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This past week I listened to a great Webinar that discusses a number of tools in a jammed packed one hour session.  The session is very concise and informative for the small business budget.  You can listen too by clicking on the above link.  Three gentlemen (Ryan Hinricher, Steve Mullen, and Greg Smith) speak on search engine optimization (SEO) for your business Website, to writing press releases, to researching and getting to know your customers.

You learn the importance of link gathering and unique content creation.  A huge emphasis is on blog writing.  They explain how to get started and offer “The Blogging Formula”.  There’s a discussion on writing press releases and how it can build your business.  Furthermore, they highlight the importance of getting to know your customer through proper research. 

I found the connections in the instruction on social media very enlightening.  The connection was made for podcasting through audio files like iTunes.  You can create these files simply through http://www.talkshoe.com.  Likewise, video files are like YouTube loads that can be developed using a basic camcorder.  Podcasting and video casting are on the rise and it is important technology in relating to your niche client base.

I am honored to announce that I was featured as Colorado VA of the Month for June 2008.  To read the feature click and open the pdf file.  You may also visit the Colorado VAs Web site.

Wow!  It's amazing how time flies.  I have been busy developing my relationship with another major client.  It has been very exciting.  Virtual Harvest is approaching two years in business.

I have expanded and now offer services that involve:

• Microsoft Access data entry
• Microsoft Publisher document development
• FrontPage Web site content development
• Outbound calling

Please contact me if your project needs include these programs.  Upon request, I can also send you an information packet that includes my resume.  For more details on my other services and how I may be able to assist you, please see my article on:  "Why Hire a Virtual Assistant versus an In-House Secretary?" 

I am also building a team that can assist me in these services as needed.  Please remember that I am connected to organizations that offer an even wider range of specializations.  I would be happy to extend or find referrals for you.    

Plus... I am excited to announce that I have open and flexible business hours both day and evenings out of the Eastern Time Zone.

 

As technology advances, so do our expectations for our computer performance.  The average life a computer is only three to four years.  What can we do to maximize the speed of our computer as it ages with the speed of these advances?  The following is a troubleshooting checklist:

¨ Run disk cleanup and defragment the drive.  The disk defragmenter is located on PC's under the Control Panel.  Click on Administrative Tools then Computer Management.  The disk defragmenter is under the Storage option.  Disk cleanup can be added as a Scheduled Task.  Scheduled Tasks are located also under the Control Panel.

¨ Run a full anti-virus and anti-spyware scan.  The computer picks up changing types of viruses through the Internet.  It is vital to the computer's performance to maintain an updated anti-virus and anti-spyware scan software on the computer that serves as it's immune system.  Just like human viruses, computer viruses mutate and change to penetrate computer systems.  These viruses can cause a range of damages from simply clogging up the computer to causing a complete crash of the computer's hard drive.  For this reason, it is encouraged to backup the computer frequently for easy restoration and to minimize the loss of data.

¨ Delete old network connections.  To find out if the computer is attempting to connect to shared hard drives that may no longer exist, go to the Windows Explorer.  Click and delete on any network shares that are no longer actively used.  Also check under System Tools under Accessories in the Start menu by clicking on "Disconnect Network Drive."  This will certainly not apply if the computer has never been connected to a shared network.

¨ Stop auto-starting programs.  New computers or newly loaded programs may attempt to start up when the computer starts up.  Adobe Reader is notorious for starting up when the computer starts.  To stop these auto-start programs, click on the Start menu then Run and type "msconfig" at the prompt.  Click on the Startup tab and turn off any unnecessary programs that show will load when the PC starts.  It is important to be careful not to disable Windows system components.

¨ Reinstall Windows.  It is sometimes helpful to refresh the computer by starting over.  Be sure to backup the computer prior to starting the process of reinstallation.  It is time consuming, but easy with the recovery software that should have come with the computer.  This process can help remove unnecessary and hard to find files that are taking up room.

¨ Remove temporary Internet files.  Go to Internet Options either under the Tools button on your Internet tool bar or under the Control Panel.  Select "Delete Browsing History" and determine what can be removed.  This action will help optimize the speed of the Internet.

¨ Upgrade with additional RAM and/or a larger hard drive.  If all else fails as the computer ages, it may be necessary to load more memory and a larger hard drive onto your computer as the size of files increases.  This is a costly solution, but perhaps not as costly as a new computer.

It is helpful to schedule these maintenance tasks frequently to optimize the computer's life and performance.  Have you found other tasks helpful?

Just a Couple Other Recent and Related Articles:

~ Help for a Slow PC by Christopher Null
~ Why is My Computer Running So Slow? by AskNerd.net

Virtual Harvest is celebrating it's first year in business!

The past year has been a wonderful learning experience setting up and getting Virtual Harvest started as a virtual assistant business. As the business owner, it's been a great experience so far and I am only looking forward to growing more with Virtual Harvest. I am restructuring temporarily and only accepting short term job opportunities.

Please feel free to contact me and check my availability. If I am unable to help you, I can refer you to someone that can meet your needs. ...<< MORE >>

As small business owners and independent professionals, sometimes we get so focused on meeting the needs of our clients that our business marketing and networking needs fall to the back burner.  It is very difficult to figure out the right formula of time between the needs of clients and business development.  With an online business, it is important to stay consistent with blog entries and networking with others online.  I am learning just how easier said than done that is! 

I continue to build my online networking avenues.  It can be overwhelming to learn them all and stay active in them all.  It is taking some time to figure out which ones are the most effective and worth my time.  You can explore them with me and see which ones may help your business the best. 

The first few are very similiar in their setup and what they have to offer.  They offer free classifieds along with a networking community.  You can set up a profile and chat in online forums.  You may get bombarded with emails to connect with others in the community.  You also have to be careful as some may want to sell you their product or service, but that is why is it called networking.

• AdlandPro
• DirectMATCHES - the Business Space version of My Space.
• BizPreneur

Other networking sites:

• LinkedIn - free site to set up a profile and search for contacts.
• Elance - create a courtesy service provider profile or upgrade your membership to bid on services and other benefits for varying fees.
• HotGigs - create a profile and post your resume or upgrade your membership for greater visibility.
• WhyDoWork - a work at home forum site.
• Virtual Assistant Networking Association (VANA) - this is a wonderful place to dialogue in forums with other VAs and find a VA in their directory.

Online classifieds:

• USFreeads
• Classified Ads
• AdPost
• Craigslist - one of the most popular.

This is by no means a comprehensive list of sites.  You can also search and apply for jobs through the common job search sites like Monster Jobs.  You can do a search for more through the various search engines like Google.  You may also learn more in your networking with others.

Hiring a Virtual Assistant (VA) versus an In-House Secretary can be beneficial to you in many ways.  If you are a small business owner, independent professional, or entrepreneur, it makes perfect sense.  I have already wrote an article on "Why Hire a Virtual Assistant over a Temporary?" for your short-term, office overflow, and other occasional projects. 

The following are my list of benefits you can have to hiring me as your VA:

• You'll Save Time - You can focus on the core of your business while I can help you with the more routine tasks.
• You'll Save Money - No need to worry about paying associated payroll taxes and benefits.  Please open my Cost Comparison Spreadsheet for more details.
• You'll Save Space -  I work from a fully equipped home-based office.
• You'll Have Access - You can travel with your business anywhere and work with me using the latest telecommunications technology.  My services are available across the nation and internationally.
• You'll Get Reliability - I will work hard to meet your needs efficiently, accurately, and professionally.  If there is a task that I am not familiar with, I will either work to learn it or use my networks to find someone that can.
• You'll Get Availability - I have extended business hours for evenings and weekends for your convenience (Mountain Time Zone).  This is a benefit to you as most VAs may only offer their services to you during regular business hours.
• You'll Get Partnership - While I consider myself to be a small business owner and independent professional, I will partner with you in your business to produce a quality product.  We can work together to harvest our businesses virtually!
• You'll Get Reasonable Rates - The first 30 minutes of consultations are always free.  You will not be charged for my time off task and personal breaks.  The supplies required to complete your project will be billed and subject to a ten percent mark up.  All work is guaranteed and you will not be charged for time needed to correct production errors.

Now... you may ask... how can I function as a Secretary for you as a VA?  A VA is not always a perfect fit.  It does depend on your needs.  For example, if you need help with physical filing, greeting, and answering phones, an In-House Secretary or Receptionist may be more appropriate.  At the same time, the following can be done easily from my home-based office:

• Word Processing - type and format notes; format drafted reports and documents.
• Data Processing - enter business card information into database; track customer due dates and mail correspondence; Excel spreadsheet development, diagram, and chart production; data entry to online databases; survey or questionnaire distribution, collection, and reporting; statistical or pricing comparisons.
• Training Preparation - PowerPoint presentation development.
• Mail Distribution - snail and email sorting, domestic mailing for international companies, bulk mailing.
• Internet - company promotion by submitting written articles to electronic newsletters, ezines, and blogs; blog maintenance; online sales (i.e., EBay, Craigslist, etc.).
• Personnel Management - review, rank, and resume reporting; employee file maintenance.
• General Administration - calendar maintenance and synchronization (task reminders, due dates, birthdays, anniversaries, appointments, etc.); order office supplies; document scanning; assist with office overflow.
• Travel Arrangements - coordinate air travel, car rental, and hotel reservations; obtain and verify directions to destinations.

I can use eFax.com for faxing, SharePoint for sharing and transferring files, and other services as needed.  Please contact me for an information packet that includes a brochure, menu of services, cost comparison spreadsheet, sample work-for-hire agreement, and my resume.