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Informative Articles

2005 Economic Update: Industry Specific 2005 Total Compensation Budget Predictions
What’s in store for 2006? Research organizations have made their predictions, but unstable oil prices can cause even the most positive projections to take a drastic turn. According to Michael Maciekowich, National Director of Astron...
Client Service as a Competitive Advantage
*My name is Susan Young and I am Doug Brown's publicist. If you have any questions, please feel free to call me at 732-613-4790.* (Do not include this in this article) As someone who has been heavily involved facilitating strategic planning...
I Want To Get A Mortgage Fast - Online
I Want To Get A Mortgage Fast - Online So you have a plan... you want a mortgage online fast. "I never met anyone who planned to fail, I sure met plenty who failed to plan." - Anon - OK, you're doing great, if you need that mortgage, ...
Temporary Staffing Agency: How to Start
The temporary staffing industry continues to expand, with yearly double-digit growth being commonplace. Companies find it convenient and cost-effective to work with a temporary staffing agency to fulfill unforeseen demand, fill short-term...
Writing A Business Plan
The importance of a comprehensive, thoughtful business plan cannot be overemphasized. Much hinges on it: outside funding, credit from suppliers, management of your operation and finances, promotion and marketing of your business, and achievement...
 
A "Cyber" Staffing Solution for Small Businesses

Consultants, entrepreneurs, and other independent professionals often find themselves performing a juggling act: providing their products and services while also carrying out tasks related to marketing, customer service, and day-to-day operations. As important as these activities are to business survival, they don't directly contribute to the bottom line and, more importantly, they divert attention away from those that do.

While that can be said for a company of any size, small office/home office businesses (SOHOs) typically have fewer options than larger firms for addressing these concerns. A SOHO's needs are likely to be varied and ongoing, but traditional temps and contractors are usually best-suited for assignments of limited scope and duration. Additionally, workload fluctuations might prohibit the hiring of a permanent employee, even on a part-time basis, and many SOHOs don't have the space or equipment to accommodate on-site workers.

Fortunately, advancements in technology have spawned a new industry, called "Virtual Assistance," that provides SOHOs with the relief that they need.

Virtual Assistants (VAs) are experienced office professionals who provide administrative and other support services remotely. Because these activities can be handled effectively via telephone, fax, email, and the Internet, physical location is irrelevant. A skilled VA can benefit your business whether he or she lives across the street or across the globe.

Typical VA tasks include word processing, database management, customer contact and follow-up, bookkeeping, and event and travel planning.

While most VAs are generalists, some provide niche services as well. Bonnie Jo Davis, for example, also designs and manages websites, handles search engine submissions, and contributes articles to online directories and databases. In other words, she uses her advanced Internet skills to create and sustain a powerful Web presence for Davis Virtual Assistance ( http://www.davisvirtualassistance.com ) clients who desire it.




VAs with limited time or creative abilities often partner with other companies (such as mine, Affinity Business Communications, http://www.affinitybizcomm.com ) that specialize in writing, graphic design, or other services outside their own area of expertise. These affiliations offer the convenience of "one-stop shopping" and strengthen the value that both firms provide to their clients.

VAs typically charge between $30 and $75 per hour. While this may seem costly at first, remember that - as independent contractors - they do not generate expenses related to payroll, benefits, equipment and supplies, downtime, and, in most cases, training. Rather, VAs are highly-skilled business professionals who (a) have fully-equipped home offices, (b) are ready to "hit the ground running," (c) only get paid for time worked, and (d) enable you to focus your energies on the income-generating activities that you enjoy.

Delegating administrative details is only one of the many rewards of aligning yourself with a VA. VAs strives for long-term, collaborative, and goal-oriented partnerships with their clients and work closely with them to grow and manage their businesses. As entrepreneurs themselves, they understand the unique needs and challenges of SOHOs.

Bottom line: A talented and enterprising VA recognizes that he or she has a vested interest in your success. Working within the context of that strategic relationship, he or she is always mindful of the "big picture" and committed to outstanding results!

Copyright 2002 Christina Morfeld and Affinity Business Communications, LLC.
All rights reserved.

About the Author

Christina Morfeld is president of Affinity Business Communications, a provider of high-quality instructional design, technical writing, and content development solutions. Whether writing to instruct, inform, or persuade, our work is reader-focused, benefits-oriented, and results-driven. Visit our website at http://www.affinitybizcomm.com to learn how we can increase your firm's sales and effectiveness!

 

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Basic Description of Strategic Planning (including key terms to know)
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Strategic planning - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Strategic Planning Society: Strategy Development and Implementation.
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Strategic Planning Tools
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Amazon.com: Strategic Planning for Nonprofit Organizations: A ...
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