Working with online entrepreneurs is something I truly LOVE doing.  Part of what I do for them is minor content editing, proofreading, etc.

The one thing that I’ve always noticed is that most business owners use Standard time (CST, EST, PST) no matter what time of the year it is.

After working with one of my clients for over 3-years now, she recently sent me an email asking why I changed the time designation from CST to DST.  So I sent her this response.

So for those of you who used ST all year round this is your time.  Just remember when we Spring forward, change the ST to DT.

For a quick check to make sure you can go to  TimeandDate.com.  There is also use this great Chrome extension (Figure it Out) for a quick check.  This extension is also a good way to get a quick view of all the time zones you and or your clients live or work.

To your continued success!

The post DST Ends Today appeared first on Vista Office Solutions.

I recently became very frustrated not being able to locate my flagged messages. The reason I flag them is because they are of interest and having easy access to them is important to me.

I’m a long time use of Hotmail and from what I remember it was much easier to locate your flagged messages.

I went online and Googled a fix, but the answers were very convoluted.

So here is how to get it done if you’re having that same issue.

1) Click on the setting wheels in the top right corner

2) Select Option

3) In the “Customizing Outlook.com” area select Flagging

4) Select “Show flagged messages at the top of the inbox” option

5) SAVE

Check your inbox and your flagged folders will be the first things you see.

You are all set.

Would love to hear any Outlook or other tech tools tips you have.

The post Tips: View Flagged Emails In Outlook appeared first on Vista Office Solutions.

Do you take a vacation?

A June 2014 study conducted by Gallup, one of five Microbusiness owners takes no vacation per year.   21% of these business owners took just five (5) days off per year.

Another group (20% took one to two weeks. A total of 61 percent of those who take off from work for a vacation find it very difficult to detach completely to what’s going on back in the office.   And 38% were able to disconnect completely taking three weeks or more.

As small or microbusiness owners we know just difficult it is to tear themselves away because there is no one taking care of the back office admin tasks.

Small and microbusiness owners rarely understand the benefits of taking the time to recharge their energy levels to avoid the dreaded burnout. With summer being a time when not only other business owners take the time off, but because so many have their kids at home. Summer the perfect time to slow down until business picks up again after taking time for the family.

Let’s touch on a few ways you can manage your time and workload while taking the time to have fun or just re-energize.

Make the necessary plans – Prior to taking time off be sure to take care of those projects that are due for completion during that period.   Another thing you may also want to consider is automating some of the repetitive tasks that you are now doing manually. Things such as responding to emails, setting up newsletters to go out even while you are out, response to frequently asked questions, etc.

Have systems in place – Use online tools to schedule your blog posts, email media posts, and tweets. Hootsuite and Buffer are tools that can be very useful when planning social media communications ahead of time. As for your blog posts, if you are not already using the WordPress feature to schedule posts then this is the perfect time to give it a go.

Outsource – If the reason you are not able to take time off is because you bogged down with admin tasks. Now is the time to consider getting the support of a Virtual Assistant or Online Business Manager. They can handle your social media and blog posts, manage and respond to emails from prospects and clients. If there is a current project you’re working on, it can be continued while you are away.

Advise clients – If you are currently working with a client, it’s important for them to know that you will be away for a bit. Communicating with them about what will happen while you are away is essential to the business relationship.

Letting them know that the level of service they are accustomed to will not be interrupted while away is vital to their security. You will also want to give them information on who they will be communication with through your time out of the office.

For most of your clients, seeing that you can take time off without any disruption to the services you provide is greatly of value to them. If you are a coach coaching others, this will also show them just how they can do the same.

Go ahead, take some time for a vacation this year.

Download this free report to get started with the automation process!

The post Do You Have Summer Vacation Plans? appeared first on Vista Office Solutions.

The first step for is to make sure you’re giving your audience something of value that they will want to download and utilize. Your subscribers need to opt-in and ideally confirm their request. You should never entertain the thought of buying or trading for a list. Doing this will not only get you untargeted prospects who are most likely not interested in your products or services, you will also be spamming them when you send your email since they did not willingly sign up for the information. If you are not aware there are anti-spam laws like the CAN-SPAM Act of 2003, and the Canada’s (CASL) legislation that went into July 1, 2014, you could be charged a huge fine for violating either of them.

Now, when you begin making your offers, free or paid,  you want to be very carful with the products and services that you are promoting. You want to make sure that whatever you send to your list is the best quality. The most important aspect of your email marketing is the nurture process because it’s about building trust. Therefore, all you need to destroy that trust is one bad product, and that can happen very quickly. As we are all aware, bad news travels much faster that good. So keep in mind that anyone on your list should have the option of unsubscribing (opt-out) from your list at any time by clicking the link that will appear at the bottom of each email. Again, that link must be visible and must appear on all emails. As a matter of fact, most email providers have made it so that emails cannot be sent without the anti-spam option.

You also want to be is responsive to your list. Always respond to any questions or comments that they may have. You worked hard to get them, so be sure to take the time to show them just how valuable they are.  Once you’re business is at a level where the questions you’re receiving are the same, you may want to create a FAQ page on your website that you can direct them to or even an email with the most asked questions and answers. It’s very important that you listen and communicate as you grow your list and your business.

Something that is often overlooked is analytics, you really want to pay attention to your analytics so that you know what works and what doesn’t. The top marketers today make it a point to take care of their list by paying attention to their analytics. This helps them to find out lots of interesting data about things like who’s opening and clicking through their emails. This information is very important in helping you to target the different people on your list in order to keep them as long term subscribers.

Are you currently utilizing email marketing, if so, how?  I look forward to your comments.

Carpe Diem!

The post Making Email Marketing Work for You appeared first on Vista Office Solutions.

As one of the fasting growing and most complete sales and marketing software available on the market today.  Infusionsoft has combined email marketing, sales, ecommerce, marketing, and CRM to help small business owners attract leads, grow sales and wow their customers around the world.

Infusionsoft is very robust and in fact does have a learning curve.  As a small business owner responsible for the day-to-day operation of your business time is one thing that should be utilized wisely throughout the day.  Therefore, taking the time from doing what you are best at to learn how to use this software is not utilizing your time wisely.

I’ve worked with and spoken with many business owners who have purchased the Infusionsoft software either because they were at an event or was told how awesome it was by a colleague or coach.  The one thing I can say that I hear very regularly is how much time it takes them to try to figure out how to do the basic setup and management.

As an Infusionsoft Certified Partner and Administrative Consultant I provide the experience users of Infusionsoft is looking for.  Infusionsoft Admins provide the knowledge to get business owners started with the implementation process they need to get their email campaigns and web forms set up, manage CRM, segment contact lists and more.  Infusionsoft Admins provide the support necessary to effectively utilize the Infusionsoft application so that it truly benefits them in growing their business.

So maybe you’re wondering just what can an Infusionsoft Admin do for me?  Here are some the things they can get started on implementing right from the start:

Campaign Implementation and Testing – Don’t have a free offer on your website to help grow your list?  Here’s where you can get started with getting that set up.  Not only will you have the form, but you will also set up a series of emails to be sent over a period of time in an automated format.

CRM Management – If you’ve not yet transferred your list from your previous list provider.  That can be taken care of.  Once the list is imported it can then be tagged (segmented) in order to better target those on your mailing list.  What this mean is that you can easily separate those who have purchased or attended an event from those who have not.

Reports and Analytics – Analyzing your data is a very important part of your marketing efforts.  This helps you to see what is and is not working with your emails, etc.  The Infusionsoft software includes the reports necessary to quickly review and analyze your delivery/open rate.  This makes it so much easier for you to then decide what needs to be tweaked.

Email Broadcasts Preparation – Broadcast allows you to send emails without building a campaign.  This can be a simple email advising them of an upcoming sale, your newsletter (ezine).  Whatever you want to communicate to them about that does not need to be in a nurture sequence.  This option also provides an easy way to track your open rates, and find out who clicked on the link(s) in the email sent.

Ecommerce Setup – Add products and subscriptions, create order forms for your shopping cart, set up and manage discounts and promotion codes, and more.

Referral Partner Setup and Management (Affiliate Partner) – Are you ready to partner with others on your upcoming event or new product?  Here is where you can utilize the software to manage every aspect of the referral partner process.  From partner registration form to payouts, all in one easy location.

Data Cleanup –  Now that you’ve imported your list to the Infusionsoft software, there are names on your list that should be eliminated, because of bad data, duplicate names, or just non responsive.  Let’s face it, if you have a large list and only a small number of that list buys or engage with you regularly then you need to consider purging that list.

Because the software if so robust, it is often very overwhelming once you’ve purchased it.  Since you have a business to run, this is the time for you to add someone to your team who understand and have experience with this software.  Hiring someone to focus on Infusionsoft while you focus on what you do best is one of the most important thing for business owners new to the software to consider.

If you want to find out how an Infusionsoft Admin can help you reap the benefits of this software.  Click here to schedule a discovery session today.

Also, if you already have the software I would love to hear about your experiences with it in the comment section below.

All the best,

The post How an Infusionsoft Admin can help you appeared first on Vista Office Solutions.

A positive mindset allows us to handle everyday situations far better and this includes all the ups and downs. The act of positive thinking is a habit that we all want to get into. It allows us to dream about our future and better yet, take action now to make things happen!

There is no doubt that life is hard and there will be times when we need to laugh, cry and celebrate. We should allow ourselves time to express all of these emotions. We can make much better decisions when our mind is not clouded with negative thoughts.

Here are a few ways to always keep your mind thinking positively:

• Always keep your sense of humor
• Don’t allow negative thoughts to intrude
• Be grateful for what you have and don’t dwell on what you don’t have
• Try to be surrounded with positive thinking people
• Don’t become a worrier

Yes, it is hard to always think with a positive mind, but once you start thinking this way, you will actually feel better about life in general. A positive mind generates positive energy and helps us feel like winners.

It is possible to create our own future and destiny and this can be achieved with a positive mind. Remember, only you can make things change.

Our health can be affected by negative thoughts and this can lead to depression, anxiety and panic attacks and stress. Many people use hypnosis and meditation as away to change their mindset.  Think of all the people who quit smoking by using these methods. Women who want larger breasts have successfully used hypnosis to increasetheir bust size. If they can do this why can’t we use these techniques to improve our life?

No doubt you have told yourself that this week will be different, that you will stop  smoking or start that new diet on Monday. But it never happens and you put it off for another week and that week turns into a month and longer.
It is time to stop that way of thinking and start taking action and responsibility for our own lives.

Start today by thinking with a positive mind and you may be surprised at just how quickly your life turns around.

“Positive thinking will let you do everything better than negative thinking will” ~ Zig Ziglar

What do you do to stay positive?

I’d love to know how you handle the doubt and negative thoughts… leave a comment below and let me know how you dealt with it!

[testimonial_rotator id=2188]

The post Why a Positive Mindset is Important appeared first on Vista Office Solutions.

I recently purchased and am reading the book Launch by Jeff Walker.  This book is very interesting, and a great lesson learned thus far is that a list is necessary to really make money as an online business.  With that said, I decided to write this blog today, because there are so many out there that who still believes that email marketing is dead and social media is the way to go, even with all the noise.  But we must remember, in order to get our clients to know, like and trust us, we need to build relationships. Also, relationships are built through staying in touch with both prospects and existing clients through email.  Sharing of yourself and the services or products you offer and how they can benefit from them are also ways to build better relationships.

The first guideline for success with email marketing is that you should NEVER buy a list. Subscribers need to opt-in and confirm their subscription. When you buy a list, not only are you getting untargeted prospects who are probably not interested, you’re also spamming them when you send unsolicited messages. With anti-spam laws like the CAN-SPAM Act of 2003, and the new Canadian Anti-Spam Law (CASL) that recently went into effect July 1, 2014, you could pay dearly for this.

Another thing to keep in mind when you do start making offers, be careful about the products and services you promote. Don’t pass off anything on your list that’s less than the best quality. Nurturing your list is about building trust, and one bad product can destroy that trust quickly. Remember that people can unsubscribe by simply clicking on the link at the bottom of the message.

Always be responsive to your list and treat them like gold. When they have comments or questions, listen and communicate with them. Pay attention to your analytics so that you know what works and what doesn’t.

Marketers who take care of their list keep their subscribers for the long-term.

Remember, the secret to having a list is to just get started! And I am doing just that.

In my next blog I’ll share more of what I’ve learned from this fascinating book.

The post How to Make Email Marketing Work for You! appeared first on Vista Office Solutions.

Juggling a business in summer isn’t easy when you’d rather be out having fun.

We’re into the second week of July and Summer is in full swing. As a small business welcome to realize that Summertime – that time of the year when everything slows down and moves out of doors. “Less work, more play” is often the motto found on the minds of many. It’s a time when you spend a day at the beach or lake, or take an afternoon off work just to be outside. Kids are out of school for the summer. Vacations and holidays are on the schedule. Outdoor activities take front seat.

Juggling a business along with these summer activities can be hard. It’s also a time when many online business owners see a slow-down in sales. When consumers are reaching for the sunblock instead of their keyboards it can affect your bottom line. Online business owners, especially those who work from home, have to juggle not only their businesses, but also the kids if they are in the home.

Why do sales slump in the summer, though? There are many factors. One is the fact that most families are spending time with their kids who are out of school, so they are on vacations away from their computers. Another reason is consumers are spending money on summer activities for themselves, instead of business purchases.

A slow-down can occur in just about any small business at any time, but most often occurs during the summer, unless your business has a different seasonal focus.

Here is just an example of a recent analysis of summer shopping habits of online consumers by the web analytics firm SumAll (source: https://sumall.com/) shows that gross sales for online merchants in July decline 30% from December levels. This is data they collected from over 3,000 merchants within their analytics program over the past four years.
The data shows that consumers spend less per order during the summer with July being the lowest. In addition:

• August sales pick up during the final week of the month, for back to school sales.
• Monday is the day most likely to have large ticket purchases.
• Wednesday is the top sales day of the week during the period from June to August.
• Friday is the day of the week when a greater number of expensive items are purchased.
• Saturdays and Sundays are the least likely days to have sales.

A slow-down doesn’t have to be a time of giving up on sales for the summer, though.

In fact, in this blog post series you will learn ways to boost your sales during this time while still enjoying the fun of the summer season, how to manage getting work done, even if you have kids in the house. You’ll also find tips on how you can keep your business running while you’re on vacation.

If you’re looking for support to help grow and expand your business further, I’d love to schedule a time to chat. Click here to schedule a complimentary, 30-minute discovery session. On the call we’ll discuss your current administrative challenges and goals, and I’ll share how I might be able to help.

The post Keep Your Online Business Going in Summer appeared first on Vista Office Solutions.

Outsourcing can be a dream come true when you do it right. Along with automation, it will drastically reduce your workload. There is no ‘right time’ to start outsourcing. It differs from one person to another. Most people prefer to do everything themselves for a while at first, and then start outsourcing once their sites are up and running. If you’re considering hiring outsourced workers for the coming year, here are the signs that you might be ready. 

You Are Spending Too Much Time on Mundane Tasks

Do you find that you’re spending up to half of your day doing routine tasks that somebody else could do ? This is one of the main reason small business owners start outsourcing.

You may need help in such areas as maintaining your databases, posting content, submitting content, managing listings, managing spreadsheets, transcribing documents, handling emails, etc. All of these time-consuming tasks can be easily outsourced and there is plenty of affordable help to do it for you.

You’ve Got Better Things to Do

It may save you money to handle daily tasks yourself, but it’s costing you time, something you simply cannot get back. Therefore when you outsource – you’re buying someone else’s time because you don’t have enough of it yourself. After all, you have more important things you need to do, like make decisions about your marketing campaigns, and  growing your business. If you spend all of your day submitting articles and building backlinks, this takes away from that time.

The Money Is Starting To Roll In

Although some business owners recommend that you start outsourcing immediately, it can cost you quite a bit of money. For most new business owners it’s much better to wait until you start making money online and have a budget that allows you to. If you’re strapped for cash, you’re really not in a position to outsource. Especially when you’re spending out of pocket, even a little money seems like a lot. However, once you’ve got a steady income and can carve out a small amount to hire someone, it will be much easier to make the decision to outsource.

The Learning Curve Is Just Too Darn Slow

There are certain tasks you could outsource immediately. These are tasks that you don’t know how to do yourself and would take too much time to learn. For example, you may be an coach, online marketer or speaker who needs to build sites quickly. If you take the time to learn web design, you can pop these out on your own. But what if you don’t have the time it takes to learn that new skill right now? If it will slow you down too much to learn by yourself, hire someone else to do it.

The great news is that it’s incredibly easy to find outsourcers.  You have the option of working with someone who’s sole business is dedicated to supporting other business owners or you can opt to hire freelancers on a per project basis.

Just keep in mind, you’ve got help at the click of a mouse.

If you’re ready to get start outsourcing,  schedule a FREE  15-Minute Discovery Session  with me and we will discuss your unique situation and find a solution(s) that best suits your needs.

The post How You Know It’s Time to Start Outsourcing appeared first on Vista Office Solutions.

If you have a WordPress blog or a website, you may be wondering how to keep it safe from hackers and from accidental changes or deletions?

The post Three Ways To Secure Your WordPress Blog appeared first on Vista Office Solutions.