Why You Should Care About Article Marketing as a VA

Why You Should Care About Article Marketing as a VA

By:  William Burley

As a virtual assistant, you may be wondering how in the world article marketing can help you and your career. Isn’t article marketing just for experts and authors? The short answer is that article marketing is for anyone who wants to establish themselves as a leader in their field and drive more traffic to their website. So, as the owner of your own VA business, article marketing can help YOU.

Before I get into the details of how article marketing can help you in your business, let’s take a quick look at what exactly article marketing is. In a nutshell, it’s the process of using short articles for publication and distribution by other websites and off-line publishers, typically free of charge.

The first question that occurs to you is most likely, “Why would anyone give away their expertise and content for free?” There are three main reasons:

Exposure. The more places your market can find you, the more routes to your website, the higher your traffic will be. Each article you write creates a separate trail someone can follow back to you – and become your customer.

Expert Status. When you put quality information out into the marketplace, you will establish yourself as a go-to expert that people can come to for advice and information. Don’t stop yourself just because you feel like you might not know every nook and cranny of your topic. You need to know enough to provide value to your potential market and give them what they’re looking for. That will put the level of an expert in their eyes.

Stamp of Approval. When another website or blogger publishes your article, that serves as a recommendation or “stamp of approval.” This validation serves as an introduction to that person’s audience, making them more receptive to your message. If you don’t put your content out there, this can’t happen.

Article marketing isn’t just for authors or information product marketers. Article marketing is for any business owner who wants to drive more traffic to their site, establish themselves as head and shoulders above their competition, and gain access to new audiences. Your potential clients are out there looking for help, make sure you show up in the right place at the right time by creating great articles and sprinkling them throughout the web!

 

William Burley is the owner and founder of Burley-Wilson & Associates, a virtual consulting firm that provides administrative, bookkeeping and paralegal support to clients across the United States.  To learn more about article marketing, please email info@burley-wilson.com or visit http://burley-wilson.com. 

“HOW TO USE A SUB-CONTRACTOR TO SAVE MONEY AND BUILD BUSINESS”

“HOW TO USE A SUB-CONTRACTOR TO SAVE MONEY AND BUILD BUSINESS”

By:  William Burley

 

Managing the sometimes drastic changes of both increasing and decreasing work flow can be a challenge for any small business owner.  One way to expertly navigate the changes is to partner with a sub-contractor, independent contractor, freelancer or virtual assistant.  Doing so will allow you to ensure that you have an experienced worker to handle your priorities without creating a sharp increase in overhead costs.

 

Many entrepreneurs have never considered the smart business decision of working with a freelance virtual assistant.  This can make the process of choosing the correct independent contractor a chore in itself.  Below are considerations that will help any small business owner make a better choice for their particular needs.

 

1. How much money will you save?
   To hire a permanent employee, a small business owner can spend approximately 25% more than it would cost to work with a sub-contractor to perform the same tasks.  This percentage mainly consists of what an employer pays:  Social Security, Medicare, workers’ compensation insurance, liability insurance, and other coverage and taxes.

   The average costs of working with an independent contractor ranges from $20 – $40 per hour worked, dependent upon the type of work and any specialized training required to perform the tasks.  The contractor can perform duties including accounting/bookkeeping, creating or proofing PowerPoint presentations or managing your customer service support mechanisms.

2. Specialized training can help.

   Partnering with a remote assistant can assist a small business owner better meet the needs of the customer.  A contractor with specialties in certain fields can perform the tasks more efficiently, saving the business owner more and creating an atmosphere of increased profits while any employees focus upon their talents.

3. Startup costs make it difficult to hire a permanent employee.

   An independent contractor can manage your operations, market your product or service and assist in building a better customer relationship model than if the entrepreneur was performing all the tasks alone.

   Freelancers may also be a needed support for any busy seasons your company may encounter throughout the year.

   MAKING THE DECISION TO OUTSOURCE

   Some factors to objectively consider when making the decision whether the small business should outsource work:

   The Money – What are the real costs of hiring a permanent employee to perform tasks or doing it yourself opposed to having an independent contractor perform the work.  There are immediate costs which include recruitment, training, office equipment, and more.  Long term costs include payroll and benefits taxes.

   Skills and Time – You must determine whether you have the real time to recruit, train and manage a permanent employee or would it benefit you to immediately access the skill set of an independent contractor or virtual assistant.

   There are many benefits to partnering with a sub-contractor.  Take a moment to objectively assess the best move for your small business.

   William Burley is the founder and owner of Burley-Wilson & Associates, a virtual assistant and virtual paralegal services firm.  He has more than twelve years providing legal and administrative support with six years of providing professional and reliable freelance support to clients.  To learn more about partnering with an independent contractor, contact William at info@burley-wilson.com or visit www.burley-wilson.com.

Social Lead Generation

Social Lead Generation

By:  William Burley

 

One aspect of business that all entrepreneurs focus on is lead generation.  It is an ongoing process to find individuals and other businesses that will make use of your services or purchase your products.  Lead generation was an activity that normally happened at networking events, mixers and business expos.  With the explosion of social media, a business owner is no longer confined to making contacts within their general location.  This article will attempt to discuss how lead generation and the social media worlds collide; tips on how to get the most success with social media lead generation and provide a few sites that are underutilized for business social media purposes.

 

TWO WORLDS COLLIDE

 

Those who performed lead generation were limited to mass mailings, networking events, cold calling and other activities that did not produce a wide reach for marketing purposes.  Since social media has come into existence, it has created an opportunity that many of us could not imagine just a few short years ago.  Some of the more popular social media sites boast millions of users.

 

• Facebook, www.facebook.com – 845 million users
• Twitter, www.twitter.com – 300 million users
• LinkedIn, www.linkedin.com – 130 million users

 

With the numbers of registered users on the most popular social networking sites a small business owner has endless possibilities for potential customer outreach…well beyond the mere hundreds that could be targeted through the traditional methods.  An added benefit of performing lead generation on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn is that you can find customers for free.

 

While social media is still considered a fairly new invention to the world of marketing, many of the techniques of traditional lead generation still hold true.  Try using some of these tips to make your social media networking experience more effective.

 

• Search for other virtual assistants, entrepreneurs and others in your niche (e.g. Search for “Virtual assistant real estate” and see what pulls up)
• Join groups that are specific to your field and watch the conversation
• Comment on status updates without directly marketing.  Show your knowledge first. (e.g. provide historical data on the topic)
• Use keywords effectively in your online comments
• Provide links to your blog or articles to share more information on a topic being discussed (e.g. after your comment, include a link to your blog entry with info specific to the discussion)

 

By implementing one or more of the above ideas, you will find that a more focused attempt at marketing will yield better results on social media.  Always think in terms of your target audience and focus everything on answering the question, “How can you solve a potential client’s problem?”

 

There is unfortunately no magic spell for lead generation or social media site management.  Each takes dedication and hard work to produce fruitful benefits.  Transfer the knowledge you have gained from traditional lead generation and marketing throughout the years to your social media experience and you will expand the reach of your already blossoming success.

 

William Burley is a high energy, in demand virtual paralegal and virtual assistant with more than twelve years as a paralegal and six years providing freelance support services to clients across the United States.  He is the owner of Burley-Wilson & Associates and manages a team of nine virtual independent contractors.  To contact William you may e-mail wburley@burley-wilson.com or visit him online at www.burley-wilson.com.

 

© February 2012. Burley-Wilson & Associates, L.L.C.  All rights reserved.

Our virtual paralegals assist with Socia

Our virtual paralegals assist with Social Security Disability claims. Request a proposal at info@burley-wilson.com.

Press Release — Virtual Assistant Services

For Immediate Release

William
Burley

Burley-Wilson & Associates, L.L.C.

(713) 551-8689

info@burley-wilson.com

www.burley-wilson.com

Economic Downturn Hurts Small Businesses — Burley-Wilson &
Associates Offers Profitable Staffing Solution!

Houston, TX – October 25, 2011 – The current economic
downturn has had a direct impact on small businesses. Small business owners
have had to do so much more with a great deal less. The meltdown in the credit
markets, the housing collapse, the weakened U.S. dollar and depressed consumer
confidence have all taken a particularly harsh toll on small businesses.

The small business community has played a vital role in pulling the country out
of past recessions. Small businesses generated 65% of the job growth between
1993 and 2008, and represent approximately half of the private-sector
employment, according to the Small Business Administration.

Burley-Wilson & Associates, L.L.C. has developed a proven
plan to assist small businesses make a profitable comeback in spite of the
economic woes of the country!

“By utilizing our virtual assistant services that are
tailored to each small business, we help create a real opportunity for a 50%
increase in profit, ” states William Burley, a veteran provider of virtual
staffing solutions.

Burley-Wilson & Associates, L.L.C. will provide virtual
assistant services to small businesses that will allow the owners to focus on
servicing existing customers and building new professional relationships while
its virtual staff does the rest.  Some
services that the virtual assistants of Burley-Wilson & Associates provide
to small businesses include: sales lead

generation and research, invoicing and collections, data
entry, customer service, appointment scheduling, human resources development,
general/business transcription, e-mail and voicemail management, database
management, traditional and social media marketing and much more.

Burley-Wilson & Associates, L.L.C. will offer a 25%
discount to any small business that presents a copy of this release!

Small businesses are the backbone of the American economy. These companies, by
utilizing the services of a virtual assistant from Burley-Wilson &
Associates, L.L.C., can increase their profits by up to 50% and help create a
stronger economy in the process.

Burley-Wilson & Associates, L.L.C. is a virtual assistant services company
dedicated to providing proven and experienced administrative support to small
businesses across the United States. We provide support so small business
owners can focus on their passion — the small business. Our virtual staff will
do the rest!

# # #

Outsourcing to a Virtual Assistant

Outsourcing work to a virtual assistant will be one of the most important decisions that a small business owner will make…

 

There are many benefits to partnering with a virtual assistant.  Some include:

 

• Up to 75% cost savings;
• Experienced in most office software;
• Fast completion of work assigned; and
• Network of other virtual assistants

 

Partnering with a virtual assistant or VA will provide a cost savings to any small business owner because many costs associated with a permanent employee simply does not exist with a virtual assistant.  For instance, when you outsource your work to a virtual assistant you will experience the following:

 

• You do NOT pay for medical or dental benefits;
• You do NOT pay towards retirement plans;
• You do NOT pay overtime;
• You do NOT pay for office equipment or furniture; and
• You do NOT pay for continuing training

 

A virtual assistant will be familiar with various software necessary for the success of your company.  Some software that a virtual assistant will show expert knowledge with include:

 

• Microsoft Word;
• Microsoft PowerPoint ;
• Microsoft Outlook;
• Microsoft Excel ;
• Quickbooks or Cash Manager; and
• Social media tools

 

When a small business owner partners with a virtual assistant the work normally has a fast turnaround time.  Virtual assistants are accustomed to providing work that needs to be done quickly and efficiently.  This attribute, in turn, assist with keeping costs low as many hours are not spent working on a simple project.

 

Most virtual assistants are affiliated and network with other virtual assistants.  This is an added benefit to your small business because your virtual assistant will ensure that if a project cannot be handled through them, a competent and experienced virtual assistant will help complete your project.  There will always be someone who can perform the work and your virtual assistant is the conduit to make those connections.

 

Most small business owners feel they have nothing they can outsource to a virtual assistant.  This is the farthest from the truth.  Below is a list of some things that can be outsourced to a virtual assistant.  This is by no means a complete list, but will hopefully give you ideas as to what you can really assign to your virtual assistant.

 

• Sales leads research
• Invoicing and collections
• Travel arrangements
• Meeting and event planning
• E-mail management
• Voicemail management
• Customer relationship management
• Data entry
• Database management
• Human Resources
• Customer service
• Appointment scheduling

 

Burley-Wilson & Associates, L.L.C. provides virtual assistant services to small businesses, non-profit organizations and individuals.  We offer special rates for signing a monthly retainer and provide discounted rates for first-time clients.  If interested in discussing what work you can outsource to the virtual assistants of Burley-Wilson & Associates, L.L.C. during a FREE 30-minute consultation, please send an e-mail to info@burley-wilson.com or call (713) 551-8689.

YOU SAID YOU’RE A VIRTUAL WHAT?

By:  William Burley

Surprisingly, many attorneys begin to look dazed and confused when the words, “I’m a virtual paralegal” flows from the orifice located at the front of your head.  What they do not realize is that virtual is a similie to “contract,” “freelance” and temporary paralegals.

The term “virtual” has become rather important because of the quickly changing manner in which paralegals can perform their work.  Only ten years ago were we making multiple copies of everything we filed, everything we sent to opposing counsel and it seemed that sometimes we made a copy of what we placed in the file just to know and have proof that we filed it!  Confusing…yes I know!

There was then the push to go paperless and many of us – attorneys and paralegals alike, were nervous about it…I think the attorneys more so than the paralegals.  We could actually get rid of paper!  Hallelujah!

Now, with the economic hardships being experienced across the country, many firms are looking for ways to reduce overhead.  Most times, this entails laying off individuals or whole departments within the firm.  Hiring a virtual/contract/freelance paralegal can provide you with just the way to lessen what goes out of your pocket every pay period.

With a full time paralegal a firm will pay for vacation, sick time, family leave, taxes, workers’ compensation, unemployment, medical benefits, dental benefits and let’s not forget that all important vision benefit to get those glasses from reading all that paper from a few years ago!

I digress…let’s move ahead, shall we?

The costs associated with a full time paralegal can be quite astronomical, especially when you factor what you pay the paralegal for wages.  There is a solution – virtual paralegal!

A virtual paralegal is an independent contractor that can work on a single project for you or work on a continuous basis…the only difference?  What comes from your payroll account.

*A virtual paralegal will work from home or their own office space.  No expenses for office space.

*A virtual paralegal is not your employee, but a contracted individual you do NOT have to pay for those weeks of vacation or sick time.  Don’t worry about workers’ compensation coverage!  No paid sick time either!  I can hear the attorneys in the background falling all over themselves with all this news!

Seriously though, we are all facing economic hardships at one point or another.  During this time, there are only more of us who will feel the pressure right now.

Make the first step in correcting and improving your financial situation for the practice and hire a virtual paralegal!

William Burley is the managing member and paralegal coordinator for Burley-Wilson & Associates, L.L.C., a virtual paralegal services company.  He has been president of one of the largest paralegal associations in the country and serves as board chair for a Texas non-profit organization.

To find out more details about virtual paralegals or if you wish to speak with William about services Burley-Wilson & Associates can provide, please e-mail William at wburley@burley-wilson.com or call (713) 364-9703.

LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT SERVICES

Author:  William Burley

The virtual paralegals of Burley-Wilson & Associates provide legal support services in labor and employment law.  It is the attorney’s responsibility to review all work performed by our virtual paralegals as we work under the direct supervision of attorneys.  Some of the tasks that may be delegated to our virtual paralegals include:

• Will deal with a number of state and federal agencies, statutes and regulations.  The agencies include the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Occupational Safety Health Administration (OSHA).  Statutes and regulations include Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).
• Draft pleadings, forms and position papers
• Conduct factual and legal research
• Conduct factual investigations
• Monitor state and federal regulations

Burley-Wilson & Associates is dedicated to providing excellent and efficient paralegal support services in the labor and employment field of law.  For more information as to how we can assist, please e-mail info@burley-wilson.com, call (713) 551-8689 or visit www.burley-wilson.com.  We provide a free 30 minute consultation.

BURLEY-WILSON ESTATE PLANNING SERVICES

Author:  William Burley

Burley-Wilson & Associates, L.L.C. provides assistance to solo practitioners and small to medium size law firms in estate planning matters.  Our paralegals work under the direct supervision of the attorneys who retain us to provide their legal support for single or ongoing projects.  Below is a partial list of services our virtual paralegals can provide in this practice area.

Preparation of beneficiary designation forms and transfer of assets from qualified retirement plans, IRAs and all types of individual account ownership forms;

Preparation of legal memoranda, pleadings, discovery responses, motions, subpoenas, exhibits;

Draft fiduciary tax returns.

Draft petitions and proposed orders as necessary.

Draft inter vivos trust agreements.

Maintain financial records of trusts.

Draft inventories, accounts, and petitions for those trusts requiring adjudication.

Obtain tax identification number for trust.

Draft fiduciary income tax returns for trusts; inform trusts’ beneficiaries of the tax liability of their distributions via IRS Schedules K-1.

Draft intangible property tax returns for trusts and estates.

Draft pleadings registering or terminating trusts and appointing or substituting trustees.

Draft petitions to commence proceedings, personal well-being reports, notices of right to appeal annual and final accounts, restorations to capacity, and closing documents.

Prepare and maintain a calendar system, noting important estate administration deadlines and court appearances.

Obtain and draft necessary documents to file will with probate court.

Order certified copies of documents, such as the death certificate.

Draft documents to commence a probate proceeding; file the same with the probate court and act as liaison with court personnel while identifying interested parties by determining heirs, devisees, contingent beneficiaries and creditors.

Obtain federal and state tax clearance to release any tax liabilities.

Collect documentation for audits of tax returns.

Draft affidavits or statements filed with tax returns or submitted during audits.

Prepare miscellaneous petitions, such as application for spousal allowance or authority to erect grave marker.

Draft petition for approval of wrongful death settlements, settlements to minors, and name changes (adults and minors).

Maintain all estate records.

The virtual paralegals of Burley-Wilson & Associates, L.L.C. bring years of experience to the practice of estate planning.  Should you wish to schedule a free consultation to determine how we can best assist you, please contact us at wburley@burley-wilson.com , by phone at (713) 551-8689 or by filling out our consultation form on our website at http://www.burley-wilson.com.

PERSONAL INJURY SERVICES

Author:  William Burley

Burley-Wilson & Associates, L.L.C. provides experienced legal support services in all aspects of Personal Injury law.  Some may not be aware of the tasks that a virtual paralegal can perform.  Below is a list of functions that the sole practitioner or small law firm can outsource to the virtual paralegals of Burley-Wilson & Associates, L.L.C.

• Maintain file including documents involving contact with insurance carrier(s), client, health care provider(s), employer(s) and state/local agencies.
• Obtain, review, organize, and analyze medical records. If appropriate, compile medical notebook for each individual involved in action.
• Conduct computerized medical, scientific, and technical literature research. Analyze materials and prepare synopsis.
• Obtain and compile records relating to product history and information about similar products, including research and development, manufacture, patent/copyright filings, instructions for use, distribution, sales, and advertising documents.
• Attend site, product, accident, or vehicle inspection.
• As necessary and appropriate, interview doctors, nurses, and hospital personnel involved in patient care.
• Obtain, review, and organize damage information; calculate damages (medical expenses, lost wages, household expenses, consortium claims, property damages); prepare, maintain, and update damage summaries.
• Prepare settlement proposals, including assembling information on the history of plaintiff and the nature and effect of injuries and damages.
• Develop information and acquire records for wrongful death, i.e., supporting evidence regarding sibling and/or child/parent economic claims.
• Obtain factual information about products, companies, and individuals from various resources, including government agencies.
• As necessary and appropriate, arrange medical examinations for client or opposing parties.
• Communicate with experts and provide copies of all relevant documentation regarding accident, product information, and/or medical care, including all summaries of same.
• Answer client questions, keep client updated on progress of case.
• Liaison with insurance adjusters, provide necessary information/documentation to adjusters.
• Interview experts – develop questions to ask experts. (Many times government experts will not volunteer information but will answer direct questions posed to them, so the paralegal needs to know what questions to ask.)
• Write demand letters.
• Prepare settlement statements.

The work performed by the virtual paralegals of Burley-Wilson & Associates is always under the direct supervision of an attorney.  We provide these legal support services to allow our clients to practice what they love – law!  For a free consultation to determine how we can best assist you, e-mail wburley@burley-wilson.com, phone (713) 551-8689 or fill out our consultation form online at http://www.burley-wilson.com.