Clients Clients Everywhere!

Holy Guacamole Batman! I can't believe my current client workload...but first, let's backtrack some.

Earlier this year, I kind of got into a funk about the constant merry-go-round of clients that I get. I get a client, do their site, and they're in and out in less than 4 weeks. It's feast or famine around here constantly.

It causes anxiety when you know some projects are getting ready to close and there aren't any leads on the horizon for new work. Such has been my life for the past, what 7 or 8 years?

So I decided to pull away from web site design and revert to retainer clients once the kids got back into school in August. I need to fill my practice with clients that need ongoing assistance in order to reduce my stress level some. This was my goal and I started focusing on marketing to these kind of clients at the end of August.

So here I am the first week of October and I'm drowning in work!

• One speaker client that I had on a 20 hour a month retainer now needs about 15 hours per week!
  
  
• A commercial real estate company is about to sign for 40 hours per month for Internet marketing.
  
  
• This week an associate of mine requested help with social marketing work for an organization that has over 10,000 members....um yeah, Batman, you read that right - over 10,000 members! Dude if only 1% of those members need help that's still 100 clients!
  
  
• Another associate of mine contacted me this week and requested 40 hours per month for Internet marketing help for one of her clients.
  
  
• Oh, and now my speaker client has referred me to a family member who is a consultant for brokers and real estate agents!

My head hurts thinking about it all.

I'm not complaining mind you, but I also have an ebook I'm working on and some training modules that I've been putting together over the past month or two.

Oh and did I mention that I started taking classes up at the community college this semester?

And yes, I'm still doing real estate virtual assistant services such as web sites, training Virtual Assistants and trying to run GeekGyrls.com but I can't give my babies (projects) the attention they deserve because, well, there's no more time left in my day!

:) When you make a decision to do something, believe it and you can achieve it.

Oh, and does anyone know where I can get a Virtual Assistant? I need help! LOL

MessageSave for Outlook

I often get frustrated with my Outlook due to the staggering number of client folders and the number of messages in each folder.

Quite often the messages that I receive have large file attachments with pictures, brochures and information which leaves my Outlook file quite large. I like to have the email messages for future reference. I never delete old messages because it's a kind of a CYA (cover your bootie) for me.

I recently ran across a fabulous little program called MessageSave from TechHit. With MessageSave I am able to archive the entire Outlook folder with attachments to my client file on my hard drive. The process was so easy it was a little scary!

Now I'm able to easily archive any client folders over 6 month old and my Outlook program isn't quite as large any more! Check out MessageSave from TechHit.

Rainmaker Trained Virtual Assistants

Dan Richards of the Gooder Group released an announcement this week in regards to their new Virtual Assistant Directory for Rainmaker eCentral trained Virtual Assistants.

If you're a real estate professional who's not using Rainmaker eCentral (what? are there really successful REPs not using Rainmaker?) take a look at all Rainmaker has to offer.

Rainmaker eCentral is a 4-in-1 integrated system that includes lead-capture web forms, plug-in website content and automated drip e-mail which helps you generate more leads...enrich all your websites...and follow up every prospect without lifting a finger.

When you're ready to sign-up for your account - be sure to find a Rainmaker Certified Virtual Assistant (like me, real estate virtual assistant Anna Baron of TheVirtualLink.com) and you can save $100 off your set-up costs!

Monday, Monday

Is it really Monday already?

As a Real Estate Virtual Assistant working from home and loving it, at least I don't have to face the road rage out there today...I'm sitting here at my desk sipping my Starbucks coffee and deciding where to start...so much on the to-do list.

Here's a video for the rest of you facing the Monday morning blues...

On Your Toes VA launches new web site!

Meet Lori Cain of On Your Toes VA! Lori is a Virtual Assistant with 15 years experience who has decided to focus her niche on providing real estate virtual assistant services.

Lori specializes in Lead Management, Transaction Coordination and Listing Coordination.

We worked with Lori developing her web site and she is a real pleasure to work with. If you need a Virtual Assistant, contact Lori for additional information.

Virtual Real Estate Logistics

Meet Saleta Powell of Virtual Real Estate Logistics. Saleta has 12 years of real estate experience but is now opening her doors as a real estate virtual assistant. Saleta offers the following services:

• Prospecting Support
• Lead Management
• Pre-Listing Research
• Listing Management
• Online Transaction Management
• Web Site Management

I had a blast working with Saleta on her web site. She is funny, smart and personable. If you're in need of the services listed above, give Saleta a call.

SearchMe: SEO takes a new twist

Not many people have heard of SearchMe yet, but this Real Estate Virtual Assistant thinks it could quite possibly change the entire way we all view search engines.

SearchMe is a visual search engine. Type in your keyphrase and instead of results with catchy descriptions as you currently find displayed in Google, Yahoo and the others, SearchMe instead shows you a snapshot of the web site. Don't like the first view, click on the next, it's like a book of results that you flip through. Watch the video, it's really coool! It's amazing even!



Originally a web site thrived on cool design. Then it became good SEO which killed killer foo-foo designs...but now with SearchMe, it will be a delicate blend of awesome design and fabulous SEO to get good results.

I've just signed up as a beta user because I can't wait to try this tool out. If it's half as amazing as I'm thinking it is, Google better buy this company out quick!