Hello and welcome back to make more, do more weekly tip #26. Last week we covered the first principle of time management – planning. This week we will be covering the second principle of time management…

ORGANIZATION – Without organization, chaos can quickly invade both your business and personal life. Developing a habit typically takes 21 days before it becomes a routine.

Develop a routine of reviewing the schedule before your week begins.

Develop your filing system where you can immediately find your documents with ease.

The time you take today to bring organization to your business will save time later. Your virtual assistant can assist you with developing some time saving systems that make your office run smoother.

Thank you for stopping back by. To learn more about how we can assist you with organizing and getting your systems in place contact us today at R.Holscher@RhondasVirtualOffice.com or by calling 1-800-314-0980. See you next week for make more, do more weekly tip #27.

Hello and welcome to Make more, do more weekly tip # 25. Time management! <next slide>

24 Hours or 1440 minutes! We all have the same amount of time allotted to us each day. The difference is what we do with that time. Over the next few weeks we’ll be covering some basic principles of time management. <next slide>

This week we are covering the first principle of time management – Planning! Planning is an important time management technique. <next slide>

Just like as a builder uses a blueprint, a business owner needs some idea of where their business is going. <next slide>

Either Sunday evening or first thing Monday morning – sit down and review and plan the week ahead. Schedule time for appointments as well as time for building your business. Build time into your schedule for emergencies! <next slide>

Contact us today to learn more about how we can assist you with your time management at R.Holscher@RhondasVirtualOffice.com or by calling 1-800-314-0980. Thanks so much for stopping back in, and I will see you next week for Make more, do more weekly tip # 26.

Hello and welcome to Make more, do more weekly tip # 24. I’m going on vacation! <next slide>

Okay, so you’re going on vacation now what? <next slide>

If you are in business you might be asking yourself, “How am I going to manage my office and my clients while I’m away?” This simple tip will help you feel at ease while you’re away. <next slide>

Have your virtual assistant check your email, screen your voicemails, and manage your calendar while you’re on vacation, … <next slide>

… and unless it’s urgent your virtual assistant can send you a daily report. If it’s urgent then she can contact you via your preferred method of contact for urgent situations. This will allow you to have a worry free vacation. <next slide>

Contact us today to learn more about how we can assist you while you’re on vacation at R.Holscher@RhondasVirtualOffice.com or by calling 1-800-314-0980. Thanks so much for stopping back in, and I will see you next week for Make more, do more weekly tip # 25.

The rules are simple: Catch is a ball game played with two or more people that involves tossing or throwing a ball of any kind back and forth between the players.

For the game to be satisfying, even fun, requires that the players

1. Play by the reciprocity rules: You toss the ball to me, I catch it and toss it back to you.
2. Be attentive: If one player doesn’t pay attention, s/he may miss the catch. In communication terms between sender and receiver, that means they didn’t “get it” (catch the meaning.) However, if a player doesn’t catch it, s/he can pick it up and throw it back.
3. Toss it back, perhaps with a different spin on it. When the toss-back is different, the game progresses and is usually more fun. Often the most excitement results when A tosses to B almost, but not quite, out of range, who, leaping high, manages to make a great catch to “get it.”

Another way of saying “back and forth” is to complete the loop between communicators, even if your conversation is electronic, as with email. Your toss-back is an acknowledgement that you received the message, even if you send only a simple “OK, thanks” response.

I am puzzled why many people don’t follow the basic rule of this game, which is acknowledgement (“OK, I got it”), then “Now I’ll send my response; here it comes.” If they don’t express this meaning clearly, the original sender will be in mystery, wondering if s/he should toss the same message or even quit the game.

In professional meetings I attend I am sometimes asked “Please send me that special report you mentioned.” So I send it to them as they requested, but too often I get no response. Nothing. No acknowledgement, not even a simple “Thanks.” Grade? D-minus.

Incomplete loop = incomplete communication. My counsel: Complete the loop.

Loren Ekroth ©2012, all rights reserved 

Loren Ekroth, Ph.D. is a specialist in human communication and an international expert on conversation for business and social life.  

Contact at Loren@conversationmatters.com

The Independent Contractor Agreement is important as it spells out the relationship between your business and the contractor. You the client are fully aware that your virtual assistant has systems in place and takes their business seriously.

The agreement will outline when and how work will be completed. Defines what services are being provided. Payments arrangements will be outlined, i.e. hourly, per project, retainer, when and how payment is to be made, and what happens if payment is not made.

What should be in your Independent Contractor Agreement?

Proper classification – it should clearly state that this is an Independent Contractor (not an employee). If not properly classified your business may be held accountable for federal and state taxes, benefits, and overtime liabilities. This could seriously add up to a large sum of money. So make sure that contract clearly identifies them as in Independent Contractor. The Independent Contractor Agreement should state that the Independent Contractor is solely responsible for their own taxes and benefits.

The agreement should also clearly identify services, deliverables, and milestones up front. It is inevitable that project scopes will change from time to time so clarify that all changes must be agreed to in writing before the Independent Contractor proceeds.

Be sure all costs are clearly identified before the start of the project and if any unforeseen costs should arise the Independent Contractor should receive approval for such costs in writing before proceeding.

Specify who owns the product – if, when, and how projects/products should be returned or destroyed.

Confidential information should be addressed. The client’s confidential information belongs to the client and should not be used for any other purposes other than what the client has stated. Be clear on what those purposes are.

Guarantee of satisfactory work should be addressed.

Termination of agreement should be clearly stated.

Do you have any thoughts you’d like to share with us? If so we would love to hear from you. Please share your thoughts below.

Rhonda’s Virtual Office is not a lawyer and the information provided herein is solely to be used at your discretion. Rhonda’s Virtual Office or any of its assigns will not be held accountable for any use of such information regarding these Agreements.

Hello and welcome back to Make more, do more weekly tip #23 – YOUR VIRTUAL ASSISTANT IS NOT A MIND READER…<next slide>

… NEVER assume your Virtual Assistant knows what you want!  …<next slide>

… BE EXPLICIT and BE CLEAR …<next slide>

… Now I know this will sound a bit simplistic and elementary, but it works. And yes I’ve said this before but again it works. MAKE A LIST – Who, what, when, where, why, how, and notes. Who is the contact? What is the project / task? When is it due or what are the project milestones? Will this be handled via phone, email, or will you need to meet in person and if so list the location? What is the purpose? What is the format, tools, usernames, passwords, needed to complete this project? And last – any additional info that might be needed. …<next slide>

Contact us today to learn what tasks we can handle for you at R.Holscher@RhondasVirtualOffice.com or by calling 1-800-314-0980. Thanks so much for stopping back in, and I will see you next week for Make more, do more weekly tip # 24.

Hello and welcome back to Make more, do more weekly tip #22 – WORKFLOW PROCESSES …<next slide>

… Establishing your workflow processes with your Virtual Assistant so they will know what to expect and what to do.  …<next slide>

… For example: the WORKFLOW PROCESS OF ASSIGNING TASKS. The Client will initiate task assignment by means such as – email, phone, work order, or project management system/software. The client will then upload relevant documents and other materials by way of programs like box.net, Dropbox, SugarSync, Google Docs, or project management system/software. The Virtual Assistant will then retrieve the task and relevant documents and …<next slide>

…  then the Virtual Assistant will review task and relevant documents, verify or ask questions which the Client will answer. Then the Virtual Assistant will utilize the documents or relevant materials and complete the task. …<next slide>

Contact us today to learn what tasks we can handle for you  or learn more about our workflow process at R.Holscher@RhondasVirtualOffice.com or by calling 1-800-314-0980. Thanks so much for stopping back in, and I will see you next week for Make more, do more weekly tip # 23.

Hello and welcome back to Make more, do more weekly tip #21 – HOW DO YOU LIKE TO WORK? …<next slide>

… Tell your Virtual Assistant how you like to work! In order for your working relationship to flow smoothly with your Virtual Assistant they need to know about you and the way you like to do things.  …<next slide>

… MAKE A LIST – When and how you respond to customer enquiries. How you like your email signature. What are your little quirks? What are your best hours? How do you prefer to receive project updates? Daily/Weekly/Per Project Milestones – via one-on-one meetings/email/other – Do you have a Policies and Procedure Manual? Share it! If not your Virtual Assistant can assist you in creating one. What else does your Virtual Assistant need to know? …<next slide>

Contact us today to learn what tasks we can handle for you at R.Holscher@RhondasVirtualOffice.com or by calling 1-800-314-0980. Thanks so much for stopping back in, and I will see you next week for Make more, do more weekly tip # 22.

Hello and welcome back to Make more, do more weekly tip #20 – KNOW WHAT YOU WANT …<next slide>

… What do you expect from your virtual assistant? What tasks do you want them to do for you? Ask yourself this question and…. <next slide>

… MAKE A LIST – Tasks you don’t like to do, tasks you need help with, tasks you know you would be served if your virtual assistant did them, tasks that would free up you time so you can focus on making more money …<next slide>

… These tasks could be any number of things from making phone calls, setting up appointments, transcribing audio files, scheduling your social media, designing and producing your newsletter, email / calendar support, and so much more. So which of the tasks are you currently handling that you shouldn’t be? That you should be allowing your virtual assistant to handle for you so that you have more time to do what you enjoy and what makes you more money? …<next slide>

Contact us today to learn what tasks we can handle for you at R.Holscher@RhondasVirtualOffice.com or by calling 1-800-314-0980. Thanks so much for stopping back in, and I will see you next week for Make more, do more weekly tip # 21.

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Templates and Web Forms

I started using Aweber recently and already I love it. I was able to use my custom template which is almost identical to the one I had been using in Outlook. Aweber also offers a variety of templates to choose from with matching web forms. You might be able to find some email templates at MS Office’s website, but they’re no web forms with the functionality offered in Aweber.

List Management

Once someone fills in your Aweber web form they are automatically entered into the list that they signed up for. They are sent a confirmation, and upon clicking on that confirmation link they will start receiving whatever they signed up for. You don’t have to worry about adding them to the list or tracking whether or not they confirmed. You also don’t have to worry about forgetting to remove someone that unsubscribed as Aweber will take care of that as well.

Personalization

If you want to personalize an email in Outlook then you have to send out individual emails, but in Aweber it will allow you to simply add this little line of code {!firstname} that will tell Aweber to personalize it with their first name. There are other little lines of code you can choose from if you want to personalize it another way.

Tracking

There is no way to track your open and click rates using Outlook, but Aweber offers nice reports that are easy to read and tell you exactly who clicked what and where.

Fees

Outlook there is no monthly fee, but you must first purchase the software from Microsoft if you don’t already have it. Aweber there is a slightly higher monthly fee than some of the other programs used, but with the ease of use, tracking, and other options available I think Aweber is definitely worth a look. Aweber does not offer a free trial but does offer the first month for only $1 and you can cancel at any time.

What I don’t like about Aweber

The one thing I do not like in Aweber is when I uploaded my list it sent out a confirmation to everyone on the list. They had to reconfirm what they have already confirmed in the past. Now, I understand why Aweber does this, but I’m thinking that perhaps they could allow you your original list without reconfirming that would be nice. Anyway, it’s not that big of deal. If someone really wants to receive your broadcasts then they will reconfirm.

The advantages of having them pre-scheduled, being able to track your open rates and click rates is awesome. It’s user friendly and creates a very nice newsletter, eblast, blog updates, ebooks, etc. If you haven’t started using a program like Aweber then I suggest you check it out.

Below I have created a table of Advantages and Disadvantages to using Outlook and Aweber.

What do you use for your list management and email campaigns? Tell us what you like or dislike about them. I would love to hear from you.