Perfect team work: a coach and her virtual assistant

by Sarah Santacroce

I like to work with different client profiles, that’s what, in my opinion, makes the job interesting. But if I had to describe my ideal client, I would probably choose an independent coach. I think that coaches (or public speakers) benefit the most of the skill set that a Virtual Assistant has to offer: marketing and self-promotion, organization and administration.

If you think about it, a coach has quite a lot in common with a Virtual Assistant. Both run their own business, usually as a solo-entrepreneur, both are responsible for their own marketing and both work with clients on a one on one basis.

In order to “walk the talk”, coaches should focus their energy on what they do best (and what produces income) and delegate the rest. There are many tasks which a Virtual Assistant can manage and by doing so, free up time for the core business. Below are a few examples.

What can a VA do for a coach ?

Marketing

• Blog Design & Maintenance
• Website Design & Maintenance
• Search Engine Optimization
• Facebook page Design & Maintenance
• Social Media Set Up & Management
• Powerpoint presentations
• Welcome Package Creation and Management
• New Client Questionnaire Creation and Management
• Event promotion (via offline and online marketing)
• Autoresponder Set Up & Maintenance
• Monthly newsletter creation
• Article Submission and Management

Administrative tasks

• Venue research and reservation
• Registration of exhibitions and fairs
• Contact & Database Management
• Email Management
• Survey Creation & Management
• Travel Arrangements
• General Research
  

These are just examples. Every coach has his/her own specialties and the corresponding tasks.
In most cases a Virtual Assistant will be able to help.

Are you a coach and new to the idea of working with a Virtual Assistant ? Would you like to start delegating some tasks but are not sure yet how this works exactly ? Please have a look at our website or contact me, I’d be happy to answer your questions.

Are you a Virtual Assistant? Who is your ideal client ?

How do I get found on Google?

by Sarah Santacroce

…that was the question somebody asked me at a networking event last Thursday. Hmm, I had prepared my Elevator Pitch, but wasn’t quite ready to answer this complex question in 30 seconds ! Instead I said: “I can help you, give me a call and we’ll discuss it”. In order to prepare for that call, I thought I’d write a blog post and share it with my readers.

As most of you know, I’m not a professional Search Engine Optimizer, but I can share my tips and tricks with you, and I know that they work. Just Google “bilingual Virtual Assistant Switzerland” and have a look at the results.

So let’s start with first things first:

Submit your website and company info to website and local directories

It’s not the most interesting task, but there is no way around it. You will have to spend some time (or money if you have it outsourced) and submit your website to major website directories. The main one is the dmoz directory, which is free. Then there are thousands of other ones, some free some not, some general some industry specific. You can find them all here. All submissions take at least 4 weeks until they are confirmed. So you need an extra dose of patience …

I also recommend you submit your company info to local directories such as Google Places, Yelp, Yellow Pages etc, especially if you are a brick and mortar business. Research which ones are the most relevant in your area and submit your company info.

Good online content

Content is king ! The Search Engine spiders are hunting and crawling through your pages in search of good content. So if you want to make the first page of Google, you will have to supply good online content. There are many ways how to do that:

Write regular blog posts

In blog posts you can share your expertise about your industry and create trust towards your company. Blog posts are very well indexed on Google and if the blog is hosted on your website, they create big traffic to your site. If on the other hand you are using a hosted blog version (such as blogspot.com) there’s less direct traffic to your site but it does present an advantage from the link building point of view.

Write a monthly press release and distribute it online

Today press or news releases can be used even by small companies, and the whole wide world has access to them. By distributing your press releases online (for example on pitchengine.com) you will be reaching out to a huge audience and therefore increase your website traffic (and hopefully your sales!). Don’t forget to create a “Media Room” on your website and also post your releases there. The spiders love new content on your website !

Submit articles on article submission sites

Another great (and free) resource to increase traffic to your website is via article marketing. You write compelling, informative articles (or repurpose previously written texts) and post them on article marketing publisher’s sites (such as ezinarticles.com). They get free content that can be employed by others looking for great information to post on their websites. Every article contains a so called “author resource box” where you post a short bio and a link to your website or a free e-book.

Scribd, Slideshare and Posterous

You can upload your content in pretty much any format: PDF, Word or Powerpoint and share it with the world’s largest community of readers. Those sites are ranked highly in Google searches.

Social Media

The use of Social Media is also recommended to complete your online presence and increase your chances to figure on the 1st page of Google’s search results. Social Media content is instant and it’s everywhere. If somebody “googles” your name to find out more about you, he/she should find at least those 5 links with your name: the “about” page on your website, your Facebook Page, your Twitter profile, your Linkedin profile (and/or Xing and Viadeo) and your Google profile. So how many of those do you already have ?

Keyword optimization and SEO

As I mentioned before, I’m not an SEO specialist. What I do know though is how to target specific keywords and implement them on your website and throughout all your internet marketing strategy. So before you start with the SEO, take some time to brainstorm and come up with at least 3 very specific, very targeted keywords or key phrases. Once you have done that, move on to the SEO:

Use unique title tags (containing your keywords) for each page

When you look at your website in a browser, you’ll find the title tag on the top left hand side of the screen. Each page should have a unique title tag that tells the search engines what that page is about.

Create a unique meta description for each page

The search engines index the meta descriptions to learn what your page is about and some will display your description in the search engine results. The meta description should not be more than 150 characters.

Use Alt text for images and integrate your keywords in the image file name

When inserting images into your website, make sure you use your keywords in the Alt text attribute and in the image file name. Example: if I upload a portrait of myself I would name the file:”Sarah Santacroce, bilingual Virtual Assistant” and put the same text in the Alt attribute.

That’s all, folks. I hope you have found value in these tips. Don’t forget to leave a comment (they also increase your online visibility !)

I have also created a free e-book called “21 Proven Ways to Increase Your Website Traffic”. You will find the above and more information in a handy pdf format. Get it here !
Or just subscribe to my RSS Feed to receive all my blog posts directly in your preferred feed aggregator.

7 Ways to Use Social Media to promote your offline events

by Sarah Santacroce

Planning an event, whether it is a networking event, public seminar or a personal tea party, can take a lot of time and energy.
In order to make each event an absolute success, there are some great Social Media tools you can use for your Event Marketing.

1. Blog
   
   Write a blog post about your upcoming event. Introduce topics, speakers, prizes etc. This will encourage people to register and
   spread the word about your event.
   
   
2. Facebook
   
   Facebook has it’s own Event application. It’s pretty easy. You just create your event listing and then decide who can see the event.
   
   Make sure you select “Show the guest list”. It’s always easier to participate if a friend of yours is already on the guest list! And don’t
   forget to invite all your friends. Read this post on Mashable for more details on how to post an event on Facebook.
   
   
3. Twitter
   
   
   Prior, during and after your event you can use Twitter to create buzz around your event. I recommend you create a specific hashtag (#). Go to hashtags.org to find out if your specific hashtag is available. Choose a short and easy hashtag. You will have to constantly remind your attendees of the hashtag by mentioning it during the event, on your website, on Facebook etc. You can even create a widget which only displays the comments concerning your hashtag. Create it here.
   
   
4. Email Marketing
   
   Don’t forget to inform your list about your upcoming event ! With Email Marketing tools such as AWeber, Constant Contact or Mail Chimp you can create separate lists for each event and even create a webform where people can RSVP. If you add a “Share this” button at the end of your e-mail you maximize your outreach even more. Read this blog post from AWeber.
   
   
5. Linkedin
   
   Linkedin is another great platform for event marketing. Go to Linkedin.com and you will find the events under the “more” tab on the right.
   From there you click on “add an event” and enter all your info. Make sure you click the “add more details” button. You will then be able to enter your website url, a short description of the event and most importantly some keywords and job titles of people who should attend the event. If it’s a virtual event, check the “this is a virtual event” box. Once you are satisfied, hit the “Preview” button and then hit “Publish Event”. For more details, read this post from “Market Like a Chick”.
   
   
   
   
6. Xing
   This is another option, mostly for my European readers. Same idea as Linkedin, so just login to your xing account and then follow the steps to create your event. Find more info here.
   
   
   
   
7. Evite for personal events
   This one is not really for professional events, but I think it still deserves a spot on this list. From birthday parties to housewarmings, you can easily create an invitation and send your friends and e-mail. You have the options of asking them something to bring, indicate how many kids are attending and even display your personal profile with photo etc. I use this for all my private parties !
   
   

After the event, don’t forget to:

• post pictures on your Facebook page, Flickr, Twitpic and Evite
• send out a Thank you e-mail via Email Marketing
• send out Thank you message to your Twitter hashtag

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Increase Your Online Visibility with Press Release Marketing

by Sarah Santacroce

Before web2.0, press releases were just for journalists and only big company changes were announced to the press. Today press or news releases can be used even by small companies, and the whole wide world has access to them. By distributing your press releases online (for example on pitchengine.com) you will be reaching out to a huge audience and therefore increase your website traffic (and hopefully your sales!)

Below you will find benefits, tips and tricks in a bullet point list.

Benefits of the new web2.0 Press Releases:

As mentioned above, the main benefit of the new approach of sending press releases, is that they don’t only reach a small bunch of journalists, but a vast audience of potential clients.

• people are informed about what’s going on in your business
• when somebody searches for you on Google, they will find your press releases
• press releases are indexed fast on Google
• press releases are a non-static part of your website which increases your chances of getting indexed by Google

What and when to write a news release:

It is key to commit to a regular schedule of press releases. If you decide to send a release every other month, than stick to that schedule. There are many reasons to write a release, including :

• the addition of new services or new products
• the reception of an award
• new staff
• the introduction of a special offer
• a publication of a free e-book or a whitepaper
• the publication of survey results
• a company event
• your point of view of an exposition or a fair you attended
• etc.

Tips:

You can find free samples of press releases on Google. It is important to:

• use your keywords
• include special offers
• post links to your website

Where to post it:

There are many Press Release Distribution Sites (see list below). Don’t forget to also post your releases on the media room on your website. This is a specific page on your website usually entitled “Media Room” or “Press Releases”. You would post the title of the release with a link to a pdf document.

• PR services (such as pitchengine.com or prweb.com ) Check out the full list of free Press Release Distribution Sites in this blog post from nakedpr.com
• Scribd.com
• Slideshare.net (not just for slides anymore!) and it’s linked with Linkedin!
• Your Social Media Accounts (Linkedin, Facebook Page, Twitter etc.)
• Media room on your website

If you found value in this checklist, you might be interested in my free e-book “21 Proven Ways to Increase Your Website Traffic”. You can download it by clicking on the picture below:

Free E-book helps you increase your Website Traffic

by Sarah Santacroce

Dear Fellow Entrepreneurs,

Imagine there is a great party, but nobody knows about it. The organizers spent a lot of money on the venue, the decoration, the hors d’oeuvres and the DJ. With excited anticipation they open the doors at 10pm but – only 23 people show up. The party is a complete flop!

See where I am getting at? A website is like that party. One can have the fanciest website on the market, but if nobody knows about it, it won’t get any traffic.

But don’t panic, I’ve got you covered. I wrote a report that should come in handy. In it you will discover some of the most important tools and tricks to increase your website traffic, attract more potential clients and boost your sales

- with your Blog

- with Link Submissions

- with E-mail, Press release and Article Marketing

- with on page Search Engine Optimization

- and with Social Media!

Are you ready to get this party started? So hurry and click on the picture below and then fill in your name and e-mail and you’ll receive my report immediately.

Send me a tweet @sarahsantacroce and give me your feedback ! Or just leave a comment below.

I appreciate your input !

Use your avatar (profile picture) as a marketing tool

by Sarah Santacroce

In a previous post I have written about the benefits of commenting on other blogs. If you have been actively doing that, you must have noticed that some people have a nice profile picture (a so called avatar) next to their comment, and some don’t. Which ones did you prefer? Obviously the ones with the picture. A picture gives every comment a human touch, we feel like there is a real person behind the text. A faceless or worse, an anonymous comment, leaves the impression that the person is trying to “hide” something.

A nice avatar actually increases the trust in your person and therefore your brand. So in my opinion, it’s one other little thing that you should add to your Internet Marketing “to do” list. And that’s where Gravatar.com comes in.

What is Gravatar?
Gravatar stands for Globally Recognized Avatar. It’s basically a little icon, that represents your brand and will be displayed on every blog comment that you write.
Signing up with Gravatar is fast and easy, and most importantly it’s totally free. You can add your blog and website links and social media icons so when a person clicks on your avatar they get the full information about your brand. Below is mine to show you an example.

A few tips on your Gravatar

1. use a good quality photograph
2. don’t use your company logo, it’s too impersonal
3. I recommend you use the same picture as on your other Social Media accounts (Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin etc.) This way people easily recognize you and associate you with your brand

That’s all there is to it.
How about this? You register with Gravatar and then show off your new avatar by leaving a comment below? I’m looking forward to it…

3 ways to work without a fax machine

by Sarah Santacroce

If you are like me, you don’t really see the point in owning a fax machine anymore. Faxes are history, right?
But I admit that even in my virtual business, I sometimes work with clients who still prefer to work with faxes.
Did I buy a fax machine? No, I looked for other ways. Here is what I found:

1. Scanr

This is a great application for the iphone. It basically turns your phone into a scanner and fax machine.
You take a picture of the document you would like to send. Your camera turns into a scanner and scans that picture. Then a message asks you if you want to send the document by e-mail or fax. If your client prefers a fax, you just type in the fax number (works in over 90 countries) and off it goes ! Neat, isn’t it? Oh, did I mention that you can also use it to print ? In my opinion worth the price of $29.99.

2. e-Fax

E-fax is an online application which lets you send and receive very cheap faxes. You will get a local number where your customers can send you their faxes.
You then get them by e-mail. I like this option especially to receive faxes.

3. Echosign

This is my favorite one. If you work with contracts, you will love this one! Echosign gets rid of the back and forth between the two parties who need to sign a contract. You draft the contract, upload it to the echosign online interface and then send it to the other party. They will receive an e-mail, inviting them to e-sign the document. It is convenient because they can sign wherever they are, even from their iphone.
They offer a free services for up to 5 signatures per month. The basic services costs $14.95 per month, for unlimited signatures.


Find out more about the legal aspect of electronic signatures.

Now it’s your turn. Do you use any cool and practical ways to avoid fax machines? Share them in the comments !

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