant Contact and some others which are helpful as well in helping my clients with their leads and keeping them in one place!  For Reason 6 their are other Real Estate programs like RELAY to use as your Online Systems for Transaction Management software and using Docusign with the RELAY is even sweeter!  I just wanted to put my two cents worth in regarding some of the programs that I happen to use as well! Hope you enjoy reading this and have a great day!  Please let us know if we can be of service to you in YOUR Real Estate support!

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WAHM: Your Ticket to Being Home with the Kids & Earning an Income for Your Family

February 23, 2010 By

Have you ever dreamed of a job where you could spend time with your family and earn money at the same time?  Most traditional jobs don’t offer that.  But, becoming a WAHM could be your ticket to your dream.  But, before embarking on such a quest, here is some helpful information detailing what it’s all about.

WAHM?

Just what do these letters stand for?  WAHM stands for Work At Home Mom. Over the past 20 years, more and more women have come out of the workplace and gone back into the home.

The decision hasn’t been an easy one.  It became apparent a long time ago that men were the only ones being allowed to “have their cake and eat it too.”  They could pursue a corporate career and still come home in the evenings to the family.

Women with careers had a different path to follow. Besides working longer hours to achieve the same pay and credibility as their male counterparts, they also had to contend with the housework and the kids.  After a long day at the office and doing the household chores, the kids sadly got what was left over which was usually a very worn out mother.

That has since changed.  WAHMs are proving everyday that women can contribute to the family financial situation and nurture their families.   Both online and off, a network of support has been created for any woman who wants to consider an option that will help them meet their needs.

How to get started?

When you talk to your family about the possibility you want to have an idea of the direction you will take.  Check out sites like justaddsweat.com, internetbasedmoms.com, wahmtalkradio.com, and vanetworking.com.  They offer helpful hints to moms getting started with a work at home enterprise and also a network of opportunities for connecting with other WAHMs.

If your income has been a big part of the monthly family finances, then switching to a work at home enterprise will cause your finances to take a hit. Be sure there is enough financial cushion in your bank account to weather the first six months of your new career.  It will take time to establish your business.

Opportunities

First, figure out your interests and skills.   WAHMs can find business opportunities to work for someone else doing everything from audio transcription to writing articles to accounting.   Be aware that there are scams about and that legitimate companies looking for professionals won’t ask for money upfront from you.

Some WAHMs carve out their own niche and begin an online business.   If you are skilled with crafting, you can create a website to promote your crafts and sell products.   A blog is also another idea. Blog about your area of expertise and develop a following.   Combine that with affiliate or search engine marketing to generate revenue.

Making it work

With new career comes the issue of balance between home and work.   Just because you are home doesn’t mean you won’t need help around the house or time away from the kids in order to work.   Consider these tips for creating a balance:

•    Develop a set schedule for work and play on a weekly basis
•    Discuss dividing up household chores between you, your spouse, and older kids
•    Do pre-work such as fixing lunches, prepping breakfast, choosing clothing the night before
•    Hire a babysitter once or twice a week
•    Separate home office space inside the house

There are advantages to being a WAHM.   Plan carefully and be patient. Support from your family makes all the difference.  Believe me I truly do know too!   I choose to become a WAHM due to wanting to stay home with my son and boy has it ever paid off he is grown into a wonderful young man and in college now and making me really proud!

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2010 – Don’t Think Social Media, Think Relationships

January 25, 2010 By

2010 is not going to be the year of social media. 2010 is going to be the year of relationships. Yes, it will be the social media toolset that invigorates relationships. There is a subtle mindset that will separate winners and losers.

At the end of last year I had a conversation with a senior executive about bringing a social media strategy to his global company. Referring to his colleagues, he said, “We have to make them understand that social media is more than just Twitter and Facebook.” Social media is not about catching the hype of Twitter and Facebook, but connecting with your customers and building relationships. There should be a social media strategy and plan before jumping on the bandwagon!

The strategy must be about building relationships with potential customers, and strengthening relationships with existing customers. Do not think of social media as an advertising and promotion vehicle, but rather a relationship builder. How do you build relationships in your personal life? Transfer this “skill set” to your professional social media activity.

Social media is often viewed as a marketing endeavor. For the most part this makes sense, but I would not limit social media to being in the hands of the marketing group. When I think of social media, I am reminded of a quote many years back from David Packard (cofounder of HP) – “Marketing is far too iSocial media = customer relationships. Thus, social media is not just a “marketing thing.” In a company, who is concerned with Building beyond social mediacustomer relationships? Hopefully you answered everyone. This means that every department should have visibility to the social media program and provide information or monitor activities related to their domain expertise with a focus on how their functional area affects relationships with customers.

If you want a winning social media program – the owner of the social media program in your company must design a program that is customer-centric. They should not focus on advertising, promotion, and certainly not selling. Relationship building in a social media context is about traversing your customer along the “A-Path” – Attention > Attraction > Affinity > Audience > Advocate, as I have previous written about important to leave to the marketing department.”

Bottom line – use social media to build strong relationships. People usually buy things from people they feel comfortable with. Reinforce your customers’ buying decisions by continuously delivering valuable information through social media outlets in your brand domain expertise. This will build loyal relationships and ultimately turn your customers into advocates – the strongest marketing engine possible.

Article written by SocialSteve’s Blog http://bit.ly/7SeAOP

I wanted to post this on my blog due my agreeing with Steve and feel that he made some very good points about building relationships with social media and that it would help you to feel more comfortable with your clients and building your loyalty with them!

Hopefully you will think about how a Virtual Assistant can help  your company in assisting your social media marketing and let me know if I can be of any service to you!  Hope you have a wonderful day!  Happy reading..

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NAR and DocuSign Partner on E-Signatures

November 20, 2009 By

I think this is a wonderful thing and have clients that use DocuSign and just love it!  So I am recommending that you may want to look into this program.

An ability to sign bids and closing documents online will allow REALTORS® to respond to buyers and sellers in a more timely manner, as the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® today announced a business alliance with DocuSign, a provider of on-demand electronic signature solutions.

The relationship makes DocuSign the official and exclusive provider of ESIGN services for NAR’s 1.2 million members under the REALTOR Benefits® Program, and is designed to provide unique offers to NAR members through its new “ESIGN Advantage Promotion for REALTORS®.”

“This unique value proposition will help REALTORS®, their clients and customers and the real estate business community use technology to their advantage,” said Bob Goldberg, senior vice president of Marketing & Business Development, Commercial Services and Business Specialties for NAR.
“We’ve selected DocuSign because they have demonstrated real value to our members and have already established themselves as a market leader in the real estate segment. We are very excited that DocuSign is offering members access to a customized service through the REALTOR Benefits® Program.”

Safe and secure, the DocuSign e-signature process is also easy to use and legally compliant, Goldberg said. Rather than driving across town to get a signature or forcing their clients to find a fax machine, real estate professionals can use DocuSign to execute agreements with buyers and sellers electronically, eliminating the old process of printing, faxing, and waiting for the return fax. REALTORS® can speed up sales transactions, increase client satisfaction and maintain a competitive edge.

NAR’s REALTOR Benefits® Program offers practical solutions for REALTORS® on the products and services they use every day. The program includes offerings from nearly 30 companies, in a variety of categories, recognized as leaders in their respective industries.

“Real estate has been one of DocuSign’s fastest-growing markets, and we will continue to deliver innovative valuable solutions that help real estate professionals be more productive and grow their businesses,” said Dave Thorpe, director of Business Development at DocuSign. “We are excited to make this special offer to the REALTOR® community and participate in NAR’s REALTOR Benefits® Program. We view this endorsement as a testament to the value of DocuSign that America’s largest trade association has selected it as the exclusive e-signature solution under the REALTOR Benefits® Program for its 1.2 million members.”

DocuSign will provide special pricing and offers to REALTORS® through the program and is currently offering a special promotion to REALTORS® through December 31 to launch the relationship. The DocuSign ESIGN Advantage Promotion includes a special price on a unique version of DocuSign that includes not only all the capabilities of DocuSign for Real Estate Standard Edition, but also custom branding that will enable NAR members to tailor their account for a more personalized client experience, and will work with real estate forms applications including DocuSign’s integration with ZipForm 6.

The cost for the promotion will be as low as $13.95 per user/month (annual commitment) or $17.95 per user/month (month-to-month). REALTORS® who sign up for this promotion before the end of the year can save as much as 21 percent on the best available monthly subscription rates and will have a risk-free 30-day money back guarantee.

For more information on the ESIGN Program for REALTORS®, visit docusign.com/nar, or phone 866-219-4318.

Source: NAR

http://www.realtor.org/RMODaily.nsf/pages/News2009111902?OpenDocument

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10 Things A VA Can Do For Your Business

October 8, 2009 By

Have you ever wondered, “What exactly is that Virtual Assistant that you keep hearing so much about?” The answer is simple. A Virtual Assistant, or VA, is an administrative professional who provides immediate professional support, services, and skills to busy entrepreneurs and business managers via the Internet.

But “What can a Virtual Assistant do for me?” is a little more complicated.   The ways in which a VA can help you and your business are as unique and diverse as the individual VAs are themselves.   To help narrow down the possibilities, the Virtual Assistants at the Virtual Assistant Networking Association (VANA) forum, http://www.VAnetworking.com were asked to list the top 10 things they could do for their clients.   This is what they said.

1.   A VA can assist you with marketing support, increasing you clientele and freeing up valuable time to service your customers.   They also can handle all your marketing and publicity helping you to spread the word about your product or services.

2.   Many Virtual Assistants specialize in web design and search engine optimization.  Once you work with a VA, they know your business inside and out, who better to help you prepare your website.

3.   A Virtual Assistant can make your next presentation shine by giving it that polished professional presentation which is sure to capture your audience and promote all your products and services.

4.   A Virtual Assistant can be instrumental in proofing, editing, and typing all your correspondence, pleadings, manuscripts, etc., thus allowing a more professional edge to all your business communications.

5.   A Virtual Assistant can take over all your bookkeeping, bills and accounts payable.  Let them worry about payroll so you can worry about the important tasks of running your business.

6.   A Virtual Assistant can plan your next company event or outing providing for an enjoyable and memorable time for all.   Think how much more enjoyable it can be when the burden of planning is removed.

7.   Because VAs work on an “as needed basis” and only when you have work, hiring a VA can save you money.   Clients only pay for the work done, and don’t have to pay for benefits, equipment, or supplies.   What a cost savings that can be.
8.   A VA can save you space because s/he work from his/her office as an independent contractor.

9.   Hiring a VA can save you time because you will not have to spend time hiring an employee or temporary help, as well as training the new staff.

10.   A Virtual Assistant can schedule your appointments, manage your calendar, organize your desk, and make running a business that much smoother.

And Lots more…

I truly am glad that I did some research on this back in early 2006 and started my own Virtual Administrative Assistant business and love the fact that I get to work at home and not have to face those terrible traffic commutes!  And if I need to be off for family I can be!  I just rework my schedule or take time off as needed.  I really do LOVE this job, and especially being my own boss!  If you have any questions please feel free to email me at lvsolutions@windstream.net anytime!

Have a great day!  And thanks for reading…

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Using Social Media Requires Strategy

September 17, 2009 By

After plenty of time spent exploring the vast array of Social Media offerings online the temptation is great to be everywhere at once.  Usually the outcome, especially when you’re trying to do this yourself, is abandonment since it quickly becomes overwhelming.  The old paradox of choice rules the day. The more choices offered the lower the number of decisions.  This is especially true in business since the fear attached to losing money, time and resources adds to the anxiety and amplifies all the psychology already attached to this phenomenon.

As with any type of advertising or marketing, a strategy and clear plan for implementation is required to enjoy the greatest return on investment.  Finding a clear set of steps to execute in employing Social Media on your own can be a very daunting task since there aren’t nearly so many resources available on this topic as there are showcasing all of the available tools and suggested tactics.   You have so many choices.

Social Media is simply a new way to perform an old task, getting the word out to a particular group of people about a product, service, event, etc.  Just as with all forms of traditional advertising, employing Social Media requires a clearly defined set of steps that will be followed, methods for measuring effectiveness and predefined steps that will be taken based on the results of these measurements.

How much one is able to measure effectiveness will  depend on resources of time, skill level and money. Before measurements can be meaningful, setting goals for each step, establishing timelines, and a daily map of tactics should be in place.  How can you know if your being effective if you don’t know specifically what you are trying to do and if it is realistic?

All of this sounds very complex when you take into account how many tools are available and that the list of goals, steps, and strategies can be dissected in so many ways.  Enter the choices paradox sited earlier, you  become paralyzed with the overwhelming amount of choices, lack of clear direction and decide this isn’t looking so appealing now.  How can anybody make any money this way?

What is needed is a shift in thinking.  Approaching this is no different than any other project, it must be pared down to a manageable level.  Eat the elephant one tiny bite at a time by defining what is realistic for you in strategyterms of time, money and expectations, establish a clear plan to implement, monitor, adjust as needed and make additional investments over an extended period.  There are many reports of overnight successes using Social Media but a lot of variables are in play that mean one size will not fit all and we should expect a lot of differences from one project to the next in terms of results and how they are achieved.

Think back, does this sound familiar?  This is exactly the same information you receive from counsel in using other forms of marketing isn’t it?  The only real difference here is you have an opportunity to apply sweat equity, your own time and determination, and reach a tremendous amount of people directly.

What is the catch?  We all know there is no such thing as a free lunch.  You must learn how the tools work, have a clear plan for using them and have the time to invest.  Otherwise you’re left with hiring someone else to do it and it is now essentially the same as any other marketing vehicle.   You now have an additional effective means of reaching people on the Internet, along with print, television, radio, email, PPC (Internet advertising), banner ads on the Internet, your website, and direct mail.  Social Media is not free – it requires either your time and skill investment or hired time and skill from an employee or vendor.

Developing a plan first, then inserting the steps you will take to test, adjust, cultivate and maintain it are absolute requirements.  If you have the basics of a working knowledge of a few of the major Social Media platforms down pat, the next step is setting up the plan to use them separately and in a synchronized medley for a streamlined, efficient marketing effort.

The good news is this can be done on a very small scale to start, growing over time with your skills and available resources.

Date : September 4th, 2009Category : Social MediaAuthor : Lisa Isbell

Tags: Social Media, Internet Marketing, Internet advertising, Social Marketing

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Filed Under: Social Networking

Three Ways to Use Tweetdeck to Improve Your Twitter Experience

August 19, 2009 By

Recently, Tweetdeck announced an upgrade and this made a lot of people very, very happy.  The reason?  Tweetdeck used to experience some bugs and Adobe Air did not make that any easier.  Now, Tweetdeck is back with an improved interface and a fabulous new iPhone app.

However, some people are still perplexed at why one should use Tweetdeck over just going straight to a browser, accessing it via a mobile device or using something over Tweetdeck.

Here are three ways to use Tweetdeck to improve your Twitter experience:tweetdeck

1. Categorize Your Twitter Followers

Tweetdeck has these things called “groups” and you can setup as many of them as you want.  Once setup, you have the ability to then list them in columns for easy access and so you can see them at all times.  Some of the columns I recommend include: clients, team, favorites, tech tips, etc.  Categorize the things that are most important so you can converse with your rock stars in a much easier way.

2. Use Tweetdeck to Clear Replies You’ve Seen

Do you ever find your @ replies just get to be overwhelming?  If so, use Tweetdeck to “mark them as read” so that you know you’ve either seen it or actioned it and you can now move on.  The worst thing about the browser interface is that you can often forget if you’ve replied or not and then spend a lot of time going back into your history. Tweetdeck eliminates that.

3. Setup Notifications to Play When Tweets Come In Directed at You

Now, some people may find this distracting but as more and more people use Twitter as their primary means of communication, you can use Tweetdeck to be notified immediately as to when someone mentions your name or messages you directly. This will help you stay on the top of your game without being too distracted by e-mail and telephone.

These are just three ways that you can use Tweetdeck to improve your Twitter experience.  It helps with automation, ease of use and helps to keep that conversation going.

——————

Erin Blaskie is the owner of Business Services, ETC – A Global Internet Marketing & Implementation Firm. Her company helps businesses from around the world take their practice online and create huge success using various internet marketing tactics. Erin herself has been featured in three print books (”Becoming an Online Business Manager” by Tina Forsyth, “My So-Called Freelance Life” by Michelle Goodman, and “The Official AWE Emerging Trends Guide 2009” compiled by the Association of Web Entrepreneurs), honored as Office Arrow’s 2008 Runner-Up Business Woman of the Year, interviewed by countless gurus and media personalities (John Jantsch of Duct Tape Marketing, Sheri McConnell, Stacy Karacostas, Gina McNew) and featured in major news publications (ABCNews.com, Ottawa Citizen and Employment Journal).

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