Working with a Virtual Assistant, Remote work, RedRite

How to work with a Virtual Assistant

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Be warned this holds my personal opinions which some may not like

One of the most common questions I get asked when discussing being a Virtual Assistant with people is how does it actually all work though? Like, how do they send me the tasks, how do they know what tasks to send me, and the questions go on. If you are not sure what tasks to outsource, then check out my Services Page for some ideas.

It can be a daunting task knowing you are handing over responsibility of your business, even just parts of it, to someone else to manage. Many people who have built their business all on their own can struggle with letting go, so knowing how the process works will help ease some of that anxiety.

The biggest success factor of working with a Virtual Assistant is trust, although we don’t expect you to trust explicitly from the word go – because it is very rare you trust someone after meeting them the first time – a little bit of trust and an honest open working relationship can quickly develop that trust to a point you wonder why you didn’t consider hiring a VA before!

There are so many articles online that discuss working with a VA but I found none of them really explained things from our point of view and the ways we feel comfortable working with you. So, here are 3 important factors I feel create the best working relationship between a VA and their client.

  1. Communicating is Key

Usually one of the first questions asked is how do you communicate tasks to a VA? The answer is simply yet very broad. What ever works for you and the VA. Some VAs prefer to use project management or CRM systems such as Trello or Slack which allow you as the client to enter a task, and then communicate any information relating to it. You can then track the process of the task as the VA works on it.

Some, like myself, are happy to just use email or Whatsapp to confer, alongside weekly/monthly telephone calls to update you on the progress. If you have a preference it is always best to discuss this before you get started, so you both understand what is preferred and why.

Regardless of the tools you use what is important is that all the necessary information to complete the task, and your expectations are clearly communicated. Avoid sounding patronising and doubting in their ability to complete the project and offer that bit of trust that they can do it – you wouldn’t have hired them if you didn’t feel they could.

As Virtual assistants we feel more valued if our clients talk to us, let us know where they want to take their business, any problems they are coming across and anything that could help us improve the services we offer, as well as have a greater understanding of you and your business.

  1. Sharing is caring.

Sharing necessary information and documents is vital to getting a project off the ground, and if your assistant has them all upfront then there is less time and stress on both sides later on. You can share via email, or via a transfer system such as WeTransfer. A more efficient way and beneficial for long term work is creating a shared folder in a system such as Dropbox to keep everything in one place. What is better is if it can be integrated with the project management system to keep files and information linked with the task associated with it.

I strongly suggest sending files though with identifiable titles. Instead of xyz123.doc, save the file as Project A Information.doc this way it makes it easier to locate the file and link it to the required project/task. Also if you update the file change the title to state the date updated or which version it is, there are a number of times I have been sent the same file yet it has a number of changes from clients and when looking for them later it has taken tracking the original email to identify which is which version. I had one client who send each file with v1, v2 etc afterwards and this made it so easy for the pair of us to track everything.

  1. Respect

It seems a silly thing, but respect goes a long way to building a trusting long lasting work relationship.  I hear so many heart wrenching stories of Vas who have been treated like a lackey or as close to a coffee girl as you can get remotely. It wears a person doing being treated like that, especially one who is also a business owner and is there to help you with yours. We have a far better understanding of the trials and tribulations that a business owner goes through, allowing us to sympathise with you and offer solutions that actually work. We, like you, have working hours, we have times when we are happy to contacted, and we also have families and other commitments.

More and more VAs are ending agreements with their clients because of this lack of respect. We accept it can be hard to let go at first, but if after 6 months you still can not let go and are micro managing then that VA is not the one for you because no trust has been built.

Not all VAs agree with my methods, feeling their personal lives should be kept separate, but I am upfront with my clients about my children. about my uni studies (which will end in September 2019) as well as my medical conditions. So, they know in advance why I have the hours I do, why sometimes I am delayed in replying and I feel it helps them get to know me as a person better.

Working with a Virtual Assistant is no different to working with any employee/Business partner, you share necessary information with them for them to complete their assigned tasks, you chat to them about the tasks so they know what your expectations are and you be nice to one another. The only difference is the software used and the fact meetings have to be done via video conference (unless like some of my clients you live close to one another and can meet for coffee). The hardest part is you can not watch over their shoulder while they do the work like you might do with an in-house assistant.

So, what is now stopping you from working with a Virtual Assistant?

Liz Hall, Business Branding, Liz Hall Design

10 steps to brand your brilliant business

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Branding your small business is one of the best things you can do to make yourself recognisable to your customers (and potential customers). And it helps you stand out from the rest of your competitors.

And it’s not as difficult as you might think.

It’s all about your logo

Your logo is a great starting point as it’s the visual mark which makes you instantly recognisable.

Whether you create one yourself or hire a professional, make sure you have a good logo which represents you and your business.

Pick a font or two

Fonts are like people, they each have their very own characteristics and personality.
What we’re aiming to do is pick 2 – 3 fonts that complement both your logo and your business personality – fun, quirky, traditional, modern.
Then try sticking to these fonts for all your marketing – your business stationery, leaflets, website and social media images.

Create a colour palette

Choose 3-5 colours that complement your logo and make a note of the RGB and # values.
That’s it!

Choose images that reflect your brand

Whilst I always advocate getting professional photography where ever possible, it’s not always possible. So stock photography has its place but choose wisely.
I’m a big advocate of Pinterest and always advise creating a branding board. Pick images that you feel reflect your business and its personality. Try create a theme or style – it might be particular colours, or a background, or objects.

Keep referring back to it when searching for stock photography.

Find your voice

The way you write is as important as the way you look. Again, it has to be consistent with your logo and your business personality.

Now that you have the basics in place, all you have to do is make sure that every thing you put in front of your customers follows these brand guidelines as you never know where your customers will find you.

Print

Check all your print and make sure everything is consistent – colours, fonts, images, logo. And most importantly, make sure your message is consistent. Customers need to know at a glance who you are and so make sure your business card, flyer, leaflet or brochure is properly branded.

And while we’re at it, check everything you ever send to a customer – quotes, invoices, freebies, information sheets, envelopes. Everything you give or send your customer should have your logo and contact details.

Social media

Keep your social media as consistent as possible – use the same image, icon or photo of yourself.

Although each platform is very different, a common style running through your accounts is important. Make your headers similar with your style of image and colours. Create posts that are uniquely your style and voice so followers can recognise you in their feed.

Website

Your website is your 24 hour shop front.

Your print, social media and website should all balance and complement each other, and give the same message about your business. If they don’t work in harmony, your customers will get mixed messages making it harder for them to buy from you.

Blogging

Apparently blogs are one of the most believed forms of marketing and people are more likely to believe the information they read on them.
Having a blog on your website helps build trust with your customers and potential customers.

Face to face

If we run our own business then we ourselves are the face and personality of that business. How we present ourselves to the world is just as important as having a good logo or the right imagery.

We can hide behind social media and our websites but at some point we all face our customers – in a shop, networking, meetings, videos or Facebook Live.

And finally

Keep following the guidelines you’ve created will make your design and marketing so much easier as you won’t be spending hours looking for the right images, colours and fonts. Your print, social media and website will all look consistent, no matter where you customers find you.

This Guest Blog was written by Liz Hall, from Liz Hall Design

Liz Hall DesignLiz Hall Design works with small businesses to create fresh and modern brands that sparkle and put the fizz back into your business.

Make your customers notice you and engage with you from the minute they see your business card, website, social media, newsletter, leaflets and postcards.

Interested in working with me? Get in touch!

Call me 07890 748790
Email me hello@lizhalldesign.co.uk

GDPR, Leeds, RedRite

GDPR – My Thoughts

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GDPR.

Its 4 letters that have started to put the fear of life in business owners, and with its implementation in May not too far away many business owners are stressing over whether they are compliant or not.

STOP STRESSING!

GDPR is all about being upfront, honest and very clear in what you do – which as business owners we should be anyway. The biggest change that has affected me and my clients is that of email marketing and data handling, something very simple to become compliant in. So here are my top tips to becoming GDPR Compliant based upon research, and multiple seminars.

Data

So what do they mean when they say Data?

They mean any data you hold on your PC, mobile, latop etc Data includes details such as name, address, contact number and email. The usual details you need t conduct business.

There is a secondary level of data which is classed as sensitive data and must be treated even more delicately. Data that falls under this category is things such as medical information, religious information and financial information. It is best to get a compliant officer/lawyer to help you understand how to handle this data.

So now we know what Data is, what’s next?

Whether you use the data for contractual purposes, marketing or for profiling to understand your audience it all needs to be clearly put out there for those that the data belongs to, to understand. Therefore you need to update your privacy policy.

You also need to make sure you have explicit consent to hold and process their data.

Update your Privacy Policy

If you have a website with Google Analytics installed, cookies or a contact form then you need to update your Privacy Policy to include what details they use, and how. For example, my Privacy Policy states exactly what data I will obtain when you visit my website, how I obtain that information as well as how I use it and with what software – Google Analytics.

The Privacy policy is relevant for website visitors and clients as it also advises clients what information I will need from them and the systems I will use to process that data. Agreeing to my services creates an understanding of contractual performance for me to process that data in order to provide the services – without it I can not perform the tasks required.

Consent

So I have mentioned Contractual performance, which is quite clear in regards to consent given. But what other forms of consent are there, and how do you prove it?

This is where Email marketing comes in!

Firstly, that list of emails you have for your newsletter – you need to be able to prove you had consent from them all to send the emails you send. The easiest way is double opt-ins for new subscribers. All though not required it does assure you that the person signing up is in complete agreement by completing the secondary sign up step. The data you can download from your email marketing platform will keep a track of when they signed up and when they signed the confirmation email – this is your evidence!

For current subscribers, you can send them an email with a sign up link to a new list asking for confirmation they would like to remain on your mailing list. This is a good time to let them know what do with their data, and the types of emails you will be sending them to make it VERY clear how the data is being processed – as require by GDPR.

If someone contacts you via a contact form, or generally via email you can not just add them to your list! This is not consent. You need to direct them to your sign-up form and get them to sign up themselves.

There is also an issue with freebies – although I do not have all the details – but there is a grey area because people are signing up for the freebie, not to receive marketing emails (although we all expect them). To continue offering a freebie you need to make it VERY clear that not only are they signing up for the freebie but also for the marketing emails – without this you will be in hot water.

Other forms of Consent

If you have employees – then by law you are required to process their data for things such as HMRC. Therefore agreeing to work for you is giving consent for that data to be processed. There are a few legal obligations that also require businesses to process consumer data such as The Enterprise Act 2002.

The final relevant form of Consent is that of Legitimate interest. Now this is a very flexible lawful basis but can not be used as an excuse for every processing task you take part in. According to GDPR you can se this as a lawful basis if –

‘you can show that how you use people’s data is proportionate, has a minimal privacy impact, and people would not be surprised or likely to object – but only if you don’t need consent under PECR’.

You can hold data for suppliers, and 3rd parties as these details are required in order to provide services to your clients, therefore falls under legitimate interest.

Right to be forgotten

So this another area I know a few fellow business owners are having issues wrapping their heads around. So let’s break it down as simple as possible.

Individuals now have the right to request any data you hold is removed from their databases – every single one of them!

Once an individual has made a request to be forgotten a business has just 1 month to follow through – unless legal obligations require otherwise. And this is where it gets fuzzy for people.

The main reason to not comply is where the data is needed to provide agreed services, and without it the agreed contract cannot be fulfilled. There are also other reasons, the ICO states:

‘The right to erasure does not apply if processing is necessary for one of the following reasons:

  • to exercise the right of freedom of expression and information;
  • to comply with a legal obligation;
  • for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority;
  • for archiving purposes in the public interest, scientific research historical research or statistical purposes where erasure is likely to render impossible or seriously impair the achievement of that processing; or
  • for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims.’

So for example, take employee records. They are required to be held for a set amount of time, even after the employee leaves, and it is during this time that the data can be held even if the employee requests to have it erased. The reasons being for HMRC record keeping and if required for legal claims – i.e unfair dismissal.

If you have clients who come back say once a year for projects – like branding help – then you can hold their data with the intent that it is kept for future projects. Just make sure you let them know you will hold it for that length of time!

Security

This is a biggie.

The data you do hold, and process needs to be kept secure, preferably encrypted. GDPR requires us to hold the information in a way that prevents unlawful processing, accidental loss, destruction or theft using appropriate technical measures.

If someone gets access to your database then you are required to inform everyone you hold data for ASAP.

Such ways to protect the data is to ensure you have firewalls in place, the data is held on an external hard drive unplugged from your laptop when not in use, or if using a 3rd party to process and hold the data they are complaint with GDPR and under Article 32 of GDPR.

GDPR is not as scary as people first thought and although for some it might mean more paperwork and process changes while they get use to the new requirements, it will soon become easy to comply.

I am still learning, and still finding out all that I can to help people with GDPR. I have compiled the main points I feel are most relevant to sole traders/small businesses but if you have any questions do not hesitate to get in touch and I will go through my research to find the answer for you.

 

 

Time Management, Deadlines, Business, RedRite

Deadlines and Time Management

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February has seen me taking part in a group project as part of my university studies, and it was a testament to my time management skills more than anything else I have ever done.

I am use to juggling several projects, children commitments and my own personal commitments but this project required me to work to someone else’s time table and to do so with a group of 15 other people. Now you can image how hard it is to get 15 people from all over Yorkshire together at one time when we all work different hours, have different commitments and the odd technical issue thrown in. But we have managed it and the 28th of February saw the end of the project and a sigh of relief from us all – even though we loved having the collective support!

It got me thinking though about time management and meeting deadlines – how do you manage your time to meet a deadline? Here are my top tips to managing.

1)     One bite at a time

I use a number of tools and those that receive my emails or follow me on LinkedIn will have seen what those tools are – number 1 being Trello. It helps me to break down a project into bite size manageable chunks, similar to the timetable our tutor gave us with set deadlines for each step of the project.

I take a project and create a series of milestones for that project. Then I note these down on a board, with a cut off point for each milestone – these are my deadlines. As I am aware of the time frame most tasks will take it is then possible to slot work in around other projects and still have it done within my self-allotted deadlines. However, it is essential to always add in extra time for any unexpected problems e.g. system down, delay in client feedback etc

2)     Keep Track

It can be easy to get distracted or go off on a tangent, but then you find yourself with a bunch of half-finished projects and no track of where you got with them. This is where I love reminders – they maybe pesky little pings on your phone but they do save your projects.

Each deadline has a 24hr reminder before it’s due and any emails or conversations associated with that particular task is all kept in one place. I find sending the client and myself a summary email every few days keeps us all on track. We know what has been done, what is still needed and if there are any issues. Try this yourself, have a draft email with each task and as you go through add any notes, comments or accomplishments and at the end of every day/week send it to yourself so you can see where you are – many email apps will no let you schedule emails so auto schedule it and it will be one less thing to remember. (If your email client doesn’t allow this there are various ones that will aid this – depending on the client you use.)

3)     Observe Time

Whether you’re having fun or not, time will fly by without you noticing. That 5 minutes break on Facebook, or a quick look at the news can turn in to channel surfing and before you know it an hour has gone by and your deadline is ever closer.

I am guilty of this but found timing my breaks helps me restrict them and cut back on distractions. I will turn the kettle on and in the time it takes to boil I will flick through Facebook, or put a bit of washing away (downside to working from home!) then as soon as my cuppa is ready I am back at my desk and working away.

Taking a break though is not a bad thing, twice a week I take an hour break for gym and twice a week I start late so I can spend time with family/friends or take care of housework, this helps me get out and about as well as benefits my health. These are breaks for set times on set days, so I can easily plan my work around them and nothing has to suffer. What breaks do you take, and how often?

The number one thing not to do when you have a deadline is stress! Yes I know easier said then done, but when you stress you make small mistakes that suddenly seem overly proportional and you start seconding guessing yourself. So a 2 minute job to fix ends up taking 20 minutes, a few blue words and handful of hair pulled – or is that just me?

Need help with your Time Management? Then get in touch and let me help you put together a workable time table.

 

Social Media Summary 2017, Marketing, Social Media

Social Media Changes 2017 Summary

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Can you believe it is nearing the end of 2017??

The last few months have flown by and by now a lot of business owners are making their marketing strategy for 2018, have you got started?

One big aspect of the marketing strategy will be social media, and how best to use it for your business. Over 2017 we have seen some changes within social media that have, or will shortly have, an impact on the way we use it for business.

Here are some of the top changes of 2017.

Paid Social Media

Yep, unfortunately it seems Social Media for business is starting to get costly. Whereas previously your reach would be high just by posting daily, now a lot of the platforms are reducing that reach unless your willing to purchase ads.

Facebook is the biggest one to tighten the reach belt, and coming up before the end of 2017 its going to get event worse – Facebook admitted their new plans will reduce reach up to 60% for businesses. They recently introduced a new layout for news feed, 2 news feeds – 1 for business, 1 for personal. Business posts will no longer be shown in the every day newsfeed and individuals need to make the conscience decision to switch to the business newsfeed to see what is happening on the pages they follow. The only way to be seen in the normal feed is through advertising.

Live Video Streaming

YouTube has always been the favoured platform for video but now nearly every platform offers a live streaming facility, with many favouring it to the traditional text updates. The facilities have been there on various social media platforms previously, yet in 2017 the use of video marketing has sky rocketed – with use around 4 times higher than 2016. With live streaming posts and video stories, businesses have been able to get in front of a larger audience in way TV ads never could. Even LinkedIn has jumped on the video band wagon.

Examples of successful videos are how-to videos for make up, resulting in the viewers wanting to know where they can buy. Mini coaching sessions, followed up with the offer of more in depth coaching if individuals pay for the service. The building of communities around services and products thanks to the use of mini videos dropping tips and just video journaling their business journey.

Facebook are now introducing Collaborative Stories for Group and Event Pages. This update allows multiple group members and event attendees to contribute their own view/opinion on a story. The admins will be able to moderate this, manage privacy settings and encourage others to join in.

 Messaging Apps

Apps such as WhatsApp are popular messaging apps for personal use. However it was recently announced by WhatsApp that they will also now be used for businesses to communicate with their customers. Whether it is as a marketing tool or a customer service tool.

Facebook messenger has previously been a popular messaging app to communicate with customers through business pages. But the new plans will be to allow businesses to communicate with the customers and inform them of up coming bookings, travel times etc. Previously web developers have been able to add a click to call button on websites, using either Skype, or a phone’s dialling screen to make the call, coming soon there will also be the chance to add a click to chat link via Whatsapp.

Social Media E-commerce

This is something I have had experience of this year, and was an interesting learning curve. Social media platforms are adding their own shopping platform. Facebook took the initiative and have introduced a shop element to business pages, where sellers can add their items in a catalogue format. Buyers can then either buy on Facebook or are sent through to the seller’s website to complete the purchase. From uploading the products, organising the catalogue to marketing products and managing orders, Facebook allows it all.

However, Twitter has removed their buy it now button and replaced with additional features to encourage more website conversions than previously.

Pinterest however are embracing this new element. They are now allowing Pinners to search for ideas – for example an night out outfit using their Lens Your Look tool. Upload an image of something in your wardrobe and Pinterest will find matching items to finish the outfit off. For the upcoming season, you can connect with Friends and Family and Pinterest’s API will create a gift board based on what they have been engaging with during the year.

ChatBots

Not something new but something that is definitely growing, with more and more businesses finding a use for them. Whether it is just sharing a little bit of information to individuals visiting your social media accounts, or as a 24/7 customer service option. Just interacting with a post on social media can now activate a chatbot to send a message with more information, and ways to get in touch.

I have seen this in use with a lot of start up businesses and small businesses, as it is becoming more popular and easier to implement than ever before. To learn more about Bots visit Business Insider UK who have done an excellent article on them.

These are just a few of the updates Social Media has seen, and there are plenty more that I am sure you have experienced. This is why it is important to keep updating your strategy every quarter to avoid using out of date practises and your business suffering.

Good Luck for 2018!