Are You Running Your Business, or Is Your Business Running You?

We, as business owners, run our businesses. We tend to protect it closely as if it were one of our children, and may truly believe that no one can do anything in our business as well as we can. If this is ringing true with you, chances are you are performing tasks in your business that you should be delegating to someone else. If you are allowing your business to run YOU by not delegating, you are not effectively running your business.

I know, I know – it’s hard to let go! But let yourself dream for just a second … what would it be like if you had trusted assistants – on call – that you could depend upon to complete the tasks you don’t have time for, you don’t particularly like doing and are keeping you tied up when you should be growing your business? Would you like to know what it’s like for me? It’s FANTASTIC! I have a team of experienced professionals I can email or call at any time to help me with tasks I don’t have time to complete or that are not in my best skillset – and the best part is they are my team members. (Once again, you need to let go – you know you aren’t an expert in everything!)

That team could be your team, and you would only be paying them for work they actually do for you with no payroll taxes, vacation time or benefits.

Here are just a few ways virtual assistants (VA’s) can work with you to return precious time in an administrative capacity:

• Manage your schedule remotely and follow up and confirm appointments

• If you’re spending loads of time formatting your newsletter, hand it off to a VA; they can manage your newsletter in a lot less time

• Manage your blog and post new content on a regular basis

• Track and manage your company’s online reputation

• Database management

• Travel arrangements

• Prepare program materials for your next event

• Write press releases and articles and submit online

• Want to sell products on your website? A VA can set up a shopping cart and manage it

• Your VA can also send out your invoices and help with follow-up and collection of those invoices

• Keep your website up-to-date by adding content

• Help you keep up with your personal life as well; i.e., finding the best plumber/electrician/handyman, etc., and scheduling an appointment; keeping track of and sending out birthday/anniversary cards; ordering flowers, gifts

There really isn’t much a VA can’t do to help you with your business. But probably one of the most important things every business owner must do today, is have an on-line presence through social media. There are VAs out there who are experienced in social media marketing and management – and I’m not talking about experienced like your niece is because she’s on Facebook all the time. Here are a couple of things to look for in a VA when you are thinking of using them to help you manage your social media:

• The VA should ask you specific questions about your business, what your goals are in a social media campaign, whether or not you’re looking to target a particular area, market – it is imperative that the VA understands your business

• The VA should also ask you what your budget is – you don’t want a big surprise at the end of the month! An effective social media plan can be designed around any budget – the lower the budget, the more work you will need to do in conjunction with the VA.

• Armed with that information, the VA can then design a strategic social media plan.

An all-around good social media marketing plan will have a different emphasis for every business; there are social media sites that you should have a profile on, but it may not necessarily be where a huge effort is placed.

LinkedIn is a formal business page that has history on you, your business and your connections. The connections are important as is the way you make those connections.

Facebook is especially an “it depends on your business.” If it is the place for your business to be, post events, tips, ideas, specials – anything that is newsworthy about your business as well as other businesses/tips that would help your audience. Do not “sell” yourself.

Twitter – a lot of people don’t “get” Twitter, but I can assure you a well-written plan in conjunction with other social media needs a Twitter account. There are unwritten rules and regulations to follow in the Twitterverse, so just make sure you know what you’re doing, have a strategy and are not just making noise that will be ignored.

Blogging – Tell your story. Newsletters are fine and will go out to your lists; blogs will get seen potentially everywhere if you use the right platform and incorporate the proper SEO. You can either write your own blogs or take articles from your newsletter, make them less formal, and publish a blog.

Pinterest – I’m a huge Pinterest fan for businesses – almost any business. Not only do they keep improving their search capabilities, it provides yet another link for you to be found by the search engines.

So many ways a VA can assist you with your business … be a successful CEO and learn how to delegate so you can work ON your business instead of IN it!

Nickey Hollenbach
Personal Touch Concierge Service, LLC
info@ptconciergeservice.com
484-919-0637