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Tuesday, June 7, 2016

Sunday, May 1, 2016




Seek NOT to be accepted, seek to be YOU and accept yourself for who YOU are!



Thursday, April 28, 2016

The Benefits of working with Girl Friday Agency



Busy Professionals and Small businesses are discovering the benefits of working with Professional Assistants.

In an article by Patricia Schaefer, the policy of businesses hiring temporary labor is discussed. One benefit noted by Ms. Schaefer is the versatility and expertise of today's professional assistant. "Temporary employees can provide specialized skills to all types of industries. Temporary help agency workers are now employed in virtually every industry. Traditionally, companies sought temporary workers for lower-skilled positions. Today temporary workers increasingly include highly skilled individuals with a wide range of educational backgrounds and work experience".
Professional assistants are adept with critical one-time projects with a limited scope; or a complex and long term appointment within a business.  Girl Friday Agency is fortunate to be able to provide several companies in the Monterey Peninsula Area with assistants ideally matched to the businesses' needs.


Thursday, July 31, 2014

Why Branding is Important for Your Business



When starting the Agency I was clueless about marketing.  I had worked in the accounting industry for many years, so I knew numbers.  Before starting the Agency, I had a logo prepared, selected my color scheme, only to find out the business was receiving calls for escort services. At that point, I realized my services were not well-defined, which caused confusion. I had personal business referrals, but in order to move the Agency forward I needed to create clear brand awareness. Marketing is a beast all on its own and when you are running a small business you tend to wear a lot of hats on a daily basis.  When it comes to marketing you need someone that is a professional.  Marketing professionals use branding to create marketing campaigns that are able to promote products and services of your business. Only the “best of the best” marketers actually get people talking about a brand.  A successful campaign requires more than a revamped logo, it demands a vision that inspires customers and others to see the company in a new light.

I started to interview several public relations (PR) firms and decided on one in San Luis Obispo, CA, called Verdin Marketing.  Their approach was personal and welcoming, they extracted the purpose of the Agency and forced me to wholeheartedly analyze my Agency.   I also figured out the Agencies strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (which is known as a SWOT analysis). This analysis was an eye opener. Verdin pointed out to me that as a business owner I was considered an expert. I have assisted many offices in streamlining their  administrative departments to work smarter not harder and so that was my niche. They also discussed the agencies Blog, Facebook and LinkedIn pages.  These items have to go hand in hand with your website.  I also obtained a detailed list of the agency’s competition, which was very interesting and helpful.  We also revisited the mission statement, which included cutting it down to nice short and concise concepts.  In the end, branding can be one of the most important tasks a small business can do. This can be a tipping point between gaining and losing sales/clients for your business.
In sum, today’s world is aware of branding and has become an important aspect in making customers/client aware of your brand over the competition. A cultural movement strategy can help to achieve growth for your brand. Branding works for businesses of all sizes; with that, the sky’s the limit. 

Many thanks to Verdin Marketing in San Luis Obispo, CA in assisting Girl Friday Agency in creating magnificent brand awareness.  Hats off to this amazing PR Firm.  We would like to share a link to their website.  http://www.verdinmarketing.com/


 

Friday, June 27, 2014

Life is Like a Camera!


Life is like a camera. Just focus on what's important, capture the GOOD TIMES, develop from the NEGATIVES, and if things don't turn out, just take another SHOT!

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Happy Clients Are Loyal Clients

 
As time marches on and your business starts to grow.  It’s exciting and scary at the same time.  Keeping in constant communication with your clients is a must.  Do call your clients, enjoy a cup of coffee with them, or send a token of appreciation for doing business with you.  When talking with your clients tell them stories, storytelling is a must. The power of storytelling is something so many businesses fail to realize in marketing their brand and products.  Stories can put a special spin on your business, plus people remember you by your stories.  If you're a pleasure to deal with, energetic and polite, you'll get repeat business.  Give them your personal attention and really listen to your clients when they talk. Rid yourself of other distractions and expend extra energy toward understanding what the client needs. Ask questions if you don't understand and take mental notes.
When taking on new clients give written contracts to each of your clients.  Delivering a clear quote in writing is imperative.  It lists the services you will provide and the rate you will charge.  Setting everything out in black and white makes you and your clients’ life easier.  When something goes wrong do take full responsibility.  Fess up to your errors and let the client know how you plan to proceed.  This will show you have integrity.  If you are unable to process a project do learn how to say “no,” but in a polite way.  Make sure the service you provide to your client is over and above their expectations.  A loyal client will send referrals. Also, make sure you send a hand written thank you note; handwritten notes are a powerful way to send a message to a customer.  They don’t take long to write, and your company will stand out amongst others, because of the 5 extra minutes you took to write the note.  
The bottom line is taking a moment of your time to pay close attention to your client can leave a substantial impression on your business.  Plus, in the long run you will receive repeat business. Remember “Happy Clients are Loyal Clients.”

Friday, May 23, 2014

Why Are Some of Us Still Not Seizing Technology

We have all read about technology, we see it all the time, but why are some of us still not seizing it?  Whether you are afraid to move forward or enjoy staying behind that’s okay. I too, was hesitant in getting a smartphone, but, my daughter said “just try it and if you don’t like it we can take it back.”  Today, I thank her for pushing me to try something new.  Maybe you too can motivate yourself by keeping track of non-productive or wasted time. Plus think of it this way, you can never get the time back because it’s gone.  It does not matter who you are, technology is here to stay and it can be beneficial for all.

I travel from Monterey County into San Luis Obispo and stop at several coffee shops along the way. I am a people watcher, but I am also an administrative business consultant.  Companies hire me to watch office or administrative staff perform their jobs.  I can observe office inefficiencies and implement a clear and concise system to streamline office procedures. 

One day, while having coffee I wondered why the man next to me was calling the bank for his balance.  Why would he not download an app from his bank and set up bank alerts for his balances?  At the same time there was a gentlemen in the corner yelling on the telephone at his secretary, because he needed a fax.  Why hasn’t anyone told him about EFax, My fax, or free fax?

It all boils down to technology.  If we really look around we have many options at our fingertips to assist us in doing just about everything.  I suggest, trying something different on a project or task you do daily.  In doing so, you will save time and get more done, plus you will become fast, well-organized, and surprisingly involved in technology.