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How to Select the Right PPC Keywords

2011-07-28T21:12:00.001-07:00

How to Select the Right PPC Keywords

Professional search engine optimization specialists are more likely to tell you that the keywords you use for your online marketing campaign can either make or break your overall online business plan. Why? Keywords act as the nerve center of practically all paid search campaigns. These keywords either pull or drive off potential customers who visit your site or simply do their search in various search engines.

A recently published article in Search Engine Watch likens a keyword list to a garden - where the website owner is the gardener. The entry emphasized the importance of planting the right keywords at the proper time in order to yield wonderful results. It also suggested that website owners carefully select keywords and be on guard. Unnecessary keywords, according to the author, has to be culled out so that what remains are the thriving ones.

Here are five tips that will help you get better yields than weeds when selecting search words/ keywords for your paid search.

1. Research.

Knowing that keywords are critical to the success of your marketing campaign, be careful not to take selection lightly. Consider seasonality, competition and geographic variance. Use online tools such as Google Insights to help you learn and understand the new keywords that are being searched on. This tool provides a good sense of new variants that you you can add to your list and possibly help you get ahead of your competitors.

2. Find the right match.

Make it a point to use the right keywords so that your campaign is on top of the list the moment consumers start searching for something on any of the popular search engines. Also take advantage of search query report to comb through other keyword variations that will help you gain additional insights for your business.

3. Consider the customer's search experience across devices.

Take note that search queries can come from a wide array of devices. Studies show that 10 to 15 % of search volume comes from mobile phones and tablets. Given this fact, it is important to remember how consumers search differently with the use of various devices.

4. Experiment and try using new Google Betas.

Bear in mind that change is the only thing that is constant within search. The most searched keywords today may no longer work in the next few weeks or months; the most popular keywords tomorrow might not be in any of your lists today, so you might as well review your lists and make sure you have what most consumers are currently looking for. Get the most out of the world wide web by using keyword targeting enhancements.

5. Keep going.

Remember that everything within and about your online marketing campaigns keep changing - including your customers and algorithms. With that in mind, NEVER forget your keyword list. Review your search and discover which keywords really work and pull out those that do not seem to bring in customers. Never be oblivious of the current data from your campaigns.

How to Select the Right PPC Keywords

How to Select your Keywords

2011-04-05T00:43:00.000-07:00

Online business owners and blog enthusiasts need to know that having a website or a blog is not at all enough. There is a need to invest some time for search engine optimization of the site. And this ideally starts with choosing and incorporating the right keywords into your web contents.

Apparently, it appears that search engine optimization itself is an overwhelming process. This, however, is generally manageable - provided you take it all one step at a time. In fact, you can do the SEO on your own, or if you want it, get an expert to do the task for you.

Take note that having an insight to keywords that are relevant to your site is but the beginning of an entire SEO process. This step is generally referred to as a sanity check that offers site owners a glimpse of how people search for a keyword and how you should expect your product or service to be found. This way, you avoid wasting time and resources trying to focus and optimize your site for search words that online users are actually not using to find your online business.

Let me share with you five simple steps in selecting the ideal keywords for your site.

1. Kick of with your own brand name.
This is supposed to be your first concern: to make sure that your own site comes first when online users start searching for your brand.

In case you don't rank well in your own brand name, try to modify your keywords and see to it that you use terms that are strictly associated with your brand such as brand-specific product names or your management teams' names.

2. Generate keyword suggestions.
Turn to keyword suggestion tools such as those used by business process outsourcing companies for a list of recommended keywords. Select a handful of keywords from the list. Also it is important that you include a range of head terms and long-tail keywords.

3. Identify your competitors.
Identify your competitor's target KWs and incorporate their homepage URL to your keyword suggestion tool.

4. Be specific with your KW list.
You need not include all suggested KWs provided by your suggestion tool. In this case, choose search words according to relevancy to your site, competition, search volume, and current status. As much as possible, pick out at least 10 keywords per search engine optimization campaign.

Remember to include keyword phrases you are already ranking for. This way, you know you are already on your way.

Always consider the global monthly searches and competition of each keyword you choose. Ideally, you should go for those that have low competition and at least 1,000 monthly searches.

5. Run an SEO campaign on your target keywords.
Intensify your quest in making it to the top of the results pages by regularly monitoring keywords and measuring the kind of traffic you are generating from them.

Characteristics of an Ideal Offshore Outsourcing Solution

2011-03-26T00:06:00.000-07:00

Are you looking for an ideal offshore outsource solution? If your answer is yes, then here are some pointers that will help you find a business partner you can hire. These pointers are basically the characteristics of an ideal offshore outsource solution:

No Minimum Commitments. Offshore agreements should not contain minimum or revenue commitments. Instead, business owners should negotiate for a tiered discount schedule that leverages volume discounts for improved utilization and speed. The offshore outsourcing firm should be responsible in earning its client’s business based on performance and not on pre-negotiated commitments.

Termination for Convenience (without material early termination fees). Ideal outsourcing deals should allow companies to terminate contracts even before the end of the term and should not require the business owner to pay a significant termination fee. This way, scuffles are avoided – regardless of the cause of the termination. There can be various reasons to terminate an outsourcing deal. Performance, cultural issues, distance, and other areas are only some of them. The outsourcing firm, of course, can almost always fire back and demand to be compensated for stranded costs like the cost of hiring dedicated outsource staffs to fill the positions, severance and others. But then again, entrepreneurs can be savvy enough to argue that stranded costs are generally not material. In this case, entrepreneurs who decide to terminate deals before the end of the term can only pay for actual stranded costs but not for expected profits and lost opportunities.

Length & Flexibility of Deal. A good BPO offshore outsourcing deal generally consists of an initial term of 2-3 years with two to four successive one year extension options. This way customers can actually choose whether to continue leveraging their expertise or not. The agreement should contain all terms of the deal, including the price.

Currency Options. Given the constantly changing value of dollars, business owners should decide on a currency payment structure that provides the best financial sense. More often than not, leveraging local currency is a beneficial option for offshore deals.

Key Personnel. Service providers should ensure that clients are provided with “key personnel” or reliable resources that an outsourcing company can turn to in case they need to conduct interviews for their projects. Key personnel offer companies more control over quality control of their dedicated outsource staff.

Intellectual Property Rights. Ideal offshore deals contain clear provisions on ownership of software or products being developed and should prevent the outsourcer from using the said software or whatever products for other purposes. These should not be provided to competitors. In all sense, appropriate disclaimers and provisions should be stipulated.

Meaningful SLAs. The agreement should contain service-level agreements (SLAs) that reflect expected performance levels from the hired offshore BPO staffs. It should be focused on areas that create positive business impact for the firm.

Outsourcing Management Tips

2011-03-19T01:54:00.000-07:00

Let’s face it: Not all outsource projects work as expected. There are times when companies do not get the right service or product they require from their outsource SEO staff. Take for instance those entrepreneurs who outsource their software development tasks. Many of these firms end up getting software that does not really work. On worse cases, these companies sometimes even end up not getting what they have actually paid for. These and many nightmares of outsourcing are only some of the many things that entrepreneurs wish to avoid.

In all these, it appears that many clients are reluctant to leverage because of several reasons. There are those who shuns the thought of getting in touch with an outsource SEO consultant because of fears that they might just end up with a bad offshore vendor. Many others deviate from the idea of leveraging competencies because the vendor might not be able to manage the work effectively. Others have these lingering worries about getting less quality service and products.

Online marketing who had already tried to leverage their expertise shares the following outsourcing management tips:

* Track milestones. See to it that you have a well-prepared plan that includes estimates and schedules. Make sure your selected vendor and your entire outsource SEO staff is aware of they so they know what to accomplish within each time frame. Hired parties should commit to the dates of completion of each milestone. Modify milestones only when necessary and when you notice your hired staff has a hard time meeting it.
* Track requirements. Check quality of products or services you require from your provider. See to it that these contain features you require.
* Regularly monitor outsourcing progress. Communicate with your hired third movers on a regular basis. Get in touch with them on a regular basis. Exchange emails and/or conference calls on specific days to ensure that operations are doing well and issues are resolved immediately.
* Keep building. If you leverage software design, see to it that a system is put in place to compile and build such project every time you check into the source file. This will help you address problems the moment they occur and will eventually help you avoid delayed software release.
* Test-drive. Require unit tests from your outsourced SEO consultant and staff. Create tests before you eventually ask them to implement the features you desire. This will help your hired parties understand better what you really want from them. Tests will also serve as your basis when checking for system functionality.
* Demand high quality service. This will help set high levels of functionality and quality for your end-users. See to it that all features you demand are well within each product.
* Collaborate with your SEO consultation services provider. This will help you resolve potential issues. While it is true that it can be hard to regularly meet with your outsourced staff especially if they are located in another continent or country, don’t fret. Instead, learn to keep in touch with them using technologies like the internet. Send emails or instant messages to address issues. Use online telecommunication tools like Skype, Yahoo Messenger or Google Talk for free.

How Get the Best from your Outsource SEO Staff

2011-03-15T21:54:00.000-07:00

One reason why you might have come across this page is that you are searching for a reliable outsource SEO staff. Or it could be because you are looking for ways on how to take full advantage of the services your chosen provider is currently providing you. In either case, here are four tips that are guaranteed to help you get the best from your third party mover:

Do not underestimate your hired SEO staff. Search engine optimization professionals from most outsourcing companies are skilled and well-trained to provide a myriad of non-core competencies. Bank on this thought and do not be wary to give them non-core tasks so you could focus on more important functions. Hired third party personnel can handle not only data entry jobs but other back-office tasks as well.

Go for offshore training. If this is your first time to hire an outsourcing SEO services provider and you believe your hired staff requires training, provide the necessary training right at the staff’s location. Don’t think about coming over to personally provide them training. Instead, take advantage of technological innovations. This will not only save you time and energy but a large amount of resources as well. In case you are not fully confident with online trainings, ask a representative of your chosen provider to come over to your location and learn the ropes of your work. This representative can later go back to his own company, share and train others.

As much as possible, reduce the risk of downsizing. Just because you already plan to outsource does not mean you can already axe a large chunk of your existing employees. Given that you would want to cut down overhead expenditures, it remains the company’s moral obligation to consider the welfare of all in-house and outsourced employees.

Be particular with the quality of service you get from your selected outsourcing SEO services provider. Never overlook feedbacks from other clients or your offshore vendor. Also, do not be contented with testimonials posted on the sites of service provider. Instead, make it a point to demand for high quality output and impressive results.

Do not allow your hard-earned resources to go to waste. Get the most and the best that you can possibly derive from your SEO consultation services provider.

In case you can’t have an outsource SEO staff…

2011-03-05T21:00:00.001-08:00

Let’s face it: A good number of start-up and small-scale companies cannot really afford to get the services of top-notch outsource SEO staff. For one thing, some of these professionals charge exorbitant professional fees. More often than not, high cost of services from expert consultants usually mean reducing employee hours. In worse cases, laying people off becomes an option for many entrepreneurs in order to be able to accommodate new employees who could render the much needed expertise.

An outsource SEO staff may mean investing in yet another expertise. For the entrepreneur, it could mean allocating an even greater amount as payment for the service because hired consultants tend to be pricier as compared to the usually hired labor force. But then again, a professional from one of the countless SEO consultation services providers are experts in the field and can be relied on to give you the best quality of work.

In case you cannot possibly hire individuals from targeted SEO consultation services providers, here’s another option for you: work-sharing. Work-sharing is an approach that will help you save jobs of your existing workforce and will also help you figure out your corporate goals. Under this solution, employees agree to a small cut on their wages so that none of the employees are fired. This system encourages business owners to retain employees that they would be forced to let go. Certainly, work-sharing is a lot better than layoffs that are common to economically-challenged enterprises.

Communicate with your Outsource SEO Staff

2011-02-17T02:42:00.000-08:00

Lack of communication is seen as one of the biggest threats to outsourcing. A study spearheaded by one of the world’s most popular outsourcing SEO services providers revealed that countless firms end up not getting the best from leveraging competencies simply because of communication gap between the entrepreneurs and the service provider.

Here’s what normally happens when a firm closes an engagement with a third party provider: When outsourcing deals are made, a lot of people does not seem to know and could not even track progress of such deal. Stakeholders from both parties, the service provider and the entrepreneur, tend to have no idea how the project started. For instance, it is usually the corporate head that sees the feasibility of leveraging competencies; the CEO would later disclose the idea to the CIO who might eventually divulge the prospect to the human resource department of the company. In a sense, the idea of delegating tasks to any onshore or offshore location actually goes through a lot of people who understands and translates the idea differently. And more often than not, such pattern results in not getting the kind of service and benefits that a company head actually has in mind.

In view of this, a company who delegates tasks to third party providers has to see to it that there is open communications from all stakeholders concerned. On-shoring or offshoring deals should not be viewed and treated as a hand-off where ideas are passed on to others. Instead, it should be seen as an endeavor of the entire firm. As an outsourcing analyst puts it, leveraging business competencies should not be a private exchange between two corporate heads but a team dialogue of all concerned parties.

The executive who initiated an outsourcing deal may not at all be active in the project itself. But just the same, such professional has to be kept in the communication loop. Top executives need to be well-informed about the day-to-day progress of the project and has to have access to updated documents. It is also essential that both parties keep good documentation of the deal.

A study conducted by a top notch SEO consultation services provider reveals that well documented deals tend to produce better results. Good and high level documentation enhances strategic value of the business engagement. This is primarily because essential goals like cost-savings are well-appropriated without looking past other concerns such as time-to-market issues.

Reality bites, though. Several researches on leveraging competencies reveal that a large chunk of firms who delegate their tasks are focused on reducing expenditures. The study further disclosed that only a handful of these outsourcing companies keep good communication lines with their hired outsource SEO staff.

Fortunately, there have been several changes on the attitudes of many companies these days. A survey involving 1,900 entrepreneurs showed that while many companies turn to third party movers for cost savings, more business owners now outsource to further improve their overall business strategy.

Top 10 Risks of Offshore Outsourcing

2011-02-04T16:26:00.000-08:00

1. Cost-reduction expectations.
Many entrepreneurs tend to assume that labor arbitrage will yield savings comparable to person-to-person comparison. In reality, companies can only expect to save at least 15-25% during the first year; 35-40% by the third year is the company decodes to “go up the learning curve” and modify strategies to align to an offshore model.

2. Data security protection.
Vendors should have sufficiently robust security practices. Apparently, not all BPO offshore outsourcing firms offer impressive security practices. In this case, it is essential that privacy concerns are raised and addressed before you eventually make a deal with any vendor.

3. Capability Maturity Model (CMM)
The CMM helps measure the readiness of a company to adopt an offshore model.

4. Loss of business knowledge.
Business owners need to identify which business knowledge may be moved to either outside the company or an offshore location in order not to compromise the company practices.

5. Vendor failure to deliver.
Failure to deliver products and services occur at times. If your targeted company is at high-risk of vendor failure, perhaps you should try to shift your outsourcing strategy. For example, you can move from one single vendor to multiple vendors.

6. Scope creep.
Fixed-price contracts in outsourcing do not really exist. Rates of offshore outsource solutions tend to change by at least 10-15% throughout the development cycle.

7. Government oversight/ regulation
Some companies are subject to various degrees of government oversight. Ensure that you choose an offshore outsource solution provider that is sensitive to industry-specific requirements. It is also important that you select a vendor that provides sufficient “transparency”.

8. Culture.
Most vendors require and provide their dedicated outsource staff to undergo cultural education programs. Call center agents, for instance, are usually provided accent training so they can communicate better. However, these trainings are not always enough. In that sense, settle with an outsourced staff that who understands fully your own culture.

9. Turnover of key personnel.
The impact of high turnover causes indirect loss to an outsourcing firm. In this case, find a provider who would be liable for every hired dedicated outsource staff that needs to be replaced.

10. Knowledge transfer.
Technical and business knowledge transfer from the vendor to the outsourcing company needs to be accounted for. Entrepreneurs can do this by using innovative solutions such as deploying video conferencing. Video conferencing eliminates the need to travel and creating one-to-many transfers. This also helps business owners save money on BPO offshore outsourcing.

Outsourcing and its Implication

2011-01-31T02:40:00.000-08:00

Outsourcing remains a phenomenon, continually evolving at a very fast pace and is expected to maneuver many more businesses across the globe. To some analysts, this is largely because of the promising growth of information technology – a key factor in globalization. Outsourcing non-core activities like back office jobs to an outsource SEO staff, for instance, helps multinational companies keep their edge in the cut throat competition. Most companies turn to outsourcing to cut costs and improve services at the same time. But then again, there are also companies who outsource simply because that is what their rival companies are doing.

To put it simply, outsourcing is not always a win-win strategy. Ask several business owners who have tried outsourcing and you will soon discover that the business strategy has many downsides, many of which tend to go unnoticed. An example of the downsides of outsourcing lies on the policies of first world nations like the US and the United Kingdom. As we all might know it, these nations have nothing but sloppy policies on outsourcing. A large number of companies from these nations tend to outsource simply because they are forced to believe that outsourcing is their only alternative. Many of these companies are made to believe that leveraging their competencies will help them reduce expenses. This is where fair playing ground for both outsourcing companies and outsource destinations is at risk.

Leveraging competencies to outsourcing SEO services providers that are usually located in third world countries certainly benefits many, but what about the first world nations? First world nations are not at all spared from unrest and they also need assurance of better services and improved businesses. Any outsourcing company has to see to it that they select an offshore destination that features good governance, excellent communication facilities, great culture, and a vast knowledge and expertise. Companies that outsource also need to ensure that they deal with a provider that guarantees better products and services at affordable rates.

Other drawbacks of outsourcing include reduced motivation and decline in services. Employees who work in an organization that is already outsourcing tend to fear job losses. Why not, the thought of a company closing deals with an outsource SEO consultant increases the risk of an employee being sacked in favor of an outsource SEO staff who can possibly provide the same services at a much lower price.

Captive Centers in Focus

2011-01-28T22:46:00.000-08:00

Several business analysts thought that offshore destinations or simply
captive centers would vanish soon. Why not? World-renowned companies like
the Citigroup, Unilever, Deutsche Bank, Dell and other Fortune 500
companies have already shut down their own offshore service centers last
year.

Research claims that many at least 60% of all companies that maintain
offshore locations or is into outsourcing decided to cut their ties with
an offshore outsource SEO provider because these outsourced providers have
failed some expectations.

On a different view, other companies remained unthreatened. Many
entrepreneurs decided to get in touch with firms that offer high quality
SEO consultation services at affordable rates. On the fourth quarter of
2009, for instance, 40 new wholly-owned captive centers or offshore
outsourcing locations were launched and up until this time, many other
companies have already set up new ones.

But what really is an outsourced captive center or offshore outsourcing
destination? A captive center is one of the many outsourcing models
available these days. Like other outsourcing SEO services, this model has
its own advantages and disadvantages, and should be carefully chosen
depending on the needs and requirements of the outsourcing company.

Today, offshore outsourcing is expected to last a long time even with the
maturation of the offshore IT services industry.

Giant Tech Vendor HTC to Venture in Outsourcing

2011-01-25T22:47:00.000-08:00

The Taiwan-based High Tech Computer Corp (HTC) is now planning to get the
in touch with an outsource production team that would help them further
improve their capacity and leadership in the industry. Reports have it
that the demand for HTC products are explosively increasing over the years
and outsourcing SEO services is one of the best business solutions to meet
such overwhelming demand. For the record, HTC is a globally leading vendor
of smartphones.

The CEO of HTC, Peter Chou, disclosed that HTC now have its factories in
Taiwan and mainland China. With the additional factories, the company now
hopes to double its monthly outputs to 2 million units. Developments in
the said firm does not end there yet as the global leader is now building
its own office building at its plant in Taiwan’s northern county of
Taoyuan.

Despite the expanded output of HTC, the firm remains worried that they
still might not be able to meet the strong demands for smartphones. Many
believe, this is the reasons why HTC actually has been into outsourcing
productions with several top-notch EMS (electronic manufacturing service)
firms, including Pegatron Corp., Wistron Corp., Foxconn Technology Co.,
Ltd. and Flextronics International Ltd., on the firm`s supplier candidate
list..

The company’s CEO disclosed that HTC is planning to outsource a part of
its production to third party organizations for maximum operation
efficiency. The executive, did not point out how the firm and its partners
will work with each other, or set a timetable for the plan for far.

HTC makes the hot-selling Desire HD phones. The company is hoping to ship
at least expecting 8.5 million smart phones and hit a sales revenue of
NT$94 billion for the first quarter of this year, markedly up 157% and
147%, respectively, from a year earlier, with the gross profit rate to
reach the level of 29-30% and quarterly EPS (earnings per share) to amount
to NT$15-16.

Outsourcing is an Excellent Business Solution

2011-01-24T22:43:00.000-08:00

Business owners these days face even greater challenges to stay ahead of
the game. There is the need to regularly upgrade technologies; there is
the incessant demand to provide employees more trainings and workshops so
they can be competitive players in the industry. Business owners also need
to comply with employment laws that appear to be getting more complicated
and more critical as days pass. To hurdle these and many other issues,
companies can only think of utilizing business solutions that work.

An example of a proven effective business solution is outsourcing non-core
tacks and activities to a reliable outsourcing SEO services provider.
Defined as the process of leveraging internal job processes to a third
party that usually comes from a different geographical location,
outsourcing guarantee cost savings on technologies and access to an
unlimited number of professionals. Outsourcing SEO services providers
offer their expertise at a much lower price. These companies typically
handle back end jobs like data entry, medical transcription, payroll
processing, and customer services.

Outsourcing companies like SEO Company Philippines provides entrepreneurs
an opportunity to tap the expertise of a blended workforce consisting of
permanent employees, consultants, independent contractors, and contingent
workers without increasing their budgets for additional manpower,
workstations, trainings and other expenditures typical when hiring new
staff on board. These and many other benefits of outsourcing have made the
practice of outsourcing an excellent business solution.

But ideal as outsourcing sounds, outsourcing is bombarded with a growing
set of challenges regarding compliance with employment laws and
regulations. Companies who delegate their non-core activities to
outsourcing SEO services providers need to comply with an evolving network
of employment laws and regulations and have to further introduce new
levels of sophistication and comprehensive oversight in their compliance
efforts. This way, outsourcing companies are not at risk of scrutiny for
labor practices. In a sense, companies that outsource have to see to it
that the business they deal with classify, treat, and pay their workforce
appropriately.

Points to Consider when Selecting an Outsource SEO Provider

2011-01-21T21:29:00.000-08:00

• Choose from a wide array of outsourcing resources.

There are hundreds of firms that provide SEO consultation services and
thousand others that provide a myriad of outsourced services such as back
office jobs, IT web design, accounting and many others. When choosing an
outsource SEO provider, consider several points such as the kind of
service your company actually requires, the amount of money you can invest
in outsourcing and the professional expertise of your chosen provider. It
is also important to take note that even search engine optimization
companies can also go bankrupt that would leave your own business
disrupted. In this case, see to it that you choose a reliable, well
established outsource SEO provider.

• Forge partnership with an accessible outsource SEO provider.

As much as possible, make it a point to settle with an outsourcing SEO
services provider that you can always access and communicate to anytime.
This should not be a problem to entrepreneurs who wish to take advantage
of outsourcing because most service providers now work their way up to
ensure better relationship with their clients by ensuring open
communication. Most SEO company Philippines, for instance, are accessible
by email, phone, and even text messages. These outsourcing companies also
feature customer service representatives who are responsible for all calls
and queries from existing and would-be customers.

• Consider not only the cost of outsourcing.

All right, outsourcing is generally employed to save costs. Companies seek
outsourcing SEO services not only to free up some tasks and lighten the
load of their employees but also to cut overhead costs. And to be able to
achieve this economic goal, companies usually settle with an outsourced
provider that offers their services at very low costs. Apparently, it has
been found out that many companies end up losing their investment and not
getting the best from outsourcing because they have been too resolute to
team up with very affordable SEO services. The point is that some
outsource providers that most affordable services provide less quality
services.

• Be open and try to appreciate other cultures.

Regardless of the location of your chosen outsourcing SEO services
provider, try your best to learn about and appreciate other cultures. Be
patient and flexible so that you don’t run at risk of creating unhealthy
business relationship with your outsourced provider.

Social Networking and Its Impact to your Business

2011-01-12T21:22:00.000-08:00

Social networking offers great potential for business improvement. This
online activity that depends on social networking sites like Facebook,
Twitter, Multiply, and Friendster among others, offers several business
advantages. Research suggests that social networking encourages knowledge
sharing, fuels innovation and can possibly boost productivity.

At present, almost every company now uses social networking technologies.
A very recent survey revealed that most companies now utilize social
networking not only as a strategy to further advance their business
interest but also to serve other purposes. Take for instance the case of
many outsourcing SEO services providers scattered across the world. These
outsourced services providers turn to social networking as a means to
communicate with both employees and clients. Social networking sites are
now used to collaborate with different stakeholders using instant
messaging features and other sorts of technology-facilitated social
networking.

However, unfettered social networking especially employees can also lead
to a concomitant of risks. It can possibly send the wrong kind of messages
to the world. Haphazard social networking may also result to confusion
among existing customers and can possibly compromise a company’s brand.

Irresponsible use of social networking technologies can possibly lead to
leaks of confidential information, damage to the company’s reputation, and
decline of employee productivity.

Another study disclosed that social networking brews up several other
risks like security of contents uploaded on social networking sites,
proliferation of many other new social networking sites, and monitoring of
contents uploaded by each member. There is also the threat of uneven and
inaccurate spread of information across many other sites. Not to mention
the fact that social networking sites allow individuals to ask and
generate job recommendations that later end up mistakenly perceived as
endorsements by an organization.

Large scale companies, in particular, tend to experience the downsides of
social networking, Given the fact that large companies need more
technologies, they become targets of competitors trying to glean into
their trade secrets. Many believe that this is primarily because social
networking sites used by many large scale companies feature more people
who can be tapped for greater productivity and better business economics.

How to Drive More Traffic to your Site

2011-01-03T21:16:00.000-08:00

There is but one way to gain more profit from your website: to attract
more traffic to your site and convert these traffic to customers.
Apparently, it is very evident that many online entrepreneurs do not
really know how to go about with the methods of generating and converting
visits to customers. Here are eight ways that are proven to drive more
online visits to your site:

1. Buy traffic with Google Adwords and other pay per click search engines.
These methods, although requiring some amount of money, keeps your site up
and running competitively within less than an hour. Online entrepreneurs
wanting to use this strategy only need to sign up an account at
Adwords.com create a campaign and an ad group, put in some keywords, and
your ad will soon start showing up on major search engines with 10 to 20
minutes.

2. Optimize your site for search engines. This is not as costly as pay per
click method but this one takes a lot of time and dedication. Also
referred to as search engine optimization or simply SEO, this method
requires keyword research, a task that aims to identify keywords to focus
on and targeting keywords that make money. You can do this by using Google
Adwords. The moment you identify your keywords, you can now start driving
traffic to your site.article marketing,

3. Engage in article marketing. Write articles and submit these to
different article submission sites. With this method, you present yourself
to webmasters who are actually looking for articles they can find and put
in their websites. This enables you to be displayed and featured on
various websites. See to it that your articles a contain resource box that
feature links to your site. The links will help you improve your
visibility in major search engine landing pages and will further generate
traffic to your site.

4. Create and submit press releases. Press releases are more likely to be
picked up by major publications, and similar to articles, can also
generate more traffic to your site.

5. Set up and maintain a blog. Blogs are excellent traffic generators
because they provide fresh content and these are also available through
RSS feeds. Blogs are also search engine friendly because these allow
webmasters to post your blog on their own sites, in effect increasing
traffic to your site. Beginners on blogging can use Google free service
which is Blogger.com while others can also use another free blogging
service which is Wordpress.com.

6. Engage in offline advertising. Do not be too focused in online
marketing. Consider the old traditional way of advertising your products
and services.

7. Use viral products. E-books, movies, and other free downloadable items
tend to pass around more quickly than anything else. Other viral products
you can use include publications of the results of an interesting contest
you initiated for your customers. In case you don’t know how to create and
use viral products, search the internet for resources and discover how
this can help you improve your business.

8. Sign up on affiliate programs. Affiliate programs allow business owners
to have an army of people sending traffic to your site and paying them
only when they make a sale. Clickbank is an example of an affiliate
program if you are business focuses on electronic products while Clickbank,
Commission Junction is home to affiliates that sell physical products.

Choosing the Right BPO Offshore Outsourcing Firm

2010-12-17T11:22:00.000-08:00

Selecting the right BPO offshore outsourcing firm is most likely the most significant task of a business owner who hopes to keep his edge in today’s competitive market. In fact a lot of people see this task as even more important as fixing up a business process outsourcing destination. Why not, there are an overwhelming number of organizations offering business process outsourcing services. But this should not discourage anyone else because there are a few tips that can possibly help you get started with a right service provider.

Business process outsourcing providers across the globe bring about dedicated services in order to help buyers make a right choice and decision. But then again, it cannot be denied that cheat companies still exists in full flow. In this case, business owners need to be aware of certain precautions so they won’t fall
prey to malicious service providers.

So, what are the tips when choosing the right BPO offshore outsourcing firm?

Experts suggest that business owners consider several factors before eventually deciding which BPO vendor to take. Ideally, entrepreneurs should first analyze and scrutinize the strength and the expertise offered by any targeted service provider. These business owners have to weigh services offered by the provider as well as the provider’s roster of clients.

An excellent way of finding an ideal firm is conducting follow up with the existing clients of the firm and their related services. Your selected business process outsourcing vendor must offer appropriate quality certifications and should feature highly-skilled workforce or must be in the position to provide training facilities.

Aside from quality certification and standards, your targeted BPO service provider should also boast strong financial background. In addition, the company should also show willingness to share the risk in your outsourcing contract. It will be beneficial if you try to know about the type of services the vendors can possibly offer you. For this reason, walk the extra mile and do a comprehensive research and try to learn what are the services put on offer. It also helps to check out the relationship of the vendor with the other outsourcing suppliers.

Local shops to release iPad on Dec 17

2010-12-12T11:23:00.000-08:00

Local retailers disclosed that Apple iPad and its original Apple accessories will be officially released in the Philippines starting December 17, 2010. Apple fanatics from across the country can start shopping for such products in all Power Mac Center Apple Premium Reseller Stores nationwide.

APR stores of Power Mac Center (PMC) are found in Greenbelt 3, SM Mall of Asia, SM Megamall, The Annex at SM City North EDSA, and TriNoma.

In connection to this, Power Mac Center will also provide free workshops on how users can maximize the Apple gadget on December 17, 18, and 19, 2010 at the Power Mac Center Classroom of Greenbelt 3 at 1:00 pm, 3:00 pm and 6:00pm, and TriNoma at 6:00 pm.

Do you have the right diet?

2010-12-10T23:48:00.000-08:00

The word “diet” is probably one of the most popularly used terms these days not only among health buffs. But what really is diet? The National Institute Diabetes & Digestive & Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) defines diet as the food or drink a person consumes each day. This comes in varied types such as Atkins Diet, the Zone Diet, the South Beach Diet, and many more.

Professionally speaking, diet is designed to limit the portions of food or drink intake to promote specific purposes such as weight loss. Apparently, this is usually hard to follow especially when people do not secure the services of a professional health practitioner. Ideal diet takes into account the foods that you like and dislike as well as a combination of foods with enough calories and nutrients for good health.

When planning a diet, see to it that you choose a diet that is appropriate to your calorie needs. Make sure that you opt for diets that are practical and easy to follow and maintained for the rest of your life so that you will achieve your personal goals. Make sure that your diet contains all the essential nutrients you need to keep you healthy. Read books on diet and proper nutrition to guide you or better yet, visit and dietitian who can provide you professional advice. Also, don’t forget to read Nutrition Facts Labels on each product you buy.

Healthy Weight Forum says that a healthful diet basically includes the following:

Sufficient amount of vitamins and minerals. Eating different varieties of foods from all the food groups on the Food Guide Pyramid will help you get the vitamins and minerals your body requires. If you eat less than 1,200 calories per day, make it a point to take a daily vitamin and mineral supplement.

Acceptable amount of protein. The average woman 25 years of age and older requires at least 50 grams of protein each day, while the average man 25 years of age and older needs 63 grams of protein each day. Sufficient protein prevents muscle tissue from breaking down and repairs all body tissues such as skin and teeth. In this case, make sure you eat a minimum of 2-3 servings from the protein-rich foods such as meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs, and nuts.

Suitable amount of carbohydrates. Each person needs at least 100 grams of carbohydrates per day to prevent fatigue and dangerous fluid imbalances. Supply your body with enough carbohydrates by eating 6-11 servings from the Bread, Cereal, Rice, and Pasta Group on the Food Guide Pyramid every day.

Have a regular doze of fiber intake. Sufficient fiber helps with proper bowel function. If you were to eat 1 cup of bran cereal, 1/2 cup of carrots, 1/2 cup of kidney beans, a medium-sized pear, and a medium-sized apple together in 1 day, you would get about 30 grams of fiber.

Gulp down a minimal amount of fat each day and see to it that you limit the amount of cholesterol in your diet to reduce your risk for heart disease and may help you lose weight. Cholesterol is a fat-like substance derived from animal products such as meat and eggs. Ideally, you diet should include no more than 300 milligrams of cholesterol per day.

Drink at least 8 to 10 glasses, 8 ounces each, of water or water-based beverages, per day. Increase your water intake if you exercise a lot.

Bolster your Defenses against Colds and Flu

2010-12-04T23:38:00.000-08:00

Colds and flu are trending these days, affecting people regardless of age, gender and status in life, leaving those affected searching for fast solutions that could help them counter such much-dreaded illnesses. Do you know how to bolster your defenses against germs and viruses lurking within practically all areas in the home, office, schools, and malls that cause colds and flu?

A research conducted by Emily Sohn and Rachel Johnson suggests the following:

Take Vitamin D supplements on a daily basis. According to studies, children who regularly take Vitamin D supplements reduce their risk of being attacked by common flu virus. Laboratory studies reasons say that
the supplement helps immune cells identify and destroy bacteria and viruses that make people sick.

Soak up on green tea. Green tea contains polyphenols, a potent plant antioxidant known to boost the immune system. A specific type of polyphenol known as catechins kill influenza virus. Steep green tea for
no more than a minute or two and add a squeeze of lemon and honey to it to reduce its bitter taste. Never add milk to your green tea because proteins can only bind the polyphenols and make them ineffective.

Indulge in probiotics. Also referred to as ‘good’ bacteria, these probiotics found in yogurt, sauerkraut and other foods makes their way down to the lower intestines and suppresses the growth of ‘bad’ bacteria in
the body. Probiotics activate the immune systems. The next time you go shopping, look for products that are labeled “Live and Active Cultures” Seal from the National Yogurt Association. This label attests that
the product contains a set of minimum amount of two particular types of beneficial bacteria.

Gulp down soluble fiber. Soluble fibers which are abundant in citrus fruits, apples, carrots, beans, and oats helps fight inflammation. Make it a point to have at least 25 to 38 grams of total fiber each day.

The Trouble with Business Process Outsourcing

2010-12-01T23:31:00.000-08:00

Delegating your tasks to a BPO offshore outsourcing provider does not always mean smooth and more efficient business. Let’s face it, not all outsourced providers who claim to be professionals are really experts in the field. There are those who have such impressive websites but could not possibly provider you a list of their satisfied clients. There are also those who are only after the amount of money you can invest on their services.

In this case, take extra precautions when choosing business process outsourcing company; otherwise you fall prey to outsource providers who lack effective management of employees or those who do not have a well structured organization. Problems also tend to occur when communications and expectations from the provider is unclear, leaving the outsourced personnel feeling unsupported and unmotivated; hence they become unproductive.

At any rate, it is practically the responsibility of the BPO offshore outsourcing provider to set up an effective means of managing the projects they handle. These outsource service providers have to see to it that they are able to foster effective communication, both in language and technology, and accountability. These providers also need to make sure that they can possibly manage their own workforce and that they have the ability to set parameters and clear strategies for communication and
oversight.

Business owners whose employees work within the same building can closely monitor their employees. These entrepreneurs can attest whether employees are working at their own workstations or at the lounge drinking coffee and probably trying to catch up with one another. Those who outsource though,
tend to have limited boundaries over their workforce. A business owner who hires an outsourced employee does not really know whether paid workers spent their work time researching on assigned project or whether they actually researched on their next vacation. Entrepreneurs who outsource also have no idea whether the employees spent their time chatting with customers or navigating their own Facebook profiles.

Certainly, a business owner has to effectively and efficiently manage his employees. Entrepreneurs also need to take advantage of a pool of resources available from today’s outsource-friendly market. Those
who wish to outsource need to find and utilize web-based solutions that would help them keep track of employees’ activities and progress. Outsourcing companies can use web based solutions to establish
accountability and trust between the outsourcing parties and outsource service provider. Such solution help companies and business owners know if the employee showed up for work on a particular day and also helps business owners monitor the employees’ activities.

Aside from web-based solutions, business owners can also turn to client-server based software solutions that provide reporting tools that help evaluate employee progress, productivity, and time management more effectively. Client-server based software includes a website that provides employers a secure area featuring useful information such as screen shots of the employees’ working stations. Such programs automatically send real-time screen shots of each computer, allowing each worker to be more
accountable for their productivity and allowing employers to effectively oversee projects.

To recap, managing outsource employee can be a bit challenging, but companies can actually utilize specially designed software programs such as web-based solutions and client-server based software to help them overcome potential and common problems in outsourcing.

Social Media Marketing Statistics for 2010

2010-11-25T20:45:00.000-08:00

Social media marketing is one of the latest widely used online marketing strategy these days. Why not? Millions of people are now glued to various social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Orkut and popular sites. Who would not be enticed to these sites? These social networking sites are free to use, easy to navigate, and is a fantastic avenue for marketing products and services. Sites such as those
mentioned are frequented by thousands of users from across the world every minute of the day making these a potential avenue to drive more traffic to a business website.

The blog Web Strategist posted an interesting and updated statistics on social networking. The stats revealed that Facebook which overtook MySpace in 2009 is yet to be outnumbered by any other site these days. Facebook is said to have more or less 40o million unique and active users in Feb2010. While MySpace continue to be a leading network with more than 57 million unique users from the US alone, other popular sites such as Tagged, Hi5, MyYearbook and Bebo generate at least 3-6 million unique visits each month.

A survey conducted by Nielsen appears to substantiate mentioned statistics when it disclosed that the three most popular social media sites are Facebook, YouTube and Wikipedia. Social media sites these days get as much as 22 percent of all time online.

LinkedIn, a site founded by Reid Hoffman, increased its users from 55 million in December 2009 to 60 million in less than two months. LinkedIn now have at least 67 million users, including Fortune500 companies. Tagged is reported to have a total of 100 million registered users, 6 million of which are monthly unique visitors from the US. Its “Meet Me” application reportedly draws 40 million daily page
views.

Twitter claims to have at least 105 million unique users and to generate at least 55 million tweets a day, or an average of 600 tweets per second. The site generates at least 3 billion requests a day via its API and at least 600 million search queries per day. 37% of Twitter users use their mobile phones to tweet.

Imagine the massive market you can reach out to when you use social media networking as part of your marketing strategy. Take advantage of these sites now and on your way to a more productive marketing stint. Take note that these sites mentioned are only some of the most popular ones you can get involved
in.

Protect your Child from Cyberbullying

2010-11-17T22:46:00.000-08:00

The Internet is not always useful. When used without care, this technology can also cause massive trauma in a person. Take for example the case of highly publicized deaths of Tyler Clemente and Phoebe Prince and many other kids who committed suicide after being bullied in school and on various online sites.

Cyberbullying is an issue that should not be overlooked. This problem involves sending out hurtful messages that are likely to cause suicide among children who believe that suicide is the only alternative to escape from the pain inflicted in them via electronic media.

Statistics from the National Crime Prevention Council survey revealed that:

• 43% said they'd been cyberbullied last year;

• 96% have an email account;

• 43% said "their parents usually know what they're doing online" but have no online use rules.

• 27% said their parents don't know what they're doing online; and

• Only 23% have and follow their parents' rules.

The survey conducted on 1500 teens further disclosed that 81% of cyberbullies think their actions are rather funny and those perpetrators…

• Don't consider cyberbullying a big deal;

• Fail to consider the consequences;

• Are encouraged by their friends;

• Figure they won't get caught.

And so many kids are involved. Another survey carried out by isafe.com revealed that:

• 42% of kids have been bullied online; 25% said it's happened more than once.

• 35% have been threatened online; for almost 20%, that's happened more than once.

• 21% have received mean or threatening emails or other messages.

• 58% admit someone said mean or hurtful things to them online; more than 40% said it had happened more than once.

• 53% admitted saying something mean or hurtful to someone online, with 33% doing so more than once.

• 58% of bullied kids admit they'd never confided in a parent or other adult.

Online cruelty occurs in many social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace which are heavily frequented by children and teens. Another site called Burnbook which calls itself "a social utility that allows you to gossip about the people in your life while staying completely anonymous" is a potential area for cyberbullying.

Fortunately, the issue on cyberbullying is not at all overlooked by several cause-oriented groups and even the US President Barack Obama who said "You are not alone. You didn't do anything wrong. You didn't do anything to deserve being bullied. And there is a whole world waiting for you, filled with possibilities. There are people out there who love you and care about you just the way you are. And so, if you ever feel like because of bullying, because of what people are saying, that you're getting down on yourself, you've got to make sure to reach out to people you trust. Whether it's your parents, teachers, folks that you know care about you just the way you are. You've got to reach out to them; don't feel like you're in this by yourself."

November 16 is a special non-working holiday

2010-11-10T21:08:00.000-08:00

President Benigno "Pnoy" Aquino have declared November 16, 2010 a special non-working holiday. If I should say it, you might have no idea why he declared such day as a holiday. PNoy deemed it proper that Filipinos be one with the Muslims on celebrating an important Islamic celebration which falls on that day - The Festival of the Sacrifice or otherwise called Eid al-Adha.

Here a glimpse of the Proclamation No.60 declaring Tuesday next week as a special non-working holiday.

Wikipedia defines Eid al-Adha or "Greater Eid" as the celebration of the Muslims to commemorate the willingness of Abraham (Ibrahim) to sacrifice his son Ishmael (Isma'il) as an act of obedience to God, but instead was able to sacrifice a ram (by God's command). It marks the end of the Pilgrimage to sundown, and ask God for forgiveness.

Muslims all over the world offer prayers and would sacrifice a cow, goat, sheep, or a camel on this day. They would also give gifts to poor people.

Ensuring Internet Safety at Home

2010-10-10T01:17:00.000-07:00

The advent of technological breakthroughs like computers and internet connection offer a myriad of advantages. These cutting edge solutions have made life so much easier. These equipments allowed many to accomplish their jobs and provide better services. These, too, have helped many business owners improve their businesses easily. Technological advancements have also helped many families and friends connect with each other - regardless of their geographical locations and differences in time zones. The presence of internet also allowed many to work in the comforts of their homes and continue to earn money while at the same time be able to look after their children. Truly, the internet has opened many possibilities. Now, any one can keep track of their business at nay time of the day. People can now get a grasp of various events from different parts of the world with just a single click at the web.

Despite these advantages, the fact that the internet poses several threats still remain.

A study conducted by the NOP research group reveals that four million children aged seven to seventeen are using the internet. Out from this number, 29 percent would freely divulge some private matters and even provide their home address. Some 14% of these surveyed would also give out their email address, if asked, to complete strangers.

The study further revealed that nine out of ten children aging between 8 and 16 have witnessed pornographic materials through the web. Most of these sites are accessed unintentionally by young internet users while doing research for their homework. Investigations also reveal that at least 26 known popular kid’s characters, like Pokémon, My Little Pony and Action Man that shows thousands of links to porn sites. This means that children can easily access sex on the internet and can make these children vulnerable victims of this immorality.

It becomes important then that parents employ safety measures to abridge the threat it bears. The impact of the internet to the lives and morality of each home are at stake. Considering that it is every parent’s role to avoid the treats to happen, here are some helpful tips to do it:

* Teach your children to keep theirs and your homes privacy from total and complete strangers. They should learn not to trust so easily. Most hucksters, stalkers, and bad people employ bobby traps for wary souls.

* Do not allow your kids aged 12 and below to use social networking sites, such as Facebook, Twitters, et cetera…

* Set the parental mode of your child’s computer. Computer manufacturers ensured a program for parents in every unit. It will keep the children from accessing sites that are not for general audience. Only you can open it using a password. In this process, they need parent’s permission to access those sites.

* Monitor your child’s internet activities through the computer register.

* Read information and be aware of the sites that your family member is visiting and determine whether it’s risky or not.

* Implement ground rules in internet use. Teach them to manage their online time. Agree on the set schedules for research, entertainment and socializing.

* Teach you kids proper and polite internet use and how to be safe citizens in the internet. Make them learn the good ways of saying thank you and please in conversing with other people in the net.

The tips mentioned are practically easier said than done. Try your best to make your home safer.

What a Virtual Assistant Do

2010-09-13T21:25:00.000-07:00

Virtual Assistants can help you in many ways. The Upwardly Mobile shares some of these.

1. Industry Research - If the facts are there, your virtual assistant can find them much cheaper than anybody else can. Do the math.
2. Product Research - Like number 1, but for products. Have your virtual assistant find and rate products based on whatever criteria are most important to you: price, features, quality, design, popularity, or anything else.
3. Search Engine Optimization - Great for a Website or a Blog.
4. Your Taxes - April 15th is on its way, and many virtual assistants specialize in the tax field.
5. Calendar Management - “Have your people call my people.”
6. Idea Creation for Your Blog or Newsletter - My virtual assistant came up with 7 of the items of this list.
7. Reminders - Don’t forget something important.
8. Bill Pay - If you hate doing it, why not outsource it?
9. Bill Audit - Have your VA review your statements before paying them to make sure you don’t overpay!
10. Grocery Shopping - Combine a virtual assistant with Peapod and you’ve saved yourself an hour a week or more.
11. Other Shopping - Ask Your VA to find you the top 3 books on a given subject and then choose between the three.
12. Event Planning - Want to meet a big group of friends for dinner? Have your virtual assistant find a location, send out invites, answer people’s questions, and generally take care of logistics.
13. Trip Planning - Same as above; your VA can book your flight or train, make your reservation, and plan your itinerary.
14. Internet Marketing - Have an AdSense or other internet marketing campaign? Let your virtual assistant run it for you.
15. News Digests - Feed readers are a good way to keep on top of the news, but sometimes there’s just too much information for you to handle. Have your virtual assistant prepare a daily or weekly digest of the top news that matters to you.
16. Backlink Building - Have your VA help drive traffic to your site.
17. Web Design - Many virtual assistants specialize in web design; revamp your blog or website.
18. Contractor/Vendor Research - Thinking about purchasing a service for yourself or your startup? Have your VA check out potential companies first.
19. Hire Screening - If you’re hiring, have your virtual assistant screen potential candidates first and only forward the top candidates’ resumes on to you.
20. Call Answering and Forwarding - Skype and a VA with good speaking skills can go a long way to making a small business seem more professional to current and potential clients. You usually don’t have to pay virtual assistants to man the phones except for the time they actually spend talking because they can work on tasks for other clients while they wait.
21. Comment Management - Avoid dealing with the spam and have your virtual assistant manage comments on your blog or forum.
22. Comment Response - Take a cue from Tim Ferriss and have your virtual assistant actually respond to your comments, too.
23. Email Response - Same as number 22; if an email asks a common question, have your virtual assistant answer it for you.
24. Email Sorting - Building on 23; have your VA read your email for you and seperate out those emails that require your personal response; if it works for CEOs and heads of state, it can work for you, too.
25. Networking Research - Networking is important, but there are a lot of networking events that waste time and don’t add value. Have your virtual assistant sort through the invites you get and find the ones that will best serve your agenda.
26. Keeping You in Touch - Create a list of important people in your life who you don’t see regularly, and have your VA schedule a call with one or two of them every week.
27. Making You Hard to Reach - The opposite of number 26; have your virtual assistant screen your calls and filter out the people who waste your time. Works great with a Google Voice Account.
28. Tracking Things Down - If you need to find anything–an expert in a given field, Barack Obama’s BlackBerry number, or the best Pizza in New York City–have your virtual assistant search for it.
29. Managing Voicemail - The same principle as managing email.
30. Following Up - Have your virtual assistant follow up on outstanding items for you. If you do a weekly review, have your VA follow up on all the outstanding items in your Waiting For context.
31. Meal Planning - After your virtual assistant organizes your party, have her plan the meal, too. You can even have her order your groceries for you, per number 10.
32. Diet Planning - Need to lose a few pounds? Set a goal and have your virtual assistant organize a diet and exercise plan for you that fits your lifestyle.
33. Wedding Planning - A glorified version of number 12. I now know someone who’s having their virtual assistant help plan their wedding. Let your virtual assistant find the top 5 vendors (for flowers, the cake, the reception venue, the band, etc.) that meet your criteria, and then choose from those 5. This will save hours.
34. Cost Management - If you’re running a project, use your VA to help you manage costs. Many virtual assistants are trained accountants and can manage the budget and provide audit services.
35. Data Entry - If it’s time-consuming and repetitive, you can get excellent rates.
36. Data Review - Same as above; if you don’t control the data input but need to validate it anyway, a good VA will lower costs considerably.
37. Fact Checking - Great for journalists and business people alike; let your virtual assistant help you do your due diligence by checking your notes, some one else’s facts, or anything else the might be subject to mistakes, typos, or bias.
38. Fact Finding - Need a specific statistic on global warming or everything there is to know about Abe Lincoln’s childhood? Put your virtual assistant to work on finding the facts.
39. Interface Testing - Need someone to click buttons until your software breaks? Virtual assistants are perfect for the task, especially when you’ve written good test scripts.
40. Interface Design - Need a trained designer on a budget? A good virtual assistant will work wonders.
41. Record Management - Have a large data set that needs to be updated manually? Have your virtual assistant scour the internet and work the phones for those hard-to-find phone numbers, addresses, and any other data you might gather yourself.
42. Grant Writing - Some virtual assistants specialize in grant writing. If your startup is of the social or non-profit variety, a good virtual assistant could be invaluable.
43. Subject Matter Briefs - If you’ve ever been scheduled for a meeting on a topic about which you know very little, a virtual assistant can be a great help. Have them find or write a short, five-page summary of the topic, major concerns and implications for you, and recent news.
44. Finding What Works - We’ve already talked about doing what works several times on The Upwardly Mobile. Have your virtual assistant find the people, companies, or organizations that already know and practice what works in your field.
45. Avoiding What Doesn’t Work - The inverse of number 43. Sometimes knowing where people made mistakes is just as valuable as knowing how the succeeded; have your virtual assistant find out both.
46. Finding New Clients - Having a fresh perspective has never been cheaper; have your virtual assistant look for clients for a given product or service without specifying an industry or giving too much detail. You may be surprised to find that you can adapt what you’re already doing to someone else that needs it.
47. Teaching You Something New - VAs have many different skill sets. Whether you want to learn chess, value analytics, or tai chi, chances are there’s a virtual assistant who can teach you.
48. Network Administration - Many virtual assistants are trained network administrators, and the vast majority of network administration tasks can be done remotely.
49. Situation Monitoring - Have a situation and can’t afford Wolf Blitzer? Have your virtual assistant keep an eye on things.
50. Motivation - Need somebody to keep you accountable for that goal that everyone says can’t be done? Have your virtual assistant take you to task.
51. Discovering New Opportunities - Want to save time and money in more ways than you can count? Challenge your virtual assistant to come up with new ways to save you or your organization time or money.