Archive for networking

Welcome Comes to VAnetworking.com

May 10, 2009 at 4:18 pm · Filed under Particularly Virtual Book Reviews, VAnetworking, barjd communications, networking ·Tagged , ,

I’ve noticed a new offering this week at VAnetworking.com for the new members who are coming on board to learn more about the possibilities of working virtually.  An announcing greeting post arrives on the forum from Founder, Tawnya Sutherland, listing several resources for immediate access to information and connection at the network.  That little thing is so neat!  Acknowledgment and welcome in a virtual atmosphere that would surely happen in the physical atmosphere helps connect and maintain some sense of reality for members.  Our relationships with one another and with clients has an unusual form because we seldom TOUCH except in the virtual way; yet many of us will become friends, joint venture partners and co-workers.

“Newbies” are always welcome at VAnetworking.com.  Thank goodness, because all of the members were new at one time.   It still works to make a self-introduction.  I encourage this because the self-introduction is good for one’s attitude, self-image and voice to the rest of the network community.   Members at VAnetworking.com are encouraged to ask and answer questions or offer tips to the community.   That kind of keyboard involvement is essential to the networking experience; to developing the online picture of the personality, skills and work ethic of the member.

That lecture being delivered, however, I appreciate the outward welcoming gesture to new members that can surely help locate the tools that are offered for setting up, organizing and polishing the virtual assistant practice.  When the membership numbers tell you there are THOUSANDS in the network, it could be easy to feel alone in the adventure.  The virtual professional will be very solitary, but with a welcome and application of networking and the tools offered freely at membership, that solitude doesn’t have to translate into isolation.

There are networking events at VAnetworking.com that enhance the community and I encourage new members to attend and get involved.  Your skills are certain, your dream a possibility, even a necessity, but the path can be obscure.  There is a light shining for you in a solid, professional network of professional virtual assistants with skills and knowledge in every possible virtual facet of working.

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Trial Size Task to Pump Up a Client/VA Relationship

November 5, 2008 at 2:53 pm · Filed under networking ·Tagged , , ,

mistysorghumoilwelllite-1039   Are you as a business person trying to think of how to pump rich balance and success for your business?  Thinking about Outsourcing?

Or are you, dear reader, a virtual professional, thinking about ways you can pump energy into the businesses of your clients.  Thinking of things that would make sense for entry level clients who aren’t sure how outsourcing to you would benefit them?

Jamie Lee Mann, of MannMadeTime.com has written a great blog post over at Partner with a Virtual Assistant, (www.vanetworking.com/blog) suggesting that EMAIL management may be a great place to begin.  Jamie doesn’t stress this, but it occurs to me that a small project could simply be setting up the email with files to sort the special topics into.  The Virtual Assistant could do this task for the client; upon completion, daily email can now be, in almost very email service, dragged & dropped into a keeper file that will let it be found and considered later.  In some email services or software such as Outlook, RULES can be set up to force most incoming email right into the proper file.   VAs, think about offering a one time project that would preserve a potential client’s sanity and permit you both to begin to develop a relationship.  Email management can include watching over various incoming accounts AND preparing, then sending group or mass messages.   There is potential for ongoing benefit both for the client and the VA to begin with a trial of email.  

Client, you can experience having your business closer to working for you, while outsourcing tasks to a professional who doesn’t plan to be on your fulltime payroll.

Virtual professional, you can see your services grow and expand as new clients become familiar with the benefits of outsourcing to professionals who get the job done. 

Virtual professionals make their services larger than life by networking with other virtual professionals (mostly virtually) at professional organizations such as VAnetworking.com

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Notes for the Shy Virtual Assistant (VA)

October 29, 2008 at 11:27 am · Filed under barjd communications, networking ·Tagged , , , , ,

Are you a new virtual professional?  Or have you been a stealth virtual professional (maybe you didn’t know your home (or garage) office had such virtual potential)??

Regardless of where you are in your business, you can benefit from connections with professionals who share your goals, commitment and mission to provide off site service to clients.  You may be working alone, but you are not alone.  You may have a network of people who work with or for your clients through you.  But, all of you are working physically alone in your own offices.  This has gone on for ages, but the whole game has been changed dramatically by technology.  It continues to speed forward for easier application.

But, back to the object of this note:  GROUPS.  There are many prestigious and valuable organizations that will provide connection for you.  One of my favorites for beginners at connecting is VAnetworking.com

Networking beginners can join the free side and learn a vast amount of information, get new ideas or ask questions and get answers.  Members can join chats and seminars on a regular basis for the advancement of their skills and business  For many, this side is all that is wanted or needed.  For others, a paid membership  to VAinsiders gains access to ebooks, forms, extra seminars and more. 

On another post I have written about the positive element for clients to know a virtual professional belongs to a network.  The network just expands your knowledge base by unbelievable amounts.  I encourage you to join as many as you can find.  Some will be niche specific and be ready to connect about that particular topic.  Some, like VAnetworking.com will include members in all imaginable niches. Some will have different views and opinions, which gives you a way to measure reality.

Make your next task a click on one of the links above and change your virtual life!

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Atypical Jen and her Squidoo Project

July 27, 2007 at 1:38 am · Filed under barjd communications, judyann lorenz, mansfield missouri, networking ·Tagged , ,

Now, Jen Gniadecki would fit your idea of A Typical VA.  When I read her business name, I think of wildlife, such as deer who have SPECIAL factors like bigger or purple antlers or black and white spots.   The animal with atypical features is SPECIAL and PRIZED.    Jen is Special and Prized along with being a professional, so she is a win-win for clients and for contemporaries.

    At the moment,  Jen is on a  mission to be selected as a Community Organizer at Squidoo.  I’m all on her side about her goals.  You and other Squidoo Lensmasters can get in on the fun to help Jen achieve her goal at  JEN FOR COMMUNITY ORGANIZER.    Write a blurb about how she would be a good Community Organizer or how she has converted you to being a believer in Squidoo!  Then, join the group with a lens or two yourself.

 

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Introducing ONLINE NETWORKING FOR NEWBIES by Angela Smith

July 21, 2007 at 1:29 am · Filed under New ebook, barjd communications, networking ·Tagged ,

Online Networking for Newbies was released just this week by Angela Smith of Accu-Assist.Angela is an active moderator on professional forums for virtual assistants and a successful virtual assistant herself.  Based in the Midwest, USA, she has a varied range of clients, but is specifically interested in proofreading and editing e-books, newsletters, articles and Web content. Before the book, Angela was a catalyst for me in business development and planning. She willingly shared her path of figuring out how to launch a business that was not floundering through babysteps, but truly up and running from Day One. Now, she’s stepped out into the reading world. The virtual assistant world is just a little reluctant to share as we know this means we may have to just get in gear. Angela is a super writer. You can understand what she says. She doesn’t write “down” or stretch the material. It is page after page of well-written information. More raving fan stuff at Bar JD Communications   In the new e-book, Angela gives newbies to the Internet networking game (and some good oldies who haven’t caught on) a guide to being successful and welcome in their efforts. Topics such as:

  • How to Stand out in the Crowd
  • How to Do Things Right the FIRST Time
  • How to Get Known
  • How to Make Personal Connections

Hey, I would like to stand out in the crowd and feel confident in my statement; not that maybe my dress is tucked in my pantyhose. There are those little things, like not checking the FAQs before jumping in to ask a question that has been answered a million times before (just last week). To be known because I make some contribution and have an interest. Isn’t personal connection a different way of saying networking. The quality networking that strengthens relationships even when they aren’t face to face. Online Networking for Newbies breaks a good trail for someone just getting ahold of the benefits and idea of building Internet presence. Online networking continues to have social value — we ‘meet-up’ with people who share our interests, talents and skills; keyboard conversing with them (better when we know the well-mannered way to do that). But, there are evolving facets of social networking that drive those who are networking for business — networking takes on that phenomenal E-ssence of Employment networking to advance our business goals and promote the product and service we are offering.

You’d think that if someone knows how to turn on the machine and can function even slightly on the keyboard, Internet Marketing should be a breeze. Just how hard can finger-blabbing be? It can be easier with the opportunity to build a model with guidance from material like Angela has in her book.

Internet Networking is so Virtual! Have you noticed? Not the tangible of being face to face or even having a piece of paper to read. Doesn’t matter if you are a virtual assistant, an investment banker, a programmer, a ditch digger or a diplomat. You are communicating in TEXT and largely in Black & White For an activity that isn’t REAL, it is extremely easy to put your foot in your mouth. Or seize up because you don’t want to write something that is WRONG or STUPID. Unless, of course, you go ahead and wise up — getting a well-written guide for yourself and applying the principals in that guide.

I know from experience that Angela is a generous, helpful person. Now, you can learn the same thing because when you check out more about Online Networking for Newbies, Angela will give you a free sample of the information and some other bonuses! Just FLAT out give it to anyone who asks.

Take a buzz on over to check it out. And get your model started with good equipment.

Online Networking for Newbies  Online Networking for Newbies   Author, Angela Smith

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Revolving in the Revolution

June 18, 2007 at 3:48 pm · Filed under judyann lorenz, mansfield missouri, networking ·Tagged

A couple virtual whizzes, Heather Jacobsen and Becki Noles got together with an idea that would be a strong resource for virtual assistants and other admin. professionals, with the emphasis on VAs. This Big Idea grew into the Virtual Assistant Revolution (the REV). The Big Idea — the REV is so important to me that it has it’s own RESOURCES page on my website.

The logo for the Revolution speaks volumes! We are Revolutionary in our concept for developing our virtual assistance businesses. We Revolve around the idea of building strong, productive businesses and relationships through “the Rev.”

Heather and Becki wrote out a program that is incredibly pro-Active for the membership. They accumulated information resources that are part of the membership and available to all members from day one. The entire membership si committed to sharing what they can with other members either through an outright donation of their information or some fine discounts for members. Members are go-getters with an accumulation of information and experience to share with one another or new people who are developing their history.

I gain regularly from an excellent, informative, to-the-point newsletter from the REV. I gain from seminars and indepth training sessions scheduled for members. To accommodate time zones and WORKING ( working is the foundation of what we do), access to most, if not all, of the educational and informative workshops and seminars are provided through transcription of recordings or notes.

Virtual Assistant Revolution members offer comments on questions and information in a courteous, professional manner that includes a healthy dose of humor. The entire atmosphere is charged with pro-active energy for the development of virtual assistant businesses. No one can do it for someone else, but an energetic network is healthy stimulation for me or you to pursue and achieve goals. I appreciate this ‘working’ atmosphere on the REV. I enjoy the give and take of a frothy network as much as anybody, but I find that my time and energy has to be aimed at the benefit of my business most of the time. I recommend membership in the Virtual Assistant Revolution to meet this need.

Please feel free to contact me if you have questions about the Virtual Assistant Revolution or need help with your subscription.

Bar JD Communications working at your side; not under your feet.Get the most out of your time; with a VA, you can focus on what you do best.

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