Everywhere you turn these days people are telling you to offer your clients what they WANT not what they NEED. On-line marketing ‘experts’ are even selling us expensive programs and systems to help us discover what our clients WANT so that we can offer them what they WANT and… make more mo*ney. It starting to feel like the word NEED had almost become taboo – heaven forbid we dare to offer our clients what they NEED – we should never do that.

Everyone seems to be caught up in this ‘mantra’ and no-one seems to be really questioning it or at least not publicly. I’m questioning it.

This all started with a conversation I was having with Karen Skidmore (of CandoCanbe in the UK) over on her blog where I suggested that perhaps those of us that are nurturing by nature and/or involved in teaching tend to want to give someone what we know from experience they need whereas someone in sales is more hard nosed and quite comfortable just offering clients what they want.

Here’s a real life example – I’m often approached by people I know in Montreal asking me for help in preparing a business plan or getting their business started except – they haven’t even validated their business idea or checked whether they would be able to raise enough money to fund it. Now if you’re Sir Richard Branson then sure you can just jump in – there’s money in the kitty and a raft of experts to support the venture,  but the average person starting a business cannot afford to jump in only to discover that there’s insufficient demand for the product or service they want to offer or the price tag would not enable the business to be sustainable.

A few weeks ago Ed Dale (of the 30-day challenge) said: The biggest mistake people make is that they rush in and build a business based on an idea they are attached to, without doing the necessary research to determine the viability of that idea. I was so happy when I read this. I’m thinking Hallelujah – let’s hope thousands of people read this and realise that it takes as much energy and time to launch a successful business as an unsuccessful one so, may as well make it a successful one. I shared this in my FB status and the debate began ending in wholehearted agreement that people should check out the viability of a business idea before they start the business.

This then takes us back to my point about whether to offer your client what they WANT or what they NEED. Those of us who have been in the world  of business start-ups for a good number of years know you NEED to validate your business idea but we also know that the average person WANTS to start a business – today and is not going to start validating or evaluating anything. So – do we help them with what they WANT – perhaps a full blown and not inexpensive business plan when a feasibility study that takes less time, costs less is really what they NEED. And if we do – what are we ? we’re giving them want they WANT after all – the gurus would tell  us we are SERVING our customers.  Sorry ! but I really don’t think you’re serving anyone ….except yourself. You’re serving yourself to money by providing a service someone WANTS but does not NEED. You ARE however, serving your customer if you explain that they need to validate their business idea as a first priority. Even if this loses you income in the short term, in the long term that client will remember you were honest and professional  and saved them money and they’ll recommend you to others.

So here’s a question for you:  if we give clients what they want, we make money BUT we are not serving them honestly & ethically if we know they need something else. So…should we change to a new mantra – help your client understand what they need don’t give them what they want ?

Oh and here’s a second question – how do we get people to understand that what they WANT is not always what they NEED ?

About the author:
This post was provided by a fellow Brit – Gillian Pritchett – who mostly lives over in Canada. Gillian had a very successful international corporate career and now devotes her time and talents to helping people start and grow their own business. She’s one of THE go-to person when you need sound business advice; help in generating and evaluating your business ideas; guidance on putting together your business plan; low and no cost marketing strategies; getting up to speed and all set up on social media. And she’ll never give you want you want – only what you need ! Check her blog over at www.gillianpritchett.com/blog.

There was a time that there seemed no way of avoiding this.  Many small businesses, especially in the ‘start up’ phase can’t afford a full time personal assistant.  However, as the business grows, the mountains of paperwork also grow and most business owners soon feel the frustration of having to work in their business, rather than on it.  For continued advancement, business owners need harness this growth and not feel overwhelmed by it.  With the introduction of technology, along came the idea and flexibility of the Virtual Assistant which allows business owners to take full advantage of administration support, only if and when they need it.

At first, it is probably not obvious just how much a virtual assistant can change your business life.  Run your eyes over this list and have a think about how many of these questions you answer yes to.

•    Are you throwing all your invoices and receipts in a folder to put into an excel spreadsheet later – when you have time?
•    Are your contacts’ business card sitting in a pile on your desk ready for your database you plan to create?
•    Have you been meaning to get to that letter you would like to send out to local businesses?
•    Have you got plans to run a seminar but just don’t know where to begin? And then there are invites, venue bookings, name badges etc.

These are just a few examples of the work I have been doing recently with my clients, all small business owners like yourself.  Make a list of all of the tasks that are robbing your time.  Which of these tasks, if you had support, would you be happy to hand over?  Your VA can even assist with these tasks as a once off, or can take over these tasks on an on-going basis.

It might be at only certain times of the year that you feel under pressure.  Maybe a few hours a week would give you that window of opportunity to work on growing your business.  Remember, a VA is totally flexible and not a permanent employee.  He/she only charges for the time they take to complete a task and for bigger jobs or on-going work, are able to provide an upfront project cost.

About the author:
Tina Litte is the owner of My Virtual Assistant, an Australian based virtual assistance business providing secretarial and administrative support for small to medium business owners.  To find out more about My Virtual Assistant please visit www.myvirtualassistant.com.au

Whether you’re a solopreneur or a large company a Facebook page allows you to create a presence for your business, web site, product, services and actively promote them.

Some of the significant differences between a Facebook Profile and Facebook Page are:
•    you have “fans” rather than “friends” and there are no restrictions on how many
•    you can send these fans news about your business, engage with them in discussion, share links to articles you know they will find useful
•    you can feed your Blog Posts onto your  Page  using the Facebook Notes application
•    you can import your YouTube videos using the YouTube Video Box application
•    if you have more than 25 fans you can have a vanity URL
•    Pages are indexed by Google
•    you can gather user analytics and data

But here’s the coolest thing of all – you can enhance your Facebook Page with the use of HTML – a rare thing on social media sites. You can create a custom landing page using the Static FBML (Facebook Mark up Language – a sub-set of HTML) application. You can rearrange the tabs and rename them. You can upload an image (your photo or logo or a poster about your organisation) measuring 200 x 600 pixels -  now that really makes an impression.

But first of all you need to create a Page so let’s take a look at that…

Setting up your Facebook Page
Go to your Home page, in the left hand column click on Adverts and Pages, then click on Create Page (see this screen shot as this is a bit obscure to be honest).

Then you need to decide how you will classify your Page. If you’re a bricks and mortar business look through the drop down options to find the one that fits best. If you’re a business, organisation or web site with a national or international presence, take a look through the “Brand, Product or Organization” options. Of course if you’re famous – well – then it’s a no-brainer !

Having got your Page set up you now need to customise it – make it yours. I subscribe to a lot of blogs related to marketing and social media so I picked some of the best posts that will be of help to you when you are ready to start customising that Facebook Page of yours.

Enhancing your Page
As I’ve already mentioned, the Static FBML application allows Facebook page administrators to create custom boxes and tabs on their pages. For me the best post on this is from a big favourite of mine – the Social Media Examiner.  In How to Customize Your Facebook Page Using Static FBML, Nick Shim provides a how-to guide on adding the application to your Facebook page and making effective use of it.
Meanwhile Darren Rowse over at Problogger adds some further details that are worth reading : How to Create a FaceBook Landing Page for Your Blog

In How to create a bootylicious Facebook Page John Haydon (who focuses on social media for not for profits) provides some great tips for creating a Facebook fan page to stand out from the crowd.

Ching Ya again at the Social Media Examiner looks at  9 Ways to Enhance Your Facebook Fan Page including “testimonial page” to “ newsletter opt-in”.

There’s a load of great information out there – if you want even more check out the amazing list from the Interactive Insights Group – Ultimate Guide to Facebook Pages.

About the author:
This post was provided by a fellow Brit – Gillian Pritchett – who mostly lives over in Canada. Gillian had a very successful international corporate career and now devotes her time and talents to helping people start and grow their own business. She’s one of THE go-to person when you need sound business advice; help in generating and evaluating your business ideas; guidance on putting together your business plan; low and no cost marketing strategies; getting up to speed and all set up on social media. Check her blog over at www.gillianpritchett.com/blog.


But fear not.  This space will be taken up with some great guest posts from my on-line colleagues.

I hope you’ll stay tuned for insights in to social media marketing, admin tips how to’s and much, much more.

I’ll be back mid-September, with parents in tow, to a full in-box and exciting Autumn to look forward to.

Best wishes, beijos,

Emma.

I’m sure this summer has seen more mobile phones, Blackberries & lap tops on the beach than usual.  Not only is the access to Wifi and mobile broadband more prolific, (so that if you REALLY want to take your work with you, you can), but companies are still working with tightened belts, which means a number of core services are having to be performed by the CEO.

By which I mean answering the phone.

I’ve never understood it myself.  Why would you take your work on holiday with you when there’s cost effective, efficient short term management services available?

1. How to avoid Sand in your phone – get a call answering service. If you want someone to take calls on your behalf, over a long or short term period, I wouldn’t necessarily hire Red Box.  Seems crazy to say so?!  Well, that’s because I’m a tad expensive for just that one off service. I’d use someone like the team at Diamond Secretarial who are really rather good.  If however, you are outsourcing other tasks, it is something I take on as part of a bigger package.  And how good are we?  Well, my friend Emma Brunton over at Emma’s House in Portugal on overhearing a conversation on behalf of a client I was having, said she “would be stoked if I was answering the phone for her.”  And that’s Aussie for really, really thrilled!
2. How to avoid sun glare on your lap top – get a email management service. You know you’re either going to have to check your email on a regular basis or your in-box is going to be more overcrowded than the beach.  Using your lap top is an option, but then there’s the sun glare!  You could of course do what I used to do when watching Wimbledon as a teenager and that is to build yourself a little house for your lap top.  A tad cumbersome as you may imagine on the beaches of Rio…  Alternatively, you could hire Red Box to check your emails, reply on your behalf and keep the business communication channels open while you’re falling of your surfboard.
3. How to avoid ice cream on your presentation to the Board – outsource the project. If there was one thing that you could do for work, but you just can’t get around to because of all the other ‘priorities’ you have, what would it be?  Set up a Twitter account, update your website, create a power point presentation…  Why not outsource the project in the knowledge that it will be completed by the time you get back from your vacation.

If any of the above rings a bell, ice cream van or otherwise, do get in touch.  I’m on Skype, too, if that helps.

About the Author:
Emma Crabtree is the owner and sole-operator of Red Box Virtual Office, an off-site business support service.  Red Box Virtual Office can enable you to free yourself from the day to day admin of your business so that you can focus on what you enjoy and what makes you money.  Find out how working with a Virtual Assistant can help your business.

I’m revisiting the subject of a healthy office as it’s one that is close to my heart these days.  I never had problems when I worked in London and that may be because I was up & down all day, running errands & making tea, while this last 18 months has seen me glued to my desk for one reason or another.

It’s a fatal mistake thinking that you can go for hours on end without taking a rest; not only will your bum go numb, but it does nothing for your digestive system or your heart. It makes getting up and going out all the more important when you work from home as there is no walking to the bus stop or stepping out for a sandwich!

1. Create a great space!
When thinking about your office space, think creatively.  Ensure you have enough space to move around in and provide proper storage space for all your necessary equipment.  Balancing your desk top on a pile of books is not a good start!

2. Organise your Workstation
Make sure that what you need on a daily basis can be accessed easily without strain.  Remove those files from under your desk as your legs need the room to stretch out.  If necessary, use a foot rest and an arm rest to ensure that you’re not putting undue strain on your limbs.  If you copy type on a daily basis, use a document holder; moving your head from screen height to desk level puts unnecessary strain on your neck.  Use a headset if you’re making a lot of calls and try not to wedge your headset between your chin and shoulder!

3. Find The Right Desk & Chair
Ensure you have a desk that is the right height for you.  Try out a desk and chair combination before you buy, even if you end up buying on line.

4. Set Your Workstation Up Correctly
To arrange the chair in an ergonomic position, just stand in front of the chair and adjust the chair height to be level with your knee.

5. Keep Your Distance!
Maintain the correct distance from your screen; if you’re leaning forward you’re causing strain on your lower torso, too far can cause eye strain.  A good distance is around 45-50cm.  Clean your screen on a regular basis and avoid sun glare by placing your monitor at 90° to the window.

6. The Right Keyboard is a Must
If you’re using a keyboard and mouse for extended periods of time, you greatly increase the risk of RSI or carpal tunnel syndrome. Ensure that your arms are parallel to your thighs at all times and learn how to type correctly, or at least with more than two fingers.  Try not to stab at the keyboard.

7. Desk Based Exercising
Stretch on a regular basis, get up and walk around for a few minutes at least every hour.  I set an egg timer to go off every 30mins, which reminds me to get up and so some place else!  Try some knee flexes, arm stretches and side bends; there’s no need to be shy, you’re at home after all.  Change your position each hour, do different tasks, so that your body doesn’t seize in one particular position.  I love these yoga based exercises from My Daily Yoga.

8. Light Your Way
The right lighting can greatly reduce eye strain, blurred vision and burning eyes. Aim to reduce the glare on your screen and position your monitor at an angle to reduce the reflection.  Desk lamps with daylight bulbs are better than overhead lights.

9. To Mouse or Not to Mouse
If you find you’re getting repeated strain with a mouse, try an alternate like a trackball or touch pad.  Avoid bending your wrist upward and ensure that your elbow is lower than your wrist while using the mouse.

10. For Laptop Lovers
I know it’s called a ‘laptop’ but use your portable on a table, where it’s stable.  A separate mouse and keyboard are a good idea if you’re using a laptop on a regular basis.  The nature of a smaller screen and keyboard mean that you should take regular breaks and flex wrists and fingers often to avoid long term strain.

About the Author:
Emma Crabtree is the owner and sole-operator of Red Box Virtual Office, an off-site business support service.  Red Box Virtual Office can enable you to free yourself from the day to day admin of your business so that you can focus on what you enjoy and what makes you money.  Find out how working with a Virtual Assistant can help your business.

I will be putting names into a very large straw sun hat & pulling out 2 lucky winners on 3 August 2010.

Please email me at ecrabtree@redboxvirtualoffice.com with the subject ‘Holiday Discount.’*

Feel free to pass this on to any potentially interested friends & colleagues.

Best of luck!

Emma xx

* Terms & Conditions:
1.The discount vouchers have been issued by Glen Travel & are redeemable against selected tour operator packages, usually sold through ABTA travel agents in the UK.
2. All email addresses will be added to the Red Box Virtual Office mailing list.  I hate spam, I guess you do too! Under no circumstances will your email be sold or distributed to 3rd parties.  Even for £1m!!

But you’re probably not in that situation and quit Civvy Street for a bucket full of reasons.  The commute, the lack of respect in the office, low wages or no job perks…  Or maybe you saw a gap in the market and thought ‘Oh, yes, I can fill that gap.’

There are many, many reasons why we work from home or start a home based business.  Even if it makes financial sense, there are things that you will miss day to day that can start you thinking whether working from home was the right thing for you.  Believe me, I’ve been there.

Being alone in the house can unnerve us.  Self discipline can evade us.  Talking to the cat all day only makes you feel even more batty and alone!  Staying in your pyjamas is easy and watching day time TV is worringly fun.  Motivating oneself to get on with work and earn some money can be tricky.  Being stuck with a problem is frustrating because who do you turn to?

I’ve written about working from home and not going mad before. My tips do work, well at least for me!

We all need social interaction, however much of a ‘Bah Humbug’ we may be!  Human beings are by nature gregarious and move in packs.  If you can’t get out of the office and socialise or go to business networking meetings, get on line.  There are going to be countless business forums for your industry on the internet and sites such as Linked In and Ecademy are great sources of inspiration.

Social network sites like Facebook can be a good way of ‘meeting’ people and are a great outlet for venting frustrations as well as having those ‘water cooler’ moments that you may miss from being in an office with other people.  I’m sure you will find others with similar frustrations as well as being able to build up a support network.

Being alone can work to your advantage.  It’s an opportunity to contact clients and potential customers, to call them or email them to say hello.  People like being remembered and not just as a potential sale.

Join a local Chamber of Commerce or another similar group in you area.  It’s a great way of developing business contacts as well as making new friends.  Set aside time to do something you like;  after all, you’re no longer commuting so there’s at least 2 hours a day you can play with!  And remember to reward yourself after a great day’s work.

About the Author:
Emma Crabtree is the owner and sole-operator of Red Box Virtual Office, an off-site business support service.  Red Box Virtual Office can enable you to free yourself from the day to day admin of your business so that you can focus on what you enjoy and what makes you money.  Find out how working with a Virtual Assistant can help your business.

And tomorrow you’re going on holiday and you just KNOW that even if you hand over to someone else, they too have their own priorities and clients and it’s unlikely that the bottom of your in-tray will ever see the light of day again.

Sound familiar?  Panicking because you don’t know how to manage your time effectively? It’s not something that we are born with, but some come to organisation and systems much more easily that others.

Of course, there are courses that you can go on to help you understand how best to manage your time and deal with those days when all you do is procrastinate.  Improving your communication skills and dealing with interruptions should be part and parcel of any workers skill set, but a lot of the time they aren’t.  And this is because you don’t have the time to take these courses and learn how to best manage your time.  Also, there’s probably not €250 lying around to cover the fees…

However, there is a solution which is neither time consuming or expensive.  And that is to work with a Virtual Assistant.  In just one phone call you can:

• Identify your key areas of work that need managing.
• Prioritise your day to make it more profitable and work for you.
• Learn how to delegate and say ‘My VA can take care of that.’
• Help technology work for you using on-line calenders, Skype, file sharing systems & more.
• Select what tasks you’re experienced in and great at & leave the rest to your Virtual Assistant.
• Set aside time for socialising, on-line networking and taking the dog for a walk.

Just a 15 minute phone call could change your attitude to your paperwork forever!  This call will give you the power to delegate and gain a sense of control over what you do and when you do it.

Don’t get buried underneath the paperwork on your desk and e-mails in your inbox.  Call us now on Skype: coimbragirl or call + 351 965 454 775 and learn how working with a Virtual Assistant will save you time and make you money!

About the Author:
Emma Crabtree is the owner and sole-operator of Red Box Virtual Office, an off-site business support service.  Red Box Virtual Office can enable you to free yourself from the day to day admin of your business so that you can focus on what you enjoy and what makes you money.  Find out how working with a Virtual Assistant can help your business.

However, today there was one exception.  This guy had recently returned from holiday and was telling of the delights of outsourcing.  It seems as though he doesn’t have a regular, day to day Virtual Assistant, but gets people in to cover his stuff, like email and Twitter & Facebook, while he’s on holiday.

There were 3 sites he recommended, which all promote the idea that those on the site will do something for you for $5.  Seriously.

http://www.fiverr.com – Fiverr promotes the idea that there are lots of stuff that can be done for $5.  There are transcribers, bloggers, word press hosts, models  & writers on there, plus SO many more professions & professionals who are willing to trade their services for $5.

http://www.onlinebizlibrary.com – This site professes to help online marketers to build backlinks for their website at a reasonable price!

http://www.clickfive.net – Internet marketing services from $5, such as article writing, Facebook invites & directory submission.

Will these type of sites be the death of more rounded, one-stop shops like Red Box Virtual Office and social networking marketeers that I can think of, or do these sites provide the likes of me with an ideal opportunity to get myself out there, promote my skills at a silly price and get the potential client hooked?  I think I will give fiverr a go, at least to see what it’s all about and whether I get any feedback.  There’s an ad on there that really ought to have been proofread first!

About the Author:
Emma Crabtree is the owner and sole-operator of Red Box Virtual Office, an off-site business support service.  Red Box Virtual Office can enable you to free yourself from the day to day admin of your business so that you can focus on what you enjoy and what makes you money.  Find out how working with a Virtual Assistant can help your business.