Email marketing has become an acceptable option for marketing a business.  It allows you to stay connected to current and prospective clients and provides ways to grow your business and build a loyal following. As a viable and low-cost part of your marketing plan, it plays a big role as a method by which you can distribute, advertise, and promote various types of communication to a wide range of recipients.

Through a targeted email marketing approach you may tailor or personalize your message to your specific audience or niche. In marketing terms, this is called segmentation.

The advantages to using an email marketing strategy to promote your business are many, such as: low cost as compared to traditional mailing costs, the speed at which your message is delivered, and the ability for recipients to forward the message to others who may also be interested. Moreover, email marketing software allows you to track results of your communications, allowing you to evaluate your success and enhance your messages through your statistical insights.

While there are multiple advantages, keep in mind that email marketing is intended to be an enhancement to your other marketing activities. For example, it may be used to lead your prospects to your website, which should be designed to process sales, while your email marketing campaign will highlight the benefits of your offerings and encourage prospects to make a purchase. Your website should also be the focus of other online marketing strategies such as search engine optimization (SEO), pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, and article marketing. Email marketing allows you to enhance all your marketing efforts and encourages customers to patronize your business and become loyal fans.

Always remember when implementing an email marketing campaign do not overdo it, one of the downsides or disadvantages of email marketing. If you’re sending emails to thousands of people every other day, they’re going to get tired of hearing from you and either delete them or opt out of your mailing list, which will potentially cost you a lot of business. The last thing you want to do is irritate your subscribers by making them feel they’ve been tricked into signing up for something they didn’t actually want.

Email marketing is a very valuable tool to supplement your marketing strategies while giving you an additional method to keep in touch with your customers and prospects to build a loyal following.

Jeannine Clontz, IVAA CVA, MVA, EthicsChecked™, owner of Accurate Business Services is a Virtual Assistant (VA).  ABS provides ‘as needed marketing and social media support, training and consulting to busy entrepreneurs.  Clontz is a writer, author, VA Coach, and speaker on business topics including business ethics. For her free 10-Step Guide to Finding the Right VA, or her FREE Report, Social Media Marketing Benefits, send a request to: service@accbizsvcs.com or visit: http://www.accbizsvcs.com, www.VAbizcoach.com or her book website http://www.entrepreneurialfreedom.com

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Well this isn’t a geeky post – but it’s still relevant.   And I’m not just posting a link because I’m featured in the book.    Okay, well, maybe I am!  LOL

Pam Ivey (one of our GeekGyrls) and Kristi Pavlik have just released the new book called The Business of Being Virtual which is now available!

This book brings you insights into some of the best known and successful virtual assistants in the industry.

You can learn more about the book at www.businessofbeingvirtual.com.

Here’s the table of contents:

Congratulations Pam and Kristi!!!

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Marketing and growing my VA practice has allowed me the opportunity to build relationships with entrepreneurs in all walks of life, and in many varied industries. Ethics has been the thread that binds me to other successful business owners, and helps to spread the word on how to maintain and encourage good business practices.

One of the biggest obstacles that many of my VA peers face is the use of sub-contractors. As with any industry, there are those that take pride in their abilities and prefer to be totally honest in dealing with clients (and other VA’s looking for assistance), and those who do not.

We sometimes forget that we should also be responsible for building a good working relationship with our sub-contractors. We should provide clear and concise instructions, as we would an employee, and give them all the necessary information to understand our business philosophy, our mission, and the relationship we maintain with our clients. As a sub-contractor, we should handle this business with the same professionalism as we would any other client. How we complete their project will have an impact on whether or not they’ll use us in the future, as it is with any client.

Take the time to find out about your sub-contractor and be sure they’re a good fit for you and the project you need assistance with. Be sure you have a good Sub-Contractor Agreement and that it’s signed before you forward any work to be completed. Be clear about deadlines. Give yourself an extra day or two so that you can check their work to be sure it is what your client has come to expect from your organization, and that your sub-contractor can realistically complete their end of the project on time.

I can’t tell you how many horror stories I’ve heard from VA’s whose sub-contractors don’t complete projects on time, or as instructed. It’s probably their number one complaint and what may prevent them from accepting a project that will require additional help.

I know I enjoy being a sub-contractor, and do everything in my power to make sure that the work product maintains the impeccable standards I set for myself with my own clients, and that the VA I’m working with has a good sub-contractor experience. I keep in touch with the VA client to let them know if I’m having any difficulty or need clarification on their instructions. It can certainly be a win-win for both of us. It allows them to provide good quality and on-time services, and brings me a little extra business that I would not have obtained if not for a good, ethical relationship with another successful VA.

If you have an ethical dilemma with a sub-contractor, please share it with me and we’ll find solutions that will help strengthen your relationship as a VA and a sub-contractor.

Wishing you continued success and the wisdom to consider ethical options.

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Realtor.com released an article today, “Real Estate Firms Favor Virtual Offices,” creating a greater need for Virtual Assistants.

I have a client that has done this very thing. He is the broker/owner of his own Re/Max office and went totally Virtual. His overhead was too much and his agents were not showing up at the office making it look very barren.

Having worked together for over 5 years, he decided that our relationship worked so well for him, he would take the plunge and go totally virtual and things couldn’t be better. He, his agents, and the staff all work remotely and if he has a need for a conference room, he generally utilizes one at his Title Company’s office or rents a conference room by the hour to do a closing.

This rise is expected to continue at least over the next 2 to 3 years.

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