Virtual-e-Yours™

Facebook Fan Pages Changes to Timeline......

noreply@blogger.com (Sylvie Waxman) — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 03:50:00 +0000

Default landing tabs are gone

Tabs are still here but are wider now...

You can now message fan pages

Timeline will automatically come to pages on March 30th.

1. Default Landing Tabs are Gone.

Facebook has removed the ability to create a default landing tab. However, you can still create fan gates. If you are designing new tabs, be sure to design to the new width.

2. Photos, Likes, and Apps at Top of Page:

Photos, likes and apps are now at the top of your Page. Photos show in the first spot, but you can change the order of everything else so people see what matters most. You can show a maximum number of 12 apps, so make sure to put your most important ones first.

3. Pin your favorite post to the top

Hover over a story and click on the star ( star icon ) to make it wider, or on the pencil ( pencil icon ) to pin it to the top of your Page, hide or delete it entirely.

4. New Administrator Panel

Keep track of your activity on your Page from the admin panel. Respond when people write on your Page timeline, and view your latest insights.

Visit your activity log to review all your posts and activity. Additionally, in March, new admin controls will be released. This will let you set different permissions for each page admin.

5. Fan Page Messages:

Now people can contact you privately using messages. Notifications about new messages will appear right in your admin panel.

6. Cover Photo

The cover photo has a new size but may NOT contain the following:

Price or purchase information, such as “40% off” or “Download it at our website”.

Contact information, such as web address, email, mailing address or other information intended for your Page’s About section.

References to user interface elements, such as Like or Share, or any other Facebook site features.

Calls to action, such as “Get it now” or “Tell your friends”.

Thank you to LUJURE and Nathan Latka for the above tips!

JB Creations - Virtual-e-Yours is proud user of the BEST Facebook design application out there!

For a limited time we are offering to redesign your Facebook fan page banner for a fee of $50.

Contact us at virtualeyours@gmail.com

Offer expires April 7, 2010.

Best regards,

Sylvie Waxman

JB Creations - Virtual-e-Yours Team

Landing pages are tricky.

noreply@blogger.com (Sylvie Waxman) — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 09:04:00 +0000

Get them right, and they become one major piece of a booming business online.

Get them wrong, and, well ... *nothing* happens.

And that's just the writing part.

If you've ever tried to *build* a landing page in WordPress, you know it can get very frustrating, very fast. The basic idea is to strip all the extras away -- on that page only -- so your reader focuses on the action or product you want them to focus on.

So, away you go...

Remove the sidebars. Change the header. But don't change the header on all the other pages of your site!

PHP. HTML. Javascript (I barely know what these are). Track down the right images and graphics.

Play with color, add an opt-in form (one that actually looks good). Add video, add audio, and on and on and on.

Unless you're a developer, this stuff can drive you crazy, and waste a lot of your time.

Here's the thing, the Premise for WordPress landing page software was built to solve all these problems for you (and more).

Premise is a plugin for WordPress that takes all the hassle out of building effective landing pages that get results.

And it does it all, right from inside WordPress. Check it out here:

http://GetPremise.com

Beyond page building and design, you also get copywriting advice (right from inside WordPress), plus copywriting and conversion optimization seminars -- all at no extra charge.

Premise for WordPress is the total package when it comes to getting people to take the action you’re looking for, without wasting hours trying to get your page just right.

Here's a quick look at what you get when you buy Premise:

- Unlimited landing pages you can create
- Unlimited domains you can use Premise on
- Copywriting and conversion seminars
- Specific copywriting advice inside WordPress
- 1,100+ custom graphics library
- Technical support and updates

Anyway, if you want to take all the hassle out of building landing pages for your WordPress site, you should check out Premise right now:

http://GetPremise.com

PS. If you're not absolutely delighted with everything Premise for WordPress does for you and your bottom line, just use the clearly-marked contact form in the HELP section of the member area within the first 30 days and they'll promptly refund your money.

What Kind of Maintenance Do I Need to Do on My Windows PC

noreply@blogger.com (Sylvie Waxman) — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 03:08:00 +0000

Maintenance You'll Want to Do

Update Windows: We've said it before, and we'll say it again: Don't neglect Windows Update. Install updates when it gets them, and restart your computer if necessary. This will keep your computer safe and stable, and really takes no effort on your part.

Run Microsoft Security Essentials: It's a sad fact of life, but if you're using Windows, you'll probably want some form of antivirus software running in the background. There's no need to pay for antivirus, though—Microsoft Security Essentials is pretty great on its own. Of course, the best defense against malware is safe browsing, so the more responsible you are, the better off your computer will be—antivirus or no antivirus.

Back Up Your Hard Drive: Whether it's the simple Windows Backup or an automated, offsite backup tool like our favorite Crashplan, backups are essential tools for any PC user. It isn't maintenance, per se, but it can get you out of quite a few binds, so we can't recommend it enough.

Clean Temporary Files with CCleaner: Windows can leave a lot of clutter and temporary files lying around your hard drive, and it's a good idea to clean these up regularly. We've sung the praises of CCleaner many times before, and with good reason. Just set it up to run automatically on a schedule, and you'll keep your computer free of all the temporary clutter.

Uninstall Programs with Revo Uninstaller: Windows' Add/Remove Programs dialog is okay, but Revo Uninstaller is even better. Not only does it remove every trace of an application from your computer, but it also helps you uninstall apps you can't find, as well as manage your startup processes which will help you boot up faster and run smoother once you do.

Maintance You Don't Need to Do

Defragment Your Drive (Unless You're On Windows XP): One of the maintenance operations people always talk about is defragmenting your hard drive. Times have changed, however, and this isn't actually necessary. Windows Vista and 7 automatically defragment your drive, so there's no need to do it yourself. If you're on XP, however, you'll still want to defragment, and you can just set Disk Defragmenter to run on a schedule. Note that if you have a solid-state drive, you don't want to run Disk Defragmenter—whether you're on XP or not. SSD's don't need it (but they will need TRIM enabled).

Clean Your Registry: You've probably also heard about registry cleaners before, but the fact of the matter is that they probably won't do much to help your computer. They won't cause harm to your computer, but you're very unlikely to get any kind of results. Leave these ones alone.

Mess with Windows Prefetching: You may have seen a few articles around the net on cleaning out Windows' prefetching to speed up your computer, but it's pretty much a myth. Not only will you not see any performance gains, but you could actually cause more problems instead of solving them. Just leave prefetching alone; Windows has it there for a reason.

Full size

Regularly Reinstall Windows: Sometimes it's unavoidable, but as long as you're responsible about what you install, there's no reason you need to reinstall Windows every six months. Be careful about what you download,test new programs in a virtual machine, and run the maintenance tools we mentioned in section one, and you should be able to save yourself a few hours every month.

That's our short list of Windows maintenance tools, but it should get you started. We've gone through a much more detailed list of Windows maintenance tips, but these are pretty much the essentials here, so they should keep your computer running in tip-top shape for awhile. Check out our more detailed list for an in-depth look.

http://lifehacker.com/5815256/what-kind-of-maintenance-do-i-need-to-do-on-my-windows-pc

How Facebook Redefined The Community Manager

noreply@blogger.com (Sylvie Waxman) — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 16:56:00 +0000

Britta Heer is head of digital at Edelman in Germany and is Jasper Krog is a consultant at Edelman Digital.

Facebook not only changed the social web, but recreated a profession.
Before Facebook became the dominant social media platform, the main task for community managers was to program forums and communications systems. A necessary side job of their data management responsibility was to act as moderator, and they often did it poorly.

And today? The Facebook universe, with its intuitive user interface, makes programming and data management skills unimportant and suddenly changed the requirements for the job.In place of data management came stakeholder dialogue. Facebook’s ease of use and mass capability makes the platform an entry point for more and more people to contact brands and businesses directly.

Compared to the pre-Facebook era, the work of community managers is not just increasingly about content; it’s also taking a more strategic focus.Companies and their community managers are faced with real-time communication and its associated challenges. In addition to a new job profile, it includes the creation of new working conditions such as flexible hours, as Facebook fans don’t arrange their activities around the close of business.Communication independent of time and place as well as the new form of dialogue management require new competencies.

The New Community Manager Profile

Community Management features the word “management” in its name for good reason. Human resources departments should do the term justice by giving the position an active leadership function, e.g. a description in middle management of a company, which includes the planning, organization, leadership and control of the business-related community. This requires sound strategic skills, social skills and project management know-how.The reality is somewhat different. In many cases, companies are lagging behind the rapid development of the profession. They either leave it to programmers and technical specialists in the field or they hire community managers that have an online affinity, but little strategic expertise due to their education or limited professional experience.

Necessary Areas Of Expertise

Strategic
Community management on Facebook is not reduced to individual tactics. It maintains an overall objective that is relevant for the entire company. The community manager must be able to steer content management for the community in terms of strategic objectives. Community Management on Facebook runs throughout the entire value chain

Social
In the role as mediator between the business and the community, the community manager is not just facilitating and moderating the fan page. The community manager is also responsible for responding to the feedback from fans, working to prevent crises and leading the community. This means a community manager needs to bring all of the social skills of a conventional manager: motivation, leadership and conflict resolution.

Emotional Intelligence
From the way fans are addressed (formally or informally) to the basic tonality and theme of contributions up to the frequency and occasions for posts, it is the responsibility of the community manager to represent the company authentically. This requires high emotional intelligence.

Project Management
As the interface between company and community, the community manager governs the process of dialogue between companies and stakeholders. Additionally, the community manager is responsible for the compilation of valid key data to measure the success of community dialogue. This requires sound project management skills, as complex communication processes are planned, managed and evaluated throughout the value chain.

Long-Term Thinking
Businesses that invest in dialogue with stakeholders are engaging in a long-term process. An important area of responsibility for the community manager is the ongoing development of the relationship between the business and community through new content, interactions and tactics.

The Community Manager Of Tomorrow
It’s possible that the community manager of tomorrow will no longer manage a few, larger communities, but many smaller groups if the predicted trend for the fragmentation of communities actually occurs. No one knows for sure if this will take place on Facebook or on other new platforms.

One thing is sure: the job profile of community manager 3.0 will surely increase in complexity, as fan communities of companies will grow with increasing Internet use and present their demands and requirements to the company. It’s all the more important that the strategic relevance and spectrum of tasks for the community manager be granted and accepted within the company.

An Ounce of Gratitude and Appreciation

noreply@blogger.com (Sylvie Waxman) — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 21:12:00 +0000

Originally published Dec.5,2010

During this month of holidays when we celebrate religious freedom, holy birthday and look forward to a brand new year, I wanted to take this opportunity and express my deepest appreciation, love and immense gratitude to all of you on my list and then also specifically to a few people whose names I would like to mention.

Many of you know that I have been unemployed for a little over two years due to downsizing and budget cuts. I absolutely LOVED my job! Intellectually I applauded the entrepreneurial success of the creators of the company I was with. Great American dream realized so who could not be happy for the owners? From a garage to an 8 building facility with 2500 local employees and satellite offices all over the world!

In hindsight, the loss of my lively hood has been one of the most humbling and profound life lessons! Instinctively I knew that allowing time to grieve and let go was an important part of a process I needed to consciously travel through, in order to move on with life. Simple kernels of wisdom received from friends such as "Never place your eggs in one basket" and "When one door closes, another one opens" have been helpful and am immensely grateful for this. These adages are so very true.

It is the intangible support I’ve received in multitude ways these past few years, which have lifted my spirits, created positive energy and reinforced my belief in the genuine meaning of friendship and community.

Beginning with a much delayed "thank you" ....I would like to thank David W. (HR) and Julie D. (Director) who went above and beyond and did a fantastic job preparing us for an unknown future. Providing weeks of onsite counseling, resume writing and logistical transitional support I knew was a warm gesture not practiced much within most corporate worlds. The integrity and post support was unique and left me with a lasting respect for Pelco Inc.

Kim, Marlen, Rene, Juanita, Jerry, Silvia, Carla, Dalila, and the rest of the team were a great example of solid support for each other. We cried, and went about the business of sharing our network contacts making sure to take care of each other and carried ourselves through the process of letting go. We had become a family over the years, sharing every bit of life-cycle events, ate lots of chocolate, exercised together and laughed a lot!! Today, we are still connected and of course we are all on Facebook keeping up with the details of daily lives.

Audrey D., for trusting me with your company’s corporate account post Pelco Inc. It carried me through some high anxiety and scary months! I have nothing but admiration for you and the successful company you created. I am in awe!

Cheri V., for providing me with access to a virtual “home” base, while watching me walk in the opposite direction of building out Virtual-e-Yours. That took patience and a big heart!

Carolyn P., for your support and friendship and superb project collaboration. I loved every minute of it! To James B. for the tremendous support through a few difficult moments and for entrusting me with a great project. You are a great leader!

Leilani W., for providing me with encouragement and unbelievable pep talks, support and understanding based in her own experience. You are an angel.

Larry B., for caring, for lifting me up, for connecting me with your network and for loving me in your own sweet way over the years. You are a good friend! L’Chaim! To life and good health!

Hollie V., Vickie and David G., Billy I., Rick L. and to all three Garys on my list for providing me with much needed work, personal development advise, business wisdom. To Lise R., for trusting in me with website and Facebook marketing. Nathan L. for sending waves of enthusiasm and energy via social media. I have learned so much from you.

Jane M., for the spirit of strength and endurance and that at age 76 one can still trek all the way from Moscow to Vladivostok alone. Channie Z., for your guidance and opening up your deepest heart wisdom.

Then there are the numerous social media techie friends who have embraced the notion that quality engagement and relationships can be built using this platform. It is a PHENOMENAL experience and it will blow through the roof in 2011!!

My sweetest daughter Sarah W. Thank you sweetie for hanging in there with me through all the ups and downs of the past few years. I know it has not been easy for you and the quality of your beautiful core character and integrity shines through all that you do and you manage to tolerate my wicked humor! You are beautiful!

To my other daughter Michelle S. who has blessed me with her quiet listening skills and for being a constant reminder what genuine politics with humanity and integrity is all about. You have not wavered from continuing to advocate for worthwhile causes. You have inspired me in ways you will never know. I love you both!

Rozene M., for walking into my professional life eighteen months ago, neither one of us knowing that this meeting was to forever change my life!

Last but not least, Lawrence S., for giving me the courage, pulling me out of my fears, feeding me genuinely grounded strong spiritual wisdom, for being the best listener, mentor and coach all rolled into one delightful, caring, loving and gifted friend...who keeps me laughing and singing...….I am still unwrapping this surprise package…. Thank You!!

I will be embarking on a new journey with the coming new year and because of the time constraints, my weekly emails will be changed to once a month. Jitterbug Creations Facebook fan page posts will continue on a weekly basis.

Happy Holidays to each and every one of you! I am genuinely blessed!

Love, Sylvia

Women and Technology

noreply@blogger.com (Sylvie Waxman) — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 02:01:00 +0000

The National Center for Women & Information Technology reports the following statistics:

*Girls represented just 17 percent of Advanced Placement computer science (CS) exam-takers in 2008; that’s the lowest female representation of any AP exam.

*In 2008 women earned only 18 percent of all CS degrees. Back in 1985, women earned 37 percent of CS degrees.

*Women hold more than half of all professional occupations in the U.S. but only 25 percent of all computing-related occupations.

*Only 11 percent of corporate officer positions at Fortune 500 technology companies are held by women.

*A study on U.S. technology patenting reveals that patents created by mixed-gender teams are the most highly cited (an indicator of their innovation and usefulness); yet women were involved in only 9 percent of U.S. tech patents.

NCWIT is a coalition of over 200 prominent corporations, academic institutions, government agencies, and non-profits working to increase women's participation in information technology (IT).

NCWIT's work leverages the efforts of organizations across the country, and connects efforts to increase women's participation in IT along the entire pipeline, from K-12 and higher education through industry and academic careers. NCWIT encourages its members to undertake institutional change within their organizations, and their work provides them with the tools and support to be change agents.

Research-driven practices provide tangible advice and case studies for recruitment, retention, and educational and institutional reform.

Leading-edge social science research focuses on education, innovation, climate, and workforce participation.

Outreach resources highlight and encourage the participation of girls and women in IT.

The NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing recognizes young women at the high-school level for their computing achievements and encourages their continued interest. The NCWIT Academic Alliance Seed Fund provides members of NCWIT's Academic Alliance with start-up funds to develop and implement initiatives for recruiting and retaining women into computing.

National, bi-annual meeting focus on topics such as innovation, diversity of thought, K-12 education, and organizational change.

Extension Services provides Academic Alliance members with customized consultation services for implementing systemic change in their undergraduate programs to increase enrollment, retention, and graduation of women.

To read more about the important work of this organization and to receive updates, visit the website and read their newsletter

Fear of Technoloogy

noreply@blogger.com (Sylvie Waxman) — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 22:43:00 +0000

Fear of Technology: Technophobia
Tech·no·pho·bi·a (těk'nə-fō'bē-ə) n. Fear of or aversion to technology, especially computers and high technology. -Related forms: tech'no·phobe' n., tech'no·pho'bic (-fō'bĭk) adj."— (American Heritage Dictionary)

Some common forms of technophobia are:

Handling a computer.
Handling the programming for technology driven gadgets and appliances.

Technophobia is the fear or dislike of advanced technology or complex devices, especially computers. The term is generally used in the sense of an irrational fear, but others contend fears are justified. It is the opposite of technophilia.

First receiving widespread notice during the Industrial Revolution, technophobia has been observed to affect various societies and communities throughout the world. This has caused some groups to take stances against some modern technological developments in order to preserve their ideologies.

In some of these cases, the new technologies conflict with established beliefs, such as personal values in simplicity and modest lifestyles. A number of examples of technophobic ideas can be found in multiple forms of art, ranging from literary works such as Frankenstein to films like Metropolis and Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs. Many of these works portray the darker side of technology as seen by the technophobic.

As technologies become increasingly complex and difficult to understand, people are more likely to harbor anxieties relating to their use of modern technologies.

Treatment for the average technophobe is providing education and information. Some extreme cases may need to seek the counsel of a therapist, however most just need the willingness to address their anxiety and commit to the learning curve.

The reality is that within 5 years the ways in which we conduct business, both in our personal and professional lives, will be online. Many of you may have already mastered the programming for the many household gadgets or simple computer use tasks, but it is more likely that you have passed on this task to your children or grandchildren.

Virtual-e-Yours offers technology coaching for individuals and groups. Let us know what keeps you from engaging with the world of technology.

Know Thyself

noreply@blogger.com (Sylvie Waxman) — Sun, 14 Nov 2010 20:54:00 +0000

(Next week: "Fear of Technology")
This is the most basic tenet of personal development - self-improvement, and emotional intelligence. If you think you need to get to know yourself better, try these basics. These skills are always beneficial but even more so when your work is within a virtual environment.

* Solicit Feedback Regularly: Perception is reality. Seek to understand how people perceive you. You may not be achieving the impact you expected in leading or working with others. You cannot adjust your approach without the benefit of feedback that can inform you in terms of how your intentions were received by others. Be proactive in finding out what people think about you and your style of interacting and your approach. Be open to and appreciative of the feedback you receive, not defensive. Seek to understand rather than to be understood.

* Reflect on Performance: Some successful people are gregarious and extroverted while others are reserved and introverted. But all successful people know how to spend time alone being reflective and thoughtful about recent performance and behavior. Take time every day to reflect on the day’s work and interactions.

Always take ample time at the conclusion of major elements of work to reflect on the quality of what you produced and the effectiveness of your work with others. The key to reflecting on performance is remaining balanced in your self-assessment. Be self-critical: understand what you could have done better and learn from these mistakes. But also acknowledge success whenever warranted: celebrate and take pride in what you have done well.

* Know Your Strengths and Weaknesses: As you collect feedback and reflections, come to understand your personal strengths and weaknesses. Know that everyone has both. Successful people build success from their strengths while they limit the negative impact of their weaknesses. The reason to identify your key strengths and weaknesses is not so that you can improve your weaknesses. It is much more important to identify your key strengths and leverage these.

The management guru, Peter Drucker, in his classic article, “Managing Oneself”, states: “One should waste as little effort as possible on improving areas of low competence. It takes far more energy and work to improve from in-competence to mediocrity than it takes to improve from first-rate performance to excellence. And yet most people . . . concentrate on making incompetent performers into mediocre ones. Energy, resources, and time should go instead to making a competent person into a star performer.

* Know Your Joys and Passions: Be in tune to your emotions as you engage in your work. We all need to do elements of work that are tedious or displeasing, but the bulk of how you spend your day should satisfy you and make you feel good about your contributions and the impact of your efforts. Success is difficult to achieve without that level of satisfaction. Know that people who excel enjoy what they do and do what they enjoy.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Know_thyself)

Benefits of Affiliate Marketing

noreply@blogger.com (Sylvie Waxman) — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 04:59:00 +0000

Benefits of Affiliate Marketing

I entered the affiliate marketing arena a few years ago and it was definitely a “by the seat of my pants” learning process. After experimenting with several affiliate marketing vendors, I have settled on just a few core providers whose values blends comfortably with my own personal criteria and a vision for my brand.

It has taken me at least a year to research, experiment and filter the vendors based on the values I wanted to adhere to. Today I personally favor Share-A-Sale because of the increased volume of eco-conscious and Fair Trade merchants in their directory. The merchants I have created an affiliate agreement with are listed on my Eco-Friendly 101 and FairTrade101 sites. Share-a-Sale also offers an extremely user friendly process for the capture of embed codes and for uploading and creating organized product pages. They also offer affiliate contracts for their own product and offer a fairly decent commission for each purchaser a site sends.

In addition I use Commission Junction, LinkShare, Google Affiliate and Amazon or work directly with a merchant such as Freshbooks. All of these offer solid and easy to use reporting and tracking systems. On the side-bar or within the body of my emails, (as in this one) I post links to merchants who have a proven record of providing great products and excellent customer service. Most will have a social action program in place within their company and give back to community in some way. Some I have a reciprocal linking agreement with, where the only interest is in the sharing of one another's link and no commission is earned. Many of the reciprocal contacts were introduced via one or another Social Media network.

I've included an excerpted article from Answers.com which offers an excellent review about this subject. If you have a website, blog or send regular email updates, it is almost a no-brainer to create affiliate contracts so that you can generate “passive” income for your business, your non-profit site or your cause. If done with transparency, integrity and you choose merchants wisely, there is no limit to the many creative ways you can market their products.

Warm Regards,
Sylvia Waxman
(866) 961-8833

Virtual Global Business World - Lessons learned

noreply@blogger.com (Sylvie Waxman) — Sat, 06 Nov 2010 00:21:00 +0000

Working within a virtual environment has its stumbling blocks in the freelancing world and they include:

Clients are "faceless", with communication limited to email, phone calls and perhaps the occasional webinair meeting.
The competition for projects is intense and includes providers from all over the world.
Buyers want rock bottom pricing, and there are providers who will offer it, so a good provider can't get a fair price for their work.
Buyers are not interested in quality, and are certainly not willing to pay for it.

These objections have a valid basis. Participating in a global marketplace where all transactions are virtual, a provider is unlikely to meet clients in person. My personal experience from working within a corporate environment, where contact across the states and with overseas clients via email, phone and web meetings was a necessity, provided me with the ability to compete for business within the virtual global world. I transitioned easily from experiencing a lay-off into providing virtual business services from home or just about anywhere I could access Wi-Fi with my laptop.

Yes, there is competition and many buyers value price over quality. However, I find that the percentage of those who were willing to give up quality to lower price is about the same for operating virtually as for the local market. I learned that the online virtual market is very large and growing at a rapid pace and so even with the same percentage as the offline world, those who were looking for “cheap” seem more numerous and noticeable.

Success in tapping into an online virtual freelance market is rooted in four key factors:

A virtual business provider must have strong business/office experience, which translates to an emphasis on customer service, an ability to discern good clients from bad, and clear terms and conditions that work for provider as well as for the client.
Build a robust portfolio that supports the bids offered. Samples should cover the full spectrum of services offered.
Provide excellent testimonials that attest to the quality and expertise you offer.
Finally, in a virtual freelance world it is advisable not to attach rate to ego. Offering flexibility in a competitive online freelance market will prove to be a valuable tool, whether you are a seasoned professional or a brand new start-up.

The primary reason that many freelancers fail to achieve success in the virtual market is that they are too attached to their rate, emphasize gross over net, and are unwilling to adjust pricing. Joining an online freelance board, utilizing free social media marketing tools such as Twitter and Facebook can save time and money looking for prospects. Be transparent in your marketing, and you will find a steady stream of leads, all from the comfort of your own home. Without the marketing and sales overhead that offline peers have, and without the overhead time and expense related to face to face meetings, a freelance virtual provider can charge a lower rate and still come out ahead on the bottom line.

Virtual-e-Yours is the result of experience combined with skill and yes, a bit of “chutzpah”! The entry into the world of conducting business virtually is not new to me, however I find it is a new way of operating for many who are accustomed to a one-on-one, face to face contact. An added service Virtual-e-Yours provides is the willingness to provide support to introduce the client to a world of optimal functioning conducting business online. This translates into coaching someone transitioning their computer “phobia” into a desire to open up to the virtual world and a want to address the needed learning curve.

With the onslaught of many businesses requiring customers to conduct business online making medical appointments, fill prescriptions, paying utility bills etc., Virtual-e-Yours recently launched the “Geeky Geezers On Line” Facebook fan page, a support fan page for the 50+ generation. We will be offering free tips and lessons to our fans.

"What Exactly Is It You Do?"

noreply@blogger.com (Sylvie Waxman) — Sun, 24 Oct 2010 01:09:00 +0000

I get that question a lot. From the first day I opened my Virtual-e-Yours business it became evident that I was going to have to learn how to perfect that so-called elevator speech, because few I came into contact with knew what a virtual provider was.

When called upon to introduce myself at networking events I always start by asking if anyone has heard of a virtual provider. I see more hands now than before. Still, those same people who raise their hands end up finding me at some point and admitting that although they’ve heard of it, they don't exactly know what a virtual or personal development virtual provider does, nor are they familiar with the benefits of hiring one.

Networking events don't normally give an opportunity to give a lengthy definition. Since the word "virtual" is one which is self-explanatory, I still have to follow it with “I provide virtual project and personal development support to busy clients via the Internet”, just to bump into a sea of blank stares. In trying to create clarity in defining what I do, I studied my website and realized that I was failing to truly answer the burning question, "What do you do?" I have felt many times the need to define what Virtual-e-Yours offers but have only generalized and in doing so, failed at answering the question.

Unlike most job descriptions, this one encompasses many specialties and many industries. The background and training of each individual virtual provider determines just what they offer for services. In reality, each and every virtual provider offers something a little bit different than the next. In light of this revelation, there are two ways I now deal with the looming question of “What do you do?”

If the person is asking about virtual providers in general I think it would be fair to compare it to being an engineer. Civil engineers, mechanical engineers and chemical engineers all do different things, yet they are all still engineers. Social media, bookkeeping, web development and personal development virtual providers are all still virtual providers.

So how do I respond when I am asked specifically what I do? I’m working on coming up with a new elevator speech that is more specific to my services. I've also updated my site and clarified the services available. Today, when someone visits our website, they will have a much better idea of just what Virtual-e-Yours offers.

An Introduction to Jitterbug Creations

noreply@blogger.com (Sylvie Waxman) — Sat, 16 Oct 2010 23:23:00 +0000

As a vivacious and dynamic corporate employee for a number of years, I found myself and my colleagues downsized and outsourced out of positions which prior to the proliferation of the internet, were fairly secure and stable. We were all acutely aware that manufacturing jobs were being outsourced to other countries, but never considered that our own positions were also ripe for the same outcome. After all we had direct, personal contact with all of our customers and worked for a company whose relationship with clients was labeled "fanatical", where the number one product was continually re-enforced to be that of customer service! This fanatical service we were so proud to adhere to actually granted me a coveted customer service award. Today, I look back to the experience of having been employed by a company who places the customer at the top of the organizational chart with a ton of gratitude. The philosophy of arming employees with the self-empowerment to do whatever it takes to create customer satisfaction has stayed and followed me into my current professional endeavors. It has also drawn my attention to the many companies who really do not adhere to this philosophy, whether I'm at the grocery store or on the phone with a customer service representative, I am always highly appreciative when I encounter one who understands the core principles of this concept.

Living in an area where unemployment rates are one of the highest in the country and potential employment bleaker than ever, I decided that I needed to do some deep soul-searching and make decisions about a next step. After re-assessing my core values and with the encouragement of some great career coaching, I decided to follow my intuitive voice and give birth to "Jitterbug Creations", an umbrella company where the projects I am passionate about meet sustainable living and socially responsible values I most care about. These include values of creating peace with non-violent communication, respect for diversity, ecological wisdom, supporting local community economic justice, gender equality and a focus on personal responsibility. I can unequivocally state that this decision has not only been the most risk I've ever exposed myself to but also one of the scariest. It is a journey outside my normal day to day comfort zone and seen by some who know me as courageous and by others, the most insane thing I have ever done is to embark on the journey of an entrepreneur!

Jitterbug Creations has given birth to and serviced a growing portfolio of virtual projects. Virtual-e-Yours™ is a provider of affordable flash websites, social media support and virtual administrative projects. Eco-Friendly101™, one of our special projects, offers lifestyle coaching which concentrates on the creation of an eco-friendly environment, both internal and external. Some other projects include, Gluten Free Ethnic Cook™, Eco-Friendly101 Travel™, Magnolia Mansion® and others. Some of the industries we service are non-profit organizations, small business start-ups, schools, artists, life coaches and authors. Our attempt at keeping our services affordable is based on the notion that small business or solo-preneurial start-up websites can be low-cost and professional and should not cost an arm and a leg. Jitterbug Creations operates in a virtual environment, communicating via email, chat and phone only, thereby keeping overhead low and the ability to pass on the savings to our clients.

Today, while attempting to create steady income stream with my Virtual-e-Yours™ business, one of my greatest passions is in coaching people from all walks of life to enjoy greater personal success. I am utilizing another great passion, technology, to assist me in the development of online interactive learning modules, allowing for a unique coaching process. My long journey has taught me a great deal about what it really takes to succeed both at home and in the work place. I am a great believer in balance and take pride in my success which did not come without bumps, bruises and mistakes made along the way. I could not have done this without a few primary influencers to whom I will always be eternally grateful. Thomas Leonard, who in his short life, developed and helped pioneer many of today’s life coaching models. His “Clean Sweep” personal development coaching program started me on a path I am still traveling today and changed my life. Gay and Kathlyn Hendricks, authors of “Conscious Living” and “Conscious Loving”, Deepak Chopra, Rabbi Harold Kushner, Daniel Goleman and others, profoundly influenced and validated for me the core value that this world of relationships and interactions with each other, on a personal, professional and global level, is all about the science of love and commitment.

Jitterbug Creations is committed to our core values and hold ourselves up to the highest standards of integrity and customer service within a supportive, collaborative team environment. We actively encourage feedback by welcoming suggestions and offering critiques of how we are doing. Our commitment extends beyond our walls and we encourage our team members to participate in peaceful activist advocacy of causes leading to the vision of a world we seek.