Virtual Employee | Virtual Assistant

LongerDays.com offers Virtual Assistance to Michigan Irish Music Festival

Andrew Zahrt — Thu, 23 May 2013 20:52:31 +0000

In 2012, LongerDays established a relationship with the Michigan Irish Music Festival to offer virtual assistance in handling their online ticket sales. The festival was so pleased with our work that they have since enlisted us to provide virtual assistance in a number of other ways:

Online ticket orders

Prior to 2012, the Michigan Irish Music Festival had not had much success with online ticketing. In an effort to increase online ticket sales, the Festival offered a $5 online pre-sale discount in addition to the $2 discount patrons could receive if they had a coupon. Online orders were subject to a $1 fee which covered the cost of the envelope and the stamp.

LongerDays fulfilled online ticket sales for the Michigan Irish Music Festival. During the five days leading up to the Festival, the purchaser received an email indicating that their order would be held at WILL CALL for their convenience. The $1 handling fee still applied.

In 2011 there were a total of 86 orders (not total tickets). In 2012, the number of orders climbed to 1076. This resulted in 1251% increase in Pre-Festival ticket sales.

E-news to Volunteers and General Web Inquiries

LongerDays.com sends out the Festival’s e-newsletter communications to its 760 volunteers, as well as members of the general public who have expressed an interest in receiving Festival updates.

The individual newsletters are sent using Constant Contact. This takes the responsibility off the Festival Board and still keeps the info fresh in the hands of those who want it.

NAICFO Conference assistance

The graphic design staff at LongerDays handled the design of the materials for the North American Irish & Celtic Festival Organizers Conference, which included the Conference Program, Conference Registration Form, Conference Save the Dates, Conference Signage, and the Conference Logo.

Oversight and direction was provided by the Michigan Irish Music Festival, who hosted the conference.

Volunteering at the Festival

Many LongerDays staff members volunteer for the Michigan Irish Music Festival’s Text-to-Screen. The Text-to-Screen enabled patrons to participate in the Festival by sending a text about their favorite band, the food, the fun, etc.

The Text-to-Screen was designed by the Festival IT Chairperson (who is also a former member of the LongerDays staff), and LongerDays staff members volunteer their time to ensure that the messages coming through are appropriate before being shown on the screens to the patrons at the Festival. LongerDays employees also fill the roles of Production Manager and 2 Stage Managers for the festival.

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The Success Indicator

chad — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 21:32:02 +0000

The post The Success Indicator appeared first on Virtual Employee | Virtual Assistant.

CRM Programs Overview

Andrew Zahrt — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 18:32:29 +0000

Salesforce

Salesforce is highly regarded as the leader of CRM programs and cloud enterprise business solutions. However, their pricing can be on the high-end for small businesses, who may be best off using a similar platform.

Salesforce’s services are split into several different products and editions, each with their own tiered pricing. Compared to most competitors, Salesforce has one of the most complex pricing structures because each edition offers additional features based upon the tier you choose to purchase. On top of this, most editions require an annual contract.

Their core CRM product is the “Sales Cloud,” which is designed to track contacts, leads, and a sales pipeline.

The Sales Cloud Contact Manager edition is $5 per user per month (up to five users) with an annual contract. Compared to other similar software, the features included in this edition are quite limited. The sole purposes of this edition are to manage contacts and create simple tasks regarding contact interaction.

The next tier in the Sales Cloud platform is the Group edition for $25 per user per month with an annual contract. This edition includes all Contact Manager features, plus a more customizable interface. Additionally, users are able to track emails and create templates. Another great feature in this edition is the ability to have a web contact form that will directly tie into the Sales Cloud. Information entered through the form will be transformed into a contact or lead for further tracking.

The vast amount of options and complex structuring can also be quite daunting for the average user to adjust to.

Complete Sales Cloud Pricing

Sage ACT! & Sage CRM

CRM was purchased by Sage in 2001, a company who already had their own CRM solution. To this day, Sage maintains ACT! as an on-premise/self-hosted solution, whereas Sage CRM is maintained under the SaaS user model.

For smaller businesses, ACT! Pro can be a handful because it requires knowledge of managing a server and maintaining the related software. There is, however, cloud hosting maintained by Sage available for an additional fee. We were unable to find information regarding the additional pricing. ACT! also runs as an application on the user’s Windows desktop. So far, there is no support for the Mac platform.

Sage CRM is primarily a cloud-based solution, maintained by Sage, which is to be used in the web browser.

Sage ACT! Pro can be purchased at an annual rate of $269.99 per user. This includes integration with Outlook, Gmail, LinkedIn, and more. Contacts, groups, and companies can be tracked for activity. The Pro edition does not include the option for Sage cloud hosting, so this particular edition requires users to set it up on their own server.

Sage ACT! Premium can be purchased at an annual rate of $549.99 per user. This particular edition does support cloud hosting through Sage at an additional rate. This edition can also be accessed via the Windows desktop application, the web, or through mobile devices. It supports all of the features with the Pro edition.

Sage CRM can be purchased for $45 per month per user. This is a relatively high price compared to ACT! Pro, but it does support several more web-centric features, inlcuding mobile support, case management, knowledge-base management, and campaign management.

Much like SalesForce, Sage offers several products, editions, and tiered features which can be overly complex for average users.

Research indicates that Sage ACT is regarded as one of the easier CRMs from a user perspective. It has a presentation that is similar to that of Microsoft Outlook.

Microsoft Dynamics CRM (Online)

Microsoft Dynamics CRM is offered in several editions and deployment options. For a higher licensing fee, Dynamics CRM can be deployed in a self-hosted environment. However, this is not the most economical solution for small businesses. Instead, the most reasonably priced deployment option is Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online, a cloud-hosted solution provided by Microsoft for $44 per user per month.

Dynamics CRM, like many other solutions, is great for managing contacts, companies, and leads. Additionally, information can be broken down into market segments and territories, along with a sales pipeline and market forecasting.

The user interface of Dynamics is similar to other modern Microsoft applications in that it adapts the ribbon interface commonly used in Outlook and Word. Those familiar with other Microsoft products should feel right at home using Dynamics CRM.

Insightly

Insightly is something of a hybrid, acting as both a slim-line CRM with Google Apps integration, and a project management system. Insightly can be set via the Google Apps Marketplace, allowing for seamless integration with Gmail. Users can easily forward email into the CRM via a Gmail widget. Once forwarded through the widget, contacts are then monitored and transformed into leads or clients. Additionally, pipelines and activity sets can be created based on the status of a particular contact. By setting up a pipeline, a lead that turns into customer can be automated with a set of particular tasks that are common for the transitional process. So, instead of manually creating tasks that involve repetitive steps, such as creating a client folder or adding them to invoicing software, users can automatically be informed that these steps need to occur.

For companies looking more for an all-in-one customer solution, and a system less about sales pipelines and market segmentation, Insightly is perfect. You will not find the depth that other CRMs offer in the way of forecasting, but you will find the tools needed for managing contacts and doing so in a collaborative environment.

Pricing for Insightly is also relatively cheap compared to most professional grade CRMs. Rather than being priced per user, Insightly has four editions, each with a maximum number of users that can be added. Each edition also has the same feature set. The only differences are the number of users, amount of storage, and number of contacts that can be saved. The free version allows up to 3 users within the CRM, while the Starter plan ($29 per month) allows up to 6 users. The Advanced edition ($49 per month) allows up to 15 users. Lastly, the Pro edition ($99 per month) allows up to 40 users. Both the Pro and Advanced editions allow unlimited contacts within the system.

At this time, Insightly garners a 4 out 5 star rating on the Google Apps Marketplace.

CRM Comparison Table

	Salesforce	Sage ACT! Pro	Sage CRM	Dynamics CRM Online	Insightly
SaaS	X		X	X	X
Offline Access		X		X
Email Integration	X	X ²	X	X	X
Email Templates	X ¹		X
Google Apps	X	X	X		X
Mobile Access	X		X	X	X
Web to CRM Forms	X ¹
Sales Forecasting	X	X	X	X
Task Management	X	X	X	X	X

¹ Included in Sales Cloud Group Edition
² Sage ACT! does not handle email directly within the application

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Steve Parker Tips on Career and Life

chad — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 20:19:08 +0000

The following are some notes on a lecture that was recently given to a class of students at Grand Valley State University:

Show up. Even though you don’t really feel like going to the party, after work gathering, funeral, class reunion, etc. To someone, it’s important.
Treat restaurant wait staff with respect. A person who treats a waiter/waitress disrespectfully that person will inevitably treat you disrespectfully, beware.

Network, network, network. Most good things happen because of who you know.
Look your best. Not only does it have a profound effect on your self-confidence, “looking the part” can open doors for you when applying for a job, home loan, or by influencing the way people in your social network think and talk about you when they hear of opportunities.
Trust your gut/Speak up. Even when the boss and the rest of the group are going in another direction, if your instinct is telling you otherwise…speak up. Someone else in the group almost always feels the same way but is hesitant to say something.
Have a plan. Would you expect to drive to some far off destination without a map? Your life goals are the same. Whatever you want to accomplish, the likelihood that you will accomplish it increases significantly with a plan that allows you to take action.
Use proper english. The ability to successfully communicate with others is essential to a successful career. If two people with the same skills apply for the same job, the one with better command of subject / verb agreement and other critical grammar issues is most likely to get the job.
Practice the art of conversation – Listen more than you talk. When engaging someone in conversation at a business gathering or the neighborhood party, ask four questions of the person you are engaging before being compelled to talk about yourself. It is a simple skill that will pay great dividends.
Look people in the eye. It’s common for the iPhone generation to multi-task during a conversation. What people are really saying is that they are not that interested in the topic of conversation, or that they just don’t respect the person they are supposedly “engaged” in a conversation with. Respect is a two way street. Don’t expect to receive it if you are not prepared to offer it.
Write hand written thank you notes. They matter.
Be flexible.
Never send an angry email. The sun comes up in the morning and generally it was not as bad as it seemed. If it is that bad, visit the person, or call to talk it through.
Get a mentor. Everyone has something to learn. Keep on learning. Life is long!

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CONNECTICUT LLC Creation Checklist

chad — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 16:09:59 +0000

LLC Creation Checklist

CONNECTICUT

Click here to download a printable PDF version of this checklist.

What You Need:

❒ Articles of Organization
❒ Registered Agent
❒ $120 filing fee
❒ Annual Report filed due on anniversary the LLC was formed
❒ EIN required if the LLC has more than one member
❒ $250 Business Entity Tax

Steps To Take:

❒ Choose a name that complies with Connecticut’s law. If a name is already in use and is legally protected, for example through a trademark or service mark, the new business owner is not legally able to use the name.

• Check availability here: http://www.concord-sots.ct.gov/CONCORD/online?sn=PublicInquiry&eid=9740

❒ Choose a registered agent. The registered agent may be (1) an individual who is a full-time resident of Connecticut (including a member or manager of the LLC), or (2) a Connecticut business entity, or (3) a foreign business entity, which has obtained a certificate of authority to transact business in Connecticut.

❒ File the Articles of Organization. The articles must include the LLC’s name and address; the nature of the business; the name, address, and signature of the LLC’s registered agent; the name and address of at least one manager or member; and a statement as to whether the LLC will be run by a manager. The articles may be filed online through the Connecticut Secretary of State’s website.

• Articles of Organization:
http://www.sots.ct.gov/sots/lib/sots/commercialrecording/allforms/art_of_org_domestic_llc.pdf

❒ Pay the State Tax Obligations. All LLCs and foreign LLCs must pay an annual $250 Business Entity Tax to the Connecticut Department of Revenue Services. LLCs should register for a Connecticut Tax Registration Number. This can be done by filing Form REG-1, Business Taxes Registration Application, online through the Taxpayer Service Center (TSC).

• Connecticut Department of Revenue Services website.

Tax Considerations:

• Business is separate from the owners
• Taxation: Income loss – reported by owners
• Tax Form: Form 1065 – Return of Partnership Income (info only) and Form 1040 – Individual Income Tax Return

A separate legal entity created by a state filing. Under state laws, LLC owners are given the liability protection that was previously afforded only to owners of a corporation (shareholders). Now, LLCs are treated like partnerships for federal tax purposes (unless they elect to be treated like a corporation, which most don’t). LLCs have “pass-through” taxation, which means that no tax on the LLC’s income is paid at the business level. Income/loss is instead reported on the personal tax returns of the owners, and any tax due is paid at the individual level. Keep in mind; even though LLCs are treated as partnerships for federal tax purposes, the same is not always true for state tax purposes.

Organizational Software:

Help with Filing an LLC

Help with Organizing Your Business

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MASSACHUSETTES LLC Creation Checklist

chad — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 16:09:18 +0000

LLC Creation Checklist

MASSACHUSETTES

Click here to download a printable PDF version of this checklist.

What You Need:

❒ Certificate of Organization Form
❒ Registered Agent
❒ $500 filing fee
❒ Annual Report filed 2.5 months before the end of the fiscal year
❒ EIN required if LLC will have employees

Steps To Take:

❒ Choose a name that complies with Massachusetts’s law. The name you select must also not be identical to or be deceptively similar with the name of an existing business association registered in Massachusetts.❒ Choose a registered agent. Massachusetts’s law requires you to designate a registered agent in the Certificate of Organization for your LLC.

❒ Choose your method of filing. The Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth allows individuals to file a Certificate of Organization by mail, fax or Internet.

Certificate of Organization Form: http://www.sec.state.ma.us/cor/corpdf/c156c512dllccert.pdf
Filing Online: https://corp.sec.state.ma.us/corp/loginsystem/login_form.asp?FilingMethod=I

Tax Considerations:

Business is separate from the owners
Taxation: Income loss – reported by owners
Tax Form: Form 1065 – Return of Partnership Income (info only) and Form 1040 – Individual Income Tax Return

Organizational Software:

Help with Filing an LLC

Help with Organizing Your Business

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Jargon: The New Meaning of “Language Barrier” in the World of Outsourcing

Mike Schertenlieb — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 20:19:35 +0000

As the business world continues to develop on a global scale, and more and more businesses (both large and small) are looking to outsourcing and virtual assistance to meet their needs, there’s an often overlooked language barrier.

Now, language barriers can sometimes be a problem for companies outsourcing overseas, but that is not always the issue at hand. For most services that a business might need, chances are high that there’s someone offering them in their native tongue, from web developers in Germany or social media analysts in Japan, to Spanish-speaking IT companies – and even 100% all-American virtual assistance (like us!).

Even when both sides of a business relationship are speaking the same language on the surface, there is plenty of potential for jargon, tech-speak, industry specific terminology, acronyms, and the like to create a perilous quagmire of miscommunication between client and service provider.

Every niche has its own bits of jargon, from marketing to web development, and when both parties of a service agreement aren’t on the same page, this can lead to misguided expectations, and frankly, wasted time.

We can all identify with this language barrier, simply by looking at our own interests. Whether it’s sailing or real estate, baseball or gardening, every niche interest has it’s own set of terms – and for those outside of the niche, it might as well be a foreign language!

This breakdown in communication over terminology is potentially crippling to a working relationship, unless, of course both parties are diligent in their efforts to learn and understand the vernacular of the project at hand.

This can be daunting, but with a little bit of online research, just about anyone can get a sense of the basic terminology of a given industry, especially when it comes to the world of online business, search engine optimization, web development, and content management systems.

Whether you’re a project manager, freelancer, CEO, or providing virtual assistant services, it pays to know the jargon for whatever you might be working on (or delegating out to someone else). By having clearly defined terms that everyone can agree upon, there is less room for error - and more importantly, less of a need to waste precious time sorting out vocabulary or backtracking to define acronyms.

Sites like Wikipedia and Netlingo are great places to start for clearly defined “tech terms,” and a quick Google search can always help clarify any murky jargon you may encounter.

On both sides of a working relationship, communication is extremely important, and just a little bit of preparation (even a cheat sheet) will go a long, long way maximizing both the efficiency and effectiveness of any discussion.

Don’t let jargon be a language barrier!

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Gigaom: Using a Virtual Assistant in Your Business

chad — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 15:15:51 +0000

LongerDays.com was recently mentioned in an article by Amber Singleton Riviere on gigaom.com

“In an earlier post, I mentioned using a virtual assistant (VA) to help with my work so that I could free myself to focus on more important tasks, including taking much-needed time off. Many readers asked who I used for virtual assistant services.

VAs have been very effective in helping me get things done, while freeing me to focus on other, more important, areas of my life and business. Here are a few things to ask yourself before hiring a VA…”

Why Offer Support If It Isn’t The Best It Can Be?

Mike Schertenlieb — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 19:30:17 +0000

We’ve all had those experiences, where the person behind the counter or on the other end of the phone just didn’t do what we needed them to – it could be because of policy, attitude, or simply because the support person lacks the information/skill to give us what we want.

This problem is compounded in the world of follow-up support, particularly subscription services and software support. It seems like common knowledge that these support services are notoriously subpar, but why?

The unfortunate reality is that many of these businesses simply don’t make any money through their support channels! Helpdesks and support lines are largely populated by existing customers who have already made a purchase, and as detestable as the mentality is, why would a company want to spend resources on someone who isn’t spending any more money?

What these companies don’t seem to understand is this: the damage dealt to their reputations has a far more negative impact than the positives of saving a few dollars with poor support. If offering support is a financial burden, and a company doesn’t see the value of maintaining a positive relationship with their customers, why even offer support in the first place?

It seems logical that offering top-tier support and fantastic customer service is one of the best ways to build and maintain customer relationships, and ensure that they share their business with you again in the future, even if it does use up valuable resources.

Again, if the support isn’t going to be any good (or if a company isn’t even going to make the effort), why offer it at all? It would almost be better to leave customers high and dry than to consistently disappoint them. It just doesn’t make any sense.

Instead, companies should be focused on taking things to the next level, offering such awesome support that their clients and customers are pleasantly surprised. This can be achieved through employee training, support-conducive policies, and an “open door” policy for customer complaints and problems. After all, a company who can stand behind its products/services, meet unforeseen customer issues head on, and generally “be there” for their customer base will gain such an outstanding reputation that customers will come back in droves to purchase from them again and again.

This even translates into the online review process, as well as word of mouth recommendations. Great service will yield great reviews. Terrible service will yield terrible reviews. No one will continue to do business with a company when they’ve learned to expect disappointment.
Why do you think companies are willing to offer less than stellar support? What can businesses to do offer the very best support for their customers?

Let us know what you think in the comments!

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Business Next interviews Chad from LongerDays.com

aaron — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 21:31:33 +0000

Chad talks to the host of Business Next, Michael, about LongerDays.com. Business Next is a part of the Michigan Business Network. Click here to listen.

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