Getting Things Done – To Do List Software

Posted by Denise Griffitts on Oct 15, 2010 in Internet Mastery | 2 comments

When I was thinking about entrepreneurial productivity, I polled my virtual assistance team on their favorite productivity tools. The number-one answer: “To-Do” lists!

I was surprised at the number of computer science degree techy-types who owned up to using the old-fashioned pen and paper to create their lists. I admit freely to being on this list! There is something very emotionally satisfying about old-fashioned pen and ink list making. However, in our very fast-pasted high-tech virtual world, we may want to reserve the old-fashioned way for making our Christmas lists.

What to-do list program works best will depend on a number of things, including:

• Are your entries simple tasks or complex projects?
• Do you want to group or code tasks together?
• Is the list just for you, or will you be managing and assigning tasks to others?
• How do you want to archive completed tasks?
• Where will you access your list: On your computer, remotely, or on your iPhone?
• Do you want to track just the task, or additional elements like time, priority, etc.?

There are dozens of to-do tools available, including the following:

Ta-da List
Looking for basic list capability without a lot of jazz to distract you? Then Ta-Da Lists is the answer to your prayers! Create multiple lists, share them with others, and download them to your iPhone. Free service.  Find out more here.

Remember The Milk
This is like a To-Do list on steroids with interfaces for Google Calendar and apps for Twitter, the iPhone, and the Android. Set up reminder messages to be sent via IM or email, share  tasks with others, and set priorities. Free service.  Find out more here.

TeuxDeux
With its pared-down, drag-and-drop interface, you can get started with TeuxDeux’s to-do list immediately. An iPhone app is underway, but for now it’s entirely browser-based, which means it’s accessible from any Internet-enabled computer. Free service.  Find out more at here.

Toodledo
Assign priorities, tags, and deadlines, set goals, create folders, and collaborate with others via Toodledo. A robust list function lets you store all your lists and notes together. Free service.  Find out more here.

Gmail lists
If you’re already a Gmail convert, add to-do lists to your mix. Convert Gmail to tasks, integrate with your calendar, and access from your mobile device. Free service. Find out more here.

While all the bells and whistles may make your eyes glow, remember that the easier the program, the more likely you will be to use it – and that’s the end goal!

If you have a terrific to-do list that you use and recommend, please share it with us!

Ask Denise Griffitts Teleseminar

Posted by Denise Griffitts on Mar 19, 2010 in Internet Mastery, Virtual Assistance Industry | 0 comments

Ask Denise Griffitts Your Virtual Assistance Industry Questions

As a virtual entrepreneur, virtual assistant or remote contractor, have you made your offshore competition irrelevant?

Do you live in fear that you current or potential clients will decide that outsourcing to an offshore Virtual Assistance company might be something that is interesting to them?

In their official report, 52% of all Office and Administrative Support Occupations are classified as HIGH or MIDDLE ranked jobs likely to be outsourced.  As a virtual entrepreneur, virtual assistant or remote contractor, have you made your offshore competition irrelevant?

You are personally invited to join me and Development Expert Tony Bodoh  for a free teleseminar where we will share real strategies that you can use today to increase your value and ensure that your clients don’t offshore your livelihood.

Thank you and I look forward to talking to you on the 19th!

Denise Griffitts

Register Here

When: Friday, March 19, 2010.

Time: 11 am Pacific / 12 pm Mountain / 1 pm Central / 2 pm Eastern.  Please be on time! We always begin promptly according to http://www.time.gov/so mark your calendar and be sure to call-in a few minutes early so you’re not pre-empted by other teleseminar callers.

Where: Your home office telephone.

Submit your questions prior to the call here. We will do our best within the time constraints of the call to answer as many of your questions as we can.

Weekly Recommended Resources

Posted by Denise Griffitts on Feb 26, 2010 in Internet Mastery, Virtual Assistance Industry | 0 comments

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!

Invest In Career Training and Ongoing Education

Posted by Denise Griffitts on Oct 15, 2009 in Internet Mastery, Virtual Assistance Industry | 1 comment

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.

Ask Denise Griffitts Your Virtual Assistant Industry Questions

Posted by Denise Griffitts on Sep 1, 2009 in Internet Mastery, Virtual Assistance Industry | 0 comments

FREE teleseminar tonight!

Do you struggle, strive, work, and wish for more virtual assistant clients, better paying clients… and still not have as much as you need and want? With the economy failing, companies making cutbacks, and your financial future at stake, you might be feeling pretty grim.  But don’t even think about throwing in the towel. There are plenty of opportunities out there – opportunities to attract the type of clients  you love working with and who love working with you.

If you had 60 seconds to ask Denise Griffitts one question about the virtual assistance industry what would it be?

Join us for a LIVE 60 minute teleseminar Tuesday, Sept 1, 2009

This call will be recorded but will not be made available for download so to speak directly with Denise you must be on the call.

DATE & TIME: Tuesday, September 1 at 7:00pm Central (5 pm PST/ 6 PM MST / 7 PM CST/ 8 PM EST)

FORMAT: Simulcast! (Attend via Phone or Webcast — it’s your choice)

EVENT:  Ask Denise Griffitts FREE teleseminar