Why a Creative Project Manager is Crucial to Any Business
In today’s fast-paced and ever-changing business world, creativity is becoming an increasingly important factor for success. As a result, the role of the project manager has evolved to include a focus on creativity and innovation. A creative project manager is essential for any project, regardless of its size or scope. Here are five reasons why:
Encourages Innovation
A creative project manager is responsible for encouraging innovation within the team. They create an environment that fosters creativity and encourages team members to think outside the box. This can lead to new ideas and solutions that would have never been considered without the guidance of a creative project manager.
Ensures Effective Communication
Effective communication is crucial for the success of any project. A creative project manager understands this and ensures that communication channels are open and transparent. They facilitate communication between team members, stakeholders, and clients to ensure that everyone is on the same page and working towards the same goals.
Manages Resources Effectively
A creative project manager is responsible for managing resources effectively. They understand that creativity requires time, money, and other resources. They allocate resources appropriately to ensure that the team has what they need to be creative and innovative while keeping within the client’s budget.
Encourages Collaboration
Collaboration is essential for creativity and innovation. A creative project manager understands this and encourages collaboration between team members. They create opportunities for team members to work together, share ideas, and build on each other’s strengths.
Manages Risk
Every project comes with risks. A creative project manager is responsible for managing these risks effectively. They understand that creativity requires taking risks, but they also know how to mitigate those risks to ensure that the project stays on track.
In conclusion, a creative project manager is essential for any project that requires creativity and innovation. They encourage innovation, ensure effective communication, manage resources effectively, promote collaboration, and manage risk. Without a creative project manager, a project may lack direction, creativity, and innovation, leading to failure.
Do you have a project that needs a creative project manager? If so, contact me for a free chat to see how we can keep your projects on track! Email me at info@itaskvirtually.com
In the complex, fast-paced world of business, standing out from the crowd requires more than just a solid product or service. In today’s hyper-competitive landscape, innovation and creativity hold the key to success, necessitating the integration of a unique role within any organization – the creative project manager. Through a perfect blend of traditional project management principles with the intuitive nature of the creative process, this role can propel a business to new heights.
Understanding the Role of a Creative Project Manager
Defining a Creative Project Manager
A creative project manager operates at the intersection of traditional project management and creative flow. This individual brings crucial organization and strategic planning to the chaotic and spontaneous realms of creativity, allowing innovative ideas to evolve within a structured, efficient framework.
This professional could best be conceptualized as the conductor of an orchestra where each musician represents a different element of a creative project. It’s the project manager’s responsibility to ensure all these elements work in harmony, delivering a cohesive final product on time and within budget.
Roles and Responsibilities of a Creative Project Manager
The primary responsibility of a creative project manager is to plan, schedule, and oversee all aspects of a creative project, ensuring it aligns with the business’s strategic objectives. They coordinate cross-functional teams, handling resource allocation, risk management, scheduling, budgeting, and communication amongst team members and stakeholders.
However, their role goes beyond traditional project management, as they must also understand the creative process, discern the viability of creative ideas, and communicate effectively with creative individuals. They act as a bridge connecting the creative team with other organizational units, fostering a cohesive working environment that allows for effective creative ideation and implementation.
The Value of Creative Project Management in Business
Considering today’s increasingly competitive business landscape, companies need to be continually innovative to gain a competitive edge. This is where creative project management comes into play.
Creativity is not just about coming up with imaginative ideas – it’s about effectively implementing these ideas and turning them into viable products or services. Without a structured methodology to manage the creative process, the most innovative ideas can fall apart before they ever reach fruition. A creative project manager brings this methodology to the table.
Having a creative project manager ensures that the creative process is not just a series of random brainstorming sessions – it is a well-executed strategy that aligns with the business’s objectives and goals. They manage the delicate balance between allowing creative freedom and maintaining project structure.
Addressing Challenges and Needs
Every business, regardless of size, has unique challenges that can be effectively addressed by a creative project manager. These professionals deal with a variety of complex tasks from managing diverse and dynamic teams, to handling uncertain project scopes and shifting timelines. Even the success measurement of creative outputs can sometimes be subjective, resting more on personal taste than concrete metrics.
This role necessitates a distinctive mix of skills. Beyond the more conventional project management abilities, creative project managers must deeply understand the creative process, and possess the ability to motivate and inspire others. They need to be adept at communicating effectively with a variety of stakeholders. As such, whether a business is launching a new product, rebranding, or putting a new marketing campaign into action, a creative project manager can make the critical difference between success and chaos.
Evaluating the Impact of Creative Project Managers in Business Success
The Role of Creative Project Managers in Business Success
Amidst rapid technological advancements and frequent shifts in consumer behavior, the role of the creative project manager is even more vital. Traditional management strategies can often be left outdated by this constantly evolving landscape, making it necessary to bring in a creative project manager to bridge the gap. While they serve as change agents that challenge the status quo, they’re also able to drive innovation and develop new ideas to dramatically increase efficiency and productivity. By bringing fresh, creative perspectives to the table, a creative project manager is an invaluable asset in boosting the overall performance of any enterprise.
Enhanced Problem-solving Skills
An innovative mind will approach obstacles from various angles, enabling them to identify solutions that others may overlook. For instance, consider a business struggling with a drop in sales. While a traditional project manager might focus intensively on aggressive marketing strategies and cost-cutting, a creative project manager might probe deeper into overlooked elements such as customer experience, user interface on digital platforms, or potential partnership opportunities. By encouraging out-of-the-box thinking, businesses can tackle challenges more effectively and even convert them into opportunities.
Innovative Strategies and New Perspectives
Innovation is a crucial driving force for any business’s growth and success. Creative project managers lead the business’s innovative aspects by devising novel strategies, promoting a culture of creativity, and acting as a conduit for new ideas. By introducing fresh perspectives and innovative strategies, they can tap into unexplored markets, foster enhanced productivity amongst the team, and assure robust scalability of the business.
Improved Team Dynamics
The impact of a creative project manager is also evident in how they foster a positive and productive work environment. They acknowledge that each team member is unique and encourage them to express their ideas freely. By doing so, they make employees feel more valued, leading to increased motivation and resulting in higher productivity rates. Their approach to managing projects translates into improved team dynamics, better cooperation on tasks, and a more collaborative work environment, contributing significantly to the overall business success.
Proof in Statistics
Real-life anecdotes and statistical data also affirm the role of a creative project manager in business success. According to a report by the Project Management Institute (PMI), organizations that prioritize creativity in project management reported an increase in their success rate by 50%. This is a substantial increase that underscores the practical impact of having a creative project manager on the team.
Furthermore, a global survey conducted by McKinsey found that over 84% of executives believe innovation is crucial for growth strategy, yet only 6% are satisfied with their company’s innovation performance. This disparity signals an immense opportunity for creative project managers to step in and bridge the gap.
Understanding Creative Project Management in Business
Underestimating the role of creative project managers in business success is virtually impossible. These unique individuals enhance problem-solving techniques, promote innovation, and manage team dynamics, significant factors in driving the growth and sustainability of modern businesses over the long haul.
The Role of Creative Project Managers in Fostering Innovation
Maintaining the Equilibrium between Creativity and Management
A crucial duty of a creative project manager lies in sustaining a harmonious balance between creativity and management. These managers ensure that innovative concepts are not just born but also transformed into tactics that can be executed. While promoting innovative thinking amongst their team, they also determine that realistic project goals and timelines are strictly followed. This need for practical application of creative ideas calls for the integration of top-notch project management skills.
Cultivating a Culture of Innovation
Creative project managers play a pivotal role in cultivating a culture of innovation within a business. This is achieved by fostering an environment where new ideas are not only welcomed but also encouraged. A creative project manager takes on the role of a facilitator, encouraging team members to think outside the box, and to question and challenge the status quo. This culture of innovation not only promotes creativity but also motivates employees, leading to improved morale, engagement, and productivity.
Driving Business Growth Through Innovation
Every business needs to innovate to stay competitive. Creative project managers have a vital role in facilitating such innovation. By managing creative processes and teams, these professionals can help businesses develop new products, services, and strategies that drive business growth. This could involve overseeing the development of a new advertising campaign, coordinating the launch of a new product or service, or managing a team tasked with improving existing processes.
Promoting Collaborative Innovation
Creative project managers also play a key role in promoting collaborative innovation. By helping to foster a culture of collaboration, they can ensure that different skill sets, perspectives, and ideas come together to create a more robust and comprehensive solution. This approach can lead to the development of innovative solutions that may not have been possible without the input of different team members.
Managing Resources for Innovation
For businesses to innovate, they require appropriate resources ranging from time, equipment to funding. Among the vital roles of a creative project manager, ensuring that these resources are efficiently allocated towards innovative projects is paramount. They’re in charge of drawing up project plans, allocating resources, and ensuring everything runs to budget and on schedule.
Navigating Organizational Challenges
Innovation often comes with challenges due to resistance to change. A key role of a creative project manager is to effectively navigate these organizational challenges. By using their project management skills, they can maintain project focus and align it with the company’s strategic objectives, engage stakeholders, manage risks, and ultimately guide the team towards successful completion of the project, despite any challenges.
Significance of Creative Project Managers in Business World
The role of the creative project manager is integral and profound in any business setting. Their job goes beyond just handling projects; they are the fuel that kindles innovation, propels business expansion, and maintains the competitive edge. Hence, their value in a business environment is unparalleled.
How to Spot and Develop a Creative Project Manager
Indispensability of a Creative Project Manager in Industry Operations
Irrespective of the business’s scale or sector, having a creative project manager has become essential. They play the crucial role of ‘creativity custodians’ within an organization, anchoring its innovative ability, keeping it dynamic, and sustaining its competitive position. Creative project managers traverse the maze of complex challenges, identify potential pathways for growth, and steer strategic groundbreaking ideas.
Creative Project Managers and Strategic Innovation
Creative project managers play a pivotal role in strategic innovation. They catalyze new ideas, processes, or products that enhance business performance and market competitiveness. Through brainstorming sessions, workshops, and team collaborations, creative project managers foster an environment conducive to innovation.
Identifying Potential Creative Project Managers
Even within teams, it is possible to spot potential creative project managers. Look for individuals who display high levels of creativity and imagination, as well as strong organizational skills. They are generally curious, open-minded, and willing to challenge traditional approaches. These individuals embrace risk, are comfortable with ambiguity, and view challenges as opportunities rather than obstacles.
Developing a Creative Project Manager’s Skills
Once potential creative project managers are identified, it’s essential for businesses to nurture and develop their skills further. This development cycle could include everything from formal project management training and mentoring, to workshops on creative techniques like brainstorming, lateral thinking, and problem-solving. The aim is to equip them with a blend of technical project management skills and a creative mindset.
The Creative Project Manager’s Role in Team Motivation and Morale
Creative project managers also play an important part in boosting team morale and motivation. They work towards creating a positive work culture that encourages creativity and innovation. They recognize and appreciate each team member’s creative contributions, fostering a sense of teamwork and bonding that fuels further creativity. This positive atmosphere often translates into enhanced productivity and overall job satisfaction.
The Effects of a Creative Project Manager on Business Growth
A creative project manager can significantly impact the bottom line of a business. New ideas often lead to products or services that open up additional markets, gaining an edge over the competition. A creative project manager’s problem-solving abilities can also lead to cost savings through more efficient processes or solutions to existing issues.
The Requirement for Continuous Learning
To stay competitive and innovative, businesses need to ensure their creative project managers are continuously learning and staying abreast of the latest industry trends, technologies, and project management methodologies. This can be achieved through ongoing professional development, attending conferences, participating in networking events, or enrolling in relevant courses.
All these guidelines and tips stand as pointers to prove why every business requires the prowess of a creative project manager. Their creative solutions and efficient management of projects contribute significantly to a company’s success and growth.
The realm of business is a dynamic, ever-evolving landscape that demands a balance of management, creativity, and strategic innovation. A creative project manager, acting as the torchbearer of this synthesis, can direct a business towards unparalleled success. By fostering an environment ripe for invention, encouraging divergent thinking, and leading a team towards the realization of its creative potential, they undoubtedly serve as the innovative nucleus of a contemporary business. Identifying and nurturing this talent within an organization is an investment that promises substantial returns, ultimately advancing the business amidst a competitive corporate arena.
6 Ways to Boost Traffic to Your Website and Grow Your Business
Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock, you know by now that increasing traffic to your website to grow your business is a no brainer. Having an online presence is probably the best way to spread the word and end up ranking high in search results. There are many tools out there to help you increase your traffic to your business and social media is one of the best methods.
Social Media Statistics
96% of small businesses use social media in their marketing approach. Another statistic reported is that finding new customers is a top concern for 66% of small businesses.
Due to the presence of online marketing, the competition has made it tougher to stand out from the crowd. Only 62% of small businesses use both social media and a website (61%) to market themselves according to another report.
I actually thought of writing this post during a recent visit to my local gym. You’ll see the connection in a minute. Using the different social media platforms is like using a treadmill at the local gym. The more you use it, the more results you’ll see over time. The trick is to keep using it on a consistent basis.
I’m sure you’ve come across the usual Monday Motivation quotes or the Wellness Wednesday quotes. These have nothing to do with their business, so, you might be asking yourself, “why are these business owners posting non-business-related quotes out there?” “What a waste of time.”
Ah, but it’s not a waste of their time! There is a method to their madness. Going back to the treadmill analogy, if you are there a lot, you’re inspiring others. You are making your presence known.
Let’s face it, your website is where you want your audience to end up, in order to purchase your products or services, etc. Okay, by now you may be thinking to yourself, “this is a good idea, but who, what, where, when, why, how do I get this done and where do I start?” Good question.
Ways To Boost Traffic To Grow Your Business
Below I suggest the areas that you need to include in your business’s public relations to increase your business brand awareness, exposure, and ultimately increase traffic to your website.
Who – This area pertains to “who” your target audience is. Who is your ideal client or customer? Those are the people you want to speak to in your posts and drive them to visit your website. What – The “what” addresses the subject or areas that you are an expert in. What topics speak to your target audience and get them interested in your business? Where – This is the part that puts you online. You should set up business profiles on the following social media platforms: LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. You can also include YouTube if it fits with your target audience. When – There are certain times of the day where people are most likely to be online and therefore the “hot times” that your posts are seen and gain the biggest reach across social media. You can grab my free cheat sheet on the best times to post here. Why – To increase your brand’s business presence, boost your website traffic and ultimately get more sales by getting you in front of your target audience. How – By implementing a social media marketing campaign, creating engaging social media posts and scheduling them.
Summary
Following these 6 items will ensure the growth of your online business presence and over time your business brand will grow in being recognized resulting in more traffic to your website and ultimately to more sales. However, keep in mind, you can’t just post here and there or whenever you feel like it. It takes a plan and a consistent online presence to be successful. Yes, it can be a lot of work for a business owner to find the time to do all of this but there is hope.
If you’re a business owner and feel this is definitely a need your business has, iTask Virtually would love the chance to assist you in getting your business online and expanding your audience by developing a marketing strategy and handling your social media management. Click here to set up a free 15-minute consultation and let’s get your business out there and in front of your ideal audience!
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It’s always a pleasure to feature guest posts and I’m happy that Janine Henwood has shared her wisdom with us and wrote a post about knowing the “Dos” and “Don’ts” of Facebook marketing! I’m sure you’ll find this to be very useful.
Statistics
About 1.39 billion users are active on Facebook and half of them log in every day. There are 5 newly-created profiles every second and approximately 30 million fan pages belong to businesses. On top of all this, about 1 billion Facebook searches are made every day. (Figures accurate as of February 2019).
Given all the statistics, it is important to use Facebook marketing strategies in order to catch up with the growing number of active Facebook users and fan pages.
While it is hard for marketers to build loyal followings on Facebook fan pages, knowing the “dos” and “don’ts” is essential for them to see what’s working and what’s not in the field of Facebook marketing.
This article will compile some of the important things to apply and classic mistakes to avoid when you market your business on Facebook.
1. Draw fans by being authentic. Use Facebook to post original content that should not be missed. In the end, let people know what makes your business stand out among the rest.
2. Value customer service at all times. Satisfied customers keep coming back for more and might also end up recommending your business to their connections. In order to keep them coming back, a Facebook marketer must be able to listen and quickly respond to customer queries.
3. Set-up Facebook fan pages, not profile accounts. Using profile accounts for business is clearly a violation of Facebook policies and a surefire way to get your account blocked. Also, Facebook pages have certain privileges on analytics, ads, and apps that are not applicable in profile accounts. While Facebook pages can accommodate unlimited fans, profile accounts can only accommodate 5,000 friends/connections.
4. Develop solid posting strategies. Content and consistency are the two main keys to have a firm posting strategy. Identify the marketing goals first then come up with solid posting strategies that can achieve the ideal results.
5. Understand your customer’s needs by getting their feedback. What they will say is important for the improvement of your products and services. There are a lot of ways for them to give feedback. Some of these include:
1.) Completing surveys
2.) Responding to posts
3.) Giving recommendations
Remember that investing time in reading customer feedback is good for any business.
6. Never spam Facebook pages. Spamming people is the worst thing to do in marketing because it can lead to the loss of followers and prospective customers.
It is important to mix up content through sharing videos, quotes, and articles as well as asking questions about particular issues. Content that contains pushy marketing messages is considered spam.
7. Do not measure success through the number of likes. The real basis for having a successful Facebook page is engagement, conversions, and reach. Getting a lot of likes doesn’t equate to having connections. They are built through customer interactions and relationship marketing.
8. Do not be confined to using marketing strategies on Facebook alone. Relying solely on it is effective but integrating it with other marketing strategies on your other social media platforms is more effective. Doing cross-promotional strategies on various social media networks could expand the content’s reach.
In conclusion, it is essential to apply these “dos” and “don’ts” of Facebook marketing because Facebook is still the biggest and most used social network out there today. If you’d like help with your social media marketing, contact me here for a free consultation.
About the author
Janine is the founder of The VA Finishing School, an online school & Facebook Group dedicated to helping new & aspiring virtual assistants to build a business they love with courses, resources, and training.
Are customers or the customer service the gatekeeper to getting your customers coming back for more? What or who stands between your business and more business? Customers? Maybe, but the real answer is the “what” — customer service. We all want them and we all need them and we want them to keep coming back to our business, right? So what is it about some companies that have clients raving about them? What is the one simple trick companies use to keep their customers coming back for more products or to purchase other services?
Is Your Company Known For Its Customer Service?
Have you seen a decline in your business lately? It could be due to the quality of your business’s customer service. Customers or your customer’s clients could stray from a business and it could be solely due to the quality of the customer service they’ve been receiving. And why is this? Is it that life is just too busy to take the time to care? Or is it the lack of training in businesses upon hiring? In my opinion, it’s both.
We need to also train the younger generation and remind the older generation what it is to pick up the phone and call a customer, or how to speak to the customer in a very real engaging professional manner. Texting and emailing can sometimes be misconstrued in how it comes across.
Customers and clients can tell a genuine CSR, (customer service representative), or one that is flip and basically just can’t wait to get off the phone and end their day. As a result, customer service has become an issue, so much so, there are companies out there that handle these issues for a fee, as reported in this March 2017 article by USNews.com entitled: “Should You Pay Someone to Deal With Customer Service Issues for You?” by contributor, Susan Johnston Taylor.
We get it, life is busy, we’re all busy. Providing good customer service is or should be number one on your employees’ list. Good customer service is hard to come by these days. The foundation of a company’s success in this crucial area is adequate training of your employees.
Can Your Business Get Customers Coming Back?
Now we know that the one trick that keeps customers coming back for more, is quality Customer Service. Whether we’re at the store or ordering something online, customers and the service we give or receive is there. Therefore, my question to you is, where has good customer service gone? Quality customer service is paramount to any business.
Over the years I’ve seen a decline in quality customer service; business to consumers and in business to business. Either the product is late or the service is bad. Is it due to the electronic age of cell phones where people are not engaging, they just text or email everyone? People used to communicate more with each other. I see so many young people today who do not know how to mix and mingle, as we used to call it, at networking events.
What Business Owners Can Start Doing Now
In conclusion, businesses that recognize this will include customer service training in their best company practices. In fact, Susan writes: “Dealing with customer service has become such a headache that numerous businesses aim to take over this task – in exchange for a fee.”. So, do you really want to pay another company to deal with customer services issues instead of taking care of it in-house?
At iTask Virtually, we take the quality of customer service seriously. Click on the Contact pop-up to the right for your free 15-minute consultation today!
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The Virtually Assistant Industry Can Supercharge Your Business
Supercharge your business by utilizing the virtual assistant industry! Face it—as business owners, we’re all looking for the most successful way to supercharge our businesses. We need a way to focus on what we do well while having someone else do other things that still need to get done. The answer to this question is quite simple; hire someone within the virtual assistant industry. However, the secret to supercharging your business lays in hiring the right virtual assistant!.
Are They All The Same?
Let’s take the engineering industry for example. There are mechanical engineers, chemical engineers, and electrical engineers. You don’t just hire any virtual assistant; you probably want to look for the virtual assistant that fits the need and the industry—be it mechanical, chemical or electrical.
So when it comes to hiring a virtual assistant, the same applies. Many people think “virtual assistant” is a title, but it’s not. It’s the name of the industry. The virtual assistant industry has many different specialties and virtual assistants that specialize in those areas. There are Administrative Virtual Assistants, Remote Online Project Assistants, Executive Online Virtual Assistants, and the list goes on. They all have different focuses, education, and specialties.
Industry-Specific Virtual Assistants
Among the virtual assistants that are general administrative assistants, some are industry-specific. Online Business Managers, for example, are similar to in-house office managers but instead work virtually and are not employees. Therefore, also saving you money on benefits, overtime, etc.
Online Administrative Assistants help with all the business’s administrative needs, like emailing and responding to client inquiries, answering the phones, taking messages, and even updating your website with new posts.
Project Manager Virtual Assistants helpwith any or all the projects you need to get done.They help from the inception to the completion of the project and are involved to the extent you need them to be.
To help make your company a success, you have to find the right fit. In order for you to supercharge your business the right way, the virtual assistant industry is for you! Definitely have a consultation with anyone you’re thinking of working with as there are many types of different specialties.Many, if not all, offer free consultations. Simply click here or select a time and day below that’s best for you and we’ll discuss your business needs and begin supercharging your business.
Use these four simple rules and you could see a dramatic increase in sales!
How to increase your direct mail sales by using four great simple rules. Keeping them in mind while planning out your direct mail campaign could significantly increase your return.
If not properly thought out, it can be like throwing spaghetti at the wall and seeing what sticks.This is definitely not the best way to measure your ROI (return on investment). If direct mail is going to be a part of your direct marketing campaign, there are certain components that must be in place.
A lot of people think, “I’ll do a postcard mailing and the customers will come running through the doors.”. Not so. There are 4 major characteristics of direct mail one needs to incorporate into the direct mail process from the get-go. Below, I list 4 key factors.
“The aim of marketing is to know and understand the customer so well the product or service fits him and sells itself.”
– Peter Drucker
#1The Design.
The overall design of the direct mail piece will catch the eye of the customer first. The design must be attractive. Use colors that identify with your brand so that the customer receiving it immediately thinks of your product or service.
#2The Format.
Will it be a postcard, a flyer or a brochure? Bigger is not necessarily better. Use a format that fits with your offer. If you have more than one offer or a sale on a few items, for example, a back-to-school sale, a four-fold type of flyer might be better than a postcard. The format is also crucial to getting the best price from USPS. Take a look at Charts on my website. Here I give you the right and wrong way to fold a piece so that the USPS doesn’t reject all your hard work. Yes, that does happen.
#3 The List.
Are you using a list of customer addresses that you have acquired over the years? Or did you buy a list from a list company? The type of list you use is very important in targeting your best customer. The average person moves every few years and your customer may not live at that address anymore. Either way, make sure your list is processed through NCOA (the National Change of Address). Not only does it correct the address, but it can drop certain addresses if they’re not complete; this saves you money because you’d be charged for mailing the piece whether it got delivered or not.
What is your offer? Is it a percentage off a product or service? Is it a BOGO offer? Whatever the offer, make sure it’s a good one and an honest one. These days we are all too aware of companies who increase the price of a product before they have a sale. Don’t assume your customers can’t think. Be honest with your customers and you’ll have loyal customers in return. I’ve seen a lot of “offers” from companies that when you do the math, you actually end up paying more than the original off-sale price. With the economy today, people are taking the time to figure out if a “sale” or an “offer” is a valuable one and worth their time and energy to take you up on it and to stay loyal to your brand. Also important is to make sure your offer is consistent with your other advertising efforts. For example, if you’re a tire store doing a direct mail piece on tires, don’t have print ads that advertise an oil change. Be consistent.
By incorporating these items into your direct mail campaign, you can ensure a more successful rate of return for your product or service. There are more things one can use when doing a direct mail campaign and I’ll talk about those in another blog post.Just remember, a well-thought-out direct mail campaign can yield excellent results giving you the edge over your competition and keeping your business top of mind.
The Virtual Assistant Industry and Large Businesses – A Great Mix.
Is the virtual assistant industry just for small business? Nope! The virtual assistant industry is not just for small businesses. The virtual assistant industry has grown by leaps and bounds over the past decade. In fact, according to an article in Entrepreneur magazine, it’s grown in 2001 to over 50,000 in 2015.
Large companies are recognizing the value of the virtual assistant industry.
What do these numbers show us? It shows us that people are not “freelancing” anymore. They are making a verifiable full-time business out of it.
With the internet that has shrunk the world with a tap of the keyboard and the enter button, the world and all businesses are at our fingertips, literally. Are the days of the daily commute grind, tall office buildings, smog-filled high rises, buses, trains and pedestrians coming to an end? If statistics are any indication of what’s to come, then maybe so.
Companies of all Sizes are Looking to the Virtual Assistant Industry.
A lot of business owners from small, one-owner type companies to the large 1,000+ employees are looking to expand their staff to the virtual assistant industry. Just a few weeks ago, I spoke to a business owner of a large company outside of New York. Their reasoning behind wanting to hire a virtual assistant is that their own office manager and administrative assistant were overloaded with work and instead of bringing another employee on board they wanted to go virtual. So, in this case, for them, it was more financially beneficial to hire someone in the virtual assistant industry.
The reasons large companies may opt to hire someone in the virtual assistant industry are many. One reason could be due to an employee who is on a leave of absence. Another reason may be for a one-time project that needs to get done. One-off projects don’t warrant hiring a full-time employee. This is not to say that companies won’t hire a long-term virtual assistant, definitely, a lot of businesses contract other more long-term projects as well.
“Most people in the virtual assistant industry have specific niches and some have more than one skill they can offer.”
Let’s say a company needs to look off-site for someone who can do some research for images for their marketing materials, website or blogs, looking for an Online Business Manager that specializes or offers research would be an excellent choice. Same thing for wanting a website, the company should search within the virtual assistant industry for someone who offers WordPress websites. Project management is another area where a specific virtual assistant can be immensely helpful. The Project Manager Virtual Assistant can usually get the project started, get the team involved and give proper direction as to the scope and deliverables of a specific project while never having to step foot in the office which may be located in another state.
If you’re a large company and need some assistance in any area of work, looking to the virtual assistant industry is not a bad idea. Take a look here and see if I can help. We’re always available for a free 30-minute consultation on any upcoming business needs your company may have.
Ugh! The thought of making another list of New Year’s Resolutions can make some of us cringe. So, I thought I’d make just one New Year’s resolution this year.
Did you know only 44% of Americans made resolutions in 2015? And of that probably 1 in 3 abandon them by the end of January? So I decided to ditch the list and come up with something different and at the same time increase my profit.
Just yesterday I was going over the past year and making a plan as to how I was going to make this year better professionally. I’m sure all of you were inundated with everything from emails to Twitter and Facebook posts on New Year’s Resolutions, from how to keep them, to the lists to make, apps that remind you about them and what to do when you fail at keeping them, etc. It was this that prompted me to want to write this quick New Year’s post.
Making a list of resolutions can lead to a lot of negativity because when we don’t hold up our end of the bargain and don’t keep to a promise we made to ourselves, guilt sets in, and we get down on ourselves. Who wants that guilt trip immediately into the New Year? Not I and I know you don’t either. Entrepreneurially speaking, when you’re in business for yourself, failure is not an option and neither should be “good enough”.
So here’s what I propose we do instead. This one thing is all you have to do and I know you will have a great, guilt-free year. Day by day you’ll notice a difference in your outlook and your self-confidence. I wouldn’t call it a New Year resolution; I’d call it a shift in perspective because this doesn’t have to anything to do with a list. It has everything to do with our daily perspective.
Here it is; go the extra mile. We’ve all heard it before, but do we actually do it? Every day we are committed to doing things: projects, reports, schedules, meetings, emails, etc. Sometimes we are so pressed for time that “good enough” becomes our best. Don’t let that happen this year!
As Zig Ziglar once said, “There are no traffic jams on the extra mile.”
How will this affect your profit? Simple, when you go the extra mile for your clients, they notice. In return, you will gain not only an increase in your self-confidence but also an increase in the loyalty of your customers. People want to do business with people they like, know and trust.
So if you have a project you have to oversee, is it running well? Or is it just good enough to get by? Take that extra few minutes, clear your head, focus and think about what’s in front of you. Ask yourself, “What can I do that takes this from “good enough” to great? If you apply this one thing with each task, you’ll feel great, you won’t feel that you did just enough to get by.
Being professional means going that extra mile, doing your best. So this year, rise above the crowd that makes lists of resolutions and keep it simple. Make just one New Year’s resolution – go the extra mile.
Stats from an article written by Mona Chalabi – a lead writer for FiveThirtyEight. (http://fivethirtyeight.com/datalab/only-44-percent-of-americans-made-new-years-resolutions/)
The 10 Ways Entrepreneurs Can Outsource the Projects and Tasks They Hate Doing
As a business owner, you probably have a to-do list that encompasses a lot of little details that are holding you back from the larger more important and demanding projects. Below I list 10 ways the virtual assistant industry can improve your productivity by outsourcing to different virtual assistants.
Most business owners are always running late to meetings, forgetting notes and forgetting to reply to those important emails.
If you’re nodding your head as you’re reading this, then I believe it’s safe to say, as a business owner, you are overloaded with work. Look at your watch, is it 6:30 pm or close to? If you are still sitting at your desk, it might be the time you look into the virtual assistant industry. Being overloaded is not only bad for your health by causing you stress, it’s keeping you from accomplishing the things that motivated you to start your own business in the first place!
Successful Business Owners Delegate
Successful entrepreneurs know they can’t do it all. In this article, I’ve listed 10 essential tasks that any entrepreneur/business owner can outsource. By hiring a virtual assistant you don’t have to be in the office. You can work from your home. a coffee shop or be on vacation. Knowing that some of those pesky dreaded tasks are off your back and are being done will reduce the stress that’s been building up over time. Hiring a virtual assistant like iTask Virtually, LLC, sets your mind free to think of ways you can drive your business forward. Click here for the definition of a virtual assistant.
Ten ideas how the virtual industry can help business owners
Project Liaison between you and other team members. This is a great task to outsource to a virtual assistant. Once you’ve initiated the project, the virtual assistant can manage the team members and the flow of information and keep you updated with daily or weekly reports.
Email Management/Filtering. This is one task that can get any business owner feeling overwhelmed. Your dedicated virtual assistant can filter the important need-attention-now emails from the less urgent ones. They can also set up autoresponders.
Book flights and hotels. Do you travel a lot for your business? A virtual assistant can make all those arrangements for you.
Set-up and manage Social Media Accounts on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Google+, Youtube. We all know that having a presence on social media is a must when running a business in today’s technological world.
Call clients and book appointments. Not only does having a virtual assistant do this save you time, it makes you look more professional too.
Transcription service, such as transcribing voicemail, video or audio, podcasts etc. Typing up these notes can be very beneficial when reviewing for meetings, etc.
Client/customer follow-up. For example, a virtual assistant can send out thank you emails, happy birthday emails or cards, etc.
Research can take a lot of time; why not let the virtual assistant do the research for you?
Create a WordPress site, write and manage blogs.
Press Releases. Write and distribute them.
I can go on listing ways hiring a virtual assistant can help your company grow but I think the ten I listed will do for starters. Remember a virtual assistant is just that – virtual. They remotely assist you so there are no overhead costs weighing you down.
Don’t be tied down to things you’re not sure about or don’t have time for, outsource it to a virtual assistant that knows how to manage the details behind the scenes for you. Create the time and space you need to get your company looking professional and keep that forward momentum flowing. Try it today! Click on the Set Appointment tab on this page and let’s talk about freeing up your time!
Let’s face it, in today’s digital and fast-paced business world, who has the time to sit down and write a thank you note. Everyone thinks a text or an email is just fine. Well, I’m here to tell you it really isn’t fine.
Because of the hectic nature of the business world today, it’s those business owners that make the time to write a thank you note, that get noticed. They rise above the crowd.
What does this really say about someone? About a company?
It says a lot. First of all, it screams volumes about who you are as a person. You’re conscientious, personable, and approachable. Isn’t that the kind of person you want to work with?
It also says you care about this business relationship and you want to keep it going. Again, something that’s not readily seen today. Businesses thrive on communication, good communication. When you receive a thank you note, don’t you feel appreciated? Yes, it’s warm and fuzzy and it goes a long way in cementing those business relationships. Thank you notes reinforce your commitment to the business relationship.
According to an article written by Shamontiel Vaughn, an eHow contributer, she says, “As an adult working in the business world, courtesy does not change. It should increase.”
So, if you want to send thank you notes to your clients but don’t have the time. I’m such a believer in the simple thank you note that I’m offering my handwriting skills to you. I will personally write them for you and send them off!
Contact me today and we can discuss exactly what you’d like to do.
If not properly thought out, it can be like throwing spaghetti at the wall and seeing what sticks.This is definitely not the best way to measure your ROI (return on investment). If direct mail is going to be a part of your direct marketing campaign, there are certain components that must be in place.
A lot of people think, “I’ll do a postcard mailing and the customers will come running through the doors.”. Not so. There are 4 major characteristics of direct mail one needs to incorporate in to the direct mail process from the get go. Below, I list 4 key factors.
“The aim of marketing is to know and understand the customer so well the product or service fits him and sells itself.” – Peter Drucker
#1The Design.
The eye of the customer will catch the overall appeal of the direct mail piece first. The design must be attractive. Use colors that identify with your brand so that the customer receiving it immediately thinks of your product or service.
#2The Format.
Will it be a postcard, a flyer or a brochure? Bigger is not necessarily better. Use a format that fits with your offer. If you have more than one offer or a sale on a few items for example, a back-to-school sale, a four-fold type of flyer might be better than a postcard. The format is also crucial to getting the best price from USPS. Take a look at Charts on my website. Here I give you the right and wrong way to fold a piece so that the USPS doesn’t reject all your hard work. Yes, that does happen.
#3 The List.
Are you using a list of customer addresses that you have acquired over the years? Or did you buy a list from a list company? The type of list you use is very important in targeting your best customer. The average person moves every few years and your customer may not live at that address anymore. Either way make sure your list is processed through NCOA (the National Change of Address). Not only does it correct the address, but it can drop certain addresses if they’re not complete; this saves you money because you’d be charged for mailing the piece whether it got delivered or not.
#4 The Offer.
What is your offer? Is it a percentage off a product or service? Is it a BOGO offer? Whatever the offer, make sure it’s a good one and an honest one. These days we are all too aware of companies who increase the price of a product before they have a sale. Don’t assume your customers can’t think. Be honest with your customers and you’ll have loyal customers in return. I’ve seen a lot of “offers” from companies that when you do the math, you actually end up paying more than the original off-sale price. With the economy today, people are taking the time to figure out if a “sale” or an “offer” is a valuable one and worth their time and energy to take you up on it and to stay loyal to your brand. Also important is to make sure your offer is consistent with your other advertising efforts. For example, if you’re a tire store doing a direct mail piece on tires, don’t have print ads that advertise an oil change. Be consistent.
By incorporating these items into your direct mail campaign, you can ensure a more successful rate of return for your product or service. There are more things one can use when doing a direct mail campaign and I’ll talk about those in another blog post.Just remember, a well thought-out direct mail campaign can yield excellent results giving you the edge over your competition and keeping your business top of mind.
Photo credit: Freedigitalphotos.net by Stuart Miles.
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With the internet that has shrunk the world with a tap of the keyboard and the enter button, the world and all businesses are at our fingertips, literally. Are the days of the daily commute grind, tall office buildings, smog-filled high rises, buses, trains and pedestrians coming to an end? If statistics are any indication of what’s to come, then maybe so.
