Ahh, summer! Well, summer in Canada anyways! Here the winters are long, and we’re grateful when the temperature rises and the sun starts hanging around longer so we can go outside without toques and parkas!

Discover 8 Powerful Skills to Grow Your Virtual Business in 2011! is a post from: VAClassroom Training Blog

Before we begin, let’s pause for a moment of self-reflection. Take a quick look at the below video and see if you can relate to this man:

An extreme example, of course, but sometimes working from home as a Virtual Assistant or online professional can become lonely and isolating, and we need to find opportunities to get out of the house. Furthermore, as virtual business owners, we need to be intentional in seeking out strategic opportunities to connect and network with like-minded professionals in our respective industries. There is a lot you can do through the Internet and Social Media, of course, but in order to be effective in marketing your business, it takes both offline and online marketing strategies to reach your potential.

So, here are some ways you can step away from the computer, get out of the house, and win new clients through offline and word-of-mouth marketing strategies:

1. Be visible in your local community and industry.

•    Join your local chamber of commerce.

•    Approach your local Rotary Club or community college.

•    Join a Meetup group in your area.

2. Ask for referrals from your current clients.

•    Thank them for the referral with lunch, flowers or a gift certificate.

•    Give both your current and potential clients more than one business card – one to keep and two to give away.

3. Attend industry events.

•    Network at events like the annual IVAA Live Summit.

•    Volunteer to help coordinate a local business organization’s event.

•    Set up a vendor booth at an event and promote your business.

4. Develop your own branded promotional materials.

•    Create brochures, fliers, special reports, and business cards to give away.

•    Make sure all materials, including presentations, are branded with your website URL, logo and contact information.

•    When marketing at a vendor’s booth, have a poster designed to promote your business and consider handing out some kind of inexpensive branded gift.

5. Find creative ways to talk about your business.

•    Practice a great 30-second elevator speech.

•    Share presentations with various networking groups.

•    Place an ad or start a column in the business section of your local newspaper.

Now, depending on where you find yourself, you may experience success either offline or online; however, we hope that the above tips can help you broaden the horizons of your marketing scope. While those of us involved in the Virtual Assistant industry may spend a lot of time in our online marketing strategies, participating in offline events has a viral word-of-mouth effect that some online strategies don’t.

The following quote from a blog post entitled “Bring Your Online Social Networking to Offline Success” provides some further food for thought:

Body language is very important, especially in business. Online networking lacks body language. You may not realize it, but people use body language a lot. It can often say more than the actually words that are being spoken. Body language can reflect attitude, emotion and true feelings. Many aspects of communication come through body language and when you are only communicating online you lose that dimension of communication.

Both of those indisputable benefits allow offline networking to deepen and reinforce relationships while adding credibility to your reputation.

So be creative, spend some time away from your computer (or cat), and let us know what strategies have or have not worked for you in your offline marketing endeavors. You can connect with us in the comment box below or on our Facebook Page.

Top Five Tips for Winning New Clients through Offline and WOM Marketing Strategies is a post from: VAClassroom Training Blog

If you receive notifications for New Forum Threads at VAClassroom, you may have seen the literal flood of RFPs coming in last week. During tough economic times like these, it’s very encouraging to see the amount of work available for talented Virtual Assistants and online professionals. But this begs the question, how do you effectively respond to an RFP? First of all, check out this video from 2minuteswithava.com for some great advice.

And now here are some more valuable tips to make sure you’re putting your best foot forward:

1) Read the two books recommended in the above video for more information on RFPs:

•    Entrepreneurial Freedom: How to Start and Grow a Profitable Virtual Assistance Practice by Jeannine Clontz and Lauren Hidden

•    Virtual Assistant, The Series: Become a Highly Successful, Sought After VA by Diana Ennen and Kelly Poelker

2) Develop a proposal template that you’re happy with and simply tweak it to suit each RFP you apply for (especially if it’s successful!).

•    Our self-study VA Success Blueprint program contains some sample RFP proposals, as well as other important strategies and templates that may help you.

3) Be sure to include the following items in your response so the person evaluating has as much information as possible:

•    Date – Let them know you responded prior to closing date (if applicable).

•    Reference Number – Check the proposal for any reference numbers or specific proposal references so information is clearly communicated.

•    Reference to their original request – Repeat it either word-for-word so they can easily reference it, or rewrite their needs to show your level of comprehension of the project.

•    Outline your experience in relation to the project or tasks – Keep it organized and simple for the client to review.

•    Specific or special skills that you have – If they list special skills, let them know your expertise in that area. If you are still learning, just be honest and let them know how committed you are to continual learning!

•    Special connections that you share – Groups/People/Activities

•    Project estimate (timeline & costs) – Include how you calculate your costs and measure your effectiveness.

•    Any additional charges that you can foresee – Include any further information you think might help them.

•    Testimonials – Everyone loves to hear how successful you’ve been for other clients, so include some recommendations from similar projects in your proposal.

•    Contact information and availability – Don’t forget to let them know how to connect with you and the best way to do it.

4) Prepare your response carefully and thoughtfully, including the following elements:

•    Show some interest. Research the company, and if anything excites you about it, let them know!

•    Include any similar experience you’ve had. Describe how your similar or past experiences can benefit them.

•    Are you an industry expert? If you have worked in the industry before, include some specific industry information to show them how familiar you are in their area of expertise.

•    What specific skills do you feel would enhance their business? Shout out your strengths and tell them how your specific skill sets will impact their business.

•    Point out any spelling or technical errors on their site or marketing material. Impress them by showing them that you are paying attention and letting them know how to solve any errors.

5) Take note of how different businesses handle RFP proposals. For example, at VAClassroom, the process of responding directly to clients is handled a little differently than screened requests. Since the client has us to pre-screen the proposals we will be looking at a few key elements when we make our recommendations:

•    Specific industry knowledge & experience

•   Examples of similar tasks/situations

•   Availability and match of project scope/requirements

Hope these tips for responding to RFPs have helped demystify the process. If you are a VAClassroom Premium Member, be sure to check the Monday Memo and our forum for new job postings, a great way to add new client and income opportunities to your business!

If you have any questions or further tips on submitting RFP proposals, please leave us a note in the comment box below.

Top Five Tips for Responding to RFPs is a post from: VAClassroom Training Blog

Remember the Yellow Pages… you know, those thick yellow books with phone numbers and ads in them? In your virtual business activities, have you used one lately to actually find a phone number, or are they more likely to be used as a coaster for your cup of coffee or a paperweight for your desk?

These days, more and more people are moving online, a trend that could soon make the Yellow Pages obsolete. A December 2010 report from the Pew Research Center titled “Generations Online in 2010” lists certain key Internet activities that are becoming more uniformly popular across all age groups:

•    Email
•    Search Engine use
•    Seeking health information
•    Getting news
•    Buying products
•    Making travel reservations or purchases
•    Doing online banking
•    Looking for religious information
•    Rating products, services, or people
•    Making online charitable donations
•    Downloading podcasts

And what does this recent trend mean? Well, with Internet activities increasing among both younger and older adults, a lot of the people who would traditionally thumb through the Yellow Pages to find information about businesses could now be searching for this info online through sites like YouTube, Facebook and Google.

This creates an exciting opportunity for businesses to capitalize on. Check out the below video, where we talk about these three sites, the Golden Marketing Triangle for any type of business:

So, times are changing, and both online and local businesses could surely benefit by changing their marketing strategies from the yellow phone book to the golden triangle.

And as final food for thought, consider the increasing power of a local marketing strategy. A blog post by Econsultancy.com, titled “Why You should have a hyperlocal Facebook Strategy,” discusses their research on Starbucks Facebook pages and their engagement rate (ER) – how much fans engage, and response rate (RR) – how much the pages responds, in three months from November 2010 – January 2011. Here, measurements show that Facebook users are engaging on average three to four times more with local than global Facebook pages, with the local pages typically growing on average twice as fast as global communities.

Over the past year, there has also been a huge increase in the use of popular local social networking tools such as Twitter, Foursquare, Groupon and Yelp as local businesses are realizing the potential of leveraging this social medium to bridge the gap between the online world and offline customers.

Amazingly, for only a fraction of the cost of a Yellow Pages listing, these tools can quickly and easily boost a business’s brand recognition, stimulate meaningful connections with a target audience, build a loyal following and ultimately ignite a business’s customer base and revenue.

What are your thoughts on this? As a Virtual Assistant or online professional, do you see ways you could integrate this golden marketing triangle into the services you currently offer local or online business clients? Do you see an increase in the number of local businesses marketing online in your community? Please share your thoughts in the comment box below.

YouTube, Facebook and Google – The Golden Marketing Triangle for Any Type of Business is a post from: VAClassroom Training Blog

As many of you know, at the beginning of 2011, I hosted a “Predictions Event” in which I shared my STRONG conviction that one of the hottest client areas for your business in the next 12 months would be the LOCAL Business Community! The reality is that the average local business owner has become increasingly dissatisfied with the diminishing return they are seeing on more expensive traditional advertising channels like radio, television and print media.

In my opinion, Local Search Marketing, Facebook Marketing and Video Marketing Services make up the most relevant and dynamic marketing trio for any local business across any industry. While we all know that Facebook had a massive growth year in 2010, so did Online Video and YouTube!

Check out the below video, where I demonstrate how we generated a Top 10 Google Result in less than 48 hours!

While the statistics quoted in the video alone should be a compelling enough reason to catch the attention of the average business owner, there are so many other clear-cut benefits why local businesses are increasingly excited about integrating online video into their overall marketing strategy:

• With the proliferation of the mobile web, online videos are being watched everywhere and anywhere.
• Online Video is the #1 weapon for igniting top rankings in the local search listings.
• Online Video spreads faster than any other marketing medium on the web today. Just ask Susan Boyle!!

Given the rapid growth of online video, combined with the local business owner’s fast-growing interest in this medium, there is a great need for Virtual Assistants and online professionals to develop and expand their Online Video Marketing skills and service packages. It is for this reason that we have unveiled our first official Online Video Marketing Specialist Training Program so that Virtual Professionals can offer cost-effective web marketing solutions that will ignite exposure, traffic and results for potential clients in their local communities.

The great thing about online video marketing is that it can be easily integrated into any existing Social Media services you are currently offering. As an example, for the average business owner, two of the absolutely smartest ways to build their brand and credibility on the web is to create a Facebook Page and launch an online video marketing campaign – a match made in marketing heaven!

If you have any questions or comments about Online Video Marketing, please write us a note in the comment box below. You can check out all the details on the Online Video Marketing Specialist Course here.

The Power of Online Video Marketing for Local Businesses! is a post from: VAClassroom Training Blog

If you attended our VAClassroom event last week, you’ll know that there’s a ton of buzz going on around Google Places for Business. This tool is positioned to be a Game Changer when it comes to location-based social networks and directories. Why thumb through the Yellow Pages when with the click of a mouse you can uncover even more detailed information about local brick and mortar businesses?

Now, an interesting question popped up during our event—whether or not an Internet-based business with no fixed address or a Virtual Assistant’s business with a private home address could use Google Places. It appears they can too, and here’s a video that explains how Service Areas can be used to refine a listing:

But as a Virtual Assistant or online business owner, the best way to leverage Google Places is to partner with local brick and mortar business owners because they’re the ones who will most benefit from this service. But before you get started with Google Places, you’ll want to ask the following questions:
•    How do I create a well-optimized Google Places page for my local clients?

•    What strategies do I utilize to ensure the best chance of getting top listings in Google Places (1st page of Google)?

•    What are the best types of clients to target initially?

•    How can I build up online reviews for a client?

•    How do I structure the service and set my rates?

•    What other specific services (social media) can be bundled here?

Google Places and Local Search have the potential of being a very profitable service niche in 2011 for Virtual Assistant businesses, as it will have mass appeal across all types of industries and has excellent potential to boost income that is not based on billable hourly work (flat rates and maintenance packages). That’s why we are also going to be offering a Google Places Mastery clinic that will take place on January 26th to unpack the important strategies needed to effectively leverage Google Places for local brick and mortar business owners. For more information on this exciting new training opportunity, check it out at the link below:

http://www.vaclassroom.com/local-search-clinic/

One final thought—Google recently announced the unveiling of a Google Places with Hotpot iPhone app, adding to their growing arsenal of Google Places apps for mobile users. Here’s what the official Google Mobile Blog says about it:

It can be pretty rewarding to discover a new place you love, but we also realize that there are some experiences you just can’t wait to share. So Places makes it super simple to rate a place with your iPhone while you’re there. Just fire up the app and hit “Rate now.” It will use your location to guess your current place and let you post a Hotpot review right from your phone. But it’s not just about getting to say what you think—the more you rate places, the more you’re sharing about your tastes and the more we can give you personally tailored recommendations.

So imagine the possibilities when Google Places and other local directories are paired up with not only a location-based recommendation engine like Hotpot, but also other social platforms like a Facebook Page, Facebook Places, YouTube channel and other location-based social networks—you have the makings of a local marketing masterpiece!

Do you know any brick and mortar businesses in your area that could benefit from a Google Places listing? Do you have any ideas for how you could integrate Google Places into your current Virtual Assistant service offerings? Please share your comments below!

How to Get Started with Google Places for Business is a post from: VAClassroom Training Blog

Have you done a local search lately in Google? If you haven’t, you should give it a try because it yields some fantastic results! For example, I was recently in Spokane, Washington, over the holidays, and the family was craving a good “Chinese Buffet”. So, I decided to go to the Yellow Pages – NOT! I googled it, naturally, and at the top of the first page was the Google Places listing for a couple of the local buffets, complete with menu and customer reviews. Plus, to the right of the search listings, there was a nice big map featuring these two locations.

Google’s new layout (just a couple months old) is providing the most amazing opportunity for local businesses to grab the much-coveted top listings on page 1 through a fully optimized Google Places account. For another real-life example, check out this video case study showing how Google Places helped one business increase its traffic by 25%:

Not only is this a phenomenal opportunity for the local business, but also for Virtual Assistants seeking to branch out into a new niche and serve the needs of their local brick and mortar businesses! That is why we will be holding a FREE VAClassroom event on Thursday, January 13, titled “Leveraging New Google Places for Your Local Business Clients”!

Do you think Google Places will impact how and where local businesses advertise? As a Virtual Assistant or online business owner, are you interested in branching out into this new niche and partnering with local businesses? We’d love to hear your thoughts, so please share your comments below!

Google Places + Local Business = A Match Made in Marketing Heaven is a post from: VAClassroom Training Blog

There are many emotions that can creep up during this time of year. For some enduring the challenges of tough economic times, there may be feelings of despair and discouragement. For others, there may be feelings of hope and great joy. As we head into this season, I feel a deep sense of gratitude, blessed to have a wonderful wife and family, great friends and of course our amazing team and community at VAClassroom!

I want to share a video with you that will likely require a box of Kleenex to be on hand. It will touch you to the core and if you are like me, it will give you a strong feeling of deep gratitude for all the good things and relationships you have in your life.

This video is about a young boy named Dax Locke, who was diagnosed with a rare form of terminal Leukemia at the young age of 13 months. The video highlights his life and how a family and a whole community came together to give this boy one last Christmas. I don’t think I watched a video this year that moved me as much as this one…

So, I head into Christmas with deep gratitude for what I have and excitement for what the new year will bring in business and life. When you have a moment, pop over to the comment box below and share with us “What this Christmas Season Means To You in 2010″.

Blessings to you and your family this holiday season!

Season’s Greetings from VAClassroom! is a post from: VAClassroom Training Blog

While December can often be one of the busiest months of the year, at VAClassroom we also believe it is a great time to refocus and get equipped and ready for an amazing new year in your business.

So, with that being said, we are excited to announce the VAClassroom 2010 Christmas Special, which will give you an opportunity to access our most popular training programs at a special discount ONLY available in December.

Check out the below 2-minute holiday message and a snapshot of the available training courses included in this year’s Christmas Special:

Start 2011 off with a bang and a whole new set of skills!

If you have any questions on this holiday special, please post them in the comment section below. You can check out all the details on the 2010 Christmas Special here.

The VAClassroom 2010 Christmas Special is Here! is a post from: VAClassroom Training Blog

A deep thought for today – the history of WordPress in a nutshell:

WordPress started in 2003 with a single bit of code to enhance the typography of everyday writing and with fewer users than you can count on your fingers and toes. Since then it has grown to be the largest self-hosted blogging tool in the world, used on millions of sites and seen by tens of millions of people every day.

Indeed, for some, the advent of this powerful web platform was life changing. This video by Glenda Watson Hyatt describes how using WordPress has given her a voice and brought new employment opportunities:

And now it’s no secret that WordPress has become the most popular web platform among entrepreneurs and small businesses today. On the WordPress site, you can even see a whole Showcase featuring the many websites that have been built using WordPress functionality. In the past, WordPress may have been seen as a platform for delivering blogs, but with new technology and lots of innovative plugins, WordPress can also serve as a platform for systems like Content Management, Social Networking and Ecommerce.

Even some high-profile Internet Entrepreneurs, including Ryan Deiss have been powering their latest online product launches with WordPress. They have been using this platform to build their list, share content, and socialize with their audience. This week we saw a perfect example when popular Information Marketer Ryan Deiss launched a brand new product at Facebook Evolution using the WordPress template, Optimize Press.

Here at VAClassroom we’ve been watching these trends, and we know this is a niche that could prove very profitable for the Virtual Assistant and online business community, so we’ve created a new “Product Launches Powered by WordPress” Clinic that will provide a compelling case as to why businesses should seriously consider WordPress as their preferred choice for product launches. On December 8th, we are offering an exciting opportunity for Virtual Assistants to enhance their WordPress skills and specifically discover the templates, plugins and tactics for being able to launch any type of product using WordPress. This live 3-hour clinic is scheduled for Wednesday, December 8th from 12pm – 3pm (PST). Here is a quick overview of a few of the topics we will be covering in this informative session:

•    Selecting the BEST WordPress templates and themes to create squeeze pages and product sales pages.

•    Integrating Powerhouse Plugins for a complete product launch, including sales pages, testimonials, product countdowns and content sharing.

•    Creating compelling videos for your WordPress squeeze / sales page process.

•    Building a powerful WordPress mini-site to strategically use during the pre-launch process.

•    Integrating the right Social Media Plugins to socialize your product launch campaign.

•    Setting up eye-catching optin forms and integrating autoresponder software.

•    Adding common CSS snippets to enhance your Squeeze/Sales Page templates.

•    Keyword Research and SEO tips for getting your WordPress sites found on Google.

•    And so much more!!

If you are looking to expand your services and opportunities in 2011, this clinic will certainly help you to carve out a nice WordPress niche for your business! If you have any questions about this program, please submit your comments below. Check out the new WordPress Clinic Here.

The Many Faces of WordPress is a post from: VAClassroom Training Blog