I grew up in Guelph, Ontario, birthplace of Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, and each year, our school class went to his home to learn his history and his legacy.

The history of the World War was something I also learned about in my own home – listening to my father’s stories of the London Blitz, and my mother’s experience as child evacuee to the English countryside. My father and his brothers joined as soon they were old enough and were all proud veterans of the Second World War, although they never spoke fully of their experiences. My mother’s brother joined at 17 years of age, and never returned home after his ship was torpedoed, something neither she nor my grandmother ever got over.

At 11 a.m. today, whatever you were doing and wherever you were, I hope that you paused and gave thanks to those who paid the ultimate price to enable us to have the freedoms we hold dear today.

In Flanders Fields

by John McCrae, May 1915

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

Recently on Facebook, a colleague of mine shared a new site called Open X-change.  This site provides a downloadable program that allows you to extract your LinkedIn and Facebook contacts into a .csv (comma-separated file) for download into your data base.

On the surface, this seems like a pretty cool tool to use to build your email subscription list.  However is adding these people to your database in violation of the permission marketing laws?

I don’t know if there is a clear answer to this.  Everyone on your LinkedIn and Facebook pages accepted or asked for the connection with you, right? In addition, most email newsletter campaigns offer a double opt in, along with an unsubscribe feature.  Giving these contacts those two options in the newsletter allows them the choice of whether to stay a subscriber or unsubscribe.

I’ve been to many networking events where I have shared my business card, and then been automatically added to that person’s email list.   I’ve also signed up for complimentary e-books and teleseminars and then started receiving ezines (short for email magazines or newsletters). Some of the best information I have received is in these ezines that I receive from these “accidental” signups.  However, I quickly unsubscribe from the ones where I am constantly bombarded with “offers” “promotions” and constant selling.  The unsubscribe button provides me with that choice.

Email marketing by means of a newsletter campaign can be a powerful way to achieve the marketing goals of an online business. However, it needs to be done correctly. Amateur email marketers commit a number of common mistakes that easily lead to a newsletter campaign’s failure.

A few of the most common ones are listed below:

1) Sending Out Promotions Rather than Newsletters

Newsletter campaigns through email marketing should aim to build long-lasting relationships with subscribers over time. For this reason, it is not appropriate for you to design your email marketing campaign for the express purpose of prompting immediate action from your subscribers. For example, if your online business is engaged in selling ergonomic office chairs, focus on providing content that is relevant to the causes of back strain and how to avoid it. In this manner, you will be able to spark your subscribers’ interest on the topic and allow them to see the benefits of your offerings. Your relevant conversations with them, then, will eventually lead to a positive action (i.e. Buying an ergonomic office chair from your online business).

2) Focusing on the Online Business and Not on the Subscribers

When running a newsletter campaign, you need to provide relevant content written in a way that allows subscribers to realize the value of your emails. Never focus on your offerings or your online business. You need to show not what your online business can do but what your subscribers can gain from it. Rather than sending out announcements regarding your online business, focus your content on news surrounding your niche. In the case of the ergonomic office chair seller, sending out new studies on back strain or related topics would be better than sending out information on new arrivals. By providing relevant content in a timely manner, subscribers are more likely to be loyal to your newsletter campaign.

3) Making it Hard to Opt Out

Some email marketers still think that the success of a newsletter campaign is driven mainly by the number of subscribers in a mailing list so they make it difficult for people to unsubscribe. In email marketing, the quality of subscribers is much more important than the quantity. Making it difficult for people to unsubscribe to a newsletter campaign can potentially lead to disaster. Apart from alienating and annoying potential customers, you will not be able to track the results of your email marketing efforts properly. By allowing people to easily unsubscribe, you don’t risk your reputation among your target audience and you get to achieve optimum response rates.

It is perfectly understandable for you to want to make the most out of your email marketing efforts right away but don’t let that allow you to defeat its entire purpose. You need to realize that it takes a while for a newsletter campaign to produce optimum results and it has to be implemented correctly. To keep you on the right track, avoid these mistakes that email marketers often commit when running a newsletter campaign.

In March of 2008, while doing a search for information on a product I needed, I saw a small box on the side panel of the site that said “tweet me”  Being the curious person I am, and feeling somewhat like Alice when she picked up that small bottle that said “drink me”, I clicked on the button. Fortunately I did not shrink, but I was introduced to a new world.  This was the world of Twitter.

I didn’t get Twitter at first.  I thought that here was possibly just another place that could be a time waster.  I was a “face to face” networker who felt a little odd sending out messages that detailed the minutiae of my life.  In fact the total amount of tweets I sent out were 2 ~ one that day, and one again in May.  Hardly prolific.

That Twitter profile sat there untouched for about 8 months, until I started my Virtual Assistant business.  It was then that I revisited Twitter because of the chatter that I was hearing about it through my fellow VA’s.  Whether starting a new business, or growing an existing business, “where am I going to find clients?” is a question that is often asked.  The answer that I was hearing from my peers, was “Twitter”

At first Twitter was used as another platform for friends to stay connected in real time.  However, it has now evolved into an important component of brand marketing, gaining popularity and importance in both the consumer and corporate worlds.

According to Neilsen Online, Twitter increased 1,382 percent year-over-year, from 475,000 unique visitors in February 2008 to 7 million in February 2009, making it the fastest growing site in the Member Communities category for the month.  Demographically these Tweeters are not primarily teens or college students.  In fact, in February 2009, the largest age group on Twitter was 35-49; with nearly 3 million unique visitors, comprising almost 42 percent of the site’s audience.

Almost every one in five small businesses are now tweeting regularly.  Twitter is a useful tool for these small operators who don’t have the deep financial pockets of larger companies to fund large advertising budgets. Twitter is free, simple and easy to use and is the newest, most useful tool for small businesses looking to increase sales and profits.

Cost savings

Small businesses that use Twitter save on marketing and recruitment costs. A substantial amount has been saved by firms who use Twitter instead of traditional marketing methods, an impressive cost reduction from the small business perspective. Small businesses often have little, if any, advertising budget. Having a Twitter account provides an immediate intimacy of tweets that may suit the small business philosophy and approach better than impersonal, sweeping advertising campaigns.

Spread the word

Direct marketing, especially the word of mouth kind that Twitter is all about, is a powerful tool for small businesses looking to expand their customer base. Business owners can also tweet about discounts or new, just-in products, reeling in new customers and enticing regular ones.  A crème brulee cart operating in San Francisco grew by word of mouth via Twitter and within a few months the proprietor had quit his day job to keep up with demand. (“Mom-and-Pop Operators Turn to Social Media,” Claire Cain Miller, New York Times, 23 July 2009)

Community building

Twitter is useful for small businesses wanting to keep in touch with suppliers. The microblogging tool allows small businesses to connect to other small companies, promoting a sense of community that goes beyond traditional geographical borders. Twitter has the ability to increase the range of small businesses contacts, whether with suppliers, potential customers or support services like accounting and consulting firms.

Brand and reputation management

Small businesses rarely conduct market surveys as these are too expensive and time consuming for the average small to medium enterprise. But what about grass root surveys? Twitter allows the small business to monitor what people are saying about their business and their products. You can ask for active feedback and criticism, respond to questions and deal with any disgruntled tweets through Twitter. Listening to what’s happening on the ground can also help small businesses decide on a strategic direction.

What’s my competition doing?

Twitter lets small businesses monitor their competition. What new initiatives are on the horizon and what can you do to keep ahead? If your competitors are not on Twitter, you can search for tweets that mention them so you can see what others are saying about them. Competitive intelligence is a good reason for small businesses to use Twitter and stay a step ahead of the crowd.

Stand out from your competitors

Being able to build a presence can make or break a small business. How to differentiate your shop or enterprise from everyone else’s? Twitter allows you to show your creativity, humour and humanity in marketing your business. Tweets are personable and twitter accounts can be as funny or outstanding as you want them to be – the better for your customers to remember you by.

Twitter is not just for the big guys. Small businesses are signing up for Twitter accounts in droves. There are many and myriads benefits of using Twitter to the small business, including cutting marketing costs and keeping tabs on competitors.

How has Twitter impacted my business?  50% of my clients have come through relationship building and business branding on Twitter.

Is it time to ask yourself – “How can Twitter impact my business?”

Tweet me at http://twitter.com/patticakegirl and let me know.

Facebook is the leader of the pack of social media, with more than 300 million actives users.  While Facebook originally started as the social networking site of choice for high school and university students, the fastest growing demographic is now those 35 years old and older.  Facebook has become essential for business marketing. This new style of customer contact requires implementing new and innovative ideas about marketing.

Facebook is a great way to keep up with friends and family. But you don’t necessarily want your clients to see the baby pictures your mom posted.  Personal Facebook pages allow you to share information about yourself and to connect with friends and family.

Fan pages have many of the same features as personal pages. You can still share articles, photos, videos, and applications, but the fan page is organized around a theme. All of the content on your Fan page is related to your business.  Businesses large and small should take care to present a well defined and controlled image of their products and services. Facebook fan pages are an excellent choice for businesses to use as another platform to promote their products and services.  50% of the 300 million active users log on to Facebook in any given day and more than 10 million users become fans of Pages each day.

Strategies for making your Fan page a success

Make your Fan page a resource

Consider your customers interests. What information do they need? Post articles and links to useful information on your wall. Your Fan page is an opportunity to showcase yourself as an expert. Provide these things for your customers and they will return to your page again and again.

Connect

Interact with customers. Make use of all of the Facebook tools. Respond to comments. You may not want to list your entire product line. A sample on your fan page could lead new customers to visit your website for more. Spamming is always a bad idea, but targeting offers to customers who show interest can lead to increased customer loyalty.

Be human

Pictures and personal information put a face on a company. As long as you present an image that enhances your business, personalizing your Fan page is a great way to get followers.

Be present and be consistent

Fill out your profile completely. Keep article, photo and video content current. It’s not enough to throw up a page and be done with it. Make sure to respond to fans who join and post to your page.

Groups

Create a group for your business or participate in groups related to your business.  To date, there are over 45 million groups on Facebook.  Starting a group, and participating in one, allows you to be the thought leader or expert in your field.

Facebook has recently made some changes to their Groups feature.  Until recently group activities have been isolated to the group page, which sometimes made it difficult to find out what was going on in the group.  Facebook has transformed Groups to make it easier for you to communicate with your members.  Groups will now have a Wall that summarizes all of the recent activities, making it easier to follow the conversation.  Group activities, are now delivered to your News Feed, which will make interacting with Groups much easier.

Innovate

Facebook moves fast. Don’t be afraid to try the latest thing. Explore webinars, and other interactive media as options to improve business relationships.

Creating a Facebook fan page is great first step toward integrating social media into your marketing plan. Remember, that you’re not limited to just one fan page; think of different products or services that you can showcase on separate pages.  Don’t forget to provide links from your website to your Fan page. Make sure to connect your Facebook fan page to other social media, such as Twitter, so your network will grow. In no time your Fan page will be the central hub of your successful online marketing campaign.

Your Extra Pair of Hands – Virtual Assistance and Social Media Specialist

Recently I was interviewed by Tina Marie Hilton, owner of Clerical Advantage Virtual Assistance Services, and publisher of the blog, Home Office Warrior.

Tina and I met through Twitter, and after we got to know each other through this wonderful networking platform, she asked me if she could interview me.  This is now the fourth time I have met someone through Twitter, who has subsequently asked to interview me about my business.  This is the second interview published, with the third coming soon.  On top of the interviews, and the exposure they bring to my website, and therefore my business, there is also an upcoming possibility to JV with two of these people.

These  opportunities have again reminded me what a valuable resource and networking tool Twitter can be, but again cement the fact that I would not have received these interview requests had I not built the online relationships with these people.

Here is the link to the complete interview, and I hope you will check out the rest of Tina’s site while you’re there!

http://www.homeofficewarrior.com/virtual-assistants/virtual-assistant-interview-series-iii/

It is a well known fact that the valuable time that small business owners and entrepreneurs spend on administrative tasks doesn’t contribute to the success of their business or help to accomplish their goals.  In fact, it actually decreases their return on investment.

You may be saying “I can do this so much faster, why should I delegate this task?”  The question isn’t whether or not you can do it; it’s a question of why you should be doing the task.  Think how much time you will have to focus on other aspects of your business, if you are freed up from administrative tasks.

Take a step back and look at the areas of your business that are draining your time. Could some of those tasks be outsourced, enabling you to spend more time with clients and grow your business? If you can think of at least three tasks you complete everyday that you could outsource, then a Virtual Assistant is your answer!

You can use a Virtual Assistant in exactly the same way you would use an in-house Administrative or Personal Assistant, without having to worry about the overhead costs associated with having a full time employee.

Let’s look at just a few areas where a VA can be of help to you in your business.

• Social Media Assistance: Setup and manage your social media networking sites like Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn.  Edit, format and publish articles to your blog
• Email Marketing: Create email newsletters and online surveys to send to your clients
• Administrative/Document Preparation: Correspondence, PDF conversion, Transcription, Meeting Minutes, Proofreading, Mail Merge, Bulk Mailings, Courier
• Executive Office Assistance: Calendar management, Travel arrangements, Client contact and representation, Customer/client service/follow up
• Data Management: Data Entry, Create/maintain Expense Reports, Spreadsheet creation/updates, AR/AP/Invoices
• Desktop publishing: Brochures, Business cards, Newsletters,  Letterhead, Flyers, Greeting Cards, PowerPoint creation
• Event Management: Trade Shows, Corporate/Client Meetings, Special Occasions, Fundraising

Now that you’ve decided that you need a VA, and know what tasks that you want to delegate to them, how do you ensure that you choose the right one?

• Make a list of the tasks that you wish to delegate and a list of the office equipment and software your VA will need to have.  When you are interviewing your VA, make sure during the interview process that you review that list with a potential VA to determine if she can do all those tasks. Do they have the skills you need to do the work required? Does the VA use the same software that you are using, so that you can share files?  Can all of your tasks be done by one VA, or will you need to have 2 or 3 VA’s doing different aspects of your “to do” list?

• Check the VA’s website to review their image.  Are all the words spelled correctly? Is the grammar acceptable?  A VA that doesn’t pay attention to their own work isn’t likely to pay attention to your work either.

• Ask for and check business references. *Very important!*

• Trust your instincts.  Did the VA respond to your emails and phone calls in a timely manner?  Did they answer the email or telephone in a professional manner?  If they promised to send you something, did they do it in a timely manner?  All of these will indicate how your future business relationship will be.  Did you feel a connection with this person?  Remember, you will be trusting this person with some key aspects of your business.  You want someone who is friendly, enthusiastic, and detail-oriented, with extraordinary follow-up skills. You should be able to communicate with this person and know that they understand your needs.

Many business owners think having a VA is financially out of their reach, when in actual fact, it’s one of the most fiscally sound investments they can make.  Once you have chosen the right VA, it won’t be a question of whether or not you can afford to have one, it will be a question of how can you afford to be without one.

Sunday, July 5th  however, tested my capacity to “deal”

As a confessed “Twitaholic”, most days I am either on Tweetdeck or Twitterberry, following the conversation, joining in conversations, or starting new ones.

All was going along as normal, until I received a notice saying that my password was invalid.  Thinking that there may have been a “burp” on my blackberry, I tried again – same message.  I then went to  Tweetdeck on my computer and tried there.  Same message – password was invalid.  Next stop was Power Twitter, and the message I received there made my heart pound, and my stomach drop.

A big pink bar that said  “Account Suspended!  This account is currently suspended and is being investigated due to strange activity.”

My mind raced as I tried to think of what I could have done to contradict the Twitter Terms of Service. I never spam, I’m always polite, and I don’t constantly advertise my business.

I thought of my 4,000 followers and the potential followers who could have tried to contact me, only to find the blue owl announcing that my account was suspended.  Would they think I was a spammer?  This concerned me as my Twitter account is my business profile.  What kind of message would this send to current and potential followers and clients?

Fortunately, Twitter is not the only tool in my Social Media toolbox.  Through reading updates and posts on Facebook, Friendfeed, and Google Reader, it soon became apparent that I was not the only one that this had happened to.  Thanks to the “guru’s” of Social Media, @Mari Smith, @JimKukral and Jesse Stay, I was able to see that it had also happened to thousands of users including Mari and Jim.

After a few hours, Twitter  announced what the problem was and that accounts were to be restored as soon as possible.

I updated my status on Friendfeed, and was able to advise that my suspension was not due to spamming, but due to Twitter, and that I would be back shortly.

As I sat waiting for my account to be restored, I started to think about how much many of us rely on Twitter to be there for us each day.

It brought back memories of the blackout that occurred  in Ontario and Northeastern USA in August of 2003.  My children were dumbfounded that they couldn’t watch TV or play on the computer.  It hadn’t occurred to them that so much that we rely on each day is possible because of something that we hardly even think about – electricity.  And when that isn’t there, much of our life is very different.  Because of the blackout, many people looked at alternative ways of power.  Solar energy and backup generators offered other ways of running our necessities of life.

As I sat there uselessly clicking the refresh button, hoping that this time I would “be” again on Twitter, it became very clear to me that our Social Media Strategy should not be concentrated solely on one platform of Social Networking.

For your Social Networking to be as effective as possible, your Strategy should include active accounts on Facebook, LinkedIn, as well as Social bookmarking sites such as Friendfeed, Digg, and Delicious to name a few.

Our Business power generation should be supported by many different outlets, so that if one should fail, our Business network doesn’t.

Were you affected by the Twitter suspension?  If so, how did it make you feel?  Do you rely solely on Twitter for your business?  What other forms of Social Media do you use?

Are you ready for the New Gold Rush?

The Social Media chatter has been out there, quietly building, but it’s becoming a roar and getting louder every day.  Unless you’ve recently been off of the planet, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn, are likely in your stream of consciousness.  You’ve probably seen it mentioned on the news, and possibly have even attended a workshop on Social Media, but still you wonder, “What’s the big deal”?

The big deal is that 75% of internet users in 2008 were involved in some aspect of Social Networking.

Social Media

Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn are considered the “Big Three” of Social Networking, with MySpace, Ryze and Friendfeed coming a close second.

Facebook was launched in February 2004, and was originally considered to be the domain of High School and University students.   According to Wikipedia, Facebook is considered the leading social networking site, and has now become prime real estate for businesses.  Businesses are creating Facebook pages in order to build effective bridges to prospective clients, consumers and Joint Venture partnerships. 

Coca-Cola, BMW and IKEA are just a few well known brands that have created fan pages, with Coca-Cola having over 3.5 million fans.  Barack Obama has the largest fan page on Facebook, with over 6 million fans.

So, what’s the point of having all of those fans, you might ask?  Well, with a few clicks, Facebook allows the administrator of the Business Page to send updates to all fans of their site, instantly, with premium exposure on their pages.  What other form of advertising can put your message directly in front of your target audience for free?

Perhaps you’re a non-profit organization, wondering how Social Media can help you.  According to the Society for New Communications, Non-Profit organizations are leading the way in Social Media.  With shrinking budgets and a list of donors who prefer to donate online, nonprofit organizations are adopting Social Media to build and increase in the awareness of their charities and to build their donor lists.  Dr. Nora Ganim Barnes, Ph.D., Senior Fellow and Research Chair of the Society for New Communications Research says “These organizations are demonstrating an acute, and still growing, awareness of the importance of Web 2.0 strategies in meeting their objectives. They have found a new and exciting way to win the hearts – and maybe even the dollars – of potential donors.”

Still wondering what Social Media can do for your business?

Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn rank in the top 5 in Google searches, so being active in these Social Networks can an effective tool for Search Engine Optimization and link building.

Nielsen Online shows that Social networks and blogs are now the 4th most popular online activity ahead of personal email.  Member communities are visited by 67% of the global online population, and time spent is growing at 3 times the overall internet rate, accounting for almost 10% of all internet time.

As with any other form of advertising and networking, Social Media must be done correctly to be effective.  You need a clear and effective strategy, or you are doomed to failure.  Your Social Media Strategy needs to be closely connected to your company’s marketing game plan and overall business objectives.  Is your primary objective to build your brand and authority?  Do you want to increase your influence within your target community?  Or do you want to promote your products and services?

Whatever your reason for joining the Social Media Gold Rush; remember that without a clear purpose, your Social Media Strategy will falter.

Planning without action is futile, action without planning is fatal.

Each day that I look into my garden I see proof that after Mother Nature’s snows and frosts, it can rebound each year with beauty and splendor.

Unfortunately, nature isn’t coping too well with what humans are throwing at it.

Going green at home has become a regular routine for most; however, we don’t often bring that same knowledge and routine to work, thinking we can’t do enough to make a difference.  However, even small changes in your daily routine at work, and encouraging others to do the same, can really have an effect.

Here are some simple, but effective ways to start to reduce your carbon footprint at the office.

Turn it off!

–          When leaving a room, turn off the lights.  Better yet, install motion sensor switches that automatically turn the lights off when no motion is detected.

–          Turn off computers at the end of the day.  Leaving your computer on stand by mode still draws power, which is referred to as vampire electricity.  Power strips are a great way to stop vampire electricity. Plug your computer, monitor and other peripherals such as cell phone chargers into power strips or surge protectors so that you can easily shut off the whole thing when you’re done.

Change it up!

–          Replace your incandescent light bulbs with CFL (compact fluorescent lamp) energy efficient light bulbs

–          If you have windows in your office, consider using natural lighting on a sunny day, instead of turning the lights on.

Practice the 3R’s (reduce, reuse, recycle)

Recycling is key to a green office, but reducing waste and reusing is even better.  Waste paper is one of the worst workplace sins but one that can be easily resolved.

–          Stop printing emails and only print documents when absolutely necessary.

–         If you have out of date letterhead, use that for scrap note pads, or printing.

–          Scan your documents and save to disks.  Not only does this reduce the amount of paper and inks necessary to print, it also saves the amount of storage space needed for filing cabinets

–          Install a desk top fax that sends right from your desktop.  No need to print off documents to send by facsimile.

Incorporate the same recycling methods at the office that you have at home.  Most people are recycling at home, and are looking for a way to do it at work.  Make it easier for them, by placing composting and recycling bins in the office lunch room, and provide individual recycling boxes for all staff

–          Reduce the use of styrofoam, and other plastics.  Pack your lunch in reusable containers and use refillable mugs for your coffee

Encourage your staff to walk, use public transit or carpool to get to work. When visiting clients, or running errands, try to group together to save back and forth trips.

Purchase green

Shop at businesses and use suppliers who have also gone green.  This not only directly benefits the environment, but it also encourages other suppliers to go green and raises environmental awareness.  If you use a cleaning service, find out if they use environmental cleaning products, and if not, let them know you want them to start.

Use a Virtual Assistant

Working with a VA instead of hiring a full or part-time employee can help reduce your carbon footprint.  A VA generally works from home-based offices, which means no commute.  This keeps one more vehicle off of the road which saves on gasoline consumption and reduces vehicle exhaust pollution.

A VA can also use less energy than a full time assistant.  Because a client pays a Virtual Assistant only for the time worked on the task, this can save on heating and electricity bills that would normally be needed for a full time in house assistant working an eight or nine hour workday.  Often times, an in house assistant can have unproductive downtime.  A highly skilled and fully experienced VA completes the tasks only when needed, saving the client both time and money as well as costly utility expenses.

A VA typically uses less paper than a traditional administrative assistant. The majority of work that a Virtual Assistant does is just that – Virtual.  Through the use of computers, and the internet, most of our projects are completed, transferred and stored electronically.   Once the client has the finished project, they can view it online, and then decide if it needs to printed.

Many offices have boxes of pre printed letterhead that is now out of date due to information changes printed on them.  Have a Virtual Assistant design a letterhead template that can be used when drafting letters and other documents right on your computer.

If you aren’t using a Virtual Assistant, possibly the next step you can take in your quest to “Go Green” is to go Virtual!    Contact me to find out other ways I can assist you!

It’s now up to you!

The ideas I’ve given, are just a few ways you can help reduce your impact on our planet, and preserve a beautiful place for our grandchildren and their grandchildren.  It’s time to put them into practice and make every day an earth friendly day!