Airfare > Can I Do It All Myself...

Can I Do It All Myself...

by: Johan MacLeod

Can I do it all myself?

Sometimes we feel that we are handling everything just fine.
You?re a business owner and your list of clients is growing leaps and bounds as you hoped it would. The money is coming in and you may even enjoy spending an extra hour or two at the office to get caught up at the end of the day or early in the morning before the phone begins to ring.
This is how you wanted it but if only you had those one or two extra hours every day.
The new blackberry is fine but you know you need a back up at the office 'just in case'.
Your growing stack of business cards is piling up in an ever-tightening rubber band in your desk drawer and you promise yourself that you'll be organizing them into some sort of filing system 'one of these days - soon', you promise yourself.

The promotional letter and the mailing list you were going to do on Tuesday will just have to wait a few more days because an out-of-town client unexpectedly called and needs some of your time. You've lost the whole day but you don't mind because it's part of the job - reshuffling and rescheduling other clients and duties is a normal part of the business and you have to keep your priorities in order - after all, it's the client who keeps the money coming in.

While you're at the client you remember one more thing that has you distracted from the matters at hand. You were supposed to call and make an important lunch appointment with a 'potential' client you've been hoping to get and it completely slipped your mind.
As you sit, you feel sure you left the name and phone number of the restaurant the client suggested on a slip of paper on your desk.
This week isn't going quite as well as it should - you realize you've been having too many of 'these weeks' lately.
Business is growing but things aren't being done in the timely manner they used to be.

You're losing ground in important other matters and so the once well-oiled machine is showing a bit of a strain. Instead of focusing on your clients, you're becoming bogged down with administrative office duties and they're piling up fast and furious. You lost the piece of paper, Wednesday appointments didn't get rescheduled on time, the database isn't being maintained and the invoices haven't been sent out - not to mention all the daily correspondence that isn't being taken care of.

On and on it goes.
If only there was an extra hour or two, even for a week or two just to finish things up without distractions.
Somewhere in your mind you remember clicking on a website that provides these services - some kind of an assistant over the internet that helps out and you don't have to pay for more than what work is done - even down to ten minute increments.
As you jog your memory you remember the words Virtual Office Assistance or something to that effect.
Then you remember Virtual Assistant - they already have the office machines and software and they're experienced professionals.

Now instead of wondering how you'll get caught up, you contact a Virtual Assistant and tell her what you want done. Suddenly your burden has become lighter and you feel the tension leave.
After you make the call, you fax, email, upload files or whatever what needs done.
Your VA takes it from there. The meeting was set up, the old appointments were rescheduled and you get reminders from you daily planner.
She calls you with any unexpected problems that have arisen or are anticipated and she took care of your business trip to the west coast next month - even finding a better price on the airfare and hotel so you actually saved money.
Now you're undivided attention is given to the client and you can increase your business potential and attend to your other clients.

You sigh with relief knowing that you need never feel like things are getting ahead of you again. As an added touch, your VA called you later to see how the meeting went - you tell her you got the client. As the VA congratulates her new client, she smiles as you both hang up the phone. Both have had a good day.

Article Author: Johan MacLeod

Author Contact:
vcoa@care2.com

URL: www.virtuallyconnectedofficeassistance.com

About The Author

Johan MacLeod owns and operates Virtually Connected Office Assistance (VCOA) from a suburb in Montreal, Canada. Here she provides extensive experience with over 25 years of knowledge and discipline in the Executive Management, Administrative, Secretarial, Clerical and Support Staff fields.

This article may be re-printed free of charge under the following conditions and guidelines:

All or any portion of this article may be used with my copyright © 2005 permission for reference and/or reprint in Ezines, Newsletters, PowerPoint presentations or similar publications providing the original text is not changed or altered and the authors email address and website are displayed. A courtesy email of these intentions to the author at vcoa@care2.com are not obliged but would be appreciated.

Put Your Budget Travel Plans on Autopilot

Put Your Budget Travel Plans on Autopilot

by: Charles Brown

Face it, the biggest cost of travel is usually just getting there.
Airfare these days is driven by fuel costs, which are driven by whoever is about to sneeze in the Middle East.
So what is a person looking for budget adventure travel to do?

I'm glad you asked.

Here are three sites that can help you track down the cheapest airfare like Pooh on the prowl for a jar of honey.
(Hey I'm a father who has read a million bedtime stories, what can I say?)

--FareWatchers (www.farewatchers.com) offers two types of e-mail alerts: one when Travelocity's lowest fare between two targeted cities changes up or down by more than $25 and the other when the fare falls below a threshold set by the subscriber

--The Orbitz Web site, www.orbitz.com, offers Deal Detector,...

Put Your Budget Travel Plans on Autopilot

Airfare > Put Your Budget Travel Plans on Autopilot

Five Family Friendly Vacations Ideas and How To Make Them Affordable

Five Family Friendly Vacations Ideas and How To Make Them Affordable

by: Patricia Kopp

Does the cost of travel have you wondering whether or not you can afford to take your family on a vacation this year? Your much needed and well deserved vacation should be a priority in your life and we are providing ways to make your family vacation time more affordable and more enjoyable.

1. Kids and Cruises ?Traveling by ship is a way for families to visit several places on one trip without constantly having to pack and unpack which is a big benefit for parents with young children. Additionally most cruise lines offer children's programs and kids will love the freedom of life on board a cruise ship.

Way to save on cruising: Travel agents specializing in cruises and businesses that book blocks of cabins can offer quite a savings on rooms. Cruising prices are also dependent upon the season you choose to cruise. Look for off season specials or cruises...

Five Family Friendly Vacations Ideas and How To Make Them Affordable

Airfare > Five Family Friendly Vacations Ideas and How To Make Them Affordable

Put Your Budget Travel Plans on Autopilot

Put Your Budget Travel Plans on Autopilot

by: Charles Brown

I'm glad you asked.

Here are three sites that can help you track down the cheapest airfare like Pooh on the prowl for a jar of honey.
(Hey I'm a father who has read a million bedtime stories, what can I say?)

--The Orbitz Web site, www.orbitz.com, offers Deal Detector,...

Put Your Budget Travel Plans on Autopilot

Airfare > Put Your Budget Travel Plans on Autopilot

How To Create Your Own Travel Discounts!

How To Create Your Own Travel Discounts!

by: Susan Wong

Why not take the initiative and find your own ways to cheap travel by making your own discount? As you know, hotel and rental car owners don?t just offer you discounts at random. Usually, they offer discounts during off-peak seasons. As a savvy traveller, do you know that you can take the initiative and create your own travel discounts easily? Below are some quick and easy methods for doing so:

- If you?re planning to stay for more than a week, call the hotel that you?d want to stay in and ask for week long stay discounts, these can range for percentages off your room price or even a ?free day.?

- Check detour flights other than the straight one you?re bound to get when you inquire. You can get cheaper overall prices if you choose to book two flights instead of one. Some people have been able to save as much as $2000 by doing this.

- Find web-only discounts or coupons which...

How To Create Your Own Travel Discounts!

Airfare > How To Create Your Own Travel Discounts!

Little Secrets

Little Secrets

by: Steve Gillman

Little secrets can be useful. An example is knowing that hotel mattresses are less worn and more comfortable on the side away from the phone. Or knowing that listening to Mozart's sonata for Two Pianos in D Major, K. 448 for ten minutes can raise your IQ 9 points.

They can also be just interesting. Did you know that the furthest point from the center of the earth isn't Everest, but the top of Mount Chimborazo, in Ecuador (due to the bulge in the planet near the equator)? Here are some little secrets that are a little of both.

- Find money in bibles. Hotel owners report that visitors tuck money in the bedside bible, and forget to take it with them. Check those bibles!

- Find treasure in hotel rooms. Treasure hunters have found that businessmen take off and hide their wedding rings in hotel rooms, before they head to the bars. They sometimes forget them when they check out. Where would you hide something?...

Little Secrets

Airfare > Little Secrets