Dear Mr. Internet: With the shift in the economy affecting everyone's business, it seems that I am working harder than ever with less return for my efforts.  Is there some way I can use the Net, beyond just marketing, to leverage my efforts? Geri Kenyon CRS GRI LTG RRC RE/MAX Atlantic Kenyon Real Estate Relocation & Referral Bradenton, FL

Dear Geri:

It seems the old adage "work smarter not harder" is more true now than ever.  The key of course, is in knowing how to accomplish this seeming miracle during these trying times.  Fortunately, the answer is a close as your Internet connection --through the use of "virtual assistants"...

Results Without The Hassles

A Virtual Assistant (VA) is essentially anyone who has the time, talent, skill sets, and desire to help you with some aspect of your business in an ongoing way.  However, instead of accomplishing their work on-site they can be located anywhere in the world.  And as long as they have a good Internet connection, and can speak your language they can get just about any job done that doesn't require geographical proximity to your place of work.  For example, if you live and work in California your VA may reside in Indiana.

The process of hiring a VA to do any number of things, including giving your business a "booster shot" by helping you implement powerful new marketing programs, was covered in the December 1999 edition of Ask Mr. Internet!.  Since that time however, whole new ways of working with them have emerged...

Working Together From A Distance

There are four levels of interaction you can have with your VA, each with its own set of online tools that facilitate it:

1. Communication - which is simply the exchange of verbal, written, and visual information between you and your VA. In addition to the traditional use of phone and fax, the primary online communication tool for working effectively with your VA of course is e-mail. You could also use things like instant messaging, chat, and even Web forums (see "Collaboration" below for access to these tools);
2. Data Transfer - the exchange of computer files between you and your VA --typically accomplished with the help of e-mail attachments. For larger files though (e.g. multimedia presentations) you may need to use something like Whalemail, which is a Web-based service that allows you to transfer huge files easily through your Web browser.
3. Collaboration - where you and your VA share the same virtual workspace to accomplish and coordinate what needs to get done. Your own password protected (and free!) Intranet from CommunityZero is perhaps the best tool for this purpose. Here you can share and store files critical to your business, have chat and instant messenger sessions with any number of assistants, set up schedules and much more. This is a "must have" if you are serious about working with VAs.
4. Remote Access - where your VA can view or take complete control of your computer as if they were sitting right at your keyboard. GoToMyPc is a Web based application that provides this capability and is one of the most powerful and easy to use solutions that do --and with it, the possibilities are endless! For example, let's say your VA needs to do a marketing related mail-merge with a database stored on your computer. Using GoToMyPC, they can access those records and do the merge on your computer, but have them print on their printer. This means you don't have to store or transfer duplicate records and the whole project is completed without any involvement on your part. Now that's working smart! Keep in mind however, that you would only offer this kind of access to someone you trust explicitly.  

The use of Virtual Assistants within your business is a powerful emerging trend within the real estate industry. Just ask top producer "Uncle Ben" Coleman, CRS of C-21 Hartford Properties in San Francisco, CA. After struggling through a number of disappointing on-site assistants, Ben eventually hired three VA's to help him maintain market dominance without the hassles and expense of managing an on-site staff.

And with the powerful online tools mentioned above to help you achieve the highest benefit from your VA help, it just became a lot easier to work less, while earning more!

Published: February 19, 2002

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Michael J. Russer (a.k.a. Mr. Internet®) is an internationally acclaimed speaker, trainer, author, and strategic consultant to the real estate industry and small business. He is also the exclusive Internet columnist for REALTOR® Magazine, the architect of the revolutionary e-ProductivityTM system and leading voice for the use of Virtual Assistants in small business. You can subscribe to his free monthly leading-edge newsletter ePOWER NEWS by going to ePowerNews.com.