Comments for VAClassroom Training Blog http://vaclassroomblog.com Thu, 11 Aug 2011 15:07:54 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Comment on Seven Ways to Have an Ultra Productive Summer for Your Virtual Business. by Craig http://vaclassroomblog.com/seven-ways-to-have-an-ultra-productive-summer-for-your-virtual-business/comment-page-1#comment-740 Craig Thu, 11 Aug 2011 15:07:54 +0000 http://vaclassroomblog.com/?p=636#comment-740 Thank you, Melody. I'm glad these tips helped! ~ Jena K. Thank you, Melody. I’m glad these tips helped! ~ Jena K.

]]> Comment on Seven Ways to Have an Ultra Productive Summer for Your Virtual Business. by melody http://vaclassroomblog.com/seven-ways-to-have-an-ultra-productive-summer-for-your-virtual-business/comment-page-1#comment-739 melody Thu, 11 Aug 2011 09:16:33 +0000 http://vaclassroomblog.com/?p=636#comment-739 Hello Jena K, You have made a wonderful guidelines here, specially "get some fresh air." I'm looking forward to follow your thoughts...Thank you for sharing this... .-= melody´s last blog ..<a href="http://www.verycheapcarinsuranceguide.com/young-driver-insurance-the-best-strategy-to-save-you-money/" rel="nofollow">Young Driver Insurance - The Best Strategy to Save You Money!</a> =-. Hello Jena K, You have made a wonderful guidelines here, specially “get some fresh air.” I’m looking forward to follow your thoughts…Thank you for sharing this…
.-= melody´s last blog ..Young Driver Insurance – The Best Strategy to Save You Money! =-.

]]> Comment on Top Five Tips for Winning New Clients through Offline and WOM Marketing Strategies by Donnamarie http://vaclassroomblog.com/top-five-tips-for-winning-new-clients-through-offline-and-wom-marketing-strategies/comment-page-1#comment-734 Donnamarie Tue, 10 May 2011 02:26:09 +0000 http://vaclassroomblog.com/?p=932#comment-734 Offline Marketing and WOM is what finally turned my business around! Offline Marketing and WOM is what finally turned my business around!

]]> Comment on Social Networking Management: A Comparison of HootSuite, TweetDeck and Seesmic. by Kristal http://vaclassroomblog.com/social-networking-management-a-comparison-of-hootsuite-com-tweetdeck-com-and-seesmic-com/comment-page-1#comment-733 Kristal Fri, 06 May 2011 19:42:03 +0000 http://vaclassroomblog.com/?p=661#comment-733 Hootsuite! Intuitive, easy-to-use, supports most major social media accounts (including wordpress), update all accounts at once or select a few (personal v. business-related), great url shortener, allows for multiple users to manage content, nice reporting capabilities... and on and on and on.... :) Hootsuite!

Intuitive, easy-to-use, supports most major social media accounts (including wordpress), update all accounts at once or select a few (personal v. business-related), great url shortener, allows for multiple users to manage content, nice reporting capabilities…

and on and on and on…. :)

]]> Comment on The “Time Tracking” Challenge for Virtual Assistants by Sammi Henson http://vaclassroomblog.com/the-time-tracking-challenge-for-virtual-assistants/comment-page-1#comment-732 Sammi Henson Sat, 30 Apr 2011 19:13:46 +0000 http://vaclassroomblog.com/?p=14#comment-732 Besides Freshbooks, there are a number of Time Tracking solutions available on the internet. As an employer of several virtual assistants, I found it challenging to make sure that they work as what they claimed. Virtual assistants' work are mostly small and continuing tasks which cannot really be paid on a project basis, therefore, tracking time for hourly pay is a must. After trying out several software, I found Worksnaps (http://www.worksnaps.net) is the most useful. It not only allow me to collect the time spent by my virtual assistants, but also let me verify the time. How the software works is that it captures the work activities (including sample screenshots, application used, keyboard/mouse stats etc) to make sure that they are working on line and working on the assigned things. This way, I can be assured of the time spent on my tasks and pay them without any haggling. Of course, not all time spent are online, but with Worksnaps I can mostly get the unknowns out of the way. Besides Freshbooks, there are a number of Time Tracking solutions available on the internet. As an employer of several virtual assistants, I found it challenging to make sure that they work as what they claimed. Virtual assistants’ work are mostly small and continuing tasks which cannot really be paid on a project basis, therefore, tracking time for hourly pay is a must. After trying out several software, I found Worksnaps (http://www.worksnaps.net) is the most useful. It not only allow me to collect the time spent by my virtual assistants, but also let me verify the time. How the software works is that it captures the work activities (including sample screenshots, application used, keyboard/mouse stats etc) to make sure that they are working on line and working on the assigned things. This way, I can be assured of the time spent on my tasks and pay them without any haggling. Of course, not all time spent are online, but with Worksnaps I can mostly get the unknowns out of the way.

]]> Comment on Top Three Tips for Handling High-Maintenance Clients by Yelena http://vaclassroomblog.com/top-three-tips-for-handling-high-maintenance-clients/comment-page-1#comment-730 Yelena Thu, 21 Apr 2011 01:29:06 +0000 http://vaclassroomblog.com/?p=921#comment-730 I am currently working with a client just like that. It gets frustrating at times for sure. I recently changed my approach to handling this client's requests. I converted this client from an hourly pay-as-you-go client to a project-based prepaid client (in this particular case a 2-month long project had to be 100% prepaid). Projectizing allowed me to be VERY specific in terms of the scope of services (down to the number of e-mails and # of hours on the phone). I also included a (higher priced) option of unlimited access via e-mail (not phone) with any relevant questions, issues, etc. The client loved the idea and went for it. As for your advice on avoiding difficult clients to begin with... I see your point, but some of my most difficult clients were also the ones with the most interesting projects and the most amazing opportunities. Plus working with them taught me a lot about project management in the real world. I am currently working with a client just like that. It gets frustrating at times for sure. I recently changed my approach to handling this client’s requests. I converted this client from an hourly pay-as-you-go client to a project-based prepaid client (in this particular case a 2-month long project had to be 100% prepaid). Projectizing allowed me to be VERY specific in terms of the scope of services (down to the number of e-mails and # of hours on the phone). I also included a (higher priced) option of unlimited access via e-mail (not phone) with any relevant questions, issues, etc. The client loved the idea and went for it.

As for your advice on avoiding difficult clients to begin with… I see your point, but some of my most difficult clients were also the ones with the most interesting projects and the most amazing opportunities. Plus working with them taught me a lot about project management in the real world.

]]> Comment on 25 Top Marketing Strategies for Reaching New Clients (Part 2: Online Activities) by Lifenzyme http://vaclassroomblog.com/25-top-marketing-strategies-for-reaching-new-clients-part-2-online-activities/comment-page-1#comment-728 Lifenzyme Thu, 14 Apr 2011 10:52:43 +0000 http://vaclassroomblog.com/?p=893#comment-728 Considering the current market flooded with so-called VA firms, setting up a VA business does not seem to be a challenging task these days. The hard part is to stay afloat in the competition and devising new marketing strategies are need of the hour. Your article listed them out in a great way. Thanks for sharing this. Considering the current market flooded with so-called VA firms, setting up a VA business does not seem to be a challenging task these days. The hard part is to stay afloat in the competition and devising new marketing strategies are need of the hour. Your article listed them out in a great way. Thanks for sharing this.

]]> Comment on Google Places + Local Business = A Match Made in Marketing Heaven by Tweets that mention Google Places + Local Business = A Match Made in Marketing Heaven | Cool Internet tools | VAClassroom Training Blog -- Topsy.com http://vaclassroomblog.com/google-places-local-business-a-match-made-in-marketing-heaven/comment-page-1#comment-709 Tweets that mention Google Places + Local Business = A Match Made in Marketing Heaven | Cool Internet tools | VAClassroom Training Blog -- Topsy.com Mon, 10 Jan 2011 18:15:40 +0000 http://vaclassroomblog.com/?p=852#comment-709 [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Craig Cannings. Craig Cannings said: RT @vaclassroom Google Places + Local Business = A Match Made in Marketing Heaven http://bit.ly/eoXYta [...] [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Craig Cannings. Craig Cannings said: RT @vaclassroom Google Places + Local Business = A Match Made in Marketing Heaven http://bit.ly/eoXYta [...]

]]> Comment on Five Tips to Building a Strong Client Base in a Down Economy by Craig http://vaclassroomblog.com/five-tips-to-building-a-strong-client-base-in-a-down-economy/comment-page-1#comment-693 Craig Mon, 22 Nov 2010 08:41:49 +0000 http://vaclassroomblog.com/?p=771#comment-693 Glad you enjoyed the post Deepak! Yes, customer nurtuing and retention efforts is sometimes the best way to keep the business moving in the right direction - Thanks for your comments! Glad you enjoyed the post Deepak! Yes, customer nurtuing and retention efforts is sometimes the best way to keep the business moving in the right direction – Thanks for your comments!

]]> Comment on Five Tips to Building a Strong Client Base in a Down Economy by Deepak Gupta http://vaclassroomblog.com/five-tips-to-building-a-strong-client-base-in-a-down-economy/comment-page-1#comment-691 Deepak Gupta Fri, 19 Nov 2010 07:03:52 +0000 http://vaclassroomblog.com/?p=771#comment-691 These are great; however, point number 5 is the best. I wish cable companies would understand that working with existing clientele/customers is the best because they have history with you (i.e. relationship). These are great; however, point number 5 is the best. I wish cable companies would understand that working with existing clientele/customers is the best because they have history with you (i.e. relationship).

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