Business Tips

How to Prepare for a Trade Show

by Janet Barclay

When you run a virtual assistant practice, or any business for that matter, it is essential that you connect with new people on an ongoing basis. Social media allows us to network from the comfort of our home offices, but nothing can really match the power of a face-to-face meeting. A well-advertised trade show provides an opportunity to meet a large number of people in a fairly short period of time.

Jenn Kubilis at GHVA Group Trade Show

Since there will be many other businesses represented, all competing for the attention of potential clients and customers, you will want to make sure your booth or table is as appealing as possible so you don’t get overlooked.

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Top Business Books

by GHVA Group

readingAt every GHVA Group meeting, we hold a discussion on a specific business topic.

Most recently, we answered the question What is your favourite business book? Here are a few of our selections.

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Top 3 Reasons To Use LinkedIn For Business

by Crystal Burkholder

LinkedInWelcome to Day 12 of our 5th Anniversary Blog Tour!

LinkedIn has long been the most business-oriented social network.  Originally biased towards professional males and job seekers, it has evolved considerably over the last few years and is currently undergoing a wave of changes slanted towards helping it not just compete with Facebook and Twitter – but carry more weight.

So why should you used LinkedIn if it sits in fourth place behind Facebook, YouTube and Twitter?

LinkedIn captures an audience tired of the spam and irrelevant chatter across Facebook:  One that is serious about business. There is still a social element (which LinkedIn is working hard to increase) but it consists of a focused group of people who are passionate about their professions.

If yours is a B2B business, this is an ideal social network for you.  Let’s take a look at the top three ways to use it.

Image courtesy of Jurgen Appelo

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Top 3 Ways To Use Twitter For Business

by Crystal Burkholder

best times to use Facebook and TwitterWelcome to day 8 of our 5th Anniversary Blog Tour!

If you’re like most marketers, you’ve been using Twitter for a long time now… Perhaps even stopped using it.

Tweets go by so quickly.  Auto-tweets have removed the novelty from Twitter, drowning users in a sea of impersonal, shallow tweets. You’re only allowed 140 characters to say what you want to say (around 90, if you want people to recommend when they Retweet).  And everyone seems to say the same thing; mostly endless links to blog posts nobody reads.

Fortunately, a small percentage of the Twitterverse knows exactly how to leverage Twitter.  If you run a B2B-type business, many of these may make up a large percentage of your potential client base.

The rest make up a strong networking community, whether or not your business is retail or service-based.  So learn to use Twitter like the crème de la crème, and you’ll soon discover these top three tips really do work.

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Top 3 Reasons to Use Online Video

by Debbie Lapointe

video fillm reelsWelcome to day 6 of our 5th Anniversary Blog Tour!

With record-breaking statistics on the number of ads being viewed each month, online video has become a very powerful tool for small business owners.

Web based video productions are usually short and informative. They’re a marketing strategy that lets you connect with potential clients in a personalized, professional way to build rapport.

With video being used more often than ever before, the opportunities to engage potential clients in a more meaningful, entertaining way are endless. They’re easy to host and can be used to:

  • build your brand
  • introduce yourself and tell your story
  • drive traffic to your website and welcome visitors once they arrive on the home page
  • showcase your products and services
  • drive traffic to your website
  • teach customers how to use your products
  • advertise specials and discounts in ways that text and pictures alone can’t

Now that we know what online video is and how they can be used, lets find out the top 3 benefits of using video for your business.

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Top 3 Reasons To Use Pinterest For Business

by Crystal Burkholder

Pinterest pin it buttonWelcome to Day 4 of our 5th Anniversary Blog Tour!

If your audience is predominantly female and anywhere from twenty-five to sixty-five, Pinterest ought to be one of your foremost social networking strategies.

And if you don’t believe this, just take a look at your Facebook feed – and count all the Pinterest and photo shares.

Pinterest is also a social network for those who are visual learners, so if your target market is both female and visual in expression, you can’t afford to ignore it.

Let’s take a look at the top three reasons why Pinterest can help grow your business…

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Top 3 Reasons To Use Facebook for Business

by Crystal Burkholder

Facebook pageWelcome to Day 2 of our 5th Anniversary Blog Tour!

Both Facebook and Mashable put monthly Facebook visitors at 1 billion, from December 2012 to February 2013.

Visitors spend an average of 28.8 minutes per day within Facebook’s portals, hanging out with friends and acquaintances, and looking for entertainment or news.  Its daily reach is an enormous 43%, with use and popularity still on the rise.

But wait – just because it’s the most popular social network in the world, is that any reason to use it for business purposes? Isn’t it primarily social?  Won’t your voice get drowned out amid all those millions of users?

Great questions.  Let’s see exactly what Facebook can do for you and your business – and why you should use it for that purpose.

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Top 3 Ways a Blog Can Enhance Your Personal Brand

by Janet Barclay

blogging to stand out from the crowdWelcome to Day 1 of our 5th Anniversary Blog Tour!

Over the last few years, blogging has become an increasingly popular branding strategy for businesses of all sizes. But branding isn’t just for businesses; it’s for individuals as well! Your personal brand is the way that people perceive you, and it’s reflected in everything that you do. It’s in your values, your personality, your talents and your skills.

A blog allows readers to understand your brand on a much deeper level than your LinkedIn profile or even your online portfolio; it can give them insight into who you are and help build a connection, even if you’ve never met.

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Who is Your Ideal Client?

by GHVA Group

virtual assistant shaking hands with new clientIf your answer is “women entrepreneurs” or “busy executives,” you’re not answering the question I asked. Instead, you’re telling me about your target market.

Identifying a target market is important, but it’s even more beneficial to have a clear vision of your ideal client.

Typically, 80% of your business comes from 20% of your clients. If you take a good look at your top 20% and figure out how they differ from your other clients, you will be better equipped to seek out more clients who are just like them.

Grab a pen and paper, and try this exercise.

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Making Time for Yourself

by GHVA Group

One of the biggest challenges for virtual assistants and other solopreneurs is taking time away from their business.

Here are 7 ways that members of the Golden Horseshoe Virtual Assistants Group manage to have a personal life.

Mark it on your schedule

Organizing Schedule

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Take the dog for a walk

Walk The Dog

Image courtesy of federico stevanin / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Make yourself unavailable during off hours

Closed sign

Image courtesy of Lombok / PhotoXpress

Take a spinning class

Spinning Class

Image courtesy of photostock / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Set your rates high enough that you don't have to work 24-7

Business CalculationImage courtesy of worradmu / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Meet a friend for lunch

Meet a friend for lunch

Image courtesy of Francis Lempérière / PhotoXpress

Be ready to get back to work when your break is finished
Computer notebook

Image courtesy of PinkShot / PhotoXpress

What ideas can you add?

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