Second Self Virtual Assistance

Are you feeling overwhelmed and need some help?  You are the perfect candidate for a virtual assistant.  However, I have two words for you when you decide that you want to outsource your work: “Buyer Beware“.  What do I mean?

While doing research to find the right virtual assistant to handle your affairs, you may come across ads promoting VA services for as little as $4 per hour.  When the standard for an experienced US-based virtual assistant is much higher than that, $4 sounds like a steal.  That’s less than minimum wage.  How can they afford to charge so little?  Because companies like this outsource to places like India, where they pay their employees pennies a day.

For the most part, the companies that outsource their virtual assistant work to other countries only do so for basic data entry jobs.  If you need more extensive work, such as website management, SEO or social networking expertise, you need someone who can think “outside the box” and not simply recite from a script.  There can be many approaches to an issue or project.  You need someone who will know the best way to support you and can provide the proper guidance in tackling your goals.

Just this morning, I found that one of the widgets on one of my clients’ websites was no longer valid because the website that it originated from had been shut down.  Not only did I inform the client that this was the case, but I did the research to find her a few options to choose from to replace the widget.  She was unaware that there was an issue on her website, chose the widget she wanted to go with and thanked me for being so vigilant.  That’s not the kind of service you get from someone reading a script.

Since you entrust your personal information to your virtual assistant, ie logins, passwords, credit card info (in some cases), you want to be wary of where that information is going.  While there is just as much of a chance of someone stealing your identity in this country, you have legal recourse to go after the thief here.  And that can be a long and arduous process.  When you throw in the fact that the identity thief lives and operates in another country, that takes identity theft to a whole other level.  (This is not to say that all foreigners are thieves.)

Finally, you have to understand that when you hire a VA, you are paying for experience, not just time.  Sure, a college student may be able to do some of the virtual assistant work you require for less than an experienced VA.  But, they will only be able to do exactly what you tell them.  A qualified virtual assistant can tell you that there may be a better way to approach it and give you four or five options at the same time that may be even better than what you thought of in the first place, giving you a better rate of return.

Consider this: if you pay $4 per hour for a virtual assistant, you’re only going to get $4 worth of work.  If you pay an experienced virtual assistant to do the work, your return on your investment is much higher.  You get a partner who has your best interest in mind…someone who will work with you to accomplish your real estate business goals.  Remember this when outsourcing: Buyer Beware.

Pamela Cendejas, Real Estate Virtual Assistant – Second Self Virtual Assistance: When There Isn’t Enough of You to Go Around!

Like waistlines, websites can get soft if you don’t keep working on them.  Here are a few tips on how to whip your website into shape for the new year and beyond:

1. Control Your Movements – You need to have a website that has a user-friendly back office.  This means that you can add pages, videos, customize forms and feel comfortable working with it.  You don’t need to have a total knowledge of exactly how a website works.  But, you need to feel comfortable knowing that you have the ability to “get your hands dirty” if you need to instead of relying completely on an I.T. person to get the job done.  Virtual assistants are great in helping with these things as well.  Another thing to look for is that the company you are getting your website from has a real live person you can speak to about any customer service-related issues.
2. Pump up the SEO – Make sure your meta tags, keywords and descriptions for all your pages are optimized to their fullest effect so that search engines and, in turn, potential clients will be able to find your site when looking for their real estate professional.
3. Create the Image You Want and Work It – You can work traditional advertising to fit in with your online marketing by creating a consistent look and brand to both.
4. Become a Social Butterfly – Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and even Trulia are just a few of the great social media outlets that you should become a member of.  They also allow you to add links to your website and blogs.  You should also add links from your website to your different social media profiles to help create “stickiness” (capturing a reader’s attention and keeping them interested).
5. Just Breathe – As you and your business evolve, so should your website.  At least every six months or so, you should go through your site and look at it from a fresh perspective.  The real estate market can change dramatically in six months.  What was the focus then may have shifted to something else now.  Make sure all links work properly and that your images still appear correctly.  Add new information and delete outdated stuff.

Why wait until the new year to start working on your site’s image?  Contact me now to see how I can help you get your website in the best shape it can be so you can hit the ground running in 2010.

Pamela Cendejas, Real Estate Virtual Assistant – Second Self Virtual Assistance: When There Isn’t Enough of You to Go Around!