A new business year is upon us and I have heard many on Facebook talking about what their New Year’s resolutions will be this year. Personally, I don’t set business resolutions at the beginning of each year. Instead, I am continuously putting into place resolutions throughout the year for my business and sharing them with my accountability partner to help them come to fruition for me.

Resolutions are more sustainable when shared with someone else, be it a formal post on Facebook to your friends or better yet, to a business accountabity partner. This is a well studied fact.

Today, I challenge all of you to write down at least one resolution to attain within the next 3 month period and share it. Putting your resolution into writing guarantees a higher success rate you’ll achieve it.

If you don’t have an accountability partner yet, why not befriend another VAinsider and see if they would like to do this with you. Or at the very least, post it in our VAinsider accountability area and let the group as a whole cheer you on. Being held accountable will ensure you stick to your resolution.

Join in and share your thoughts on the this Mastermind discussion

VAinsiders are Virtual Assistants (VAs) that strategically seek ways to help their client’s business grow because of an invested interest in their business.

~ Tawnya Sutherland, VAnetworking.com ~

VAinsider Tips

Did you know we have a Virtual Assistant Directory that gets high traffic from clients looking to hire a local VA? And if you are a Supercharge VAinsider club member, you get a free upgraded banner ad too!!

Add your website to it today at http://www.vasearchengine.com

Network With New VAinsider Club Members

Connect with new members to learn from, utilize for business support services, network with like-minded business entrepreneurs or to do joint ventures with.

If you are NEW to the VAinsider Club, please introduce yourself.

While you are there, say hi to new member Sharon McMillian of http://writetotype.com

Why not pull up your thread and re-introduce yourself and tell us how things are going for you and your business at our VAinsider Club Members intro area

Accountability – Something to do for your VA Business this week

Are you building a list to market to in 2012 yet? If not, you are not the first to miss a valuable untapped market via your website. Connecting with your market regularly through your list builds trust and credibility in your brand and services. You’ll be remembered easier by potential clients and spoken about by current clients. Building a list is fairly easy to do and I’m going to give you all a few simple steps here to start this project this week.

1. Sign up to a mailing list provider. I recommend getting a paid mailing list provider and not using the free ones because when your list gets over 10,000 people on it, you’ll be glad you had. Here are a few I suggest:
Aweber – http://www.vanetworking.com/aweber (paid)
1shoppingcart – http://www.vashoppingcart.com (paid)
Constant Contact – http://www.vanetworking.com/constantcontact (paid)
Mailchimp – http://www.mailchimp.com (free)

2. Develop an ebook, special report tipsheet or something that your market would love to download for free. Think about what they’d enjoy, be it 100 ways to utilize the services of a VA, 15 practical tips to decluttering your office, etc.

3. Set up an autoresponder campaign in your mailing list provider with the first email including a link to download their free gift you created in #2 above. Then do a series of 7 more emails spaced out every 3-4 days that gives them valuable content that will make their business life easier and more successful. Maybe you came across a cool tip about Facebook’s new timeline or found a free program online that helps you be more productive like Evernote. At this point, don’t sell to them yet in any of these emails. Right now you are just planting a seed with them, a seed that will grow into a memorable flower by the time they’ve received all 8 emails in total over the course of the next few weeks.

4. Next step is to take the HTML code from your autoresponder campaign in #3 above and place it above the fold in a highly visible area of your website so people can signup and download their free gift.

5. Lastly, tell the world about this free gift you have for them. Post it on all your social networks, put in your email signature, etc.

So take the time this week and start to build a list that you can market to in 2012.

Let us know how you did by leaving your feedback at our forum post

Mastermind Discussions – What you Missed at the Forum

Rid of the Office Clutter!

Upcoming Seminars – VAinsiders only

Date: Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Time: 4PM PDT

Presented by: Tawnya Sutherland

Membership Level: Supercharge ONLY

Topic: Internet Marketing Q & A – LIVE Website Critiques

Description: Bring your mic, your URL and your internet marketing questions to our LIVE open-air webinar Q & A with Tawnya Sutherland, a Certified Internet Marketing Business Strategist. She will help, guide, advise and find you the resources you’ll need for success with your online marketing plan. Each week Tawnya will bring to light your most darkest issues surrounding how to be seen online by your market and how to strategically entice your market to easily buy from your website. Who would have known making money online was this easy? Tawnya is a usability expert with a long-term goal of helping Virtual Assistants worldwide turn their website clicks into cash for their business. She will also be available to give LIVE Website Critiques as time permits (submit your website at our VAinsider forum area ahead of time if possible).

PLEASE NOTE: These Q & A sessions are not recorded nor archived so we highly recommend you do your best to attend these webinars monthly for your company to most benefit.

Go here for login area & to retrieve password:

http://vainsiders.com/proactive-vas/

Please use your full name [first and last name] as username and the password which you can find by clicking on the links on the same page above.

RFPs Submitted this past week

Please visit our forum area to view all the new requests for virtual assistance at:

http://www.vanetworking.com/forum/rfp

Be sure to follow us on Twitter #VAinsiders as we tweet these RFPs immediately after they are posted. Hashtag #VAinsiders

Make sure that you are putting your best foot forward when responding to RFPs. A quick email with “I am interested in your RFP” just won’t cut it in today’s competitive market. Make sure your response lets the potential client know exactly what you can do for them and why you are the best person for the contract!!

Here are some great references from our own VAnetworking forum on answering RFPs:

How to get email from RFP

How to respond to RFPs

Also, remember that we have a resource book on responding to RFPs available for free in the NEW VAinsider area.

Finally, for a daily listing, be sure to subscribe to this link.

To your success,

Tawnya Sutherland

VAinsider President

Do you struggle with time management? I’d like to suggest that you start using the “timer method” for time management. How the timer method works is that you pick one item on your “to do” list and set the timer for exactly 15 minutes. During those 15 minutes you do nothing but that task and avoid all distractions such as the telephone and email. You will be amazed how quickly the 15 minute blocks of time will tick by and how much work you will get done in a day. Try doing this 3-4 times a day this week and give us your feedback on how it went.

Join in and share your thoughts on the this Mastermind discussion

VAinsiders are Virtual Assistants (VAs) that strategically seek ways to help their client’s business grow because of an invested interest in their business.

~ Tawnya Sutherland, VAnetworking.com ~

VAinsider Tips!

Here’s a holiday gift from VAnetworking.com… Our eBook entitled: Expert Advice For Your VA Business eBook (valued at $19). Over 4 years of virtual business-related articles from the ever popular VAnetworking Newsletter. Experts share their wisdom to YOU through short, easy to understand articles to help your virtual business succeed! !

Download here

Happy Holidays everyone and to your VA success in 2012!

Network With New VAinsider Club Members

Connect with new members to learn from, utilize for business support services, network with like-minded business entrepreneurs or to do joint ventures with.

If you are NEW to the VAinsider Club, please introduce yourself.

While you are there, say hi to members Natalie of www.YourVirtualConcierge.biz who just uploaded her questionnaire.

Why not pull up your thread and re-introduce yourself and tell us how things are going for you and your business at our VAinsider Club Members intro area

Accountability – Something to do for your VA Business this week

What is the equation for selling your services online to potential clients?

TRUST = NEW CLIENTS

Build trust online buy building your credibility. Here are some ways you can build credibility online this week:

1. Become an expert and start blogging about your niche.
2. Get VAcertified.com > Clients asked us for this certification so they could hire qualified VAs and we created it. Make sure your are certified.
3. Sprinkle testimonials from your clients on your website.
4. If you belong to paid VA organizations, make sure you proudly display their banner online. You can pick up your VAinsider Club member logo here: http://vainsiders.com/benefits/vainsider-logos/
5. Make sure all your contact information is easily found on your website.

Let us know how you did by leaving your feedback at our VAinsider forum post here

Mastermind Discussions – What you Missed at the Forum

Rid of the Office Clutter!

Upcoming Seminars – VAinsiders only

Date: Tuesday, December 13th, 2011

Time: 4PM PDT

Presented by: Tawnya Sutherland

Membership Level: Get Clients & Supercharge ONLY

Topic: Getting Clients – Getting Clients by Marketing at Tradeshows

Description: Many Virtual Assistants have never tried this marketing method because they do not realize the success they can have. This class will allow you to determine what type of “boother” you are and which “boothers” experience the greatest success. We will also discuss how to identify attendees, effectively communicate with them and also provide you with some ideas for follow up.

Go here for login area & to retrieve password:

http://vainsiders.com/proactive-vas/

Please use your full name [first and last name] as username and the password which you can find by clicking on the links on the same page above.

RFPs Submitted this past week

Please visit our forum area to view all the new requests for virtual assistance at:

http://www.vanetworking.com/forum/rfp

Be sure to follow us on Twitter #VAinsiders as we tweet these RFPs immediately after they are posted. Hashtag #VAinsiders

Make sure that you are putting your best foot forward when responding to RFPs. A quick email with “I am interested in your RFP” just won’t cut it in today’s competitive market. Make sure your response lets the potential client know exactly what you can do for them and why you are the best person for the contract!!

Here are some great references from our own VAnetworking forum on answering RFPs:

How to get email from RFP

How to respond to RFPs

Also, remember that we have a resource book on responding to RFPs available for free in the NEW VAinsider area.

Finally, for a daily listing, be sure to subscribe to this link.

To your success,

Tawnya Sutherland

VAinsider President

This week I’m moving to a new place which has made me have to seriously look at the junk I have around me and ask myself, do I move it or chuck it? It’s a very overwhelming process.  Which got me to thinking that many of us remain lost in clutter constantly. Cluttered minds, cluttered desks, cluttered homes and cluttered computers. Taking the time to clear the clutter will allow you to release the tension and stress that goes hand and hand with clutter. Try writing all the cluttered thoughts from your head, cleaning your desk, your home or your computer. Clearing this clutter will allow you to feel relaxed and will create room for success.

Join in and share your thoughts on the this Mastermind discussion

VAinsiders are Virtual Assistants (VAs) that strategically seek ways to help their client’s business grow because of an invested interest in their business.

~ Tawnya Sutherland, VAnetworking.com ~

VAinsider Tips!!

Register to attend our annual Christmas Holiday Bash, December 15th, at 3PM PST.  Join VAnetworking.com as we unite and sing … “Deck the Offices” – A Virtual Networking Holiday Party of Festive Fun for the Holiday

With thousands of $$$ in freebies and prizes to give-away from our sponsors, this is an event you won’t want to miss.

A special night of giving, sharing and just having plain ole fashioned high tech fun!

Register here to attend our annual Christmas Holiday Bash!

Network With New VAinsider Club Members

Connect with new members to learn from, utilize for business support services, network with like-minded business entrepreneurs or to do joint ventures with.

If you are NEW to the VAinsider Club, please introduce yourself.

While you are there, say hi to members Natalie of www.YourVirtualConcierge.biz who just uploaded her questionnaire.

Why not pull up your thread and re-introduce yourself and tell us how things are going for you and your business at our VAinsider Club Members intro area

Accountability – Something to do for your VA Business this week

This is the last week to get in contact with your clients to wish them happy holidays. Any later and you’ll most likely be pushing the postal service to have it there on time. It’s a great time to connect with a new client lead or re-connect with a current client to show them you care. A way to stay in touch!

Sign up to my “Stay in Touch Newsletter” and download my free Gratitude and Appreciation Course  valued at $47 to give you some ideas how to stay in touch with family, friends and clients.

Mastermind Discussions – What you Missed at the Forum

Accountability Partners

Upcoming Seminars – VAinsiders only

Date: Tuesday, December 6th, 2011

Time: 4PM PDT

Presented by: Tawnya Sutherland

Membership Level: ALL MEMBERS (Combining VAjot & Internet Marketing Webinars)

Topic: Internet Marketing Q & A – LIVE Website Critiques

Description: The holidays are upon us and as a small gift to our new Booster and Getting Clients members, I’m going to allow you to come to our Internet Marketing Q & A which is normally only available to Supercharge members.  Note also the date/time above which is usually when we hold the VAjot which is canceled for this month. This was my best work around over the holidays to please everyone and I hope you all like it!

So bring your mic and internet marketing questions to our LIVE open-air webinar Q & A with Tawnya Sutherland, a Certified Internet Marketing Business Strategist. She will help, guide, advise and find you the resources you’ll need for success with your online marketing plan. Each week Tawnya will bring to light your most darkest issues surrounding how to be seen online by your market and how to strategically entice your market to easily buy from your website. Who would have known making money online was this easy? Tawnya is a usability expert with a long-term goal of helping Virtual Assistants worldwide turn their website clicks into cash for their business. She will also be available to give LIVE Website Critiques as time permits (submit your website at our VAinsider forum area ahead of time if possible).

Go here for login area & to retrieve password:

http://vainsiders.com/proactive-vas/

Please use your full name [first and last name] as username and the password which you can find by clicking on the links on the same page above.

RFPs Submitted this past week

Please visit our forum area to view all the new requests for virtual assistance at:

http://www.vanetworking.com/forum/rfp

Be sure to follow us on Twitter #VAinsiders as we tweet these RFPs immediately after they are posted. Hashtag #VAinsiders

Make sure that you are putting your best foot forward when responding to RFPs. A quick email with “I am interested in your RFP” just won’t cut it in today’s competitive market. Make sure your response lets the potential client know exactly what you can do for them and why you are the best person for the contract!!

Here are some great references from our own VAnetworking forum on answering RFPs:

How to get email from RFP

How to respond to RFPs

Also, remember that we have a resource book on responding to RFPs available for free in the NEW VAinsider area.

Finally, for a daily listing, be sure to subscribe to this link.

To your success,

Tawnya Sutherland

VAinsider President

You’ve all heard the saying “knowledge is power”. Learning a new skill will allow you to not only expand your business, but will also provide you with a sense of accomplishment. There are so many new opportunities for Virtual Assistants today if you are willing to open the possibilities. Even more rewarding is the way that you will feel when you open the door to a new skill.

What are you learning right now to help your business grow?

Join in and share your thoughts on the this Mastermind discussion

VAinsiders are Virtual Assistants (VAs) that strategically seek ways to help their client’s business grow because of an invested interest in their business.

~ Tawnya Sutherland, VAnetworking.com ~

VAinsider Tips!!

On Thursday we held an education webinar with Karon Thackston, Website & SEO Copywriting Expert, and if you missed it, you’ll want to listen to the recording here

Ask a dozen Virtual Assistants what they struggle with when it comes to their websites and you’ll typically hear things like:

“Prospects can’t find my website on the search engines.”
“If they do find me online, they stay at my site for a few seconds then leave.”
“I don’t know what my site visitors are really looking for.”
“I’m not sure how to position myself as the obvious choice.”
“I need big-time help getting site visitors to take the action I want them to take.”

There’s an easy way to solve all those problems: improve the copy (text) on your website. Relax! Copywriting isn’t hard once you get the basics down. What messes most people up is reading one book or a few blog posts then trying to make it on their own. It takes practice and guidance from a pro to be able to write copy that entices your visitors and ranks high with Google and other engines. And that’s exactly what you’ll get when you register for this 6-week, hands-on workshop, entitled Writing Website Copy that Ranks High & Gets More Clients.

Finally! A Step-by-Step System for Turning Your VA Website into a Client-Generating Machine

Don’t miss listen to the recording as Karon has a special offer at the end of it just for you!

LISTEN BY CLICKING HERE

Accountability – Something to do for your VA Business this week

To follow through with our motiVAtor above, I’d like you to choose one new thing to learn that will enhance your business. Be it learning how to blog, taking a new training program or figuring out how to use some new software. Just learn something new this week and tell us all about it in the forum.

Mastermind Discussions – What you Missed at the Forum

Power!

Upcoming Seminars – VAinsiders only

Our Get Clients Workshop webinar from this week on “Responding to RFPS” is now uploaded in your member area for viewing (Get Clients/Supercharge Members). Please make a point of watching this sometime this week and participate in the accountability thread above.

NEXT VAinsiders Club Workshop:

Date: Tuesday, October 4th, 2011 (Typically 1st Tuesday of every month)

Time: 4PM PDT

Presented by: Tawnya Sutherland, Founder of VAnetworking.com

Membership Level: Open to all levels of VAinsiders

Topic: VAjot VAinsiders Only Social Night

Get engaged with other VAs who are part of our VAinsider Club. This is a social night held the 1st Tuesday of every month for our VAinsider Club members. It’s a social networking evening to JOT down everything on our minds, from introducing new VAinsider Club members to discussing positive flows within our businesses. We guarantee it will be a fun and informative social night for all to hang with their peers in the VA industry!

Go here for login area & to retrieve password:

http://vainsiders.com/proactive-vas/

Please use your full name [first and last name] as username and the password which you can find by clicking on the links on the same page above.

RFPs Submitted this past week

Please visit our forum area to view all the new requests for virtual assistance at:

http://www.vanetworking.com/forum/rfp

Be sure to follow us on Twitter #VAinsiders as we tweet these RFPs immediately after they are posted. Hashtag #VAinsiders

Make sure that you are putting your best foot forward when responding to RFPs. A quick email with “I am interested in your RFP” just won’t cut it in today’s competitive market. Make sure your response lets the potential client know exactly what you can do for them and why you are the best person for the contract!!

Here are some great references from our own VAnetworking forum on answering RFPs:

How to get email from RFP

How to respond to RFPs

Also, remember that we have a resource book on responding to RFPs available for free in the NEW VAinsider area.

Finally, for a daily listing, be sure to subscribe to this link.

To your success,

Tawnya Sutherland

VAinsider President

The most common way people give up their power, is by thinking they don’t have any….Alice Walker

I was planning on writing this week’s MotiVAtor based on quotes and things that we can all use as little reminders. However the other day I had an experience that made me look at just this one.  I didn’t see this clearly at first but wow what a tool it could be when harnessed.

You see I planned a little surprise, I thought it would be great. Why wouldn’t it, everyone loves a surprise from a loved one (No this was not a prank surprise).. Well sometimes the best laid plans have issues. Mine was I forgot to weigh all the variables.  What I saw during the roll out of this plan was not quite what I expected.  I was actually a little shocked.  But after a little time had passed and we talked about it I realized what I had done wrong, but that’s not the theme here. What is important is the way they reacted to me.  I won’t go into the story but they reacted in a very protectionary mode.

So I got to thinking, if someone threaten your loved ones how would you act? I’m sure you would instantly find aggression. So the question to be asked is, why can’t we harvest this aggression that we have inside us for our loved ones, and move it into our business?

Imagine being able to stand up to people during heavy negotiations or disputes.
It’s in you! So this week I want you all to find this inner strong voice, and find a way to use it to become more confident in your business dealings.

Join in and share your thoughts on the this Mastermind discussion

VAinsiders are Virtual Assistants (VAs) that strategically seek ways to help their client’s business grow because of an invested interest in their business.

~ Tawnya Sutherland, VAnetworking.com ~

VAinsider Tips!!

On Thursday we held an education webinar with Karon Thackston, Website & SEO Copywriting Expert, and if you missed it, you’ll want to listen to the recording here

Ask a dozen Virtual Assistants what they struggle with when it comes to their websites and you’ll typically hear things like:

“Prospects can’t find my website on the search engines.”
“If they do find me online, they stay at my site for a few seconds then leave.”
“I don’t know what my site visitors are really looking for.”
“I’m not sure how to position myself as the obvious choice.”
“I need big-time help getting site visitors to take the action I want them to take.”

There’s an easy way to solve all those problems: improve the copy (text) on your website. Relax! Copywriting isn’t hard once you get the basics down. What messes most people up is reading one book or a few blog posts then trying to make it on their own. It takes practice and guidance from a pro to be able to write copy that entices your visitors and ranks high with Google and other engines. And that’s exactly what you’ll get when you register for this 6-week, hands-on workshop, entitled Writing Website Copy that Ranks High & Gets More Clients.

Finally! A Step-by-Step System for Turning Your VA Website into a Client-Generating Machine

Don’t miss listen to the recording as Karon has a special offer at the end of it just for you.

LISTEN BY CLICKING HERE

Network With New VAinsider Club Members

Connect with new members to learn from, utilize for business support services, network with like-minded business entreprenuers or to do joint ventures with.  This week we welcome to the VAinsider Club:

Natalie J. Olson from Colorado representing www.YourVirtualConcierge.biz

Why not pull up your thread and re-introduce yourself and tell us how things are going for you and your business at our VAinsider Club Members intro area

Accountability – Something to do for your VA Business this week

Many of you have yet to take the opportunity to create a contingency plan (disaster recovery plan). I’d like you to start thinking about this and share your thoughts regarding same in our forum. For our Supercharge VAinisders, please review the last 3 webinars in our Thriving Business Accountability membership area.

Mastermind Discussions – What you Missed at the Forum

It’s All About You!

Upcoming Seminars – VAinsiders only

Our Get Clients Workshop webinar from this week on “Responding to RFPS” is now uploaded in your member area for viewing (Get Clients/Supercharge Members). Please make a point of watching this sometime this week and participate in the accountability thread above.

NEXT VAinsiders Club Workshop:

Date: Tuesday, September 27th, 2011 (Typically 4th Tuesday of every month)

Time: 4PM PDT

Presented by: Tawnya Sutherland, Founder of VAnetworking.com

Membership Level: Supercharge VAinsider

Topic: Internet Marketing Q & A – LIVE Website Critiques

Bring your mic and internet marketing questions to our LIVE open-air webinar Q & A with Tawnya Sutherland, a Certified Internet Marketing Business Strategist. She will help, guide, advise and find you the resources you’ll need for success with your online marketing plan. Each week Tawnya will bring to light your most darkest issues surrounding how to be seen online by your market and how to strategically entice your market to easily buy from your website. Who would have known making money online was this easy? Tawnya is a usability expert with a long-term goal of helping Virtual Assistants worldwide turn their website clicks into cash for their business. She will also be available to give LIVE Website Critiques as time permits (submit your website at our VAinsider forum area ahead of time if possible).

PLEASE NOTE: These Q & A sessions are not recorded nor archived so we highly recommend you do your best to attend these webinars monthly for your company to most benefit.

Go here for login area & to retrieve password:

http://vainsiders.com/proactive-vas/

Please use your full name [first and last name] as username and the password which you can find by clicking on the links on the same page above.

RFPs Submitted this past week

Please visit our forum area to view all the new requests for virtual assistance at:

http://www.vanetworking.com/forum/rfp

Be sure to follow us on Twitter #VAinsiders as we tweet these RFPs immediately after they are posted. Hashtag #VAinsiders

Make sure that you are putting your best foot forward when responding to RFPs. A quick email with “I am interested in your RFP” just won’t cut it in today’s competitive market. Make sure your response lets the potential client know exactly what you can do for them and why you are the best person for the contract!!

Here are some great references from our own VAnetworking forum on answering RFPs:

How to get email from RFP

How to respond to RFPs

Also, remember that we have a resource book on responding to RFPs available for free in the NEW VAinsider area.

Finally, for a daily listing, be sure to subscribe to this link.

To your success,

Tawnya Sutherland

VAinsider President