Are You Trying Too Hard?
Have you ever had a conversation with someone who goes into so much explanatation or effort to provide “evidence” that in trying to convince you, they actually have the opposite effect? In trying to...
View ArticleBigger Isn’t Necessarily Better
Why do some folks think bigger is necessarily better when it comes to business? Some of the absolute worst quality and service comes from big companies. Bigger can mean less service, less personal...
View ArticleNever Outsource Your Core Competency
I’ve heard it commonly said that clients don’t care about this and don’t care about that. All they care is that their work gets done. But the thing is, they do care. Very much. They care when they are...
View ArticleWhy Your Location IS Important
Your location IS important, but not for the reasons you might think. This topic came up through some correspondence I was having with someone who had submitted her listing to the ACA Administrative...
View ArticleDear Danielle: Is Virtual Assistant Certification Necessary?
Dear Danielle: I have wanted to start my own Virtual Assistant business for a while now. I’ve been with the same large corporation for 12 years, some of that time spent in the Medical Law department,...
View ArticleCommanding Professional Fees
Finally getting around to reading Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner. Fascinating read. Interesting anecdote: “The economist Richard Thaler, in his 1985 Beer on the Beach study,...
View ArticleDear Danielle: Will Certification Make Me Look More Professional?
This question comes up frequently. And I often see newcomers to the industry being preyed upon due to their mistaken belief that “certification will make me look more professional.” The fact is, no...
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Dear Danielle: How Do I Get Over Blogging Writer’s Block
Dear Danielle: There are so many things to consider in starting or re-starting a business, as I’m sure you know. At this point, there are so many different marketing avenues to promote our business and...
View Article5 Simple Steps to an Effective Author’s Bio
Ever wonder how to write up a little bio for your “about the author” box? It’s really easy. Here are my 5 simple steps: 1. State who you are and how you help clients. In one sentence, make it clear...
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Dear Danielle: I or We?
Dear Danielle: I have been struggling with “me/I” versus “us/we” when wording my website. The reason I am asking is because I will have my daughter helping on occasion. Do you think that the “we”...
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Are You Being Phoney-Baloney?
It’s not necessary to be a phoney-baloney in your marketing to get clients. If you’re a solo, don’t pretend you’re a bigger company. When it comes down to it, that’s just plain dishonest, a lie. Is...
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Are Professional Headshots Necessary?
A colleague asked this in our ACA LinkedIn Discussion Group the other day. I thought it was a great question that would make for a perfect blog post! So here’s my advice: IF you have the ability and...
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Picking an Email Name: Personal vs. Generic
I saw that someone asked about picking an email name, and I thought it was a great question. Here’s my advice: When choosing between your name (e.g. firstname@yourdomain.com or...
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Get a Free Gravatar to Improve Your Networking and Personal Brand Recognition
Do you have a Gravatar yet? If not, I highly encourage you to get one right now. What is Gravatar? Gravatar (which stands for Globally Recognized Avatar) is a play on the word “avatar” which is a...
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Competitive Advantage Isn’t About the Competition
You all are smart enough to understand that “competitive advantage” has nothing to do with your colleagues, right? “Competitive advantage” is about emphasizing those unique traits, attributes,...
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There Is No Secret to Marketing
There is nothing magical about marketing. There’s no closely guarded secret still waiting to be revealed to you. There are no heavenly curtains to part and rain clients down upon you — if only you...
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How to Get Clients
Getting clients is a process, not an event. You aren’t going to get them by selling your service like you were hawking a Shamwow. Drop the tiresome, disingenuous, robotic “elevator speeches” as well....
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