Article Marketing…Ghost Writer and More!
August 1, 2008
You can find your perfect ghostwriter by looking for a lot of the same things your clients look for when they need a virtual assistant.
One of the most important things to look for is how well you and the ghostwriter communicate with each other. Someone may be a good writer, but that won’t matter if the end result is all wrong because they didn’t understand what you wanted.
A good ghostwriter will ask questions about your project, your business, who’ll be reading the article, and what you’ll be doing with the content.
These types of questions show that the writer wants to know what you need the content to do.
Here are some other things you’ll want to consider when you’re looking for a ghostwriter.
Writer vs. writing service. If it’s just one writer working alone, what happens to your project when she gets sick, or falls behind? A writing service is usually a team of writers and might be more reliable.
Ask for writing samples. When you’re looking over the samples, you’ll want to check the writer’s spelling and grammar. Ask a friend to review the samples with you if you’re not sure.
You also want to look for a writer who writes in short chunks or paragraphs. These are easier to read online.
Does the writer offer revisions? At WAHM Articles, we offer up to two revisions on each piece of content, but not everyone does. If it’s not stated anywhere, ask.
Does the writer require payment up front? It’s common for writers to ask for at least part of the payment before they’ll begin a project. You can protect yourself by paying through a third party, like PayPal.
It’s also a good idea to “try out” a ghostwriter by contracting them to write a short article or blog post, before outsourcing a bigger project like your e-book.
If you and the ghostwriter don’t work well together, you’ve only lost a few dollars. And if you turn out to be a good fit for each other, you’ve just made a wise investment!
Question 2: How often should a business owner submit articles?
As often as you can.:)
How consistently you submit articles is far more important than how often you submit articles.
For example, let’s say you decide to submit an article every day (which would be fantastic, by the way) but after 30 days you’re burned out and can’t stand the thought of writing another article ever again. You have 30 articles out there, and you might never write another one.
On the other hand, let’s say you’ve decided to go at a more comfortable pace and submit one article a week. After 30 days, you will have submitted only 4 articles.
But, if you can keep up that pace consistently, in a year you will have 52 articles in circulation. If you can keep going, in five years you’ll have 260
articles. As long as you’re writing and submitting articles at a pace that’s comfortable for you, you will continue indefinitely, and that number will keep growing.
The more frequently you can write and submit articles, the sooner you’ll see results. But you need to balance that with creating a momentum you can maintain.
And here is a short bio you can publish with the post:
Denise Willms is the head writer of WAHM Articles, a ghostwriting service that helps online business owners reach the “mom market.” She is also owner of http://www.WAHM-Articles.com, a directory of free reprint articles for moms.
Are You Organized Enough For A Virtual Assistant?
July 18, 2008
Good Day!
I’ve been asked “What information does my virtual assistant need and how do I organize all of it?”
As a virtual assistant for almost 2 years I have seen how important it is to be very organized. Any small business knows this, but if you run your small business from home, then its even more important.
Outsourcing to a virtual assistant is crucial if you find yourself overwhelmed with “too much growth” and not enough time in your week to complete important projects.
Here’s a sample of what I use when starting a relationship with a client. If you are searching for a virtual assistant, feel free to print this list and keep it pinned to your office wall for future reference.
Remember, your virtual assistant should be able to help you get organized. Don’t feel that you have to have everything already organized BEFORE you contract with a virtual assistant.
Let’s Begin:
Open a new excel spreadsheet, give it a name, and then save it in a new folder (this will save you time from having to search each time you need to access it.)
1. Make a list of all your press release and article directory usernames and passwords
2. List all articles and press releases that have been submitted; include the date and topic for each
3. Did You outsource your article and press release writing? Write down that persons contact information
4. Write down the contact information of your hosting company
5. Make note of your CPanel username and password
Just a final thought:
Organization is just as important as communication when it comes to building a successful relationship with your virtual assistant. If you have been in business for any length of time you know how fast you collect accounts, usernames, passwords, and a million useful links so having all of this information together in place will make your life and business run more smoothly!
Good luck with your organization and remember, its never too late to start gathering all that information.
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Stephanie Fish is the owner of Buckeye V.A. virtual assistance for the physical product seller. I invite you to take advantage of my free 30 minute consultation to see if my services will compliment your business. If you are serious about building your business without sacrificing your family, please contact me at buckeyeva@gmail.com
Overwhelmed By Success? Learn To Outsource
June 29, 2008
As a virtual assistant for online physical product sellers I see a reoccuring question:
”Do I really need to outsource?” The only way I can answer this is by asking you a few questions.
1. Have you seen a growth in your business?
2. Do you feel you are stuck-in-a-rut?
3. Are you so consumed with fulfilling orders that you don’t have time to restock your online photos, grow your social network or get publicity?
If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, then you need to learn “how” to outsource and “what” to outsource.
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Stephanie Fish is the owner of Buckeye V.A. virtual assistance for the physical product seller. I invite you to take advantage of my free 30 minute consultation to see if my services will compliment your business. If you are serious about building your business without sacrificing your summer, please contact me at buckeyeva@gmail.com
Summer Plans? Life Behind the Computer
June 13, 2008
DO YOU PLAN ON WORKING LONG HOURS THIS SUMMER?
This is a very important and valid question that needs some serious consideration. As a virtual assistant for small business owners I have seen how frustrated the business owner has become when they have summer plans that do not include your business, yet you know you “have” to continue working.
There is an answer to this question and it’s called “outsourcing”. There are a few things to take into consideration before you outsource:
1. What are your summer goals? Make a quick list (nothing fancy, this is for your eyes only) of everything you want to work on or accomplish this summer. Include spiritual, health/fitness, alone time, family/friends, sports, fun reading time, etc.
2. How many tasks do you need completed? Will these be on a daily, weekly or monthly basis? Are these repeated tasks?
3. How many hours do you want to “free up” for your summer plans?
4. Do you need to start working towards your holiday sales goals? Just because it’s summer doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be looking ahead to the end of the year!
May I suggest something that works for me? Grap your calendar, a large tablet, ink pen and your favorite beverage and go sit in your favorite quiet spot. Start making a list of your goals and be honest with yourself with how much work you can accomplish without sacrificing your summer.
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Stephanie Fish is the owner of Buckeye V.A. virtual assistance for the physical product seller. I invite you to take advantage of my free 30 minute consultation to see if my services with compliment your business. If you are serious about building your business without sacrificing your summer, please contact me at buckeyeva@gmail.com
Social Networking List
April 25, 2008
Here is a list of Social Networking Groups that I frequent. I’m sure there are a lot more out in the internet world….so check back often, you might just find a new one!
Squidoo http://www.squidoo.com
Facebook http://profile.to/buckeyeva/
Pink Collar Club http://www.pinkcollarclub.net *Sorry, for women only!*
Gather http://www.gather.com
Twitter http://www.twitter.com/buckeyeva
If you own a small online business and are in need of a Virtual Assistant please contact me for a free 30 minute consultation at buckeyeva@gmail.com
Does Your Business Have Stretch Marks?
March 21, 2008
Stretch marks show growth and if your business is growing there should be proof. What steps are you taking to insure that your business is growing?Think back to the first year in your business, you didn’t really have any task to outsource. You probably didn’t have a need for a bookkeeper or an accountant.Now think to your second year in business; you feel the “time crunch” on certain tasks, you can’t keep up with your own record keeping, you don’t have time to write your own articles anymore let alone submit those articles to all of the submission directories.
Now you’re into your third year of business, you find that you really need help and NOW! But where do go to find help?
Besides doing your basic internet research for “virtual assistant” or “virtual assistance”, why not ask fellow entrepreneurs and online business owners for their suggestions.
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Stephanie Fish owner of Buckeye VA www.buckeyeva.com offers a one time 30 minute consultation to new prospective clients. To request your consultation to see if my services can help your business grow, please contact me by email at buckeyeva@gmail.com
Do You Have Your Team in Place?
January 2, 2008
Business goals are great and even the smallest of home-based businesses can benefit from having goals in place, but maybe you’ve over looked building a “team”.
If you’re thinking you don’t need a team, then think again and ask yourself this question “have you ever seen a successful business ran solely by the owner?” I bet not!
Team members can include: your family members, a business coach, a mentor, virtual marketing assistant, various virtual assistants, ghost writer, forum moderator and the experts at the forums you frequent!
Building your team should include like-minded people that want to see you succeed in your business ventures, support you with new ideas or be your sounding board.
Just because you’re in business for yourself that doesn’t mean you should be by yourself!
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