Weekly Recommended Resources

I get so many requests for tips and advice on the resources that my Virtual Assistance and Web Development companies use that it seems a great idea to publish a weekly resource.

These are online resources that will help you develop, gain knowledge, find new information and absorb new ideas.

Enjoy!

This Weeks Recommended Resource

WordPress Tip of the Day is a free video podcast from the “Internet Genius” Ben Cope that delivers high-quality video training for WordPress in 5 minutes or less every day in a format that is easy to follow, easy to understand, and always free!

Does Your Business Phone Accept All Callers?

Quick question. Does your small or home-based business lose potential business or miss connections with a potential client by refusing to answers callers with a blocked number?

This post is going to explore how accessible your business phone should be.

Recently I was given a couple of recommendations for (insert service here) by somebody whose judgment I trust. I called both people and had no problems at all connecting with the first person on that very short list.

However, the second recommended business person would not allow my blocked number call to go through. Now understand that my phone number is blocked for some very legitimate reasons, one being that if my direct phone number became widely known, I would never get anything done. That number is given to my clients and team members. Period. My toll free number is published on all my websites/blogs and is embedded into my business emails. We are easy to get in touch with!

Now, I really did want to speak with this person about a project for a client and just kept going down the numbers given me until I reached a toll free number where I was relieved to be able to leave a message. That was three days ago.

This is where the accessibility question comes in.

Today my call was finally returned and when I mildly expressed my concern with not being able to reach this person’s business phone I was treated to fairly huffy explanation of their reasons. When I explained why my number is blocked (remember now, I have several reasons, all of them legitimate) the response was, “Well that’s weird.” Not a great start to a working relationship.

So my question is, why would a business, whether brick and mortar, or home-based block callers who may not want to show their phone number right away? Isn’t this where voice mail become a wonderful business tool? I have to wonder just how much potential business this person is actively turning away by refusing to accept calls.

Your thoughts?

**You have permission to reprint in your publication or to your website/blog any articles by Denise Griffitts found on this Website as long as Denise Griffitt’s name and contact information is included. Denise Griffitts, Virtual Assistance Industry Expert, http://internetmasteryblog.com, info @ virtualassistantindustry.com, 888-719-6711.

“Toni – The Perfect Administrative Professional”

I admit it…. I am an absolute sucker for Southern humor. I find most Southern humorists deliciously and uproariously funny. Jeff Foxworthy, Bill Engvall, Ron White, Larry the Cable Guy, Rodney Carrington and Jon Reep are all on my all-time favorites list.

I recently came across Jeanne Robertson who leaves me rocking back on my heels from sheer enjoyment of her humor and wit. In this clip she is discussing her assistant Toni Meredith who is clearly somebody any service professional, whether onsite or virtual, should emulate. I often pontificate on the absolutely critical need for superb customer service, but Jeanne explains it so much better than I ever could!

Enjoy!

To find more Jeanne Robertson videos click here. I would LOVE to hear your reactions to these video clips!

Invest In Career Training and Ongoing Education

As a very busy Virtual Assistance firm, we receive hundreds of resumes and inquiries from people who have decided that the Virtual Assistance Industry is something that is very interesting to them. The unfortunate truth is that only rarely receive do we receive a resume that outlines the skills, hard and soft, that my firm requires. In fact, this one crossed my desk this morning.

I am interested in becoming a VA. How does this work? Do you send the work to me weekly or are there larger, longer term projects to be had?

Please let me know – thank you!

Clearly this person has no concept at all about what it is that we do. I hate to admit that we are seeing more and more of this type of resume which is what prompted me to write this article. People are losing their jobs at a truly frightening pace and turning to the internet to either supplement or replace their income and the Virtual Assistance Industry on the face of it looks like something that could be easy and fun to do.

Job seekers are reading online that there is a very high demand for Virtual Assistants without understanding what the qualifications and skill sets are that set us apart from our competition. Simply possessing entry level office skills does not an entrepreneur make and that is exactly what we are. We are highly trained, highly competent, highly motivated professionals who regularly self-invest in career training, certifications and continuing education.

One of the best pieces of advice that I ever received is this: “Invest in yourself”.

When employment opportunities are scarce, investing in yourself can mean continuing your education, staying on the cutting edge of your chosen field or developing a new area of expertise. In any case, investing in yourself requires time, energy and often a financial commitment. Self-employed professionals who pursue continuing education stay on the frontiers of their fields more effectively. Their pursuit of new knowledge signals to clients that they take nothing for granted, that they are not stagnant and they are working daily to self-improve. When you invest in your own career training you are increasing your market skills and will earn consistently high professional fees.

While there is no formal path to training for small business ownership or entrepreneurship, training with successful professionals can give you a helpful edge in your market. As more companies and individuals rely on new technology and the internet to do business, job growth in the Virtual Assistance Industry is expected to grow rapidly.

My colleague’s advice, offered so many years ago, continues to ring true. We must invest in ourselves and, as a corollary, in our employees and team members in order to reap maximum returns.

Virtual Assistance University

Virtual Assistance Certification Training

The Virtual Assistance University is a collaboration of experts from a variety of backgrounds. Some of the faculty members are virtual assistants, web developers, WordPress platform experts, social media marketing experts, technologists, profit growth consultants, sales trainers and business development coaches. We even have a nationally renowned Psychologist who will teach you how to overcome fear and self-resistance. Each faculty member contributes years of practical experience to accelerate your growth and success.

The Virtual Assistant Certification course is a structured 20 week performance improvement program in which goals are set, actions are taken and results are realized. You will be provided with a performance plan, a disciplined implementation process, daily measurement systems, and a very unique accountability process along with specific tasks, tactics, tools and strategies to attain your business goals.

Social Media Marketing Certification Course

During the course of this 4 week intensive course you will learn how to balance your online social media marketing efforts. Every online marketing campaign needs balance. To stay relevant with your core audience, you need to interact with them and create impressions across several marketing channels. By experiencing the brand’s message across several marketing channels, the likelihood of being able to recall the brand (you) and your message is greatly increased.

Have questions about the Virtual Assistance Industry? Email them to me at info @ virtualassistantindustry.com.

 **You have permission to reprint in your publication or to your website/blog any articles by Denise Griffitts found on this Website as long as Denise Griffitt’s name and contact information is included. Denise Griffitts, Virtual Assistance Industry Expert, http://internetmasteryblog.com, info @ virtualassistantindustry.com, 888-719-6711.