Paula Belyeu, founder of Integrity Virtual Solutions, announced that they have successfully completed the Virtual Event Specialist Certification Program, a 4-week training program that equips Virtual Assistants and Online Professionals with the key skills and tools necessary to offer their clients important Virtual Event Management services.
In these tough economic times, more and more companies and small businesses are choosing to hold Virtual Events rather than the more expensive offline events and conferences. In fact, “Virtual Meetings and Events [will] replace 2.1 million airline seats by 2012” (Gartner, Feb. 2009). 76% of businesses say they had begun using or plan to start using Virtual Events in 2009, while 70% of Corporate Event Organizers predict a reduction in live events in 2010 and forecast significant growth in virtual conferences and webinars. Consequently, it is vital that Virtual Assistants and Online Professionals offer skills in Virtual Event Management to fulfill their clients’ needs.
That is why Integrity Virtual Solutions is excited to be adding Virtual Event Specialist Services to their business, including the setting up and delivering of Tele-events featuring one or many speakers, Webinars and Webcasts, Online Radio Shows, Live Weekly Podcasts and Live Streaming TV Shows.
In VAClassroom’s Virtual Event Specialist Certification Program, Integrity Virtual Solutions learned strategies, best practices, tips and techniques for efficiently and effectively creating great events for their clients using the leading technologies like Instant Teleseminar, GoToWebinar, Camtasia, Ustream and more.
Integrity Virtual Solutions is a Virtual Assistant and Marketing Consulting company offering a wide range of niche services, including Social Media, Online and Relationship Marketing Services and Website Solutions. Having received the Virtual Event Specialist Certification, they are pleased to add key Virtual Event services and tools to their business. This certification also entitles them to ongoing training as technology develops so they will continue to offer quality up-to-date Virtual Event Specialist skills to their clients. For more information, visit Integrity Virtual Solutions.
I have my own preferences for which Twitter “twools” to use, and honestly, I think that it varies from person to person and business to business. This list was published by Tawnya Sutherland with VA Networking last month, and I wanted to pass these “10 Twitter Twools” here as well. Always remember that you don’t have to use all of them, but decide for yourself which one would be beneficial for you, your business and your marketing strategy. This is a great list to start with. Enjoy!
Top 10 Twitter Tools by Tawnya Sutherland at VA Networking
Integrity Virtual Solutions celebrated it’s one-year anniversary on April 24, 2009. I decided that I wanted to do something special since this was the first year – a monumental year! A wine tasting event sounded like the perfect idea to include my local clients and close friends that supported and encouraged me over the past year.
Despite the event being pushed back twice, we had a great time! The Twisted Vine, formerly known as Tony’s Wine and Warehouse, were in the process of moving to a new location. So the first date that it was scheduled, there were renovation issues so it was rescheduled. The second date, June 12th, there were inspection issues so it was rescheduled again. After working out a deal to move it and to get an even better quality of wines plus four additional wines to taste, July 18th was the final slated date.
I was on pins and needles the week leading to the Wine Tasting to make sure that everything was in order. On Saturday, July 18th, all those that RSVP’ed attended. Some of the guests already knew each other and some did not, but by the end of the night, it was like we all had known each other forever. We had a blast learning about different wines, the best types of glasses for wine and the best storage and temperature for each type of wine. It was extremely informational, and we had many, many laughable moments! After the wine tasting, we moved the party to Dave and Buster’s to eat, fellowship and celebrate more. It was an awesome time!
During and after the Wine Tasting, we tried to take pictures of all of the attendees. I sent “Thank You” cards using Send Out Cards to each attendee. The Thank You card had a personalized, heartfelt message, and a picture of them from the wine tasting. I received so many “Thank You” and “I Appreciate You” phone calls and e-mails back about the wine tasting event and the cards as well.
My plan is to always show the ultimate appreciation for my clients – including them in on the celebrations of Integrity Virtual Solutions and letting them know that I appreciate them! My clients are not entitled to work with me because there are tons of other Virtual Professionals out there, but they chose Integrity Virtual Solutions so I want to always and most importantly, give them the very best service and to show my sincere appreciation. When you do something “genuinely” good for someone, it makes you feel great. It’s an awesome feeling!
Once again, thanks to God, my family, friends and clients for a wonderful first year in business!
Tags: Appreciation, celebration, Facebook, integrity virtual, social media, Social Media Marketing, Thank You, Twitter, Virtual Assistant, virtual assistant in dallas, virtual assistant in texas, virtual assistants, virtual business assistant, virtual professional, wordpress guru, wordpress help
I have to say… I was super thrilled to see the July 7th article in the popular online magazine, Entrepreneur, which highlighted the value and power of outsourcing Social Media Services to a talented Virtual Professional.
Check out this quote from the beginning of the article..
“Between blogging, tweeting, Facebooking and updating a LinkedIn profile, it’s a wonder how a business owner has any time to answer e-mails and phone calls, much less run a company. But the time invested in social networking is well spent in this age where maintaining a social media presence can be a necessary piece of a successful marketing strategy.
Trouble is, as the number of platforms grows, so does the time it takes to feed and groom each account. Not to mention the front-end investment of setting everything up.
For those caught up in a social media blitz–and those contemplating taking the plunge–why not consider outsourcing? A virtual assistant can tackle those time-consuming tasks.”
Entrepreneur.com, July 7, 2009
The opportunity for Social Marketing VAs and Specialists is overwhelming. Almost daily, VAClassroom.com is receiving new requests for Social Media VAs. In the last two days, they have received requests for as many as 10 Social Media VAs – amazing!
The timing is perfect to consider taking the Social Marketing Specialist Program (if you haven’t already).
VAClassroom is still running a $100 summer discount special for the training program for just a short time longer. Check out the link below and the coupon code to access this popular program today:
http://www.vaclassroom.com/socialmarketing/cmd.asp?af=972703
Coupon Code: SUMMER09
Tags: Facebook, linkedin, social media discount, Social Media Marketing, social media marketing consultant, social media marketing expert, social media specials, Twitter, va classroom, Virtual Assistant, virtual assistant in dallas, virtual assistant in texas, virtual assistants
In June, I submitted a comment to one of my favorite websites and blogs, Small Business Trends. Small Business Trends is a great resource for entrepreneurs and always has beneficial information that I can use for Integrity Virtual Solutions as well as recommend for my clients. The instructions for this blog post were to give your best Twitter tip focusing on one of the following six questions:
- How would you suggest other small businesses get started on Twitter?
- What’s the right way (or wrong way) to promote your business on Twitter?
- What is your #1 Twitter etiquette tip for small business owners?
- What is your best tip for getting retweeted?
- How do you manage your time on Twitter?
- What is your best-kept secret (something not widely known) for using Twitter in business?
One of the tips that i decided to submit for question #6 was:
“Business owners and their representatives should think of Twitter as attending a local networking event. When you attend local networking events, to be effective, you build relationships, have one on one’s to hear more about their business and vice versa and then, if interested, purchase their product or service and/or help connect them with their synergy partners. Use the same concept with Twitter:
- Learn by reading tweets and profiles
- Build relationships
- Interact and engage to find out more about your followers
- Help connect others with their target market or synergy partners
Also, just like with local networking, it takes time so don’t use Twitter thinking that one Tweet is going to make you rich….it won’t! It’s all about building relationships and networking.”
This may be a known fact for you, but you would be surprised at how many people get frustrated with using Twitter because it’s not bringing in business for them every time that they post a tweet. Twitter does indeed take time, but look at it as a local networking event. Set a schedule so that you don’t spend hours and hours there. Typically, I schedule time in the morning, afternoon and evening for Twitter.
Check out the other Twitter tips that were submitted to Small Business Trends. The unique thing about this particular Twitter guide is that the tips are from people that have used Twitter for some time and use it on a regular basis. The tips really don’t get any better than this. Enjoy!
Tags: entrepreneur tips, Facebook, small biz trends, social media, social media expert, Social Media Marketing, social media marketing consultant, social media virtual assistant, tips, Twitter, twitter guru, twitter help, twitter tips, Virtual Assistant
Everyone loves to be appreciated. So are you showing appreciation to your clients and customers? Normally, when a product or service is purchased, a “Thank You” at the time of purchase is typical, but anything more than that like a “Thank You” card is extremely rare. When a “Thank You” card from a business is received, the excitement and surprise causes someone to be more eager to return and do business with that company again. Then, that excitement leads that person to tell everyone that they know that this company believes in appreciating their customers. Most doctor and dentist offices send a “reminder” card in the mail, but when was the last time that you received a “Thank You” card from your doctor or dentist? It’s probably been a while.
Statistics show that it’s cheaper to retain a client than to obtain a new one. So my question for business owners is, why are you NOT showing your clients some appreciation? It’s almost like some marriages, you wine and dine while dating, but when the honeymoon’s over, it’s like you don’t care as much anymore. Sending a personalized thank you card to anyone, if anything, should make you feel good because you’ve done something special and unexpected for someone else. A verbal thank you or an e-mail to clients is a necessity as well, but there is nothing remotely close to the meaning of a tangible card. Once you begin sending personalized thank you cards, go on to send an even more “unexpected” card, for example, a “Thank You for Being My Partner” for Valentine’s Day or a “Just Because” or “Just Checking In” card at any given time. This will let clients and customers know that you really appreciate their business, and don’t feel entitled. These customers and clients will also be more willing to refer other business owners and colleagues to you because you have done something that was special and almost unheard of today.
So you don’t think you have time to send a card? It’s vital that you make time. Consider partnering with a Virtual Assistant to help with sending cards. This is important to any successful business. If your business is already successful, showing appreciation can take it to the next level. The web-based tool that I use has over 12,000 cards. The card that is selected can be personalized with my very own handwriting, personal message and a picture or even my business card. All of this can be done from the computer, and the web-based company prints, stamps and mails the card. A gift can be included as well, for example, a gift card, brownies or cookies, just to name a few. It’s an awesome, user-friendly and efficient tool essential to every business. It will probably take, at the most, 3 minutes to send a card.
Some other ways to show appreciation is to send a “Thank You for Doing Business” card to new clients, and send a card to them either monthly or every other month. Remember, the honeymoon is not over. Also, send a card to prospective clients to thank them for taking the time to talk with you. For one of my clients, a card is sent when someone places an order on her web site with a picture of the product that the customer ordered. Her online sales have increased 250% in the last two months because of return customers and referrals. Not only is this because of the unique, quality product that she offers, but because we are following up and letting the customer know that their business is appreciated.
E-mails, phone calls and newsletters are other ways that to keep in touch with clients and customers on a more regular basis. You may never get the “Wow” response from a phone call that you can get when you send a tangible card. It’s especially awesome when the client or customer says that they were having a bad day, and then they received the card in the mail that absolutely made their day. Now, that’s customer service! It makes you as the business owner feel great to know that you made a difference during a difficult time. So, remember to show some appreciation. “Recognition and appreciation BEATS promotion every time” by Kody Bateman!
Tags: Appreciation, Blog Award, Blog of the Week, Busy Professionals, E-mail, Entrepreneur Help, Facebook, Follow Up, Marketing, Professional Outsource, Relationship Marketing, SendOutCards, Social Networking, Solopreneur, Success, Thank You, Thriving Business, Twitter, VA, VA Industry, VA Partner, VAnetworking, Virtual Assistant
