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/

 

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!

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.”

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.

A Personal Assistant for your Baby Boomer Parent

Let’s talk about Baby Boomer statistics.  The U.S. population age 65 and older will double in size from 43.1 million in 2012 to 83.7 million in 2050, the U.S. Census Bureau said By 2030, about one in five Americans will be older than 65.  Americans are now living longer healthier lives.

Statistics show that baby boomer children worry excessively about their parents.  We visit or call our parents daily.  We ask our parents to check in with us.  When we notice the small changes in their daily routines we get anxious.  Such as mail accumulating on the kitchen table, dishes in the sink, and wearing the same clothes.    Helping an aging parent can bring out the best and the worst in everyone. We want to help our parents but how do we approach them without taking their dignity? 

We definitely want our parents to keep their independence. But what is a child to do?  Here is where a Personal Assistant can help your parent.  You can approach your parent by saying “let’s find you a Personal Assistant.”  They may look at you strange, but you will notice a light bulb go on over their head.  Tell your parents let’s make a list of items or chores they feel are necessary on a daily basis.  Let them prioritize the list.  This gives your parents a sense of control.  If you tell your parents they need a caregiver.  Do you know what they will do?  How about lock you out of the house and tell you not to come back.  If your parents do not need medical attention a Personal Assistant is more cost-efficient than a caregiver. A Personal Assistant can help your parent with preparing meals, lite housekeeping, laundry, grocery shopping, pharmacy, hair salon, nail salon, doctor appointments.  They can also take your parents to the museum, opera, symphony and maybe a musical.  How about reading books, magazines, taking a walk, making sure pets have water and food daily, gardening and filling bird feeders, etc.

We want to avoid the expense of nursing homes and assisted care facilities.  Let’s keep our parent’s at home.  It is a huge undertaking but the quality of life is better in the comfort of their own home.  What makes our Agency different?  We take the time to match our clients with an appropriate Personal Assistant.  This means, if your parents are artsy we find a Personal Assistant that is artsy.  We feel it is important to match our clients accordingly, because our Agency forecasts long-term relationships. We notice that our clients become more engaged and are interested in getting out and becoming more social.

Thank you for taking the time to read about our Agency and what we can do for your baby boomer parents.  Our Agency is licensed, insured and bonded.

The Creation of Girl Friday Agency

Juls started the Agency while working as a Trustee and President of a corporation.  As her calendar became filled with responsibilities and tasks to accomplish on a daily, weekly and monthly basis she decided she needed assistance.  In the beginning, she was very hesitant because she is a very private person.  She weighed the pros and cons and it became clear to her that she was making the right decision.  She was taught to always look on the bright side of things.  She made a few telephone calls to employment agencies and realized what she was looking for did not exist in the area.  Juls wanted someone to help in her home office, keep her calendar, organize contacts, run business and personal errands. The nearest Agency was located in Santa Barbara or Palo Alto.

As Juls sat and pondered her dilemma she realized there has to be many other business people in her position. Not enough time in the day to complete all responsibilities and tasks, although we try to be superwoman or superman.  We want to climb the highest building and of course build Rome in a day, completely impossible.  This is the light bulb moment "Girl Friday Agency.”  In the old days secretaries were called this.  This would go hand in hand with Juls personality.  She is old fashion and modest and attended finishing school where etiquette was very important and she learned earlier in life to dress for success.  She realizes the business world has evolved but the people using her Agency would appreciate all the details she has put into creating the Agency. 

She posted an ad in the paper for a Personal Assistant and started to interview.  Juls must have interviewed at least a dozen people. She finally found her first Personal Assistant, she was well spoken, upbeat and her grammar and punctuation was superb. Juls hired her immediately and started to produce the in house forms for the Agency.   The new PA kept her calendar and errands at bay and had coffee available at all times. She would graduate from CSUMB and take a position in the SF area.  She is very appreciative for giving her the chance to grow into the person she is now.  I thank my lucky stars for her. 

Juls continues to meet the most  amazing and accomplished people and has placed many wonderful Assistants.  The Agency continues to flourish in the Monterey and San Luis Obispo area.  This year we celebrate our 5 year Anniversary. 

Why not Partner with a Virtual Assistant from Girl Friday Agency

Here is a tidbit of information about our Virtual Assistants.  They are highly intelligent and qualified to assist you in various assignments.  We can maximize your productivity with all the benefits of a professional office assistant without the necessity of providing office space.  When you are running a business you have the day to day jobs that need to be completed.  Plus, any other special projects that get thrown in the mix.  They are called “last minute projects.” We know about these because we deal with them on a daily basis.  No worries we can assist. 

 

When delegating assignments to GF we have a team to assist you.  We have a Manager that oversees every project that comes into our hub.  It is then delegated out to the most appropriate Virtual Assistant.  Tasks are started immediately.  The Virtual Assistant team responds with a quick turnaround, you will always have insight into what tasks are being done, you may choose options to be alerted via e-mail or text.  We have many Virtual Assistants with a variety of backgrounds.  This is what makes our Agency special.  We recruit from colleges plus we have professionals who have decided to leave the corporate world to start families.

 

Here are a few tasks that can be done:

• Manage contact lists and customer spreadsheets
• Prepare and send out e-mails and  newsletters
• Online research
• Prepare data presentations, proposals, and meeting materials
• Maintain a calendar and set up meetings
• Make travel arrangements
• Handle billing and accounting
• Database entries
• Expense report processing
• Client lead follow-up calls.

Here are some compelling reasons you may want to consider outsourcing:

• Increase efficiency and effectiveness – The Agency can offer innovative approaches, the latest technology, and creative, cutting-edge solutions that otherwise aren’t available.
•  Improve your bottom line by decreasing your expenses.  The costs of hiring, training, and maintaining employees are eliminated, as are taxes and benefits.

We have years of experience serving the local community, we’ve built an unmatched expertise record for reliability and flexibility.  Plus, the Agency is a local business so you keep the jobs LOCAL by outsourcing with us.  In Monterey area call 831-578-6023 or from San Luis Obispo area call 805-712-5098.  We look forward to assisting you!

Be Yourself

Accept yourself

Value yourself

Forgive yourself

Bless yourself

Express yourself

Trust yourself

Love yourself

EMPOWER YOURSELF

Why Hire A Personal Assistant From Girl Friday Agency

Here at Girl Friday we want to improve your quality of life by matching you with an ideal Personal Assistant.  With today’s busy lifestyle it’s easy to have a long list of tasks to do.  As time marches on the clock continues to tick and the lists continue to grow.  This in return causes much stress, listless sleep and non-productive time.

Here is where the Agency can assist you.  The typical responsibilities of a Personal Assistant include personal and business errands, scheduling appointments, paying bills, dog walking, packing and un-packing for business trips, telephone screening and taking messages, e-mail, proofreading and typing presentations. Personal Assistants also manage multiple households, as well as vendors and contractors.

Before you give us a call you should determine the level of PA involvement you want and identify the day-to-day responsibilities you will deliver to the PA.  Clarify your expectation and boundaries. Maintain regular and open communication is very important.  Plus, give clear and concise instructions.  As a business owner, your main focus should be on your clients and customers, how to obtain more of them and networking so you have a growing list of leads to nurture and eventually convert to future clients and customers.   

Our Agency performs background checks, we are licensed, insured and bonded.  We also maintain confidentiality statements for our PA's.  We are a unique Agency because of our skilled assistants and extraordinary clients.  As a result, the environment at Girl Friday sparkles with talent, energy, and success.

Girl Friday Agency Inc. offers services in the Monterey Peninsula and San Luis Obispo, California

Don't Lose Sight of Yourself

 

It is when you lose sight of yourself, that you lose your way.  To keep your truth, you must keep yourself in sight and the world should be a mirror to reflect your image.

 

 

 

Good Delegation Saves You Time

We all know running a business has its ups and downs.  As a business owner there is not enough TIME in the day to complete all tasks.  The TIME will come when you need to release control and learn how to delegate.  Good delegation saves you TIME.  Delegation is vital for effective leadership.  You don't want your business to hit a plateau and become stagnate.

 

Rather than wear every hat — every single day — business owners need to think about regular activities that can be outsourced or subcontracted out. 

• VIRTUAL ASSISTANT can maximize your productivity with all the benefits of a professional office assistant without the necessity of providing office space.  Do you have a project that needs attention but not sure where to start?  How about cleaning out your contact list? Do you have a presentation coming soon? 
• PERSONAL ASSISTANT will maximize your productivity with all the benefits of a professional office assistant while attending to your household errands as well.

We offer innovative approaches, the latest technology, and creative, cutting-edge solutions that otherwise aren’t available.  Plus, we can improve your bottom line by decreasing your expenses.  The costs of hiring, training, and maintaining employees are eliminated, as are taxes and benefits.

 

We are a unique Agency because of our skilled assistants and extraordinary clients.  As a result, the environment at Girl Friday sparkles with talent, energy and success.

 

We have years of experience serving the local community, we’ve built an unmatched expertise record for reliability and flexibility.  Plus, the Agency is a local business so you keep the jobs LOCAL by outsourcing with us.

Spring has Sprung!

Finally, spring is here! Make the most of this time of year that promises renewal and reawakening after the short days and long nights of winter. Here are some suggestions to help you spring right into Spring with a great attitude. 

Hire a Personal Assistant to organize your closet.  Pack up your winter clothes and bring out your strappy sandals.  Have your PA run errands.  Pick up dry cleaning, take clothes to tailor, or have shoes repaired. 

Definitely schedule an appointment to have your carpets cleaned.  For treating stains at home, keep a bottle of club soda on hand. Stains caused by pets, coffee, orange soda, red wine, and anything with dye or an acid base are the hardest to remove, and the key is to act quickly. Pour club soda directly onto the area, let the soda absorb into the yarn, and the salt in the soda will neutralize the acid. Blot again and again, until the residue is gone. 

Why not try a few of these items:

• Pick or buy some flowers and put them in a vase 
• Add a table linen to your kitchen table
• How about a few kitchen tea towels or placemats
• Buy a few bright colored pillows for the living or sitting room
• Add heirloom sheer curtains for a pretty touch in any room
• Decorate your patio, deck or porch with planters to grow flowers, vegetables or an herb garden

Make it your mission to find your style!

Do you have a board meeting coming up? Why not have a VA help you in the research and flow charts you will need to give a strong presentation. Call Girl Friday Agency (831) 578-6023 or (805) 712-5098.

Setting a Standard with Office Procedures

Office procedures are important to implement.  These procedures will set a standard where all staff works together.  The benefits of having these are consistency, efficiency and professionalism within the office environment.

Here are a few items that you may want to implement:

• You might want to put a bulletin board in the lunch room or break room.  This will allow you to share information with your employees.

• How about a calendar.  You can post office meetings, birthday's, etc.  Office meetings will cut down the human resource department revolving door.

• Security is important.  Having passwords to enter each computer should be a must. The human resource department should have a list of all employee passwords.

• You should think of having a IT available at all times.  They can update virus software and make sure the back up is working properly.

• The receptionist should be in charge of the petty cash box and keep a journal to deliver to office manager on a monthly basis.

Office procedures mandate an employee's actions while at work (i.e., no texting or surfing the web for personal use., etc.). It could also be logging faxes, office supplies, etc.

General office procedures consist of basic operational tasks, including answering phones, sorting mail, responding to customers and ordering supplies.

There are many places you can actually download free sample policies.  I have noted a few websites below. 


http://www.bizmanualz.com

www.templatezone.com/office-policy-manual-templates

Article - 5 Steps in Decluttering

Julie was delighted to be a guest blogger for Verdin




About the Author: Julie Dodson Julie Dodson is the owner and founder of Girl Friday Agency, Inc., a company that offers a full range of administrative services to businesses and busy professionals. She artfully merged all of her experience and resources into the creation and operation of Girl Friday Agency, which is based in Salinas, CA and has opened an office in San Luis Obispo, CA. For more information about Julie or Girl Friday Agency, visit www.girlfridayagency.com.




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