You've
reached RHC's Frequently Asked Questions page. Here, you'll find
helpful information about virtual assistance and the services
I offer in particular. 
What
made you start Right Hand Concepts?
What
is your background?
What area are you physically located in?
What are your office hours?
What is your work style and philosophy?
How can I tell whether I'm ready for a virtual assistant?
I'm trying to figure out what I can delegate to a virtual assistant--in
what ways can you assist me?
I know I need extra assistance, because I'm getting totally swamped-but
I'm not sure exactly how to start. What suggestions do you have?
Do you have a particular niche or specialty?
What are your fees and payment policies?
Do
you have any client policies or contracts?
What
platform does your computer work on, and what software packages
do you usually work with?
Are
you a member of any organizations?
Do
you have any other websites and/or businesses besides Right Hand
Concepts?
Do
you ever do any on-site work?
You
offer many services--is there anything that you don't
do?
I've
always wanted to work from home--do you have any assistant job
openings?
How
would you best describe yourself?
What would you consider to be your greatest strength?
What's your weakness?
What
do you enjoy doing during your down-time?
Where do you see yourself in five years?
What
made you start Right Hand Concepts?
I guess I've always had an entrepreneurial spirit;
my own mother once told me, "You just weren't meant to work
a 9-to-5!" I've always been interested in dabbling in new
things, learning new skills, etc-and I was looking for a way to
combine all of my interests & talents. I'd heard about an
interesting field called "virtual assistance," decided
to research the industry online-and was like, "Wow, this
is perfect for me!" I had already been helping different
colleagues with things like Web design, presentations, and press
releases, so formally launching RHC in August 2003 was a natural
progression.
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What
is your background?
I have over eight years of experience that includes administrative
services, freelance writing, journalism and Web design. As a writer,
I've contributed to various publications including Stamford
Advocate, Fairfield County Weekly, New Haven Register, MediaBistro.com,
HealthQuest, Essence, Vibe, Honey and XXL. You can
read a more extensive bio on my About
page.
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What
area are you physically located in?
I'm located on the East Coast (Eastern Standard Time), in southern
Connecticut (USA).
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What
are your office hours?
My office hours are Monday - Friday, 9-5pm, EST.
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What
is your work style and philosophy?
I believe that the VA/client relationship should be an enjoyable
partnership, as my aim is to work with clients hand-in-hand to
accomplish their business goals. (Hence the name "Right Hand
Concepts...I'm the client's "right hand," get
it?) In my opinion, an ongoing VA/client relationship is ideal,
giving me the opportunity to learn all aspects of my client's
business. That way, we can brainstorm on additional ways to continue
your business's growth.
I
believe that communication is key between myself and my clients.
I make it a point to keep them regularly updated on the progress
of their projects, and encourage them to contact me with any questions
or concerns they may have during the process. In an ongoing VA/client
relationship, I find it ideal to touch bases via phone at least
once a week, to cover any new to-do tasks, updates or priority
projects for that period.
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How
can I tell whether I'm ready for a virtual assistant?
A great way to decide whether a VA is right for you is to ask
yourself these questions:
- What
are your short- and long-term goals?
- Are
you comfortable with working remotely?
- Are
you looking for an administrative partner that you can trust
and delegate to?
- Do
you need someone to assist you with administrative or creative
tasks, but don't have the room or resources to bring in an
in-house assistant?
- Are
you looking for someone with a particular skill who could
add real value to your business?
If
you've answered "yes" to most or all of these questions,
virtual assistance might well be the answer to your business needs!
I'm trying to figure out what I
can delegate to a virtual assistant--in what ways can you assist
me?
There are tons of ways that I can help you. I customize my services
based upon my clients' individual business needs. Whether you're
a life coach, executive, author/speaker, book publisher, real
estate agent or bookstore/café owner, I guarantee that
there's at least one task that I can help you with! Click here
for some ideas.
I
know I need extra assistance, because I'm getting totally swamped--but
I'm not sure exactly how to start. What suggestions do you have?
Well, you've come to the right place--you can contact
me to schedule a free phone consultation to determine the tasks
that you need the most assistance with, and I'll offer helpful
suggestions on how we can best accomplish them. If they sound
good to you, we can test the waters on a starter project, possibly
adding hours in an ongoing relationship. I'm confident that I
can demonstrate how a virtual assistant can make your life much
easier!
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Do
you have a particular niche or specialty?
I would say that my niche consists of writing services (press
releases, web content and newsletters), web design and Internet
research.
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What
are your fees and payment policies?
For virtual assistant and web design services, please contact
me for a free quote based on your particular service needs. Pre-payment
is required for general services; hourly rates are available for
web design. Click here
for more information on the various service plans I offer.
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Do
you have any client policies or contracts?
At the start of a new VA/client relationship or project, I send
my client a work agreement that states the terms we've agreed
upon (i.e. type of service, price, deadline if applicable, method
of payment, etc.) and includes a copy of my client policies and
rates. After he or she reads it over, they can sign and fax it
back to me, keeping a copy for their records as well. I find that
this keeps both parties on track regarding project details.
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Do
you have a resume and/or references?
Yes. I have a resume and great references that I'll be more than
happy to provide upon request. In the meantime, you can read my
bio and take
a look at my Testimonials
page to see what my clients have to say about my work.
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What
platform does your computer work on, and what software packages
do you usually work in?
My computer is a PC, and I have a Windows Vista operating system.
I generally use Microsoft Office (i.e. Word, PowerPoint, Excel
and Outlook) for word processing, email & scheduling, Adobe
Photoshop & Illustrator (for graphics creation) and Macromedia
Dreamweaver MX for web design.
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Are you a member of any organizations?
Yes--I am a member of the International Association of Virtual
Office Assistants (IAVOA), the HTML Writers' Guild (HWG), the
Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), and the National Association
of Female Executives (NAFE).
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Do
you have any other websites and/or businesses besides Right Hand
Concepts?
Yes. There's also VBookerBrown.com--Right
Hand Concepts' copywriting division. In addition, I'm the creator
& editor of Triscene.com,
an online magazine covering NY & CT's creative, urban underground.
Featuring both original articles and my contributions to various
outside publications, it's basically my online creative outlet
as a writer (*smile*).
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Do
you ever do any on-site work?
The advantage of virtual assistance is that it keeps your small
business overhead (such as office space, equipment, etc.) down--but
if you occasionally need me in your office to complete certain
tasks, I can be available on a short-term basis within 25 miles
of my office, as my schedule permits. Please contact
me for more info. (Please note that billable hours include travel
time.)
You
offer many services--is there anything that you don't do?
Bookkeeping/accounting is not on my list of services offered,
for example. However, if I can't perform a service because it's
not included on my list (or because I don't have room to accept
new clients at the time), I'd be more than happy to refer you
to someone among my large network of virtual assistant colleagues.
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I've
always wanted to work from home--do you have any assistant job
openings?
Although I appreciate your interest in working for Right Hand
Concepts, it is a solo-run business, and I have no openings at
this time. However, if you're interested in starting your own
virtual assistance practice, the resources on my Links
page might be of great help to you.
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How
would you best describe yourself?
Creative, friendly, funny, positive, honest, straightforward,
resourceful...and kind of quirky (in a good way, though!)
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What
would you consider to be your greatest strength?
I've been complimented often on my "go-getter" attitude--when
I make up my mind to do something, I make it a point to do,
instead of just talking about it. I believe that everyone holds
the key to their own destiny--life is what you make it.
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What's
your weakness?
Ritz crackers with peanut butter, washed down with a tall glass
of fruit punch. Oh, and sometimes, I'm just too hard on myself,
lol! Also, once I get engrossed in a project, I tend to become
a bit of a workaholic--I have to remember to back away from my
computer slowly...and take a breather!
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What
do you enjoy doing during your down-time?
As
a self-professed bookworm, you'll probably find me spending hours
at Barnes & Noble or Borders with my nose buried in all types
of books and magazines (that is, whenever I get a breather, which
isn't that often, lol!). I'm also an avid Internet surfer--which
makes sense, since I'm usually on the computer for a large portion
of my day!
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Where
do you see yourself in five years?
The classic question, right? I see myself as a happy wife &
mom, enjoying a career as a successful author & columnist
as well--and of course, taking Right Hand Concepts to great levels!
