Scams are Everywhere!

I recently responded to an ad in the local paper to conduct research survey from home. I went to the compny's website and filled out the form for more information. A few days later, I received an envelope in the mail from this company. Inside was a bank draft for $2,500.00, a letter explaining what to do with the bank draft and a customer survey to complete and send back.

I was supposed to cash the bank draft and go to my local Western Union office and send $2,100.00 to a certain person in Ontario and keep $200.00 for myself and pay the fees to Western Union. The first thing I noticed in the letter was that Western Union was miscapitalized in various ways throughout the letter. Then I noticed that the corporate logos at the bottom of the letter, from companies they supposedly have done reseaarch for, were all a little bit off. They looked real at first glance but when you looked closer, they were obvious fakes. My proofreading skills actually saved me from falling for this nasty scam.

I contacted the police and found out that a lot of local people had applied for this job and got the same response. One person actually cashed the bank draft and will be liable to the bank for $2500.00. These bank drafts are FAKE. They will get by the local teller, but when they get to the sorting office, they are found to be counterfeit and sent back.

The good news is that I did not cash the bank draft. I contacted the local television news department and they came and interviewed me today. I just don't want anyone else to fall for this scam. It comes in many different business names, but if you receive a bank draft or cheque in the mail and are asked to send some of it back, DO NOT CASH IT!

My First Press Release

The following is my first ever press release:
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Virtual Assistants In The News
The Virtual Assistant industry is catching the eye of the national media.

The Virtual Assistant industry is being highlighted in the national media once again. In the May issue of Reader's Digest, an article on ways to make extra money states, "If you've got word processing, transcription, bookkeeping, public relations or website design skills, you may want to try life as a virtual assistant." The article goes on to quote VA and author, Diana Ennen whose book, "Virtual Assistant -The Series: Become a Highly Successful, Sought After VA", is a must-have manual for every Virtual Assistant.

In an upcoming episode of the "Today Show", another VA will be featured. A film crew will follow her through a "typical day" in the life of a Virtual Assistant.


"The Virtual Assistant industry is growing rapidly and having it noticed by the press will only help its growth. People will learn what a VA is and either want to become one or hire one."


The Virtual Assistant industry has been featured in national publications in the past. TIME, Businessweek, The Christian Science Monitor, and USA Today have all published articles about Virtual Assistants.


According to Darrell Williams, owner of Right-Hand-Man Virtual Assistant Services, "The more exposure the Virtual Assistant industry gets, the better. Explaining the concept of a VA to potential clients is half the battle. National press exposure makes this so much easier."


For more information on Virtual Assistants and what they can do for you, visit www.righthandmanva.com.

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7 Reasons Your Non-Profit Needs a Virtual Assistant

Having worked in non-profit organizations in three different countries, I have seen the benefits and drawbacks of non-profits hiring full-time Administrative support staff. There are many different reasons why a Virtual Assistant would be a better choice for non-profits and I have come up with these seven.

1) Cost – Virtual assistants cost less than their in-house counterparts. With lunch breaks, coffee breaks, telephone calls and personal conversations, most in-house employees work less than 28 hours per week. Costs such as benefits, training, office setup, etc. also cost the organization money that it doesn’t always have.

2) Loyalty – This can be a great thing to have from an employee, but can be a costly thing to have as an employer. When things get tight, as they always do in non-profits, we are less likely to lay off staff. This is great and the probably the right thing to do, but it does cost. Hiring a loyal Virtual Assistant when needed is better than having to lay people of when needed.

3) Expertise – I have seen it time and again. People are hired because they like to “help out” and have been volunteering for a long time – not necessarily because they have the skills and expertise that the position requires.

4) Perspective – Having a Virtual Assistant that supports the ideals of your organization, but is not actually involved gives you an outsider’s point of view. This can come in handy when decisions have to be made and it’s hard to see the forest from the trees.

5) Timing – There are always busier times in non-profit organizations. Why not hire a Virtual Assistant to create your quarterly newsletter, organize and mail out your yearly donation receipts, or create the posters and mail out the thank you cards for your annual fundraising drive.

6) Volunteers – Volunteers are the backbone of the non-profit organization, but volunteers only have so much time and ability to “donate” to your organization. Having a cost effective, dedicated alternative for administrative tasks is a great way to avoid “volunteer burnout”.

7) Networking – Non-profits need networking like any other business, if not more. A good Virtual Assistant is another way of networking for your particular cause. They are members of organizations and associations and have contacts that you may never be able to reach on your own. They may even have other clients who are willing to donate their time or resources to your organization.

Think about these seven points and really look at how your non-profit organization can benefit from a Virtual Assistant. Then when you are ready to hire one, do some research and find one that fits with your organization. Find one that shares the same values and will partner with your organization for its success.

Is Hiring a Virtual Assistant Really Cheaper?

Check out this chart to see the cost effectiveness of hiring a Virtual Assistant!
(Click on button for comparison chart.)

Coming Soon!

I will soon be posting Tips on how to properly format documents. Properly formatted documents show that you care how you present yourself and/or business. Keep an eye out for these Tips!

Virtual Assistant - Spring Cleaning Sale!

From now until June 21, 2007, Right-Hand-Man is having a SALE. Clean up your administrative tasks by getting 5 hours FREE with your first 5 paid hours! Spring is a great time to get rid of the cob-webs that are keeping your business from reaching its full potential. Spring is a time of NEW beginnings. It's a great time to reach new customers, start new projects, and have time to offer new services/products. Spend more time this Spring growing your business and less time on your administrative tasks - hire Right-Han-Man to look after them for you.
See my other posts to find out why you may NEED a Virtual Assitant!

Marketing your Business!

In Real Estate the slogan for looking for a new home is "location, location, LOCATION!" In marketing it's "network, network, NETWORK!"

So what is Networking? One dictionary suggested it means, "meeting people who can be of help to you and being a help to them." This can happen online, through personal contact, advertising, joining groups, meetings, and the list goes on. Networking can happen at the supermarket. Wherever it happens, you have to make the most of it. Talk about yourself, your business, your product/service, and your successes. Don't brag yourself up, but offer up information that shows how you could help that other person through your business.

"Hidden Marketing" is the marketing of your business that goes on behind your back. This is other people talking about your business. This can be good or bad, depending on the impact you have had on your customers. Did they have a positive experience or did you leave a bad taste in their mouth? When people are happy with your service they usually tell you, but when they aren't happy, they tell other people.

Networking and great Customer Service are the cornerstones of successful marketing. If you can find a way to accomplish both these things and one that works for your particular business, then you have it made. I haven't come across a "magic" formula that works for any and every business. Oh, and by the way, it takes WORK. There are no easy shortcuts. It's like your father used to say, "If something is worth having, it's worth working for!"

Virtual Assistants: Benefits to YOUR business!

There are many benefits to hiring a virtual assistant, some which include:

*No need to hire full time employees
*No need to acquire office space, equipment or supplies
*No overhead costs
*No overtime or downtime
*No training costs
*No hiring expenses such as advertising and interviewing
*No need to pay for vacation time or sick days
*No "office hours". I work 6 days a week so am almost always
available for my clients.
*No need to pay for employee benefits such as workers compensation, EI or health benefits. As an independent contractor I pay for my own taxes and business expenses.

(modified from the VANA Web site.)

What is a Virtual Assitant (VA)?

A Virtual Assistant (VA) is a highly-trained independent entrepreneur who provides a myriad of administrative support services and skills via the Internet to provide immediate professional support to busy entrepreneurs, business managers, professionals, and anyone who needs help with an administrative project worldwide.

Partnering with a VA reduces stress, protects cash flow, eliminates administrative hassles, and enables business people to find the success they originally set out to achieve.
(VANA)

Right-Hand-Man VA Payment Policy

PAYMENT POLICY:

All pricing is in Canadian Dollars (CAD).

A deposit of 10% is required prior to the start of a project.

Payment is due upon receipt of an invoice.

There will be a $25.00 service charge for any NSF cheques.

I accept payment by business cheque, PAYPAL, money order, cash,
or certified cheque.

Clients will be billed for incidental expenses incurred
on their behalf. These include, but are not limited to –
photocopying, postage, stationery supplies, shipping, etc.

Why A VA Blog?

What are the advantages to having a Blog versus having a website for a home-based business?

First of all, the cost. This blog is FREE! For home-based businesses start-up finances can be minimal, so this is very important.

A Web presence is necessary for all businesses today. Blogs offer this presence quickly, easily and efectively. You can have a web presence in minutes using a Blog.

Blogs are dynamic. They can be updated daily and create a 'conversation' between your business and prospective and current clients. They are very easy to update and edit. You need no html knowledge to have a great looking web presence. Web sites are static and are not as easily modified.

When a home-based business decides to create a website (IF this is deemed necessary), a Blog should be maintained to update customers, clients and the public on any changes in your business. A Blog is also helpful to have to post your ideas, plans, and articles.

Another great use for a blog is posting examples of your work, outlines of work that you have done for clients, and links to your clients Web sites.

Both Web sites and Blogs have their place on the Web. Find which works best for your business and use it to it's full potential.

Right-Hand-Man's Virtual Assistant Code of Ethics

I WILL:

1. Be honest and trustworthy.

With honesty comes trust, and without trust our association cannot perform or provide effectively. I will not mislead or make false claims as to my abilities, background or experience. I will not take on projects that are beyond my capabilities. I will conduct business in a professional manner, operating within all local, provincial and federal laws, rules, and regulations.

2. Respect the privacy of others.

As a Virtual Assistant, relationships become common between my clients and myself and my associates and myself. With these relationships, personal information may be shared. I will respect my clients and associates and not make their personal information available and will respect their privacy.

3. Honour confidentiality.

Information that is shared and used between my clients and myself may be considered confidential. This private information will be held in the strictest of confidence and not shared with others unless deemed by my client. I will not use this information for personal gain or in any way that would be damaging to my clients or that would violate their privacy.

4. Conduct my business in a professional manner.

I will uphold the highest of standards and operate my business in such a way as I would want to do business with others. I will operate within all local, provincial and federal laws, rules, and regulations. I will undertake only that work for which we are qualified and capable of providing within the time frame and price agreed upon.

5. Accurately represent my business and the industry.

While promoting my business, I will ensure that all information included in my marketing, advertising and promotional material accurately portrays the industry as a whole and does not have any negative impact on other members of the industry.

6. Provide top quality.

I will demonstrate a commitment to providing my clients with the highest quality of service and accuracy. I will undertake only that work for which we are qualified and capable of providing within the time frame and price agreed upon.

7. Contribute to the enhancement of the industry.

I will share my knowledge with other members of the industry. I will build honest and respectful relationships with my fellow members. I will not demean others who lack knowledge or experience. I will offer support to all those in the industry, especially those who are just starting their practices and need a supportive word or helpful information.