Tip 1 – get a spam filter

Tip 2 – check your social media settings (do you need all those notifications?)

Tip 3 - unsubscribe from newsletters you never read

Tip 4 – respect boundaries

Tip 5 - get to the point

Tip 6 - mirror your correspondent

Tip 7 – write carefully

Tip 8 – never “pass the buck” in an email

Tip 9 – the “delete“ key is your friend

Tip 10 - if it takes less than 2 minutes, do it now!

Happy emailing!

Decide what to do with each and every email

How many times have you opened, reviewed, and closed the same email message? Those emails are getting lots of attention but very little action so handle each email only once before taking action.  This does mean that you have to decide what to do with it and where to put it. With the 4 Ds model, there are four choices:

1. Delete it
2. Do it
3. Delegate it
4. Defer it

Delete it

Generally, you can delete about half of all the email you get. I know some of you are panicking at the mere mention of the phrase “delete email.” Are you hesitant to hit delete for fear that you might need that message at some point?  That’s understandable, but ask yourself honestly: what percentage of information that you keep do you actually use?

If you do use a large percentage of what you keep, your method is working. But many of us keep a lot more than we use. Here are some questions to ask yourself to help you decide what to delete:

1. Does the message relate to a meaningful objective you’re currently working on? If not, you can probably delete it. Why keep information that doesn’t relate to your main focus?
2. Does the message contain information you can find elsewhere? If so, delete it
3. Does the message contain information that you will refer to within the next six months? If not, delete it
4. Does the message contain information that you’re required to keep? If not, delete it

Do it (in less than two minutes)

If you can’t delete the email messages, ask yourself, “what specific action do I need to take?” and “can I do it in less than two minutes?” If you can, just do it.

There is no point in filing an email or closing an email if you can complete the associated task in less than two minutes. Try it out and see how many emails you can action in less than two minutes. I think you’ll be extremely surprised and happy!  You could file the message, respond to the message, or make a phone call but you can probably action about one-third of your email messages in less than two minutes.

Delegate it

If you can’t delete it or do it in two minutes or less, can you forward the email to an associate who can take care of the task?  If the answer is yes, do it right away. You should be able to compose and send the delegating message in about two minutes. After you have forwarded the message, delete the original message or move it into your email reference system.

Defer it

If you cannot delete it, do it in less than two minutes, or delegate it then it must be something that only you can action in more than the dedicated email processing time of two minutes. So you need to defer it and deal with it after you are done with the other messages.  There are two things you can do to defer a message, either turn it into an actionable task, or turn it into an appointment.

Use the 4 Ds model every day

Using the 4 Ds model on a daily basis makes it easier to handle a large quantity of email.  However, if you have a backlog of hundreds of messages, it will take time to get to the point where your daily routine keeps you up to date. It’s important to get that backlog down, so set blocks of time aside to work through your Inbox then you can really enjoy processing your messages every day using the 4 Ds.

Controlling your email is like any other aspect of your job, you need to be really good at it and if you’re not then you need to learn new strategies so you can become better.  Allowing your email to  get out of control is no different to having piles of paperwork spread all over your desk.  It’s messy, disorganised, causes you to lose time whilst searching for items and ultimately causes you stress.

How long does it take to delete an email?  Half a second?  Conside how quick that is compared to searching for an email from two days or even two weeks ago that has now entered your email abyss.

Here are five tips to help you get control:

Tip 1 – Answer your email only after you’ve planned your day. It is important to prioritise your to do list and make sure you know what you’ve got on for the rest of the day before pouring over your emails.  Could some of the emails be left until later in the morning or even the afternoon?  Many emails can wait, especially if they are not urgent or important.  Remember that if an email is really urgent then most people will follow up with a phone call!

Tip 2 – Turn off your email notifier. There are enough beeps and bings in our lives without the email notifier distracting you every few minutes.  You need to control your email, not allow the ‘bing’ to control you.  Check email when you are ready, not when you hear the bing.

Tip 3 – Use the “Four Ds for Decision-Making” model. The “Four Ds” model is a valuable tool for processing email, helping you to quickly decide what action to take with each item and how to remove it from your Inbox.

1. Delete it
2. Do it
3. Delegate it
4. Defer it

Tip 4 – Clear you inbox at the end of the day. Keep 5 minutes free at the end of your day to clear your inbox and organise any remaining emails.  It may seem annoying at the time but you will be grateful in the morning when you log into clean, fresh inbox.  Plus it’s a good way to make the last few minutes of the day go faster!

Tip 5 – Set up folders within your emails. Create folders for everything and everyone.  Give each client and associate their own folder.  Also create a ‘To Do’ folder, a ‘Miscellaneous’ folder and an ‘Accounts’ folder.  I also have a ‘To Read’ folder for any newsletters that I want to read later.  Set up as many folders as will make your life easy as they will help when trying to clear your inbox at the end of the day and when searching for that email from two weeks ago!

Good luck but if you would like any assistance with email management, then call an angel!

To be a successful networker you have to move out of your comfort zone, which takes both practice and self-belief.  A good point to remember is that if you are not networking then you are missing out on making good connections.  If people don’t know about you then they can’t help you.

Networking is primarily about meeting people and building relationships.  It’s not about “working the room” but about making personal connections.  I am a member of 4Networking and their ‘mantra’ sums it all up for me, it’s all about the “meet, like, know and trust”.  People buy from people, simple as that!

Well here are five top tips to help you be prepared…

Tip 1 – Prepare for the event: logistics, tools, appearance and what you will say

Tip 2 – Be interested: ask interested questions as this will not only show your expertise but also engages others

Tip 3 – Body language: think what your stance is saying about you and your business

Tip 4 – Group set-up: be aware if groups are open or closed and how they react when a new person joins

Tip 5 – Follow up: promise to follow up and keep your promise

Happy networking!

Yesterday I attended the 5th National VA Conference and Awards at the Holiday Inn in Woking.  I was looking forward to the day, not only because of the Awards but also for meeting old friends and making new ones.  I was particularly looking forward to meeting up with fellow members of the VA Support Group, as we are an international group, we don’t often get to see each other offline!

The day was organised by Carmen MacDougall, founder of the National VA Conference and Awards and also the VA Coaching and Training Company.  Last year I was busy helping with the actual organisation of the day so it was nice this year to take a back seat and just be a delegate.

We had a jam packed day full of fabulous speakers with lots of opportunity for networking.  The day started with Simon Jordan who talked about his story and told of the 13 year old girl who gave birth in a run down part of New York, whose daughter then repatead the same scenario only her daughter became one of the highest paid ladies in the world – Oprah Winfrey! One comment which hit home was whether you are going to turn up at the Pearly Gates and quietly knock on the door or are you going to arrive, crashing through the gates, smoking, battered and brusied what shouting about “what a ride”?  For Simon it’s all about they “why”, knowing what you want and why you are doing what you do.  Like Simon for most us it’s for our families.

Next up was Emma Wimhurst, who shared with us the seven disciplines for making yor business boom! A very inspirational and enigmatic lady who presented with style.  She shared a lot with us but one in particular is that happy customers spend more, come back more often and refer us to others. So very true!

We were then given the opportunity to attend two Power Workshops from a choice of speakers including Marie Claire Carlyle, Antonia Chitty, Karen Skidmore and Olivia Stefanino.  From the discussion amongst delegates after these workshops, it seems that all the speakers were excellent.  I attended two workshops both with Karen Skidmore, what did I learn?  Well, you don’t have to be big to act big!  Along with some really useful tips on autoresponders and plug-ins.

One of the great things about the conference was the time given to free networking.  During this time there were bite-size training sessions running from Suzanne Dibble, Amy Taylor, Darren Glanville, Helen Winder and Benjamin Ellis.  A good opportunity to talk to other delegates.

Next was the ‘experts’ sections with short interviews with Robyn Hatley and Brad Burton on “What makes a client/VA relationship dynamic? and then with VA experts Phillippa Goodwin, Caroline Melville, Angela Dawson and Helen Winder.

Then it came to the biggie – the Awards ceremony.  There were three categories, “Outstanding VA of the Year”, “Best 5-9er VA of the Year”, both of which were decided by judges and the third award for “The Spirit of the VA Industry”, which was voted for by those attending the conference.

As I had won “The Spirit of the VA Industry” last year along with my best buddies Emily Robe and Dee Uzoka for our ‘baby’ the VA Support Group, I was presenting the award to the 2011 winner.  What I hadn’t appreciated was they were going to present this award last and in the meantime asked for all the award finalists to come to the stage.  As I had been shortlisted for an award I was in a complete state of shock when my name was read out as the winner of the “Best 5-9er VA of the Year”, me? I was too busy thinking about the “Spirit” award!  To say I am delighted is rather a small understatement

The “Outstanding VA of the Year” was awarded to Sadie Fentham.  I then had to take to the stage again to present “The Spirit of the VA Industry” award.  It was easy to collect the award last year and make a speech with my girls by my side (although I don’t think I actually said anything, too busy crying – winning an award at five months pregnant is a hormonal nightmare!) but this time it wasn’t so easy especially as I had to present it to my friend Carmen MacDougall.  I just about managed to say a few words before handing over the award to a rather gobsmacked Carmen.

All in all it was a fabulous day, wonderful speakers, great presentations, informative sessions, catching with old friends, making new ones – oh and of course winning the “Best 5-9er VA of the Year” 2011!

Wow, what a day!

In May 2010 Caden was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes which occurs when the body does not produce insulin.  As a result, glucose can not be broken down into energy.

Caden was 3 years old last May when symptoms of Diabetes started to develop and he was urgently admitted to hospital in a critical condition.  During his hospital stay, insulin therapy commenced but unfortunately this is the only treatment for the disease.

Insulin is administered through injections and Caden currently has a minimum of 5 insulin injections a day as well as blood glucose tests to monitor his glucose levels throughout the day.  Scar tissue has already formed at some of Caden’s injection sites.

An alternative to the insulin injections is an insulin pump, with one small cannula inserted every 3 days.  This avoids the build up of scar tissue and is proven to be a more effective treatment for the Diabetes.

Insulin doeses can be more finely adjusted for the individual creating better control of Diabetes.  This would greatly benefit Caden because, despite closely monitoring his diet and exercise, there is still difficulty maintaining a good blood glucose level for him with the insulin injections.

An insulin pump will not cure this terrible disease but it will make Caden’s every day life better for him and that is what is most important.  To have a ‘normal’ childhood, just like his friends.

So far the response has been fantastic and so many kind people have offered their support.  Our aim is to raise enough money so that Caden will be able to have a pump and the benefits that go with it.  Just today, having been to the school assembly one child, aged 7, has raised over £1400 for the Caden Appeal, by doing a sponsored bike ride.

Any donation will be greatfully received and any money over and above the required £3000 needed will be donated on to another child in a similar position to Caden.

Thank you for taking the time to read Caden’s story.

Events are my passion, so to see the whole day come together and see VAs enjoying the event was enough of a high without then receiving the icing on the cake… An award for our contribution to the VA industry in recognition of our baby, the VA Support Group (more affectionately known as VASG) and this year the group will be two years old with over ninety members!

I have just received an email saying that I have been selected as a finalist in the 5-9er VA of the Year competition at the 5th National VA Conference and Awards 2011, the only national awards scheme of its kind for VAs in the UK and Europe! I am honestly so thrilled to have been shortlisted.

I have spent the last 4 years building up my VA business whilst working full time 9-5, in order to realise a vision I set when doing the VA Mastery Course back in 2008.  My goal was to be a ‘schoolgate mum’, running my own VA business full time whilst being there for my son, all by September 2010.

I have worked hard to build my reputation and grow my business but hit a small stumbling block last year which meant that come September 2010, I was blessed with being a mum second time round.  It became even more important to me to make my business a success so that I could realise my vision for both my children and so the deadline was pushed back to May of this year.

Here I am today, no longer in the corporate world (having left my role as HR Partner – UK Operations and Office Manager last Friday! ) but running my business full time and being a ‘mumprenuer’.   I have learnt many lessons along the way about working for yourself with the biggest lesson being not to rely on one client but to have several clients in your basket – a lesson well learnt, albeit the hard way!

I have had fantastic support from family, from colleagues and fellow VAs some of whom have become firm friends.  At the low points when I have felt like giving up it has been my fellow VAs that have picked me up and re-motivated me to keep going.  The teachings of the VA Mastery Course echo around me today and although it has taken slightly longer to realise my vision, I have done it and I am so very proud of myself – if I can do it, anyone can do it!  IF (and that’s a big one!) I am lucky enough to win the award on 17th June, well the sky’s (or should I say Heaven’s) the limit…

A marketing plan is really quite a simple document to produce.

There are far too many complicated templates that can be downloaded from the internet or got from a business book.  And when you feel you may have to produce a 20 page document, it can be the fastest way to put off the whole planning process.

There are only 3 questions that you need to answer in your marketing plan and they are:

1.  Where are you now?

2.  where are you going?

3.  How are you going to get there?

And they need to be in this order.

Too many business owners jump in to the “how are you going get there” question and get bogged down with marketing strategies and tools that, frankly, may not help you bit.

Start with the easiest question of all “where are you now?”. Not only will this help build your confidence up (after all, you should know the answer to this question without much thinking!), it will give you a baseline from where to start building.

The second question “where are you going?” is designed to focus you on targets and goals.  Where do you want to be this time next year?  How many clients do you want to managing?  How many hours do you want to be working? How much money do you want to be creating?

Your destination needs to specific.  It needs to be something that you can measure.  It’s got to have a timescales.  And it’s got to be realistic and something that you know is achievable. (Yup, you’ve guessed it – it has to a SMART goal!).

Once you have your SMART desination, you will find it far easier to answer the third and final question “How are you going to get there?”.

So forget about mission statements and synopsises.  Get to the basics and focus on what’s going to work for you on a day-to-day basis.

Karen Skidmore works with small business owners to show them how to build the business model, create the marketing systems and use the right web tech marketing tools to attract more of the right clients to their business. To subscribe to her free email newsletter and get access to practical advice that will move your business forward, visit www.CanDoCanBe.com

It was more than 4 years ago that I took on my first VA – someone who helped me with my business remotely, without the need of coming to my office or offering an employment contract. (And no – a virtual assistant is not one of those virtual animated people who pop up on websites to offer assistance as one person admitted to thinking!)

The interview reminded me of the struggle and confusion I felt when I first decided to take the plunge.

You see, I bet we are alike.

You run your own business.  And you probably are, like all good entrepreneurs and business owners, a bit of a control freak!

When it’s your business … your clients, your blood, sweat and tears … it’s really hard to start handing over some of that responsibility to someone else.  Someone who – let’s be frank here – you are not sure you can really trust.

What happens if they send out the wrong email to the wrong person?   What happens if they end up offending a new client which results in them cancelling the contract you’ve just agreed?

What happens if they lose all your files and mess up your accounts system?

All over-the-top, drama-queen emotions – yet perfectly reasonable thoughts from a business owner like me and you.

But if you carry on running the business in the same way you are at the moment, you probably know that you are going to drop some balls yourself.  Trying to do it all by yourself is guaranteed to result in you being the person who sends out the wrong email and messing up your invoices.

So when is the right time to take on some extra help and hire a VA?

Here are some of the danger signs:

- You have become a slave to your inbox.  Every time you respond to an email another 5 magically appear, which means you never have a chance to get on with business development.  Or writing that book you’ve promised yourself you are going to write!

- You are missing messages on your phone.  You are out with clients and it takes you at least 3 days before you manage to phone someone back … and you are losing potential new projects on the way.

- You are spending hours sending out information to clients such as training packs, terms of engagement letters, quotes and proposals.  You sit by the printer waiting patiently for everything to come off before you dash to the post office to get it in the last post of the day.

- You have projects such as “set up email newsletter” or “get Facebook Page sorted” on your to-do-list for week after week.

- You find yourself sat at your desk on a Saturday morning working out the last 6 months of business receipts whilst your family go out for a day trip to a local park

- You are missing out on having that “every other Friday” that you promised yourself to spend with friends – working for yourself meant that you were you own boss … but it feels like you are chained to your laptop and can’t get away.

- You forget to send out this month’s invoices … because you are too busy!  Cash flow starts to look a little tight.

- You are frustrated by your website as several of the pages are so out of date that you have stopped sending potential clients there to look at it.

- You struggle to find the time to book plane and train tickets and often find yourself missing out cheaper seats because you’ve left it too late to organise.

And the reason why I know these danger signs is because I have had them all at some point in my own business.  Got all of those T-shirts!

This was one of the big things that I shared during the interview with Carmen earlier this week.  By the time I came round to getting someone in to help with my business, I was in such a whirlwind of thoughts and big ideas that trying to explain what I needed help with was tough.

When it’s all in your head and you’ve trained yourself to thinking “it’s quicker if I just get on and do it” – you know you’ve got to slam on the breaks and take the time out to get some help.

Because if you don’t you will only end up suffocating your own success.

So when is it the right time to get a VA?

Before you begin that new project.  Before you decide to launch that 6 month VIP programme.  Before you launch yourself in to a frenzy of project juggling.

Break off one small part of your business – such as your live events, book project or new product you’re planning to launch – and focus on getting help on this.

If you do, you will find it far easier than trying to get help with that whole mountainous business of yours.  And you will have stronger foundations to take on more clients and projects without taking more of your precious time to do it.

It can take 3 or 4 months to establish a good working relationship with a VA but once it’s there, the sense of freedom is wonderful.  Knowing that there is someone else to do the things you hate to do and not able to do so you can concentrate on what really matters.

And you never know – you could find yourself working that 3 day week after all.

Karen Skidmore works with small business owners to show them how to build the business model, create the marketing systems and use the right web tech marketing tools to attract more of the right clients to their business. To subscribe to her free email newsletter and get access to practical advice that will move your business forward, visit www.CanDoCanBe.com

The answer lies in prioritising your tasks and for this there are many systems and whilst I suggest you pick on that works best for you.

MoSCoW is a new system which is becoming increasing popular. It has been adapted from the world of project management and it is only the MSCW that is actually used, the ‘o’s just make it memorable!

So how does it work?

‘M’ stands for ‘Must be done now’.  These tasks absolutely must be done now or there will be failure.  M tasks are usually defined and have a tight deadline.  They are predominantly non-negotiable, if they are not completed it will result in failure.

‘S’ stands for ‘Should be done now’ if possible.  Once the M tasks of the day have been compelted, the S tasks can be started.

‘C’ stands for ‘Could be done later’ as long as there is adequate time and there are no more important tasks pending, such as the M or S tasks.

‘W’ stands for ‘Won’t get done today’.  Not to say these tasks won’t ever get done but on another day when they can be re-prioritised as a C,S or M task.  For now it doesn’t matter if it isn’t completed.

The success of MoSCoW is that it gives a word for each category that everyone can relate to and agree upon, making prioritisation relatively easy and simple.

The hardest decision is what to put in the M and W categories.  You must be ruthless and honest!

The other key to success is maintaining a to do list, which states all the tasks and their assigned category.  This list should be placed in a prominent place in your work area.  Completed tasks should be crossed off and only when all the M tasks have been done, should the S tasks be started.

At the end of each day, make up a new list for the following day but bear in mind that new tasks will inevitably arise and need allocating to a category.  TIP: do not fill your day with M tasks! Stick to the definitions so you allow some degree of flexibility.

The important thing to remember is that you cannot do it all and you cannot do it all now!