Being a solo entrepreneur, I'm constantly looking for ways to make my business grow. An important point to note is that marketing plays a huge role in getting clients. One has to identify who their target market is, find out what their needs are and how to competitively meet those needs. Also identifying all the available marketing tools and how to use them effectively to reach ones goals.
Being in a fairly new profession of Virtual Assistance has encouraged me to think outside the box. Understanding that in a world that is even changing, ones marketing strategy also has to be flexible.
Here is an interesting article: Create Your Marketing Strategy
Check out this article from Realtor magazine online: What Do Your Ads Say About You
By Agnes Ikotun
Licensed REPA
Friday, June 29, 2007
Monday, June 25, 2007
Real Estate Virtual Assistant vs. Employee
Are you a budget conscious real estate professional deciding whether to hire someone full-time or part-time to manage your businesses administrative tasks?
Are you overwhelmed by the process of hiring an employee?
This article could be helpful.
Factors such as paid vacation, sick days, health and dental insurance, workers compensation, bonuses, training, equipment and office space would stop just about anyone building their business in their tracks.
How does hiring an independent contractor compare to an employee? Is it more or less cost-effective? Is it more or less flexible?
Using the analysis tool from Salary.com
The median total compensation including benefits for a typical full-time Administrative Assistant III in Hartford, CT is $65,373 (68% base salary and 32% benefits and taxes), thus the hourly rate is $33 p/hr. This is excluding office space & utilities, furniture, insurance, hardware, software & licenses, and telecommunication expenses that could take the rate up to $48 p/hr and over.
Virtual Assistants (or VAs) typically charge between $20 and $45 p/hr and higher depending on specialization levels and bear in mind that contracted hours are flexible. Most VAs have retainer agreements with rates that are discounted for clients with set hours ranging from 10hrs or less, 20hrs or more depending on the clients needs which are ever changing. This also allows for a significantly higher productivity level-- close to a 100% as the tasks and time allotted are prearranged.
An important point to remember is that VAs are professionals who not only tackle administrative tasks but are multi-faceted and diversely skilled. VAs can also handle programming & database design, sales & marketing, desktop publishing, web design & hosting and much more.
Is it your goal to reduce expenses, save on time, remove frustration and most importantly increase productivity?
Then its so much easier to decide which to go with!
*Figures are estimates
By Agnes Ikotun
Licensed REPA
Are you overwhelmed by the process of hiring an employee?
This article could be helpful.
Factors such as paid vacation, sick days, health and dental insurance, workers compensation, bonuses, training, equipment and office space would stop just about anyone building their business in their tracks.
How does hiring an independent contractor compare to an employee? Is it more or less cost-effective? Is it more or less flexible?
Using the analysis tool from Salary.com
The median total compensation including benefits for a typical full-time Administrative Assistant III in Hartford, CT is $65,373 (68% base salary and 32% benefits and taxes), thus the hourly rate is $33 p/hr. This is excluding office space & utilities, furniture, insurance, hardware, software & licenses, and telecommunication expenses that could take the rate up to $48 p/hr and over.
Virtual Assistants (or VAs) typically charge between $20 and $45 p/hr and higher depending on specialization levels and bear in mind that contracted hours are flexible. Most VAs have retainer agreements with rates that are discounted for clients with set hours ranging from 10hrs or less, 20hrs or more depending on the clients needs which are ever changing. This also allows for a significantly higher productivity level-- close to a 100% as the tasks and time allotted are prearranged.
An important point to remember is that VAs are professionals who not only tackle administrative tasks but are multi-faceted and diversely skilled. VAs can also handle programming & database design, sales & marketing, desktop publishing, web design & hosting and much more.
Is it your goal to reduce expenses, save on time, remove frustration and most importantly increase productivity?
Then its so much easier to decide which to go with!
*Figures are estimates
By Agnes Ikotun
Licensed REPA
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Virtual Assistance in Real Estate
Are you unable to give your clients the right kind of attention, bogged down by tons of paperwork, unanswered emails and voice mails, incomplete mailing campaign, .e.t.c?
Are you feeling frustrated with the flow of your business?
You need a Virtual Assistant!
The advancement in technology has created a new genre of professionals known as Virtual Assistants. So what does a Virtual Assistant (or VA) do? Well the list is endless but a great description is found in Wikipedia:
"A VA is an independent contractor providing administrative, technical, or sometimes creative assistance to clients, usually to other independent entrepreneurs and solo and small business practices, such as that of a lawyer or realtor. Virtual assistants work from their own office (hence "virtual"), thus making it a fairly popular (and growing) profession."
Having virtual assistance in real estate!
Real Estate support is a growing niche, and the National Association of Realtors is an example of an organization that is spearheading this growth. Available is their intensive introductory course into the real estate business. Thus creating a breed of professionals known as Real Estate Professional Assistants.
A REPA is a licensed assistant and a valuable asset to brokers and salespeople alike. As the less time a real estate professional spends on administrative tasks, the more time is spent on generating revenue.
A virtual REPA offers many advantages over a paid employee, for example- the issue of taxes and benefits are out of the equation. Imagine, it is estimated that the true cost of an employee is over double and sometimes triple the cost of their annual salary in terms of benefits and liabilities.*
Now picture having an assistant that is always ready to work for you, and when you need him or her only? Imagine the value and unrealized financial return gained when output is increased by hiring a skilled personal assistant.
* Source: The Virtual Assistant by Blanche Evans
Read article: Global Office
By Agnes Ikotun
licensed REPA
Are you feeling frustrated with the flow of your business?
You need a Virtual Assistant!
The advancement in technology has created a new genre of professionals known as Virtual Assistants. So what does a Virtual Assistant (or VA) do? Well the list is endless but a great description is found in Wikipedia:
"A VA is an independent contractor providing administrative, technical, or sometimes creative assistance to clients, usually to other independent entrepreneurs and solo and small business practices, such as that of a lawyer or realtor. Virtual assistants work from their own office (hence "virtual"), thus making it a fairly popular (and growing) profession."
Having virtual assistance in real estate!
Real Estate support is a growing niche, and the National Association of Realtors is an example of an organization that is spearheading this growth. Available is their intensive introductory course into the real estate business. Thus creating a breed of professionals known as Real Estate Professional Assistants.
A REPA is a licensed assistant and a valuable asset to brokers and salespeople alike. As the less time a real estate professional spends on administrative tasks, the more time is spent on generating revenue.
A virtual REPA offers many advantages over a paid employee, for example- the issue of taxes and benefits are out of the equation. Imagine, it is estimated that the true cost of an employee is over double and sometimes triple the cost of their annual salary in terms of benefits and liabilities.*
Now picture having an assistant that is always ready to work for you, and when you need him or her only? Imagine the value and unrealized financial return gained when output is increased by hiring a skilled personal assistant.
* Source: The Virtual Assistant by Blanche Evans
Read article: Global Office
By Agnes Ikotun
licensed REPA
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