Value
April 25, 2009 by Terricarey
Filed under Tips
What does value mean to you?
When you hear the word “value”, you probably think of how many rolls of toilet paper you can get in the big package as opposed to the small one. Or how the price per pound of bulk food is exponentially less than those little boxes you find at gas stations. So what is value, really? Certainly it’s not just about sheer quantity for your dollar. No, it’s about quality for your dollar.
When standing in the checkout lane I am often faced with a small decision as to which treat I would like to indulge myself with. While a simple chocolate bar is somewhat satisfying and fairly inexpensive I usually find myself choosing a smaller piece of Godiva chocolate instead. Is it overpriced? Maybe. Is it worth it? Absolutely. It’s about value.
I’m sure you’ve heard it said that the most valuable thing in the world is time. Yet, for many of you, your job takes up most of it. If you own your own business, you are probably one who enjoys a good day of work. However, I bet there are certain tasks you face each day that you absolutely trudge through, just to get to the stuff you really wish you were doing. Couldn’t your time be better spent on more meaningful business pursuits? Something you actually enjoy? That is the reason you started your own business after all. To do what you love. Freeing up time to do that – now, that’s valuable.
Jim Rohn is quoted as saying, “Time is more valuable than money. You can get more money, but you cannot get more time.” I’m sure you can agree. Even a mountain of money wouldn’t buy you more time here on this planet. But certainly, if you could just find a way to save a bit of time within each day, you could pool it into a few more minutes, hours or days to do those things that really matter to you.
As a virtual assistant, I’m in the business of giving others more time.
I often find myself bogged down by certain activities that, while necessary, prevent me from doing the things I enjoy. A cupboard needs fixing, the lawn needs trimming but I really would like to spend time with my kids. Fortunately, I sometimes enlist the help of others so that I can accomplish the goals that are more important to me. By hiring a boy who lives around the block to do yard work I can free up that space in my day do things that I really love.
I apply this same concept to work. There are many tasks that are added to my workload throughout the day. By hiring an assistant or a specialist I can hand certain tasks off to people I trust, while also handling the things that I would like to personally accomplish.
What do you value? What else could you “buy” with a little more time in your day? It could be something as simple as the opportunity to pick your kids up for school, or, even bigger, a chance to take a day off? It could also be work-related. Like the chance to concentrate on the parts of your job or business that you value the most by simply handing other things off to someone such as a virtual assistant.
Newsletter Tips
April 23, 2009 by Terricarey
Filed under Tips
Top Ten Things to Check Before Posting an Article
1. Check for awkward sentences, or sentences that just don’t sound right, and try rewording them. You want your sentences to be clear and precise so that the reader can understand you. It may help to read them aloud.
2. Avoid using too many clichés, you want your article to be interesting, but not over the top. Furthermore, don’t overdo it on the exclamation points.
3. Be careful to avoid humorous comments that may be offensive to some. Remember, just because you think it’s funny, doesn’t mean your readers will.
4. Certain words go together. For example “a person needs to spend time doing the things he loves.” NOT “A person needs to spend time doing the things they love.” Make sure the pronoun and the noun agree.
5. Avoid writing articles that you know are from a biased perspective, unless it is clearly an opinion article.
6. Keep the article interesting. Find ways to add creativity to a sentence. For example: instead of “Mrs. Jones paid her bills” try “Mrs. Jones tackled the towering stack of bills on her desk.” Which sentence sounds better?
7. If you are defining something, don’t use the word you are defining in the definition of it. For example, don’t say “A virtual assistant is an assistant that…” Find a different word.
8. Use a thesaurus. Try to find different ways to say something. Using the same words can make an article dull. For example, instead of saying “helpful” more than once try words such as “beneficial, advantageous, profitable,” etc.
9. Don’t always trust spell check to fix your grammatical errors. If you know you have trouble with grammar, ask someone else to read your article before posting it. Feed off of each other’s ideas.
10. Integrate things like quotes, or anecdotes into your article to keep it interesting. For example, if your article is about music, include something like: Victor Hugo once said that, “Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and cannot remain silent.” Try www.thinkexist.com, if you can’t find a quote.
Purging Your Clutter
April 21, 2009 by Terricarey
Filed under Tips
I have been rifling through the same shirts for years. Shirts I never wear anymore, though I keep them. Why do I do it? Well, there are plenty of reasons that I tell myself. This one only has a tiny stain on it, and I can wear it for home improvement jobs. This one doesn’t quite fit me, but I could still wear it around the house. I got this one for a steal, and even though it doesn’t go with anything else I own, I’m keeping my eyes open for something that might match it. This type of nonsensical thinking about why we keep things is probably behind most of our clutter.
So, what’s the advantage to keeping all this stuff we don’t use? Well, I suppose there’s the chance we might actually use it someday. The disadvantages are more numerous. Just the idea of opening my shirt drawer makes me anxious. How many times have I had to refold clothes that I threw out of the way to get to the item I knew would fit me? How many times did I try on that one shirt, forgetting it was too small and then had to refold it and put it back in the drawer? How many times did I chastise myself for not fitting into it? I wonder how much time I waste in a year?
William Morris said, “Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.” Doesn’t that just sound wonderful?
We hang onto unused gifts, ugly heirlooms, broken trinkets and even relationships. Socrates said, “How many things are there which I do not want.” How many of you have a box stuffed full of art projects from your kids? Knickknacks from past vacations? Books you’ve never read? Some of them are treasures for sure, but how many could be sorted into your “circular file” – if you’d just the guts to do it!
We’re all a bit unorganized, it’s true, but try this quiz to see whether your clutter has gotten out of hand: http://clutterworkshop.com/quiz.shtml
When it comes to our workspace, we’re usually just plain too busy to get to it, and organizing truly takes a time investment. However, a cluttered environment clutters the soul. It drags down productivity and creates anxiety. Think of it like this: “clutter creates resistance to the natural energy flow in a room and creates ‘stuck energy’. Stuck energy causes procrastination, lack of motivation, a feeling of being in limbo… confusion, and even depression.” [1]
At work it can be worse and the overwhelm of tackling the clutter is real. Perceived lack of time is a real roadblock though we realize in the end it will save time. Staying on top of clutter helps. A clutter basket that is cleaned out weekly can be a good tool. The freedom that comes from a clutter-free work environment is worth the investment to create some positive flow. Here is a quiz to see how badly you need to clean up your own workspace:
http://www.taylorintime.com/index.php?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=95
And also, some great decluttering tips for your life and your mind:
http://www.lifedesignstrategies.com/art/clutterbusting_tips.html
Visit this site and pick up a free declutter calendar:
http://www.mysimplerlife.com/decluttercalendar.htm
If you could use some professional help with your clutter:
http://www.clutterfreeforever.com/index.htm
Remember:
The sculptor produces the beautiful statue by chipping away such parts of the marble block as are not needed – it is a process of elimination. ~Elbert HubbardTurning Around an Unhappy Client
January 2, 2009 by Terricarey
Filed under Tips
Customer Support is a large part of what I currently do as well as what I have done over the last 20 years. Of all of the things we have to do to make a business run, attending to the customer is one of the most important. Without the customer, there would be no business.
Over the years of dealing with clients – and being one myself – I have learned that customer satisfaction really is key. This is so with any business, but especially true in the online world. Jeff Bezos, the Founder and President of Amazon.com, said, “If you make customers unhappy in the physical world, they might each tell 6 friends. If you make customers unhappy on the Internet, they can each tell 6,000 friends.”
The University of Michigan’s American Customer Satisfaction Index listed Internet retail in 2007 as having an 83% rate of customer satisfaction. That means that 17% of our customers are walking away unhappy! Often an unsatisfactory experience is due to simple misunderstanding. These situations can easily be resolved by reassuring the client that their problem will be taken care of expediently and also, will not be repeated. Customers want to be dealt with on a personal level. Take on each case as though you’ve put your arm around that person and made their problem your problem.
So what key strategies do I follow?
#1 Respond promptly. Nothing burns a customer more than having to wait for a reply. The longer they stew, the harder it is to diffuse their anger. A quick reply denies them the advantage of saying they “tried to contact you several times with no reply”. This only justifies their stance and puts them even more strongly on the defensive. Even if you need to tell them, “I received your request and am looking into the issue. Thank for your patience”, you will have given them your respectful attention. Now the ball is in your court.
#2 Listen. Find out what the customer is really asking for. Let them vent and then reiterate what it is they want. It should be your aim to please. You will not only be securing a customer, but gaining credibility. J.C. Penney said, “A happy customer is your walking advertisement.”
#3 Empathize. As far as the customer is concerned, you are the company. Be as real and personable as possible.
#4 Commit. Benjamin Franklin said, “Well done is better than well said.” Avoid making promises you can’t keep. Tell the customer what you plan to do and then do it. If you aren’t certain of something, assure them that you will find out.
#5 Offer incentives to stay. Go above and beyond what the customer is asking. People inherently feel that there should be some compensation for their inconvenience. An apology doesn’t always wipe the slate clean, so add a peace offering.
Here are 10 tips for dealing with those unhappy customers:
Finally, look at the unhappy client as a guide to where you need to improve. Their feedback is an invaluable resource. Their issue resolved is one step closer to 100% customer satisfaction.
Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning. – Bill Gates
