Originally Posted by Dawn~AtUrServic

I have also decided that I may try to write my own blog and/or newsletter and maybe outsource the editing to another VA. I have been brainstorming different solutions. I still feel very confident that this will work out for me. Thank you all for your guidance. Dawn

That's one of the exciting things about being a VA. You don't have to do anything that you don't want to or don't feel comfortable doing.

I have learned that I have a lot of good things to say, but it is sometimes hard for me to get that out on paper the right way. My best advice for people like me is to work with an editor. Another thing that I do is take a break from whatever piece that I am working on and come back to it with "fresh eyes". I catch a lot of things that way and it also forces me to s l o w down a little too!

__________________
Doreen R. Patrick, MVA, ACS, CIVA
www.virtualbusinesspartners.net

I guess the main message here is just to keep it professional, not sloppy, and it doesn't have to be complicated, you can keep it simple.

I bet many of you with websites have had emails from 'wannabe' VAs with the most appallingly written emails begging for work from you. I know I have and sometimes I write back nicely explaining that even if I wanted to give them work, I couldn't because their written email didn't give me confidence in their abilities. I had one guy get really upset and email me back saying he already does work for doctors and it's good enough for them - seems he does a lot of copy typing. But the others have usually thanked me for my comments in their well written replies, simply because they've taken care in what they've been doing the second time around.

Kind of like - do you turn up for an interview dressed in your worst clothing or do you turn up looking your best to make a good impression?

Writing emails, participating in business type forums, etc should be viewed the same way.

I agree Stephanie. There are so many VA's with different specialties that we can outsource our mundane business needs. That is the whole point, right?
But I do see Kathie's point about maintaining professionalism in business type correspondence. If we don't take pride in our work, why would anyone want to outsource their clients to us?
Thank you Tess. I have been slowly but surely trying to get through the SEO threads.

Another thing to keep in mind is that this forum is probably indexed in Google(it is). So whatever you post here can be seen by the world. It is part of your SEO. Your business name is now public and your picture if you include one.
In my VA business all work is checked by a outside proofreader before released to the client. Just to make sure that the client will be satisfied.

Kathie,

You make some excellent points here, I entirely agree that far too many written words on the Internet, whether it be blogs or posts on forums such as this one demonstrate a lack of attention for the written word.

Great thread!

Originally Posted by kathiemt

Over the years it has concerned me to see many new VAs (or any business person on any forum) resorting to phonetic spelling or sms type chat on forums when chatting with their peers. It might appear 'cute' or 'modern' but the reality is it can give a wrong impression about your spelling and writing ability and if the VA services you provide depends on your writing ability, then it's important you take care with that, even when participating in forums. How I'm viewed online in the written word is important to me and I believe demonstrates some of my professionalism and my brand as a professional.

Originally Posted by kathiemt

Hi Laurie, there is a real difference between a genuine typo and a lack of discipline for typing properly. The former can simply be an oversight, a sign of busy-ness or distraction but the latter to me indicates a sign of laziness or lack of understanding. Our industry is a professional industry and we need to be recognised as such. And yet I see so many on public forums (not even amongst their own peers) who become very lacksadaisacal in their approach and unfortunately it reflects on our whole industry - not just that one person. People tend to generalise which is why it's so important we remember that we are on show 24/7 if we're running an internet-based business. There really is no slacking off - at least in a public or business type forum.

Originally Posted by kathiemt

I simply want to encourage everyone to consider that even in writing, your business can be 'branded' by your ability or inability to present yourself in the written word.

__________________
Kate V. Kerans
Kerans Virtual Assistance

Thanks Kate, it is something that really is important to me and I feel should be to others as well.

Actually I came across something else yesterday that demonstrates this well and I'll post it in a new thread.

Amen Kathie!
I, too, learned how to type originally on an old fashioned typewriter. When I went on to a vocational school where they offered electronic typewriters, I really thought I was moving up in the world. When I took my first "desk" job and had to work on a PC, I thought I was in heaven; special formatting, cutting, pasting, image loading --- I was the cat's meow in the world of special letter formatting, or so I thought. Now, I see what our kids are doing today with texting, and chatting, and imagecoms (telling as story with images). They have so much available to them, but with these added benefits comes distraction from what I call common sense communication. My son has NO clue how to format and write a report, and don't get me started on his spelling skills. I call it the velcro syndrome. When velcro shoes came out they were all the rage; quick, easy, ready to go... but do you know how many kids in the first and second grades now have trouble tying their shoes? It's the same with all this free-style communication. They may be able to communicate more quickly, but they've lost the art of SPELLING... and just plain eloquence in speech. I'm all for the efficiency of what a virtual assistant has to offer its clientele, but I don't think we should forget about proficiency and accuracy.

I believe part of the problem is TOO much information. We are constantly pushing ourselves to keep up; chasing our competition to get ahead; looking for the next BIG idea and the next great answer. We can't accomplish this goal by communicating in Shakespearean style writing. We're inundated with text messages, emails, websites, forums, blogs and software systems to keep it all in tact. We search google, check out yahoo, make our way to hotbot and lycos; find a wikipedia page and link from that to another source. We're overflowing with resources, but lacking in time... so we take shortcuts. I believe that these shortcuts will (ironically) hurt our professionalism in the long term, at least in the eyes of our customers... those who we've been pressing the clock to please to begin with. Communication is necessary to survival; good communication is necessary to succeed.

- Tanya

velcro syndrome! Love that.

There will always be room for the professional typist or word processor, or whatever you want to call us - at least for the immediate future. I think a generation or two will have to die out, or be close to it before that changes, but I could be wrong. I hope not!