Tracy Collins, Web Designer
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814-757-4345
Web Design For The Pet Industry
Posts Tagged ‘virtual assistant’
Virtual Assistant Websites For As Low As $35
February 15th, 2010 | 
Author: With the ever growing popularity of WordPress as a site structure for virtual assistants, we decided to make it easier for beginning and established virtual assistants to get a website you can be proud of.
I understand that Virtual Assistants are do-it-yourselfers by nature so why wouldn’t you want to create your own website. Unfortunately, you take on the feat and you realize how overwhelmed you are because you don’t know basic html or you don’t know how to configure a WordPress site.
That’s why we have decided to put our web design expertise to use helping virtual assistants like you get a website you can be proud of without breaking the bank. We are now offering pre-configured wordpress websites for $35. This gets you a pre-configured website with a professional design with one of our pre-installed templates and all you have to do is add the content and do the SEO (which we can help if needed). We even take care of backing up the site and offer marketing instructions.
Or if you are looking for a custom design, we do those as well. For $150 we can create a custom design using your logo, your colors, and your personality so that it appeals to your potential clients.
For more information visit Your VA Website and contact us so we can get you a professional website that WILL make you money.
Two New Vertical Markets: Virtual Assistants and Private Investigators
Collins-Admin Services and Fabulous Frugal Websites is proud to announce that they have two new vertical markets for web design services:Virtual Assistance and Private Investigation.
What this means is that we are now offering web design packages with the virtual assistant and private investigator/judgment recovery agent in mind. These packages include some of the most asked for addons for the particular industy.
For virtual assistants our sites include:
Newsletter manager (no more paying third party companies)
Events calendars
Task management ability
Event and seminar registration
Companion blog (with matching template)
and more…..
For private investigators and judgment recovery professionals:
Newsletter manager
Ability for clients to download contracts directly from website
Collaboration software
and online client bill paying
These addons are just one’s that are already included in the package. Should you want another feature, chances are it can be added.
So whether you are a virtual assistant or private investigator who needs a website or wants their website revamped check out our two vertical markets:
Private Investigator/Judgment Recovery Agent
What Tasks Can A Virtual Assistant (VA) Help You With
Skills vary by virtual assistant. Some may be more qualified in website or financial work and some may be more skilled in legal or other areas. This list can get you started if you don’t know what to hand off to a VA.
| Who Uses A Virtual Assistant | How Do they use one |
| Private Investigators | Transcription, spreadsheet creation and management, phone answering services, searches, report creation, internet research, surveillance report creation, document preparation, filling out forms |
| Judgment Recovery Professionals | Creating solicitation letters, filling out debtor profile sheets, preparing cover letters, preparing letters to court clerk, creating and sending out demand letters, creating and sending out settlement offer letters, keeping databases up-to-date, adding letters and forms to databases for future use. Research to find debtors current address |
| Collection agencies | Creating and sending demand letters, creating and sending various collection letters, keeping software/databases used for collections up-to-date |
| Construction businesses (i.e. air conditioning and heating, plumbing, builders, water and sewer etc) | Sending invoices to clients, going over resumes for potential employees, tracking equipment maintenance and organizing it in a spreadsheet, typing up of proposals and estimates, filling out forms that need to be sent to the proper authorities (i.e. DEP, local municipalities, etc) |
| Education and Health Services | Maintaining licensing information and keeping track of license renewals, transcription, updating databases as well as client information, keeping track of equipment servicing and repairs |
| Engineering firms (civil, mechanical, computer, etc) | Generating financial reports, purchase orders, maintain and prepare documents and reports, project coordination and management, screening potential employees, keeping track of project deadlines, ordering supplies, creating and sending out estimate to potential clients |
| Information/media industries (i.e book publishers, recording studios, authors, speakers, etc) | Create press kits, find places to have signings/auditions for clients, mailing out promotional items for clients, set up media interviews, |
| Leisure and Hospitality industries (i.e fitness centers, bed and breakfasts, art galleries, etc) | Keeping track and sending reminders to clients whose membership fees are due, creating a listing of things for clients to do in the area they are staying, booking talent, creating and sending out promotional materials, sending reminders to clients, keeping track of equipment maintenance and repairs |
| Manufacturers | Maintain issue logs, decision logs, project management, coordinate shipping, create quotes and sales orders, scheduling and maintaining maintenance orders, ordering supplies both material and office supplies |
| Professional and business services (i.e. web design, event planning, environment services, home inspection services, etc) | Updating websites with critical updates, article writing, creating reports and sending them to clients, booking venues, researching laws pertaining to particular service provided, filling out forms, writing proposals |
| Transportation (i.e. trucking industry, towing, etc) | Coordinate and maintain delivery schedules, invoicing clients, maintaining equipment maintenance schedules, verifying and comparing driving logs, scheduling pickups and deliveries |
| Wholesale and retail trade (i.e. art dealers, antique dealers, sporting goods stores etc) | Maintaining inventory, ordering more inventory when needed, promotional items both creating and sending out |
A Virtual Assistant Is NOT An Employee
Recently I have been noticing several people who are looking for virtual assistants asking for information as if they were hiring an employee. Such as resumes, required times, date they are available to start work etc. Unfortunately, because virtual assistants provide services that an administrative employee would provide, there is a misconception that virtual assistants are employees. They are not.
Virtual assistants are independent contractors who provide services to small businesses, much like a mechanic and a doctor do for individuals and a web designer does for small businesses. Virtual assistants do use the terms administrative assistant and secretary to describe their similarities but they are not employees.
While virtual assistants do not provide a resume to their potential clients, they do provide certifications that they have received as well as portfolios (depending on project and confidentiality) and references from past clients. They also will give you detailed information about what services they provide as well as experience that they have with those services. When you go to a doctor, mechanic or web designer, you don’t ask for their resume. You do want to see what certifications, awards etc they may have but you wouldn’t dream of going in and asking them for their resume.
Virtual assistants are small business owners and while some will agree to be available to you during normal business hours, it is not always feasible for others. Some virtual assistants work full-time and do their virtual assistant business part-time in the evening and weekends. Some virtual assistants may have events and errands that need to be done for their business during the day, etc. While a virtual assistant may not be available to you during “normal” business hours they will work in the evening (late if need be) and on the weekends if the need is there.
Virtual assistants do not respond to requests for a virtual assistant unless they have the time available immediately to help serve your needs. They need to put their processes and procedures in place for best serving your needs. They need to get their contracts signed and get to know what your needs and expectations are before they can start providing services for you but those can be in place within a matter of hours. As small business owners, they do not need to give a two weeks notice, clear their schedule or anything to that effect so you begin receiving services almost immediately.
Several people that place RFP’s advertise a “salary” that they will pay. This is something that you would do with an employee not a virtual assistant. Virtual assistants have pricing structures in place so they can have a sustainable business. Some virtual assistants may be willing to barter with you but for the most part, the pricing that they have in place is what they charge. Would you go in and tell a doctor, that you need surgery but you are only willing to pay them $1000? Chances are, you will be laughed right out of the office.
Understanding the differences between a virtual assistant and an employee are extremely important to having a successful business relationship. For a long time we have had the mentality that people who work for us are employees but times have changed and having an employee is not always a necessity anymore. You can get several types of services provided for your business without ever having to hire an employee.
While it is quite reasonable to expect a virtual assistant to treat your business as if they were an employee and always be professional, portray your business in the best possible light they can and help your business succeed, it is not reasonable to treat your virtual assistant like an employee by micromanaging them.
Once you start to realize that a virtual assistant has a vested interest in your success, and as such, they are more of a PARTNER with you, and a resource you can depend on, you will find that hiring a virtual assistant can be one of the best decisions you have made in running your business.
Posted in Uncategorized | 
Tags: administrative, misconception, partner, secretary, virtual assistant | 
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5 Considerations In Hiring An Overseas Virtual Assistant
In my time of being a virtual assistant, I have heard the same question over and over again from prospective clients. Why should I pay $25/hour or more for a “local” virtual assistant when I can go overseas and find a virtual assistant for $5 per hour?
Now before I start getting screamed at let me just say, I am not criticizing those overseas. After all, they are simply trying to make a better life for themselves and trying to make a living. I am simply showing how the differences can impact businesses in the United States.
Working with a virtual assistant has a learning curve of its own. Both the VA and the client have to get used to each other’s work style, personality, and expectations. Now throw in the fact that there are cultural differences, a language barrier, time zone issues, and an even longer distance between client and VA and it could be challenging to any business.
Cultural Differences-Deadlines may not be met if their understanding of deadlines is different than yours. Overseas workers may value flexibility over deadlines, or may place the deadline ahead of quality. Their interpretation of meeting the terms of the contract may be far different than yours, due to cultural influences.
As the client, overseas workers will look at you as being at the “top”. While this can be a good idea, it can be disastrous as well. Because of the fact that they are taught to have little communication with the “top”, they may not ask questions for clarification. This results in insufficient work, work that needs redone, which results in lost time. They will not offer up ideas for helping your business run smoother, more efficient, and bring in more clients in many cases – they may focus on the task at hand, and no more.
Communication Barrier-Many times when we offer up a direct order we do it politely. For example, “I think we should organize this a bit different.” The overseas worker may take this as a suggestion not a direct order so therefore they will not fix it to your specifications.
Language Barrier-Overseas workers tend to speak faster, have heavy accents, and are more formal. This can cause miscommunication, the need for constant repetition and lost time. Not to mention, if you have them speak to your clients, it can often result in frustration and lost clients.
If they are producing written text for you, their ability to proofread or make common corrections will be compromised. Small grammatical errors which a native English speaker notices, will not be noticed by someone who speaks English as a second language.
Distance/Time Difference-While using a virtual assistant does not necessarily mean the VA is in your own backyard it is still much easier to communicate with a VA in the US than it is overseas. Since they are usually in a radically different time zone, your communication will be further restricted. They may only respond to your emails at night or in the morning, which will limit free flow of information and slow down response times.
One of the benefits of hiring a virtual assistant is the ability to spend more time on your life and your business. That means getting more sleep. If you hire a virtual assistant overseas, you may be required to be up at 2am and be as sharp as you would be at 8am just to speak with your virtual assistant to get a task completed. Also, you must take into consideration should you have a task that needs completed quickly it may be the middle of the night for your virtual assistant so it will not get done as quickly as you hoped and the task is left to you.
You will have to communicate primarily by email or IM. Picking up the phone to clarify something won’t usually be affordable, and may be ineffective if they have an accent that makes it difficult for you to understand what they are saying, or which makes you feel they may not fully grasp your instructions.
Myth of Hourly Rates – A low hourly rate may not be what it appears to be. A $5 per hour subcontractor who takes 20 hours to do a project is less affordable than a $25 per hour subcontractor who does it in 3 hours. Can the difference be that great? YES!
A friend of mine recently contacted an overseas coding company for an estimate on a short database conversion project. They told her the hourly rate should be $10 per hour. A coder in the States quoted an hourly rate of $85 per hour. The overseas company returned a quote of 24 hours to do the job, and quoted it at $15 per hour – higher than the original hourly rate. $360 for the job – my friend was shocked at the quote, since she knew that she could do the job herself in about 5-6 hours, and she is fairly inexperienced with that kind of work and did not have good tools to do it quickly (she figured an experienced coder should be able to do it faster than she could). The coder in the states quoted it at 2-3 hours. $170 to $255.
Higher hourly rates are often justifiable, due to experience, avoidance of lost work, what is, or is not, billed to your account, and other factors. If an inexperienced “inexpensive” subcontractor bills you for learning time, redos, or sub-standard work, you’ve paid for things that you should not have had to pay for. If a more experienced worker is charging a higher hourly rate, but only for the effective work involved in your actual project, you usually come out with the same charges (or less) in the end, but far less frustration in getting there. Judging by hourly rates simply is not a valid means of comparing the affordability of two services.
We all know that the sound of a $5/hour virtual assistant for our business sounds great, but you have to look at all the non-monetary, time stealing consequences that you may face should you hire a virtual assistant from overseas. Only then can you make an informed and hopefully successful decision.
Read an article that I wrote as a guest blogger for All Biz Answers entitled Why Should You Hire A Virtual Assistant
