http://mentoring-2-success.com Mentoring 2 Success is where virtual professionals can connect with Diane Hess, your virtual business mentor. Learn how to grow your business on a shoestring budget and become a part of the M2S Workshops. Wed, 11 Jan 2012 16:13:00 +0000 http://snappages.com en http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2012/01/11/how-to-organize-your-office http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2012/01/11/how-to-organize-your-office Wed, 11 Jan 2012 16:13:00 +0000 Diane Hess http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2012/01/11/how-to-organize-your-office

1. Your Desk: Make keeping this space clear and organized your top priority. Go through your inbox each morning with a highlighter in hand. Highlight important information like deadlines and phone numbers. Sort the documents as Throwaway, To Be Filed, or Follow-Up. Deal with urgent tasks immediately.

2. Your Tools and Equipment: Keep tools, resources, and equipment you use often, nearby. Keep a clock and calendar right in full view. Your desk supplies like pens, highlighters, and scissors should have a specified spot within your desk closest to your reach—maybe the top drawer. If you use larger equipment like a fax machine, for instance, keep it close by as well.

3. Organize and Reduce Paperwork: As you go through your inbox in the morning or even
throughout your day, make it a point to deal with the documents in your hand. Ask yourself, if this information could be inputted in your electronic organizer, if you have one. File current documents alphabetically in the deep drawer within your desk. Documents not used or referred to as often should be filed in a filing cabinet nearby. Lastly, scanning of older documents to be saved on disk, also known as electronic filing, makes for better out of the way storage and easier retrieval than paper filing.

4. The Old Fashioned To-Do List: Preparing for the next business day is pertinent in helping you maximize your productivity. Make it a habit to close each day by making a list of priorities for the next workday, while making note of what could be delegated to another professional. Develop or plan a routine that will make things run more smoothly for you as well.

5. Have a Routine Set in Place: Follow a daily routine and you will find yourself working on autopilot. This will also help you maintain the home office system of organization you have set in place.


In closing, I would like to recommend a tool I came across from Office Depot: "Put Your Work Style to Work 5 Day Plan" http://www.officedepot.com/promo.do?file=/promo/makeover/getorganized.jsp. This resource will help you become more self-aware and will help you maintain organization once you have reached it.

]]> http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2011/12/09/technical-resource-tips http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2011/12/09/technical-resource-tips Fri, 09 Dec 2011 10:24:00 +0000 Diane Hess http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2011/12/09/technical-resource-tips

Being raised by religious parents, I grew up believing that having a PC in my home was like inviting the devil into my domain. Even I laugh at that now because today I could not live without my technical gadgets. I even have an Android phone that keeps me connected to Facebook and Twitter when I should really be spending time with family.

I still have a few challenges with technology, but as I get older I’ve learned to adapt by reading up on what I don’t understand. The Entrepreneur Magazine is a great place to start, not to mention the Internet. You've got to love GOOGLE these days!

Here are some hot tips for December 2011:

How to Create a Custom Hotkey for Your Favorite Application or Folder
By V.Laurie

Hotkeys are keyboard shortcuts that save time and effort. A number of them are built into Windows as well as into various applications and they are the subject of many of the tips in this section. Windows also has a feature that makes it possible to assign your own custom hotkeys to an application, folder, or file so that it can be opened with a minimum of effort. [Click title to read more]

How to Make Vista Run Faster
By Briard

‘The Wow starts Now’, was the catch-cry at Vista’s lavish launch early in 2007. The campaign was slick and glossy, but it didn’t take long for users to complain in droves that Vista was as slow as a wet week, a resource hog and painful to work with. The cool aero-glass look wasn’t enough to offset the pain. The verdict: Vista was a cane toad in fancy drag.

Microsoft’s infrequent responses reflected, with crystal clarity, the company’s arrogance. ‘Frankly, the world wasn't 100 percent ready for Windows Vista,’ was how one spokesperson put it. Mostly, Microsoft ignored the howls of protest because it knew that Vista would sell up a storm regardless, because it gets installed on almost every new PC sold. [Click title to read more]

In Closing…

With all of the great resources on the Internet, you and I no longer need to feel technically challenged. Invest three hours a week to reading, learning, and applying new things to the technical end of your business. You may even have fun doing it!

]]> http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2011/11/22/how-to-secure-business-documents http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2011/11/22/how-to-secure-business-documents Tue, 22 Nov 2011 12:02:20 +0000 Diane Hess http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2011/11/22/how-to-secure-business-documents
Over the years, I’ve learned that a cyber platform is not always the best solution to securely managing confidential material. You need to take steps that sometimes seam redundant; however, necessary.

Secure Your Documents

Where to you start? Luckily, there is software out there that can help.



Dropbox: is a free service which is uses cloud (Internet) storage. You and your client have immediate access to the documents from anywhere. If you purchase a subscription, you also have access to a number of features that protect you from the client that feels they need to "delete" everything.

GoDaddy’s Online File Folder: gives you the ability to backup your entire system to an online storage space. You can share the documents and retrieve them from anywhere.

External Backup System: is a necessity. There are a number of external backup systems to select from that you can purchase from Best Buy, Office Depot, or QVC. You simply connect the system (drive) to your computer, save your documents on it, and put it in a safe place.

All three methods are easy to implement into your business. The difficult task is "remembering to do it". If you use an Antivirus program like Norton Security Suite, you can configure the settings to do this automatically.

I personally use the Clickfree automatic backup device because it is a no brainer. I simply set a reminder to plug in the USB cable and off it goes. No clicking, selecting, or techie skills required.

Take a moment to evaluate what you’re currently using. Are you protected from an electrical outage? Can you easily retrieve documents when required? Do you have a system that can’t be hacked into? If you answered "NO" to any one of these questions, you need to STOP what you are doing and LOOK at something that will secure your client’s documents as well as your business material.

]]> http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2011/08/15/business-internet-profiles http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2011/08/15/business-internet-profiles Mon, 15 Aug 2011 12:08:38 +0000 Diane Hess http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2011/08/15/business-internet-profiles What Needs To Be Said In Your Online Profile And Why? [...]]]> What Needs To Be Said In Your Online Profile And Why?

An internet profile is the online biography for online business owners and business professionals. It’s important to know how to write a profile online as potential employers and customers are always mining for information about the person they are planning to hire. Treat your internet profile as your online biography and make sure you have included as much information as possible.

1. Don’t Be Tightlipped about Your Business – Are you sure your business summary provides sufficient information about your business? An online biography that simply includes the company name and website URL is not going to motivate customers to make a call. Ensure that you are not making it difficult for your customers – your short presentation on the internet profile should motivate customers to make enquiries.

2. Optimize Your Profile for Freelancers – If you are not SEOing your internet profile for freelancers, you don’t know how to write a profile. It’s as simple as that! Search engine optimization is no longer the game of websites and blogs but you can use it on your internet profile too. Your business summary on social media internet profile on sites such as Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and MySpace can be search engine optimized, thus making sure that this short presentation is visible to several thousands of potential buyers.

3. Your Business Summary Should Highlight Your Unique Strengths – For business profiles and internet profile for freelancers, it’s extremely important to highlight your unique strengths and key successes that you have achieved. Elaborate on your top competitive advantages in your business summary that your competition is missing.

4. Background Information – Your online biography should contain which year the company was founded and the area it serves. Talk about why you are special in these areas. If you are a business professional, highlight how you helped a company to achieve tremendous success.

5. Updates – Now you know how to write an internet profile but your short presentation online should be constantly updated. Your internet profile should cover new successes you had and emphasize how you are growing.

If your internet profile doesn’t contain all this information, your online biography is not complete. Without sufficient information about you or your brand on the cyberspace, it’s nearly impossible to win customers. Transform your business summary right away to be more successful online!

]]> http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2011/06/24/a-christian-va-what-is-my-purpose http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2011/06/24/a-christian-va-what-is-my-purpose Fri, 24 Jun 2011 14:18:00 +0000 Diane Hess http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2011/06/24/a-christian-va-what-is-my-purpose Christian VA finding your way in a world that appears to be governed by the devil can be daunting, especially if you step out and make that verbal claim that “you are a Christian VA”. Every site you surf through online will prompt you to make a choice. It is how you handle that choice that will determine if working [...]]]> Christian VA finding your way in a world that appears to be governed by the devil can be daunting, especially if you step out and make that verbal claim that “you are a Christian VA”. Every site you surf through online will prompt you to make a choice. It is how you handle that choice that will determine if working online is right for you.

As a mentor, I am often asked if I believe there is a place for one’s personal faith in the Internet realm of business. My answer is always – YES! I believe that without God we are nothing. It is He who has given me the opportunity to serve others as their business mentor and assistant. I cannot live one day without recognizing that by God’s grace I have the knowledge and skills to help others.

I will not lie. It is this bold step, to open my heart, which has caused pain and disappointment. (“Give freely and spontaneously…” Deuteronomy 15:10) But if I am not first honest with myself, how can I be honest with others. The characteristics of Christ are instilled in me. I face every choice in my day by first asking, “What would Jesus do?” Then, I act on it.

Many Christian Virtual Assistants and clients struggle with Social Media. It is not due to the lack of knowledge but rather the inability to protect one’s self from intrusive responses. The platform Facebook offers, for instance, puts you in touch with people who honestly do not care about who you are spiritually. Their main objective is to pull you into their personal business they obviously make public and insist you to engage in gossip. (“Don’t pass on malicious gossip.” Exodus 23:1 NIV)

Should I participate in Social Media?

Social Media has become the main platform for free marketing and there is no way you can avoid it if you want to give your clients the full experience of using your services. Yes, you can hide your head in the sand and close out the world. That is your right, but doing so will hurt your business. The key is to find the right balance and plenty of prayer.

I see Social Media as an opportunity to minister. I approach it with the mindset that nothing I say online, whether by IM, blogging, or even email is private. Therefore, it is important that I be mindful of my words. I would not be ashamed to say face to face what I say online or even to share with members of my church. I am in control of the settings and I can determine who is a threat and who is a friend.

Remember – You are what you post.
(“As dead flies give perfume a bad smell, so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.” Ecclesiastes 10:1 NIV)

Remember, what would Jesus do? With every prompt you are given to respond, keep that question in the back of your mind and respond accordingly. You are first a Christian. If you’ve made that choice to let the world know they can trust your services because you serve the Lord first, then you must keep that same integrity when posting online.

So dear friend (Christian VA), it is my opinion that your purpose online is to be that light at the end of the tunnel, be that leader who directs others down a path of righteousness, be the comforter when your client has lost all patience, and be willing to give of your heart even if it will be trampled on. If you are not willing to do any of this, your purpose in life cannot be fulfilled here on the Internet.

]]> http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2011/06/03/looking-to-make-a-difference-through-faith http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2011/06/03/looking-to-make-a-difference-through-faith Fri, 03 Jun 2011 10:45:00 +0000 Diane M. Hess http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2011/06/03/looking-to-make-a-difference-through-faith
As I tell [...]]]>
As I tell my children, “God never promised us a rose garden, He promised to provide us a way out”.


The key to my success is putting my trust in God. In the earlier years, I was not as mature spiritually as I am today. I shared with others my faith, but I never emphasized how having a relationship with Christ makes the difference in the journey. I put God second and my life ambitions first. That is something I am now ashamed to admit, but I do so to let you into a more personal side of me. I’m not perfect and I do not want you to go away from reading this article thinking I put myself on a pedestal – above others. God being second led to havoc in both business and personal relationships. I lived through my day much as we surf the Internet, plugging multiple keys at one time and not getting farther than what is in front of me.

With God first in my day, I see a path that my mind’s eye was blind to all these years. I have wasted more time worrying about what others think of me, than honoring the One who made all of this possible. “God, forgive me”. I made a decision to become that light in the darkness, and help other virtual entrepreneurs who love the Lord, want Him to be first in their lives, and need reassurance that it is OKAY to let the world know the joy that comes from having that intimate relationship with Christ.

As a Christian business owner, you need to crawl out from under the rock you’ve been hiding under all of these years and speak up. Let the entire world know what you believe, share your love for Christ, take joy in the gifts God has favored you with, and put on the Armor of God.
Eph 6:10-17 (NIV)

You will need every piece of this armor. Don’t expect people to be so accepting of your willingness to bring God to the business table. For ages, Religious (Moral) Ethics have been an outcast in the workplace. People will talk negatively about you, business partners may question your boldness, and family will think you’ve lost your mind. Remember with every action you make to honor God, you come closer to receiving God’s promise.

The light at the end of the tunnel is God’s promise. You will succeed in everything you lay your hand to as you (a child of God) have favor in God’s eye. Prosperity is much more than financial rewards and if you give of yourself with the right motives, you will receive ten-fold. The Bible is full of God’s promises to the faithful. You need to make a difference in someone’s life through God’s direction. Become one of the ONE’s and decide to speak up, behave right, and enjoy life as God intended.

]]> http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2011/04/12/home-office-deductionswhat-you-can%e2%80%94and-cant%e2%80%94deduct http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2011/04/12/home-office-deductionswhat-you-can%e2%80%94and-cant%e2%80%94deduct Tue, 12 Apr 2011 13:04:00 +0000 AIPB Tip http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2011/04/12/home-office-deductionswhat-you-can%e2%80%94and-cant%e2%80%94deduct AIPB tip: Home-office deductions are one of a handful of areas that the IRS continues to adhere to the letter of IRC and to be very strict and diligent in monitoring. [...]]]> AIPB tip: Home-office deductions are one of a handful of areas that the IRS continues to adhere to the letter of IRC and to be very strict and diligent in monitoring.

Our goal as your national association is to raise bookkeepers' professional status. One way we do this is by keeping members up to date and offering practical, on-the-job help through our monthly newsletter, The General Ledger.


Here's an example from a recent issue.

The case: M, a professor at for-profit universities, had a Sched. C for two side businesses: real-estate broker and property manager. Financial problems then forced him to move both businesses from rented space into his home. On his Sched. C, he claimed 70% of his home was used exclusively for business and deducted the related expenses. The IRS agreed that his home was his principal place of business, but allowed only 43% as used only for business.

Held: For the IRS. Only the area of a home exclusively used for business qualifies for a home-office deduction. De minimis personal use is allowed. For example, a hallway that connects two rooms used only for business or a room that one must walk through in order to get to another qualify. But this taxpayer claimed that de minimis included personal use of an area used once or twice a year, such as his dining and breakfast rooms which he used for family meals the once or twice a year when his adult children visited. But these uses disqualified the room as not exclusively used for business purposes, as the tax code requires. [Mahdavi v. Comm., T.C. Summ. Op. 2010-178]

From the desktop of Diane Hess, your Virtualpreneur Mentor

The information provided in this article is from AIPB. This is not an endorsement of AIPB's programs, rather a validation of qualified information shared among professionals. Please click here to read the General Ledger.

]]> http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2011/04/05/an-eight-letter-word-for-disaster http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2011/04/05/an-eight-letter-word-for-disaster Tue, 05 Apr 2011 11:04:00 +0000 Unknown http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2011/04/05/an-eight-letter-word-for-disaster
Business owners know a lawsuit can cause devastation to their reputation and capital. All it takes is one disgruntled customer who thinks you’ve breached a contract or made a mistake. It does not matter if you own a Fortune 500 business, small corner shop or if you work from home, the threat of being sued is always there. The good news is that lawsuits are costly and time consuming. Most sane people will not bother unless they have a substantial amount to recover.

To reduce your liability risk, try these four following methods:

Insurance – No brick and mortar business should be without liability insurance. If you’re working from home, you still want to consider being insured. For most professionals this falls under Errors and Omissions coverage.

Shield Yourself – Use your company as a shield. A person working as a corporation or LLC should freely advertise so the consumer knows they will be working with a company and not you. Request that your customers make checks payable to your business and not you personally. And keep all financial documents separate from your personal accounts.

Disclaimer – Write a disclaimer into your contracts. Use the terminology as follows, “consequential incidental and punitive damages, including but not limited to merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose or whichever is greater is the responsibility of the customer”. Your website should also contain Terms and Conditions. Do not hide the fact that your business operates with specific policies and procedures. Openly, disclose that user’s must agree to your terms to engage in business with you.

Fire High Risk Customers – If you have a feeling in your gut that something just is not right, there is a good chance that you are correct. Do the best you can to dissolve the relationship. But…use caution and remain polite.

Use all of the resources available to you to keep lawsuits off your back. The best business owner is one that is wise and proactive in his or her business. The person suing you has everything to gain, remember that.

]]> http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2011/01/18/how-to-start-the-year-off-strong http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2011/01/18/how-to-start-the-year-off-strong Tue, 18 Jan 2011 11:27:00 +0000 Marketing Merchant Circle http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2011/01/18/how-to-start-the-year-off-strong Get your business off to a solid start in 2011!
By Marketing Merchant Circle


When was the last time you updated your listing page, added a new coupon, or posted a blog? Keeping your business information accurate and your content fresh will help build a [...]]]> Get your business off to a solid start in 2011!
By Marketing Merchant Circle


When was the last time you updated your listing page, added a new coupon, or posted a blog? Keeping your business information accurate and your content fresh will help build a powerful (and reputable) online presence.
Start this year off right by following these 3 easy steps for improving your page!


• Clean it up! Does your listing page have accurate information? If your contact information has changed, or if you've added new products or services- let people know. Posting correct information on MerchantCircle ensures more local customers can find you in an online search. If you change your phone number, make sure to also update your URL.


• Keep it fresh. Do you have expired coupons littering your page? Ring in the New Year with new customers by creating coupons that will save them big. And while you're giving your page a face lift, how about showing us yours? Adding photos to your listing page shows customers who you are, what you offer and what your store or shop looks like.


• Stay connected. Are you opted in to receive all the MC news and email updates? Have you connected your Twitter and Facebook accounts? Click here to manage and update your account information and preferences so you don't miss a thing.

]]> http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2010/10/19/operating-a-home-office-third-rule-of-thumb http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2010/10/19/operating-a-home-office-third-rule-of-thumb Tue, 19 Oct 2010 16:28:00 +0000 Diane Hess http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2010/10/19/operating-a-home-office-third-rule-of-thumb
What is the [...]]]>
What is the solution to collecting what is rightfully yours?


Besides ruling your business with a strong hand, you need a firm contract in place. However, even someone who signs a contract that seals the deal and lays out in layman terms what would happen if there is no payment can be challenged. The dead-beat customer does not care what hoops you have to jump through to collect.

If you are dealing with a local customer, you stand a better chance. Why? The dead-beat customer knows you could make their life HELL if you took the collection phase to the legal system. With you being in the same state, this is the best option for you.


How do you collect if you are a virtual business owner?


Sorry to say that if you are operating a virtual business and trying to collect from someone hundreds of thousands of miles from you, the likelihood of seeing what is owed is SLIM. First, the dead-beat customer knows you will not pay hundreds of dollars to travel to their location when you are attempting to collect less than $500. Second, the resources you have in collecting are limited unless you are prepared to pay collection agencies. Third, dead-beat customers are good at avoiding cyber bulling by not giving you their correct contact information in the first place.


What business solution will help me collect, then?

A virtual business owner needs to be smarter than the virtual customer (client) is. This starts with a solid contract.

1. Hold your customer to a contract: Make sure he or she signs it and provides you with their legal information.

2. Confirm contact information: Do not be afraid to search for the customer’s information. If you provide Business-to-Business services, it is even more crucial that you take some time to ensure the contact information is correct.

3. Do a background check with the BBB Online: Check to see if the party you are engaging in business is worthy of your services.

4. Get a retainer for your services: Ask for a retainer to secure your business relationship. If the customer does not want to pay you a retainer, think twice about working with them.

5. Contract a collection agency: If you are just now reading this article and you are due money because you didn’t take the right steps, you can contract a collection agency to collect.

The best action is to be prepared to take action. Do not believe that because someone tells you they have LIKE business ethics that they will not walk all over you in the end. Conmen practice this statement of faith, which is why they are so good at what they do.







]]> http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2010/08/24/paying-use-tax http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2010/08/24/paying-use-tax Tue, 24 Aug 2010 11:43:00 +0000 http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2010/08/24/paying-use-tax Are you required to pay USE Tax? If you work online (internet) and receive payment for products, you are required to pay USE Tax in most states. This is a surprising fact to most entrepreneurs. Due to the track record the IRS has on monitoring internet sales, it is common for people ignore their obligation to pay.

I know we are [...]]]> Are you required to pay USE Tax? If you work online (internet) and receive payment for products, you are required to pay USE Tax in most states. This is a surprising fact to most entrepreneurs. Due to the track record the IRS has on monitoring internet sales, it is common for people ignore their obligation to pay.

I know we are taxed to death! I totally agree that the USE Tax is ridiculous, but the question isn’t whether or not “I think it is required” rather “are we required” and we are required to pay. And…if you profess that you operate a honest and ethical business, you better not shuffle your responsibility aside.

Multistate Tax Compact
Article V. Elements of Sales and Use Tax Laws

Follow the link to Article V. and read more on Multistate Taxes.

Sales & Use Tax Consultants
SUTC can help

Multistate Tax Guide
(Click Here)




Michigan Taxes
Department of Treasury

"The use tax is not a new law; it was enacted in 1937. With the birth and rapid growth of Internet sales, revenue lost from non-reporting of the use tax is becoming substantial....Use tax is required by law when a person purchases a good from out of state and the retailer hasn't charged sales tax in their jurisdiction....The Internet Tax Freedom Act does not prohibit the sales and use tax on consumer purchases over the Internet by Michigan residents that are taxable under Michigan law. Only new taxes on Internet access are prohibited".

Resource: Michigan.gov

]]> http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2010/08/02/writing-for-a-living-is-it-truly-important-to-know-how-to-write-well http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2010/08/02/writing-for-a-living-is-it-truly-important-to-know-how-to-write-well Mon, 02 Aug 2010 16:02:00 +0000 Diane M. Hess http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2010/08/02/writing-for-a-living-is-it-truly-important-to-know-how-to-write-well

[...]]]>

But … when you are the sole owner and responsible for all email communications, marketing material, business to business promotions, and content for your blog or tweets; you have to take writing more seriously. This is why I think it is important to educate new startup business owners on:

• what type of content is required
• where he or she can get assistance,
• when it is important to keep it original
• how having good writing skills can help you grow your business

What Type of Content is Required

During the first year of business, you will be required to write a business plan and create your company documents. This can include contracts, business invites and other marketing material.

Where Can I Get Assistance

Of course, you could contract a freelance writer specialist to help you along the way. The only issue with contracting help is the money you will end up spending. Writers on average make $50 per page. Specialist like someone who creates business plans can make $1,000 to $5,000 a 35 page plan. This is based on the industry type. Instead save your money and learn a few inside tricks to writing your own content.

When Should I Keep The Material Original

It is crucial that you keep your content original when creating working contracts. You should set aside some business terms and policies that only reflect how you want to do business. You can use a sample from another company, but keep it as original as possible. Remember this is a reflection of your company.

How Can I Grow My Business with Good Writing Skills

A business owner who has good writing skills can take his or her virtual business to a higher level. For virtual assistants, freelance writing can become a secondary income. Once you've gained control of written content, you can write about almost anything for profit. The better you get at writing, the larger the pay check.

If you're interested in improving your skills with written content or you're intersted in becoming a freelance copywriter, REGISTER to attend my August 14, 2010 FREE M2S Workshop.

]]> http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2010/07/26/stop-procrastinating-and-start-writing-10-killer-thoughts-and-their-antidotes http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2010/07/26/stop-procrastinating-and-start-writing-10-killer-thoughts-and-their-antidotes Mon, 26 Jul 2010 14:28:00 +0000 By Gayle Scroggs, Ph.D.© http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2010/07/26/stop-procrastinating-and-start-writing-10-killer-thoughts-and-their-antidotes
Alas, many of us allow killer thoughts such as the ones below to stop us in our tracks. Replace them with healthy thoughts based [...]]]>
Alas, many of us allow killer thoughts such as the ones below to stop us in our tracks. Replace them with healthy thoughts based on positive psychology, and before you know it, you’ll have that manuscript finished!

Remember: You get to choose which thought you want to hold. Which will get you what you want?

1. Killer Thought: First, I’ll check my email.
Healthy thought: First, I will honor my goal by doing my “Single Daily Action” around writing. It could be to make a list of the topics or ideas or get the resources arranged on the desk or the computer open to the Word document, etc. I will pick one small easy-to-do thing that will move me one step forward on my project every day for 20 minutes, first thing in the morning if possible. (20 minutes per day for 300 days would be 100 hours—which would really get me somewhere!)

2. Killer Thought: I am not in the mood to write just yet. I will wait until inspiration strikes me
Healthy thought: Even though I am not in flow now, I can get there if I sit down and start writing. I will keep inspirational books, photos, or other objects that prompt me to think about my topic. I will be mindful of what adds to my concentration and inspiration (be it coffee or loud music or a window with a view) and leverage that.
Inspiration will come as I write. I have had moments of creativity and I will have more. I can use my top strengths to get me started and invite my muse to visit and my inner critic to take a hike.

3. Killer Thought: I don’t work well with schedules. I prefer spontaneity.
Healthy thought: I am choosing to write this because it matters to me. No one is making me do this but me. When I put time in my schedule for me, I am realizing my best self. (My inner critic would like me to stop, but I am not going to listen to it!). The hard truth is that writing projects take time. I am willing to make time for the things to which I am committed.

4. Killer Thought: I need to do more research. I don’t know enough.
Healthy thought: First, I will write out what I already have in my head and at hand. Then I will review it to see where I may need to do research to fill in the gaps. I will aim for “good enough” rather than “perfect.” I will remind my inner critic that I am not writing an encyclopedia; I am writing about what I know.

5. Killer Thought: I need to relax (or energize myself) first.
Healthy thought: When I sit down and allow myself to write long enough, I can eventually get into flow, especially if I am leveraging my own personal strengths. The ideas stream out in an effortless way and putting them down on paper or screen renews my energy. At the end of the day, I feel more peaceful and satisfied that if I had just whiled away the time (watching TV, surfing the net, and all those things my inner critic would like me to do instead of write).


6. Killer Thought: I don’t have time right now. I’ll wait until I have a lot of time.
Healthy thought: I will use the time I have now even if it is just 15 minutes. I can do some small thing now (read two pages, write down three ideas, check a book out of the library). This will help keep me incubating my ideas so that when I have more time I will be ready to write. I can also take the time now to plan how to carve out larger chunks of time on a regular basis. From now on, I will make a point of saying “no” to some things that come up that matter less so that I can say “yes” to this project more. When I do that, I experience more satisfaction in my day.

7. Killer Thought: I have no place to work. I need to have [whatever I don’t have].
Healthy thought: I can work wherever I can sit down with a pen and paper or my computer. I can create a small nook in my home or find a table at a café or a library or even a convent. There are many published authors who wrote under more difficult conditions than these. (Poet Wendell Berry said he even used the back of an envelope!) I will be grateful that I have the time, the means, and the place at hand without waiting for my inner critic’s idea of the perfect writer’s studio.

8. Killer Thought: I don’t know where to start writing
Healthy thought: I can start anywhere, even writing about how I do not know what I want to write. I do not need to start with a clear idea. My ideas will take shape as I work with them. I will write for 30 minutes and then see where I am. I will give myself permission to not know, to be curious, to incubate, as ideas begin to form.

9. Killer Thought: I tried it and my writing was awful.
Healthy thought: I can give myself permission to write badly. The important thing is to keep writing. Some days my writing will be better than it is on others. I am honoring my best self when I spend time doing what matters to me. Even in baseball, the homerun kings are often the strikeout kings. I can only make a run if I get up to bat. My writing project will only be finished if I spend time doing it.

10. I tried all of the above and still cannot get going. I’m a total failure as a writer.
Healthy thought: Sometimes a “positivity” break is a good idea. I will put the project away for just one week and build my resilience and positivity by taking concrete steps to increase the pleasure, flow, and meaning in my day in other ways. I will take care of my body, mind, and spirit while letting ideas incubate. On [set date] I will sit down and follow through, renewed and eager to start writing.


When you really want to make optimal progress on your book, consider partnering with a positive psychology coach who can help you identify your strengths for writing, create a plan, and enjoy the process. If you would like a free consultation about how I can help you as I have helped others, contact me at gayle@essencecoaching.com. Leverage the best of positive psychology to achieve your goals in an authentic, life-enhancing way.



]]> http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2010/06/01/the-christian-virtual-assistant-va http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2010/06/01/the-christian-virtual-assistant-va Tue, 01 Jun 2010 14:41:00 +0000 Diane M Hess http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2010/06/01/the-christian-virtual-assistant-va
Lowering [...]]]>
Lowering your standards isn’t the answer. I’m speaking to those of you who are professed Christians. You cannot lower yourself to make more money. It is wrong and against all of the basic principals, faith and religion stand for.

Taking part in projects that are openly deceptive is wrong. Making money off someone else suffering or creating illegal content through copyright infringements is WRONG! Even though, you are not directly hurting someone it still counts.

We need to make a stand. By we, I am speaking to those of you that are Christians working from home. Our society has forced many of us into hiding. It is time we come out and stand up for what is right. If we don’t, our children will not have a safe world to live in. Need I remind you of the book of Revelations?

God sees it all, even what is in cyberspace. You can’t hide from him behind a computer screen and expect to go to heaven when everything is said and done. Even those of us who have professed our faith in Christ will have to answer for our actions. The words you type with your fingertips are just as effective as the words spoken from your mouth. Because of our faith, we have the responsibility of running a business in a way that is a good testimony to others.

The Christian VA knows how to discern when an email comes across his or her desk. It begins with prayer. Pray over your work and ask God to bless it. If you’re not 100% certain that a project or assignment is right for you, ask God for direction and wait. You are not obligated to take every assignment that comes your way. This is one of the reasons you work for yourself. You are given a choice, even a responsibility, to be selective.

The Christian VA keeps an open mind but a firm stand where it comes to his or her beliefs. They know that God will bless their faithfulness and will not participate in projects that go against their moral values. If something sounds too good to be true, the likelihood of it being legitimate is slim. Use your gut-feeling to decide what the next step is. Don’t be afraid to turn away work.

The Christian VA trust God to open their eyes and see the prospect as He sees them. Even though there isn’t an open window between the prospect and you, you can still read his or her words with understanding of their personality. It is called a written tone. They choose clients that have integrity and a positive contribution to society.


The VA world is open to both Christian and non Christian service providers. I know on a personal level that placing God as your CEO helps tremendously. We strive to let others know that the business codes we work from are derived from the same principals God has placed in the Bible. Our hope is that if you don’t have a God that your business relationship with us will be an encouragement to put your trust in Him.

God Bless you as you embark on this journey.

]]> http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2010/05/21/errors-and-omissions-should-a-freelance-provider-be-insured http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2010/05/21/errors-and-omissions-should-a-freelance-provider-be-insured Fri, 21 May 2010 15:37:00 +0000 Diane M Hess http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2010/05/21/errors-and-omissions-should-a-freelance-provider-be-insured

Now that you have set up your business as a freelance provider, it may be a good business policy to review your business insurance coverage. Do you have adequate protection against all the risks of doing business?

One of the most important risks you face as a freelance provider involves errors and omissions. A freelance provider acts as a consultant, providing specialized knowledge and expertise to clients for a fee. But making mistakes in the course of doing your job is normal. We are all human, not always perfect.

If by making mistakes you cause damage and losses to clients, you may have a lawsuit on your hands. And, as the liable party, you may have to pay out substantial sums. Even if you put up a successful defense, the cost of litigation may run to thousands of dollars — money which could very well wipe out your small business.

You can protect businesses such as Internet provider services, Web hosting services, and all kinds of freelance provider services against errors and omissions exposure with a special type of insurance. You may have heard of professional liability insurance, which covers people of various professions such as law, architecture, and accounting. A similar business insurance policy, commonly known as malpractice insurance, is issued for those in the medical professions. For a freelance provider, insurers provide errors and omissions coverage. The principle of coverage is the same: you are fully protected for failures of performance on your part, which have resulted in financial losses to the client.

In some cases, the freelance provider covered against errors and omissions can use it to advantage in marketing his or her services. Clients may like the fact that they can have legal recourse in case something happens to their project with you. Indeed, there are clients out there who require their freelance provider to have this type of business insurance.

For example, an Internet provider is bound to deliver Internet services at all times agreed upon. A failure by the Internet provider to fulfill the contracted services may cause damage to the client, such as loss of valuable data, system failure, etc, or render client unable to continue operations. The Internet provider would be the liable party in a lawsuit. It therefore makes sense for the provider to buy Internet business coverage. This Internet business policy should cover performance areas detailed in the contract and fits all your errors and omissions exposures.

The period of coverage is crucial. You need to be aware that errors and omissions insurance are based on “claims made” or “claims made and reported” — in other words, lawsuits — during the life of the policy. But, it is possible the client may file the lawsuit only years after the actual event for which client is claiming damages occurred. It is therefore risky to let your errors and omissions policy lapse.

The policy governing the business insurance you purchase will be customized to fit your needs. A standard policy cannot be written, because your business transactions as a freelance provider are unique. Make sure you get the coverage you need.


]]> http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2010/05/21/5-ideas-to-boost-your-online-image http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2010/05/21/5-ideas-to-boost-your-online-image Fri, 21 May 2010 11:56:00 +0000 Diane M Hess http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2010/05/21/5-ideas-to-boost-your-online-image
Earn customer’s trust and respect. These two elements are key to growing business relationships. They are not easy to attain. Skillful management of online an image (or a public image) will surely help, but it is not enough — as Tiger Woods must have realized by now. Trust and respect are the products of showing your target audiences that you are fair in your dealings, resolute in your commitments and constantly behave with integrity. You’re in here for the long haul, so make sure you invest in goodwill.

Show respect. If someone criticizes you or any aspect of your business on your website, be careful in how you respond. Never direct your response against the person of your critic. Rather, make sure to answer substantively the points (criticisms) he or she has raised. You may even decide not to respond at all to the criticism, but when you do, take care not to damage your online image through a careless remark.

Gather testimonials. It is helpful to have customers vouch for you through testimonials and good reviews. The more credible is the person giving the testimonial, the weightier the comments. Reviews from customers of business to business sales will be most helpful, because people know a business firm is more stringent in its performance criteria. But stay away from fake testimonials: remember, people can identify a fake quite easily. Having fakes on your site can tarnish your online image instead of enhancing it.

Monitor your online image. Make sure you are able to monitor your account, at least on a daily basis. Events happen very fast on the Web and your online image can suffer very quickly. This is going to consume a lot of time. Team collaboration will be more effective in this task, so that more people are involved in monitoring comments. The employees should be trained in the best ways to handle issues that may arise. You may even pick up ideas to boost your online image or for fine-tuning your business to business sales program.

In this connection, you will have to make sure that the management of your online presence is assigned to someone who has detailed knowledge of the company and a significant stake in seeing to its success.

Focus on positive things. You can expect to receive a good number of negative comments about you or your company. It is very tempting to overstate how negative some statements are — especially when you care so much about your online image and that of your business. Learn to downplay such negative comments and highlight instead the positive comments that do come in with them. If you think some comments are already libelous or defamatory, reserve your judgment until a lawyer advises you to pursue legal action. And if you do file a lawsuit, keep quiet about it and avoid posting threats on your site. Your online image will only suffer.

The fundamental idea in all this is to develop the trust and respect of your customers. Get your audience involved in what you’re doing online. Encourage them to start conversations with you — or start some with them.


]]> http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2010/05/21/7-reasons-to-avoid-using-a-flash-presentation-on-your-site http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2010/05/21/7-reasons-to-avoid-using-a-flash-presentation-on-your-site Fri, 21 May 2010 11:05:00 +0000 Diane M Hess http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2010/05/21/7-reasons-to-avoid-using-a-flash-presentation-on-your-site
1. Flash presentations may be inappropriate for business sites. No one questions the Flash capability to produce the sort of dazzling presentations that impress clients. They look great, yes. But if your Web site uses plenty of text or utilizes simple interactivity, Flash presentations may not serve you well. It is said Web Flash presentations do not conform to accepted standards. The more effective standard may still be XHTML and the like, especially if you keep open Web standards in mind.

2. Web Flash may be limited to one browser or two. This is not really the fault of Flash, but you may still suffer the consequences. Many designers appear to have forgotten the proper use of web standards in their enthusiasm for Flash. It is not surprising to find sites where the Flash presentations run properly only in one browser or two. What a mess it would be if your designer embeds Flash presentations that forget the existence of other browsers, or even search engines. Text information embedded in the graphics format of Flash presentations is extremely difficult for search engines to find. As a result, your Flash presentation might never be seen during a search. All your branding business efforts capped with good business presentations via Flash would simply go to waste if no one can find them.

3. Analytical reports on Web Flash navigation are difficult to assemble. You want your website to help in branding your business. Analytical reports help you evaluate how successful you are in doing this by providing data such as visitors’ origin, pages visited, etc. The existing analytical systems are not fully able to compile data about web Flash sites, and you would never know where to make adjustments.

4. Flash limits visitor’s web behavior. Web Flash sites may project good business presentations very well, but they limit visitor’s ability to use them. Flash presentations may not allow use of the browser back button, for example, or highlighting contact information for pasting into their contact managers, or adjusting font size. Most important, the visitor may have difficulty bookmarking a page within your site — which limits deep linking to your site, making it less visible to search.

5. Cross-platform support is not consistent in Flash. The Internet works most for everybody if any website continues to function in any browser. Flash does not allow that. Although Flash may be installed in a computer, it may not be the correct update. This point is at the heart of Apple’s dispute with Flash, because of difficulties with navigating Flash websites on their iPhone.

6. Many people want to avoid Flash-based advertising. Most of us don’t like to be disturbed by advertising. To avoid Flash presentations like these, users may simply disable it. Result: your website suffers.

7. Web Flash maintenance becomes difficult. Your website performance is markedly improved if you continually introduce fresh content. When you do this in a Flash site, you will need a Flash designer to integrate the new content into the existing material. This becomes difficult if you don’t have an in-house designer.

]]> http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2010/02/08/i-can%e2%80%99t-write-does-that-mean-i-shouldn%e2%80%99t-go-into-the-va-business http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2010/02/08/i-can%e2%80%99t-write-does-that-mean-i-shouldn%e2%80%99t-go-into-the-va-business Mon, 08 Feb 2010 15:05:00 +0000 Diane M Hess http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2010/02/08/i-can%e2%80%99t-write-does-that-mean-i-shouldn%e2%80%99t-go-into-the-va-business
I personally believe that you cannot operate a virtual assistant business without having a command over your written words. The following is a list of five areas in business you will need to not be afraid to create and present in written context:

1. Communications: You cannot work online without communicating with clients, colleagues, and vendors. Therefore, you need to know how to write an informative reply and the basic business responses to inquiries. It’s like being a secretary sitting in the office and not knowing how to compose a business letter.

2. Branding: You can hire someone to help you brand your business, but that will become very costly. It is much easier if you can pick up the knack for writing sales blurbs and promotions. Even your company’s mission statement can be created by an outside source; however, if you truly want a sense of accomplishment you’ll step up to the plate and write it yourself.

3. Proposals: The number one reason you should know how to write. You won’t be able to win over a new prospect if you cannot tell him/her what is unique about your services, how you provide those services, and explain your terms in writing. It just cannot be done. Every new client will want some type of proposal in writing.

4. Contracts: Once you’ve been awarded a job, you’ll need to create a contract. Sure you can pick up a template but you will need to modify it, and if you’re not confident in writing you will not be confident in revision.

5. Growth: More and more job postings are requesting a versatile VA. Prospective clients are looking for individuals who can write web copy, articles, blog comments, and eBooks. If your VA service is limited to only providing research, data entry, and let’s say accounting; you’ll have to turn away the opportunity of growth.

Instead of saying, “I can’t write!” invest some time in learning ‘How-To’ write. Position yourself to be challenged and to meet the challenges you face with great expectations. Your VA business won’t fail because you don’t know how to write today; however, it could affect the growth of tomorrow.

]]> http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2010/01/18/announcing-ucs-training-development-center%e2%80%99s-march-2nd-virtual-career-training-program http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2010/01/18/announcing-ucs-training-development-center%e2%80%99s-march-2nd-virtual-career-training-program Mon, 18 Jan 2010 11:22:00 +0000 http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2010/01/18/announcing-ucs-training-development-center%e2%80%99s-march-2nd-virtual-career-training-program
The Virtual Career Training program provides the education, knowledge, and hands-on training an individual needs to pursue a career as a freelance writer, a virtual assistant, a web developer, or an affiliate marketer. By utilizing the Certified Virtual Professional’s Success Toolkit, the individual partakes in a one of a kind professional certification program sponsored by Hess Business Professionals & Associates LLC.

Students are required to attend a six week course, participate in classroom discussion, turn in material, and create a business presences online using SnapPages.com. Diane Hess will instruct you step-by-step through each chapter of her book, “The Starting Point in The Virtual Industry” and assist you with completing “The Business End to Working Virtually” workbook. This hands-on training and instruction can only be provided in a classroom setting.

Class: Virtual Career Training
254B – Ford High School
Tuesdays and Thursdays
March 2, 2010 (6 weeks)
5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Cost: $397 (Includes materials)

Requirements:
Basic understanding of the computer
Experience using the Internet
Experience using Microsoft Word and Excel

Registration:
Call 586-797-6900
Online: www.ucscommunityeducation.com

Limited Seating Available

]]> http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2009/11/11/creating-a-web-presence-for-nothing http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2009/11/11/creating-a-web-presence-for-nothing Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:14:00 +0000 http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2009/11/11/creating-a-web-presence-for-nothing
Here is a sneak peek at what type of training participants of the Mentoring 2 Success Workshop receive. Through presentations, one on one consulting, and group networking, you're prepared to make those decisions to boost your business.

]]> http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2009/10/05/how-to-market-yourself-locally http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2009/10/05/how-to-market-yourself-locally Mon, 05 Oct 2009 16:11:00 +0000 Diane Hess http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2009/10/05/how-to-market-yourself-locally
● Create flyers to distribute to local businesses and [...]]]>
● Create flyers to distribute to local businesses and colleges. Be very detailed in describing what kind of services you can provide and give them a number they can reach you at easily to ask you any questions.

●Send letters out to area businesses and colleges describing your transcription services.

●Issue a press release to your local newspapers. Some newspapers will print your press release free of charge – be sure to check first before submitting your press release.

●The more local clients you have that are “your” clients the more profit margins you will have. Use this time of marketing your business to become personally acquainted with area businesses. Leave your business card.

●Always have business cards with you wherever you go in your jacket pocket, your purse and your car. Be prepared to hand them out when you meet someone new. Your business may come to mind when they need work done or when they are talking with an acquaintance that could use your type of service.

●If you do a good job for these local businesses you will find them referring you to others; a great way to build up your clientele without any marketing or advertising at all on your part.

●Design and print some brochures describing your business and the services you offer. You’ll be pleasantly surprised with the number of calls you’ll receive as people learn about your business.

●Send letters to new businesses that open in your area. Welcome them and congratulate them on their new business. Then describe your business and the transcription services you provide – offer then a special get acquainted rate good for 30 days. It’s a great way to get new business.

● Join a networking group of other professionals in your area.

●Join the Chamber Of Commerce and attend networking events or mixers to meet other business people who live and work in your town or area.

●Get to know neighboring communities who might need and utilize your services

●Offer your services free for a one-time project as a door prize at one of the community business events or through your local Chamber Of Commerce.

●Offer to advertise

]]> http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2009/10/05/the-virtual-entrepreneurs-work-environment http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2009/10/05/the-virtual-entrepreneurs-work-environment Mon, 05 Oct 2009 16:07:00 +0000 Diane Hess http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2009/10/05/the-virtual-entrepreneurs-work-environment
The real world work environment and the virtual realm work environment aren’t all that different. True, there is only one person--you on the other end of the screen--the principals still apply. You still need to play nicely with others.

Three key ingredients in the virtual industry:

-Trust is something that must be in place for success. It doesn’t matter what industry you are in, your clients and associates must know you have their best interest in mind. Setting boundaries is the first step. Make sure your clients are aware that you accept all negative opinions constructively and strive for a more positive feedback. How they respond to your level of performance will not affect your business relationships. Associates also need to know that their voice can be heard.

-Opportunity to grow and develop is something that is necessary. Temporary assignments work well when you want to make some quick cash, but the long-term assignments are what really matters. In the virtual realm, it is up to you to show off your attributes and skills. Go the extra mile with your client. Let them know you are ready to take on a challenge.

-Enjoyment is something everyone wants to experience. Individuals that enjoy what they are doing will work harder. The virtual industry is so unique; each of us strives to do our best in business and personal relationships. Through ongoing words of encouragement and communication, you are motivated to leap boundaries.

]]> http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2009/10/05/your-companys-trade-secrets http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2009/10/05/your-companys-trade-secrets Mon, 05 Oct 2009 16:04:00 +0000 Diane Hess http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2009/10/05/your-companys-trade-secrets
Stealing your trade secrets would devastate the business you thrive on. Today’s, competitor is very resourceful. With the growing technology, it is easy to lift a company’s client database, copy a business plan, or forge documentation of ownership with one click of the computer mouse. Yes, your competition is out to destroy you if you let them. Implement a plan to protect your company’s valuable trade secrets from inappropriate disclosure.

Begin with these few steps:

• Require Confidentiality Agreement and Non-Disclosure Agreement from individual parties that deal with your company’s proprietary information.

• Require employees or work for hire contractors to sign Non-Compete Agreement. Establish procedures that will protect the company’s proprietary information from those who are unauthorized.

Protecting your trade secrets is easier than one might think. It’s important that you outline the penalties for violating your business agreements, not as a threat, but as a reality or consequence to their actions. If someone does violate an agreement, you’ll have legal ground to stand on.

]]> http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2009/09/14/beware-of-potential-business-pitfalls http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2009/09/14/beware-of-potential-business-pitfalls Mon, 14 Sep 2009 11:48:00 +0000 Diane Hess http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2009/09/14/beware-of-potential-business-pitfalls
SCAM CLIENT

For those who sell services online, beware of the SCAM CLIENT. The biggest downside to working online is the fact that you have no guarantee that the other party is going to pay for services rendered. Even if you do have a Service Agreement in place, it’s difficult to ensure that the information they’ve provided you with is authentic.

Unfortunately, without the proper address, client name, and phone number, it’s near impossible to collect. And working with people outside of the United States or country is even worse because the same laws we are accustomed to here in the states do not govern them.

The only line of security you can obtain is the reassurance from a third party organization like an ‘advocate service’ like Square Trade. If you have a Service Agreement in place and the client defaults on payment, Square Trade can act as a mediator between the dead-beat client and you. Square Trade’s objective is to open communications between both parties so the matter can be settled. Sometimes just the use of such an ‘advocate service’ is enough to prompt payment.

When a claim is filed and the client is contacted, the first fear is that their ‘lack of payment’ will become worldwide news, which it could. It’s likely that at some point you will be chatting away with someone in a forum and mention how uncooperative this client was and what you had to do to attempt to resolve the issue.

If you are working through a third party, like Elance or Guru, use their investigation team to pursue the client. Make sure you have a legal clause in your Service Agreement that states the other party is responsible for any additional costs. USA based businesses will be able to collect on services that exceed $1,000 by using the Small Claims Court if the client resides or does business in the USA.

SCAM JOB BANK SITES

In desperation many of us seek out JOB BANK WEBSITES to find qualified employment. The problem here is that more than 60 percent of the job listings are created to redirect you to a work-at-home product or some other site that has nothing to do with employment. There are thousands of sites that grab your attention with an appetizing subscription rate and before you know it you are applying for one SCAM after another.

If it’s sounds too good to be true, the chances are that it is! It is important that you do your research on job listings. Sites like Craigslist, which does not charge a subscription fee, are targeted by scam experts daily. I cannot tell you how many times I applied for a job only to receive aggravating spoof emails.

SCAM FREELANCE OPPORTUNITY LISTINGS

Although I am a fan of Elance and Guru, I would be lying if I said I never came across a SCAM FREELANCE OPPORTUNITY on their job forum. The most common use in scamming the bidding forum platform is by listing bogus opportunities. The buyer uses these listings to collect email address for further marketing of their services, to conduct market research, or to find out what their direct competitor is charging.

The issue here is that you spend valuable ‘connects’ bidding on a non-existing job. The buyer faces no penalty for not selecting a service provider and the madness continues. So in this scenario it is important that you look beyond the surface of the listing and dig up as much information as you can about the individual listing the job.

In conclusion, these are just three areas I would keep an eye on when seeking out employment online. The objective is to gain the understanding of how the internet scammer’s mind thinks and do not trust the face value of anything you read. Your business relies on your knowledge of the internet.

]]> http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2009/09/09/high-ranking-top-search-engines http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2009/09/09/high-ranking-top-search-engines Wed, 09 Sep 2009 16:02:00 +0000 http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2009/09/09/high-ranking-top-search-engines
Crawler-Based (CB) search engines automatically "crawl the web," visit web pages and then add them to their indexes. If you make changes to your web pages, the CB engines will eventually find these changes and update their data. Placing page titles, keywords, descriptions and other "hidden" elements in your WebPages, all play an important role to get good ranking.

Human-Based (HB) search engines such as Yahoo depend on people to create the listings. A (HB) engine will not list your web page if you do not register it with them. Submit a short description to the directory for your entire site. The downside is that their editors will then visit your website and write a review as they see it.

"Hybrid" - added to the mix. In the web's early days, it used to be that a search engine either presented CB or HB listings. Today, it is common for both types of results to be present. Usually, a hybrid search engine will favor one type of listings over another. For example, a MSN search is more likely to present HB listings. However, it also presents crawler-based results (as provided by Inktomi), especially so for more obscure queries.

Directories often have partnerships with spider-based search engines. For example, Yahoo currently has a partnership with Goggle. MSN Search currently has a partnership with LookSmart (a pay-per-click directory) and Inktomi (a crawler-based search engine).

When listing your website with indexes and directories be sure to place page titles, keywords, descriptions and other "hidden" elements in your pages. One last thing to do-be sure to re-list your website every 30 days.
---------------------
Copyright (c) 2005 Revised 2009
Author Diane Hess

]]> http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2009/09/09/operating-a-home-office-second-rule-of-thumb http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2009/09/09/operating-a-home-office-second-rule-of-thumb Wed, 09 Sep 2009 15:55:00 +0000 Diane Hess http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2009/09/09/operating-a-home-office-second-rule-of-thumb Designate a place in your home as your office. Whether it's [...]]]> Designate a place in your home as your office. Whether it's in the basement or utilizing an extra bedroom, you have to claim your space.

Invest in your business. Purchase a real office desk, file cabinet, desktop phone, fax machine, printer, scanner, web cam, external backup drive, software and whatever else you may need to be operational.

Develop a business plan. Take the time to write a business plan that includes your marketing strategies. You'll never know when you will need to approach a bank for a business loan.
Publicize you company products and services. Build a mini-website with web-based templates. After you establish your site, add your URL to web directories to drive traffic to your site.
Plan for future business growth. Don't be afraid to dream big!

Of course, treating your business like a real business doesn't mean you have to be a slave to your job. After all, having to punch the clock might be part of the reason why you're no longer working for someone else. You can have fun with it and not feel guilty. Just set your hours accordingly.

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Copyright (c) 2005 Revised 2009
Author Diane Hess

]]> http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2009/09/09/things-to-avoid-when-operating-a-home-office http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2009/09/09/things-to-avoid-when-operating-a-home-office Wed, 09 Sep 2009 15:29:00 +0000 Diane Hess http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2009/09/09/things-to-avoid-when-operating-a-home-office
Now that I am a little older and a lot wiser, I view the basement area a better location for my office space. It is quiet and cool in the summer. The following are three key things I suggest you avoid when operating a home office.

Things to Avoid: #1 Overstocking Your Kitchen

When operating a home office it's easy to overstock your kitchen with taste treats. Nearly 80% of entrepreneurs that work from their home have selected an area in the house that isn't more than three feet from the kitchen area. This makes the temptation of indulging in sweets unbearable for most.

The solution is to not buy sweet treats and stay with healthy snacks. If you don't have them in your kitchen, you won't be able to snack on non-healthy treats. It only makes sense!
Overstocking your kitchen with non-healthy treats also adds to your waistline. Have you ever wondered where "Secretarial Spread" comes from? Well...the answer is overeating while working. When you do have a small meal or snack, eat it at the kitchen table. Avoid eating at your desk at all cost.

Things to Avoid: #2 Neglecting Housework and Hobbies

Entrepreneurs often find that operating a home office impacts household responsibility. Even the hobbies we loved doing seem to be pushed aside, and soon we begin to evaluate the value of working from home. It's important to remember that there must be a "perfect balance" with work responsibilities and home obligations. If you learn to prioritize your life, things operate smoother.

Take mini breaks. Ever 45-minutes stretch and walk away from your computer. Reach over, click your voice mail on, and choose a room to dust. Take a deep breath and relax. By the time 15-minutes have passed, you've accomplished one household chore and relieved a little tension.

Often we forget too that we share a home with our significant other, children, even a pet that doesn’t appreciate a messy home. A colleague of mine use to joke around that her husband would request a work order done for her to do her housework. It was a chuckle at the time, but it really wasn’t all that funny to him. He was serious!

Schedule time for yourself, join a health club, pick up a ceramic class, or join the PTA. Whatever you do, stay faithful to that time. Keeping a smile on your face is just as important as keeping your clients happy.

Being successful takes time. It takes time to learn how to organize your schedule. It takes time to learn how to be and do it all. Operating a home office doesn't need to be as stressful as you think.

Things to Avoid: #3 Paperwork Backup

I find the most difficult thing to avoid is paperwork backup. Because I work alone it is difficult to complete everything in one day. There is a pile for new clients, current clients, follow ups, to be filed, accounts receivables, and accounts payables. Ideally, you should file your paperwork as it is completed.

Being organized means that you have a file cabinet and a system to manage your office, but that too takes time. Most of us don't expect to be as successful as we become. Soon we find ourselves buried under a pile of paperwork with a surprised look on our face.

To eliminate paperwork backup, box up things accordingly. Once a document has been recorded, filed in the appropriate folder, and finished box up your documents and put them away. Mark the box by the type of item for instance, 2009 Accounts Receivables.

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Copyright (c) 2005 Revision 2007
Author Diane Hess

]]> http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2009/09/08/are-you-socially-acceptable http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2009/09/08/are-you-socially-acceptable Tue, 08 Sep 2009 16:04:00 +0000 Mikal E. Belicove http://mentoring-2-success.com/blog/2009/09/08/are-you-socially-acceptable Author Mikal E. Belicove

Most social networks enable you to integrate your website or blog to some degree with the network. On Facebook, for example,you can use the "connect" feature (or the advertising page) to connect your [...]]]> Author Mikal E. Belicove

Most social networks enable you to integrate your website or blog to some degree with the network. On Facebook, for example,you can use the "connect" feature (or the advertising page) to connect your startup's site to a member's Facebook account.

For Linkedin, you can add a button to your website or blog that will let visitors click to your profile. Just go to Linkedin, click Edit My Profile, then Edit Public Profile Settings. Under Public Profile, click Customized button to access HTML code to put into your website or blog.

To link to Twitter, simply add a Twitter button to your site that links to your Twitter URL. Google "twitter button" to find a good selection.

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Social networking is the least expensive way to market your business. True, it can be time consuming. Perhaps the best way to handle your social networking to-do list is to subcontract it out to a Virtual Assistant (VA). A VA network like FINDVIRTUAL is an excellent place to look.

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