RealAssist Blog

FREE File Sharing Program

2009-05-11T12:06:00.002-04:00

I LOVE free products. Especially when they benefit my customers and my business.

Awhile back, a friend of mine introduced me to a product called Dropbox. It’s a great way to share files (securely!) with friends and family. It’s also a great way for small business owners to share files with their customers. I work with a lot of people who need large files sent back and forth, and let’s face it – a 20MB graphics file is NOT going to translate through email. So, all I do is create a shared folder between myself and my client, and voila! Simply drag and drop, the file is saved and accessible by both of us.

There are two version – a 2GB package is free, or a paid version is available for a small monthly fee.

Either way, it makes my life much easier!

Check it out today at www.dropbox.com

The Necessity of Website Privacy Policies

2009-04-08T12:26:00.004-04:00

Before I begin extolling the virtues of a privacy policy for your website, I need to state that I am not a lawyer, or any other type of legal representative. It is always prudent to have a qualified and licensed individual review any type of policy for your business.

So why have a privacy policy in the first place? Aside from an utter abhorrence for spam, many people are concerned about their private information, especially when it comes to name, email and address. Identity theft is a very real threat, and with the advent of the Internet, people are even more protective of their personally identifiable information. Your website visitors are no exception.

Furthermore, if you participate in the Google AdSense program, then it is a requirement that you have, and adhere to, a privacy policy:

“You must have and abide by an appropriate privacy policy that clearly discloses that third parties may be placing and reading cookies on your users’ browser, or using web beacons to collect information, in the course of ads being served on your website. Your privacy policy should also include information about user options for cookie management.”

By letting your visitors know why you are collecting information, and what you plan on doing with it, they will be more willing to provide it to you. Although your privacy policy is viewed as a legal document, try to compose it in easy-to-understand language, and do not hide behind a bunch of legalese. By making your privacy policy simple and easy to understand, it will go a long way towards easing the mind of your visitor.

The privacy policy below is the one that we use at RealAssist. It is not a “standard” policy by any means, but hopefully it will give you an idea of what yours could look like.

Sample Website Privacy Policy … (for illustrative purposes only)

We regard our clients' privacy as one of our utmost important values. We want you to know that we are committed to taking every possibly measure to protect our clients' information. We understand that for you to take full advantage of the benefits of <>, we must do everything we can to ensure that your privacy is secure. Visitors to our website are protected by the Privacy Policy outlined below.

(1) At XYZ, we respect the privacy and security of our Internet users, regardless of whether or not they are clients. Personally identifying information collected on this web site is not disclosed to any third party without written user consent, except to select business partners with whom we have established privacy agreements consistent with this privacy policy.

(2) Personal information gathered from Registration and/or Feedback forms (such as name, email or street address) is used to send information related to our company and services to consenting users. When you indicate that you wish to receive a product or service, or contact a person or organization, we share the data needed for you to receive what you have indicated.

(3) Users who register for any e-Mail Newsletter feature on our web site will receive e-Mail bulletins. XYZ provides the opportunity to easily unsubscribe to any e-Mail service at any time.

(4) By using any of these services, you consent to the collection and use of personal information, as described in this policy.

(5) XYZ takes security very seriously. Our computer system uses a combination of hardware and software designed to protect against unauthorized entry and loss, theft, or misuse of personal information. Although we will make every effort to protect personal information, no computer system is immune from hackers and others who might misuse information. We cannot be held responsible for any breach of security that is beyond our reasonable control.

(6) Third parties provide some of the services on the XYZ web site. Please be aware that third party service providers may have privacy policies that differ from our own. We encourage you to review any privacy policies or notices posted by those service providers.

(7) This web site contains hyperlinks to web sites operated by parties other than XYZ. Please be aware that these sites may record personal information and other data according to their own privacy policies. We encourage you to review any privacy policies or notices posted on those linked sites.

(8) We use third-party advertising companies to serve ads when you visit our website. These companies may use information (not including your name, address, email address, or telephone number) about your visits to this and other websites in order to provide advertisements about goods and services of interest to you. This includes, but is not limited to Ads Sponsored by Google. Google, as a third party vendor, uses cookies to serve ads on our site. Visitors can manage cookie options using the Internet Options tab on their browser. Google's use of the DART cookie enables it to serve ads to our visitors based on their visit to our site and other sites on the Internet. Visitors may opt out of the use of the DART cookie by visiting the Google ad and content network privacy policy.

(9) Any and all information, advice and insight provided on this site are strictly for informational and entertainment purposes. XYZ and its agents, employees and/or representatives are not liable or responsible for any losses whatsoever that may occur as a result of following this advice.
If you have questions or concerns about our privacy policy, or any other policy for that matter, please contact us at . XYZ's privacy policy does not extend to any information that is inherent in the operation of the Internet, and therefore beyond the control of XYZ and is not to be applied in any manner contrary to applicable law or governmental regulation.
XYZ may disclose your personally identifiable information if required to do so by law or in the good-faith belief that such action is necessary to (1) conform to the requirements of the law or comply with governmental orders, court orders, or legal process served on XYZ; (2) protect and defend the property or rights of XYZ.
XYZ reserves the right to modify this policy at any time. Last updated:

Microsoft Remote Assistance Alternative

2009-04-06T10:10:00.003-04:00

A few months ago, I wrote about the virtues of using Microsoft Remote Assistance for helping out clients from my home office. I have been using this feature exclusively and have run into very few problems with it. Until last week when I tried to connect to a client that was also running Windows Vista.

Ironically, in the past when I have used Remote Assistance, my concern was always that I was running a different version of Windows than my client (Vista vs. XP) and that I the two PC’s would not ‘talk’ nicely – however, the only time I have never been able to communicate was when our computers were supposed to be speaking the same language.

We spent over an hour attempting to connect, and no matter what we tried, we simply could not get the Remote Assistance to work. I kept receiving that annoying error message saying that 'the program might have been closed' (on his end). We set the allowance level to the lowest security level, turned off firewalls, and pretty much opened up both PC’s to attack from the newest hacker out there. But, alas, the frustration was too much in the end.

So, I found a new tool. TeamViewer. Free to download, a simple executable on the other end, enter a password, and voila! … Instant connection – no messing with firewalls, DNS settings, or security. I haven’t used Microsoft Remote Assistance since that day.

Here is what TeamViewer has to say about their product …

The one-stop solution for desktop sharing

TeamViewer is the fast, simple and friendly solution for remote access over the Internet - all applications in one single, very affordable module:

Remote access to PCs and servers via Internet

Instantly take control over a computer anywhere on the Internet, even through firewalls. No installation required, just use it fast and secure.

Training, sales and teamwork

TeamViewer can also be used to present your desktop to a partner on the Internet - great for team collaboration, trainings and sales presentations.

File transfer, chat and more

Share your files, chat, switch the direction during a teamwork session, and a lot more is included in TeamViewer.

Great software - great pricing - free for non-commercial, personal use

With more than 15,000,000 users TeamViewer is one of the biggest providers on the market, which allows us to keep our pricing very, very low.

TeamViewer is completely free for non-commercial, personal use!

Check it out here at http://www.teamviewer.com/

Network Your Way To A Database Full Of Gold

2009-02-24T13:17:00.000-05:00

For many small business owners, the key to success relies heavily on your database. Anyone can build a huge contact list, but the important thing to remember is that it must be an effective list. If you are sending 100,000 weekly emails about penguins to people who are interested in horse racing, your message may be heard, but by the wrong type of ears. The key is that the more your message is heard by the right people, the more you can ultimately sell your product or service. One of the best ways to mine for gold in your database is through networking.

If you keep to the theory that every individual you meet on a daily basis is a potential business contact, you can quickly begin to increase your database numbers. Multiply the power of that by attending seminars and sessions with local Chambers of Commerce, charity organizations, and other business or industry clubs. A simple handshake, a quick introduction using your elevator speech, and a very easy request for a business card, and voila! … You have a new contact. If you ask for permission to drop them an email with some information on your product or service, chances are they will be more likely to say yes in person.

Even in someone declines the offer to receive information on your product or service, a quick, but personal, email with “great to meet you” or “thanks for providing your business card” which includes links to your website, or signature with promotional details are usually well received. In fact, one client of mine politely declined any emails with company offers, and after my email thanking her for giving me a few minutes of her time, it turned into a 3-year relationship!

It’s important to remember that targeted contacts are key – sure you can send out a million and one emails a month, hoping to land just one bulls eye, but if no is listening, you’ll never strike it rich.

Understanding the CAN-SPAM Act

2009-02-03T16:20:00.004-05:00

A few days ago, a client of mine sent me an email that she had received from a previous customer, demanding that my client remove the recipient’s email address from her database, and to cease and desist from sending her “SPAM” emails. Obviously, my client was a little shaken – she had simply sent an email to her customer base informing them of some upcoming specials on her website, and did not think it was unsolicited at all. My client was correct.

It seems that there is still quite a bit of confusion surrounding the whole CAN-SPAM Act of 2003 that was signed into law by President George Bush. Even thought it contains the word ‘spam’ which is generally used to describe unsolicited emails, CAN-SPAM actually stands for “Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography And Marketing.”

There are some differences to the law when it comes to cross-border emails. For example, in the US, you are not required to obtain permission before sending any marketing messages to an email recipient. In Canada, under The Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), you must get the recipients prior consent, as well as outlining the purpose of obtaining the email. However, both laws have a very similar requirements when it comes to complying (as defined in the CAN-SPAM Act). These are unsubscribe, content and sending behaviour, and are further explained below.

Unsubscribe

· You must include a visible and specific manner in all emails for a recipient to unsubscribe from further email communication.
· If any recipient requests to opt-out, the request must be honoured within 10 days.
· If you maintain a list of recipients that have opted-out, they are to be used for compliance purposes only (ie: you cannot sell the list)

Content

· The “From” line must contain accurate information.
· The “Subject” lines must not be deceiving, and must be relative to any offers contained within the body of the message.
· The message must be identified as an advertisement, and a legitimate physical address of the publisher or the advertiser must be included in the message.
· If the content is adult in nature, a label stating this must be included.

Sending Behaviour

· Email messages must not be sent through an open relay (for example, sending an email to an open relay server with a “blind copy” list of recipients, to which the server then sends out the email)
· Email messages must not be sent to a harvested email address (email addresses that are “grabbed” from the Internet for the specific purpose of spamming)
· Email messages must not contain false or misleading header information (for example, if it includes an originating email address accessed through false or fraudulent pretenses)

For more information from Industry Canada on sending electronic messages within Canada, visit http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/ecic-ceac.nsf/eng/h_gv00045.html

For information from the Federal Trade Commission on commercial email in the US, visit http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/edcams/spam/business.htm

The bottom line is, if you are honest and open about marketing a legitimate business, or service, and you are not harvesting email addresses, and you are providing a way for email recipients to stop getting email from you, then you are not spamming.

Some legal stuff … The information contained in this article was compiled from several information sources, and multiple websites, including government and private, and is solely intended for reference purposes. While we make every reasonable effort to ensure that the information provided is accurate, it is in no way meant to represent or replace professional legal advice from an attorney. RealAssist and its representatives cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions in the information provided, including any which may result in repercussive action due to misinterpretation of this article. Always consult your local laws, government agencies, and official documentation before sending out any electronic advertising.

Thinking ...

2009-01-30T15:44:00.001-05:00

For the past 6 or 7 years, I have had an inspirational poem posted right beside my computer monitor. I see it every day, I read it every day, and I can recite it in my sleep. It is something that has inspired me throughout every day of running my own business, and I thought I would share it. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Thinking ..... by Walter D. Wintle

If you think you are beaten, you are
If you think you dare not, you don't
If you'd like to win, but think you can't
It's almost a cinch you won't.

If you think you'll lose, you've lost
For out in the world we find
Success begins with a fellow's will
It's all in the state of mind.

If you think you're outclassed, you are
You've got to think high to rise
You've got to be sure of yourself before
You can ever win a prize!

Life's battles don't always go
To the stronger or faster man
But sooner or later, the man who wins
Is the one who thinks he can.

What Can I Help You With Today?

2009-01-28T12:31:00.001-05:00

Oftentimes, clients will ask me if I can help them out in ways that, at first, might sound a little obscure, if not downright outrageous. Most of the time, unless it involves activities that would be considered illegal, immoral or dangerous, I try to say yes. Although I specialize in the web design and database fields, I have done everything from recording tele-seminars to picking out paint colours.

A few days ago, a client asked if “I do that” to a number of tasks, and the answer was yes to all of them. I figure if I’m going to be working with someone, it makes sense to work with them completely, and not in bits and pieces. I decided to put together a list of things that I have done, will do, and can do for my clients. A handy little reference guide, if you will. So, the next time you’re wondering if I do that, just check the list!

· Web design and maintenance
· Search engine positioning
· Arrange webhosting
· Database development and maintenance
· Retrieve and review email and forward just the important stuff (human spam filter)
· Plan meetings and events, both online and physical
· Record voicemail greetings
· Send and receive faxes
· Research varied topics
· Ghost writing articles and reports
· Proof reading
· Copy editing
· Desktop publishing
· Newsletter writing and publishing (Internet and print based)
· Write marketing and advertising materials
· Business planning and consulting
· Brainstorming, idea gathering and general soundboard

10 Things I Love About Being A Virtual Assistant

2009-01-27T14:05:00.002-05:00

Recently, I received a comment about one of my articles that suggested that being a VA was no so desirable, and even less lucrative. I think that the article might have been read a little out of context, but the fact that someone out there thought that virtual assistance was something they might want to do, and after reading my post, thought it might not be such a good idea, prompted me to put together a list of the top 10 things I love about being a Virtual Assistant.

10. Although I answer to my clients, the only boss I have is me.
9. I decide when and where I work.
8. My income level is determined by me.
7. I can work in my pyjamas.
6. The morning commute is awesome.
5. I have a corner office.
4. Insomnia is never an issue – if I can’t sleep, I work.
3. My days are filled with new and exciting things, not routine stuff.
2. I never have to ask for a raise.
1. The sense of self-accomplishment is worth more than its weight in gold.

CRM and Database Software Comparison

2009-01-08T12:32:00.001-05:00

There are a great number of Customer Relationship Management (CRM), contact management and database software packages available on the market – it almost seems as though every month a new contact or database management tool enters center stage. And, although most of these programs are similar in their design, each system has their own unique qualities. The question is, how do you determine which one is right for you? What criteria do you really need in a database management tool?

We have put together this free comparison report with the hope that we may be able to assist you in choosing the right database management tool for your business requirements. We have also provided you with tips and tricks for using some of the tools to establish and build lasting relationships with your prospects and clients.

Download your free PDF report

Send A Fax, Save A Tree

2008-11-17T14:54:00.008-05:00

A few weeks ago, my fax machine was on the blink, and while it was out for repair, I desperately needed to send and receive a fax that was time sensitive. It was not an option for me to go to the local Staples to have them do it for me as there was a time delay between sending and receiving of about four hours, and I could not afford to either wait in the store that long, or return later in the day to pick up the faxed documents.

Besides—the information contained in the fax was highly confidential. So where did that leave me? I began looking at online faxing solutions. I have used eFax in the past, and for the most part, I was satisfied with their product offering. However, after reading some reviews, I was introduced to MyFax.

I decided to give them a try, and I was so impressed with how quickly and easily I was able to set it all up, that I even decided to sign up as an affiliate. Sending and receiving is as simple as email, it is always available (no busy signals, no paper shortage), the cost is less than what I would spend on a dedicated fax line plus the cost of toner for my fax machine, and best of all, because it is Internet based, I can use it anywhere I have an Internet connection. Because my business is virtual in nature, I find myself working in some of the most obscure places (ie: while camping, on trains, etc.)

So why not give them a try. Click on the image below to get started. Send a fax and save a tree today!

For Every Action, There Is An Equal And Opposite Criticism

2008-11-12T12:29:00.003-05:00

The title of this article is a quote from an unknown source, but I thought it was as appropriate a title as any. You see, a few weeks back, I received some of the first real negative feedback about an article I had written. Gasp!! … could it be true? Was it possible that not everyone was a fan of my writing? It is a known fact that I am my own worst critic, but could it be true that the fan base was growing?

My first reaction was a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. Then a knot developed, which grew and festered, and became a huge tumour spreading throughout my system. I was truly bummed about the response, and it completely consumed me for the remainder of the day. It wasn’t until the next day when I realized that I was completely overreacting. And here’s why — the response to the article was, and I quote, “I’m sorry, I don’t like that.” I could have been offering this person pepper on his salad, to which he could have responded with the same thing, and it wouldn’t have affected me in the slightest. So why, then, when he made the comment about my piece, did I consider giving it all up for a job at the local Tim Horton’s?

It all came down to the human response to criticism. It sucks.

However … I took the steps necessary regarding the criticism. Firstly, I acknowledged it. (”No problem”) … Secondly, rather than dwelling on the issue, I offered alternatives (”check this one out”) and finally, I MOVED ON!! … One of the most difficult things for me to do, both personally and professionally, is to move past the difficult hurdles that I might face, and this was no different. But I managed to accomplish the task.

There was probably an element of truth to his comment … but, just because this particular person didn’t like the article, that does not necessarily mean it was a ‘bad’ article. More to the point, it was just not to his liking. Period. Just as some people like certain movies, and others do not. For instance, my husband’s favourite movie is ‘Pulp Fiction’, whereas I, personally, cannot stomach it (which, by the way, my husband wishes he knew that before we were married!). I’m sure there are many people out there that have this movie on their top ten list of favourites, which is okay. I’m cool with that. But, sorry, I don’t like that (movie). See? I said the same thing! I’m sure there are tons of people that may react in the same manner that I did when the comment was made to me, but that’s okay too. I doesn’t make it a bad movie — just not to my liking.

I guess it all just boils down to opinion. Everybody has one. Everybody is entitled to one. And everyone has a right to offer theirs. I’m just going to have to get used to the fact that not everybody will share the same opinion as me.

A wise poet was quoted as saying, ”The only sin that we never forgive in each other is a difference in opinion.” (Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) U.S. poet, essayist and lecturer). I think it’s possible to forgive, but can we forget? We’ll have to see.

WordPress vs, Blogger

2008-11-10T10:53:00.002-05:00

Since I started blogging, I have used a few different tools for setting up my blogs. The first one I used was WordPress, hosted on their site, not my own. I then tried a company call Squarespace. Finally I moved onto Blogger.com, the tool provided by Google. They each had their good and bad points, and I liked each one for different reasons. WordPress and Blogger are free tools, and anything free is good in my books. Squarespace is an absolutely fantastic tool, and if you need hosting along with it they provide if for a minimal fee (around $8 per month). However, if you want a TLD (top level domain), or in the case of my blog, a subdomain, you have to upgrade to a premium hosting package, which is almost double that price. Ouch!

I am currently using Blogger, which I find to be a useful tool. It's a neat and tidy package, and it allows you to *link* to other blogs, and gives great exposure for no fees. It's also very user friendly and takes little time to set up As far as ease of use and flexibility in design, my favourite is WordPress. The biggest issue I have with WordPress, however, is the fact that you cannot advertise on your blog, which can be a main source of income for most blogs. I'm a Google Adsenser, and I need to have that capability.

After doing some reading (when I finally had a few free minutes), I checked out WordPress.org -- you can install WordPress onto your server, and host it yourself with the software. Very cool! ... This will allow me to continue to advertise with AdSense and others, and get the benefits of WordPress.

My dilemma is the amount of time it will take to switch everything over. Right now, everything is running smoothly on Blogger, and it's free. However, I can host my own blog with my current domain host, which will also be free, and WordPress will allow me to expand the blog to bigger and better things.

To switch or not to switch ... that is the REAL question.

CDW Canada - An Awesome Company!

2008-11-05T13:36:00.004-05:00

It's not too often that I recommend a company for products or services, especially when it comes to my business, but recently a customer of mine asked me where I purchased my computer hardware and software. Now, I am not a big purchaser of these items -- most of it happened when I first started my business -- but to this day, I still have the same supplier as I did in the beginning. I'd like to tell you a bit about my experience with them.

CDW Canada is my primary supplier for all things computer related. They provide IT products and services for both businesses and the general public, and their customer service is beyond compare.

I have a business account with them, so I can log in at any time to get prices, see stock availability, and use their many available online tools to find the parts I am looking for. If I decide to place an order, I can do so quickly, and at my convenience, with the comfort in knowing that the order will ship out the same day (if the order is placed before 4:00 pm EST), or the next day if the order is placed in the evening.

Not only will I receive confirmation of my order via email, but my personal sales rep will contact me both by email and phone to first thank me for the business, and to let me know the order has been received. I will also receive an email and a phone call to let me know the order has been shipped, along with tracking numbers from the courier company. Additionally, I will receive follow up email and phone call to ensure that the order has been received.

Now, I ask you -- what other company will do that for you when you spend less than $1,500 per year on their products? I cannot think of any other company that I have dealt with that has that level of customer communication. They honestly make me feel like a million dollar customer, and treat me with as much respect.

So, thank you, CDW Canada, and in particular, Jackson. Although your profit margins from my purchases are those of a pauper, you have always made me feel like a princess!

Microsoft Remote Assistance -- Very Cool Tool!

2008-10-21T12:04:00.002-04:00

Not that "computer technician" falls into my category of specialties, I do have some experience with and knowledge of the more advanced features of Windows, and oftentimes my clients will come to me for advice on how to *fix* things. Usually, by asking a few questions and determining what might be causing any problems, I am able to provide a solution with a quick email. Sometimes, however, the issues are a little more complicated, and without actually sitting down in front of the computer, it's very difficult to determine the underlying problem. In cases such as this, the Remote Assistance program included with Windows can be a lifesaver. Just this morning, I helped out a client who was experiencing some issues with her Internet browser using this feature.

At first, I could not establish a connection when it was initiated by the client -- an error message saying that 'the program might have been closed' (on her end) was as far as we got. I was about to attempt to connect with an invitation initiated on my end, when I thought, "I wonder if Windows Firewall is preventing me from connecting?" ... I asked my client to set the firewall exceptions to allow the Remote Assistance program to run, and after executing the program again, it allowed me to gain full control of her computer. I was skeptical at first because she is running Windows XP, whereas I am *ugh* running Windows Vista, but for once the two operating systems had no difficulties communicating with one another.

While my client sat back in her chair and watched me click and drag my way around her desktop (which she later described as "creepy"), I was able to change a few settings in her Internet Options, perform a few Microsoft Updates and reset her security settings to help resolve the issues. Keep your fingers crossed, as she has not experienced any further glitches with the Internet.

And it's nice to know that my clients have enough trust in me to completely take over their computers once in awhile.

New National Do Not Call List A Waste Of Time?

2008-09-30T15:10:00.005-04:00

“Don’t waste my time.” How many of us have thought (and some of us even vocalized) this phrase when a telemarketing company would interrupt a nap, a meal or a football game? I’ll admit that I am usually polite (though will complain after hanging up the phone) when these calls happen to get through my absolutely useless Call Privacy service provide by the phone company. After today’s events, I have changed my opinion, and almost welcome the unsolicited phone calls. Here is my story.

In a similar service to what our American friends have been enjoying for a number of years now, the new and highly-anticipated Canadian National Do-Not-Call (NDNC) list was launched today. Regardless of the fact that I have adopted the term, the “Feel Free To Call Me Anytime” list given the number of exempted corporations, I admit to being one of 30 million Canadians who have dreamed of this day, and as such, I wanted to be one of the first to register. If I can recall correctly from the notification email, the exact phrase was “ Signing up is simple, quick and free.” The government even provided us with a simple to use website link where all you need to do is enter your phone number and voila! Your telemarketing frustrations were over (or at least, minimized.) HA! Did I say that loud enough? I’ll say it again. HA!

I have now spent a better portion of my day trying to register my phone numbers on this list. Here is what I have encountered. At 7:30 am, I was greeted with the response that the NCNC website was “ temporarily unavailable” due to “planned maintenance” … (Now, I ask you, why on Earth would they plan ANY kind of maintenance on the day the site was scheduled to launch?) … My guess is that the site was temporarily unavailable due to “unplanned inundation.” Ever since my first attempt this morning, I have tried every hour, on the hour, to register my phone number. At approximately 1:00 this afternoon, I was able to at least access the site, and begin the “simple, quick and free” process. Unfortunately, after entering my phone number, I was greeted with another message that said “We’re sorry, but the website is experiencing technical difficulties and cannot process your request. Please call 1-800 … to resolve the issue.” Yeah, right. I was going to CALL the government on the busiest day of the millennium! … I don’t think so!!

So I waited another hour. At 2:00, I was able to get one step further and enter in the confirmation code (you know, the one to let them know I was a human and not a machine?) Well, after entering the confirmation code, I was brought to an almost-completely blank page, with a little message in the top left corner, in a plain font, that simply read, “The service is not available. Please try again later.” I still have another 40 minutes to go before my next attempt, which I am still debating after doing the following calculations.

I have tried to access the site on at least seven occasions (not including the one or two that I snuck in “just to check” and was greeted with a 404 page error) Each time, it took no less than one to two minutes for the attempt, and another one to two minutes to enter the details when it was available, only to receive the error messages. I’m unsure of what happens AFTER entering the confirmation code to prove my humanness, as I have yet to get to that point, but I’m SURE I will be required to confirm a few more details to prove that I, in fact, have the authority to put that particular number on the call list – sorry, the do-not-call list. So let’s add another minute. So far, including my rant, I have probably wasted about 45 minutes just trying to (unsuccessfully) get my number registered! … So what happens when I (inevitably) get a call from a telemarketer and need to file a complaint? Or what about the time I will need to spend logging all of the unauthorized calls, keeping track of who I have requested they remove me from their calling list, and cross referencing them to the companies allowed to call? Fughetaboutit … I’d rather take a second to say “No thanks,” to a telemarketer. And, if all else fails, it only takes a second to hang up the phone.

Can You Make Money As A Virtual Assistant?

2008-10-06T12:01:00.002-04:00

In a word, Yes. When people ask me what I do for a living, I used to respond with, “I’m a Virtual Assistant,” which usually garnered either a blank stare or a quizzical look, followed by the question, “what’s that?” Although the Virtual Assistance industry is a million – possibly even billion-dollar industry, it is still somewhat unknown, especially on the Canadian side of the border. After launching into my 15-second elevator speech on what a Virtual Assistant does, the “ahhhhh, I see – so you’re a secretary?” prompted me to change my approach. Now, when someone asks what I do, I respond with, “I work for myself from home doing database management and web development.” No longer do I receive blank stares, but it creates interest, and the question is now, “so how much do you make doing this?” I’m always amazed at this question – I don’t usually go around asking people what their annual salary is, but when you are self-employed, it seems as though you are free game. I have determined that most people dream of working for themselves from home, and often wonder if they could do the same thing. So, naturally, they wonder if they can sustain themselves on my salary. I quickly forgive them, and respond with “enough to make me happy.”

Working as a Virtual Assistant is not an easy ride. It is not a get rich quick venture. And it will not make you a millionaire. Starting a business is an expensive proposition, and being a VA is no different. I would estimate that I invested about $10,000 in the first year getting the business off the ground, and approximately the same amount every year just to keep it running. As a small business owner, you have expenses that range from the outlay of cash for computer hardware and software, to ongoing expenses such as Internet connection fees. A telephone is an absolute must, a website is a necessity, and advertising can eat up your profits more than one would think.

Being a Virtual Assistant is the same as owning your own business. Aside from all the work you perform for your clients, you also have to run the administrative side of the company. Just the accounting alone is mind-boggling, especially at tax time. For the first six months of operation, I may have put in 12-14 hour days, but only 3-4 hours of that might have ‘billable’ to clients. The rest was off the clock and out of my own pocket. In my first year of operation, I had only earned enough to barely pay for my expenses, and it was not a financially lucrative company.
However, after getting everything in place, setting up my website, and gathering a very loyal client base, in my second year, I actually made a *small* profit, which I put right back into the business. Since then, the income has remained at a sustainable level, and although it will be a few decades before I make my first million, it is enough to make me happy and continue doing what I do.

Searching For Albert Einstein

2008-10-20T10:08:00.004-04:00

This morning, while watching the local weather channel, I briefly caught a quote by Albert Einstein about 'strange ideas' that was very intriguing for me. Because I had not had my morning coffee yet, I wasn't awake enough to imprint it in my memory, and I thought to myself, "I'll just google it later today -- if Einstein said it, it's on the Internet."

So here I sit in a sea of keyword searches, and I can tell you honestly that searching for "Einstein quote about ideas," brings back more hits than I care to mention. The premise of the quote was that if an idea does not sound crazy to begin with, nothing will come if it. But, for the life of me, I cannot pinpoint the exact wording.

If there is anyone out there that knows what this exact quote is, I would be very grateful if you could enlighten me.

How Did I Become A Virtual Assistant?

2008-09-29T12:55:00.001-04:00

If we go back in time about 10 or 15 years, (wow! has it really been that long?) I can remember watching Sandra Bullock in the movie 'The Net' and boldly proclaiming, “THAT’s what I want to do!” I was fascinated by the idea of working from a home office and using the Internet to connect with clients. The virtual seed was planted. I had a quite a bit of background in sales, customer service and information technology, and I also I had the basic foundation for a business idea (and to be quite honest, I was AMAZED when I did some research and found out that the Virtual Assistant world was so HUGE!) Stay tuned for more posts on how I became a Virtual Assistant!