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Sara Duggan

Social Media & Blog Management

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Author | Sara Duggan

Hi! I'm Sara. I enjoy curating content, brainstorming blog post ideas, and annihilating to-do lists for my clients. If you're ready to shave hours off your workload so you can spend time where it really matters, Book Your Strategy Call.

I’ve Got That #FridayFeeling

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#FridayFeeling Dreams, Desires, and Goals

Every once in a while, you need to remind yourself why you’re doing what you are doing. You have dreams, goals, and desires. I encourage you today to allow yourself to celebrate these.

#FridayFeeling is a hashtag on Twitter. As I search for various memes to participate in, for my clients as well as myself, I scroll through to get a “feel” for what emotion or purpose it has. This particular one is all about celebrating the fact that you made it through the week and accomplished your goals. It’s now time to kick back, have a glass of wine, and enjoy.

Goals


My goal for this week was quite a bold one. I set an intention on Monday to connect with 24 people. My mission was to get them on a call to chat about how an assistant can help them grow their business or alleviate overwhelm.

My results? I connected with 9 out of 24 which is great in my book especially since I have an unreasonable fear of telephone calls. From those 9 I signed two contracts. Yay, me!

Desires

I desire to be better (health) today than I was yesterday. To me, this means pushing myself to go outside and walk, telling my stinking thinking to move along as it’s no longer welcome, AND to reduce salt and sugar in my diet. I’d also love it if I could get into exploring this beautiful world again.

Dreams


Many, including myself, let their dreams die or go into hiding for fear that they won’t be reached. I challenge you to find your dream, bring it out of storage, and pursue it. Anything is possible, believe it!


One of my dreams is having a place of our own, this bathroom would be a bonus.

This garden:

This Hammock:

What did you accomplish this week? What dreams are hiding out in storage?

Working with a Virtual Assistant is Helpful yet Scary (Tips inside)

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F.A.Q. to Working with Your Virtual Assistant

Working with a Virtual Assistant isn’t easy at first. You have many questions and you’re unsure whether you can trust her/him. I understand. You may also have some control issues which is also understandable. Your business (or blog) is your baby and no one can care for it quite like you can.

Work with Virtual Assistant the F.A.Q. on SaraDuggan.me/blog

Here’s the system I use when I work with my clients. You might also want to read my posts “Before You Hire Your First Assistant” and “6 Tasks to Outsource to Your Blog Assistant“.

In order to make this a smooth process, I set up a system of Six Steps. (you can grab this system and share it with your assistant)

Step 1: Fill out the interest form

This gives me an idea of the tasks that need to be done, the timeline and deadline, as well as your budget. (form)

Step 2: Set up a conference call (Skype, Telephone, or Zoom.us)

I require all clients to speak to me on the phone or via Skype or a conference call via Zoom.us. You need to know who I am (and I, you) and I need to know whether I am the best candidate for your project (and you, me). I’m sure you have lots of questions and I’m happy to answer them.

Step 3: Read, Approve, and Sign the Proposal

After our call, I will write up a proposal with details of your project including your special requests, timeline, and an estimated price. Read over this very carefully as it is what I use to make the contract. If any changes need to made this is the time to let me know.

Step 4: Read, Approve, Sign the Contract, and Pay the Invoice

You’ve sent the proposal back to me so now I’ll work on the contract. This is a legal work-for-hire agreement between you and I. This is also the time when I send you the invoice via Paypal. Once this is paid and cleared I will start on your project.

Refunds and Cancellations:

For all packages and retainers, you have 3 Business Days to cancel. Upon cancellation, you will receive 70% of your total investment back.

Step 5: I Start Work on your Project

It’s time for me to get busy. I work on projects depending on difficulty and the time required to complete the tasks.

For example, if you selected the Quick Start Website I will add this to my long-term queue. This means I’ll work on it daily until the deadline. I work on it however long it takes not on an hourly basis.

If you elect to secure my services via a retainer then you are on my short queue. This means that I work when you need me. For the entire 30 day period, you can request work for your blog, your autoresponder, your social media or another agreed upon project until all hours are used. Retainers are billed hourly so I do record time through Toggl (an electronic timesheet) and send these reports to you at the end of the week so you can track your remaining hours. I also send out reminders.

Step 6: I Deliver Your Project

Your project is now complete. I send the work to you for your final approval. Take this time to review the work, ask questions, and request changes (you have 3-days to request changes). Once approved I send a final timesheet and your final project.

Written out like this it seems like a long process but it really isn’t. The first couple of times you work with me will be awkward. It is a learning period as you get to know me and I get to know you. Don’t ever feel rushed or silly for asking questions, that’s what I’m here for.

Soon this you will be a pro delegator. You may even contract another virtual assistant for a special project like building your membership site or running your Facebook Ad campaign.

Ready to see what an assistant can do for your business or blog?

Book a discovery call. I’m happy to speak with you and brainstorm some ideas.

 

Q: Can Hiring a Virtual Assistant Help My Blog While I’m on Vacation?

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Hire A Virtual Assistant [plus 5 More Ideas to Help Manage Your Blog While on Vacation]

vacation_blog_assistant

Running a blog is a lot of work so how do you take a break or travel and keep it running? A virtual assistant can help you. There are assistants who only handle vacation, travel, or illness requests. This means they are on-call when you need them.

Let’s say you know you’re going to spend 3-weeks on tour in Europe. Before leaving you can contact (usually by phone or skype) the assistant and let her know your needs. Often she will give you a checklist to help you prepare your blog.

This may include pre-writing posts, setting up guest posts (she can help with scheduling these), and tallying all the tasks you do on a daily basis to keep your blog running.

You’re ready to leave but may be a bit nervous handing over the reigns to your blogging business. You’ll have access to your assistant (most offer weekly reports/phone conversations) to touch base on what’s happening with the blog.

There is no need to be tied to your phone or laptop while you’re away because she can manage and schedule your social media in addition to your blog.

Read This Before Hiring Your First Assistant [Read more…] about Q: Can Hiring a Virtual Assistant Help My Blog While I’m on Vacation?

6 Tips for Outsourcing Your Blog for the First Time [Free Checklist]

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Now that you’ve prepared everything, interviewed possible candidates, and selected your new virtual assistant you’re ready to start outsourcing your blog.
Read This Post Before Hiring Your First Assistant

What Should I Delegate to My Virtual Assistant?Outsourcing Your Blog for the first time Infographic by SaraDuggan.Me

You don’t want to start off with important or huge projects. This is your ‘honeymoon’ phase. You’re excited, your assistant is excited and at first, everything may go well. Once the excitement wears off you will both return to your habitual routines. This is where the real testing comes.

  • How does she handle deadlines?
  • Does she ask questions to clarify a problem or does she just continue hoping that the end project is satisfactory?
  • Does she value your vision for your business or does she do what she thinks is best?
  • Can you contact her according to the agreed upon times in your contract?
  • Is she able to follow guidelines or does she need supervision and instructions daily?

Remember that she is NOT your employee. She is a self-employed business owner and should honor your time as well as hers. You shouldn’t have to monitor her daily activities. She should be a good problem solver and work well unsupervised.

Share this Outsourcing Infographic On Your Site

Let’s get started shall we?

1. Choose one task to outsource

Start out with one small task that is not time bound. Are you a blogger? Have her format the post and schedule it for a future date. Are you a small business? Have your assistant plan a week’s worth of social media posts. Maybe you need some keyword research or some customer service calls?

Join the VIP mailing list to access subscriber-only content like this Outsourcing Your Blog Checklist:

2. Sign Contract(s)

For your protection and the protection of your assistant, a contract is ALWAYS necessary. Be sure it describes your responsibilities as well as hers. Include the invoice amount as well as how and when payment will be made. Include start date and due date. Confidentiality clause. Contact information.

3. Start

You’re ready to start outsourcing. Scary and Exciting isn’t it? If you’ve acted on these tips you’ll be ready and so will your assistant. Remember that this is freeing up your time to grow your business so try not to micromanage your assistant. It will be difficult in the beginning, but over time, you’ll gain confidence in her abilities.

4. Review work and work ethic (think communication, deadline honored, etc.)

Now that you have your project back it’s time to review the whole process. How does the work compare to yours? Were you pleased with the amount of communication? Was the assignment delivered on time? Review these with your assistant in a weekly phone call to ensure a smooth work partnership.

5. Select another task to outsource that is a little more demanding

Your assistant has been working with your for a little over a month now so it’s time to take it up a notch. Select a project that is a bit more demanding or takes more time to complete. This can be researching keywords for an upcoming product launch, or managing your email list. You may feel a bit nervous handing over your private information (username + password), but don’t worry. There are some precautions you can take. I’ll go over these later in the F.A.Q. series.

6. Repeat process (contract, start, review) until you have a good feel for how you work together

You’re doing well. You’ve been working with your assistant for a few months now and you know her work ethic. Don’t get too comfortable as sometimes it’s this very comfort that makes it difficult to manage your team well. Always repeat the above process with each project - Proposal, Contract, Start the Project, and Review). Maintain detailed process sheets and training material just in case you need to hire a second (or backup) assistant.

Congratulations! You are well on your way to outsourcing your blog and freeing up your time. What will you do with this time? Will you grow your business or spend time with family and friends?

Be sure to signup for the VIP list where I share all my content upgrades including the Checklist for this post and my 2016 Traffic Map.

Join me on Social Media: @DugganSara on Twitter | SaraAssistsYou on Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest |

Read This Before Hiring Your First Assistant

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Stress-Free Tips for Hiring Your First Assistant

Start by downloading the Before Hiring Your First Assistant Checklist. This will help you prepare everything you need to make a stress-free transition from working solo to working with a team.

Read This Before Hiring Your First Assistant on SaraDuggan.Me/Blog

You’re nervous and a bit unsure about hiring an assistant. You know you need one, but can you afford one? Can you trust someone else to manage your blog or business with the same care and competence as you?

I know exactly how you’re feeling. A few years ago I hired my very first assistant. The biggest obstacle I had was thinking I couldn’t afford one. The second was finding the right person that I can both trust to do a good job and keep my information safe.

Now, I’m an assistant and my best advice to you is not to jump into hiring someone out of desperation AND please don’t hire someone based on price alone.

I started working as an assistant in 2015 August. Previous to this I was a blogger, writer, file clerk, receptionist, and stay-at-home mom. I’ve worked with a number of different clients within a number of different industries.

The following is what I suggest all of my clients do before hiring me or anyone for that matter. Some of the reasons people are dissatisfied with outsourcing are the lack of systems, lack of communication, and lack of discipline. All three are necessary for the Business/Blogger and Assistant relationship to work. [Read more…] about Read This Before Hiring Your First Assistant