Davinci Virtual

Choosing a virtual office partner can be tricky, there is a plethora of companies to choose from, and each company has different options for their clients. There is a lot to be said about choosing a virtual office that isn’t right for you and this could cause a lot of stress and undue problems. So with all of the different options, how do you know which company to choose?  Here are some tips in finding the right fit.

First, find companies that offer virtual offices in your area, and see if you can set up a tour.  It is critical that you understand what you will be getting, in terms of quality and appearance. The key to choosing the right virtual office is ease of operations and a smooth flow of daily activities.  Make sure you see everything running smoothly.

Next, determine whether you would like to use an automated system, or whether you would like to have “real” people answering your phones and working your office.  Personally, I think that automated systems are cold and impersonal, and could really hurt your branding in the long run if customers begin to feel this way as well.

Once you have determined what type of company you would like to work with, make sure that the company will let you choose the type of secretary or call assistant that suits you. Just like hiring an employee, hiring a virtual partner that matches your needs is critical.

Next, look at the services the company provides. Things like a centralised fax number, providing a physical mailing address as well as other services like being able to acquire ‘virtual meeting’ software as well as the option to rent a physical boardroom for those all important meetings and presentations that demand the physical presence can really clinch the deal.
Lastly, analyze the cost per partner, and compare services to find the most cost appropriate client.  I am not stating that the cheapest company is the best option, but make sure you will be getting your money’s worth.

As I begin the process of working with a Virtual Assistant, I am now embarking on the journey of picking out the right one.  Like real-world assistants, virtual assistants all have their own areas of expertise, and/or specialty, and it is important that you choose the right person for the job.  Moreover, because this will be a virtual relationship, hiring a virtual assistant can be harder than hiring a real-world assistant, after all you may never meet this person face to face, or even have a phone conversation with them.  The right virtual assistant should be a person whose skills and personality are a fit with yours, not just whoever has an opening or charges the least.

Here are some tips in choosing the right virtual assistant for your job:

• Find the right person.  One of the most important parts in finding a virtual assistant is finding someone you “click” with personally.  Look for someone who is friendly, enthusiastic, and enjoys your industry/line of work.
• Make sure you know exactly what you want your virtual assistant to do.  By setting up an action plan, you can look for assistants that have skills or qualifications to match your needs.
• Make sure your virtual assistant candidates carry themselves with professionalism and courtesy. Does the candidate answer her voicemails and emails from you in a timely manner? Does he/she answer the phone professionally? Does the candidate put you on hold to take another call?  These are all things to look at in determining the right person for the job.
• What type of technology skills do the candidates hold?  Idealy, you want to work with someone who is proficient in all Microsoft office applications (mac applications if you own a mac), Quickbooks, website content management systems, etc.  Most small businesses rely on technology to survive, so you want your assistant to have excellent technological skills.
• Lastly, make sure you review your candidates’ references.  Talk to as many as you can to determine which candidate will be the best fit for you.

I have given a lot of though to the possibility of hiring a Virtual Assistant to help me out next year in my business.  In have been told by friends and colleagues that hiring a virtual assistant could help me streamline my business, and help me stay organized.  Goodness knows I could use the help!

In order to make a well-thought out decision, I decided to make a list of all of the things my virtual assistant could help me with. Here is what I came up with:

• Transcribing - I could really use some help transcribing my interview notes, and phone call conversations.  A lot of times I will use these conversations as jumping off points for white-papers, or presentations, so to have all of the information spelled out could really help
• Researching key new technologies - In my industry, new technologies and platforms are constantly popping up all over.  I would use my virtual assistant to help research all of the new technologies and platforms, so I can have a quick overview of the market at my disposal whenever needed.
• Organize and manage all of my upcoming speaking engagements and conference travel arrangements.
• Research on industry trends
• Research on competitors

All in all, not a bad list of ideas.  I think that hiring a virtual assistant to help with my work load could be an interesting and productive option for me.  Check in with me next week, as I begin to share my experiences on interviewing for the right virtual assistant, and starting off our relationship on the right track.

As the end of the year draws closer, I find myself preparing for 2009 (getting organized, cleaning up my files, setting all my travel dates and accommodations for the first quarter of next year, etc.)  What I am realizing, is that I am going to be on the road quite a bit from January to March, visiting clients and speaking at various conferences and events.  I am going to running non-stop for three months, and one of the problems this causes is I will be struggling to not fall behind in my basic business admin duties (i.e. payroll, taxes, benefits or insurance, paying bills, etc).

To solve this problem, I am contemplating hiring on a “Virtual” Assistant to help manage my administrative load.  A Virtual assistant is just what the name applies, they assist small businesses by offering many of the administrative services of a larger company, including:

• Creative services
• Managerial services
• Technical services
• Business services
• Office/Administrative services
• Personal support services

One of the things that I find the most helpful, is that by using a virtual assistant, I can provide their services to my clients anywhere in the world.  It can really come in handy!

Have you ever used a virtual assistant?  Share your success stories by sending me a comment!

It has been said that up to 80% of communication is non-verbal. That means that while our mouths are moving, our bodies are talking…and if they aren’t saying the same things, the recipient of the message is going to get crossed signals.

Body language conveys the message behind the message, maybe conveying things you weren’t aware of…didn’t want to share. Many body movements are intertwined with cultural expressions and psychological impressions. Business communications have been successful, and stalled, on the basis of body language alone.

Now more than ever, it is critical to distinguish yourself and your business. Use a discerning eye to evaluate your body language and find ways to improve your effectiveness.  Use the following tips to give your communication style an edge over your competitors.

• Eye contact: How many times have we all heard that it is important to make direct eye contact?
  And while that is a good starting point, be willing to finesse your style in order to keep your customer comfortable. Too much direct eye contact is intimidating to some people and for certain cultures. By reducing your eye contact a bit, you may be seen as more approachable…know your audience!
• Handshake: This has been talked about so often, that I hate to even bring it up. And I wouldn’t if I still didn’t find a significant number of people don’t know how to shake hands. There are really only two key observances here… Don’t shake to softly and don’t shake too hard. If you can’t master the handshake, your customers may have a hard time overcoming that negative initial impression.
• Personal Space: Make sure to tune in to the boundaries of those in conversation with you. Standing too close to someone can be seen as threatening and invasive. Different cultures have different expectations about personal space, again, knowing about the cultural norms of your audience is important.

Everything that you bring with you to a meeting impacts the conversation. That includes your appearance, your body language, your speech patterns, and a whole host of other unconscious signals that are sent to the listener. Remember, your words aren’t the only message you are sending…and it is always better to know what impact your body language has before you inadvertently impact a business deal.

Right now is a time of tightening the financial belt…shoring up our reserves to get ourselves through this tough market. But, there are places where cutting spending can actually cut resources and reduce income. Here are some places where skimping just doesn’t make sense:

• Employee pay and benefits…yes, this is likely your greatest expense, and there may come a time where it is necessary to cut pay…but don’t go here first. You need talented, committed people who will bolster efforts and push you through this economy and into more successful times.
• Time-saving or resource-saving devices…this includes blackberries, satellite Internet connectivity cards, high functioning laptops. All of these technologies give you more flexibility, create less dependence on a specific office space…creating virtual employees.
• Marketing…and this is with a caveat. Don’t just throw money into the marketing budget. Find a quality company that can run a targeted campaign. Investigate social media and it’s marketing abilities. Use your dollars to reach niche markets, not broadcast to the entire world.

How about the opposite? Where should we avoid spending extra dollars?

• Offices..don’t waste money creating a physical location if you don’t need to…today’s customers are completely comfortable with virtual offices…and you save a ton on overhead.
• Spendy marketing materials…unless this is an industry standard for you, there are many amazing printers that can generate great quality work from your home office. If you need bulk printing, check out Kinko’s for simple print jobs.
•  Staff…while this may seem to contradict the above list, the fact is, employees are expensive, so unless you need them, don’t add them. Outsource and subcontract specific tasks and save on employment taxes by doing so.

The one thing that you can invest that costs resources, but not money, is your time. Times such as these require extra networking and face time. Get out there and make connections. Of anything on the list, it is likely to have the greatest return.

The holidays can be an important time of the year for small businesses but as the holidays grow nearer, I seem to be hearing the same message from my business colleagues and partners, “how are going to get everything done by the end of the year?” Most large corporations have a scramble at the end of the year, but it is usually more controlled than small businesses, due to the wealth of resources and administrative help. Small business owners, however, are left to deal with the upcoming holiday season on their own, which can be a daunting task.

One of the easier ways to manage all of the administrative work that occurs around the holidays is to plan ahead and get started on some of the more tedious work earlier in the year, when you have a little more time. Buy your business holiday cards in the summer, for example, and have them all addressed and ready to go by November 1st. This way you won’t have to scramble at the last minute, or forget any important clients.

Another thing to keep in mind during the holiday season is that the holiday season is either an extremely busy time of year, or an extremely slow time of year. Be sure to plan ahead throughout the year before, and stock away cash reserves to make it through the season, and prepare for the upcoming spring.

Lastly, despite all of the work that needs to be done, don’t forget that it is the holiday season, and make sure you take some time for yourself and your family. That’s what makes all of the hard work worth it anyway!

After polling members of the small business community about what the hardest thing about business travel was, I was a little surprised by the answers. What I found was that no matter the industry, the concerns revolved around one similar topic: Not having an office or around to help them stay organized while they are on the road.

Here are a few of the responses:

• “Scheduling the trip is always a pain.”
• “Keeping myself organized while I am away has always been a challenge.”
• “Expense reports – I hate submitting them.”
• “Setting appointments with clients that have to take place away from my “turf.””
• “Not being “connected” for hours at a time.”
• “Not having an office to work out of.”
• “Having to schedule meetings on the road.”
• “Attempting to work out of airports.”
• “Remembering to bring the right technology with me.

Do you have other travel hardships you would like to share or do you have a potential solution to the list above? Leave a comment, I would love to hear them!

One thing that a lot of small business owners combat every day is the size and reach of their company. In general, small businesses can seem to lack the credibility that large corporations have, even though they usually provide superior service quality & customer dedication. One way to combat this negative stereotype, is to “cast a big shadow” in your industry; make yourself appear larger than life.

In the past, companies I have worked for have done this by opening up virtual offices in cities across the country, located around their key clientele, or potential opportunities. As a result, instead of showing only one location on their website or business cards, they could now boast that they had locations across the country, which made them look like a larger company than they really are.

If you are considering using this technique to help grow your reputation and company reach, here are two things to remember.

• Choose your location strategically. First, determine the type of customer you would like to target or promote your services to. Then, review the top cities where your customers reside and choose the right fit for you. For example, if you are an entertainment-marketing consultant, New York City or Los Angeles are both great options for a virtual office.

• Once you have your location chosen, choose your virtual office carefully. Most vendors offer an array of , like answering and call forwarding services from live receptionists, meeting spaces, conference rooms and all of the amenities of a full office without the day to day operations hassle.

Casting a big shadow is a technique that can help small businesses increase their geographic reach, and change the way they are viewed by both customers and competitors. When done properly, it can be a great option to expand your business, provide better customer service to your current clients, and help push your company in to the league of “big” businesses.

There is so much information on the Internet that sometimes, finding solid small business news can feel like taking a drink from a fire hydrant. Today, I am putting together a list of my favorite major sources. These will a short mix of the big news guys, and some blogs that also offer outstanding business news.

MSNBC Small Business pages: I like MSNBC for a couple of reasons. One, they have a long list of articles on the small business site. Makes it easier to scan for relevant information instead of digging through page after page. They also feature relevant articles from Entrepreneur.com and Inc.com.

Forbes:   Forbes has an entrepreneurs page. They always have very in depth articles. If I am looking for depth of knowledge, or financially based reporting, I go here first.

CNN Money:  CNN Money also has a small business page. As you might guess from the title, there are ample posts about financial news and its impact on small business.

Businessweek Small Business: Businesweek is a great source for a broad range of small business news. The information is shared in an easily digestible format and is always relevant.

I also have a quick list of blogs to visit for great business information.

•  Seth Godin A great resource for the marketing side of business
• Small Biz Trends Small business news
• Business Opportunities A focus on business development

These are some of the many sites out there that offer excellent business news and information. Create your own list and check in with the sites regularly. It is a great, and easy, way to stay current with what is happening in the business world around you.