Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Win Ipod Nano and T-shirts From Moobell


Moobell Presents IPL Season 3 Contest and Winners get Brand New IPod Nano and Tshirts.This contests takes place in Facebook. And you have to Predict the Result to win.

How to Participate:

  • Become a Fan in Facebook Fanpage.
  • Goto the Contest Application
  • Submit Your Answers Daily ie, Predictions
  • Wait For the Results the Next Day
SO Go Now and Start Predicting and Win an IPod Nano !

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Find Out The Best Virtual Assistant Services

Virtual assistants have a long list of services that they may be able to perform. The most common are data entry, transcription, maintaining blogs, article writing, academic essay writing, email management, calendar management, and research. For these things you don't need much skill. A fast internet connection and a good computer may suffice to let you start working at home.

Skills can be attained while you are making progress at this new business. As long as you have the motivation to work and to learn at the same time you may be able to generate a few income to survive first few stages. Later when they feel your honesty and see that you are dedicated then you will begin to have repeat assignments. This time they will form part of your customer database.

Always understand that working as a Virtual Assistant means submitting reports or papers on time as specified in the agreed deadline. This is very critical because this portrays reliability. So if you think you won't be able to complete work on time, never fail to inform your customer ahead of deadline. Newbies do make mistakes at the start but you as you progress you will learn how to select and complete work in your own pace. Just remember never to accept work that you will not be able to complete or you will lose that customer forever.

Becoming a Virtual Assistant is not an easy task. You need to know your skills and you have to determine which in the list of VA services will you be able to do and complete on or before deadline and you know about the important task which your virtual assistant can do for your process.Remember the quality of the work and the deadline is very important to become one reliable VA. If you have the talent for writing you can very well do the task of a Freelance Writer like writing an academic essay, articles and website content.

Next, you have to consider the equipment that you will be using. A computer even if a second hand one is fine provided that you have an internet connection. Broadband is preferable if you plan to do data entry assignments. A printer with a scanner is preferable too because you will be needing it later when you assist entrepreneurs. If you plan to accept transcription services, buy a foot pedal at NCH COM AU. The software for the express scribe is already free and you will be able to install it with the help of a technician but if you are a tech person, you may do the installation yourself.

Then next, try to look for a free website hosting at first. The website will be like a calling card. It is where you advertise yourself and it is where people will find you. They offer a lot of tools and help for the newbies. I can laugh at my first website when I take a look at it now. Everything were all pictures with small notes looking like a photo album. You may purchase a domain and select another web hosting later when you are already earning.

Remember becoming a VA does not mean continuous income. Customers come and assignments end. you might want to try it as a part time work at first just to get your customer base. If you do your work well you will have repeat orders. Of course for people with health conditions like low back pain or slight stroke conditions but are still capable of tapping those keyboards, they may still declare independence and do a VA work.

The skills can be learned so don't get frustrated. Know the Microsoft bundle, Excel, Outlook, Word, PowerPoint and you can very well start working as one. Always be deadline conscious. There are days when we get a lot of customers and we want to have it all. Please don't do that. Only work with the ones that you can manage and complete on deadline otherwise your quality of work will suffer and that customer won't give you any assignments again. Take care of your customers businesses like it is your own. Sometimes when we do our research we come across with contents that they might need so give them information it won't hurt your time to do extra work to support them. I always do that and they appreciate the info.

There are a lot of VAs but what they are looking are dependability and attitude. Love your work and be flexible with the customers needs. Later you will realize that being a VA would refer to five things: skill, deadline, quality, attitude, and availability to these are the benefits provided by the virtual assistant . Practice these things and you will have a good customer base. Always think of how you can serve the customer well and they will keep coming back for your services.

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Economic Viability of a Virtual Assistant

As a business man you don't want to get embroiled in the administrative tasks rather than concentrating on your core competencies of running your business. Building up on your business potential is your major thrust rather than concentrating and focusing on minor tasks that can be outsourced. This is when a business man will think of outsourcing the work to a Virtual Helper.

Hence, a virtual assistant need not be present in your premises but be available to do your work via the internet and telephone. Although they are not physically there they do your work in the virtual world for you. Virtual helper are good at work such as administrative, secretarial and support functions. The V A work via the internet and on collaborative workstations hence this makes them opt for local or global clientele.

Therefore, what the role of a virtual helper is just like that of a temporary worker. However, here the virtual assistant is like an entrepreneur running his/her own business by helping others deal with the minor hassles of running theirs. A virtual assistant bill the client either on an hourly basis or per piece/work basis. The virtual helper is self-employed and looks for opportunities by way of referrals from previous clients. Therefore, if your business is growing, and you don't want to be worried about the nitty-gritty then get yourself a virtual assistant pronto.

Businesses prefer a virtual assistant when in comparison to a full time employee as they have lots of benefits attached to them. A virtual helper gets with them the benefits of outsourcing in the form of no employee tax, and other benefits that a full time employee is liable for. Therefore, in the long run they work out to be more cost effective for the business. Without the headache of paying more and having union trouble you still get your work done to the best of one's ability along with a lot of loyalty and dependability thrown in. A virtual helper will not want to jeopardize their careers by not having a satisfied client on hand.

Difference Between a Virtual Assistant and an Answering Service?

A virtual assistant and answering service are really different types of service however they can be complementary. When you're trying to decide which type of service to employ, you really need to consider what type of company you are and how you plan to interact with your customers.

For example, a virtual assistant really refers to a real person, whether he / she is in the same city, state or even country or not. The term virtual really means that the person is not physically located in the same place as you. So, a virtual assistant truly is "virtual", but can he / she do many of the things that a person in the same physical location can do, except, of course, make coffee and greet clients at the door.

These assistants make and receive calls, schedule appointments, "file" documents, do research and many more tasks.

The filing portion of the business is quite unique. All of our documents are truly digital... proposals, invoices, spreadsheets, powerpoint, bills, etc. Our assistants file these on Google Docs. This process is such a timesaver because everyone in the company can share the documents and they're all easy to find. And, the beauty of Google Docs is that it is free.

Virtual assistants are also great resources for research work. Because the Internet is so ubiquitous, it is the often the first place that people go to find information. This is perfect work for a virtual assistant because they can reach the Internet from practically anywhere.

An answering service is basically just that. The service will answer and route your calls to you wherever. The service will also take a message if they are so instructed. But, from a productivity perspective an answering service is pretty limited. Yes, you can have them "find" you hours by calling a specific phone number, but your options are obviously very limited.

Virtual Assistant Services For Your Company

When running a business, there are a lot of time consuming tasks that you wish you can do without. This is why outsourcing has been a big trend in the business world these days. The hiring of virtual-assistants and acquiring their services has helped businesses big or small to make significant profit by lessening their expenses and earning at the same time.

Virtual assistant services are an instant hit due to the fact that they can help you save money. If you compare the salaries of a regular full time employee and a virtual-assistant, there is a big difference. You pay for a regular employee for the whole day regardless of what that employee produces whereas when it comes to virtual assistants, you only pay for the hours of work he or she used to finish your task or you pay an agreed amount once the work is done.

Aside from that, virtual-assistants work from their own offices therefore you do not have to worry about additional office space or providing them office equipments since they will use their own. You can have a virtual-assistant working for you on the other side of the planet. Communications with them are usually done through e-mail, fax, telephone or instant messaging. All files are sent electronically as well.

You will find that most virtual-assistant services are administrative and secretarial. Having a virtual-assistant acting as your secretary can help give you more time and less pressure especially during busy days at work. You can assign them to deal with paperwork and other tasks that would be too consuming for you to handle in regards to your time.

Another virtual-assistant service that you can get is to have people answer calls and act as receptionists for you. That way, you are able to continue and maintain your business even if you are busy. Virtual-assistants under this specialty can manage all your calls properly and give special assistance or customer service as well. They can also call your clients and verify appointments for you. You do not want to miss any connections with potential clients and business partners so it is vital that you have someone live to connect your business to them. Other virtual assistant services would include transcription, book keeping and proofreading.

No matter what virtual-assistant services you are looking for, you can be assured that virtual assistants will work efficiently and will do their best to give you accurate and rapid results that are of high quality. You can be assured that all significant information will be confidential and will be given security by the virtual assistant.

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Primary Duties of a Virtual Personal Assistant

Movies are creation of fantasy but they often have their roots in reality. The truth of this statement is evident from the portrayal of personal assistants in the movies. More often than not, we see the virtual personal assistants (PAs) as efficient and composed people. They are portrayed as individuals who are extremely efficient with a very shrewd approach towards one's duties, while the boss is shown as a person who is utterly dependent on the helper for the completion of ordinary chores.

The job of the assistant is easy to describe but very difficult to perform. The person generally works in a pressure cooker environment and the actual tasks depend on the nature of the industry in which the person is employed in. Confidence, clarity of thought and alertness are very essential requirements for the assistant.

So What Does A Virtual Personal Assistant Do?

Movies are often accused of exaggerating reality. However, they have accurately portrayed the tough duties of the PA. The core duties may include:

a. Administrative Assistance
The most important duty is to provide support and assistance regarding daily tasks. These tasks are the ones which take a lot of time and effort and yet seem very unrewarding in return. Ignoring such basic tasks can cause a lot of problems.

However, it just does not seem right to take time out your busy schedule to perform these tasks. This is where the assistant helps. He or she performs these tasks on behalf of the boss and enables the boss to remain focused on his core duty.
Tasks like booking the flight or coordinating appointments may not be very important but are unavoidable. The PA is best for performing this task.

b. Secretarial Duties
These duties include the performance of tasks like:
• Taking calls
• Screening the calls that come to the boss
• Keeping track of correspondence
• Taking care of visitors
• Arranging meetings and taking care of cancellations
• Taking minutes, dictation and other such tasks.

c. Other Tasks
The job includes a lot of discretionary powers. When the boss is not available, people look up to the PA to decide on administrative and secretarial matters. The helper may have powers even to consider the overall budget of certain events and promotions.
Many a times, the person is even required to keep track of purchases and storage of office supplies. These tasks may seem unimportant but the office can come to a stop if these tasks are not taken care of in a proper and planned manner.

d. Personal Assistance
The helper is also appointed to assist the boss in the office. However, the PA soon assumes the status of a friend, philosopher and guide and is often relied upon to perform important personal tasks as well.

Your boss may require you to keep track of birthdays, anniversaries and other special dates in the family of your boss and make arrangements like ordering flowers and other such gifts on such occasions.

Further, you may be asked to perform tasks like reserving tickets for movies, concerts and even making booking at restaurants. These tasks go beyond the original job description. However, you will enjoy additional respect and benefits if you go out of your way to help your boss.

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Hire an all around virtual assistant

An all-around Virtual Assistant (VA) can be the next best thing to having a staff of personnel at your beck and call. First there's the problem of hiring the right persons with the right skills, ensuring that they can work well without constant supervision. Of course, they should also be motivated to see your business succeed.

If your business isn't even that big to afford you a staff of more than one person, having a VA may be the solution to your administrative needs.

An all-around VA is a highly-skilled professional who can take on administrative tasks from the professional and personal level. They are experts in providing administrative, technical and/or creative solutions to your professional needs. But that is not all that they can assist you in. The need for a VA to do personal administrative tasks should also be discussed here albeit very briefly.

Let it be noted that if a businessman's personal life is running smoothly, thanks to the help of his VA, then chances are, he has more time and energy to focus on running his own business. For example, an entrepreneur who's too busy mounting a campaign for his product may not have time to go around and canvass for an anniversary gift for his wife. His wife is important to him; his business is, too. Yet we all know that in reality, many end up sacrificing their loved ones in order to establish a successful business forgetting that their reason for why they put up their business in the first place is so that they can provide for and enjoy the rewards with their loved ones. A successful person shouldn't be successful only in the professional level but also in the personal level.

Now that, that has been said, we now focus on the more direct benefits to one's business when one hires an all-around VA.

These are 5 Benefits of Hiring a Virtual Assistant For Your Business Prospect

  • Wider accessibility to highly-skilled professionals. Not all businesses can afford to hire the services of highly-skilled professionals on a long-term basis especially if the need for their service is not a regular one. A VA would be in a better capacity to help out. Virtual Assistance came into being in order to serve the small businesses but nowadays, even larger firms are utilizing this industry. As a client, you are not limited to hiring the services of only those who have passed their resumes to you and who can report to your office. A VA may live anywhere and if that doesn't bother you and both of you can arrive at an arrangement, then everything's a go.
  • You gain a partner in your business. An all-around VA is well-versed in collaboration and can even manage an online team for you. VAs have good communication skills that allow them to translate your needs to others so that they can work together to address your need. If your VA has been with you quite some time, his knowledge and continued exposure to the intricacies of your business will aid him in being of better service to you. He can begin to anticipate your needs and be intuitive in proposing solutions to your needs. He is interested in your success because it translates to a continued partnership.
  • No employee overhead. - Because a VA is a business partner and not an employee, you need not worry about workspace, office rentals, equipment, regular salary, taxes, insurance, etc. You are freed from dealing with employee issues and counselling, sick / emergency leaves, career-pathing etc. Your VA is a self-driven, highly motivated and focused partner who enjoys what he's doing and specifically chose this career because he loves the benefits which may not necessarily be dependent on you. They are confident persons who are in control of their lives. A happy worker is a productive worker.
  • You can focus on the more important task of expanding the business and leave the smaller administrative tasks essential to running a smooth business with the VAs. Sometimes the smaller tasks are more numerous and time-consuming and can tend to distract you from what is really more important. Micro-managing everything can be stressful and may lead to sour relationships, dissatisfied costumers and even health problems. You can't do it all so get an assistant.
  • VAs are more on-task. They work thoroughly and quickly so that they can get paid and move on to the next task. If they work in a different time zone, your work is getting done though your VA even when you are sleeping. And 'though they may be task-oriented, they too, are really your work partners who are interested in finding solutions to challenges and better ways to open up opportunities.
In essence, all-around VAs are professionals who got out of the office lifestyle because they know the importance of living a balanced and flexible life. They are the best persons to help you run your business and at the same time allow you to have a balanced life so that you can enjoy the rewards of what you have been working hard for.