JERPAT Virtual Professional's Newsletter

JERPAT's Virtual Professionals Newsletter

September/October 2009

 

Check out our past issues @ http://www.everywomansnorthstar.com/archive.html

 

Hosted by JERPAT
Editor - Patty Benton

(866) 960-8840

editor@professionaladminteam.com

 

Check out our blog at

www.fromawomansheart.com!

 

Network with other Virtual Professionals @ http://groups.to/virtualprofessionalsnetwork/

 

In Every Issue:

 

This Month:

 

Monthly Message from the Editor

 

Wow – I can’t believe I actually took a week off, no computer and no kids.  I went to Las Vegas with my sister, and had a blast!  If you haven’t taken a vacation with no work, at least do yourself a favor and take a vacation, without work, even if it just means a long weekend.  I feel refreshed and ready to rock!

I love getting coaching ideas and inspiration from the real world and think that we can take a queue from the world of sports.  Judy Renkin made the following remark about the highly famous female golfer, Anika Sorenstam:  "Anika is not afraid to set goals.  Anika says, ‘This is what I want; this is what I am working on and this is what I want to do next.’  Anika sets her goals and goes for them. She is not afraid to fail!”
 
How have you been doing on your goals for 2009?  Have you set your goals for the remainder of 2009?  Are you ready to achieve them? Are you not afraid to fail? If you are bumping up against challenges, join me on October 14 in Squashing Your Fears!  (Details below in the teleclasses section.)
 
This month we are talking about the importance of working on your business and how to use our “Mission, Vision, Strategy” model as a tool. I am also excited to welcome my cohort, Dolly Norris Hooker as a regular columnist with The Coach’s Corner. Dolly says, “At times, we take more than we can handle. We are caught up in giving ourselves to the call of duty. We tend to justify the demands on our time and energy.  We forget that the world will go on, with or without us”.

On the computer end, Jerome is here to help you figure out how to prevent your laptop from going into hibernation – ugh, isn’t that frustrating when it happens?
 
Also – don’t forget – we are finishing our registrations for the September Marketing Train System training group, and taking registrations for our January groups.  If you struggle with marketing, or don’t have the business you intended, then jump on the marketing train with us and make sure 2010 is the year of success for you!  Check out all the details and get registered for only $100 down.  http://www.everywomansnorthstar.com/pc/marketingtrain.html

And, while I am talking about the Marketing Train, I want to tell you about a very special JERPAT Team Member who JERPAT is committed to helping. You can help to, just by signing up for the program (hey – a double benefit)!  When you sign up for the Marketing Train System, we will donate $50 to the Tracy Taylor Kidney Transplant Fund.  Lynn Taylor is a member of the JERPAT team, and her husband Tracy is in need of a transplant.  You can read all the details here, and then help them (and yourself) by signing up for the Marketing Train System. http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/group.php?gid=113608878586
 
Thanks again to all of you who continue to support and encourage Dolly and me while we move forward to make changes and grow the Coaching & Training program, so that we truly can be the missing piece for everyone’s business.

As always, please feel free to send me your story ideas, questions and comments at editor@professionaladminteam.com. I’d love to know how things are going for you. Don't forget - you can sign up for a complimentary, 45-minute consultation at any time at http://www.professionaladminteam.com/consult.html.

 

To your business success!

 

Patty BentonPatty Benton
Editor, BA, Certified Life Coach

Patty is the owner of JERPAT Virtual Assistants and JERPAT Training & Coaching.  She is also the co-owner of Virtual Business Group and co-founder of A.C.T. at work.  You can learn more by going to her blog at www.fromawomansheart.com.

 

Recommended Resource – Email Scramble

 
 
Revisiting an oldie – but a goodie  I don't know about you, but I am sick of the spam that clogs up my Inbox.  The worst are the "Mail Delivery Failures", which means people are using my email address to send spam.  How do they do this?  They use email-harvesting tools to pull your email address from your website.  I found the coolest tool to combat this, and it is simple to use.


Email Scramble allows you to enter your email address, and it then produces code to scramble your email address.  This prevents the harvesting tools from getting your email address.
 
Now you can start drastically reducing your spam!

Go to http://www.everywomansnorthstar.com/resources/emailscramble.htm for more information.

Without a marketing system, you and your business have very little chance of surviving according to business experts and more importantly, statistics.  Join Patty on a crucial, life-change 3 - months marketing training.  During this time we will help you establish the critical foundation of your business marketing system, and give you the knowledge and expertise to market your business successfully.

 View our past suggested resources at http://professionaladminteam.com/nl/suggestedresources.html

 

Quotes


 Remember that what you believe will depend very much on what you are.
    Noah Porter

  Small opportunities are often the beginning of great enterprises.
    Demosthenes

  Only passions, great passions, can elevate the soul to great things.
    Denis Diderot (1713 - 1784)

 

Coaches Corner – A Time to Rest, A Time to Heal


Life is not always a pleasant walk down the garden path.  Who has not known pain and anguish?  Who has not suffered the wounds of relationship discord? Problems are challenges that life casts our way.

We navigate through the detours and face dead-ends in our journey. We set sail, aware of the possibility of stormy weather that can develop overnight.  But we are determined to ride out the storm and not get lost in it.

At times, we take more than we can handle.  We are caught up in giving ourselves to the call of duty. We tend to justify the demands on our time and energy.  We forget that the world will go on, with or without us.

Life goes in cycles - sometimes the cycle is up, then it goes down, like the spokes of a wheel. Sorrow and grief comes to everyone sooner or later.

A grieving heart affects the mind, body and spirit deeply. Sometimes the pain is buried so deeply where no one can reach it, much less touch it.

Frustrations, failures, relationship issues, career and family concerns, financial issues, health problems and having too much on your plate all add up to stress.

Do you listen to the signs your body sends you to slow down or take a much needed rest? There is only so much pain or suffering one can bear. There is a limit to human endurance.

Peace becomes elusive. Perspective is not as sharp, there is too much clutter in the mind.

It helps to get away from the source of conflict to gain a better perspective and to re-group your thoughts. Take a vacation. If this is not feasible, a day away from it all will probably do.

But take a breather. This is not running away, woes are still hovering over and waiting. Taking a respite from it all paves the way to healing the accumulated emotional and mental stress.

Anxiety and worry cloud anyone’s judgment. Perhaps, there is a need to cut some slack for now. What would you change if you were faced with the same situation?

Take the time to re-evaluate and re-assess your priorities. It is a time to step back and look after your needs.  Relax; catch your breath, even for a short time, because you have to take the next step. The battle is not over.

Plan the next stage, for life’s problems do not dissipate into thin air.  Pull yourself together, empower yourself so that your thoughts and actions are in harmony with your highest truth of who you are. Validate your beliefs.

Deep wounds need healing and this takes time. Retreat is a good start- retreat from all that is worrisome, confusing and aggravating. Quiet time and time alone to reflect is a good way to get energized and prepare to move on.

This is the time to recharge your energies. It is a time to heal, mind, body and soul. It is a time to recognize the chaos and confusion that can cause illusions or delusions and make peace elusive.
 
Forgive what needs to be forgiven. Forgiveness can be liberating.

Healing takes time, allow yourself that. Remember, time is a great healer, if you let it.

 

Dolly Norris Hooker, a busy wife, mother and entrepreneur, understands the demands of family and career. For over two decades, Dolly has successfully run her own business while raising a family. She has been coaching since 2005 and as the director of JERPAT Training & Coaching, she not only teaches others to be coaches (http://everywomansnorthstar.com/jtccoachtraining.com.html), but provides her students with the foundation to build successful practices. Dolly also has worked with JERPAT Training and Coaching's Beginner's Failure is NOT an Option group for Virtual Assistants since its inception, supporting students in the mentor role as they face the struggles and challenges of setting up their own business.

© 2009
You have permission to reprint this article electronically or in print, as long as the text and byline remain unedited. A courtesy copy of your publication would be appreciated.

 

Upcoming Trainings

(Don't forget to jump on the Marketing Train!)

* Last Chance*  Jump on the Marketing Train - And grow your business
presented by Patty Benton
Without a marketing system, you and your business have very little chance of surviving according to business experts and more importantly, statistics.  Join Patty on a crucial, life-change 3 - months marketing training.  During this time we will help you establish the critical foundation of your business marketing system, and give you the knowledge and expertise to market your business successfully.  Your train to success takes off on October 15, 2009! Read more and register at  http://www.everywomansnorthstar.com/pc/marketingtrain.html

 

 

*Complimentary* The Critical Foundation - Decide, Dream, Believe

presented by Patty Benton

We all have ideas, thoughts, things we want to achieve.  Yet, for some reason, many of us never reach out for those ideas, thoughts, dreams.  Well, get ready for a change.  If you have ever wanted to run a successful business, OR make your current business a success, then join Patty in learning what is critical to that success and how to find it.  This complimentary tele-seminar requires registration at http://everywomansnorthstar.com/cw/criticalfoundation.html in order to obtain access on October 8, 2009 at 8:00 pm EST. 

 

 
*Complimentary* Squashing Your Fears
presented by Patty Benton
Whether it’s fear of failure, fear of success or fear to take risks, you can't accomplish your dreams without acknowledging and overcoming those very real fears!   Join us for this uplifting teleseminar on October 14, 2009 at 12:30 EST.  Whether your just starting out or been in business for awhile, you MUST Read more at http://everywomansnorthstar.com/cw/fearworkshop.html...

 
 
*Complimentary* Taming Stress - How can we tame stress to make us more productive?
presented by Dolly Hooker
None of us can avoid stress completely. The key is not to eliminate stress, but to handle it in a way that is productive. In this one-hour tele-seminar, you will learn there is a difference between stress and worry and how you can deal with stress without it negatively affecting your physical, emotional, and spiritual health. Join us on October 21, 2009 at 9 pm EST. Register now http://everywomansnorthstar.com/cw/tamingstress.html!

 

Individual Coaching
Not everyone's missing piece fits perfectly in the puzzle, and sometimes you may just need support and guidance on an individual level. We make this affordable to all Virtual Professionals! Go to http://www.everywomansnorthstar.com/individual.html for more information. 

Complimentary Consultation

Sign up at http://www.professionaladminteam.com/consult.html for a complimentary consultation to find out how we can help you!

 

Article – Using the Mission, Vision, Strategy Model

 
When was the last time you took a step back and really analyzed what is working well for you, and what could be working better in your business?

   
At JERPAT, we strive to help Virtual Professionals think and act like True Business Owners (TBOs :-).  This is absolutely Critical if you want your practice to become a sustainable, thriving business!  A key component of being a TBO is spending time “working on the business” vs. “working in the business.”  (To learn more about the importance of working on vs. in a business, we highly recommend “The E-Myth Revisited,” by Michael Gerber.)
   
Put simply, working on your business involves activities like strategic planning, creating new products and services, automating your systems and measuring results.  Working in your business is doing the actual work, like marketing, administration, etc. 
   
Many small business owners are so busy doing the work that they don’t take the necessary time to strategize, plan and innovate. This is a challenge because you will never get off the treadmill.  You will always be a slave to your business and unable to grow past your personal capacity.  
   
For working on the business, we like using the Mission, Vision, Strategy model.  When implemented, this powerful discovery process results in some exciting changes in a business.  While it can sometimes be scary to act on your innovation, the Mission, Vision, Strategy model is a great way to do your “due diligence” and gain the confidence you
need to actually implement a new strategy!
   
So, if you haven’t recently done so, put on your TBO hat and ask yourself the following questions.  We bet you will find this a worthwhile model that can be very enlightening and powerful! 
   
1. What is your Mission?
    
Why are you in this business?  What is your purpose? The answer may seem obvious, be we’ve found that many Virtual Professionals aren’t very clear about this.  TBOs know their mission and use it as a guide when determining short and long term objectives.  When you are truly honest with yourself and identify exactly WHY you are a Virtual Professional, your decisions become a lot easier to make.
   
For example, at JERPAT our Mission is to help as many Virtual Professionals as possible gain the tools, skills and support they need to become TBOs and create their own sustainable, thriving VP businesses.  Ultimately our success contributes to the overall viability, sustainability and success of the Virtual Professional industry.
   
2. What is your Vision?
   
What do you want your VP business to look like?  What are the most important components?  Do you want to build a local practice or have an international client base?  Does the idea of creating viable income streams of passive revenue really get you jazzed? 
   
What is the true direction you want your business to go in?  When you know this, you will make the right strategic decisions and know where to put your energy and attention.  And remember, your vision is perfect as long as you have one, it’s what you really want, and you are willing to take action to make it a reality. 
   
In refining our Vision, we began by connecting with our Mission; to help as many Virtual Professionals as possible create thriving businesses.  Remember, the vision flows from the Mission!  So using our mission, we created a clear vision that includes teaching hundreds of Virtual Professionals through our Coaching and Training program. 
   
3. What Strategies best support your Vision and Mission?
   
The next step is to make sure your strategies (including your product and service offering, pricing and marketing) are in alignment with your mission and vision!  For example, if your vision is to have an E-book and you’re thinking about passive revenue (but your primary vision is to create a thriving VP practice), your strategy might be to offer your E-book for free in order to gain exposure to a larger number of people. These readers would be a percentage of who will sign up for a consultation with you, to discuss how your services can compliment their needs.
   
Can you see how knowing your Mission and Vision make it a lot easier to determine the best Strategy?
   
When thinking about possible strategies, ask yourself:
   
- What do I know about the wants and needs of my clients?
- What is the best way to price/structure my services in order to achieve my mission and vision? 
- Am I looking to attract more people at a lower price or fewer people at a higher price?
   

Working on your business is FUN!  The more you do it, the more likely you are to build a sustainable, thriving business. Successful businesses, by their very nature, are organic.  If they aren’t growing and evolving, they will eventually shrivel up and die.  Not right away, of course, but they will in time. Don’t let this happen to you!  Carve out the necessary time and work on your business.  Connect with your mission and vision, and the rest will follow.
 

Patty BentonPatty Benton runs a training program for new entrepreneurs interested in venturing into the virtual professional industry, that is affordable to all, training them how to set-up a solid foundation and successfully market their business. She has also written an e-book that takes virtual assistants through the process of setting up their business. Additionally, Patty is the owner of JERPAT Virtual Assistants and JERPAT Web Designs which provides affordable tele-seminar, administrative, and web design support to coaches and virtual professionals. She has also partnered to establish the ministry Acknowledging Christ Together in Life. Learn more at

                       www.professionaladminteam.com. 

© 2009
You have permission to reprint this article electronically or in print, as long as the text and byline remain unedited. A courtesy copy of your publication would be appreciated.

 

Computer Tips from the Computer Guru – Disable and Prevent Laptop or Notebook from Sleep (Standby) or Hibernate When Closing the Lid

 
Do you own a laptop or a notebook?


If you answered ‘yes’ to the above question, then read on.

Do you have the problem of, when closing the lid, your computer goes into the Sleep or Standby mode?  Well, I have a solution for you.

In Windows XP and Windows Vista, the behavior when closing the lid on laptop or notebook PC can be changed and tweaked to a user’s likings.

Turning off or disabling the ability for the laptop or notebook to Sleep or Hibernate itself is useful for users who want to leave the computer for a while, and then start work immediately upon opening the lid when returning to their computer. Setting the computer to the “Do nothing” mode while closing the lid also prevents the system from requesting the user’s password upon returning from Sleep, Standby or Hibernation after re-opening the lid.

In Windows Vista:

The following will stop the laptop or notebook from going to sleep or hibernation when closing the lid for users of the Windows Vista operating system:

  1. Log on to your computer as an administrator. Click on Start, go to Control Panel -> System and Maintenance -> Power Options.
  2. Click on Change plan settings for the currently active plan.
  3. Click on Change advanced power settings link.
  4. In the “Power Options” dialog box’s “Advanced Settings” tab for the active power plan, expand Power buttons and lid.
  5. Expand Lid close action.
  6. Change the value to Do nothing for “Lid close action” by selecting a new option from drop down menu for both On battery and Plugged in.
  7. Click the OK button.

Based on your own preference, it’s possible to set other actions from the menu too. Available for selection is Do nothing, Sleep, Hibernate and Shutdown.

In Windows XP:

The following will stop the laptop or Notebook from going to sleep or into hibernation when closing the lid for users of the Windows XP operating system:

  1. Log on to your computer as an administrator. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
  2. Click Performance and Maintenance.
  3. Click Power Options.
  4. Click Advanced tab.
  5. Under “Power buttons” section, select Do nothing from drop down menu for When I close the lid on my portable computer option.
  6. Click the OK button.

Again, any other settings such as Standby and Hibernate can be set based on your own preference.

I hope you find this computer tip very helpful, because I know it helped me out.

 

Jerome BentonJerome Benton is the owner of JERPAT Web Designs, http://www.jerpat.org. He specializes in web design and has partnered with his wife's virtual assistance business to give every company the quality services they need at an affordable price. You can read Jerome's tips at www.everywomansnorthstar.com.

 

Thank you!!!

 

We invite you to send us an email at editor@professionaladminteam.com and let us know your thoughts, opinions, questions, and ideas in regards to this newsletter.  Please be sure to reference which issue you are speaking about.  We will publish your comments here with your permission.  Thank you!

 

JERPAT www.professionaladminteam.com
To use any of the content presented in this newsletter, please contact the authors directly. All statements made in this newsletter are not legal advisements. All information provided in this newsletter is strictly opinions and suggestions of the contributors. JERPAT and the contributors cannot be held liable for any outcomes on behalf of the reader.