It happens all the time in my web business; someone comes to me with 'everything ready'—they have a domain name, hosting, email, content; it's all ready to go. This will be the easiest website you've ever done, they say.

Wrong.

Invariably, they've registered the domain name with a service which is, well, limited. They've chosen user-friendly hosting, which means that it's not geek friendly. They have Yahoo email. They have all their content in a Word document, neatly formatted, with images precisely positioned.

The first step, in this case, is to start over.

The choice of hosting has to come after the choice of development technology. My platform of choice these days is WordPress, which means I need hosting on Linux or some other flavor of UNIX. Not Windows. I also need true FTP access for direct access to the files. Not an online file manager.

Email should be you@yourdomain.com, not yourdomain@yahoo.com. I can't 'move' that email, or work with it in any way, without costing you lots and lots of money.

Microsoft Word is not a web development tool. The beautiful formatting in your document will not transfer to the web automatically. It may transfer, partially, to WordPress, but the cleanup will take longer than starting over.

The images embedded in a Word document may very well be useless. Word is not an image management or editing tool. The images may be too small or at too low a resolution to be usable for your site. At the very least, extracting them from Word is going to cost, because it's a tedious process I don't enjoy.

This only covers web development, but the principle applies to choosing a cell phone, your next computer or printer, your internet service . . . any technology—and the people who'll be working with it on your behalf:

Step One is always, always to ask for professional advice from someone you trust.

Yes, this is still the blog of Chief Virtual Officer; you're not lost. In order to set up our new online learning environment, CVO Source, we're changing the layout and look of the blog to match the Source. The blog becomes the free portion of the Source, always available to anyone interested in the business of being a virtual worker.

If you're interested in even more, including audio, video, how-to articles, Q&A, and whatever else we can dream up together, sign up for CVO Source. For less than $5 a month, you'll get more business knowledge than you can possibly absorb. You might want to read more about it, but if you're ready right now, click the button below:

After payment you'll be taken to the Source where you can create a username and password. Your account will be approved promptly, and you can get started learning!

Perhaps you haven't started to blog yet for one of these reasons:

1. You have no idea what to write about
2. There's no time to blog
3. No one will read it anyway
4. You don't feel there's any ROI (return on investment)

But there are very compelling reasons to blog:

1. Search engines like blogs and prospects will be able to find what you have to offer more easily
2. Blogs allow your prospects and clients a way to converse and interact with you instantly
3. A blog is an easy, affordable way to connect with prospects and provide valuable education

An important factor often neglected is to respond to reader comments. You want to converse with your readers and that means you must reply to their comments.

What are your thoughts?

I'm very excited to announce a new VA Coaching Program.

If you'd like to start your new year with a bang, subscribe to our 5-month program.

Benefits:

• Access by email 24/7
• One 1-hour phone call each month with Joel and Sue
• Review of website, particularly in the area of marketing and SEO, any marketing materials, including business cards, brochures, postcards, cold calling scripts, etc., blog, articles and rates
• Assistance developing description of your ideal client, creating a 30-60 second pitch, a one page business plan, one page marketing plan and marketing calendar
• Products as listed below, one each month
• PDFs as listed below, one each month
• Questionnaire to determine your specific coaching needs
• We only work with ten clients at a time

Books and CDs included, valued at over $100:
(one mailed each month of paid coaching)

• The Commonsense Virtual Assistant: Becoming an Entrepreneur, Not an Employee

• Motivation 101: 5 Steps to Activate Your Potential in Any Economy, An Audio Mastery Course

• 49 Commonsense Business Observations

• The Commonsense Entrepreneur

• Surprise bonus business book

Bonus PDFs included:

• Self Promotion: Getting Started - includes marketing tools and resources

• Blogging for Your Business: includes 3 Keys to Successful Blogging and 5 Ways to Promote Your Blog, Finding the Time to Write and What to Write About, Ideas on How to Get More Traffic to Your Blog and a questionnaire to help you get started

• Article Submissions and Press Release Sites

• Duct Tape Marketing Guide: 7 Steps to Small Business Marketing Success

• Marketing and Promoting Your Teleseminar: a list of online sites you can post your teleseminars

• Weekly teleclass with coaches Joel D Canfield and Jerry L Kennedy

• Digital copies of all Business Heretics products: audios and ebooks

• First look at all new Canfield Kennedy content posted at the website

Recently I've been able to help several clients create and set up systems to maintain their blogs and promote them. I've had other VAs ask me for this information too.

This Introductory Blog Package includes a 2-page Blogging Basics report that discusses why you should have a blog, the benefits, 3 Keys to Successful Blogging, and 5 ways to promote your blog.

The package also contains a 3-page report, Blogging: Beyond the Basics, that addresses finding the time to write, what to write about, creating quality content, and more.

The final 2-page report, Blogging: The Advanced Stage, gives you more ideas on how to get more traffic to your blog. The package also includes a questionnaire designed to help you get started with blogging.

I will be offering this package to clients (valued at $49.95). However, as a special introductory offer, I am offering it at a discounted rate for $29. If you would like to purchase this introductory blog package at this special discounted rate, please email me directly at sue@awesomeassistant.info and in the subject line type: Intro Blog Special.