When searching for a topic to write about, I came across another great article on Biznik.com, this one from Lynn Baldwin-Rhoades: 10 Tips to Writing Better Marketing Materials. In this article, she offers advice from other writers on their top 10 tips for writing better marketing materials. My favorite tip is from Molly Dee Anderson who suggests, "Deliver your message plainly in the language of your audience." Which tip is your favorite?
Virtually Yourz,
Dana Blozis
Showing posts with label writing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label writing. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Learn to Delegate
One of my biggest challenges as a business owner is delegating work to others. This is primarily because I am a sole proprietor and I work alone. It is also because it seems easier to do something myself than hire someone else to do it for me. After all, by the time I show them how to do it, I could have it done myself, right? This type of thinking, unfortunately, has kept me stuck.
Fortunately, however, I have recently had so much business (yeah!) that I've had to hire someone to help me with research, editing and writing tasks. It was a tough call to make, as well as an unexpected investment, but it has allowed me to take on more new clients and to continue meeting deadlines. Here are my tips on how you might delegate more in your business:
1) Make a list of tasks that absolutely MUST be done by you, as well as a list of tasks that you might delegate (bookkeeping, appointment setting, filing, shredding, marketing, etc.).
2) Make a list of people who might be able to assist with the duties you might delegate. For example, do you know someone who does bookkeeping or who has a virtual assistant? If so, start there.
3) Talk preliminarily with those people to see what their availability and rates are. Can you afford them? Are they available when you need them? If you aren't sure if you can afford an assistant or to outsource your work, consider what you'll lose if you don't - clients? time? sanity?
And think of what you'll gain by sharing some of your growing workload - clients? time? sanity? Win, win!
4) Interview several people and see which of them match or complement your working style. Choose the one that seems to be the best fit.
5) Once you make your selection(s), try a test project to test the waters. Explain each project clearly, provide the necessary information or tools to do the job, state a clear deadline and how and when you will pay for the work. After the project is complete, evaluate the quality, timeliness and ease of working with the person. If each item is rated an A+, hire away! If not, keep looking.
Virtually Yourz,
Dana Blozis
Fortunately, however, I have recently had so much business (yeah!) that I've had to hire someone to help me with research, editing and writing tasks. It was a tough call to make, as well as an unexpected investment, but it has allowed me to take on more new clients and to continue meeting deadlines. Here are my tips on how you might delegate more in your business:
1) Make a list of tasks that absolutely MUST be done by you, as well as a list of tasks that you might delegate (bookkeeping, appointment setting, filing, shredding, marketing, etc.).
2) Make a list of people who might be able to assist with the duties you might delegate. For example, do you know someone who does bookkeeping or who has a virtual assistant? If so, start there.
3) Talk preliminarily with those people to see what their availability and rates are. Can you afford them? Are they available when you need them? If you aren't sure if you can afford an assistant or to outsource your work, consider what you'll lose if you don't - clients? time? sanity?
And think of what you'll gain by sharing some of your growing workload - clients? time? sanity? Win, win!
4) Interview several people and see which of them match or complement your working style. Choose the one that seems to be the best fit.
5) Once you make your selection(s), try a test project to test the waters. Explain each project clearly, provide the necessary information or tools to do the job, state a clear deadline and how and when you will pay for the work. After the project is complete, evaluate the quality, timeliness and ease of working with the person. If each item is rated an A+, hire away! If not, keep looking.
Virtually Yourz,
Dana Blozis
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Time Management Tips from Virtually Yourz
After doing some travel for business over the last several weeks, I have pending projects crying out for my time, as well as clients and prospects who want to see me. It's been tough to juggle it all, but I've found some ways to manage my time that are helping me to meet everybody's needs, including my own:
1) I schedule my appointments in blocks. For example, on Monday, I had an appointment in Tacoma and a business-related errand to run in Renton. I went to Tacoma and, on my way home, I went to Renton. That not only saved gas, but it also saved time if I'd made separate trips from home.
2) I've had some serious, deadline-based writing to do. To ensure that I can sit down and write uninterrupted, I close my e-mail inbox, shut off my cell phone and wait until my family leaves the house for the day. Then I sit down and get to work, finishing the assignments off one after the other. Knowing that I've tackled these big tasks, I can enjoy a leisurely lunch outside before I start my next project.
3) In conjunction with item #1, I leave at least 2 days during the week appointment-free. This allows me to have some committed, noninterrupted time in my office to get work done, as well as catch up on my bookkeeping work and organizing my office. I look forward to these days, where I can dress casually, work at my own pace and check things off of my "to do" list.
4) I also make time for exercise in the mornings when possible. This helps me to make time for myself, but it also energizes me. The natural high I get from working out keeps me going for hours afterward. It's a great way to fuel my productivity!
How do you manage your time? If you have tips to share with my readers, I'd love to hear them!
Virtually Yourz,
Dana Blozis
1) I schedule my appointments in blocks. For example, on Monday, I had an appointment in Tacoma and a business-related errand to run in Renton. I went to Tacoma and, on my way home, I went to Renton. That not only saved gas, but it also saved time if I'd made separate trips from home.
2) I've had some serious, deadline-based writing to do. To ensure that I can sit down and write uninterrupted, I close my e-mail inbox, shut off my cell phone and wait until my family leaves the house for the day. Then I sit down and get to work, finishing the assignments off one after the other. Knowing that I've tackled these big tasks, I can enjoy a leisurely lunch outside before I start my next project.
3) In conjunction with item #1, I leave at least 2 days during the week appointment-free. This allows me to have some committed, noninterrupted time in my office to get work done, as well as catch up on my bookkeeping work and organizing my office. I look forward to these days, where I can dress casually, work at my own pace and check things off of my "to do" list.
4) I also make time for exercise in the mornings when possible. This helps me to make time for myself, but it also energizes me. The natural high I get from working out keeps me going for hours afterward. It's a great way to fuel my productivity!
How do you manage your time? If you have tips to share with my readers, I'd love to hear them!
Virtually Yourz,
Dana Blozis
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Where do I grow from here?
In the last 5 years, I have gone from a part-time freelancer to a full-time business owner, writing for publication and writing, editing and marketing for clients. My business has grown so much that lately I've been turning down prospective clients, referring them to colleagues, because I don't have the capacity to take on more business unless I outsource, subcontract or hire an assistant. This has prompted the question - where do I grow from here? Do I stay where I'm at, taking on the same amount of business and finding ways to become more efficient? Or do I consider hiring others to help with the workload and reposition myself as a team of professionals rather than just one person? How much do I want to work? How much do I want to make?
Not sure how to analyze my answers or whether to consider taking the next step, I contacted my local Small Business Development Center at Green River Community College. I will consult with business guru Kirk Davis there to help me sort out the answers. In addition, I plan to consult with a CPA and/or attorney to decide if it is time to move to an LLC from a sole prop.
Has your business grown recently? How did you decide how to take it to the next level? I'd love to hear from you!
I'm not sure where I'm headed - or even where I want to go - but the prospects are exciting. Stay tuned!
Virtually Yourz,
Dana
Not sure how to analyze my answers or whether to consider taking the next step, I contacted my local Small Business Development Center at Green River Community College. I will consult with business guru Kirk Davis there to help me sort out the answers. In addition, I plan to consult with a CPA and/or attorney to decide if it is time to move to an LLC from a sole prop.
Has your business grown recently? How did you decide how to take it to the next level? I'd love to hear from you!
I'm not sure where I'm headed - or even where I want to go - but the prospects are exciting. Stay tuned!
Virtually Yourz,
Dana
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Virtually Yourz Enters the World of Blogging
I started my own business 4 1/2 years ago and have marketed myself in the usual ways - press releases, networking, a website, etc. Up until now, however, I have resisted blogging. To me, it feels like an online diary that no one aside from family and friends will have an interest in. But the ways we do business are changing and, with them, so must I.
I hope you'll find my blog interesting. I'll share business tidbits, marketing ideas and other tips & tricks I've learned along the way. Hopefully, you'll find some useful ideas to take away with you.
I welcome your comments and suggestions for useful information!
Virtually Yourz,
Dana Blozis
VirtuallyYourz.com
The virtual solution to your writing, editing and marketing needs.
I hope you'll find my blog interesting. I'll share business tidbits, marketing ideas and other tips & tricks I've learned along the way. Hopefully, you'll find some useful ideas to take away with you.
I welcome your comments and suggestions for useful information!
Virtually Yourz,
Dana Blozis
VirtuallyYourz.com
The virtual solution to your writing, editing and marketing needs.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)