The Timesaver

Ten years ago if any one had told Lincoln resident, Glenda Hinz, that the nascent industry that she has been working so hard to promote would finally receive its own day or recognition, she probably would not have believed it. Hinz is a virtual assistant, and she along with more than 5,000 other virtual professionals working worldwide will celebrate the third International Virtual Assistants Day (IVAD) on May 16, 2008.

Proposed by the online advocacy group, Alliance for Virtual Businesses (A4VB), IVAD is now officially registered with Chases Calendar of Events, the recognized authority of special days, weeks and months. International VA Day will be held annually on the third Friday of May. The annual celebration of International Virtual Assistants Day coincides with a three-day assembly sponsored by the Online International Virtual Assistants Convention (OIVAC) running from May 15 – 17, 2008. Virtual Assistants worldwide will display the free International VA Day logo and creed on their websites.

“This day of observance not only allows us to celebrate individual accomplishments, but also affords us the chance to pat the backs of our colleagues,” says Hinz, whose company, HINZtime Virtual Assistance, specializes in association management and general administrative support.

Virtual Assistants or VAs are independent entrepreneurs who work remotely and use technology to deliver professional administrative, creative, managerial, technical, business back-office and/or personal support services to busy professionals. Clients only pay for the time actually spent working on projects and often retain a fixed amount of hours per month for service.

Typical services could include everything from general secretarial and word processing services to desktop publishing, website creation and marketing. Projects are often handled over the phone, by fax, e-mail and even instant messaging. Most attractive is the fact that VAs are also responsible for their own taxes, training, healthcare, insurance - overhead costs that make hiring an employee expensive.

Since 1996 more than 5,000 professionals around the world have become VAs. More than 90 percent of them are highly-skilled working mothers who choose to start their own businesses in order to achieve a better work/life balance. According to a study conducted by Brenner Books in conjunction with A4VB in 2004, the United States accounts for the largest number of VAs followed by Canada, Australia and Great Britain.

“This will be a very special day for everyone involved in the VA industry because it will allow us to bring together all VA organizations and their memberships under one umbrella,” says Alliance for Virtual Businesses founder Sharon Williams. “VAs are making important contributions to the growth and stability of small businesses everywhere, and the establishment of International VA Day simply acknowledges all of those virtual professionals who work so hard to honor our creed: Dedication, Experience, Expertise and Determination to Succeed (DEEDS).”

About HINZtime: Launched in 1978, HINZtime specializes in association management, transcription, and general administrative support. Visit the website at www.hinztime.com.

About Alliance for Virtual Businesses: Established in June 2003 the Alliance for Virtual Businesses™ is volunteer-directed organization, whose primary mission is to promote the growth of free enterprise between virtual assistants, entrepreneurs, small businesses, corporations, associations and other business entities. At the web site client-related case studies, industry-related demographics, and a wealth of other types of information are available to facilitate learning about our industry. Visit the website at www.allianceforvirtualbiz.com.

About Online International Virtual Assistants Convention: The OIVAC is an online, interactive, “live” yet virtual environment convention of Virtual Assistants, traveling Pathways to Successful VA Practices. Visit the website at www.oivac.com.

If you had asked me about being a Virtual Pioneer 3 years ago, I would have wondered what you were talking about (even though I’d been doing it for the past 20+ years!). It just never dawned on me to refer to myself as such. You know the saying…it could be staring you right in the face and you’d never see it….Ah well, live and learn! Enjoy this article written by Patty Benton, a fellow Virtual Assistant.

Are You Ready to be a Virtual Pioneer?
Top Five Benefits of Working Virtually
by Patty Benton

Throughout our history, we’ve had adventurers and pioneers.  People who have taken risks and were driven to follow their dreams.  People who didn’t stop when small trials or tribulations came up.

Are you a pioneer? 

Maybe you’ve tinkered with the idea or have already taken the leap – whether employed in a traditional work setting or starting  a business as  a home-based professional, you know there’s something tremendously appealing about working virtually. In fact, it’s an option that’s becoming increasingly popular in today’s society. Statistics show that one out of five people in a traditional work setting are telecommuting at least one day a week – and, in the U.S. alone, statistics reveal that home-based workers constitute a $427 billion a year industry, 52 percent of all small firms.
 
Many of us have worked within the traditional norm of “going” to work every day…   And today’s norm is increasingly shifting to the commute being just a few steps down the hall at home to go to work.
 
If you remain on the fence about making a case to your employer about the benefits of working from home a couple days a week or even to yourself about finally becoming a home-based entrepreneur, consider the following:
  
# 1 – Flexible Schedule
Working virtually offers individuals the ability to have more freedom over their own schedules.  Whether you’re a parent who wants to be able to volunteer in your child’s classroom or you want to have time for home projects or you know you work best late at night so working in a “traditional” environment just doesn’t work for you….  Being able to manage your own schedule is very freeing.  It is a wonderful thing to plan your work around your life rather than the other way around.

# 2 – Money Saved on Professional Wardrobe
With client interactions at a minimum, a “professional” wardrobe for a virtual professional does not translate the same as a “professional” wardrobe for a corporate executive.  Most days, wearing something as simple as jeans and a sweater or polo is professional enough for working from home.  With the majority of contact coming through email or the phone, pin-striped power suits are now polka-dotted pajamas!

# 3 – Meeting people from all over the world
Your coworkers and networking contacts are no longer on the other side of the cubicle/office wall.  With virtual workspaces, there are virtually no limits.  Chatting with a fellow professional from Australia while working on a project for a client in Germany and sitting in your office in Colorado…  Well, you get the idea!  

# 4 – Being there for your family
In addition to flexible scheduling, you also get to still be there for your family.  There are wonderful things that happen every day in your children’s lives.  With working from home, I have been there for first words, first steps, first teeth and everything else.  Even with incorporating in-house help, I have still been there for it all.

# 5 – Best of all… Lunch!
With working from home, you don’t have to worry about not eating Greek or garlicky Italian food or anything else that you desire for your lunch break.   

Bottom line…  You have options.
 
Thirty years ago, home computers weren’t that common.  Home offices often consisted of bookshelves, a writing desk and a telephone.  Now, home offices can connect you with the rest of the world at the touch of a button.  So, surround the virtual wagons and set up your wireless connection. With the empowerment of technology, innovation and flexibility, working virtually allows you to remain close-to-home and have a global impact. Don’t allow yourself to be encumbered by the past…  Break new ground and grant yourself permission to be a virtual pioneer!    

Patty Benton runs a training program for new entrepreneurs interested in venturing into the virtual assistance industry that is affordable to all, and she has also written an e-book that takes virtual assistants through the process of setting up their business. Visit her coaching site at www.virtualvacoach.com for program details and great business resources. Additionally, Patty is the owner of JERPAT Virtual Assistants and JERPAT Web Designs, www.moretime4u.org, which provides affordable administrative and web design support to coaches, small businesses, religious organizations, and more. She has also partnered to establish the ministry Acknowledging Christ Together at Work www.actatwork.com and is co-owner of Virtual Business Group www.virtualbizgroup.com an online networking organization for Virtual Professionals.
 

I follow The Blog Squad (Denise Wakeman and Patsi Krakoff). Today’s email from them was about social networking. They’re holding a teleseminar this Wednesday (4/23) on how to use Web 2.0 and social networking sites to get more traffic and grow your business. You can register for the teleseminar here.

And here’s an article Dense and Patsi shared about social networking you’re going to want to read!

Social Networking - What Is It And Why Your Business Needs It
by Michele PW

Social networking. Social marketing. Web 2.0.

You may have heard these terms bandied about and wondered what exactly they are and (more importantly) what they mean for your business.

So let’s dig right in and get some answers. First, some definitions.

Social networking is actually a pretty broad term. It basically means any type of relationship-building amongst a group of people with a common interest (business or personal). However, that term has taken on a whole new dimension online, where social networking sites (MySpace, LinkedIn, Facebook) are popping up faster than you can say “Will you be my friend?”

These Web sites are designed around helping people network and build relationships via online, instead of the more traditional face-to-face networking meetings.

Which leads us to Web 2.0. No, it’s not a technical upgrade of the Web (I can hear all the sighs of relief as people everywhere realize they don’t need to be downloading or learning new software). Rather, it’s a new way to use the technical aspects of the Web to build better relationships with people. So it includes blogging, podcasts, social networking sites, video, webinars, etc.

Actually, what it really is is a shift in mindset. Rather than using these tools because they’re cool new tech gadgets, we’re using them to bring a more human element to the Web.

Now social marketing is used interchangeably as social networking, but that’s actually a misnomer (according to Wikipedia). Social marketing is an old term, which refers to marketing for the good of society or for social causes and has nothing to do with any of this.

So, back to social networking. This is wonderful news for business owners out there because it fits right in with how customers buy. Namely, people buy from people they know, like and trust. So building relationships using Web 2.0 techniques is a fabulous marketing strategy.

And many Web 2.0 techniques are either free or very low cost. All the social networking sites have free accounts (some have paid upgrades, but it’s still low). Podcasting can be free (or you can pay a very low fee to do the recording via the phone). Blogging can be free. You get the picture.

Now there is a downside. The downside is it does take time. So if you’re already feeling overwhelmed and frazzled, yes this could feel like another huge to-do on your list.

Which is why I’m going to tell you right now not to go there. There is help. Virtual assistants (also known as VAs) can assist you with these social networking tasks. Also, some marketing professionals offer social networking packages to do it all for you, so you don’t have to manage it or even learn much about it. In other words, you don’t have to go at it alone!

And you also don’t have to spend hours and hours on these tasks either. Pick ONE thing to do, then spend 1-2 hours a week on it. Once that’s mastered, then add a second task. (Or get it into a system so you can outsource it and then bring on a second task.)

Obviously the more time you (or someone on your team) can devote to social networking, the faster you’ll see results. But I don’t want you to beat yourself up if you don’t have a lot of time to do it or money to outsource. Do what you can and let the rest go.

The other thing to keep in mind is it also takes time to start seeing results. None of these techniques is for immediate results or a quick infusion of cash. These techniques are long-term strategies. They’re very effective, but they’ll take some time.

As for what to start on first, that’s up to you and what appeals to you (and what you think will appeal to your target market) but I’ll give you a quick summary of a couple of the major ones along with pros and cons:

1. Blogging.

Pros — This is a terrific way to build traffic to your site. My blog gets a tremendous amount of traffic and much of that spills over to the rest of my site. Plus, I have a Wordpress blog, so it’s built into my Web site and it comes with RSS and pinging and everything else a good blog should. (Did I mention it was free?)

Cons — You need to do some writing. And it does take time. (Either yours or someone on your team.) You should plan to post at least a couple of times a month — more is better.

2. Podcasting. (Podcasting is like having your own little radio show, except the audio is downloaded into an iPod rather than broadcasted.)

Pros — This is a terrific way to add credibility and build trust with your customers. Audio, especially when listened to on a podcast, is very intimate. You end up building a tighter bond with your customers than through reading alone. Adding audio to Web sites has been shown to increase conversion rates. (I.e. more people will buy when there’s audio involved.)

Cons — Time (you got to make time to do your podcast, and once you start, you need to do it regularly). This is also a bit more technical than blogging — you need to upload it to your site, to podcast directories, etc. Unless technology comes really easy for you, I would suggest finding someone to help you out (at least to get you started). And if you have a really dreadful voice I would think twice about doing a podcast.

3. Video.

Pros — Like audio, adding video to your site is great for increasing conversion rates. It adds a level of intimacy and helps your customers feel like they really know you.

Cons — Technical and time. For audio, all you need is a phone. Video you need a camera, a video editor, etc. Of course, once it’s done, you can use it in a lot of places, but getting it done may feel overwhelming. [Note from Glenda: Video is EASY now with the Commercial Creation Center found at AroundLancasterCounty.com! Check out the free trial until May 1!]

4. Social networking sites. This is fast becoming a great way to find customers, form relationships and drive traffic to your site. However, before you dive into this, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, there are some 200 social networking sites out there and I’m sure that number continues to grow. But, MySpace enjoys a whopping 80 percent of that traffic. So it only makes sense that 80 percent of the time you’re devoting to social networking sites should be devoted to MySpace.

And don’t think MySpace is just for kids! I’ve only been playing around with it for a couple of weeks and I’ve already made some pretty good connections, plus I’ve noticed a spike in my traffic and sign-ups for my newsletter. My friend Nancy has as great primer on how to use MySpace for business purposes.

The other two social networking sites I’m on are LinkedIn.com and Ryze.com. What I like about those two is they’re more focused on business, plus they don’t take a lot of time (so they fit nicely in the 20 percent of my time for the other sites). MySpace can be a time sucker, so just be aware of that.

Pros — Great for building relationships and appears to be good at driving Web traffic.

Cons — Takes time (Sensing a pattern here?) Also it’s very easy to waste a lot of time on MySpace as well.

My suggestion is to pick one of these techniques to start with, do it for awhile and see what happens. If you start seeing leads and results, stick with it and maybe add another one. If it looks like it’s not worth it (takes too much time and you’re seeing too few results) try another.

Michele PW (Michele Pariza Wacek) owns Creative Concepts and Copywriting LLC, a copywriting, marketing communications and creativity agency. She helps people become more successful at attracting new clients, selling products and services and boosting business. To find out how she can help you take your business to the next level, visit her site at http://www.michelepw.com. Copyright 2008 Michele Pariza Wacek

Listen to a recent segment about virtual assistants on the Today Show.

by Darrell Williams, Right-Hand-Man Virtual Assistant Services

How can a virtual assistant help me during this holiday season? What could someone half way across the country or halfway around the world do for me at this time of the year?

I have come up with a few answers:

Sending out holiday cards/letters - Do you have a list that rivals Santa’s for holiday cards and letters? Why not let someone else get this done for you. For businesses, this is a great time to send out something to keep in touch with clients and customers. Personally, it is a time to reconnect with friends and loved ones.

Shopping - You can find every product online now which makes shopping a whole lot easier. Have a virtual assistant find that perfect gift for that “hard to buy for” person in your life. Gifts can be purchased for you or your VA can locate that elusive CD, game, book, or technological gadget that you cannot seem to find and then tell you how and where to purchase it.

 
[READ FULL ARTICLE]

Would you like to learn how to Manage Your Time?

Whether you’re transitioning from your full-time corporate job while juggling a part-time VA practice, or diving into your practice full-time, managing your business and family time can be a challenge to say the least.  Join IVAA past-president, Jeannine Clontz, in considering a new approach to managing your time.  You’ll take away key elements to make your day more manageable, learn how to recognize what times during the day are your most productive, how to take advantage of your availabilities throughout the day or week and setup a system that works for YOU!

Would you like to learn how to Write More Effectively?

Veteran wordsmith, Lauren Hidden, shares her copywriting process to help you boost your professional profile and bottom line. Using these time-tested techniques, Lauren and her clients have received local, national, and internet press coverage, large sales orders, and the attraction of bigger and better clients.

Would you like to learn how to Set Goals?

Sharon Williams knows that everyone sets goals – but have you identified your ultimate goal, the one you strive to accomplish over a significant period of time and the action steps to realize it? Join Sharon as she explores ways to identify and achieve what you really want out of life.

Would you like to learn how to Get People To Read And Comment On Your Blog?

Cristina Favreau specializes in helping passionate & motivated professionals in the service industry who love what they do, but struggle with running & marketing their business. Discover simple ways to gain visibility, credibility & get more clients.

Would you like to earn income performing Digital Transcription?

Andrea Cannavina will show you how to jump start your practice by learning the processes, equipment and security issues you need to consider in order to offer digital transcription services over the internet. 

Would you like to learn how to add Podcasting to your website?

Andrea Kalli will show you why virtual assistants should offer podcasting services to their clients.

This is only a sampling of what you can learn at the IVAA 2nd Annual Online Summit coming this Friday!  Even if you cannot attend…full recordings of over 24 hours of learning will be available.

Date:   Friday, October 19th

Time:   8:00 am – 8:00 pm EST (multiple sessions running at once throughout the day)

Who:   Any Virtual Assistant or professional wanting to learn!

Cost:    $60.00 per person for an ALL DAY PASS (IVAA members)

            $75.00 per person for an ALL DAY PASS (non-IVAA members)

            (Please note all dollar amounts are in U.S. Dollars)  All Costs Include Full Access To Recordings Following The Event (for at least 30 days)

How to Register:  Visit http://www.VASummit.org to register and view the complete Summit Program schedule and Presenter bios. 

Whether you are thinking about becoming a VA, have recently opened your VA practice, are a seasoned professional, or are thinking about utilizing the services of a VA for your business the 2nd Annual Online Summit offers 12 hours of invaluable information and training for everyone!

Won’t you join us for an amazing day of education, networking, and fun?  (Remember…even if you are busy on October 19th and cannot attend, you will have access to presentation recordings for at least 30 days.  You can log on and listen to them at your leisure.)

Visit http://www.VASummit.org  to register today!

I’m a member of the Virtual Assistant Networking Forum (VANA) and want to share with all VAs out there this fabulous contest. You’re gonna want to enter this one!

Over $3,800 in prizes to be WON!

Calling all Virtual Assistants … Feeling Lucky today?

• Feel like your website isn’t as professional as you’d like?

• Would you like to be able to find yourself in a search engine?

• Want a logo and branded identity that makes you head and shoulders above the crowd?

If you’d like to take the next step in making your VA business the one to look out for this year, but don’t have the cash to make it an instant reality, VANA has a solution!

Get Your Tickets Today!

VANetworking.com (VANA) is holding a contest for all members who have posted in the last 30 days. The contest is being held from February 1, 2007 through March 15, 2007. Early Bird drawing February 14th, 6pm Pacific timezone. The Grand prize drawings will be held March 16, 2007.

Early Bird Draw (Feb 14th) - Win a VANA VA Gear Gift Pack - $60 Prize!

Buy your tickets before February 14th and you will be included in the Early Bird drawing for a VANA VA Gear Gift Pack, VANA’s VA Gear Gift Pack includes our universal symbol, the VAdala, to show your support and appreciation for the Virtual Assistant industry plus a VA Tri-High Marker, VANA magnet, a set of VA Tackers and a VANA mousepad! (valued at $60)

To be a part of this exciting contest and help support your favorite Virtual Assistant networking forum at the same time, please purchase YOUR tickets here.

VANetworking.com – the website devoted to promoting Virtual Assistants and their businesses – is proud to announce registration of its 3,000th member. In celebration of this event, a special VA Advent Calendar contest is under way with prizes given away each day in December.

Since June of 2005, membership in the VA Networking Forum has more than tripled from 970 members to its present total of over 3,000. For all you Virtual Assistants – highly skilled professionals who provide administrative support and other specialized services to businesses, entrepreneurs and executives – here’s your opportunity to join this VA family for advice, mentoring, and to share in the camaraderie. As the Virtual Assistant Networking Association (VANA) forum theme goes, “Hey, Hey, The VA Gang’s All Here,” and they are, supporting one another and striving to promote the Virtual Assistant Industry.

As a member you’ll have access to over 53,000 posts full of information, correspond with experts on work-related topics, participate in weekly VA chats, take part in the monthly contests, sign up for the VANA Newsletter, get discounts on products and services, and join a growing listing of VAs in 14 countries and the U.S. in the VA Service Directory, not to mention being able to shop at the VANA Shop. And it’s all for free.

Current members and new members can enter into the VA Advent Calendar daily contests everyday during the month of December with prizes totaling over $3000, consisting of everything a VA needs including:

· VAdala earrings, bracelet and necklace – the official symbol of Virtual Assistants. (valued at $27.95).

· 3 month membership to VA Revolution (valued at $75.00).

· Get Clients NOW!™ 28-Day Marketing Program donated by University of VAs. (valued at $225.00).

· A copy of VAnetworking’s Virtual Business Start-up System (valued at $495.00).

· PLUS all kinds of other prizes from e-books to a baking holiday basic for that busy entrepreneur.

The Grand Prize – One free registration for the Virtual Assistant Training Program from Mary-Lou Ashton (valued at $1275.00).

Tena Kinsel of Your Ideal Office, has been volunteering her services at VANetworking and is leading the initiative to bring more donors to the forum. Kinsel says, “Being a member of VANA allows me to network with other virtual assistants. I get great advice and detailed information on how to run my business more efficiently and face the daily challenges of being a VA.”

So join the fun and stop by the VANA Forum today. You’ll see just how much better your business can become and also have a great time doing it. And for those looking for a VA, you won’t be able to beat the professionals you’ll find here.

By Alexandria K. Brown, “The E-zine Queen”

One problem I often see with solo professionals is that their businesses aren’t growing because they’re simply not making enough time to do it!

It’s not that they don’t understand the value of those efforts, or they don’t WANT to make the time. It’s that they’re simply trying to do too much by themselves. They’re so busy running their business that they’re not working ON their business.

Are You Spending All Your Time on the Little Stuff?

Owning your own business requires wearing a lot of hats. But it seems that when many people leave their jobs to “go solo,” they think they must work completely solo as well. They insist on doing everything themselves — even tasks they know darn well they’re not good at.

They try in vain to design their own Web sites and brochures, write their own sales copy, process their own orders, manage their own mailing list, personally respond to every customer call and e-mail, ship their own products, and more. Pretty soon they’re running around like that proverbial headless chicken.

What eventually happens is their love for their work — the reason they started their own business in the first place — drowns in a flood of administrative trivia. Suddenly one morning they wake up feeling burnt out and without that positive, creative energy they used to have.

When this happened to me a few years ago, I was lucky to learn about virtual assistants (VAs). VAs are freelancers who take care of all that “busy work” for entrepreneurs like us. Because VAs are independent themselves, they work on an as-needed basis from their own homes or offices, saving you the cost and hassle of hiring a regular office assistant.

I now have two VAs — Liz, who lives in Boston, and Julie, who lives in Iowa. And I can’t live without them! (I also just hired two more.)

What Could YOU Delegate to a VA?

During next week, keep a log of all your activities. Then sit down and review it. Decide which activities are truly ones that only you can do and which you can delegate.

For example, here are some of the tasks I delegate to my VAs:
* Responding to customer e-mails and phone calls
* Scheduling business and personal appointments and interviews
* Bookkeeping: invoicing clients, receiving and paying bills, reconciling bank statements, tracking expenses and tax records, working with my accountant (This was my favorite to delegate!)
* Internet research and fact checking
* Planning my travel for speaking engagements and seminars
* Maintaining my e-zine and customer mailing lists
* Managing my e-zine ad sales
* Handling registrations for my teleclasses/workshops
* Maintaining my Web site (copy edits, additions)
* Creating sales reports
* Shipping customer orders and shipping products to anywhere I’m speaking.
* Submitting my articles to other publishers and article sites
* Placing ads in publications and at Web sites.
* Formatting e-books, creating PDF files, and sending out for printing.
* Designing PowerPoint presentations

And I don’t stop there. Liz and Julie have also been happy to help me with personal stuff like researching vacations, shopping around for car insurance, and reminding me of birthdays and other important dates. Thanks to these two amazing gals, I save my time and energy only for my “genius work.”

Worried You Don’t Have the Budget?

The good news is you’re not hiring your VA full time. A VA only charges you for the hours she actually works. Although VA rates may be more than you’d pay an administrative employee (usually $30-50 per hour), you don’t have the added expenses of employee benefits, office space, and equipment. You’re also getting someone who has years of experience, who loves what she does, who already has her own desk, chair, computer, software, fax, phone, stapler, and pens, and who’s ready to leap in and start work as soon as you are.

Keep in mind that having a VA will IMMENSELY free up your time to focus on the stuff that matters: marketing and growing your business, developing bold new product ideas and income streams, and servicing your larger clients. You’ll think much bigger and will have much more creative energy. I guarantee it!

Look for a VA That Matches Your Needs

If you’re looking for a long-term partner who is committed to helping you succeed (and I was), look for someone who’s graduated from a VA training program such as AssistU (www.AssistU.com). That’s where I found both Liz and Julie, and I highly recommend it. Another resource is the International Virtual Assistants Association. (www.ivaa.org)

Don’t wait until it’s too late! Most people put off hiring a VA until they “hit the wall.” Things like overdue bills, a messy office, late projects, and unreturned phone calls add up until their business almost collapses.

Take action NOW and at least learn more about getting some help. It will be a big relief, I promise!

DO IT NOW: For my personal, step-by-step advice on selecting the BEST VA for you and your business, see my program “How to Find, Hire, and Work With Your First Assistant” here.

© 2003-2006 Alexandria K. Brown

Online entrepreneur Alexandria K. Brown, “The E-zine Queen,” publishes the award-winning ‘Straight Shooter Marketing’ weekly ezine with 19,000+ subscribers. If you’re ready to jump-start your marketing, make more money, and have more fun in your small business, get your FREE tips now.

While there are many concerns about large companies outsourcing entire departments, small companies and home-based businesses have jumped on the outsourcing bandwagon, too. What’s different? Small business owners and entrepreneurs now achieve success by working with the leading suppliers of services – Virtual Assistants – administrative, graphic design, marketing, internet research, and transcription service providers, without worrying about overhead, benefits and office equipment or technology expenses. While most VAs are American, the ranks have increased exponentially to include a large contingent of international virtual professionals. With the advent of new internet technologies an entrepreneur’s assistant can be located anywhere in the world.

On May 18-20, VAs will showcase their talents and skills and participate in training and networking during an online, “live” interactive, international convention–The Online International Virtual Assistant Conference (OIVAC). There is no admission fee. Entrance to exhibitor halls will be available 24/7 for 45 days. Members of the VA industry and vendors will showcase their services and products and describe why these new partnerships are the wave of the future.

Visit the conference to learn more about the VA industry: