Here's my new article - Feel free to reprint as long as bio remains. Comments welcome! Thanks!
Social Networking Changed Everything – The New Marketing & PR Model
It’s pretty obvious that the marketing of today has changed. You have newspapers going virtual/web only, Twitter and Facebook replacing postcards and phone calls, and potential clients now being the main target of your press releases as opposed to editors. It’s all changing and to do PR today, you need to change with it. The good news is that it’s never been easier. The bad news, you need to learn a new way to do things. Fortunately, there are tips that can make it easier and I’m here to show you a few.
First, no one can deny the power of social networking. And those that do are just plain wrong. I’ve been in business since 1985 and I liken this to way back when emails became a way of life. Many still contended they wanted to do it the old fashioned way and nothing would beat a letter. (I know it’s hard to even imagine this today.) It wasn’t long until they realized their error, but by then their competition was way ahead of them. Don’t make the same mistake now. You absolutely need to get with it and get on board. I can practically guarantee you within weeks you’ll be hooked and wondering why you ever hesitated. It’s so easy, and the potential so great, you need to start today.
Let’s break it down. Twitter first. Forget all the “I don’t care what they ate for lunch excuses,” that’s where your competition and peers are and you do need to be there too. Sure you do have a few tweeters who will update you on the latest hot dog they ate, but that’s rare. What you do have is more and more businesses networking and connecting with each other in ways never thought possible. It’s also more than just networking back and forth, you can have chats, host events, get more publicity for your articles and press releases & even announce your seminars and radio shows. And that’s not even the half of it. There are entire books written on this, so my first recommendation is to get them. Why struggle and find your way around when you can easily read the tips from those who know exactly what you need to succeed.
Also, while you are getting your feet wet, don’t jump in and start posting and selling and ranting and raving. Take it slow. Sign up, take a sit, remain quiet for a short time and read what others are posting. Follow the leaders in your industry and take advantage of their knowledge. It can almost feel like walking around with them all day and looking over their shoulders for their secrets. What’s cool is they give their tips freely, why wouldn’t you want to take advantage of that? As an example, if someone were looking for information on starting a virtual assistant business or getting publicity for their business, they could follow me at Twitter.com/dianaennen
Now the key many forget is that not only do you need to follow them, you need to listen earnestly to what they are saying. Go to the sites they recommend. Actually do the things they suggest. And most importantly, if you have the opportunity to contribute and honestly have something of importance to say, do! Even if they aren’t following you, once you list their twitter name @name, it will go to them. Best yet, you might get a retreat or even better a RT and follow back. As many say, those are the ultimate compliments.
Now it’s important to learn the social media lingo – Hashtags, Retweets, Fans, Follow Friday, this is just a few of the many names you need to know to do business better. It can be overwhelming. No, in fact it is overwhelming. However, if you keep it simple and take it a step at a time, you can do it. When you see a term you don’t know, look it up right then. Write down your interpretation and do the investigating to find out more about it. Here are just a few to help you on your journey.
What’s a retweet? That’s when you find somone’s information useful and you want to pass it onto your followers. So basically RT (retweet) is good content that you pass on. Many RT just to RT. Don’t be one of them. You know your followers and what they want and need, that’s what you should be RT’ing. We highly recommend signing up for TweetDeck for ease in doing this. A click of a button and you are there.
Next you need to know about Follow Friday. This is definitely one of my favorites. Think of Follow Friday as your day networking at a business get-together, only better. You get to stay in the comfort of your own home, and you get to immediately make the connections, not when you get home with a handful of business cards. Try and plan your week so you can participate. Remember this can be even more effective than a Chamber meeting or an expensive business seminar. So plan a lighter load on Friday whenever possible. You want people to mention you so mention them. Also, don’t just list 20 screens of twitter names that you want people to follow. Tell your followers why they should follow them. What do they offer that your followers would be interested in? Remember to put #followfriday in your posting. (By the way, see that # in followfriday. That’s what is called a hashtag. Cool huh!) And finally, you want people to retweet your followfriday postings, so keep your count to 120 instead of 140 so they can easily do this. In fact, do this for all tips or postings you wanted retweeted.
Finally, try and post on Friday mornings. I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’ll often go down my postings to find those I want to list. I know I want to list them before hand so it’s not that I’m just going down my friends column, but often times I don’t have their information readily available. By posting on Friday you are giving it to them.
Finally, sign up for Trilalerts for your keywords. Start following those of interest. For example, I’m a virtual assistant, so I’ve signed up for virtual assistant updates. Now I can follow other virtual assistants easily. I do the same for Publicity, etc. Who do you want to connect with? That’s who you sign up for. Follow the media. Sign up for Facebook and Twitter for the newspapers and TV stations in your area. Look for business reporters who tweak and follow them. Learn their style and what they are looking for in their articles.
Also, follow some of the owners of the many article and press release directories who tweet. Some of the best are on there and giving away secrets to success left and right.
Facebook is pretty self explanatory. The key here is to spend some time to expand your network. Fortunately you get notices when someone responds to your posts, so try and go and follow-up as soon as you can. However, be careful that you don’t get sidetracked doing this too often. Build relationships. You can have thousands of friends and fans, but can you honestly connect to all of them. I know I sure can’t. Twitter also now allows your tweets to be sent to your Facebook page too. This is definitely a plus. Just make sure that you don’t do this to all of your postings, only the ones you feel would interest your friends on Facebook.
Article Submissions, Press Release Submissions - I also say you need to send out articles and press releases religiously. Many question how some succeed with this and others don’t. What’s the difference? The main thing is that they know what to do. They realize the difference that page ranking can make and don’t waste their time on sites that don’t get results. They sign up for Google Alerts under their keywords and then check out the sites that frequently get spidered. Then they send to those places and add those sites to their database. We do have a fabulous PR informational package that is free to anyone who emails us.
Marketing a business and social networking doesn’t have to be expensive if you just remember to network and use all the tools available to you. In fact, it can be fun as you get to meet new people and develop new ways to sell you and your business. Also, keep in mind if you don’t want to do it yourself, there are excellent qualified pros and virtual assistants available to assist. You don’t need to do it all. You just need to do it!
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Diana Ennen, specializes in publicity and marketing and is the President of Virtual Word Publishing, http://www.virtualwordpublishing.com. Ready to jumpstart your PR campaign, then email her at Diana@virtualwordpublishing.com. Free PR Informational Package available. Twitter – http://www.twitter.com/dianaennen . Article is free to be reprinted as long as bio remains.
Saturday, May 02, 2009
Sunday, April 05, 2009
Wake Up and Partner With a Virtual Assistant
Love your comments. Here's Kelly and my latest article. Why do you partner with a Virtual Assistant? Or what should businesses partner with you as a VA?
Wake Up and Partner With a Virtual Assistant
Is your to-do list keeping you up at night? Are you counting tasks rather than sheep to fall asleep? Does this resemble one of your peaceful night’s sleep?
1. Wade through emails - 2. Finalize the presentation for tomorrow’s meeting - 3. Get handouts ready for Wednesday’s meeting - 4. Make follow up calls zzz - 5. Schedule sales meeting zzzzzz - 6. Buy anniversary gift. - 7. Call my kids.zzzzzzzz
If it’s been a long time since you laid your head down on the pillow at night without a care in the world, I assure you – there is hope. You can have sanity and sleep, too.
When business worries and personal commitments get too much, you need to get help. Businesses today are faced with more and more challenges, more work, and also the need to keep up with the latest in social networking. If you’re spending more of your time on administrative tasks, marketing or staying on top of the latest on the web, it’s time to make a change. It’s time to partner with a virtual assistant (VA).
So what exactly is a Virtual Assistant. No, we don’t mean the Veteran’s Administration. And, we are not talking about the state of Virginia. We are talking about a virtual assistant, also known as a VA.
A virtual assistant, or VA, is an independent business professional who among many things, can help busy professionals handle administrative tasks and PR needs so they can focus on growing their business. Utilizing the latest technology your Virtual Assistant, can manage your social networks, write press releases and letters, tweak or create a presentation, make travel arrangements, be your own personal concierge, follow up on trade show leads, handle literature fulfillment, and even prepare your expense and call reports. The possibilities are endless once you start to see how many tasks you really can delegate.
"I don't know what I'd do without my Virtual Assistant. As a sales professional who works out of my home and travels extensively I don't have an on-site staff to keep things moving. I can rely on her to prepare marketing materials, organize my contacts, send out letters, and keep me on track with special projects. Delegating routine tasks and special projects to my Virtual Assistant allows me to spend more time growing the business," says Mark Loudenslager, VP of Sales, Cathay Pigments USA.
Partnering with a virtual assistant affords you the luxury of spending more time in front of your clients and less time behind your desk. Because virtual assistants are independent professionals they come equipped with their own office, their own equipment, the latest software programs, and the know how of running a successful business. They don't, however, come equipped with added expenses like payroll taxes, expensive benefit packages, paid vacations, holiday pay, or "free time" (that you pay for) for talking to co-workers. They're only there when you need them. Sometimes they're even there when you don't think you need them!
Virtual Assistants are also invaluable in helping to keep your business from being lost among its many competitors or overlooked because of lack of professionalism. Amidst the Internet and Social Networking craze, millions of email exchanges, and web and teleconferencing many professionals have literally ‘lost sight’ of their clients. In a day and age where we thrive on customer relationship management, personal sales calls have taken a back seat to technology. Further, today’s economy has forced more layoffs and corporate downsizing, which has impacted the availability of internal support systems and other such resources. The lack of internal resources has forced companies to rely on already overburdened staff to pick up the slack. Staff such as sales people who are now spending more time doing administrative tasks than they are generating sales. Where does the madness end?
It’s time to wake up and get back in the field! Get ahead of the competition and you won’t find yourself saying “Oops, I could have had a VA”
Kelly Poelker and Diana Ennen are successful virtual assistants and co-authors of numerous books including Virtual Assistant: the Series, Become a Highly Successful, Sought After Virtual Assistant and accompanying Virtual Assistant the Series Workbook. Stop by http://www.vatheseries.com for information on starting a virtual assistant business, or contact authors at authors@vatheseries.com if you need a virtual assistant. Article is free to be reprinted as long as bio remains.
Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/DianaEnnen and www.twitter.com/KellyPoelker
Wake Up and Partner With a Virtual Assistant
Is your to-do list keeping you up at night? Are you counting tasks rather than sheep to fall asleep? Does this resemble one of your peaceful night’s sleep?
1. Wade through emails - 2. Finalize the presentation for tomorrow’s meeting - 3. Get handouts ready for Wednesday’s meeting - 4. Make follow up calls zzz - 5. Schedule sales meeting zzzzzz - 6. Buy anniversary gift. - 7. Call my kids.zzzzzzzz
If it’s been a long time since you laid your head down on the pillow at night without a care in the world, I assure you – there is hope. You can have sanity and sleep, too.
When business worries and personal commitments get too much, you need to get help. Businesses today are faced with more and more challenges, more work, and also the need to keep up with the latest in social networking. If you’re spending more of your time on administrative tasks, marketing or staying on top of the latest on the web, it’s time to make a change. It’s time to partner with a virtual assistant (VA).
So what exactly is a Virtual Assistant. No, we don’t mean the Veteran’s Administration. And, we are not talking about the state of Virginia. We are talking about a virtual assistant, also known as a VA.
A virtual assistant, or VA, is an independent business professional who among many things, can help busy professionals handle administrative tasks and PR needs so they can focus on growing their business. Utilizing the latest technology your Virtual Assistant, can manage your social networks, write press releases and letters, tweak or create a presentation, make travel arrangements, be your own personal concierge, follow up on trade show leads, handle literature fulfillment, and even prepare your expense and call reports. The possibilities are endless once you start to see how many tasks you really can delegate.
"I don't know what I'd do without my Virtual Assistant. As a sales professional who works out of my home and travels extensively I don't have an on-site staff to keep things moving. I can rely on her to prepare marketing materials, organize my contacts, send out letters, and keep me on track with special projects. Delegating routine tasks and special projects to my Virtual Assistant allows me to spend more time growing the business," says Mark Loudenslager, VP of Sales, Cathay Pigments USA.
Partnering with a virtual assistant affords you the luxury of spending more time in front of your clients and less time behind your desk. Because virtual assistants are independent professionals they come equipped with their own office, their own equipment, the latest software programs, and the know how of running a successful business. They don't, however, come equipped with added expenses like payroll taxes, expensive benefit packages, paid vacations, holiday pay, or "free time" (that you pay for) for talking to co-workers. They're only there when you need them. Sometimes they're even there when you don't think you need them!
Virtual Assistants are also invaluable in helping to keep your business from being lost among its many competitors or overlooked because of lack of professionalism. Amidst the Internet and Social Networking craze, millions of email exchanges, and web and teleconferencing many professionals have literally ‘lost sight’ of their clients. In a day and age where we thrive on customer relationship management, personal sales calls have taken a back seat to technology. Further, today’s economy has forced more layoffs and corporate downsizing, which has impacted the availability of internal support systems and other such resources. The lack of internal resources has forced companies to rely on already overburdened staff to pick up the slack. Staff such as sales people who are now spending more time doing administrative tasks than they are generating sales. Where does the madness end?
It’s time to wake up and get back in the field! Get ahead of the competition and you won’t find yourself saying “Oops, I could have had a VA”
Kelly Poelker and Diana Ennen are successful virtual assistants and co-authors of numerous books including Virtual Assistant: the Series, Become a Highly Successful, Sought After Virtual Assistant and accompanying Virtual Assistant the Series Workbook. Stop by http://www.vatheseries.com for information on starting a virtual assistant business, or contact authors at authors@vatheseries.com if you need a virtual assistant. Article is free to be reprinted as long as bio remains.
Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/DianaEnnen and www.twitter.com/KellyPoelker
Top 10 Tips for Entrepreneurs to Start & Stay in Business
Our newest article -- Please add more tips in our comments. We'd love to have them.
Top 10 Tips for Entrepreneurs to Start and Stay in Business
Starting a new business is such an exciting time in life. You’ve got an idea for a product or service that you know will be a success. All you’ve to do is make it happen. Follow these tips and you’ll be well on your way to entrepreneurship.
1. Find your passion in life - Do some soul searching and make sure that the business you are about to begin is your true passion in life. Why venture into doing something “just because” – make it something you love to do.
2 . Research, research, research - Take the time to do your homework. Find out all that you can about your new business, starting a business, and what kind of competition is out there. Don’t rush in to anything. Your business will only succeed if you are filling a need or a void in the marketplace.
3. Develop a solid business plan - Whether or not you need financing for your business, you still need a business plan. Many people dread this process because they make it out to be a very daunting task. Daunting or not, it’s crucial to your success. A business plan, at minimum, should be an outline of your goals and objectives for the business – attainable and reasonable goals – both strategic and financial. It can be one page, it can be twenty pages – just be sure to do it. Putting the plans that are constantly floating around in your head down on paper will make you accountable. Visit your plan often and make the necessary changes to ensure your success.
4. Develop a solid marketing plan - The marketing plan is an essential part of your business planning. You need to research your competition, analyze your strengths and weaknesses, and identify the risks, opportunities and threats posed by both internal and external factors. In doing so you can easily determine a niche market, the best way to enter the market, and how to best turn your marketing efforts into revenue.
5. Create your USP - Your USP is your Unique Selling Proposition. This is what makes you stand out from the competition. Why should people buy your product or service over the competition? Do you offer the best price? Do you have a superior product? Do you offer the best customer service? Your niche coupled with your USP and a good marketing plan can quickly position you at the forefront of the marketplace – you’ll blow the competition away.
6. Establish your external support system - Starting a business on your own can be overwhelming. Don’t be afraid to ask for assistance when and where you need it. Draw on the resources closest to you such as family and friends. The Internet offers a number of opportunities to establish a system of peers including social networks such as Twitter, Facebook, etc., teleseminars, message boards, and discussion groups. Check out the various online and offline networking groups and associations. Chances are you have a local SBA office, Small Business Development Center, or SCORE office in your area that can be a great source of resources for starting and growing your business.
7. Communicate with your internal support system - Without the support of those closest to you – kids, spouses, moms, dads, significant others – it can be difficult to dedicate the necessary time and resources to developing your business. By communicating your plans, goals and objectives with your internal support system you better your chances of gaining their support and getting them behind your new venture. Keep the communication lines open so that they understand what you’re going through and let them know how they can best be of help to you.
8. Give it time - Rome wasn’t built in a day, nor will your business turn a profit in a day. It takes time to build a successful business. If the phone doesn’t ring today, it will tomorrow. The key is to be ready for when it does ring. Have all the proper systems in place; be prepared to spend a little money to make some money. If one marketing technique isn’t working, try another one until you achieve the results you desire.
9. Take it serious - If you want others to take your business seriously you have to take it serious yourself. You have to give it your all and apply yourself at all times. A successful business can’t be something that you just play around with or consider it a hobby – even the IRS won’t take you seriously.
10. Reward yourself - Be sure to reward yourself for all your successes no matter how big or how small. Sooner or later all of your efforts will begin to pay off. Be proud of yourself and do a little something special just for you – you deserve it!
Kelly Poelker and Diana Ennen are successful virtual assistants and co-authors of numerous books including Virtual Assistant: the Series, Become a Highly Successful, Sought After Virtual Assistant and accompanying Virtual Assistant the Series Workbook, Stop by http://www.vatheseries.com for information on starting a VA business or contact authors at authors@vatheseries.com if you need a virtual assistant. Article is free to be reprinted as long as bio remains.
Top 10 Tips for Entrepreneurs to Start and Stay in Business
Starting a new business is such an exciting time in life. You’ve got an idea for a product or service that you know will be a success. All you’ve to do is make it happen. Follow these tips and you’ll be well on your way to entrepreneurship.
1. Find your passion in life - Do some soul searching and make sure that the business you are about to begin is your true passion in life. Why venture into doing something “just because” – make it something you love to do.
2 . Research, research, research - Take the time to do your homework. Find out all that you can about your new business, starting a business, and what kind of competition is out there. Don’t rush in to anything. Your business will only succeed if you are filling a need or a void in the marketplace.
3. Develop a solid business plan - Whether or not you need financing for your business, you still need a business plan. Many people dread this process because they make it out to be a very daunting task. Daunting or not, it’s crucial to your success. A business plan, at minimum, should be an outline of your goals and objectives for the business – attainable and reasonable goals – both strategic and financial. It can be one page, it can be twenty pages – just be sure to do it. Putting the plans that are constantly floating around in your head down on paper will make you accountable. Visit your plan often and make the necessary changes to ensure your success.
4. Develop a solid marketing plan - The marketing plan is an essential part of your business planning. You need to research your competition, analyze your strengths and weaknesses, and identify the risks, opportunities and threats posed by both internal and external factors. In doing so you can easily determine a niche market, the best way to enter the market, and how to best turn your marketing efforts into revenue.
5. Create your USP - Your USP is your Unique Selling Proposition. This is what makes you stand out from the competition. Why should people buy your product or service over the competition? Do you offer the best price? Do you have a superior product? Do you offer the best customer service? Your niche coupled with your USP and a good marketing plan can quickly position you at the forefront of the marketplace – you’ll blow the competition away.
6. Establish your external support system - Starting a business on your own can be overwhelming. Don’t be afraid to ask for assistance when and where you need it. Draw on the resources closest to you such as family and friends. The Internet offers a number of opportunities to establish a system of peers including social networks such as Twitter, Facebook, etc., teleseminars, message boards, and discussion groups. Check out the various online and offline networking groups and associations. Chances are you have a local SBA office, Small Business Development Center, or SCORE office in your area that can be a great source of resources for starting and growing your business.
7. Communicate with your internal support system - Without the support of those closest to you – kids, spouses, moms, dads, significant others – it can be difficult to dedicate the necessary time and resources to developing your business. By communicating your plans, goals and objectives with your internal support system you better your chances of gaining their support and getting them behind your new venture. Keep the communication lines open so that they understand what you’re going through and let them know how they can best be of help to you.
8. Give it time - Rome wasn’t built in a day, nor will your business turn a profit in a day. It takes time to build a successful business. If the phone doesn’t ring today, it will tomorrow. The key is to be ready for when it does ring. Have all the proper systems in place; be prepared to spend a little money to make some money. If one marketing technique isn’t working, try another one until you achieve the results you desire.
9. Take it serious - If you want others to take your business seriously you have to take it serious yourself. You have to give it your all and apply yourself at all times. A successful business can’t be something that you just play around with or consider it a hobby – even the IRS won’t take you seriously.
10. Reward yourself - Be sure to reward yourself for all your successes no matter how big or how small. Sooner or later all of your efforts will begin to pay off. Be proud of yourself and do a little something special just for you – you deserve it!
Kelly Poelker and Diana Ennen are successful virtual assistants and co-authors of numerous books including Virtual Assistant: the Series, Become a Highly Successful, Sought After Virtual Assistant and accompanying Virtual Assistant the Series Workbook, Stop by http://www.vatheseries.com for information on starting a VA business or contact authors at authors@vatheseries.com if you need a virtual assistant. Article is free to be reprinted as long as bio remains.
Virtual Assistant The Series Textbook Review
We just received the most awesome review for our book, Virtual Assistant the Series , where it was used as a textbook for a program for starting a virtual assistant business. Thanks Randi!
*****
Just received a course evaluation for the online virtual assistant class I teach during the spring and fall. There was lots of good feedback from students and I wanted to share the following specific feedback about the textbook:
What aspects of the course did you find most beneficial? Student response: The book was soooo awesome - very informative!
What assisted you most in learning and understanding this course material? Student response: The book.
What aspects of the course did you find most beneficial? Student response: The book and additional web sites Randi gave us.
The main textbook(s) required for this course was clear and helpful. Student response: Strongly Agree - Absolutely, I will continue to use this book, especially trying to set up my virtual assistant business
_________________________________
Randi Tucker Barr
Monday, March 23, 2009
Tax Season Is Here - Discover How to Save More & Make More Next Year
Tax Season Is Here – Discover How to Save More & Make More Next Year
It’s tax time now and there’s never been a better opportunity to really look at your itemized deductions. Line by line they will reveal exactly where your hard-earned money was spent last year. After taxes are done and while the receipts are still handy and the deductions clear, take a moment to review your expenses and see where cost savings can be made. We believe you will be amazed at just how much you spend on various expenses. Yes, you have to continue to market, but can you cut back. You definitely need to still buy office supplies and pay those office expenses, but are there ways you can cut back and not feel the effects? With every penny counting these days, it’s time to look at saving money in every way possible.
One area to pay special attention to is your bank charges and merchant accounts fees. We all realize that to make money today its imperative that you offer every form of payment option to your customers, especially credit cards. People want and need the ability to pay for purchases via credit. However, often times the fees associated with those transactions add up substantially. By looking over last year’s fees, you can see how much you spent on your credit card processing plan. Take the time now to review how much you paid out in merchant fees. Are you surprised at the high amount? Do you think you can do better?
Cutting credit card transactions fees is possible and definitely recommended. Look for companies that don’t have hidden fees or minimum monthly requirements. Those extra fees can add on substantially to your monthly charges. Find a company that offers bundled services at a set price. This ensures that there are not numerous itemized expenses that add up at month’s end. Finally, find a company that is reputable and works with small businesses to help them succeed.
Now that you’ve saved money, it’s also important to look at how you can make extra money too. At tax time more than ever, it’s crystal clear just how much you made last year. Often times it can be a sad awakening. Small businesses took a hard hit and it’s evident that a majority did lose money. However, there are ways to take back the power this year and turn things around. There are several ways to do this. One way, as we’ve already mentioned, is to offer clients more payment options. It’s absolutely essential to provide your clients the ability to pay with their credit cards. We all know that in today’s economy, cash flow isn’t as prevalent as in years past and more and more people are reaching for plastic when it comes time to pay. In fact, you can actually lose money when you don’t. For example, let’s say a massage therapist charges $80.00 an hour and does not accept credit cards. Let’s say she misses out on three customers a year because she only took cash.
Now let’s break that down into dollar amounts. $80.00/hr. for three clients that she sees every other month or 6 times a year. 6 x 3 = 18 x $80.00 = $1440 That’s almost $1500 lost and that’s only three clients. Who knows how many clients she actually lost. It could have been a lot more.
Now, how much would the credit card have cost? Let’s go with one program that we are familiar with.
9.99/month x 12 = 119.88
$119.88 + $55.44 (transaction fees) = $175.32 total cost of processing for the year
She lost $1440.00 and it only would have cost her $175.32.
So by not accepting credit cards she actually lost out on $1264.68 of valuable cash flow for her small business.
Another method to make extra income is to make passive income. Passive income adds to a businesses’ bottom line and when effectively used, can make a substantial amount of money for a business. This is especially true if you have a large member base, run or work at an association, or have a large newsletter subscriber base. You already have those interested and invested in you, so the more opportunities you bring to them, the better value you offer. Plus, normally with passive income programs, you are offering a valuable service that your members need. Look for programs that fit in with your target audience and would meet the needs of your members. Don’t just look for programs that would make you money. Look for programs that offer a real benefit. There are partner programs available for practically every business, even those in the credit card processing business. We’d be happy to provide additional information.
You can survive and thrive in these times. You just need to be creative and watch for ways that you can not only make extra money, but save money as well. Make 2009 your best year ever and stop losing money. Make More, Save More. That’s how it should be done.
Cell Charge Inc., www.cellcharge.com, lets you accept credit cards and have the funds deposited in your bank account automatically. No need for a “swipe” terminal or any computer software to use Cell Charge. An existing telephone or cell phone is all you need to make transactions with us. Cell Charge was recently featured on Eye on America and in USAToday. Contact publicist diana@virtualwordpublishing.com for media interviews and additional information.
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It’s tax time now and there’s never been a better opportunity to really look at your itemized deductions. Line by line they will reveal exactly where your hard-earned money was spent last year. After taxes are done and while the receipts are still handy and the deductions clear, take a moment to review your expenses and see where cost savings can be made. We believe you will be amazed at just how much you spend on various expenses. Yes, you have to continue to market, but can you cut back. You definitely need to still buy office supplies and pay those office expenses, but are there ways you can cut back and not feel the effects? With every penny counting these days, it’s time to look at saving money in every way possible.
One area to pay special attention to is your bank charges and merchant accounts fees. We all realize that to make money today its imperative that you offer every form of payment option to your customers, especially credit cards. People want and need the ability to pay for purchases via credit. However, often times the fees associated with those transactions add up substantially. By looking over last year’s fees, you can see how much you spent on your credit card processing plan. Take the time now to review how much you paid out in merchant fees. Are you surprised at the high amount? Do you think you can do better?
Cutting credit card transactions fees is possible and definitely recommended. Look for companies that don’t have hidden fees or minimum monthly requirements. Those extra fees can add on substantially to your monthly charges. Find a company that offers bundled services at a set price. This ensures that there are not numerous itemized expenses that add up at month’s end. Finally, find a company that is reputable and works with small businesses to help them succeed.
Now that you’ve saved money, it’s also important to look at how you can make extra money too. At tax time more than ever, it’s crystal clear just how much you made last year. Often times it can be a sad awakening. Small businesses took a hard hit and it’s evident that a majority did lose money. However, there are ways to take back the power this year and turn things around. There are several ways to do this. One way, as we’ve already mentioned, is to offer clients more payment options. It’s absolutely essential to provide your clients the ability to pay with their credit cards. We all know that in today’s economy, cash flow isn’t as prevalent as in years past and more and more people are reaching for plastic when it comes time to pay. In fact, you can actually lose money when you don’t. For example, let’s say a massage therapist charges $80.00 an hour and does not accept credit cards. Let’s say she misses out on three customers a year because she only took cash.
Now let’s break that down into dollar amounts. $80.00/hr. for three clients that she sees every other month or 6 times a year. 6 x 3 = 18 x $80.00 = $1440 That’s almost $1500 lost and that’s only three clients. Who knows how many clients she actually lost. It could have been a lot more.
Now, how much would the credit card have cost? Let’s go with one program that we are familiar with.
9.99/month x 12 = 119.88
$119.88 + $55.44 (transaction fees) = $175.32 total cost of processing for the year
She lost $1440.00 and it only would have cost her $175.32.
So by not accepting credit cards she actually lost out on $1264.68 of valuable cash flow for her small business.
Another method to make extra income is to make passive income. Passive income adds to a businesses’ bottom line and when effectively used, can make a substantial amount of money for a business. This is especially true if you have a large member base, run or work at an association, or have a large newsletter subscriber base. You already have those interested and invested in you, so the more opportunities you bring to them, the better value you offer. Plus, normally with passive income programs, you are offering a valuable service that your members need. Look for programs that fit in with your target audience and would meet the needs of your members. Don’t just look for programs that would make you money. Look for programs that offer a real benefit. There are partner programs available for practically every business, even those in the credit card processing business. We’d be happy to provide additional information.
You can survive and thrive in these times. You just need to be creative and watch for ways that you can not only make extra money, but save money as well. Make 2009 your best year ever and stop losing money. Make More, Save More. That’s how it should be done.
Cell Charge Inc., www.cellcharge.com, lets you accept credit cards and have the funds deposited in your bank account automatically. No need for a “swipe” terminal or any computer software to use Cell Charge. An existing telephone or cell phone is all you need to make transactions with us. Cell Charge was recently featured on Eye on America and in USAToday. Contact publicist diana@virtualwordpublishing.com for media interviews and additional information.
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Thursday, March 05, 2009
Actress Alicia Cole Appears on The Doctors TV Show Today
One of my clients and friends appeared on the TV Show Today the Doctors. Alicia Cole, was a working actress until she went to the hospital for a routine surgery. The result was shown on the show today. Flesh Eating Bacteria. She provided tips on how you can protect yourself in the hospital. Tips such as:
1) Make sure nurses and all in contact with you wash their hands always.
2) Watch visitors and make sure they don't sit on your bed with their coats, etc. Have them wash hands too.
3) Watch for signs that something could go wrong. Alicia noticed a small black dot at first.
For media interviews, contact me, diana@virtualwordpublishing.com. Here's her release with additional information.
Actress Continues Fight Against Hospital Errors & Rise in MRSA Cases
Sherman Oaks, California Actress Alicia Cole, a Screen Actors Guild member for 14 years, is known for the many portraits of doctors and nurses, including roles on General Hospital, Young and the Restless, and more. But a year ago, Cole switched from playing a doctor to becoming a real-life patient after contracting Necrotizing Fasciitis (NF), ‘Man-eating Flesh Disease’. This lead to six additional surgeries and a struggle to survive. This also lead Cole to fight to bring awareness to the rise in preventable hospital acquired infections and particularly MRSA Cases.
It is estimated that staph infections alone kill approximately 100,000 Americans in hospitals annually. Dennis Quaid’s family tragedy is a prime example of the increase in preventable hospital errors today.
Cole’s plight began on Aug. 15, 2006 upon entering the same top-rated San Fernando Valley hospital that treated fan favorite John Ritter. Following a minor procedure, a quarter-sized pustule developed that would lead to the traumatizing diagnosis of Necrotizing Fasciitis. To view the ravaging effects of this disease go to Cole’s site at http://www.aliciacole.com.
Necrotizing Fasciitis (NF) is a bacterial infection that attacks the soft tissue and fascia. In order to contact the bacteria, it needs to be introduced into the body. Thereby, NF often occurs through complications from surgery or infections from hospitals.
“I vowed, if I am able to survive this, I will dedicate myself to insuring that no other family has to endure the trauma and burdens inflicted by a preventable hospital infection.” Cole now advocates nationally for safer healthcare and public reporting of hospital infection and death rates. Cole was the first member of the public to address Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Committee on Hospital Associated Infections created by Senate Bill 739.
Cole recently founded the Alliance for Safety Awareness for Patients (ASAP) to educate and protect patients. ASAP works with established advocacy groups, healthcare providers and legislators to strive to reduce the spread of preventable hospital-acquired infections by empowering the public to make informed decisions about healthcare issues.
Stop the disease. Make a Difference. Go to www.aliciacole.com for more details. Alicia Cole is available for media interviews by contacting publicist Diana Ennen at diana@virtualwordpublishing.com.
1) Make sure nurses and all in contact with you wash their hands always.
2) Watch visitors and make sure they don't sit on your bed with their coats, etc. Have them wash hands too.
3) Watch for signs that something could go wrong. Alicia noticed a small black dot at first.
For media interviews, contact me, diana@virtualwordpublishing.com. Here's her release with additional information.
Actress Continues Fight Against Hospital Errors & Rise in MRSA Cases
Sherman Oaks, California Actress Alicia Cole, a Screen Actors Guild member for 14 years, is known for the many portraits of doctors and nurses, including roles on General Hospital, Young and the Restless, and more. But a year ago, Cole switched from playing a doctor to becoming a real-life patient after contracting Necrotizing Fasciitis (NF), ‘Man-eating Flesh Disease’. This lead to six additional surgeries and a struggle to survive. This also lead Cole to fight to bring awareness to the rise in preventable hospital acquired infections and particularly MRSA Cases.
It is estimated that staph infections alone kill approximately 100,000 Americans in hospitals annually. Dennis Quaid’s family tragedy is a prime example of the increase in preventable hospital errors today.
Cole’s plight began on Aug. 15, 2006 upon entering the same top-rated San Fernando Valley hospital that treated fan favorite John Ritter. Following a minor procedure, a quarter-sized pustule developed that would lead to the traumatizing diagnosis of Necrotizing Fasciitis. To view the ravaging effects of this disease go to Cole’s site at http://www.aliciacole.com.
Necrotizing Fasciitis (NF) is a bacterial infection that attacks the soft tissue and fascia. In order to contact the bacteria, it needs to be introduced into the body. Thereby, NF often occurs through complications from surgery or infections from hospitals.
“I vowed, if I am able to survive this, I will dedicate myself to insuring that no other family has to endure the trauma and burdens inflicted by a preventable hospital infection.” Cole now advocates nationally for safer healthcare and public reporting of hospital infection and death rates. Cole was the first member of the public to address Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Committee on Hospital Associated Infections created by Senate Bill 739.
Cole recently founded the Alliance for Safety Awareness for Patients (ASAP) to educate and protect patients. ASAP works with established advocacy groups, healthcare providers and legislators to strive to reduce the spread of preventable hospital-acquired infections by empowering the public to make informed decisions about healthcare issues.
Stop the disease. Make a Difference. Go to www.aliciacole.com for more details. Alicia Cole is available for media interviews by contacting publicist Diana Ennen at diana@virtualwordpublishing.com.
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