THE VBSS WORKBOOK’S TABLE OF CONTENTS:

About the Author
Acknowledgements
About this Book
What is a VA?
Ethics of a VA

PHASE
I: Business Sense:

DAY 1 – Welcome to the VBSS!
  • Task 1: The VBSS Checklist
  • Task 2: The VBSS Commitment
  • Task 3: The VBSS Workbook Instructions
    • Day
      1: Task Checklist
DAY 2 – Why Go Into Business?
  • Will Self-Employment Fulfill Your Needs?
  • Exercise
    1: What’s Your Motivation?
  • Exercise 2: Is Self-employment Right for You?
  • Exercise 3: Determining Your Business Goals
  • Exercise 4: Assessing Goal Practicability
    • Day 2: Task Checklist
DAY 3 – Time-Management
  • Exercise
    1: How Organized Are You?
  • Signs of Poor Time-Management
  • Exercise 2: Keeping a Activity/Time Log
  • Exercise 3: Identifying Time-Stealers
  • Tips for Staying Organized
  • Exercise 4: Purchasing Your Daily Planner
    • Day 3: Task Checklist

PHASE
II: Business Description:

DAY 4 – What is a Virtual Assistant All About?
  • Exercise 1: Key Words
  • Exercise 2: Defining a Virtual Assistant’s
    Role
  • Who Uses A Virtual Assistant?
  • Exercise 3: Your Target Market
    • Day 4: Task Checklist
DAY 5 – Choosing Your Niche
  • Be Loyal to Yourself
  • Exercise 1: Identifying Your Key Services
  • Exercise 2: Production Process
  • Exercise 3: Exploring New Service Avenues
    • Day 5: Task Checklist
DAY 6 – Selecting
a Business Structure
  • Exercise 1: Pros/Cons of Business Structures
  • A Note on Partnerships
  • Exercise 2: Choosing Your Business Structure
    • Day 6: Task Checklist
DAY 7 – Choosing A Business Name
  • Choosing
    A Business Name
  • Exercise
    1: Business Name Brainstorm
  • Exercise 2: Business Name Brainstorm – Part
    2
  • Exercise 3: How Does Your Business Name Hold Up?
    • Day 7: Task Checklist
DAY 8 – The Road Ahead: Mission & Vision
Statements
  • What Are Mission and Vision Statements?
  • How Should I Write a Mission Statement?
  • Exercise 1: Drafting Your Mission Statement
  • How Should I Write My Vision Statement?
  • Exercise 2: Drafting Your Vision Statement
    • Day 8: Task Checklist
DAY 9- Milestones
  • Sample Milestones
  • Exercise 1: Creating Your Own Business Milestones
    • Day 9: Task Checklist

PHASE
III: Marketing Kit:

DAY 10 – Logo, Taglines, Business Cards, &
Stationary
  • Logos
  • Exercise 1: Design Your Logo
  • Tagline
  • Exercise 2: Composing Your Tagline
  • Business Cards
  • Tips & Tricks: Ways to Use Business Cards
  • Other Types of Business Cards to Have
  • Exercise 3: Design Your Business Card
  • Standard Business Stationary
  • Exercise 4: Adding Final Touches to Your Business
    Stationary

    • Day 10: Task Checklist
DAY 11 – Brochures, Flyers, Postcards, and Door Hangers
  • Exercise 1: Mock Brochure/Flyer Design
  • Postcards
  • Exercise 2: Designing Your Postcard & Door Hanger
    • Day 11: Task Checklist
DAY 12 – Writing Your Press Release
  • Exercise 1: Drafting a Press Release
    • Day 12: Task Checklist
DAY 13 – PowerPoint Presentations
  • Exercise 1: Design Your PowerPoint Presentation
  • Your Traditional Marketing Kit
    • Day 13: Task Checklist
DAY 14 – Website Planning
  • Website Terminology
  • Choosing a Domain Name
  • Pros & Cons to Using Hyphens in your Domain
    Name
  • Additional Domain Name Tips
  • Exercise 1: Brainstorming Domain Names
  • Exercise 2: Domain Name Registration
  • Hosting Your Website
  • Domain Hosting Help
  • Exercise 3: Planning Your VA Website
  • Exercise 4: Determining Your Website’s Goal
  • Exercise 5: Determining Your Website’s Audience
  • Exercise 6: Brainstorming Main Website Content
    • Day
      14: Task Checklist
DAY 15 – Designing Your Website
  • Exercise 1: Design Your Website
    • Day
      15: Task Checklisk
DAY 16 – Search Engine Optimization
  • What is Search Engine Optimization?
  • Search Engines 101
  • Keyword Analysis
  • Exercise 1: Website Keywords and Phrases
  • Exercise 2: Keyword Research
  • More Optimization Tips Using HTML
  • Additional Hints
  • Meta-tags
  • To Submit or Not to Submit?
  • Banners and Link Building
  • Exercise 3: Banner Design
  • Exercise 4: Recognizing Good Text Links
  • Link Popularity – Get Elected This Term With More
    Backlinks!
  • Exercise 5: Link Building Tracking
  • Website Copywriting
    • Day 16: Task Checklist
DAY 17 – E-Marketing
  • E-Mail Advertising: Getting Access
  • Benefits of E-Mail Marketing
  • eMarketing Do’s and Don’ts
  • Exercise 1: Your eMarketing Plan
  • eNewsletters
  • Steps to a Successful Newsletter
  • Exercise 2: Composing Your eNewsletter
  • E-mail Signatures
  • Exercise 3: Your Signature File
  • Exercise 4: Signature File Template
  • An Online Marketing Plan
    • Day 17: Task Checklist
DAY 18 – Networking
  • Exercise 1: Identifying Existing Networks
  • Six Degrees of Separation
  • Exercise 2: Your Marketing Speech
  • Exercise 3: Join VA Organizations
  • Forums and e-lists
  • Tradeshows
    • Day 18: Task Checklist
DAY 19 – Networking – Online
  • Dig In & Identify
  • Basic 101 for Web 2.0
  • 10 Bonus Twitter Tips
    • Day 19: Task Checklist

PHASE
IV: Operations:

DAY 20 – Legalizing Your Business
  • Exercise 1: Business Start-up
  • Exercise 2: Do I Need Insurance?
  • Making Everything Legal
  • Exercise 3: Completing Your Legalese Documents
    • Day 20: Task Checklist
DAY 21 – Banking Considerations
  • How to Get an Online Merchant Account
  • Avoiding Hidden Bank Charges
  • Pre-Application Checklist
    • Day 21: Task Checklist
DAY 22 – Human Resources: Hiring Employees
  • Placing a Want Ad
  • Weeding Through the Applicants
  • Setting Up an Interview
  • Once Hired
    • Day 22: Task Checklist
DAY 23 – Client Relations and Customer Service
  • Your First Meeting With a Client
  • Exercise 1: Completing Your Client Profile
    • Day 23: Task Checklist
DAY 24 – Setting Up Your Office
  • Exercise 1: Office Checklist
    • Day 24: Task Checklist

PHASE
V: Financial:

DAY 25 – Assessing Your Expenses / Setting Your
Price
  • How Many Hours Will You Work?
  • Exercise 1: Pricing Your Services
  • Determining Your Expenses
  • Exercise 2: Charting Your Operational Expenses
  • Exercise 3: Figuring Our Your Hourly Rate
  • Wrapping It Up
    • Day 25: Task Checklist
DAY 26 – Bookkeeping Essentials
  • Invoices
  • Exercise 1: Designing Your Invoice
  • Making the Commitment
    • Day 26: Task Checklist

PHASE
VI: Business Plan:

DAY 27 – It’s Time For A Business Plan
  • Business Plan Development
  • Putting Your Business Plan Together
  • Exercise 1: Developing Your Business Plan
  • Parts of a Completed Business Plan
  • Exercise 2: Business Plan Final Touches
    • Day 27: Task Checklist
DAY 28 – Be A Proactive VA
  • Will YOU be a Proactive VA?
  • Typical VA vs. Proactive VA
  • The 5 Vital POWER Keys
  • Maintaining your VAinsider Club Membership
    • Day
      28: Task Checklist

PHASE
VII: Maintenance:

DAY 29 – Business Coaching
  • What
    is a Business Coach?
  • The Benefits of a Business Coach
  • How Do I Choose a Coach?
  • Exercise 1: Assessing a Potential Coach
  • Questions to Ask a Potential Coach
  • Questions Your Potential Coach Will Ask
  • Where Can I find a Coach?
    • Day 29: Task Checklist
DAY 30 – Maintaining the Momentum
  • Maintaining
    the Momentum

    • Day 30: Task Checklist

Contributors To The VBSS

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