I recently joined the hundreds of thousands of small businesses and individuals that have received a very nasty settlement letter from the giant image company, Getty Images.  If you’ve not received one yet, count yourself very lucky and I hope you never have to deal with the stress it causes.

My story is similar to so many others – a few years ago I created a website where I could post all of the articles I write that don’t belong in the “author” or “home business” category.  I bought a template package from what I believed was a reputable company.  The package included literally thousands of images, ready to go header graphics, etc.  Fast forward two years and I get the 6-page nasty note from the corporate giant, Getty, informing me that on one of the pages, one of the headers included a partial image (mind you, it was barely visible and was one of 7 images in the header graphic) that they claimed to hold the copyright to.  For a mere $1,000 dollars I could settle the amount that I owed them for using this image without their permission.

So I went onto their website and looked – the image sells for $17 on there.  So where does the other $983 come in?  Well, that’s evidently the costs associated with them having to hire companies that do nothing but search the web for images used without permission and now I was liable for part of their costs.  Plus penalties and interest and damages and … you get the idea.

I tried to do the right and reasonable thing – I instantly removed the image from the website.  I emailed Getty with an apology and a description of the circumstances and asked if we could work out a deal.  Their response was the same as the first – it was my fault for not checking that every image that came with the package was not copyrighted by someone else.  I responded that I had received thousands of images and that the image they were referring to was a miniscule part of a larger image – how on earth would I have known that belonged to somebody else?  And I received the same answer again.  And again.  Long story short, I paid them – vowing never again to use them or any of their affiliate companies.  I instantly closed out my account with Getty Images, along with my accounts at iStockPhoto and JupiterImages.

So why am I writing this blog post?  As a warning to every small/home business owner out there and to every virtual assistant who does graphical work for any of their clients – just be aware that this type of thing happens fairly often and that it’s very expensive to deal with.   And if it’s your client’s website, they will be receiving the nasty letter because it’s on their website.  That’s an easy way to lose a good client.  So be sure that you have the appropriate license for any images you use on your (or your client’s) websites!

On a personal note – I’m an author and I understand and support copyright protection.  I do not, however, agree with Getty’s procedures, heavy handedness, scare tactics, and refusal to work with small companies / individuals on settling the issue in an amicable manner.

For more information about the Getty letters, here are some links:

http://extortionletterinfo.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Getty_Images

http://womeninbusiness.about.com/od/copyrightlaws/a/Can-I-Ignore-A-Getty-Settlement-Demand-Letter.htm

Until next time . . .
Write On!
Paige

http://www.paigejackson.com/business

In a world where technology changes come and go at the speed of a sonic boom, there is one skill that all others depend on and that never becomes outdated – organizational skills.  It is so easy to become distracted, lose focus, and end up in the panicked “fight or flight” mode to achieve a deadline.  In order to avoid that feeling of being overwhelmed here are 5 tips to start you down the joyful road to organization.

5 Ways To Get More Done

1. Avoid interruption: If possible, leave your phone on voice mail during times you have scheduled to work on projects. If you have a private office, close your door. You might even place a sign saying something like “Hard at Work: Please Come Back Later.” If you are interrupted, help keep the interruption short by remaining task-oriented.
2. Schedule time to make phone calls and return e-mail. When you leave a phone message, list times that you will be available by phone. Ask the other party to do the same – it will save you both a lot of time that would otherwise be spent on everyone’s favorite game, phone tag. Also, avoid checking your voice mail and e-mail frequently. Instead, review them at scheduled intervals during the day.
3. Plan stress breaks throughout the day. Make sure you give yourself a break! Working to the point of total brain fatigue and muscle tension will never do you any good. Stretch, take some deep breaths, and go out to get your lunch, call your kids – do something to give yourself a little break. If you’d like, you can schedule these breaks as a reward for when you’ve finished a particular chore.
4. Appreciate your own approach. Just as we are all different in other ways, we all have diverse organizational styles. Keep in mind that you have gotten where you are today because of whom you are and what you have accomplished. Employ improved organizational skills to enhance your personal style, not change it. Getting organized should make you feel good, not burdened.
5. Stick to your plan. The best-laid plans often fall victim to their makers. While spontaneity is important, there is a fine line between it and plain procrastination. Once you’ve come up with a good plan for tackling a task, stay with it. Only you can prevent yourself from wavering.

Believe me, I understand how hard it is to ignore the phone or not leave your email up at all times so that you can see the messages as they come in.  Once you finally convince yourself that you aren’t going to lose your clients because you don’t answer them immediately, you’ll discover at least two amazing things.  The first is that once your clients get used to the fact that you answer emails or calls at a set time each day throughout the day, they will likely discover that it helps them become more organized as well.  In fact most of my clients utilize this same trick in order to keep organized with their business priorities.  The second thing you’ll notice is a completely unintended (but wonderful) side effect – not only will you accomplish more work in the day but you will do a better job at it.  You will able to focus in on your task at the exclusion of all other distractions and this will make a world of difference in the work you put out.

Until next time . . .
Write On!
Paige

http://www.paigejackson.com/business

If you are looking for a great way to make money that you can do from anywhere and at any time, then transcription is something you definitely want to look into.  Over the past three weeks I’ve studied the job/bid listings on Elance (a freelance site that brings together buyers/employers and providers/freelancers) and compared the number of project listings needing transcription compared to the number of project listings requesting virtual assistant services (a category which includes personal assistants, data entry, customer service reps, telemarketing, bookkeepers, and numerous other services).  What do you think the result was?

The number of buyers requesting transcription services versus other administrative services was . . . over four times!  That means for every job listed requesting an administrative service there are four asking for transcription services.  And that is just one service site!  So let’s take a closer look at transcription . . . where you can do it and what skills you will need.

Well the “where” is the easiest to answer – thanks to technological advances you can do transcription from the comfort of your own home.  There are a number of open source or shareware software programs available at no charge.  I recommend Express Scribe because it is so easy to use and you don’t have to have special equipment.

While there is no real required training for general transcription work,  it does require a great deal of accuracy while typing at a decent speed. Typing speeds for transcription should be no less than sixty-five words per minute but higher is recommended.  Don’t let that scare you away though, anyone can learn to type fast enough to still make a good living as a transcriptionist.  You must also have a good solid foundation in spelling, grammar, editing and proofreading.

If you are planning to go into a specialized field of transcription such as legal or medical, you may want to consider one of the available training programs. These programs are designed to teach you terminology, abbreviations, and other important information necessary to the specific field. There are a number of programs available for certification and the majority of people looking for medical or legal transcription are going to want to see that you have been certified.

If you are wondering about pay, the pay scale of a transcriptionist varies based on a number of factors. The first factor is experience.  You are going to probably end up being paid less when you first start out than when you have some experience under your belt.  The industry average is $45 an audio hour.  Now pay close attention to that “audio” hour – that does not mean the number of hours it takes you to type a transcription.  What that means is the length of the audio you are transcribing.  So let’s say you’re just starting out and trying to build up a clientele and you’re charging $25 an audio hour.  On average it takes about 4 hours of work per audio hour.  Is it worth it?  It is if you can deliver a quality product.  You will never have to search for work if you can transcribe with accuracy and quality and within the given timeframe.  Other factors that affect the pay scale include certification, typing speed, and accuracy.

It’s a good idea to have some samples available to show prospective clients.

As far as equipment goes, other than a decent computer and internet connection (I would definitely recommend cable/broadband because of the size of the average audio file), it is also a good idea to invest in a decent set of headphones. There are many types available and depending on your setup it might be a good idea to invest in a wireless set.  You may also want to consider a foot pedal which will allow you to stop the tape without having to move your hands.  This allows for accurate stopping so you do not have to constantly rewind that last little bit.

Okay, let’s sum it up . . . in order to become a transcriptionist you need accurate typing skills, a good ear for language/grammar, a decent computer, software, high speed internet, and headphones.  What can you expect?  You can expect to start out at a lower rate and work your way up through client retention and referrals.  This is a field that is wide open and the best thing about it is that you can be working from home as a transcriptionist within days of deciding to become one.

Until next time …

Write On!

Paige

http://www.paigejackson.com/business

If you’ve already jumped on the virtual assistant (VA) bandwagon, you’ve probably started experiencing the benefits everyone’s been promising – the flexible hours, the convenience of working from home and all that.  You feel, though, as if you’re not making enough.  There was that one VA who claimed she makes around $60,000 a year providing VA services.  Why then are you making far less money than she is?

In case your paycheck is not living up to either your or the statistics’ expectations, read on to find out how you can increase the money you earn from home.

Please the Boss

Alright, so you technically don’t have a boss when you’re a virtual assistant.  If you think about it, though, your client is as close to a boss as anybody can get.  Your client dictates the terms of your contract.  Your client signs your checks and sets your tasks and deadlines.

Thus, if you want to maximize your earnings as a VA, you have to make sure that every single one of your clients – if you have more than one, that is – is happy.  To this end, you should pay attention to the small details.  Perhaps, you can insert time stamps in transcription files to make looking for certain segments easier.  Maybe you can format word documents in such a way that they’d be very easy to read and upload.

The small details are the things that get noticed.  For a little extra effort on your part, you could gain leverage when negotiating your rates, your schedule or your workload.

Streamline Your Work Strategy

If it’s true that time is money, then you can maximize your earnings by maximizing (not increasing) the time you’ve allotted for work.  This can be done by, say, downloading the next batch of work while you’re working on the current one on the word processor.  This will be an extremely helpful strategy if you’re working on a project like transcribing a conference that involves a lot of file transferring.

You can also maximize your time by using the proper equipment.  The term ‘proper equipment’ could mean anything from a clipboard to a transcription pedal, depending on what work you’re doing.  Analyze how you could save even a few seconds of your time.  All of these ‘few seconds’ will add up and allow you to do more work (and consequently earn more money) in the same amount of time.  Getting more things done in a shorter time will also please your client because it shows that you’re efficient and committed to your job as a virtual assistant.

Waste as Little Money as Possible

If you are working from home, it’s sure you are already saving money.  After all, you’re cutting down on transportation and food expenses.  However, there are costs involved in being a VA as well.  Costs like fund transfer fees (when your clients send you payments) and costs for consumables like ink and paper could add up to a significant sum.

Try to minimize any wastage of money.  Find a payment method that costs the least fund transfer fees.  Perhaps you can set up an account with your client’s bank so that there would be no transaction fees involved in money transfers.  As for office resources, you just need to be more mindful of how you use them so you can make them last as long as possible.

Admittedly, trying to earn more money from being a virtual assistant requires a lot of time working and planning.  The time you spend strategizing, planning and doing value added services is time that could have been spent working and earning.  However, you should not look at it as time wasted.  Rather, you should consider it to be an investment for the long term.  Try the above mentioned steps and you’ll see that you can earn more money while doing the same amount of work or while using the same amount of time.

Until next time …

Write On!

Paige

http://www.paigejackson.com/business

A few years ago, the word “blog” did not exist in most people’s vocabularies, and now it seems that everyone is expressing themselves with an online journal. You may have heard stories about people making money with their blogs. It’s true! Here are some tips on how to monetize your blog.

Google’s AdSense program is a great way to get started. Submit an easy application at AdSense and once you are approved, you just add some html code to your blog and small text ads will appear on your blog. Google will display ads that share a common theme with your blog. When one of the people reading your blog clicks on an ad, you get paid! The amounts vary, and clicking the ads on your own blog is strictly prohibited.

Affiliate marketing is another great way to make money by blogging. Most companies have an affiliate program, where they pay people to advertise their product online. In most cases, you will be paid a percentage of the sale of an item. Most affiliate programs have many different ads you can choose to include, ranging from full-color graphic ads to simple text ads. You can find affiliate opportunities through Linkshare (www.linkshare.com) and Commission Junction (www.cj.com).

Pay per post is somewhat controversial, but still a way to make money blogging. When you are being paid to post, you are actually paid to write about a certain product. In a nutshell, you can register your blog with a company and they will give you a list of things you can choose to blog about. Once you have completed your post, you send a link back to the company and if they accept your post, you will be paid. There may be certain guidelines to be approved, such as the amount of time your blog has been online, how many times you have posted in the last 90 days, and if it is indexed in search engines.

The most important thing to remember is to keep your target market in mind. If your blog is targeted to stay-at-home moms with young children, you will want to keep your ads focused to things that would appeal to them. Do not try to create a blog that appeals to the masses. If you have several different target markets in mind, it will be easier and more profitable to create several different blogs that cater to individual markets.

Until next time . . .

Write On!

Paige Jackson

http://www.paigejackson.com/business/

Dealing With the Small Print

No matter what you do or how you present yourself, there is always someone who just won’t be satisfied with your work.  This may not have anything at all to do with what you provide for the client or how you approach the job.  It is more likely to have something to do with their misunderstanding of your job description.  You want to make sure that you are able to find ways to handle the clients that are harder to please if for no other reason than to protect yourself and your business reputation.

The easiest way to handle clients that are not satisfied with anything you do is make sure that you have expectations detailed and agreed upon in writing and in place from the beginning of the project.  There is much to be said for preparing for the worst even though you are expecting the best and it is a professional way to walk into a job.  What does that mean?  It means being prepared for the client to not be satisfied.  Make sure that your contract and statements for the work that you are doing has clauses about what is acceptable and what your terms and policies are relating to the work that you do.

You can also prevent most of the possibilities of dissatisfaction by your clients by making sure that you keep communication open and honest.  This means that you will want to begin by having a set of questions for the client to answer about what they need and the details of the job.  This also means that you will want to find out any information you can about the type of business they are running.  The more you know, the more likely you will be to succeed.  Finally it means advising the client up front if there is something they are wanting done that you are not necessarily that skilled at.  If you have a client that hires you as a Virtual Assistant but suddenly begins throwing medical transcription at you it is your responsibility to let your client know if that is something you are not familiar with or do not feel qualified to complete.  You can always soften the blow by offering to help them find someone to complete those particular tasks.

Of course, if the client is still not satisfied, make sure that you have specific clauses that will draw the line on how much work you will or will not do.  Make sure that you get your money’s worth for the services that you provide.  A word of caution here – remember that is also as important (if not more so) to make sure the client gets their money’s worth!  It is always okay to say that you can longer help someone.  After all when all is said and done you are the owner and you will find that there are some times when it is more beneficial just to walk away.  Most likely the client will realize later on that it is not necessarily your services that were lacking.

By having set policies in place and making sure that you and your client agree on the scope of your work before you start, you can prevent most of the heartache with hard to deal with clients.  If conflict does arise, you are prepared because you already have your agreement in place (and make sure that both parties have signed and dated it).  This will allow the clients to understand where the line is drawn.  By doing these few simple things, you will have the ability to avoid any confusion or miscommunications from those you are working with.

The last piece of advise I can offer is to never take anything personal – remain professional at all times and understand that business is business, there are some people who will never be happy with anything that anyone produces, and those people are taking time away from you finding another client that you mesh with perfectly!

Here’s to you working for the best boss ever . . . YOU!

Until next time …

Write On!

Paige

http://www.paigejackson.com/business

Note:  If you do not have forms already then check out the Resource section of create2sell.com.  They have blank sample project agreements, NDAs, and other such forms to get you started.

The simple answer to this question is yes . . . and no . . . and maybe. Well, maybe it is not such a simple answer because it is a particularly loaded question. The subject of outsourcing is a very sensitive issue for many. There are some who believe that outsourcing, whether it is overseas or domestic, is taking jobs away from qualified individuals while others who are profiting from outsourcing are firm advocates for the practice. Let’s take a look at outsourcing and examine scenarios when quality is compromised as well as scenarios when quality is not compromised.

What is Outsourcing?

For those who are confused about what outsourcing entails, this section will explain the issue. In its most basic form, outsourcing is employing an individual outside of the work organization to perform specific tasks for monetary compensation. Outsourcing can be done on a per project basis, for a set period of time or on an ongoing basis for an undetermined period of time.

For many the word outsourcing has a very negative connotation. When they think of outsourcing, they picture underage employees in third world countries working for salaries which would be paltry by our standards. However, outsourcing has evolved so much and no longer resembles this stereotype. In fact many outsourcing takes place domestically by savvy entrepreneurs who market their abilities as an independent contractor rather than toiling away in corporate America. These individuals, enjoy their quality of life, negotiate fair compensation for their work and accept or decline work at their own will. Furthermore these individuals are often highly qualified for the positions they accept and are capable of producing work of a high standard.

When Outsourcing Compromises Quality

The simplest answer to this question is quality is compromised when price becomes the sole governing factor in selecting a candidate to complete the outsourced task. Of course this answer is not completely accurate because the truth is there are very educated and skilled employees overseas who are fully capable of completing tasks just as well as those living in this country and often for a much lower price. However, when only domestic candidates are being considered and price is the governing factor, quality is often compromised as it is very rare that the most qualified candidate is also the candidate with the lowest rates.

However, it is very common for an individual or a business to allow price to become more important than quality of work. When this happens quality is often compromised for the sake of a larger profit. An example of this is seen regularly on websites where outsourcing projects are listed and potential applicants submit their bids for these projects. Many who utilize these websites routinely select the lowest bidder without regard for the qualifications of the bidder. In most cases these individuals find they make a costly mistake when the work they receive is inadequate.

When Outsourcing Does Not Compromise Quality

Outsourcing does not always compromise quality. In fact in many cases outsourcing is not only the most affordable option but also provides the most qualified candidates. One way to avoid the pitfalls of having quality compromised by outsourcing is to carefully screen candidates before making a decision. This process should be taken just as seriously as hiring a full time employee because the work of the individual will reflect on you as an individual or your business. If due diligence is given to selecting the right candidate it is not likely that quality will be compromised.

When outsourcing work to an individual it is important to request detailed information regarding their qualifications and to verify all information supplied. Examples of information to request include:

* Previous work history

* Relevant work experiences

* Explanation of qualifications

Additionally, it is wise to ask for both business and personal references. These references should all be contacted and questioned about the work ethic and personal integrity of the individual.

Until next time . . .

Write On!

Paige Jackson

http://www.paigejackson.com/business/

AdSense is considered one of the most powerful tools in a website publisher’s arsenal for a number of reasons. It enables you to easily monetize your site at no cost to you . . . how great is that?  If used properly, it can generate a very large and healthy income for you.  However, by not taking the time to study and research this tool it is difficult to maximize the possible income you can gain.  This means you could be leaving a lot of money on the table, something everyone hates doing.

The road to earning money with AdSense can be reached fairly quickly.  You will be amazed at the results you will be getting in a short period of time.  Following are the top three basic areas you should concentrate on starting out:

Keyword search – Do some research to find some popular subjects, keywords, or phrases.  Select the ones which have the most people clicking through. This is actually a keyword selector and suggestion tool that some sites are offering to those who are just starting their AdSense business.

Write articles. Start writing quality, original content articles with the keywords, subjects, and phrases that you have selected from your keyword search.  Note that search engines have become picky about the quality of their articles and what you will be writing should keep up with their demands.
Quality content site.  Build a quality content site incorporated with AdSense ads that is targeting the subject and keywords of your articles and website. This is where all your hard work comes into play and your research proves its value to you.

The next area to consider is the positioning of the AdSense ads on your website.  The proper positioning of your ads should be done with care. Try to position your ads where surfers are most likely to click on them.  According to research, the place that surfers look first when they visit a site is the top left. The reason behind this is not readily known. It could be because some of the most useful search engine results are at the top of all other rankings (top left). So visitors tend to look in that same place when browsing through other sites.

Don’t be afraid to experiment and try different methods.  The whole point is to build your clickthrough rates and CPM figures.  By knowing these techniques and working them to your advantage, you will likely see your income from AdSense double, triple . . . the sky is the limit!

AdSense has some excellent tracking statistics and tools that allow webmasters and publishers to track their results across a number of sites on a site by site, page by page, keyword, or any other basis you want.  Make the most of this capability because these are powerful tools that will help you determine which ads are performing best (and worst). With this knowledge you can tweak your AdSense ads and focus on the successful ones while deleting or changing those that are not working as well.

Remember that AdSense is not costing you anything, you have no risk.  Take your time, research before you begin to decide on what area you will concentrate on (and if there is enough interest in that area to make it worth your while), and then get started.  Once your website is up and running and you are becoming successful with AdSense keep working and researching and molding, even if you can only spend a few hours a week on it.  Remember, it will be well worth your time.

Until next time . . .

Write On!

Paige Jackson

http://www.paigejackson.com/business/

Blogs (which are also known as web logs) have become extremely prevalent on the internet.  A blog is a platform that will allow you to post your thoughts on most any subject that you want to. They can be used for journaling, promoting, writing, and publishing – anything that your heart desires. However, if you are a beginner and new to blogging and/or marketing, there are some very important things that you will want to know.

Blog marketing is pretty easy if you have a marketing mind. You are going to find that many people use blogs as a diary and do not intend to make money from them.  These types of blogs are commonly used simply as a way to put their thoughts out there and possibly find others that are going through the same thing, share the same interests, or have advice to offer.

If you have never had a blog before, it is a good idea to start one and just journal in it for a while. This will allow you to learn just what it takes and what it is all about to keep up a blog. When you are just journaling your thoughts and what is on your mind, you have nothing to lose and nothing to gain. You don’t even have to make your blog public if you don’t want others to read what you have to say. That is a personal preference. However, doing this will let you see how it works. Once you are experienced and comfortable enough with the process, then you can move on to trying to market a product or a service.

Using a blog to market something is much cheaper than using a website. This is because there are so many free ones out there that you can use to get the word out, and they are really just as good as having a website that you pay for. There are of course some advantages to having your own URL, but for a beginner, a free blog will work until you get the hang of it and want to move it all over onto your own server. The free blogs are just not that customizable. If you are not familiar with HTML, you are going to find that your blog will look like everyone else’s.  But, that is ok in the beginning. You can always make changes later on once you become successful!

When you have your own blog, you are in charge of the content that is posted on it. You can decide what is said, and what is not (you’re writing it, right?).  So, the sky is the limit. Whether you want a blog that does website reviews and takes nominations, or you want to sell things that you make out of your home, the choice is yours and it is a great way to market and promote something.

But (there’s always a “but” isn’t there) blog marketing can get complicated if you let it. It is really only as hard as you make it.  Yes, there are some bloggers out there that are making a six figure income with the use of blog marketing and we all know that it can be done. We just want to know how.  Well, for any beginner, start small, and be consistent. The six figure bloggers all did. They started with one, built it up, and then added another blog, built it up. Then, keeping up both blogs and not letting them fall behind, they continued to add more and more. Of course they had help, and they probably outsourced a lot of their work. If you are looking to make a massive income with blogging, you will need some help.

Blog marketing is a great thing to learn. If you can sell things from a blog, you can sell them anywhere. Making money by using a blog is one of the most satisfying things that you will ever learn how to do. Just do not expect to make money overnight.  Know that you have to work at it consistently every single day, and remember to put into it what you want to get out of it.

Until next time,

Write On!

Paige Jackson

http://www.paigejackson.com/business/

If you’ll remember a few months ago I posted a blog about mind mapping – trying to figure out what the big deal was.  Well a client of mine swears by it and wanted me to start creating mind maps for his company for use in training and coaching.  I downloaded a shareware type mind map product and was not impressed at all.  In fact I almost dropped the whole idea right then and there.

But then my client asked me to go to the Mindjet website (www.Mindjet.com) and download a free trial of their mapping software.  Being the good Virtual Assistant that I am, I went right there and did it.  Within 20 minutes I was creating mind maps (it really is just that easy) for my client.  Within 2 days I was creating mind maps for my business.  Within a week I was hooked!  I didn’t even wait for the trial to finish before purchasing the software.

So what is a mind map?  It is a very visual rendering of anything and everything – from a daily “To Do” list to a PowerPoint presentation to an organizational chart and even project management.  A mind map places information in such a way that your brain understands it faster and retains it longer (okay, that’s my opinion but I’m sure there’s some documented proof somewhere).

You can check activities off as they are completed.  You can time/date stamp each entry as well as assign the level of importance for each task.  You can attach emails, spreadsheets, documents, and so much more.  There is a section for notes where you can put in more detail about the task, notes to yourself, or even notes to others.  There is even a project manager add-on (as well as numerous other templates).

So where do I stand now?  I strongly encourage any business, especially a home-based or small business, to utilize this software.  Their claim is that they can save a person two hours a day and I would have to agree with that – it has certainly proven true for me.  Now instead of handwritten notes on a legal pad I just paste my client requests into a mind map which allows me to keep all of the correspondence and documents for a particular task right there in one place.

Until next time . . .

Write On!

Paige Jackson

http://www.paigejackson.com/business/