I am often asked for my opinion about how to do something. It is the nature of the virtual assistant business. Having worked on a variety of projects, people believe I can either answer a question or at least give them the tools to find the answer themselves. I’m OK with that. I like to help.

I opened up my email Inbox today and found seven emails from people looking for an answer about how to do something. It took about an hour to get through all the responses and I was pleased to have answers to everything asked.

Of the seven, two responded with a ‘Thank You’.

Was I looking for a ‘Thank You’? Well, yes. It would have been nice. It would have been a validation of my efforts. Given the low response to the favor, a ‘Thank You’ from anyone actually would have helped that person to stand out from the crowd. This small gesture might have helped them receive future favors from me on a priority-status. That’s not to say I will dismiss their future requests but I might put the favor on a ‘low flame’ given the limited hours in my workday.

So why did only two people take the time to type two simple words and hit the ‘send’ button?

5 Reasons Why People Do Not Send a Thank You

1) They simply do not have good manners.
2) They take my good will for granted. They got what they wanted and as far as they are concerned, the query has ended.
3) They can not find the time to thank me.
4) They do not realize the value in a Thank You.
5) They forgot or they do not care, or both.

5 Reasons Why People Should Say Thank You

1) A Thank You shows appreciation for the time I took to handle their question. Very simple and very obvious.
2) They have good manners and their mother taught them well. A Thank You is automatic; without a second thought as it should be.
3) A Thank You is remembered by people who, in turn, are more likely to help them out in the future.
4) Finalizing an email with a note of thanks is indeed the proper way to actually end an email. It is a way to leave an appropriate ending to a piece of correspondence. A favor which is not ‘settled’ with a Thank You is the same as telling a story and not having a final solution or an ending to the tale.
5) The absence of a Thank You can mean that the efforts were not appreciated. You may have appreciated the favor but no one will ever know.

However, the bonus reason why people should should say ‘Thank You’ (drum roll, please!) is that performing this simple gesture is nearly FREE to accomplish which could reap benefits that might become profitable in the future.

The next time I open my Inbox and find several inquiries, I will respond to them but tucked in the back of my head will be the names of those who took a moment to appreciate my time. I might not spend an inordinate amount of time answering their questions because my time is valuable. I might steer them in the direction where they can find their own answers or I might wait to respond and do so only when my work hours are light.

Those who thanked me though, may get a faster response.

It’s human nature.

When an RFP (request for proposal) is submitted by a potential client (PC) for the services of a virtual assistant, understand that the PC has many, many replies to weed through. Having your reply stand out above the rest is key to securing the interview.

I came across an interesting post, “Get More Clients For Your Home-Based Business by Avoiding These Five Deadly Mistakes” written from a client’s perspective who was terribly disappointed with a majority of the 20 or so replies she received for an RFP. The gist of her post was simply that the replies did not offer an answer to the all-important question…’What can I do for you?’

The author wrote:

“My needs were clearly listed – web maintenance, shopping cart and autoresponder administration. One of the offers I received listed typing, transcription, scheduling appointments and making travel arrangements as the services provided.

No mention of providing the technical skills I required.

If you’re submitting a quotation to provide a product or service, make sure you understand what the prospect needs, then tell that prospect how you can meet those needs.

If you merely provide a list of what you offer with no reference to what the prospect is looking for, she will think you either a) don’t pay heed to what you’re reading, or b) just don’t care – and either one of them will put your proposal into the round file.”

This client/author fielded replies which simply responded to “WHAT I am or WHAT I have done in the past” but never really addressing the client’s specific requirements. This was a constant theme through the author’s post.

I addition to the author’s suggestions, I have listed 10 Tips to help virtual assistants respond correctly and efficiently to a potential client’s RFP. If you follow these tips closely, you will have the best reply to an RFP ever!

1) Follow the RFP directions – As simple as this sounds, read the RFP thoroughly and gather the information the potential client is asking for. If they want samples of your work, attach a link to a portfolio or a link to your work as featured on someone’s site or your own site. If they want three references, provide the name, phone number, title, email address and a link to your reference sites; make sure you include the required number three. If they ask a question such as ‘why do you want to be a part of my team’ be sure to answer that question completely…however…

2) Although your reply can offer an explanation about your company and your specialty, answer the question (#1) in terms of ‘what you can do to benefit the client’. So don’t answer, “I want to be a part of your team because I need a job” or “I want to be a part of your team because I am good at what I do”. A better response would be, “I want to be a part of your team because my marketing skills have increased my clients’ email subscriber list from 100 to over 200 in one month’s time. I can do the same for you.”

3) Do your homework! The best means to offer a clear, concise reply to an RFP is to become educated about the PC’s business. Most potential clients will offer up a website address. Check out the site and familiarize yourself with their business. If the PC is a coach, personalize the RFP reply with something about their coaching business and what you have done for other coaches to help them with their work.

Do not critique their site in the reply RFP.

If the RFP does not provide a website address, check the domain for the email address and see if that garners some online clue about the client. If not, Google the potential client’s name and/or business name; read any articles he/she may have written and check Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook to see if you can familiarize yourself with the client’s work. If you get the interview, you are already ahead of the game when discussion of the client’s business presents itself.

4) Have ALL of Your Ducks (Ready!) in a Row – Do not send a reply to an RPF if your website and social networking sites including your blog are not ready for the potential client’s review. If you have a PC’s attention from your written reply, chances are they too will do their own research about you before they make contact so having the best possible website and ‘store front’ available will be key to securing that consultation.

5) Include all of your contact information in the reply in an easy-to-read format. Make links clickable and check those links before you hit ‘send’. Be sure that you have full testimonials in place.

The author wrote:

“One bid provided a link to a web site where I could read testimonials. The testimonials were one and two liners followed by clients’ labels instead of their names, locations, or businesses.

For example, “Betty does good work. – Accountant”, “Betty always has her work to me on time. – Chiropractor.”

If your services are worthy of receiving testimonials, there is no reason why the providers shouldn’t approve the use of their name, business and town to validate the testimonials as authentic. Adding a picture creates even greater validation.”

(Although I personally felt that a photo was not necessary and often difficult to obtain.)

6) Read the RFP Carefully for Keywords – If an RFP uses words like ‘team’ or ‘dedicated’ or ‘looking for enthusiasm’, include these words in your reply and explain what you have done to be a part of a team AND how that effort paid off. If the PC is looking for a ‘dedicated’ person, give examples of client relationships which have had endurance AND how that attribute can be beneficial to the PC. If someone is looking for someone with enthusiasm, then write the reply with enthusiasm! Other keywords to look out for are ‘expert’ or any level of experience such as ‘intermediate’ experience. If a PC is looking for someone with specific experience, never say, ‘I am a quick learner’ or ‘I always wanted to learn XXX but if you show me how, I can do the job’.

The author wrote:

“One bid listed web maintenance and design as a service offered, however, the bidder didn’t have a site of her own or offer any references or testimonials for sites she ‘allegedly’ maintains.

If you offer a particular service that can be verified, provide testimonials, references and samples in your original bid so the potential client can corroborate them.

People are busy and if you don’t give them what they want on first contact, they aren’t going to take the time to contact you for more information when five, ten or fifty other proposals are giving them what they need.”

7) Proofread, Edit and Reread, Again! – Once you finish your reply to an RFP have someone proofread it for you. Spelling and grammatical errors stand out like sore thumb and distract from the content. Further, you are the example you set in your reply so if it is sloppy, you can be that the PC will believe your work is sloppy as well. Make sure that you are answering the question, “What is it that I can offer to the PC?” Does your reply answer that question?

8 This is not your biography.

The author writes:

Don’t make it all about you.

“I received two offers that demonstrated no real interest in how they could meet my needs. The first went as follows …

“I love working with coaches! I’ve been running my own business for “x” years. I have a degree in “x”. I worked as a nurse’s assistant for ‘x’ years, then decided to pursue my love of organizing, and I have …” – there was no mention of skills that would meet my needs.”

I reiterate again, make sure the reply is answering the question, “What is it that I can do for the potential client to meet their needs?”

9) Follow up to your replies within one week. Ask if you can offer any additional references or if the PC has any questions. Show a continued interest in the position. Be prepared for not receiving any reply at all! I would say that 95 percent of the replies to RFPs I send out never receive the courtesy of a return reply. Once I received a phone call back where the PC thanked me for my time and on occasion, I will receive a nice email with ‘thanks but we’ve filled the position’. However, I mention following up because one time I received a response to a follow-up indicating that the VA they hired was not working out so I was able to secure the account in that manner. Tip: Ask if you can add the PC’s email address to your own e-newsletter subscriber list. You never know if they may call on you later!

10) Customize each reply! Each reply should be custom to the RFP itself. If you use one cookie-cutter form to send out to every RFP, the lack of customization will be apparent. PCs want to know that you find their RFP to be important.

It takes time to craft a good reply to an RFP. Consider it a part of the virtual assistant’s job. Not only do we work on client work but we continually market our own businesses. I consider replies to RFPs part of my marketing plan. Sure, it can be laborious and the rejection factor can be high but well worth effort if you secure that client who appreciates the time and effort put into that RFP reply!

As a virtual assistant, I control my work schedule.  When I have a client assignment to complete, most days I can execute this work around a flexible schedule. This may mean waking early, working weekends or working into the late evenings to accommodate other activities and commitments during the normal workday. But always, the client work is completed on schedule. For nearly four years, the most desirable aspect of being a virtual assistant is that I am the master of my time.

As a result, I have been able to volunteer in the media center at a local middle school. Initially, I spent about two weeks every six months working at the school book fair and then gradually was able to work in more volunteer days for other events. Recently, I took on a book donation program called the ‘African Library Project’ to collect 1,000 books to send to a primary school in Swaziland, Africa.  Much of the publicity work such as writing press releases, creating brochures and contacting business partners through email marketing has been completed from my home office.  Again, I have been able to work these projects in seamlessly around paid client work.

I really feel that a virtual assistant (or really any home-based business owner) can actually benefit professionally and personally through volunteer work.  Here are my reasons:

1)    Humans are social beings but working from home does not afford face-to-face contact with clients and other business contacts. I work solo so the job can be rather lonely.  But volunteering allows for some face-to-face contact without having to be on-site all of the time. I can still maintain my independence and control my own time. Volunteering fills a void in my social life similar to that which I enjoyed in the past when employed in the corporate world.

2)    The publicity a volunteer can receive is priceless. All of the paid and unpaid marketing I do for my business compares little to the accolades and the unsolicited attention I receive from volunteering.  Volunteering brings people together for one cause so we share a common thread. This is the foundation for solid networking.

When I explain to people that I am a virtual assistant, a common response is to receive a ‘glazed-over-deer-in-the-headlights’ look. But when they see me ‘in action’; when they see the results of a press release or view the printed materials I have created; this is proof of what I can do for their small businesses.  And word travels fast.

3)    Volunteering gives me the opportunity to keep my publicity skills fresh. I can experiment with work in ways I normally would not do if I had to perform the same work for a client, on their dime.

4)    I make new contacts I might not have made if I had not volunteered. Yesterday, a TV news reporter came to our school to film our project. I walked her out to her news van after the interviews were complete and now have a new media contact to add to my network list.

5)  I can use the volunteer information to promote on my website, blog and newsletter. When potential clients see that I take time to help make a difference, this helps people to get to know me. After all, social networking is all about building relationships.  Further, the volunteer subjects make for good writing topics.

6)    Volunteering helps me to feel valued and when I feel appreciated, my paid work benefits.

7)  In addition to being a virtual assistant, I am a mother of a teenager.  I can preach to this child how important it is to give back to others until I am ‘blue in the face’ but if he sees that I ‘walk the talk’, he knows my message is not simply useless rhetoric.  That benefit alone is worth all of my time!

8)    Volunteering helps me to become a much more interesting person. When I embarked upon the ‘African Library Project’ I knew nothing about the tiny, landlocked country of Swaziland.  In fact, I had to pull out an Atlas as I had no idea where Swaziland was located. I now have more knowledge than I had before and spoke confidently about the country when the reporter asked for statistics for the news piece mentioned earlier.

It would be great to pick up more work for my business through volunteering but if that does not happen; I am satisfied to know that my publicity efforts have worked. I can bring up my promotional skills to a potential client during conversation and verify that my virtual assistant services are beneficial!

I have made a difference in a Swaziland student’s life.  40% of the students never advance to high school.  So my hope is that the books we collect may help to motivate a child to continue his/her education.  For me, this is the best reward of all.

Janine Gregor

I was in the supermarket the other day and avocados were on sale for one dollar each.  Deep in thought as to what I could make with this delightful fruit, I saw a woman lurking from the corner of my eye who was pressing several avocados for firmness and then bagged or discarded as needed. I looked up and then moved over to make room so we both could share in the bounty without stretching across each other.

She seemed to appreciate that gesture and then said to me, “It is hard to tell which ones are too ripe just by pinching them.” So I said, “The lighter ones seem to be less ripe.” I continued, “Sometimes I get them home and in less than a day they are too ripe to use.”  She smiled and said, “Yes, that’s why I buy the light greens ones.  If you put them in a brown bag with a banana they will ripen when you need them.”

I knew about that ripening tip but acted as if I didn’t know so as not to be rude. She seemed delighted to share that tidbit with me so I didn’t want to ruin a sweet moment amongst strangers.

So from there we struck up a conversation. She asked me what I did for a living and I said I was a virtual assistant helping small businesses promote their products and services through online marketing methods such as newsletters, articles and email.

She told me about her line of work and as it turned out, the woman owned a real estate agency and contracted me (on the spot) to work on her email marketing campaign.

When I got home, I thought about what could have happened. I might not have stopped to buy the avocados if they hadn’t been on sale.  If I hadn’t showed courtesy in ‘sharing’ the space in front of the avocado display, she might not have said anything to me.  If I hadn’t acted appreciative of her banana-in-the-paper-bag tip (even though I knew about that tip), she might not have continued to chat with me.  We both might have just moved on and continued our shopping.

So I never dismiss small talk. I’m much more aware of my surroundings in public places. I smile more often and look approachable.  And when the stars align, I’m ready with a business card and a quick elevator speech should someone ask.  You never know who you will meet. Now that’s really what I define to be true social networking!

I celebrated that night with the best guacamole ever!

Recently, I have ‘been on’ a few back-to-back consultations with potential clients. Each conversation had to be fine-tuned on the spot depending upon the clients’ expertise with working with a VA and in regard to his/her use of the internet.  Since consults are not ‘one size fits all’ this post can help VAs to customize the conversation to achieve maximum results.

*note RFP used herein is a Request for Proposal. This is the form that potential clients complete with information regarding their virtual assistant needs.
*Letter of Intent is the reply letter a VA writes in response to the RFP.

1)      Research, Research And More Research – If there is any tidbit of information you will take away from this post this will be it:  Research the client’s website and business as much as possible before dialing the phone. I suggest going one step further and research as much as possible before hitting the send button to reply to the initial RFP itself.  Although each Letter of Intent should be customized to the client’s requirements, take more time than usual to know the client because you may not have much time to do the research between the time you hit send and the time the client replies back to your customized letter of intent.  I have been in close-timing situations and have had mere minutes to vamp-up my research before I called the client back. Being prepared ahead of time will thwart being caught off-guard because you may need to book an immediate consult. It happens.

2)      Be Careful How You Phrase Your Opinions – Before making the consult call (and creating the Letter of Intent), make a list of what you think can be improved on the website or blog but do not come forward right away with a critique while on the phone with the potential client. Wait until the client asks for your opinion and phrase your critique as such, “If your website heading is decreased in size you can offer more information about your business above the page fold” or “If you add your social marketing badges to your home page, you can increase your membership”.  Making suggestions as opposed to saying, “The header is too big” or “The web page is messy” may make for bad vibes during the consult. Diplomacy is key.

3)      If the client indicates that they do not know how to do something while you explain what services you can provide, offer to show them how to do it. You may think that offering to train a client, for example how to post a blog will take away work from you; I actually believe that this leads to more work, which is what we all really want as virtual assistants.  I believe in offering to share my knowledge with a client for three reasons:  First, you will get paid for training; Second, once you spend more time teaching the client a task, this helps to build a relationship and solidifies you as the expert and, Three, these tasks lead to more work because then you can make suggestions as to how the task can be fine-tuned. The latter is much easier to do when you have built a rapport with the client.

4)      During the consultation call, be keen and listen to the client as they speak. Clues to how much expertise they have will be apparent just by listening. It can be embarrassing for the VA to review services the client is already familiar with.  In fact it is a waste of time.  Some clients know what ftp might be, while others have no idea.  Do not assume a client knows the entire internet ‘lingo’ so it pays to be clear during conversation without being too ‘techie’. It is easier to consult with client who has already worked with a VA so be sure you know this information in advance. 

5) If the client is seeking to replace their VA, it pays to know why but never be intrusive by asking outright. Most clients will say if they are replacing their VA upfront.  Use that information to your advantage.  For example, if the client states, “My VA does not know how to post a blog”, that would be your cue to indicate this is a service you offer (if you do, of course). But do not ask why the VA is being replaced. Only use the information if offered to indicate what you can offer to fill that hole.

Finally, evaluate each consultation call immediately after hanging up.  What could you have done better? What did you do well that you can use for the next call?  Consultations calls can improve over time.

Janine Gregor

October 9, 2009

Friends,

It’s your friendly webmaster from MichaelMoore.com here to remind you THIS is THE weekend to go see the movie so much of America is talking about: “Capitalism: A Love Story.” As you know, documentaries do not last long in theaters so don’t put off going to what many critics have called Mike’s “Best film yet!”

Did you happen to read this in the Huffington Post:

“Michael Moore has made the most important and urgent political film of our time. In fact, he might have made the most American of films since the populist cinema of Frank Capra.” (Read the rest of this excellent piece, “Michael Moore’s Grapes of Wrath,” by clicking here.)

Or this from the Los Angeles Times:

“It is Moore at his most passionate, most personal and most political, and that is something not to be missed.”

Or this from the Minneapolis Star Tribune:

“‘Capitalism’ is a Molotov cocktail thrown straight at the heart of the New York Stock Exchange. The impact is spectacular.”

And finally this gem from MacLeans the “Time magazine” of Canada:“… Moore is at the top of his game. ‘Capitalism: A Love Story’ may be the best film of his career.”

But here’s what’s crazy: Some conservatives are also saying they love the film and are telling people to go see it:  E.D. Hill from Fox News, the Wall Street Journal, and the Financial Post. Even Jim Pinkerton, White House staffer under both Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush said, “I’ve got to tell you, on this particular issue, I’m with Michael Moore.” This is amazing. Plus, having the mainstream support of people who speak to middle America, like Jay Leno and Merle Haggard — this has truly become a movie that has reached its hand out and said “please come in, I think you might appreciate knowing some of the things I’m going to show you.” If there was ever a time to take your Republican brother-in-law to a Michael Moore film, this would be it!

Last week, Mike had one of his best openings ever — second only to the once-in-a-lifetime “Fahrenheit 9/11.” It tied for 6th in the national box office (with Drew Barrymore’s “Whip It,” which was on nearly twice as many screens!) and had the #4 per-screen average. “Capitalism” earned more than Mike’s last film, “Sicko,” did on its opening weekend and is on track to be one of the top 5 grossing documentaries of all time (which will give Mike 4 of the top 7 all-time docs!). And “Capitalism” remains the highest grossing per-screen average for any film in limited release in 2009. And it’s a documentary! This never — very rarely — happens.

I can tell you that Mike is probably more proud of this film than anything he’s done since “Roger & Me.” That’s because “Capitalism: A Love Story” is what I would call the pinnacle of his life’s work — this is his manifesto.

And it’s damn funny! Or, rather, it’s damning and it’s funny. You will be transported watching this amazing movie — no one has ever made anything like it. If you want a great time at the movies this weekend, go see “Capitalism.” You will NOT be disappointed!

Click here to find where it’s playing near you. It’s rated “R,” like most of Mike’s films (why? why? why?), but that didn’t stop him from seeing “Woodstock” or “M*A*S*H” when he was a teenager — and it shouldn’t stop you under-17-year-olds from seeing “Capitalism: A Love Story!” You know what to do.

And check out our newly redesigned website that I manage for Mike.  There’s great new stuff every day. You can now post comments and participate in the discussion!

And you can stay in touch with Mike on Twitter at Twitter.com/MMFlint.

That’s it for now. Grab some friends and go see this great flick — it won’t be around forever! They gotta make room for “Saw VI!”

Webmaster
MichaelMoore.com

Thursday, October 1st, 2009

Friends,

We’re just one day away from the widest opening I’ve ever had for any of my movies. Tomorrow, Friday, October 2nd, “Capitalism: A Love Story” opens on over a thousand screens across the United States, a record for an independent documentary.

This follows last weekend’s limited opening in New York and L.A. where “Capitalism” set the box office record for the highest per screen average of ANY movie released so far this year. Not just any documentary — any MOVIE! It was, as the studio said, a good indicator of just how well the movie may do when it goes wide this weekend. I sincerely hope they’re right because I believe deeply in this film.

To kick off the national release of  “Capitalism: A Love Story,” I’ve asked the studio to offer a number of screenings in the nation’s hardest hit cities — the ones with the highest unemployment rates and highest foreclosure rates — where those who’ve lost their jobs or who are in foreclosure (or have already been evicted) may attend my film free of charge. They’ve agreed, and so tonight (Thursday), the night before our opening day, ten cities will grant you free admission if you have fallen on hard times. The list of theaters and cities is below. You don’t need to bring any “proof” of your situation — just show up — it’s the honor system, no questions asked.

Of course, a free movie ain’t much when what you really need is a job or a place to live. And that’s not going to change until the party that controls both the Congress and the White House wakes up and realizes the American people put them in charge to fix the mess created by the previous administration. For that to happen requires the active involvement of each of us. And, as I show in this movie, it’s going to also require us to challenge some fundamental assumptions about an economic system that currently allows the wealthiest ONE PERCENT in this country to have more financial wealth than the bottom 95% combined. That concentration of money and power in the hands of so few people is, I believe, at the core of so many of our problems.

So, if you’re going through tough times and you live in one of the areas below, please be my guest tonight, on the eve of my new film’s opening. Seating will be on a first come, first served basis.

Also, in another five cities tonight, I have made the film available to local groups to hold benefit screenings to raise money for their local organizations — organizations which are working toward a day when a filmmaker doesn’t have to offer free screenings to people who’ve been put through the wringer. If you live in any of these areas (see below for the list of benefit premieres tonight), please come out and support the good work of these grassroots groups.

So, until tomorrow, thanks for your support, and I’ll see ya at the movies!

Yours,

Michael Moore
MMFlint@aol.com
MichaelMoore.com
Twitter.com/MMFlint
Facebook.com/MMFlint
MySpace.com/MMFlint

“CAPITALISM: A LOVE STORY” FREE SCREENINGS:
Las Vegas, Nevada
Thursday, Oct. 1st, 7:00 p.m.
Cinemark Orleans
4600 W Tropicana Blvd.
Las Vegas, NV 89103

Phoenix, Arizona
Thursday, Oct.1st, 7:00 p.m.
Harkins Christown
1620 W Monte Bello
Phoenix, AZ 85015

Fresno, California
Thursday, Oct. 1st, 7:30 p.m.
Edwards Stadium
250 Paseo Del Centro
Fresno, CA 93720

Saginaw, Michigan
Thursday, Oct. 1st, 7:00 p.m.
Goodrich Saginaw 8 Theater
3250 Kabobel Dr.
Saginaw, MI 48604

Raleigh/Durham, North Carolina
Thursday, Oct. 1st, 7:30 p.m.
Regal North Hills Stadium 14
4150 Main at North Hills St.
Raleigh, NC 27609

Tampa / St. Petersburg, Florida
Thursday, Oct. 1st, 7:30 p.m.
Muvico Starlight
1800 Highwood Preserve Parkway
Tampa, FL 33647

Elkhart, Indiana
Thursday, Oct. 1st, 7:00 p.m.
Carmike Encore Park 14
2701 Cassopolis Street
Elkhart, IN 46514

Baltimore, Maryland
Thursday, October 1st, 7:30 p.m.
The Charles Theatre
1711 North Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21201

Cleveland, Ohio
Thursday, Oct. 1st, 7:30 p.m.
AMC Westwood Town Center
21653 Center Ridge Road
Rocky River, OH 44116

Peoria, Illinois
Thursday, Oct. 1st, 7:00PM
Willow Knolls 14 Theatre
4100 W Willow Knolls Drive
Peoria, IL 61615

“CAPITALISM: A LOVE STORY” BENEFIT SCREENINGS:

Miami, Florida
Thursday, Oct. 1st, 7:30 p.m.
Sunrise Intracoastal
3701 NE 163rd Street
North Miami Beach, FL 33160
Benefiting: Take Back the Land

Madison, Wisconsin
Thursday, October 1st, 7:00 p.m.
Sundance Cinemas 608
430 N. Midvale Blvd.
Madison, WI 53705

Benefiting: Madison Association of Worker Cooperatives / Union Cab / Isthmus Engineering
San Francisco, California
Thursday, Oct. 1st, 7:30 p.m.
Embarcadero Center Cinema
One Embarcadero Center, Promenade
San Francisco, CA 94111

Benefiting: US Federation of Worker Cooperatives

Chicago, Illinois
Thursday, Oct. 1st, 8:00 p.m.
Kerasotes City North
2600 N. Western Ave.
Chicago, IL 60647

Benefiting: United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America
Grass Valley, California
Thursday, Oct. 1st, 7:30 p.m.
Del Oro Theatre
165 Mill Street
Grass Valley, CA 95945

Benefiting: KVMR-FM

Boulder, Colo. (past screening)
Tuesday, Sept. 29th, 8:00 p.m.
Boulder Theater
2032 14th Street.
Boulder, CO 80302
Benefiting: Present Tense Films

Lately, I have seen so many missed opportunities for local businesses to rectify bad services complaints from customers and turn these instances into repeat sales or even referrals.  I’ve been the victim of bad service more times than not lately as I have been working with contractors to complete projects on my home. So, this  topic was worth a blog entry. 

It is not a secret that competition in the Florida construction industry is fierce. When we decided to install a swimming pool and install a fence this summer, many of the companies I received quotes from had either gone out of business or did not have the funds to complete projects. (One installer told me that if I did not make a decision by a particular date, my quote would go up $2000.) If a construction company can survive, the only factor I see is that good service is the only means which sets one company apart from the other.  Otherwise, they lose the referral business so necessary to survive.

After completing the swimming pool, we decided to fence the entire yard. We called a reputable and homeowner-referred Florida fence company and received a quote. 6 weeks later when we made a final decision to fence the yard, the salesman came out with a quote $500 dollars more than the original. As his quote was still lower than other quotes we received, we renegotiated the price although he really should have honored the original quote, which by-the-way did not indicate an expiration date. (He kept mumbling—-yes, mumbling about ‘getting yelled by the owner if he returned to the office with a quote which was too low’. ) This was the beginning of a myriad of problems with this company, which I will not itemize here but suffice to say that after installation was complete, I sent a typed note listing all of the issues that had gone awry. Along with that note, I mailed my final payment, which was promptly cashed so I know that the note was received.

Do you think the owner of the fence company would have called me to discuss what I addressed in my note? I have not heard one word.

As a result, I will not recommend this firm. My home sits at the end of a street which leads into a 1200 home brand new subdivision so the fence is quite visible. This is a missed opportunity for more fencing business.

As I mentioned, we put in a swimming pool. The project has been fraught with problems but each issue had eventually been worked out with some reasonable solution. The main problem is that I had to be vigilant and ‘on top’ of every step of the pool installation which became cumbersome (scheduling time off from my work, being available at a moment’s notice, etc.). I felt as if I was labeled ‘the homeowner who was difficult to satisfy’. My arguments with the pool contractor were valid but had I not been vocal many of the mistakes would not have been corrected. (I documented the installation of this pool so I plan to write about it in a future blog.) The bottom line is that none of the subcontractors (tiler, deck texturer, deck painters, cage installer, concrete subs) had my best interest in mind. That is what a contractor was hired to do–oversee the subs! Well, the subs asked no questions of me and simply fulfilled the job requirements. Without someone ON SITE during every phase of the construction, mistakes were bound to be made, which meant that I had to be the one to bring these to the attention of the pool contractor. It did not make for a good relationship. The contractor kept saying, “We want to please you” but that became a burden to him. I could feel that tension. I told him he needed to be here every step of the way.

I visited a local salon to make a hair appointment the other day. I had a bad experience at this salon about a year ago, which was fixed by another hairdresser but it required another visit back to the salon and another monetary tip. I had not been back to this salon since that incident occurred but decided to give the business another try. (I met the owner outside the shop one afternoon and she convinced me to try her services again.) Well, when I made a new appointment last week one of the hairdressers (not the one in question) became defensive when I explained why I had not patronized this salon in some time. It was as if she was calling me a liar. A better way to have handled this was to just simply say that this time the salon would guarantee the work they would do with the new appointment I had made. But,that did not happen. I left there wondering again what the results would be with this new appointment. No customer should leave any place of establishment wondering what lies ahead.

You see, I want to get the most from my money. Every dollar counts. If I am going to pay $100 for my hair to be lightened, I want value for that price. If I am going to pay tens of thousands for a new swimming pool, I want the tile to be installed in some kind of fluid pattern and expect that the tile-guy will have that expertise. I do not want to come back and say, “That’s not the pattern you showed me in the catalog”. If I am going to pay a few thousand for a new fence, I expect that the installers will have the survey in their possession when they arrive. I also expect that I will not get a call the day of the installation to say the construction crew is on its way despite asking for a phone call one day in advance.

And, I expect when I have a concern about work that is being done, paid for by me, out of my own pocket that this will be addressed in a professional manner and not be ignored.

Perhaps I am asking too much. Mistakes are bound to happen. I say to the construction and small business industry–do not blame the economy entirely for your downfall. It is survival of the fittest and that means Good Follow-Up and Excellent Customer Service is your ticket to survival.

Janine Gregor

1) Have a good understanding of what you want the VA to do for you before you search. Keep an ongoing list next to your desk of responsibilities you really want to delegate. List those items which keep you from doing the work you enjoy.

2) Prioritize that list. Break the list down to three categories: Items which should have been done yesterday; those which need to be done this week and those which can wait until next month.

3) Decide how much your budget will allow to contract with a VA. If you can spend $200 a month then stick to that budget.

 
4) Post a request for proposal (RFP) on the Virtual Assistant Forums for free. (This is the premier virtual assistant forums website. VAs are not charged for services here, so the site is open for all VAs and business owners with diverse backgrounds.) Make your RFP as detailed as possible and do not forget to include your website address and alternate email address. Most VAs will research your business online before posting for a position so any information you offer ahead of time only helps to weed out those who may not meet your needs.

5) Give a timeline as to when your request for proposal response has to be submitted but give a fair amount of time to respond. Anyone who is really interested will respond right away but it does take time to reply properly to RFPs as they are often customized to clients’ needs. Specify what you want the VA to send you in the first pass…i.e., links to sites, blogging samples, graphic samples, articles, etc. It is not necessary to ask for a resume. This is not an employee-employer situation. A VA is a business owner as well.

6) Ask for references. And by all means send out for those references asking for feedback on the VA’s work and turnaround time.

7) If you know someone who uses a VA, then ask for a referral from that colleague. Many VAs handle multiple clients. If you like the work you see, then this can be indicative of a VA you might wish to work with.

8 When you have decided upon the right person for the job, expect that in the beginning you will need to ‘hand over’ passwords and usernames and business information to get started. Be sure that your VA has a confidentiality agreement. You will need to open up your business to another person with whom you have never been physically introduced. Trust will grow over time.

9) Review the service contract needed to begin and return back to the VA in a timely fashion. If you are not in agreement with something in the contract, say so upfront.

10) Communicate…communicate…communicate…Set aside time during the work week to answer your VAs emails and questions. The faster you return your replies, the faster the work will be completed. Share ideas…send your VA articles and blogs which spur conversation and brainstorm to grow your business. Suggest that the VA read online newsletters or mail her/him publications which are related to your business.

You will have more time to do the work you enjoy. You can focus on your business plan. Best of all you can partner with someone who has an interest in the growth of your business.

Janine Gregor

Hello,

I’ve had a ‘cherry’ good response to last week’s free online resources and tips that I may try to make this a consistent blog event.

I look for resources which not only help business owners improve productivity but those benefits which offer greater exposure and publicity. I have also decided to expand this selection to include ‘fun stuff’; namely sites that entertain without being terribly distracting.

www.helpareporterout.com Looking for ways to get your name and business recognized? Do you want to be quoted in major publications? Help a Reporter Out, also known as HARO, is a venue set up by celebrity blogger Peter Shankman to help reporters find material for article topics. Once you sign up at Shankman’s site, he sends a morning and an afternoon email listing of topics which reporters wish to address. Shankman organizes reporter queries with contact information so it is very easy to click on a topic for reply and then quickly send your expert advice to the inquirer. If your thoughts are deemed worthy and are published by the reporter, this can only mean greater exposure for your own business. Several of my clients have been quoted and published in books, major magazines, newspapers and online sites through HARO. (It can be a little tedious going through the email topics each day…which is why hiring a virtual assistant to do that for you is tremendously useful. Whether you do it yourself or hire someone to scan the topics for you, the public relations exposure from this public relations opportunity is priceless.)

http://www.15secondpitch.com/new/ Has anyone ever asked you want it is that you do for a living and you’ve replied with, “I’m a speaker” or, “I’m a publicist.” This type of a response does not always elicit great interest. If you are attending a networking event, people really want to know what it is that you can do for them. 15secondpitch is one of the neatest sites for creating an elevator speech, which is a short speech that you would give to someone explaining in brevity exactly what it is you do and what it is that you can do for them. Follow the prompts in the 15secondpitch link and the end result is a speech you can practice and fine-tune to use the next time someone asks you, “What do you do?”

http://www.echosign.com/ Aiming for a paperless office? Bogged down by paper contracts, expensive postage rates and the lag time waiting for a client to return a signed document to you? Enter EchoSign. This is an exceptional electronic signature program which is great for sending contracts electronically for legal signatures. Sign up free for 5 transactions per month. Once a contract is created, upload a document to the EchoSign site where a signed copy can be sent to the client and returned to you with the client’s signature. Contracts can be stored and tracked in EchoSign for future reference allowing for a completely paperless sign, copy and file system.

http://www.hulu.com/ Hulu enables you to watch popular TV shows and movies online. There are no downloads required and there is no charge. This is not a YouTube-type site, rather this is a comprehensive directory of TV programming offering good quality reception. Quoted from the site itself, “Hulu has thousands of videos and movies from Fox, E! Entertainment , MGM, Sony, NBC and many, many more. Popular shows like The Simpsons, The Office, House, Firefly and others are archived and made available for audiences. They are all archived and you can view the content by genre, or alphabetical order, or by doing a search.”

My Hours http://www.myhours.com/ This is a time management, timesheet, time tracking solution. It enables you to track your work time, projects you work on and tasks you perform. It is web-based and can be used from any location at any time.

Pandora http://www.Pandora.com – If you like to work to music this is a great site to set and forget. It will play your favorite songs from any number of genres you choose. Nothing to download and no cost to the user.

RoboForm http://www.roboform.com/ Is an online program for managing, filling in, encrypting and generating random passwords. This is a great tool if you handle multiple client websites. RoboForm saves website passwords into Passcards. Then RoboForm can automatically fill in login information from these Passcards. RoboForm can save secret text snippets such as ATM passwords or lock combinations in to what is called Safenotes. Once registered, there are videos to take users through every aspect of this useful program.

I’ve got plenty more useful sites to blog so please check back next week for more.