For entrepreneurs and budding startups, a virtual assistant (VA) can fill the need for any skill set that you require. From simple tasks like encoding and research, up to technical and administrative tasks; outsourcing your workload to a VA can give you and your company more time and resources to do what’s important – grow your business. If you haven’t outsourced to a VA before, you might not have an idea of how they can help you save time and energy. To give you an idea, here are just some things that a VA can do for your startup: Competitive…

When an entrepreneur asks, “should I outsource my payroll”, it often requires a long, close look at several different aspects of the company in order to determine the best method for handling how payroll is processed.If outsourcing your company’s payroll is something that you’re considering, you’ll also have to take a look at just who you go to in order to have your company’s payroll processed. When asking the question, the how, why, and who are all equally important and should be weighed as such so that you can be sure you’re doing what is absolutely best for your company…

If you are reading this blog, we can safely assume you care about the branding and marketing of your business. You may have spent ages choosing and building your brand identity through social media, your website even right down to signage and business cards. You may have carefully choreographed cross-channel advertising campaigns to highlight your current promotions. Now all of these are great, but there may be something you are overlooking that could have much more of an impact promoting your business – the humble t-shirt. Talk a walk around the block, what’s the first thing you notice about the…

There came a knock on the door last yesterday morning and on opening the door, there stood two very pleasant looking young women. They politely introduced themselves, but I had already guessed that they were from the Jehovah’s Witnesses. I immediately asked them if they were the religion that refuses blood transfusions for themselves and their loved ones? I’ve always found this fact to be concerning, if not somewhat barbaric. They grimaced a bit, but acknowledged the fact – but quickly followed up with showing me the scripture that explains their case and a comment that there were alternatives to…

My wife had been telling me how uncomfortable her office chair has been for a while.  So we went to the local office supply store, determined to find a chair she really liked and resolve the situation once and for all. After 30 minutes or so, she made her decision. One of the first things the associate asked was if we would like to take the display model. “It’s already assembled, and it only costs $7.99 extra.” My wife almost did a double take and replied “Excuse me repeat that again” – this was not looking good – to which the…

In part 1 of this 2-part post I covered 4 features of great small business websites. As a re-cap the 4 features were: They are easy on the eye They are designed around a goal that is measured They are easy to maintain and get support They engage visitors In this post I will cover the final 4 features. Feature 5 – They showcase and prove something unique In the sea of sub-standard small business websites the great ones stand out. They generally don’t stand out because of their flashy designs or their technical features. They tend to stand out…

As I sit typing this month’s newsletter article, I remind myself that all my subscribers are experts in what they do. You may not acknowledge this fact, but frankly it’s true. Life gives us experiences. Entrepreneurs take those experiences and turn them into businesses. It is this knowledge base, and the ability to exploit it that makes you an expert that people want to learn from. In my weekly tips, it never ceases to amaze me that some of the simplest tips get me some fantastic feedback. What I thought to be a throw-away, was actually an ah-ha moment for…

Many businesses would love to sell products online, but for one reason or another, do not wish to use eBay. Fortunately, there are many alternatives out there that can ensure rapid sales and are easy to use. The diversity of function and variety of options of these sites far exceed eBay, and they allow you to sell products in ways that are much cheaper than eBay, and can ensure more rapid payments than the auction giant. Craigslist – This popular site is a preferred way to get your products noticed by the general population, especially if you live in an…

  Make a Good First Impression A customer’s first contact with your company must be a positive experience, regardless of whether that contact occurs via the telephone, the internet, or in person. If clients generally call your company, make sure your receptionist interacts well with strangers and is knowledgeable about the business. And, whenever possible, avoid automated telephone recordings with confusing menus. If clients are likely to first encounter you via the internet, make sure your website is attractive, easy to navigate and, by all means, accurate. If you meet customers face-to-face, make sure they’re greeted with a smile and…

Maintaining an active blog presence can be a lot of work. You have to write unique content on a regular schedule, respond to reader comments, promote your blog through social networking, and try to build traffic through links and keyword search ranking. When your blog is only a part of your business, and not the business itself, this can be a lot of extra work in addition to growing your business itself. Fortunately, there are many ways to help promote your blog with freelance writers. Here are a few tips for how to use this vast resource: Finding Talent You…