Online Marketing « RJ's Virtual Assistant Services Blog

An Online Business Tool for Virtual Assistants and their Clients

May 12, 2009 at 3:21 pm | In Entrepreneur, Marketing, Online Marketing, Online Survey, Outsourcing, Rita Cartwright, Rita J. Cartwright, Single-Person Business, Single-Person Business Owner, Small Business, Small Business Owners, Solopreneur, Virtual Assistant, Virtual Assistant Services, Virtual Assistants | 1 Comment
Tags: Entrepreneur, Online Business, Outsourcing, Rita Cartwright, Single-Person Business, Single-Person Business Owner, Small Business, Small Business Owners, Solopreneur, Virtual Assistant Services, Virtual Assistants

ritajoblack1 Those of you who have been following my blog posts know that when I discover useful information I like to pass it on to other small business owners. If you need to create an online survey, I recommend using SurveyMonkey.com. It is very user-friendly, and the basic service is free. Although the basic service is limited, there are a lot of features included with the free version.

The survey is very easy to design and includes option of templates, as well as over a dozen types of questions; for example, multiple choice, drop down menus, and rating scales. You also have a choice of how you want to collect the data. You can put a link on your blog or send the link via e-mail. I used Aweber for one of my clients to send out e-mails because we needed to set up an auto responder follow-up e-mail. You can also send your e-mails through Survey Monkey. If you use Survey Monkey for your e-mail distribution, you can see who responds to your survey, as well as send follow up reminders to those who don’t.

Another feature is you can analyze the results as they are collected in real-time, including filtering and cross tabulation. In addition, you can download the results in multiple formats.

Remember, if you don’t have time to create your survey, outsource it to your Virtual Assistant(s).

Virtual Assistants Can Help You With That Also

February 27, 2009 at 1:24 pm | In Clients, Entrepreneur, Online Marketing, Rita Cartwright, Rita J. Cartwright, Single-Person Business, Single-Person Business Owner, Small Business, Small Business Owners, Social Networking, Solopreneur, Virtual Assistant, Virtual Assistant Services, Virtual Assistants | 1 Comment
Tags: Entrepreneur, Online Marketing, Rita Cartwright, Rita J. Cartwright, Single-Person Business, Single-Person Business Owner, Small Business, Small Business Owners, Solopreneur, Virtual Assistant, Virtual Assistant Services, Virtual Assistants

As an entrepreneur and small business owner, you are aware of the importance of using social media networking as a marketing strategy. You also realize how much time is involved in social media networking. I can spend an entire day on Twitter alone networking with other entrepreneurs. In order to save you some valuable time, virtual assistants can help you with your networking efforts. Keep in mind, virtual assistants use the same social media networking techniques and know their way around social media sites. A virtual assistant can set up your social media profiles at various sites, as well as filter through posts for any relevant information pertaining to your business. On Twitter, a Virtual Assistant can check your DMs (direct messages) and your replies (posts directed to you) to see if there is anything you need to respond to. A Virtual Assistant can also post pertinent information about your company and products and/or services. Larger companies are starting to use Twitter to communicate with their customers about their products and/or services, in addition to getting their feedback. Another feature of Twitter is you have people following you and people you choose to follow. A Virtual Assistant can research the ones following you to see if they are viable potential clients. In addition, s/he can search for possible clients for you to follow on Twitter.

As you know, social media networking allows you to create business relationships, as well as give your prospective clients the opportunity to learn more about you; therefore, it is necessary for you to spend some time networking on these social media sites. However, virtual assistants can help you save a huge amount of valuable time; time you can use to focus on your clients. Virtual assistants can help you with social media networking also.

A Marketing Tool for Your Online Marketing Strategy

February 26, 2009 at 11:30 am | In Blog, E-book, Entrepreneur, Marketing, Online Business, Online Marketing, Outsourcing, Rita Cartwright, Rita J. Cartwright, Single-Person Business, Single-Person Business Owner, Small Business, Small Business Owners, Solopreneur, Virtual Assistant, Virtual Book Tour, Virtual E-book Tour | Leave a Comment
Tags: E-book, Entrepreneur, Outsourcing, Rita J. Cartwright, Single-Person Business, Single-Person Business Owner, Small Business, Small Business Owners, Virtual Assistant

Recently I went on a virtual e-book tour to promote my newly released e-book, “Online Marketing Tools for Today’s Small Business.” For us entrepreneurs and small business owners, writing can be an inexpensive way of marketing our small businesses. This can involve writing articles, blog posts, and/or e-books. It is not necessary to be a well-known author in order to write or have virtual book tours. If you choose to write e-books, you can go on virtual e-book tours to promote your e-book. As a result, your services and/or products, and your business will be promoted at the same time. If you are an author, you, too, can do virtual book tours to promote your books.

Because of today’s technology and blogs, book tours can be done virtually, and it is an inexpensive, creative tactic to advertise your e-books or books. However, coordinating virtual book tours can be time-consuming. If you don’t have time to arrange the tour, outsource this task to a Virtual Assistant. The process consists of you (or your Virtual Assistant) and blog owners coordinating dates for when you will stop by their blogs. On the date of your tour stop, the blog owner can interview you or you can participate in a question and answer session with the blog owners’ readers. If you choose to do an interview, you supply the blog owners with the questions and answers for them to post on their blogs, which is the standard procedure in the current media world. Periodically, you check in to see if there are any questions or comments from the blog readers you need to address regarding your interview.

To encourage the blog readers to get involved, hold some type of random drawing for anyone who submits a comment or question. At http://random.org/, you enter the e-mail addresses of the participants in a list randomizer and a random e-mail address is selected. This would be your random winner. On my tour, I gave away free copies of my e-book to random winners who participated, as well as to the blog owners as a way of expressing my gratitude for them hosting my tour stops.

In my e-book, I discuss various online marketing tools and strategies, which include virtual book tours. If you would like to learn about additional marketing tools that you can use in your online marketing plan, click here to purchase my e-book, as well as find out more about it.

Using Twitter to Connect with Your Clients

December 16, 2008 at 4:25 pm | In E-book, Entrepreneur, Marketing, Online Business, Online Marketing, Rita Cartwright, Rita J. Cartwright, Single-Person Business, Single-Person Business Owner, Small Business, Small Business Owners, Social Networking, Solopreneur | Leave a Comment
Tags: Entrepreneur, Online Marketing, Single-Person Business Owner, Small Business, Small Business Owners, Solopreneur

By now you have probably heard of Twitter, a free social networking and micro-blogging website. It may be a little overwhelming trying to figure out who you should follow and who you would like to follow you. Twitter has a search directory called Twellow, located at http://www.twellow.com/. At Twellow, you can filter out the tweeters according to your target market. All you need to do is perform a search using your target market search term(s) and research the results looking for tweeters who you can follow and maybe follow you. Hopefully, they will become your ideal clients.

Social media marketing is becoming one of the most popular online marketing tools available today for entrepreneurs and small business owners. Social networking is just one form of social media marketing, and it is one of the online marketing tools that I mention in my e-book, “Online Marketing Tools for Today’s Small Business.” Read what others are saying about this affordable, must-have e-book.

My Coast to Coast Virtual E-book Tour

November 6, 2008 at 3:54 pm | In E-book, Entrepreneur, Online Business, Online Marketing, Rita Cartwright, Rita J. Cartwright, San Diego, Virtual Assistant | Leave a Comment
Tags: E-book, Entrepreneur, Online Business, Online Marketing

I finished my first virtual e-book tour on Tuesday, and I met some interesting readers along the way. I virtually traveled from the West Coast to the East Coast, spending the day at various bookstores (blogs) promoting my new e-book, “Online Marketing Tools for Today’s Small Business.” I also held interview sessions with the blog owners. My plans are to do another virtual e-book tour early next year. So, be on the lookout for that.

On Wednesday, it was my turn to host a virtual book tour stop for Karen M. Pina, author of “Is it the job, the boss, you . . . or are you an entrepreneur? Find your career stressors and the success that God intends.” Karen is also a coach for Christian leaders and entrepreneurs.

With the cost of airfare and gas, traveling from blog to blog is more practical. It saves time, money, and you reach a larger audience. If you don’t have time to coordinate a virtual book tour, outsource this task to your Virtual Assistant. Hope to see you on my next tour!

My Last Virtual E-book Tour Stop

November 4, 2008 at 12:47 am | In E-book, Entrepreneur, Online Business, Online Marketing, Rita Cartwright, Rita J. Cartwright, Single-Person Business, Single-Person Business Owner, Small Business, Small Business Owners, Solopreneur, Virtual Assistant | 1 Comment
Tags: E-book, Entrepreneur, Online Business, Online Marketing, Rita Cartwright, Rita J. Cartwright, Single-Person Business, Single-Person Business Owner, Small Business, Small Business Owners

Today, my virtual tour stop was at Sue Canfield’s bookstores (blogs) located here in California. Sue has two locations, http://suecanfield.wordpress.com/ and http://awesomeassistant.blogspot.com/. Everyone who came by her blogs thought a virtual e-book tour was creative and cool. They also enjoyed Sue’s interview of me. Click here to read it.

My last tour stop will be Tuesday, November 4, 2008 at Karen Pina’s blog. Her address is http://www.gemnewsletter.blogspot.com/ in Connecticut. She will also interview me. If you have any questions for me, come on by and ask. Anyone who makes a comment or ask me a question will be entered in a drawing for a chance to win a free copy of my e-book. Click here to read more about my e-book. Read what others are saying, plus an excerpt. Hope to see you on the tour.

Continuing My Virtual E-book Tour

November 2, 2008 at 12:20 am | In E-book, Entrepreneur, Online Business, Online Marketing, Single-Person Business, Single-Person Business Owner, Small Business, Small Business Owners, Solopreneur, Virtual Assistant | Leave a Comment
Tags: E-book, Entrepreneur, Online Business, Online Marketing, Single-Person Business, Single-Person Business Owner, Small Business, Small Business Owners, Solopreneur

On Thursday, I spent the day with Paula Quick, owner of The Bible, Marketplace Spirituality & Business bookstore (blog). Her blog is located in Virginia at http://marketplacespirituality.blogspot.com/. I enjoyed the theme of Paula’s bookstore, which focuses on enhancing your business through the Bible and Spirituality.

On Monday, November 3, my e-book signing will be in California at Sue Canfield’s bookstores. Sue has two locations, one is located at http://awesomeassistant.blogspot.com/, and the address of her other bookstore (blog) is http://suecanfield.wordpress.com/. Sue has been hard at work promoting my upcoming tour stop, and I look forward to visiting with her and her readers. Sue is also going to interview me on Monday. So, stop by to check it out. In addition, I am giving away a free copy of my very informative e-book to a randomly selected reader. To qualify, simply post a comment or question addressed to me on one or both of Sue’s blogs. Click here to learn more about my e-book, including an excerpt, as well as testimonials. To purchase your copy now for only $3.98, click here. Hope to see you on the tour!

On to My Next Tour Stop

October 29, 2008 at 12:12 am | In E-book, Entrepreneur, Online Business, Online Marketing, Single-Person Business, Single-Person Business Owner, Small Business, Small Business Owners, Solopreneur, Virtual Assistant | Leave a Comment
Tags: E-book, Entrepreneur, Online Business, Online Marketing, Single-Person Business, Small Business, Small Business Owners

Today, I continued on to Wisconsin on my virtual book tour. My tour stop was at Melodee’s Virtual Assistant blog (bookstore). Her bookstore address is http://www.short-termsolutions.com/vablog/. One of her readers wanted to know how long it took me to write my newly released e-book, “Online Marketing Tools for Today’s Small Business.” It took me about a week or two. I wrote it in my spare time. I have a passion for marketing, as well as an education in marketing, and experience in operating an online business. So, it is a subject matter, which I am very familiar with.

My next tour stop will be in Virginia at Paula Quick’s bookstore, The Bible, Marketplace Spirituality & Business, on Thursday, October 30, 2008. She is located at http://marketplacespirituality.blogspot.com/. Don’t forget. I am giving away a free copy of my very informative e-book to a randomly selected participant. Stop by and post a question and/or comment to Paula’s blog, and you will instantly be entered into a drawing for my e-book. In it, I discuss online marketing tools, which costs little to no money. If you are an entrepreneur and/or a small business owner with a shoestring marketing budget, this e-book is for you. Don’t want to wait until Thursday for the drawing? Pick up your copy today for only $3.98.

My Next Virtual E-Book Tour Stop

October 28, 2008 at 12:30 am | In E-book, Entrepreneur, Online Business, Online Marketing, Single-Person Business, Single-Person Business Owner, Small Business, Small Business Owners, Solopreneur, Virtual Assistant | 1 Comment
Tags: E-book, Entrepreneur, Online Business, Online Marketing, Single-Person Business, Single-Person Business Owner, Small Business, Small Business Owners

Today, I traveled to Maine via the Internet for my 3^rd tour stop, which was at Tina Hilton’s blog. Her blog, CAVA Conference Table, is located at http://clericaladvantage.wordpress.com/. Even though, she had to finish packing up her bookstore (blog) to move to Virginia, she was a great host. On my next tour stop, I will be traveling by way of the Internet to Wisconsin for my next book signing engagement. I will spend the day with Melodee Patterson, owner of Melodee’s Virtual Assistant Blog, located at http://www.short-termsolutions.com/vablog/. Also, I am giving away a free copy of my must-have e-book, “Online Marketing Tools for Today’s Small Business,” to a randomly selected participant. This e-book is for every entrepreneur and/or small business owner with a shoestring marketing budget. In it, I discuss online marketing tools, which costs little to no money. So, come on by and post a comment and/or question on Melodee’s blog in order to be entered into the drawing. I will contact the winner, and Melodee will announce the winner on Wednesday. If you want to start reading this very informative e-book right now, click here to purchase your copy for only $3.98. Hope to see you there!

E-book Tour Continues

October 26, 2008 at 11:12 pm | In Entrepreneur, Online Business, Online Marketing, Single-Person Business, Single-Person Business Owner, Small Business, Small Business Owners, Solopreneur, Virtual Assistant | Leave a Comment
Tags: Entrepreneur, Single-Person Business, Single-Person Business Owner, Small Business, Small Business Owners, Solopreneur

My second stop on my virtual e-book tour took me to Cleveland. It was cold, raining and snowing. I spent the day with the owner of VMA Network bookstore (blog), Linda Belan. Linda and I also spent some time at her other blog, Virtual Assistant’s Networking. Now, I’m off to Maine to visit with Tina Hilton on Monday. She is the owner of CAVA Conference Table bookstore (blog). Come on by. Don’t forget, I will be giving away a free copy of my newly released e-book, “Online Marketing Tools for Today’s Small Business Owner,” to a randomly selected participant. To qualify, simply submit a question and/or comment to the blog. I will notify the winner, and Tina will announce the winner on Tuesday. If you are an entrepreneur and/or small business owner with a shoestring marketing budget, then this e-book is for you. Don’t want to wait for the drawing? Pick up your copy today at the low price of $3.98.