I captured a lot of key information recently from a free conference call hosted by Tina Forsyth, Online Business Manager and Cindy Greenway Virtual Manager, Victoria Business Solutions that I am very excited to share with you. The call titled, “VA Specialties that Clients are Eager to Pay For” was full of valuable information for both virtual assistants and for clients who are feeling overwhelmed and wondering what they can indeed outsource successfully to a virtual assistant ~ A big “Thank You” to both of you Tina & Cindy for this amazing call!

I have been in contact with 5 hot leads within the last 2/3 weeks who have a lot in common. They don’t operate the same type of business however a few of the commonalities they all share include:

a. Their businesses are experiencing tremendous growth in 2009.
b. They are starting to feel overwhelmed with the current workload and anticipate even more going forward.
c. They all had heard of a virtual assistant but are just not 100% sure of how it will all come together.
d. They all said, “I need more time to focus on what I love doing”.
e. And, they all found me through my social media endeavors!

With that being said here are the 11 Key Areas You Can Outsource Successfully in 2009:

1. Affiliate Marketing Management

Find the most affordable tools/systems for your campaigns, setup affiliate program action plan, bring on new affiliates, build lists, keep in touch with and ensure affiliates have all the tools they require, track affiliate sales and payouts, develop strategies to enhance campaigns, create/oversee the production of artwork, liaise with affiliate partners and/or their associates as required, develop system to track all social media activity/conversations about the campaign and ensure an appropriate level of engagement is taken by or for you.

2. Social Media Marketing (hot)

Take stock of your current level of involvement in social media marketing and devise a workable action plan going forward. Ensure a proper level of engagement is mapped out for your business and all of your social profiles across networks such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and tools such as autoresponders, article author boxes, email tag lines, etc are displaying your profile links. Incorporate strategies and systems to capture key conversations that are taking place about your brand and forward key information that you need to know and filter through everything else accordingly. Find key groups within your niche that will add the most value to your business. Create and submit content to all your social media channels that will add value to your brand and build your credibility. Ensure all of your “fronts” on the web are in top shape and encourage visitors to share and interact with you through social media. Make efficient use of effective social media tools such as bookmarking, RSS, tagging, submitting content, etc while documenting these systems and tools along the way.

3. Traffic and List Building Specialist

Finding and setting up the best list building system for your business. Branding and/or maintaining a consistent look/feel for your business across all of your communications. Scheduling communications in conjunction with your business and/or marketing plan, product/service launches, and major sales promotions. Database maintenance. Content creation. Seeking out cross promotions and/or joint venture partners. Spreading viral marketing offers across multiple social media channels. Tracking key statistics and information. Competitive tracking and research. Build and maintain solid relations with existing subscribers.

4. Video/Podcasting Production (hot)

Develop a production schedule for video and/or podcasts. Research and use the best tools and/or resources for your business ie., cameras, equipment, etc. Edit, tag, and publish audio and video to key submission spots that make sense for your business. Ensure social media marketing specialist is kept informed about keywords, tags, and RSS feeds for each production. Monitor traffic and analytics. Keep up with emerging trends.

5. Online Business Management

Manage the daily operations of your business giving you more time to engage in your area of specialty. This can include a broad scope of activities that revolve around planning, project management, and ultimately growing your team and your business.

6. Blog Management

Ensure the blog is setup with the best presentation for your readers and that it is easy for your readers to follow, subscribe, share, and find you across all your social profiles. Ensure blog is submitted to key directories and sites within your niche. Write meaningful content geared specifically towards your readers that engages with and shares your readers content as well. Ensure comments are moderated and responded to in a timely fashion. Ensure content is exciting and welcomes comments. Ensure content is syndicated where it should be. Develop strategies to make reading your blog fun. Ensure graphics, sign up boxes, and all RSS feeds are always in top working order. Install Google Analytics, Webmaster Tools, and develop a spreadsheet to track statistics and watch trends. Use these key statistics to watch and develop content that attracts the most readers. Ensure ongoing maintenance and branding are kept up to date. Use creative strategies to promote the blog and content. Keep a “hot list” of who is talking, commenting, blogging, or sharing social media stories about your blog.

7. Speaking Engagement Management

Work behind the scenes to ensure all technicalities are taken care of. Preparing, formatting, and distributing presentations, handouts, and other literature. Responding to inquires in a timely fashion. Maintaining your membership club, creating, formatting, and adding new content. Building effective follow up and lead generation systems.

8. Publicity Management

Designing and implementing an effective publicity plan. Getting your name and business out there whenever possible. Optimizing your profile across major press release portals, ensuring all new accreditation, businesses and achievements are added in a timely fashion. Writing and distributing effective press releases. Ensuring website, blog and social network profiles are prepped and media friendly. Tapping into key people and resources to keep you in the forefront.

9. Article Marketing Management

Preparing article marketing schedule annually, quarterly and/or monthly. Writing, tweaking, reviewing and optimizing articles. Seeking out and keeping track of important keywords. Write capturing bylines. Ensuring each article is relevant and consists of important information for your niche market. Seeking out new marketing opportunities, portals, forums, message boards, and other key areas where your article should be published. Creating buzz within your niche capturing hot topics of interest to readers.

10. Online Copywriting

Creating autoresponder schedule. Write, edit, and create autoresponders. Writing, editing, and optimizing website and blog copy. Ensuring effective keywords are used across the board. Ensuring appropriate meta tags, tags, and keywords are used consistently.

11. Newsletter Management

Create and implement newsletter tracking system that includes a basic schedule, newsletter campaign statistics, and newsletter lead management capturing key information such as  newsletter goal, theme, frequency, autoresponder list name, template, and promotion and article titles, opens, clicks, conversions rates, subscribed, unsubscribed and total leads. Collecting key information for newsletter, editing, formatting, and inputting information. Collaborating with key affiliates and others who contribute content.

A good approach to finding a virtual assistant who is knowledgable and ready to take over these key areas of your business is to take a close look at people who have enrolled in the VAclassroom training programs. The VAclassroom is a Niche Training Center that offers comprehensive training programs specifically for Internet and Social Media Marketing.

In fact, if your favourite virtual assistant is looking at ways to enhance their skill sets so that they are able to better assist you with your Internet and Social Media Marketing then this is the prefect opportunity to treat them with a seat in the “Social Media Marketing Specialist” training program that is launching on January 15, 2009.

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