A business needs to be marketed using the internet. The following will help you establish if your website fits the bill.

Who designs your website? Even if you’re a wiz with HTML, it is still more advisable if a professional team does it for you. When detailing your wants [...]]]>

Get the Message Out

A business needs to be marketed using the internet. The following will help you establish if your website fits the bill.

Who designs your website?
Even if you’re a wiz with HTML, it is still more advisable if a professional team does it for you. When detailing your wants remember that it is  a must that marketing is integrated to the web design.

How many keywords does your web site cater to?
If you have too many keywords or key phrases to focus on they will make your page ranking drop. Create smaller web pages with content that emphasizes only a few keywords will serve your marketing endeavours so much better.

Search Engine Optimisation

How search engine-compatible is your website?
Test to make sure that your website is a hundred percent search engine-compatible. There are about 10 major search engines online and your site has to work with all of them.

Do you know your competitors?

Take note of your competitors. Analysis and evaluation of the competition is mandatory to figure out your shortcomings and advantages over them. If this feature is not includedfrom your marketing plan, you’re selling yourself, and your business, short.

How efficient is the marketing plan?
For a marketing plan to be efficient, it must zero in on the following things: webpage development, link exchanges, web content, updates and technical support. Of course, include SEO, competition analysis and keyword density.
Always remember the aphorism, “Content is king”.

Terence Kierans CAVB (Certified Australian Virtual Business)
Principal, Cyberspace Virtual Services
PO Box 93 Quinns Rocks, Western Australia 6030
http://www.virtualservices.com.au – Experience the Difference
http://vacertified.com/client-info/ – First in the World to be VA Certified (and you can benefit)
http://www.avbn.com.au – Australian Virtual Business Network—You Deserve the Best®
http://a4vb.com.au/ – Alliance for Virtual Businesses, Australian Chapter—Supporting the Future of Business Through Innovative Ideas
http://www.ivaa.org – International Virtual Assistants Association—Your Worldwide connection to Virtual Professionals®
2011 Constant Contact™ All Star Award
2007 Thomas Leonard International VA of Distinction Award Nominee
Use our skills to help you succeed
Tel: 61 8 9304 6983 Fax: 61 8 6230 5156 Mobile: 61 414 25 1091 UK Residents: 07092391723

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When most people think about writing a business plan, they envision a long, dry, extensively detailed document with masses of data and financial forecasts.

Unless you are seeking outside funding, your business plan doesn’t have to be all that complicated to be effective. It provides the blueprint for how you intend [...]]]>

Start a plan

When most people think about writing a business plan, they envision a long, dry, extensively detailed document with masses of data and financial forecasts.

Unless you are seeking outside funding, your business plan doesn’t have to be all that complicated to be effective. It provides the blueprint for how you intend to build your business, so the plan only has to be as long as you need, depending on the size of your business. When writing your own business plan use it to map out your goals, action plans and financials. This will significantly increase your chances for success.

Who needs a business plan?

Many profitable business owners revisit their business plans on a yearly basis to get themselves organized for the following year. It’s a way of taking stock of their progress, examining what’s working – and what’s not -  and laying out goals and plans for the year to come. Almost all of the very successful business owners will tell you that they revise action plans and business goals on a regular basis, sometimes as often as once a month.

Additionally , if you have been struggling in your business or are considering something new, the entire process of creating a business plan will help you see where you can be most profitable. It will also tell you where you are going wrong and what needs to change.

What are the key components for developing a business plan?

Most business plans comprise the following parts. If you are creating a proposal for a business loan, you’ll be given more precise requirements. But for your own business, these components should be sufficient to define your business plan structure. You will find a S.W.O.T. (strengths, weaknesses, opportunity and threat) analysis of great use when researching the material necessary for preparing a business plan with these components.

1. Description of your business model and target market. The kind of business you are implementing and your target market.
2. Your unique selling proposition. What you have to offer that makes you different from everyone else.
3. Business goals. Your specific, measureable goals that you want to achieve and when. Remember  S.M.A.R.T. – Specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and time-based.
4. Marketing Plan.  Your marketing strategies and their timeline.
5. Action Plan. The tasks you need to complete and when.
6. Financial forecast and budget. What this is going to cost you on an ongoing monthly basis, and what kind of revenue you expect. How long  is it going to take to break even and then to make a profit?

   

   Financial forecast

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/word-help/creating-a-business-plan-HA001159454.aspx .

When should you create a business plan?

A business plan is a living, breathing document that grows and changes along with your business. When first starting a new business, it helps determine if you have a good, financially viable idea. Revising it at the beginning of each year helps you to plan your goals and strategies.

You  must revisit your business plan regularly. As market conditions change, government laws or regulations change, or you aren’t seeing the results you expected, then it’s time to adjust your plans. Use it as your guide and refer to it often as you plan each week, but don’t let it restrict you either.

Your business plan is your blueprint for success, and anyone operating a business will benefit from creating one – whether you are working online or offline. It doesn’t have to be the long, formal document that many business organizations prescribe. Let the level of detail be determined by how complex or simple your business is.

Terence Kierans CAVB (Certified Australian Virtual Business)
Principal, Cyberspace Virtual Services
PO Box 93 Quinns Rocks, Western Australia 6030
http://www.virtualservices.com.au – Experience the Difference
http://vacertified.com/client-info/ – First in the World to be VA Certified (and you can benefit)
http://www.avbn.com.au – Australian Virtual Business Network—You Deserve the Best®
http://a4vb.com.au/ – Alliance for Virtual Businesses, Australian Chapter—Supporting the Future of Business Through Innovative Ideas
http://www.ivaa.org – International Virtual Assistants Association—Your Worldwide connection to Virtual Professionals®
2011 Constant Contact™ All Star Award
2007 Thomas Leonard International VA of Distinction Award Nominee
Use our skills to help you succeed
Tel: 61 8 9304 6983 Fax: 61 8 6230 5156 Mobile: 61 414 25 1091 UK Residents: 07092391723

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Lately, my clients have been asking me how they should go about submitting guest posts to blogs their target market may be interested in. I’ve started looking into this strategy and am realizing it’s a great one for list building. Many blog owners like having [...]]]> February 17, 2012 by Shelley McKenzie – http://www.tictokva.com/blog/

Lately, my clients have been asking me how they should go about submitting guest posts to blogs their target market may be interested in. I’ve started looking into this strategy and am realizing it’s a great one for list building. Many blog owners like having guest posts because it allows them to get out great content without having to spend the time writing all of it themselves.
 
It may be a little nerve-racking thinking about approaching potential popular bloggers with an idea about a guest blog post. Truly, if you hit the right blogger with the right topic (at the right time) you have a very good chance of getting accepted with open arms.
 
I’m going to give you some suggestions on how to get your guest blog post accepted and create it so that you attract potential clients.
 
Tips to get your guest blog post accepted:

Know who you’re asking
Finding blogs to guest post on usually can’t be done by random cold-calling (or cold-emailing). You’ve got to know who you are contacting and how you will be an asset to them. That’s why it’s best if you approach blogs you read that are written by people you have already built a relationship with. That and bloggers will be much more open to readers than total strangers who all of a sudden found their blog because they want something (exposure). That’s not to say the later won’t work, but start with those you know and love first.

Make it original
Don’t send over content you’ve already written. Write something original to the blog you are sending it to and when possible make it really relevant. Again this is where knowing the blogger becomes a big help. For example, you might do a guest blog post in which you demo how to use a piece of graphics software. Consider using the bloggers pictures to do the demo, which is original and will also tie the host into the post itself.

Edit, Edit, Edit. Oh, and spell check!
Sometimes we’re in a hurry and forget to edit our stuff, I get it. Don’t do that when you send it to someone who’s going to be pretty critical of what you have to offer. A good blogger who is reasonable will tell you of any edits they’d like to see but you need to do your best editing before you send it over. This is where your VA could come in – a second set of eyes never hurts!

Flatter or promote the blogger
It helps to butter up the blogger you’re sending content to, in an authentic and truthful manner. One way to do this is to tastefully compliment them on something you’re impressed by. Another idea is to promote a product or website of theirs in your blogs post (or mention it).
 
Those tips will help you get your blog post accepted.

Tips to gain new clients from your post:

• Explain why they need a service you provide.
• Explain how to do a service you provide (without giving it all away).
• Explain the results they will get from a service you provide.
• Case study results you’ve gotten from a service you provide.

Again it’s all about showcasing your expertise in order to prove to potential clients that you can help them. This will be different for every coach but the one thing that remains the same is that potential clients want to know how you can get them results. Make sure it’s clear how you can help in your blog post and you’ll have a good chance of securing a new client or two from your guest blogging efforts.

Terence Kierans CAVB (Certified Australian Virtual Business)
Principal, Cyberspace Virtual Services
PO Box 93 Quinns Rocks, Western Australia 6030
http://www.virtualservices.com.au – Experience the Difference
http://vacertified.com/client-info/ – First in the World to be VA Certified (and you can benefit)
http://www.avbn.com.au – Australian Virtual Business Network—You Deserve the Best®
http://a4vb.com.au/ – Alliance for Virtual Businesses, Australian Chapter—Supporting the Future of Business Through Innovative Ideas
http://www.ivaa.org – International Virtual Assistants Association—Your Worldwide connection to Virtual Professionals®
2007 Thomas Leonard International VA of Distinction Award Nominee
Use our skills to help you succeed
Tel: 61 8 9304 6983 Fax: 61 8 6230 5156 Mobile: 61 414 25 1091 UK Residents: 07092391723

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Whatever your status as a blogger, the key to building and maintaining a site that will capture the interest and attention of the blogging community is finding a niche. [...]]]> There are so many blogs and web sites about blogs on the internet, so how can your blogging web site be told apart from the rest?

Whatever your status as a blogger, the key to building and maintaining a site that will capture the interest and attention of the blogging community is finding a niche. The aim is to fill a unique need in a way that no other web site does, then you will be able to build a lasting readership. Once you have determined your niche, there is still a lot to do, but finding that place in the blogosphere is where to start.

You can’t build a successful site that will last without a great idea. Additionally, to make your blogging web site stand out from the pack, you will need to offer something that no other site is currently offering, or you will need to do what an already popular site does but in a more valuable way. 

It helps to determine an ideal model for your blogging web site by looking at the sites that have successfully captured a blogging audience already. That way you can appropriate some of their strategies to help realize your vision. You will still need to add a unique flair to your project in order to differentiate you from the competition. Many people agree that the web sites that do the best in today’s market are the sites that have the most personality, so consider how you can give your site a unique and attractive feeling by lending your own voice and feeling to your site’s design and content.

The next step is to figure out how to get the word out to bloggers. In the long run, a great idea just isn’t enough to drive your blogging web site to success. You will need to draft a smart and realistic marketing plan in order to draw readers to your site. Once you have hooked a blog surfer, great content will keep them coming back; but it is essential to get that first glance or your site won’t stand Buckley’s.

Terence Kierans CAVB (Certified Australian Virtual Business)
Principal, Cyberspace Virtual Services
PO Box 93 Quinns Rocks, Western Australia 6030
http://www.virtualservices.com.au – Experience the Difference
http://vacertified.com/client-info/ – First in the World to be VA Certified (and you can benefit)
http://www.avbn.com.au – Australian Virtual Business Network—You Deserve the Best®
http://a4vb.com.au/ – Alliance for Virtual Businesses, Australian Chapter—Supporting the Future of Business Through Innovative Ideas
http://www.ivaa.org – International Virtual Assistants Association—Your Worldwide connection to Virtual Professionals®
2007 Thomas Leonard International VA of Distinction Award Nominee
Contented Member of ‘A Clayton’s Secretary’
Use our skills to help you succeed
Tel: 61 8 9304 6983 Fax: 61 8 6230 5156 Mobile: 61 414 25 1091 UK Residents: 07092391723

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Blogging is a great way to get the word out to consumers about your product or services. If you are considering taking your business to the next [...]]]> If you run a small business, you may find that the world of blogging for business owners is a world that you need to be a part of.

Blogging is a great way to get the word out to consumers about your product or services. If you are considering taking your business to the next level, think about starting a blog. At the very least, it will provide a link back to your website.

Blogging for business owners has a lot in common with other types of blogging, but has its own unique pitfalls and strengths. As a business owner the key to having a successful blog is keeping your goals clear, concise and concrete at every step.

It can be very easy to get sidetracked, especially if you are just learning all about the possibilities of blogging technology, but if you want your blog to succeed you need to stay focused. Endeavour to maintain a theme for a series of blogs before changing to a different one.

It is essential that you prepare a plan for how often you will update, how you will promote your blog and retain readers, whether you will feature photographs or video, and other aspects of your blog. Then follow that plan with the same sense of purpose that you used when you built your business.

Terence Kierans CAVB (Certified Australian Virtual Business)
Principal, Cyberspace Virtual Services
PO Box 93 Quinns Rocks, Western Australia 6030
http://www.virtualservices.com.au – Experience the Difference
http://vacertified.com/client-info/ – First in the World to be VA Certified (and you can benefit)
http://www.avbn.com.au – Australian Virtual Business Network—You Deserve the Best
http://a4vb.com.au/ – Alliance for Virtual Businesses, Australian Chapter—Supporting the Future of Business Through Innovative Ideas
2007 Thomas Leonard International VA of Distinction Award Nominee
Contented Member of ‘A Clayton’s Secretary’
Use our skills to help you succeed
Tel: 61 8 9304 6983 Fax: 61 8 6230 5156 Mobile: 61 414 25 1091 UK Residents: 07092391723

Find any document in 15 seconds or less
http://tinyurl.com/64ag2

A survey carried out some time ago produced the estimate that people carrying out administrative functions or providing services spend about 40 to 50 percent of their time dealing [...]]]> When you are systemising your business, and producing procedure manuals have you ever used Process Maps? Have you ever used them to systemise a client’s business?

A survey carried out some time ago produced the estimate that people carrying out administrative functions or providing services spend about 40 to 50 percent of their time dealing with waste; correcting things that are wrong, chasing down misfiled or misplaced things, querying incomplete instructions, re-inventing the wheel, and so on. These go on in even the best organised businesses.

Just imagine that you could reduce these wasteful habits in your own business. How much more productive would you be? Compiling process maps can provide an analysis of a process and highlight areas of inefficiency and waste; leading to methods to deliver improvements.

Process mapping, or flow charting, is an extremely powerful technique. It depicts, visually, how each step in a process leads to the final product or service output. It is one of the most effective improvement techniques you can use.

Terence Kierans CAVB (Certified Australian Virtual Business)
Principal, Cyberspace Virtual Services
PO Box 93 Quinns Rocks, Western Australia 6030
http://www.virtualservices.com.au – Experience the Difference
http://vacertified.com/client-info/ – First in the World  to be VA Certified (and you can benefit)
http://www.avbn.com.au – Australian Virtual Business Network—You Deserve the Best
2007 Thomas Leonard International VA of Distinction Award Nominee
Contented Member of ‘A Clayton’s Secretary’
Use our skills to help you succeed
Tel: 61 8 9304 6983 Fax: 61 8 6230 5156 Mobile: 61 414 25 1091 UK Residents: 07092391723

Find any document in 15 seconds or less
http://tinyurl.com/64ag2