As any small business owner, every single task, income generating or not; like filing documents, which brings in no income but is necessary to keep the business running smoothly, has to be done by you. But do you at times feel bugged down by these repetitive tasks and wish you can delete them from your list? Wouldn't that extra time allow you to give attention to more competitive strategies and profit generating ideas? Then you need a a virtual assistant. A virtual assistant allows you to put that extra punch into your business, since these necessary but very often mundane tasks are now being taken care of efficiently, so you can do exactly what you love doing and see your business grow. It is noteworthy though that not only do you have someone to do administrative tasks, but you have now partnered with someone who also has a vested interest in seeing your business become really viable. Your virtual assistant now becomes an integral part of your business, sharing your goals and aspirations, while simultaneously relieving you of much load. So why do you need a virtual assistant? In short, great ideas plus time and resources to implement them equals viability, competitiveness and growth. A virtual assistant gives you that. So thank you for your question, and keep them coming. Merlene, Five Star Executives

Have you ever thought to yourself, well I understand and like the whole idea of a virtual assistant but wondered whether you can afford it? Well I have great news for you. You do not have to outsource everything, but rather you can have that much needed help, in that much needed area, but strictly at your discretion. You see the whole idea of the virtual assistant is not to bring additional burden to the small business owner, but rather to lighten some of the load, so that more energy can be directed towards business building. So give it a try. First one foot, and as the business gets more body, maybe the other foot. The virtual assistant is just there to take some of the load off. Remember, good things come in small packages, in as small a package as 5 hours for only $65.00 USD. This offer is valid until June 2008. Go ahead, give up some of the load, take advantage of this affordable offer. Step by step, as you see fit, a virtual assistant just might be your answer. Until next time. Merlene, Five Star Executives.

Well here we are again, on that day that we look forward to from Monday. Its Friday and we are all anxious to get out of the office. So here are some tips to help you close the week so the next week does not frustrate you. 1. Give your "To do" list a once over. 2. Back up ALL files. 3. Respond to request for more information. 4. Take out the garbage including what's on your desktop. 5. Say Thank You to your Virtual Assistant especially if your week was good. 6. Send your clients a Thank You note as well. 7. Submit a few articles to Ezine directories. 8. Return all calls and respond to messages on your voice mail. 9. Wish your virtual assistant a good weekend 10. Leave the office early. Until next week, have a great weekend. Merlene, Five Star Executives

We've went ahead and did it. After month's of contemplation we decided to launch our newsletter. Each month we create at least 18 newsletters for clients and mail out to hundreds of subscribers. Now we are going to send you ours! Some articles include: 7 Reasons to Start an Ezine Choose the right keywords for your website Tips for sticking to your resolution and more. You can find January's edition here. CRG

I really liked this article by Peter George, thought I'd share it with you! It's December, and you would think that Santa's work is just getting started. But Santa, being the world's greatest marketer, begins working on the upcoming year on December 26. I suppose he gets a good night's sleep after he gets back from his ride around the world; he may have even slept in the next morning. But you can be sure that once he gets up, he gets right to work. And if he can't take time off from his marketing efforts, how can anyone of us? First of all, Santa has a brand, and everything he does enforces that brand. Could it be that you don't think that there is a brand Santa? Well pull up an ice block, have a seat, and we'll take a look. If I asked you to name who delivers gifts to children, who would be at the top of your mind? Santa Claus, right? Of course there are others; FedEx and UPS make deliveries, too. But then again, how many five year olds are going to say FedEx? Since Santa doesn't have printed materials or similar collateral, he utilizes other features to differentiate between himself and his competition. Instead of a large box van, he drives a big, red sleigh. His uniform of choice is a red suit with white fur trim. His trademark beard is equaled only by his hearty laugh. And his logo is his own image. (I wonder if that's where Colonel Sanders got the idea.) Managing relationships Let's take a look at everything he will have to accomplish this year. His most important asset is his contact list, and it's forever evolving. He has to know who is to be added; who is to be deleted. Just as important as the contacts themselves is the knowledge he has about each of those contacts. This includes, but certainly isn't limited to, such things as: interests, likes and dislikes, hobbies, accomplishments, family members, and how his previous interactions with each one of them panned out. His success is based on a never-ending commitment to the fact that everything is about them ... not him. Similarly, you should be always be updating your contacts and the information you have about them. As with many things in life, the little things mean a lot. So, if at all possible, do what you can to learn about your contacts' spouses, children, hobbies, and anything else you deem valuable. Did his business achieve its revenue goal for the year? Did she reduce her expenditures as she had planned? How is competition affecting his company? Once you have this information, use it! The next time you are with a client who enjoys boats, ask him if he will be attending the upcoming boat shows. Better yet, buy tickets and drop them in the mail. If a customer loves to cruise the Caribbean, and you read an article about the world's newest, largest ship, be sure to send it to her. And when she takes a cruise, make sure you ask her about it when she gets back. Giving leads to receiving To Santa, it's all about giving, and to a great extent, that's exactly how you should think ... especially in business. The more you give to your clients, the more you're likely to get back. Customers look for many different things when the determine value of a product or service. Of course one of them is customer service. Yet many of us believe that extreme customer service -- the kind that makes customers not only take notice but also tell others about it -- is a myth. No it's not, and those who want to take advantage of it have a tremendous opportunity. Then again, extreme customer service is not easy. It's planned, tracked, and redeveloped as needed. Santa knows this, and he spends what others would consider an inordinate amount of time working on it. He realizes that the results he reaps at the end of the year are based on the planning he sows at the beginning of it. Don't forget Rudolph We all know that Santa relies on many reindeer to get him around the globe in one night. And we can learn a lesson from this fact. Many of us can name the nine well-known reindeer, but when asked to name only one, the vast majority of us name Rudolph. Why? Because this smart little reindeer has branded himself. His unique value proposition -- how he differs from his fellow reindeer and the benefit that difference offers -- is known to all of us. He is the only one with a red nose that glows, meaning he can lead Santa's sleigh through stormy weather. He also has his own song and television show. And, although others, such as Olive the Other Reindeer, have tried to do the same, they just haven't been able to capitalize the way Rudolph has. Who ever thought that a reindeer would be an example for businesses of all sizes? Article Source: