This turned out to be the best advice I ever received from my boss.

Now that I’m working in the online world the same advice holds true. No, I’m not physically walking from office to office but I’m still working with many teammates, all of whom have different types of jobs, different deadlines, and different requirements.

And I learned the hard way last night that I still need to write down detailed notes in order to work most efficiently.

Taking the extra minute to carefully label your audio files can be a life saver. Include detailed information about the music/artist, interview guest, client name, air date, etc. Anything and everything about your audio file should be listed, either on the label or in a separate note that you can easily find at a later date.

Same is true for your written documents, especially if you have multiple drafts of the same project. Label each draft carefully with different version numbers so you always know which is the most up to date.

Remember that your time is valuable. Don’t waste it searching endlessly for a lost file.

In my quest to work more efficiently, I have discovered these last couple of weeks that I have hundreds of useless or outdated files on my computer. Not only that, but I realized my bad habit of not putting things away where they belong in the house has crossed the line to my computer.

Ebooks that I downloaded two years ago and never read; audio files recorded last September; and resumes and business letters from who knows when. The list goes on and on…

I wouldn’t say that I live life frantically, always stressed out or moving at the speed of light, but I’m always eager to move onto a new project. I like to keep my work exciting but now I have to play catch up by cleaning out my hard drive and reorganizing all my client files.

Needless to say, had I done this right from the beginning, I would be better off.

So as I was telling my fellow VA friend, Tricia, about my fear of downloading any more software for fear of my computer blowing up, we wagered a friendly bet to see who could eliminate the most computer clutter and increase their free space. I started off with only 25% free space left. I’ll update you next Friday when our wager comes to a close

I couldn’t bear the thought of actually counting all the files I’m tossing but I spent the whole morning organizing my client files and uploading my audio files to Audio Acrobat. Hopefully now when I need a certain file, it will be easier to find rather than clicking through a bunch of folders and subdirectories.

photo credit: rick

Yes, I graduated from Mom Masterminds this month!

I spent SO many months prior to my internship last summer at Mom’s Talk Radio surfing the ‘net and wondering what I was good enough to offer people so I could earn a living at home. I found a couple of good sites and forums with lots of information but it was absolutely overwhelming. There was SO much to learn but it was all a jumbled mess.

Until I joined Mom Masterminds and I was able to take one step at a time and truly make sense of all this online business stuff.

Mom Masterminds is a business coaching membership group for women who are serious about starting an online business. With both printed and audio resources, coupled with a very active forum, both beginning and experienced business owners can benefit in this group.

The resources are a godsend because you can learn at your own pace and you can concentrate only on the pieces you need help with. Everyone is at a different stage of learning and some (like me!) need to go over things more than once until the info really sinks in. The key is to take this information and do something with it! Take action! It’s great to understand something but you won’t grow your business if you still still.

Mom Masterminds also has a great forum to get feedback for ideas and to learn from other members. It is one of the most welcoming forums around. I have had my fill of questions and I recently posted that I had reached one of my goals, and even people who I don’t know well offered their congratulations. It’s so wonderful to have so many cheerleaders wishing you success.

If you’re curious about joining Mom Masterminds but are hesitant, they do offer a free 7-day preview before your 1st monthly payment. If you’re serious about starting an online business or about growing your existing business, this will truly be the best investment you will ever make!

No sooner had I hit the “publish” button than I saw on Twitter that Michelle Schoen at VA Demo Girl had an interview all about how to handle multiple projects. Michelle and her guest discussed how to handle multiple clients and their individual needs, how to schedule client projects, and the tools she uses to schedule projects and meetings. Basically, if you have the clients and the manpower, then the solution is in the planning.

I started off in January using a real pretty desk planner where I could keep track of individual projects and their costs. It served me well (when my desk wasn’t cluttered with paperwork!) but now that I have attracted some retainer clients with recurring projects, the desk planner just didn’t cut it anymore.

Now I’m using Backpack (by the makers of Basecamp) primarily for the calendar (which I can color code for each client) but it also has some blank “pages” where I can put notes, to do lists, and any other info I can think of. It’s good for taking notes while I listen to podcasts or doing research for one of my personal projects.

It’s working fine for me right now but it’s not perfect because I still have non-retainer projects and prices in the desk planner. For some reason it’s real hard to give up! It’s really just trial and error because one of my retainer clients is testing out a bunch of project management applications to find which one is easiest to use with HER clients. Maybe it’s trial and error and depending on how your business grows, it’s possible to outgrow whatever planning system you currently have.

The key is to never miss a deadline and to be flexible…

Even finding the time to write blog posts is hit or miss. Right now I have the time because Audacity is taking its sweet ol’ time converting an mp3 file but otherwise I’m jumping from one project to the next.

Now, don’t get me wrong! I’m loving life and I’m thrilled to pieces to be working from home with some really great clients but honestly, I could easily use another 12 hours in the day to finish these projects, all of which are in various stages of development.

Does this VA need to hire a VA? Interesting thought…

I’m curious to know how other service providers handle this. Care to share your thoughts?

1. I can get my kids out the door for school and meet them at the bus stop in the afternoon.

2. I’m saving money on gas (my DH spends enough as it is with his commute across New England!)

3. I save money on clothes since I can live in jeans and sneakers (or even pjs, depending on the day!)

4. I can still volunteer at my children’s school.

5. I don’t have to deal with office politics.

It’s late so I’m cutting my list off there. Now for some other WAHMs to tag…

Lisa Braverman, Treece, and Tracy Roberts

My paper planner was perfectly fine when I started my internship last summer, to keep track of projects and deadlines. It became a regular fixture on my desk and served it’s purpose well for my regular weekly client projects. However, with new clients come new and bigger projects and soon my paper planner became a mish mash of scribbled notes and job quotes.

Not that I’m complaining! Taking on new clients is always exciting but short of getting one of those huge desk-sized calendars, it’s time to find a quicker way to login projects and check them off when they’re done.

I’ve dabbled with Google Calendar but need to check it out more (and actually remember to login everyday). A couple of clients use a basecamp program, which is really cool because you can check off jobs and it automatically crosses it off your digital to-do list. However, that seems to be more for those who have a team, which is not me.

I’m looking forward to getting more organized so I can fill my time with efficient client work rather than trying to decipher my scribbled notes.

You can’t go anywhere online these days without hearing the word “outsourcing”. When you see a successful internet marketer saying that word, do you roll your eyes and think, “yeah, that’s all well and good for you, but…. I can’t afford it!”

If your online business is new or you have not reached your income goals yet, you may decide that outsourcing is out of your reach. I know because I used to think that way, but I quickly got over it! I’ve discovered a couple of creative ways to go about getting help with your business, even at the start.

Firstly, let me share a couple of the benefits I’ve found from outsourcing. One of the greatest ones is the impetus it gives me to work hard in my business.

For example, let’s say I hire a VA to add a bunch of PLR (private label rights) articles to a site. I’ve paid her and she’s done the work, now I am compelled to go in and do MY work, which is to edit and slightly rewrite the content to give it my voice. I also make the content more search engine friendly and add my affiliate links or other call to action. The fact that I’ve already invested in the project means that I’m highly motivated to start recouping my investment.

Secondly, we all know that as self employed people, it’s all too easy to procrastinate. If I feel myself putting something off that I know will move my business forward, I outsource all or part of it. That gets me over the motivational “hump” and once I can see the project taking shape, I’m excited about making it a success.

So, to quote Nacho Libre, “let’s get down to the neeety greety”. How DO you outsource when your business is just barely making a profit?

Use Found Money
Can you list some stuff on eBay or Amazon.com to earn an extra $20 or so this week? You weren’t counting on that money so why not use it to get rid of some of those business tasks you dread?

Barter
Do you know a VA who is just starting her business who might trade an hour or two of her services for a rockin’ good testimonial posted to your blog, website or newsletter? Do you offer advertising on your site? Maybe you could advertise for her in exchange for some of her time. Do you have a product for sale? Maybe you could trade out your offerings. Ditto for service businesses. Let’s say you have a talent for some aspect of internet marketing, say, graphic design. Maybe you could do your VA’s new web set and she can do some SEO on your content site. Get creative.

What Do You Hate?
If there is something that is necessary to your business but that you absolutely hate doing, take a leap of faith and outsource that one task first. The renewed energy you have now that you don’t have to do that dreaded job will likely pay off bigtime. Build your business on your strengths. If you’re a great writer, write lots of articles and ecourses and info products. If you hate updating a content site, outsource that. Do the stuff that you love that makes you the most money in the least time. Remember the 80/20 rule?

Child Labor
Just kidding of course! But seriously, just the other week on Wahm Talk Radio, CPA Kristine McKinley shared that the Tax Man allows you to pay your kids and reduce your taxable income. Did you know that a child in elementary school can be taught how to copy and paste PLR articles into your blog? Ask me how I know!

I hope these few tips help you get excited about outsourcing. One final tip: Commit to spending the freed up time on a *high leverage* activity. Don’t waste it. Ok? And don’t say “I can’t afford it”. Say “HOW can I afford it?”
Article by:

Carrie Lauth is a work at home mom of 4 who is extremely grateful to the Virtual Assistants who help make her business run more smoothly. For more internet marketing tips from a Mom’s perspective, visit www.carrielauth.com/blog and for outsourcing help, visit carriefaq.com/outsourcing-help.html

I had a terrific brainstorm for an ebook complete with audio and even had time to write about 12 pages. I was on a roll! I know and understand the target market and there seems to be a need for this product but it has NOTHING to do with business, working from home, or virtual assistance.

There are many in my WAHM circle who have established their expertise, or brand, and have multiple items for their affiliates to promote. Cara Mirabella is The Household Helper, Aurelia Williams is the coach providing Real Life Guidance, Alice Seba is the Internet Marketing Sweetie, and Nell Taliercio is the Telecommuting Answer Lady.

So the question remains: Which comes first - the products or the brand? Or can anybody prepare a good product without first establishing a brand name?

So, here is my effort to get motivated for this week (which will be difficult since the kids are on Spring Break):

Monday: Bill clients; write posts for my Surviving At Home blog; edit Wonder Years Radio interview; menu plan for the rest of the week; rake leaves out of mulch beds.

Tuesday: Edit Wonder Years Radio episode; get ahead with client podcast episodes; bring girls for their annual checkups; clean master bed/bath.

Wednesday: write some guest blog posts; visit forums; work on 30 Days to a Better Blog steps; meal plan for next week; organize/cleanup my scrapbooking stuff in the dining room (you don’t want to know what a disaster that room is)!

Thursday: More client podcasts due; formulate some project packages here; start writing that ebook that has been at the back of my mind for weeks now; ship the girls to their grandparents’ house for two days; bring our new puppy to training class.

Friday: Edit articles for Mom’s Talk Network newsletter; grocery shopping; 1st pedicure of the season.

Knowing me, I will probably skip around the list but so long as it’s all done by Friday, I’ll be happy!