PEARCE VIRTUAL SOLUTIONS BLOG

There’s a Change in the Weather. . .

2008-11-29T17:27:00.005-06:00

Well, the elections are over, and no matter how you voted, change is coming. The weather is changing, the political landscape is changing – and after a rocky ride this fall, the outlook for loans, financial matters, jobs, etc. is definitely changing. Some changes will be good, and some will be not so good.

So many people abhor change, but when you stop to think about it, change is the one real constant in our lives. It starts when we’re born, and never ends as long as we’re alive. Babies start with a routine that’s intense. Just when the new parents think they’ll die from lack of sleep, baby begins sleeping through the night (actually about five hours at a stretch, but it seems absolutely heavenly after getting up every two hours)! Then solid food is introduced, and there’s a big change in mealtimes. No longer a baby, the toddler decides one day that one nap is fine each afternoon, thank you very much – no need for two. Suddenly your little person is off to pre-school, then Kindergarten, and then the roller-coaster ride of elementary, middle and high school. The really big change lurks right around the corner when that darling baby leaves for college. Change has been the one constant in that child’s life, and that’s true for almost everyone.

So, learn not to fear change, but, instead, learn to embrace it. While not every change is good, change keeps us on our toes, so to speak, fresh and ready for whatever is to come next

I’ve noticed that by really concentrating on thinking positive, and reminding myself each day to take some time to think good thoughts, not only my attitude has improved, but so has my business climate. I’ve had a few more clients call, and so my life has changed – again – while making additional work fit into each day. It’s exhilarating, exciting, and a bit scary. But wouldn’t Life be dull if we always knew what was going to happen the next minute, the next hour, or the next day? Sure, sometimes our days are humdrum, but that never lasts long. Good old Change is there to see that it doesn’t. And I, for one, am glad!

Remember, change your outlook – change your life!

CHANGE YOUR OUTLOOK -- CHANGE YOUR LIFE

2008-10-12T22:27:00.003-05:00

Change Your Outlook

Welcome to the newest blog from Dona Pearce, owner of Pearce Virtual Solutions. With all of the gloom and doom pervading our society these days, I decided to revitalize my blog. I’m not going to stick my head in the sand and hope for something better. Instead, I’m going to do what many people do when things are bad – put a positive spin on the subject. That’s what you’ll be reading about in this blog and in any future blogs from me.

Now, I’m way too mature to be a Pollyanna, so this won’t be something that you feel will give you a cavity because of its extreme sweetness. Not at all. There are no fairy tales here. I’m a realist, but I’ve also turned into a positive thinker over the years (hey, who says you can’t get smarter as you get older?).

For instance, the media loves nothing more than scaring us as much as possible. And right now, they’re beside themselves coming up with frightening stories and scenarios. They love the ‘what if’ in life, especially if it has fright value. What can we do? Well, first of all, don’t buy into the ‘what if’ hook, line and sinker. Temper it with common sense. Yes, the world’s financial picture is scary, but it’s never as bad as the picture painted by the media. In this age of instant information, there’s often TOO MUCH information and it’s always at our fingertips.

Someone, somewhere, has money and needs your help, your product, your business solution, your creativity, your enthusiasm. Use this down time in your business to find them. A slower time is also a great time to invest in free (or nearly free) software education. You’ve been meaning to learn (insert your choice of software program here), but you just haven’t had time. However, it could boost your business if you make time. So, do it! Whoever said, “there’s no time like the present” sure knew what they were talking about.

Now, I challenge you to put on your thinking caps, push the fright factor into the background, and see how you can put a positive spin on YOUR situation.

Change your outlook – change your life!

GET IT SOLD!

2008-05-09T10:17:00.006-05:00

Mr. and Mrs. Client have signed the listing contract on the dotted line. Now comes the time when you need to market, market, market to get this property sold, put a check in your pocket, and wow your clients with a quick sale.

Everyone connected with real estate knows that the best-looking, best-staged homes sell the fastest. Your clients now need to think of their home as a property to be disposed of in the shortest amount of time. It is difficult for homeowners to come around to this way of thinking, especially if the home they are selling holds many special memories. However, it is crucial that homeowners separate themselves from the property and put themselves in sales mode, and you need to be the one to educate them about this very important fact. This is a crucial part of your marketing efforts.

Clients need to understand that ‘home’ will soon be a lovely new property that they will buy in the near future. While memories may tie them to their existing property, they need to remember that memories are always with us, and can be talked about and remembered anytime we want. They need to think of their present home as a house, a property that is on the market and that will soon belong to someone else – a temporary place of residence.

How do agents communicate that information to clients? Some use professionally made videos that show ‘before’ and ‘after’ scenes of what de-cluttering and de-personalizing do for a property. Some have handouts that emphasize the most important steps to take to make the property appeal to the largest number of buyers, and that they leave with the clients as a reference tool. Some, unfortunately, do nothing to educate clients on how to sell in the least amount of time.

Do you have a sure-fire method for helping your clients make their home more saleable? If not, and if your listings are sitting on the market longer than they should, consider having a frank talk with your clients. Remind them that buyers love paying for empty space and like to think this property will be THE ONE as they walk up to the front door. Your clients need to clear counters, open curtains and drapes, replace burned-out light bulbs, clean and straighten all closets, get rid of pet smells, make sure pets are removed from the property during showings, clean dirty carpets, and make sure the house smells great. I once walked through a house that looked like it had been burglarized – there was ‘stuff’ everywhere, tossed on any available surface – but the crowning blow for me was when I narrowly missed stepping on a dead mouse in the garage. I couldn’t get out of that house fast enough! If that was what the homeowners didn’t mind potential buyers seeing, I wondered what it was I wasn’t seeing. It was not a very appealing thought.

Not everyone has the know-how to communicate this important selling advice to their clients. Those properties sit and sit on the market, while the clients whine about why their house isn’t selling and what is our agent doing to make a sale happen? If you don’t educate your buyers, who will?

In the current buyers’ market, with recession fears still hovering about, the most appealing homes sell the fastest. If your buyers can’t figure out how to make their homes look more like model homes, and you’re having trouble communicating this important information to them, consider introducing them to a home staging specialist. Use any edge you can find to make the property one that has potential buyers exclaiming, “I can see myself cooking in this kitchen!” Or, “This would be the perfect family room for us!” You, and your buyers will be very happy with those results. The old adage, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression” is never truer than when buyers are house hunting. When your clients’ property is turnkey ready and sells quickly, your reputation will grow as the agent who gets results.

Wondering about how to create a handout for clients that tells them how to make their house ready for the market? Work with a virtual assistant (VA), like me! I can create one for you that is informative and attractive. All you'll need to do is keep copies on hand to give to your clients when you secure the listing. Overwhelmed with creating a flyer and the information it needs on it to make people look twice? Let your virtual assistant write the copy and design the flyer. Not sure just what other use you can make of a virtual assistant? Is the term still foreign to you? Visit www.PearceVirtualSolutions.com and educate yourself. Or, call me at (563) 321-8675 and we'll discuss how working with your own VA can take mundane, but necessary, tasks off your hands while you network and acquire more listings -- and more sales.

Whole House Inspections - Are They Necessary?

2008-03-21T08:49:00.003-05:00

You’ve been searching a long time for the home of your dreams, and now, there it is right in front of you. Your furniture and personal items have already been moved into the space -- in your mind’s eye -- and you can’t wait to sign on the dotted line and make the place yours.

However, before you are swept up feeling that you have found the house that was meant to be yours and yours alone, remember this old British saying: “You can’t tell a book by its cover.” The house may be beautiful, look wonderfully inviting, and exude charm. But all of that charm may be covering an outdated electrical box, or one with major faults, or a water heater that’s about to give its last gasp, or other problems that may not be as major, but that will still tarnish some of the shine you see when you gaze at your potential new home.

What’s the next step, then? Be sure to have a whole house inspection, and write it into the purchase contract as a stipulation for closing the deal. The benefits are numerous and far outweigh the cost that is usually between $250 and $500. The biggest benefit to you, as the buyer, is that you’ll feel you really know what you bought, and you won’t have any nasty, or expensive, surprises. You wouldn’t buy an outfit without first trying it on to make sure it fits. Nor would you buy an expensive car without driving it first to make sure it’s comfortable and that it has all of the features you require in a vehicle. So why, then, would you buy a house – the biggest investment many people will ever make in their lives – without having an inspection?

A whole house inspection gives you:

Information
Leverage
Peace of mind

INFORMATION
A qualified inspector can be found at www.ashi.org. The American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) was founded in 1976. According to ASHI’s website, “This is North America’s oldest and most respected professional society of home inspectors. ASHI’s goals have always been to build customer awareness of the importance of a quality home inspection and enhance the professionalism of home inspectors.”

Out of curiosity, I listed my zip code for a list of home inspectors that are ASHI members, and in a radius of 100 miles of my home, 24 names popped up. Your agent can also provide a list of inspectors, but make sure you get several names so that you can make your own decision on who to hire. If you choose a name from the ASHI website, you’ll have a certified inspector.

The information gleaned from a whole house inspection can be invaluable. You’ll learn so much about the house, and you’ll have a much better idea, once the inspector has finished, of the workings of your new home.

LEVERAGE
If you’ve put a stipulation in the purchase contract for a whole house inspection, you’ll have a way to void the contract if something is found that is a huge flaw. For instance, if your inspector finds a major defect and you no longer want to purchase the property, you’ll be able to terminate the contract and get your earnest money back. If there are problems that you feel you can live with once they’re corrected, you’ll have the ability to go back to the seller and request that those problems be solved at the seller’s expense.

PEACE OF MIND
Having a whole house inspection gives you the chance to do more than just ‘kick the tires’ of your new home. It makes you aware of the status of the big stuff (electrical system, furnace, water heater, plumbing), and provides peace of mind knowing there aren’t any potential problems that will arise and catch you unawares after you’ve purchased the property.

No house is perfect. Even brand-new homes have their flaws, but most flaws are correctible. An inspection provides you with a list of those flaws, thereby arming you with the knowledge to make an informed decision about one of the biggest investments you’ll ever make. Having a whole house inspection is something that every buyer should have. With a whole house inspection, you’ll be able to buy yourself peace of mind, and you can't put a price on that!

Pearce Virtual Solutions Blogs

2008-01-14T07:20:00.000-06:00

“I Resolve to . . .”

Here we are, facing a brand-new year full of brand-new (or maybe not so brand-new) resolutions, determined, as always, to turn those resolutions into actions. Some of us will succeed while others will think, after a few months, “well, next year. . .”

For those of us who are determined to make things different in 2008, what are some of those resolutions we’re so determined to keep? Make more money? Be more successful? Lose weight? Join a gym? Change our eating habits? Help others?

Wait. . .what was that last one? Help others? What. . .?

Yes, folks, help others. Surely that isn’t a foreign concept for many. Yet, in this rat-race world, many of us complain that while we’d like to help others, there just isn’t time. That thought is just wrong, wrong, wrong. Did you know that, in addition to helping others by physically volunteering at a pre-determined time and place, that you can virtually help others by logging onto your computer? You can become a virtual volunteer by checking out ServiceLeader.org. As a virtual assistant, I took to volunteering virtually like the proverbial duck to water.

Many of us volunteer because we have pet projects that we want to see succeed. We believe we’re put on this earth to help make a difference. Those are terrific reasons to get out and get things done. This world and its inhabitants need all the help that can be given. Yet, with so many people working at full-time jobs, and at such a hectic daily pace, volunteering is sometimes the last thing people think of doing when they have a free moment or a few hours of time to fill.

But, volunteering should be high on everyone’s list of things to do. Why? It seems that volunteering is linked to better health. In an excerpt from an article by the Corporation for National and Community Service, “volunteering can improve longevity, lower depression rates and reduce the rate of heart disease.” WOW! Did you ever think that doing something for nothing could have such desirable benefits? For those of us who volunteer on a regular basis, whether on-site or virtually, this is a valuable perk. And for those of you who have been thinking of volunteering, but just haven’t done anything about it yet, this is the impetus you need to get up and get started. Just think – you’ll make a difference for someone or something, AND you’ll be healthier, both in mind and body, for taking the time to make a difference.

There’s no shortage of places to volunteer, or groups to help. What’s your interest? Start there and then Google to see the volunteer possibilities available. For instance, if you go to Google and type ‘volunteer for the homeless,” Google will find 556,000 possibilities!

The old excuse of, “I’m too busy – I just don’t have time to volunteer” won’t wash in this day and age. The time is always there – you may just have to learn to budget it better.

So, while the year is still young and fresh, resolve to make a difference in some way today. You’ll get so much benefit from volunteering, you’ll wonder why it took you so long to start. You’ll feel good because you’re making a difference, and you’ll be healthier, too. It’s a win-win situation for EVERYONE!

Pearce Virtual Solutions * P.O. Box 1436, Muscatine, IA 52761 * (563) 321-8675

Pearce Virtual Solutions Blogs

2007-11-25T09:31:00.000-06:00

BELIEVING

The end of 2007 is nearly here, and we’re moving toward the time of year when believing is something grownups can do without feeling silly or childish. We begin to believe in Santa Claus again, we believe the world could be a better place and that peace is attainable, and some of us dust off beliefs that were instilled in us long ago as children, and begin examining them once more.

Believing in things that we can’t prove are real is something that stays with us for life, and we should be very glad of that fact. If we didn’t believe – in ourselves, in love, in forever, in a hereafter – life would be a depressing existence, something just to be dealt with as best we could manage.

Because we’re human, and we refuse to accept misery as the norm, we do believe in many things. Some are sure and certain, while others remain more ethereal in nature.

Believing in oneself is sometimes more difficult than believing in Santa Claus. Why is it so hard for us to believe in ourselves? The answer to that question could fill up several more pages of this blog. Suffice to say, many of us are hardest on the one person that we must live with all of our lives and that we can never leave – ourselves. When we decide to take a leap of faith and actually believe we can do something we’ve never done before, it’s often done with quaking knees and nervous fears. Let’s face it – it’s tough to be all grown up, and know that you need to learn to believe in yourself.

However, we each have one – and only one – life. It needs to be lived to the fullest, and sometimes it takes years for some of us to learn that truth. When I finally decided to start my own business, on some days I tried very hard to talk myself out of it. “It will take too long to take the necessary coursework you need to be successful.” “What if I make a mistake?” “I don’t think I can do that!” “What if I fail?” “What if. . .?” “What if. . .” And on, and on, and on. . .

But, on other days, I knew in my heart that I had to give it a try -- and not just give it a try, but give it my best shot. Those days are the days that keep me going, making me feel alive and believing in my abilities.

I talked to myself a lot while deciding to go into business for myself. That was probably a good thing, because I talked myself through the ‘what-ifs’ and ‘buts,’ and finally realized that nothing is certain. I could give this venture my very best and, possibly, fail. But, I would have tried it – and perhaps it really could have a positive outcome.

Success on any major scale requires you to accept responsibility. In the final analysis, the one quality that all successful people have is the ability to take on responsibility.

Eleanor Roosevelt said, “Life must be lived and curiosity kept alive. One must never, for whatever reason, turn his back on life.”

And, in the end, I didn’t. I decided to take the leap – of faith, of belief – whatever you want to call it. I decided I had as much right as the next person to give it a try – work for myself and make myself the best virtual assistant I could be. I embraced this new venture with gusto.

It’s an ongoing process, and on some days, I feel like I’ve taken two giant steps backward. But on most days I’m happy, and I feel a sense of satisfaction. I am making this work. I do believe in myself, and I can make this happen. Not overnight, not next week, but eventually. Success isn't something static to be achieved, but an ongoing process that's part of each day. I'm moving in the right direction. I'm very happy that I clung to my belief in myself. Like believing in Santa Claus, I didn’t know, for sure, that I had the gumption to see this through until I gave it a try. It’s looking very positive, and I’m happy that I’ve jumped in with both feet. There are many more happy days than days filled with angst, and that tells me I'm doing something right.

I think that what I'm trying to say is that during this holiday season, we should all slow down, give some thought to the year that’s nearly over, and assess what we would like to do with the new year that will be presented to us at the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve. It’s a wonderful gift that too many of us take for granted. What would you like to have happen in your life in 2008? How will you work to make it happen?

I certainly will never have all the answers, but come 2008, I'll know that I accomplished something this past year, something wonderful. I found that I did have the gumption to jump in and start my own business. I wanted to do something, and I did it. And along the way, I learned something very fundamental -- I learned that I truly do believe in myself.

Do you believe?

PearceVirtualSolutions.com * (563) 321-8675 * PO Box 1436, Muscatine, IA 52761

Pearce Virtual Solutions Blogs

2007-10-27T08:42:00.000-05:00

A Round ‘Tuit’ and Virtual Assistants

Most of us remember, from several years ago, the round ‘tuit’ that swept through emails, forwarded ‘round and ‘round the country – maybe even the world. The premise was that if you had this ‘tuit,’ you could finally get around to doing all of the things you said you would “when you got around to it.” It was cute and funny, but it also made many people stop and think, “Wouldn’t it be wonderful if I actually could make this little round tuit work for me? I could rub it and finally get all of my projects done.” Many folks realized it would be like having a genie in a bottle that was at your command (your wish, Master?).

Well, we know there are no genies (drat!), and even though some of us may have tuits, we also know we could rub them for a month and none of our projects would ever be finished unless we completed them ourselves.

We also know there are only so many hours in each day, and that being human has its limits. It’s sad to think that some of those things may never get done – because there’s just not enough time to do them all.

Don’t be depressed. I’m here to tell you that now there is the ‘next best thing’ to having a genie. It’s called a Virtual Assistant. Many people have heard the term, but may not know exactly what it means. According to the Virtual Assistant Networking Association (VANA – www.vananetworking.com), a Virtual Assistant (VA, for short), is:

“a business owner who works from their own office providing professional
support, services and skills to their clients via phone, fax and internet-based technology. Partnering with a VA reduces stress, protects cash flow, eliminates administrative hassles, and enables business people to find the success they originally set out to achieve. A VA is your right-hand person helping you to succeed in your business. The irony is you may never meet your VA, as odds are they live nowhere near you!”

Think of it – you can hire a virtual assistant for all of those jobs you’ve been meaning to get around to, and – poof! – just like having a magic genie, suddenly those jobs are completed. And the best part is – you barely had to lift a finger. All you had to do was contact a virtual assistant. Wow! Wishes really can come true – and while genies don’t actually exist, the next best thing to a genie is a virtual assistant.

So, before you spend another day staring at those piles of projects you’ve been meaning to do when you get A Round Tuit – take a few minutes and contact a virtual assistant instead. You can have a VA perform what will seem like magic – completing those projects you want completed, but never get done. Your desk will be cleared, your “To-Do” list will be shorter, and your stress level will improve, because you’ve just taken care of all of those things you’ve wanted to get around to, but never quite could. Your own Virtual Assistant -- SO much better than a round tuit!

(Don't know where to start? Contact me at Service@PearceVirtualSolutions.com, or check out my website at http://www.pearcevirtualsolutions.com/).

Virtual Assistants and Retirement

2007-09-30T09:04:00.000-05:00

People are living longer, and unless you’ve been living under a rock, this is hardly news to you. What is interesting, though -- and what some people may not realize -- is that many oldsters are no longer content to just retire and putter about on the golf course, the shuffleboard court, or sit idly on the front porch watching the world go by. They may have retired from the corporate world, but they are starting new businesses, and they are just as busy as ever, if not more so.

These are people called “entrepreneurs.” This is a French word, and the definition is, “A person who organizes, operates and assumes the risk for a business venture.” (Definition provided by Merriam-Webster online dictionary).

Seasoned citizens -- many of them used to being in charge of companies, being on various boards, reading and understanding financial papers, and directing the future of the company that once employed them – find that retirement, as most of us know it, offers nothing but long hours idly spent in pursuits that hold no interest or challenge for them. Instead, they’re still physically and mentally fit, and want to be in charge of something that brings deep satisfaction to each day. So, what do they do? They start a new business from the ground up. While it’s a lot of work, there is a deep degree of satisfaction derived from creating something out of nothing. With Americans living longer and aging more gracefully, there are many people – men and women alike – who start businesses once they retire from corporate America. These new ventures can provide not only a monetary boost to the economy, but they often provide a better way of doing something, a more cost-effective way to deliver services, or they provide services that make the lives of others easier – and even more fun.

Many virtual assistants start their businesses for similar reasons. They want to be in charge of their own destiny, they need to work from home because they have a growing family and need to work non-traditional hours, or they feel they have more to offer than an 8-5 job in the business world can provide. They, too, are entrepreneurs.

Retirees who start their own businesses thrive on the long hours, the hard work, and the joy of seeing an idea come to fruition. However, they’re used to having a support staff in place to handle phones, faxes, paperwork, etc., etc. Many of them find out quickly they can’t do it all, and they feel as though they’re at loose ends when trying to figure out how to handle the problem.

Was there ever a better potential marriage than an entrepreneur starting his/her own business and an entrepreneur who is a virtual assistant? A VA, as they’re known in the business world, has only the best interests at heart of an entreprenurial business owner. After all, many of them have spent years in the business world doing the support work so necessary to making a business run. They’ve been well-trained in many areas: they’re computer literate and up-to-date on new software; they’ve been trained to give great customer service; they know how to answer phones in a pleasing manner and handle questions or complaints from callers; they’re terrific at multi-tasking because this is what a support staff person does nearly every day; they know how to budget their time effectively, and they know how to organize, schedule and stay on track.

A new entrepreneur can’t afford NOT to hire a virtual assistant. Starting a business from the ground up takes a lot of effort and many more hours than the standard 40 hours per week some people are used to working. Most importantly, by the time a person has reached retirement age, they have learned one of the most valuable lessons in life: YOU CAN’T DO IT ALL ALONE!

There are VA organizations whose membership comes from all over the world; they are great places to find a VA. You can also Google the term ‘virtual assistant’ and find a VA that way, or add additional parameters to narrow your choices and find a VA whose abilities are in sync with what you need. However you find a virtual assistant, it makes good sense to find one today if you are struggling to keep your growing business afloat. Whether you’re a small business owner, a real estate agent, a life coach, or a non-profit organization, there’s a virtual assistant out there just for you. Let them handle the day-to-day details so that you can do what you do best – grow that fledgling business! You’ll eliminate a lot of stress and sleepless nights once you find a VA who is right for you and your new business. With a VA at your side, you’ll be able to develop your business and make it run more smoothly. You’ll be in charge of what you know best, and your VA will handle the follow-through that is so important if a business is to succeed. It’s not letting go of the reins. It’s delegating – and that is one thing company leaders excel at doing. After all, what is YOUR time worth to YOU?

Virtual Assistants and Feng Shui

2007-09-04T07:41:00.000-05:00

My name is Dona Pearce, and I am a business-to-business support specialist, also called a virtual assistant. I live in the state of Iowa, in the heart of the Midwest, but because my business is virtual, I can work for anyone in any state in this great country of ours.

I market myself to real estate agents and small business owners. Why? Because agents and business owners rarely have enough time to do everything that is needed to grow their business. Yet they are supposed to wear several hats and keep on top of everything. If you’ve ever had any kind of a job, you know that doing everything and performing flawlessly, especially day after day, just can’t be done, especially when you’re working in a setting where you’re expected to continually expand your business. Something has got to give. No one is Superman or Superwoman.

Think of hiring a virtual assistant, or business-to-business support specialist, as incorporating the art of Feng Shui (the ancient Chinese practice of placement and arrangement of space to achieve harmony with the environment) to harmonize your business environment. I’m not just talking about where in your office to place your desk, although it couldn’t hurt to use the ancient principles for that purpose – I’m talking about allowing yourself some breathing room, a chance to collect your thoughts throughout the day and focus on what you do best. And how can you do that if your mind is constantly racing ahead and thinking of all of the things you aren’t getting done? Why, for instance, would you stay at your desk and input your latest listing into the MLS and your website when you could delegate that task to a virtual assistant and then attend the latest ‘Meet & Greet,’ using that venue to network and make valuable contacts. Small business owners could free up several hours of their time by having a virtual assistant handle their general correspondence (typing, proofreading, editing), mass mailings (promotional, seasonal), or database updates.

It’s sometimes tough for people who are self-starters to let go of some duties and assume someone else will be able to perform those duties satisfactorily. But, letting go is a valuable tool, especially if you’re letting go of tasks that need to be done, but aren’t things that will enable you to find clients and secure new listings, or, if you’re a small business owner, focus on growing your business.

It always comes down to choices. The choices you make today will impact your business tomorrow. Be smart and realize you can’t do it all. Relax, hand over the reins of some of the tasks you’re now trying to complete, and see how your quality of life steps up a notch. You’ll find having time to step back, take a deep breath and contemplate your next move will energize you and enable you to move forward, all the while growing your business.