We are thrilled to be writing for the International Freelancers Academy! Here’s our first article on “Getting Media Exposure to Generate Freelance Leads and Clients”

I’m asked frequently by clients or potential clients is a Google Adword Campaign really worth it? So often I’m able to say to them, well how did you hear about me? So many say, “Oh yeah, from Google when I looked for publicist or a publicity virtual assistant. I just love it when they can see it in action as opposed to me just saying it. So bottom line – it works!
But it’s important to know that you have to do it right. If not, you can spend a small fortune and get little results and we don’t want that. Hopefully these tips should help.

Everything works together to make it successful. First you need to have the right ad, the right keywords, the right amount of money for each keyword so that it you get on the front page, and the right amount of luck!

What I recommend you doing first is to look under your keywords and see what other ads are there. Or look under a topic that really interests you and you know a lot about. What ads are on the side there that would interest you enough to click on? Also, just start paying attention to the ads over the next few weeks. Everytime you type in Google, just glance over there. That can be a tremendous tool is helping you compose your ads.

Now when you sign up for a Google Adword campaign it walks you right through the steps. What I do, and just personal preference here, but anytime it asks for “automatic” or manual – I go manual. I want to have full control of my keyword rates, etc.

You set your default rate for keywords. I normally go for around 30 cents. I know I will need to change upwards for individual keywords, but I want any low ranking keywords to be at the lowest rate. I normally go up to $1.00 a keyword, but not much more. Some can go up as high as $15.00. (YIKES, yes you heard that right!) Now with those high-ranking keywords, I won’t use them in my Google campaign, but I will use them in my other marketing. If it’s that popular of a keyword, I’ll write an article with that in the title. I’ll blog with tips on that topic again using it in the title, and I’ll add it to my website, etc. Google Adwords is great to help you do some major SEO.

Have a strong ad. Make sure to include your keywords. Capture them with that title. This is what is going to sell them. Again, once you have reviewed others that can give you some tips. Also, read as much as you can on creating Google Adword campaigns by simply doing a Google search on that topic. Now not all of it is terrific advice. But you will start seeing some common demoninators in its success. Also, when you sign up for Google for the first time they offer you training. Take it!

You set your daily budget. The higher the better. But remember this can add up substantially. Go with what you can afford. Also, for those that are doing it for the first time .. see if you can find a coupon. For example, on Alexa.com on the site it has a link for $75.00 to be used towards your Google Campaign. That’s free money that you can now use to finetune your campaign. They hope you find it so successful that you continue, and more times than most, I believe most will do that.

You can see it’s not that hard. But one thing to remember you want to constantly monitor that ad. That’s what makes it so successful.

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Diana Ennen is the President of Virtual Word Publishing, http://www.virtualwordpublishing.com offering PR and marketing services. She has been featured on Fox Business News, CBS, CNN Radio, USA Today, Woman’s World, Entrepreneur Magazine and so many more. She’s also the author of six books on starting your own business including VA the Series: Become a Highly Successful, Sought After VA, and So You Want to be a Work-at-Home Mom. Article is free to use as long as bio remains.

Our article, What Can a Virtual Assistant Coach Do For You, Everything, was recently including in the SOHO Newsletter. We are so excited that they accepted it.

What Can a Virtual Assistant Coach do For You? Everything!
by Diana Ennen

Does it always seem that someone else is more successful than you in their virtual assistant business? I know sometimes it’s hard to hear about all those virtual assistants with too many clients, or those virtual assistants all making six figures when you are barely surviving. Don’t you always wonder just what they are doing to make it happen?

Well, wonder no more. You need to know that there truly are some secrets to success. There are things that when you do them consistently and do them well, business success is sure to follow. The problem is, how can you get those secrets? Easy – Hire a virtual assistant coach.

I truly believe to be successful in your virtual assistant business, sometimes you need help. Imagine meeting weekly with a coach that has been already been there and done that. A coach that can review your media, offer recommendations, provide solid tips on what you need to do better, and just walk you through the ups and downs of running a business.
So what exactly can a virtual assistant coach do? Here are our top 10 things we feel a VA Coach can do for you:

1. A virtual assistant coach will help you establish your goals and find ways to meet them.

2. A virtual assistant coach will help you define your niche and make sure that the marketing you do leads you in that direction.

3. A virtual assistant coach can help you in all your marketing efforts to enable you to find clients. That’s right, a good virtual assistant coach will help you secure clients and isn’t that the name of the game.

4. A virtual assistant coach will review your pricing and offer recommendations. It should be noted this is one area where more times than not, the coach will insist on increasing your rates. That same coach will also show you how to do that, raise your rates and really charge what you are worth.

5. A virtual assistant coach can hold you accountable. Many virtual assistants don’t succeed just because they don’t have someone to personally walk with them and push them when needed.

6. A virtual assistant coach can review all your media including your website, media, blogs, etc.

7. A virtual assistant coach can help you discover what is holding you back from being successful and offer you solid tips on moving forward.

8. A virtual assistant coach can help you at any phrase of your business. Don’t think a coach is just for starting your business. A VA coach can help you even if you’ve been in business for years. They can take you to the next level of your business.

9. A virtual assistant coach can re-motivate you and get you back into the thrill of being a virtual assistant.

10. A virtual assistant coach can help you focus and crack the whip when you go off track.

When you’re ready to really start seeing some results in your VA business, we recommend looking for a coach. Just make sure that it’s someone with an outstanding reputation and one that is active in the VA community. That way you know they are walking the walk and talking the talk.

Diana Ennen offers specialized virtual assistant coaching services and has recently released her new coaching packages, http://www.virtualwordpublishing.com/tips.html. Best known as the co-author of Virtual Assistant the Series: How to Become a Successful, Sought After VA, she is passionate about helping virtual assistants succeed.

This week I exhibited at a two-day event in Margate. It was the Margate business street festival. And it was awesome! I met so many great businesses and got the opportunity to connect with my local businesses. I do highly recommend doing this. Thought you might enjoy these tips I put together to help with your next event.

Getting the Most out of Your Tradeshow, Exhibits, Etc.

Have Something They Can take Home – Often times as you are talking there can be a lot of background noise and you can’t get your message across as much as you want. Therefore, have a folder or additional material they can take with them to read later.

Have Something Available to Collect their Information – It’s so important to try and get their information so you can contact them. Consider a bowl for business cards and have a contest (i.e., winner gets a free book), as well as a sign up sheet for their emails, etc.

Talk to the Other Exhibitors, but Don’t Push – You can do some excellent networking and in fact some of my best leads came from the other exhibitors, so get out there and chat. However, don’t push too much.

Think Visuals – The layout of your booth speaks volumes. I had a banner made from VistaPrints which rocked. (And it was free), I also had a stand-up board so I could present my books and write a message. My table was visually appealing. I tried to make sure that the table didn’t appear crowded, but that they could receive what I was trying to say.

Have your Soundbytes – So important. Describe what you are selling well and be ready for questions. By being prepared it can quickly get to the point of what you are offering while you still have their interest.

Don’t Oversell – You want to realize that most people are there to have a good time and hopefully find out about your products or services, however, they don’t want to sit through a 20 minute presentation. Save that for when you have more one-on-one time with them.

Have Fun – People take notice when you sit there and are bored, discouraged, etc., and honestly that alone can keep them away from your booth. Yes it can be hot and long hours, but do your best to enjoy it. It’s a break away from the office and truly can be a good time.

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Here’s our latest article.  Would love your thoughts!

10 Publicity Tips to Market Your Business This Holiday Season & Start the New Year On Top

The holidays are upon us. For most business owners that means an increase in sales – or at least it used to. In today’s frustrating economy, small and large businesses alike are facing record lows when it comes to sales.  Even those in the service industry are seeing less and less clients. So what’s the answer?  Think 10?  Try these 10 ways to survive and thrive this holiday season.

Top 10 Publicity Ideas to Market Your Business This Holiday Season

1.    One great way to boost sales and awareness of your company is to enlist the help of a publicity virtual assistant. These experts specialize in helping you to get more publicity.  They can handle everything from writing and sending out press releases to creating entire media campaigns. Let them write better descriptions for your products, find the best keywords to drive traffic there, do research to find where best to locate your target audience, and then finally handle all your PR needs. Publicity virtual assistants take the time to learn their niche and to develop a relationship with their clients so that they can bring amazing results.  See, your holiday sales can meet and exceed last year’s sales after all.

2.    Do specialized holiday marketing. It’s not too late to take advantage of all that can be done this year to make more sales.  Consider having a Black Friday sale or a Cyber Monday sale.  Add a contest to your site.     Send out postcards and gift certificates.

3.    Article  & Press Release Writing and Distribution – Article marketing works.  It’s a great way to get more exposure for your business and when done right, can result in front page Google rankings, more clients, & lots of sales.  Get active and write a press release about your business making a holiday or New Year connection. For example, share how you are giving back during the holidays, any promotions you have, etc.

4.    Get speaking — Set up speaking engagements for the New Year.  In January businesses go back to all work, no play after the holidays.  It’s a perfect time to get out there and connect with businesses and line up speaking engagements.  Also, consider a teleseminar series too.

5.    Create a Holiday Blog Tour.  If you have products or tips for the holidays, connect with other bloggers.  Ask if you can provide some holiday tips.  Bloggers are busy this time of year too so they will appreciate the added help.  And the best news, you get more exposure.

6.    Set up a Google Adword Campaigns – More people are online now because of the holidays.  And a lot of those people will be checking out the search engines to find Christmas Gifts.  It’s a great time to set up a Google Adword campaign and get that added exposure for your business.

7.    Reconnect with ALL your clients and let them know how you appreciate them and perhaps how you can help them with other needs they may not even know you offer.  Send a personalized holiday card or greeting.   For local clients stop by their office and drop off presents, popcorn tins for the staff and/or their favorite coffee for their afternoon pick-me-up.  For potential new clients, drop off a Holiday cup full of wrapped candy with your business card or perhaps get your business name printed on the candy bar.

8.    Set up a marketing campaigns designed especially for and around your company or brand.  Write down a marketing plan for the year that will focus on brand recognition.  Most importantly, make sure your brand represents your company the way it should to your target audience.

9.    Update your website.  Take a look at your website and see if it is the best that it can be.  Pay special attention to your homepage and keywords.  Look to the overall appearance, the professionalism of your wording, the explanations explaining the benefits you provide, etc.  In fact, everything in your site needs to convince a client to work with you.  Now ask yourself, does it do that?  Is this something I can be proud of?  Too often we throw together a website, just to have it done.  Remember this can often be a client’s first impression of you.  Is it selling you well?

10.    Don’t forget your social networking.  Even ½ hour a day can make a considerable difference,  Remember to build relationships and share more than sell.

The holidays are a great time to make money, even in this economy.  If you’d like additional tips stop by SoYouWantToBeaWahm.com today.  Also, share with us your tips for the holidays.

Jill Hart, Founder of Christian Work-at-Home Moms http://www.cwahm.com and Diana Ennen, President of Virtual Word Publishing, http://www.virtualwordpublishing.com have teamed up to write So You Want to Be a Work at Home Mom: A Christian’s Guide to Starting a Home-Based Business http://www.soyouwanttobeawahm.com.  Start or expand your business today with their help.  Article is free to be reprinted as long as bio remains.