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Business and Management

Unique Virtual Assistant Training Certification Programme Launched. Five FREE Apprenticeships Available, Worth $2997 Each.

In what is the first solution of its kind, virtual assistant-extraordinaire Michelle Dale is launching a unique training certification programme for virtual assistants, worldwide. Michelle, who has long been recognised as one of the leaders in her field, has established this training programme in recognition of the growing interest in virtual assistance over recent years. Furthermore, to celebrate the launch of the programme, five apprentice spots will be made available to lucky applicants, each valued at $2997.

Michelle is the CEO of Virtual Miss Friday, a leading VA service provider and recognises that there is a dearth of information available to newcomers in this business. She has put together a cutting edge programme and training course that is suitable for both aspiring and junior virtual assistants. The course draws heavily on Michelle’s experience and her rise to prominence in this industry and it seeks to impart this knowledge and breadth of awareness to programme members.

“I tell it exactly like it is, I don’t mince my words and you will have the full benefit of my honesty and personal experience,” reminds Michelle, who has operated a virtual assistance business from a number of different countries around the world. She has expanded and established her business through a lot of adversity and has developed some creative and unique ways to make the company successful. She promises to impart her passion for the industry and to provide a great deal of collateral and assistance to those starting off their journey.

Participants will have the benefit of working with an established support team and the resources behind Michelle’s existing VA business and will never be expected to “go it alone.” The state-of-the-art course is based on an intuitive interface and has a number of valuable, additional bonuses to help students get going and to hit the ground running.

VirtualAssistant-Live.com is intended to be the future of virtual assistance training. More and more organisations are looking to outsource to virtual assistants in our new economy and the opportunities for those who are starting off in this industry are indeed considerable.

In order to apply for the FREE Apprenticeships, would-be virtual assistants are invited to visit the website at http://virtualassistant-live.com/the-va-apprentice/ and leave some appropriate comments, in order to convince Michelle that they are suitable for the apprenticeship.

About VirtualAssistant-Live, Virtual Miss Friday and Michelle Dale

VirtualAssistant-Live is hosted by Michelle Dale and is intended to be a source of matter-of-fact advice and inspiration for virtual assistants around the world. The site is a direct offshoot of the successful Virtual Miss Friday website, which has been established for many years as one of the preeminent virtual assistance solutions available. Michelle draws on her extensive experience in the corporate environment to provide a network of services and solutions for clients of Virtual Miss Friday. An adventurer at heart, she has established her VA businesses whilst travelling as a Digital Nomad living in countries throughout the Middle East and Europe – so far…

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Smart Phones Ease The Path For Remote Employees As “Apps” Are Created For All Sorts Of Business Uses.

A lot of people assume that smart phones with touch screens are a new player in the mobile telephony market. Remarkably, the very first smart phone was built over 18 years ago, and possessed a touch screen and predictive text. It was called using a stylus, and it had a calendar, calculator, address book etc. We have moved a long way in 18 years and although that particular smart phone was breathtaking in 1992, it would be considered fairly basic nowadays.

If your work requires being on the road, or you Work From Home, then you will certainly need an internet connection to remain in contact with customers and suppliers. Wireless connectivity is a given on all smart phones, and as wireless hubs proliferate across the urban and suburban landscape, individuals can and will hook up their smart phones to the web, for all kinds of reasons. Internet Business is no longer limited to a pc or a laptop any longer. The fixed “line” in Online Jobs has been replaced by wireless hubs and wireless home networks. As wireless connectivity is becoming more and more available, businesses are realising the capabilities of smart phones and other wireless devices. The fact that people are carting this type of technology around with them, means that Internet Business can be carried out there and then. Decisions which may have been put off till people researched products or prices at home, can now be made right away, as people check products or solicit financial loans using their phones.

However, it is the millions of applications being generated for these smart phones that are going to produce the big difference going forward. There are programmers globally generating applications to permit all kinds of transactions to be done using a smart phone. It lets those people in Online Jobs where location is neither here nor there, to do their job virtually anywhere. Sales staff for example, can order components for a manufacturing company, from the top of a partly completed office block. “Square” is a new app which lets people to take credit card payments using an iPhone. So if you Work From Home or phonel a customer from the street, you can perform a financial transaction there and then.

Scores of people have eBay businesses, which they run. There are apps for smart phone to track deliveries through Fed Ex. So parcels sent out to customers may well be tracked from anywhere. If there are any questions from customers you can verify it from where you are sitting, and respond right away. In a similar vein, a PayPal app is also on hand so you can track payments from customers who procure your goods on eBay. So if you Work From Home or your eBay business is out and about, these apps can keep you involved in your business and let you to loosen the bonds to the traditional workplace.
Regardless where you are, or what your Internet Business is, a smart phone will become a regular tool you can use on a regular basis.

What we are seeing today is just the tip of the iceberg. As better encryption becomes available the amount of financial transactions will get bigger. Some Online Jobs will move from the pc to the phone, so employees can get out of the office and interface with existing clientele and more importantly, seal deals with potential clientele because you possess all the information and the transactional capability at your fingertips.

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Tips to Pass ISO 9001 Certification

There’s no absolute need to undergo the procedure for certification with the help of ISO consultants Melbourne experts. It would be a good move though to gun for it if you want more customers for your business. Anyone considering becoming your customer would be far more inclined to become one if you have a certified quality management system. You might be able to use these tips to achieve certification.

#1- Have measurable objectives.

Every business owner knows the need for setting company objectives. In order to receive certification though, your objectives have to be more than just general items cut from a template. A common example of a general objective is indicating your plan of eventually reaching good quality standards. This leaves the question of just what makes standards good quality.

You can become very particular for the purpose of ISO quality certification if you indicate measurable objectives. Rather than just mentioning the intention of reaching vague quality levels, you should provide numerical figures or percentages such the percentage of satisfied customers you would want to acquire.

#2- Identify elements that are candidates for improvement.

The best part about opting to get certified is the focus on continuous improvement. This is embodied in the standard for foreseeing possible problems and recommending preventive measures. Thus, even before you submit your desire to have your company evaluated, there is a need for every member of your teams to commit to continuous improvement. This should be a part of a basic quality policy for ISO certification 9001. It becomes easier to focus on this if you keep in mind that you can always do something better.

#3- Inform your people of changes to the system.

Supervisors and managers aren’t the only ones responsible for certification. Every other employee plays a part. This is why it is vital for all involved to be properly informed of changes to the system. Also, employees must be made to understand clearly what their responsibilities are in supporting these changes and promoting customer satisfaction. Moreover, feedback must be asked from the people involved. The success of internal communication is largely responsible for developing the type of teamwork that is necessary for reaching company objectives.

#4- Practice telling the truth.

Before actual audit for ISO 9001 certification begins, there should be a standing rule to maintain honesty. Although it is important to put your best foot forward, you will run into trouble if you lie or tell your people to lie. Being honest does not mean revealing the weaknesses of an organization. It simply means responding to questions with the correct answers. Do not embellish or try to hide facts in an attempt to make the company look better.

#5- Hire a consultant.

Any company can evaluate itself and seek to get certified on its own. In a lot of cases though, chances for improvement will be higher if consultants come into the picture. Expert quality system evaluators can tell you quickly and accurately what you need to work on before you take the first step.

Any company, big or small, can use the help of ISO certification Melbourne experts. A system that is at par with international standards is simply more attractive to customers and associates. This is why you should take the step now to align your business with internationally recognized standards for quality.

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Affordable Offers at a Artist Keep?

Developer outfits are practically synonymous to some heavy value tag. But did you realize that even as a custom stow shopper you could potentially also discover bargains?

Sure, there is no need to offer up your passion for stylish and fashionable wardrobes just mainly because you consider you can’t afford them. You’ll find so many methods to enjoy the gorgeous looks of outfits purchased over a custom stow not having having to break the bank. Here are some of them:

* Rating as a lot savings with discount rates! A custom stow commonly provides massive discount rates, indeed, as a lot as 80% off, every now after which. Usually do not be afraid to have close to discount racks mainly because that might be housing your very best purchase! Some consumers are also afraid of obtaining even close to a custom stow mainly because of their considering that their spending budget will not match. Well, consider once more, folks. For all you realize, that custom coat you could have been dreaming to possess is by now on the discount rack waiting being owned by a good deal hunter!

* Developer labels usually create an cost-effective collection for thrift consumers. So, by being ready to scan the rack, you by now have the opportunity to rating custom clothes at a affordable value. Trash the considering that a custom stow charge custom value. That is not often the case.

* Locate a very good on-line supply. Developer merchants are everywhere. They could even be found on-line. If you could have no time scouting for the thrift custom stow by foot, it is possible to simply just open your pc, connect to the web, and start discovering 1 on-line. Ebay, the largest e-commerce website, commonly provides good deal custom clothes in case you purchase by bulk. Verify out that as well as other custom stow provides proper on the comfort of your house.

A custom stow isn’t often all about large value. Intelligent consumers can simply discover very good bargains if they know where to appear. You’ll find thrift designer stores that home the same custom labels but do not offer them on the same pricey tag.

Also, do not be afraid to store at Target or Wal Mart. Though they are recognized for pricey items, additionally they work hard to offer some thing for everyone. As a result, it is no coincidence that they offer custom outfits with cost-effective value tags.

If you go for benefit a lot more than anything else, attempt shopping on-line. Not having to go from 1 store to an additional by now gives a lot of savings.

You see, you can find a lot of affordable alternatives for wise consumers to discover affordable custom outfits. There is certainly actually no stage at shying away from the custom stow!

A custom stow is commonly avoided by thrift consumers anticipated to an impression that it equates to high-priced clothes. But custom merchants also can mean gorgeous finds at an cost-effective value for smart consumers!

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Small Business Recession Tips

During the recession, it seems instinctual to reel in your marketing campaigns. However, many business owners who are seeing growth right now have actually ramped up their marketing efforts. Marc Joseph, President and Founder of “Dollar Days” recommends hiring professional copywriters to create keyword-rich articles that will make your website more visible in search engines. His editorial team was able to get his website in the top 5 search results for competitive keyword phrases like “wholesale souvenirs.” Content is king — and, for a small price, you can get the word out across multiple internet channels and reach even more consumers than you would have through snail-mail campaigns. Continue reading for more valuable recession tips from MarketingSherpa’s 2009 B2B Marketing Summit.

At the 2009 MarketingSherpa B2B Marketing Summit, there were several recession tips and recommendations to help small business entrepreneurs weather the storm. The first tip was to “re-engage old leads.” According to Brian Carroll, CEO of InTouch, research reveals that 80% of all leads marketers generate are discarded, lost or ignored. Sending your sales team out to find new leads all the time can be a grueling, tiresome practice — and an expensive one! Instead, you can use marketing newsletters and social networking sites to re-engage and reinvigorate potential contacts. Caroll adds that emailing relevant industry articles to old leads and following up by phone generated a 375% increase in conversions. One marketer said his team achieved a 44% increase in subscribers by offering a news announcement and prize. “If you want to make a difference in the fourth quarter this year, go back to what you did in the first quarter of this year or the fourth quarter of last year, and there’s a lot of opportunity there,” Carroll said.

One of the more unconventional recession tips is to change your company over to a home based business. With a computer, a telephone and a quiet room, many businesses can move to the home. The good news about this bold move is that you’ll cut out on commuting costs and rent — not to mention, you’ll be able to write off a portion of your heating/cooling/electric/mortgage bills on your taxes as an expense. If you can’t run your company alone and rely on many other workers to get the job done, then you may want to consider how they can work from home as well.

Rene Lacape is a seasoned insurance agent. He has been dealing with both corporate and individual accounts for several years up to the present. If you need him, you can check his website and give him a call. Act now.

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Business Signage: Why Digital Signs Are Important

Often in this space, I explore a small slice of digital signage development, such as the role of digital signage in meeting the evolving media appetites of people; the ability of digital signs to blend the functions of traditional signs with the interactive aspects of digital kiosks; or the potential of digital signage to command an increasingly larger slice of the media budget of marketers. Go to Sign Manufacturing for more information.

While those are important topics, this month I want to get back to the basics of digital signage -specifically why should professional communicators turn to digital signage to convey their important messages? Actually, there are several reasons, including:

-To increase a company’s visibility. One of the biggest problems retailers have when it comes to self-promotion is cutting through all of the marketing noise generated by every other business -be it on radio or TV, in newspapers and magazines or from competing store front signs. Digital signage can cut through those distractions by attracting and directing the attention of the most important potential buyers of all -those in a store who are ready to spend money on a purchase.

-To help solidify relationships with customers and vendors. Consider an auto dealership waiting room with customers seated waiting for their cars to be fixed. With well-positioned digital signage messaging -as opposed to an ordinary TV displaying a cable news channel- the dealership can promote special offers aimed at its captive digital signage audience as a reward for choosing to do business with the dealership. Or, in a corporate setting, a digital sign in the lobby can be used to welcome scheduled vendors, guests and other visitors as they arrive -a simple move that builds goodwill. Refer to Sign Installation for more information.

-To deliver critical information more efficiently. In times of emergency, an existing digital signage network can be a lifesaver, providing critically important messages alerting employees, customers and other patrons of exit locations, storm shelters and other vital information.

-To save time. Preparing a static, printed sign is labor-intensive, expensive and time-consuming. The same message can be created and displayed far more quickly with a digital sign. Add to that the recurring expense of printing new signs as needs change versus simply updating a digital sign with a few keystrokes and it doesn’t take long to begin earning a tidy ROI from a digital sign.

-To attract greater attention than is possible with static, printed signs. The other drawback of print is that it is static. Human brains are programmed for motion. Our eyes are automatically drawn to moving objects. Digital signs displaying full of motion video are dynamic not static. They tap into something that is innately human to demand attention and hold it.

-To increase the efficiency of employees. Imagine a small industrial plant where management wants to communicate vital information to hundreds of workers. Perhaps it’s production quotas vs. actual performance; perhaps it’s mean time between accidental employee injuries; perhaps it’s delivery information regarding vital components that are en route. In all of these instances -and others too numerous to recount here- digital signage has the ability to convey important information to a workforce that is vital to employees maintaining a safe, efficient environment.

There you have it -several reasons why digital signage is an important, effective communications alternative that professional communicators cannot ignore. Sometimes it’s good to get back to basics.

Digital Signage…
1) Can increase your company’s visibility,
2) Can help solidify your customer and vendor relationships,
3) Can deliver critical information more efficiently,
4) Saves time,
5) Attracts attention better than static signs,
6) Can increase the efficiency of your employees.

And, digital signage can be less expensive than what you are already using.

What do you think? Visit business signs for further information.

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How A Home Exchange Works

The home exchange as a way to make your vacation most cost effective and interesting is something that has been done for decades, starting in the 50s and reaching its first peak in the 70s. A new peak has been reached with a recent movie “The Holiday,” which used home swapping as a plot device. Part of its popularity growth over the years has to do with different factors involving the tourism industry and the state of the real estate market, as well as the general economy.

A home exchange can be done instead of buying and selling property, and the two parties permanently exchange their homes. However, the most common are temporary, vacation house exchange ventures. Staying somewhere for a couple of weeks in a hotel can be quite expensive, but if you are able to do an exchange, then you get to stay in someone else’s house while they stay in yours, and no one pays any fees.

The easiest way to organize a vacation home exchange is by going online and searching for websites that cater to people interested in this venture. There are a few popular ones out there, notably www.homeexchange.com. These websites allow you to find estate listings in locations that you are interested in visiting and putting your own home up as a potential swap. They also offer a bit more security than trying to do a home swap on your own with people that you don’t know.

Once you’ve found a location and a person that you want to do a vacation home swap with, you enter into an agreement with them regarding when and for how long you wish to vacation. The homes are typically swapped at the same time, so that one party stays in the other person’s home and vice versa, though other arrangements could be made. Issues like use of cars, pet care, cleaning, and other details are also ironed out before the actual swap so that everyone is clear about what will happen.

A home exchange might be the best answer for many people who want to enjoy their vacation time, but don’t have a lot of money to spend. Hotels are one of the most expensive parts of a trip, aside from any air travel, and by home swapping you can eliminate that expense. A significant percentage of travelers are trying out exchanges and most of them are happy with the results, meaning that this way of vacationing should only increase and become more accessible, and agreeable, to the general public.

Thomas Bronson is a foremost expert in generating a ton of traffic and leads to any websites, and one of the course which he recommends is John Reese traffic secrets review. He is also a foremost expert in starting an online business from home and you can check out his free course from his site today.

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Landing A Business Award Can Be A Key To Higher Sales and Profitability

When a company is given a business award, everyone automatically assumes that the company must be very well-known to have won such a distinction among many others.

The truth is that many successful companies do not even participate in these awards under the apprehension of not being able to win. Hence, the contest between companies for these business awards is not as difficult as one might think, and that is the reason why it is always a smart idea to participate in them even if your company has not yet made a big name for itself. If you think about the benefits your business will enjoy if you participate and end up winning the award, you will realize how important business awards can be for your company – be sure to look at business awards for examples and more.

Firstly, entering business awards is an easy and almost free public relations exercise. These awards confer great honour and prestige and they help in building an identity for you and your company in the field of your expertise – be sure to look at corporate identity london for specific info on corporate brand creation. Companies with smart management at the helm make it a point to take part in business awards, as they are conscious of the great marketing prospects that these awards offer to them.

Business awards also help a company in enhancing the quality of its work by concentrating on vital areas that are given importance in the awards competition, and at the same time they provide motivation to be the best in the industry. There will always be motivation to maintain high-quality work after winning an award and this will keep the employees on their toes to live up to their reputation.

Lastly, business awards help in projecting the organization as a reliable one and thus they help in attracting new customers. They give you an inexpensive and effective way to clinch new deals and boost your sales, especially if you end up winning the award and are able to promote the win successfully.

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Internet Marketing – Cost Effective Solutions

Internet – it’s a word that has made its mark around the world in an incredibly short period of time. It has become a truly effective marketing tool for all kinds of businesses that don’t have the resources to go all out on advertising through television, radio, print media, etc. The internet isn’t just a great marketing tool; it has become an effective business model for businesses everywhere.

So, are you still in a dilemma on whether to utilise the internet to market your products and services? Here are a few really good reasons why you pursue Internet Marketing:

1. Lower Costs – In most instances, the actual cost of marketing a product or service on the Internet is far lower when compared with other traditional forms of advertising, and it also has the potential to reach a much wider group of possible customers.

2. Convenient for Users – It’s much easier for customers to search for products and information on the Internet. Customers don’t even have to walk out their front doors – everything is always just a couple of mouse clicks away.

3. Availability 24/7 – One of the biggest advantages of Internet Marketing is its constant availability – 24 hours a day. Potential customers can access your products and services at any time, and always at a time which is convenient for them.

4. Interactive – Another important aspect of Internet Marketing is that it’s interactive by nature. Customers can clarify their doubts by asking questions and give feedback regarding products and services.

5. Hybrid Advertising – Internet advertising is a hybrid of audio, video and print advertising. It includes all of the elements and advantages of television and print media.

6. Look and Feel – With the internet you can market your products more effectively by providing an impressive catchy appearance through the use of animations and graphics. Also, with the use of bold colours and designs, you can even more thoroughly captivate the attention of your customers.

7. Market Research – As anyone involved in management training knows, businesses spend a great deal of money in conducting research into their product and services. With the internet you can utilise online polls and surveys to figure out exactly what your customers want, how they feel about your products and services, and most importantly – how you can improve. Through website statistics you can easily learn how much traffic is received on your website, where these visitors came from, how many individuals are returning or first time visitors, etc.

The majority of business coaching experts agree that the internet is an extremely effective business model with an array of options for marketing your business. So, it’s your choice which way to go, either stay with the traditional forms of marketing, or enter into the new business arena with Internet Marketing.

Alan Gillies is the Managing Director of the L2L Group, specialising in providing Executive Coaching, Training and Consultancy Services to Businesses across the Globe. Want to learn more about these business success strategies? Get Alan’s popular FREE Business Pack today!

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How to Become an Expert Negotiator

Do you consider regular negotiations to be tough jobs to handle? Do you spend sleepless nights where you have to get out of bed at the crack of dawn to negotiate with clients, dealers or leads? Do most of your negotiations create misunderstandings rather than improving your business relationships? Has there ever been a point when you’ve wished that you could calmly sail through a deal without being seen as unfriendly or authoritative? If your reply to the majority of these questions is a resounding YES, then you could really use some assistance, and if you make an effort to keep in mind the following helpful tips, you’ll soon realise that negotiating isn’t tough after all.

In many cases, it’s the variety of expectations, emotions and strategies involved which applies the psychological pressure to the negotiator, which easily can – and often does, drive the endeavour in the wrong direction. Here are some do’s and don’ts from management training for successful friendly negotiations.

Do’s:

a.) Always approach negotiations with a calm and mature mindset. Never approach negotiations with an air of overconfidence or seem desperate to close a deal.

b.) Adopt a calm, confident and honest approach. Approach your opponent with a friendly gesture and start the process by exchanging greetings and small talk. This will give time for both of you to settle down into your groove.

c.) Take care that the negotiation remains a reasonable process. You have the right to put across your point of view, and so does the other person, so don’t try to push him into a corner.

d.) Always give ample time to the other person so he can finish what he has to say, and avoid interrupting or trying to take over the conversation.

e.) Try to follow and understand the negotiating style of the person across the table. If he is polite, be polite. If he is tough, be polite again. The idea is not to have heated debates, but to come to a mutually amicable solution.

f.) Ask questions, but at the same time don’t deny the other person the same liberty. Remember to listen carefully; as this will give you time to think so you can make a productive counter move.

Don’ts:

1.) Do not be bogged down by the image or market standing of the other party. Trust your abilities, and remember that the reputation of an individual is rarely accurate.

2.) Do not let emotions rule the scene – keep them under control. An overplay or underplay of emotions can cause irrational behavior, frustrations and conflict.

3.) Do not forget that you are at the negotiating table to reach the best deal possible for you and your company. Be straight forward, well researched, set goals and have a clear vision in sight.

4.) Do not approach negotiations unprepared. Always prepare a strategy well in advance – but don’t cling to it, just remember to follow the general theme. Circumstances may be different in each instance, and you may need to adopt a flexible plan based on the flow of your current negotiations.

Most business coaching experts agree that the above tips can come in handy when negotiating just about any deal. Negotiations should be thought of as healthy discussions and not as argumentative conversations. Business works on the basis of relationship. In other words, negotiations should help a business earn friends – not enemies. The idea is to not only win the negotiation, but to win the person sitting across the table as well.

Alan Gillies is the Managing Director of the L2L Group, specialising in supplying Executive Coaching, Training and Consultancy Services to Businesses around the World. Want to find out more about these comprehensive business building success strategies? Get Alan’s phenomenal FREE Business Pack right now!

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