This morning, I had the pleasure of being the guest expert on Blog Talk Radio: Secrets of Her Success.

Darcy Volden Hoag, the Founder of Secrets of Her Success, graciously asked me to explain the virtues of Virtual Assistance and how delegation can help business owners prosper.

It was a great experience and I enjoyed conveying all of the benefits of working with a Virtual Assistant and answering some great questions about this burgeoning industry.

Technorati Profile

The majority of my clients find me through my Social Networking efforts.

I implement New Marketing techniques and Web 2.0 etiquette to attract like-minded people and potential clients.

In learning how to do this for myself, Social Networking has become my #1 client service. At this moment, I use Facebook as the corner stone for building a solid online presence for my clients.

I customize and maintain Facebook Profiles by pulling in additional online components to create a continuum of information.

I use a combination of professional and personal details to create an in-depth online presence, helping clients stand out in a sea of faces.

This is a summary of what I do for my clients on Facebook:

SET UP

The set up process of a Facebook Profile page can be a little confusing. There are a lot of behind the scenes settings that need to be adjusted in order to maximize professional exposure without offending a list of Friends. I adjust settings and notifications to avoid that virtual overwhelm.

I strategically place a limited amount of links throughout clients’ Profiles in order to maximize click-thrus to their websites.

I minimize the information throughout their Profiles so visitors don’t get overwhelmed with details, but rather, stay focused on pertinent links.

I craft HTML OPT-IN BOXES to increase sign ups and build lists. I use RSS FEEDS to pull in blog posts and increase exposure and blog traffic. I create and link a TWITTER account to enhance the opportunity and disseminate information. I use the status bar to promote websites, blogs, and events without being tacky in the process. I create GROUPS AND PAGES to further extend clients’ professional presence. I use a select amount of APPLICATIONS to reach out and engage interest.

I set up and PROMOTE TELESEMINARS using a simple and straightforward approach, minimizing details so that attendees understand how to properly register. Facebook doesn’t have autoresponders so I use an effective timetable to ensure attendees show up and show up on time.

MAINTENANCE

Daily maintenance is essential to create online energy around a website and a blog. Clients need to settle in for the long haul to yield optimum results. Consistent maintenance ensures networking success and creates more traffic around a website and a blog.

Social Networking success is more about a proper mindset, than it is about technology. It’s about reciprocity and providing useful information in a permission-based manner. I maintain virtual energy around my clients’ online presence by managing all of the steps involved in the process.

If you have the time and interest to set up and maintain your own Facebook profile, I’ve created a free e-book filled with step by step instructions on how to do it yourself.

If you’re a business owner or a Virtual Assistant and you’d like to find out how I can help, I encourage you to email me so we can discuss some options.

I wish you the best of luck in 2009!

I just had the pleasure of watching @garyvee‘s keynote speech at #ASW09 on Ustream.TV.

I have to hand it to him, no matter how much that guy cusses, he’s got a heart of gold and a solid message to deliver.

Yes, I was one of those people that had an adverse reaction to Gary Vaynerchuk when I first laid eyes on him in a virtual setting.  The guy cusses like nobody’s business, so be forewarned if you’ve never listened to him before.  He’s not for the faint of heart.

Clearly, he knows what he likes and he knows where he’s going.  He’s got a successful $50 million dollar wine business and a thriving online community, Wine Library TV to prove it.

After watching him this morning, I took away these two points:

(1) If you’re passionate about what you do, it’s imperative to teach it to others and monetize your knowledge. Go down to your local Chamber of Commerce and tell those folks what you know. In doing so, you brand yourself the expert and become “the Yoda” in your local community.  There are plenty of opportunities within a ten mile radius of your home.  Don’t overlook them. You know more than you realize.

(2) Keep the most important people around you happy. Your hard work is all for naught if everyone around you is disappointed and disconnected.  Know what makes these important people happy and do what it takes to keep them happy.  Take the proper time to nurture these relationships so that you have a balanced life.

Be the Yoda in your community and nurture the love in your life.  Two worthy topics to be mindful of in 2009.

May the force be with you.