http://www.provirtualsolutions.com Web-Focused Virtual Assistance Sun, 06 Jul 2008 16:15:47 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Voicemail is dead. This provocative pronouncement was posted at TechCrunch. I don't know if it's an occupational hazard of working remotely online all the time, but I have always preferred email over the phone. It's non-disruptive to workflow and way more time-efficient. Apparently, TechCrunch agrees: Typical voicemail messages today include things like “Please ... http://www.provirtualsolutions.com/2008/07/is-voicemail-dead/ If you're a fellow twitterholic and want to use those cute alternative characters, like suns and musical notes... check out Andrea Kalli's thorough tutorials here... she needed two posts as there's so many to list! Twitter Special Characters - Part 1 Twitter Special Characters - Part 2 Thanks, Andrea - and happy 4th ... http://www.provirtualsolutions.com/2008/07/twitter_alt_characters_kalli/ Social media marketing expert Chris Brogan posted a thorough to-do list for anyone who's serious about promoting their business with their blogsite and on social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, etc.. Among the many useful suggestions include checking your site with diagnosis and search tools like WebsiteGrader.com or Summize - and simply ... http://www.provirtualsolutions.com/2008/06/a-thorough-checklist-for-blogsite-social-media-promotion/ Buzzword alert: bacn - yep, that's "bacon" minus the O. It differs from its less-desirable cousin spam, in that bacn, while also a variety of delicious pork product, is defined as email that you solicited, but still may consider a distraction. Examples include automated messages from sites such as Facebook ... http://www.provirtualsolutions.com/2008/06/buzzword-watch-bacn/ A new gadget for the Twitterholic in your life (me). With TweetBeep, you can create email alerts when domains and phrases of your choosing are "tweeted". Slick features include user filtering and can report on domains even if they are in a shortened URL, such as TinyURL or Snurl. Thanks ... http://www.provirtualsolutions.com/2008/06/tweetbeep-a-google-alert-tool-for-serious-twitterholics/ Here's a quick post to a new Sun Microsystems press release discussing another recent study demonstrating the enormous environmental and cost benefit to adopting telework programs and virtual workgroups. Quick adoption by the business community of alternative work enviroments such as virtual offices can have a dramatic and immediate impact ... http://www.provirtualsolutions.com/2008/06/sun-microsystems-study-shows-again-virtual-offices-an-energy-saving-solution/ Most know that email accounts have some limit on the size of files you can attach to messages - typically it's less than 10MB...which is not a lot in the world of YouTube and Podcasts. Many (like me) are fans of file transfer services like YouSendIt - which provides "drop ... http://www.provirtualsolutions.com/2008/06/yousendit-launches-outlook-plug-in-for-large-attachments/ One of the best kept secrets to efficient email management lies in the protocol (how's that for a $10 word!) that the email system uses. Aside from free email accounts, if you have domain email (you@yourdomain.com) - you're more than likely using the emailboxes included with your web hosting service. ... http://www.provirtualsolutions.com/2008/06/get-the-most-out-of-e-mail-with-imap/ Anyone who makes their living using computers grapples keeping up with new upgrades I’m on my 7th cell phone, for example). Over time, most develop a vast “gadget graveyard” of once wondrous devices that lost their lustre or just became outdated over time. What to do? Web Worker Daily profiled a ... http://www.provirtualsolutions.com/2008/06/avoid-gadget-graveyard-with-techforward/ A few months ago, I did a teleseminar for members of DVVAA about free and low-cost alternatives to Microsoft Office. There are lots of options out there - and more becoming available every day! This 32-page presentation provides a nice overview of what's available for both in-office workers and road ... http://www.provirtualsolutions.com/2008/06/free-low-cost-alternatives-to-microsoft-office/ You can picture the angel on one shoulder and the devil on the other...you see, some months ago I realized that the cost savings benefit of giving up my Palm Treo would outweigh the benefit of being able to read email in the supermarket. Well, THAT was 6 months ago, ... http://www.provirtualsolutions.com/2008/05/blackberrylust-2/ The Twitter Blog has a great explanation of the "@" reply feature. I had been using it, but it can be confusing, as it's easy to assume that they go to the target user only. The thing to know is that "@replies" are visible to all, much like replying to ... http://www.provirtualsolutions.com/2008/05/twitter-tip-how-to-reply-to-other-users/ I've had a few bumps in the road, but my little website rebuild project is picking up steam. I finally managed to import my existing Typepad content. What seemed straightforward turned out to be rather quirky, but I managed to bring in the goods. :-) Now I just need to ... http://www.provirtualsolutions.com/2008/05/reconstruction-progress/ I'm fast developing a Twitter addiction - I'm just hooked on tweets! Well - thanks to a tip on Nancy Marmolejo's terrific Viva Visibility blog, I found a great post listing some handy strategies for using Twitter for marketing. Now Twittering counts as work! :-) Follow me on Twitter ShareThis http://www.provirtualsolutions.com/2008/05/marketing-via-twitter/ My so-cool client Helen Webber is offering a special sale on her Jazztime watercolor print series. Visit Helen's print sale page and check out all her beautiful offerings. What a wonderful excuse to post some gorgeous art on my blog!http://www.helenwebber.com/printstore/howtoorder_water.htm ShareThis http://www.provirtualsolutions.com/2008/05/gorgeous-art-by-helen-webber/ If you struggle with juggling different IM networks and social media and all their applications running on your computer at the same time... do yourself a favor and check out Digsby. Digsby is a single application that delivers all the major IM networks: Google Talk, AIM, MSN, Yahoo, ICQ & ... http://www.provirtualsolutions.com/2008/05/digsby-unifies-im-social-media-messaging/ Late to the party, indeed. I just now am beginning to scratch the surface of Facebook. I spend quite a bit of time on LinkedIn (which I love); but have so far spent no time exploring the capabilities of FB... always assuming it was more of a personal thing. In ... http://www.provirtualsolutions.com/2008/04/late-to-the-party-learning-to-use-facebook/ I'm so jazzed... Andrea Kalli - Virtual Trainer extraodinaire and Podcasting, SharePoint and Exchange guru was kind enough to post to IVAANet about this blog. I'm honored. Check out Andrea's virtual training services on Podcasting, hosted Exchange and SharePoint. She's unique in the VA world. Her teleclasses are great too ... http://www.provirtualsolutions.com/2008/04/brush-with-greatness-andrea-kalli-reads-this-blog/ A terrific article at WWD about innovation with online apps exceeding that of their desktop counterparts (posted via bookmarklet). Link: Web Worker Daily » Archive Continuous Innovation in the Online Office «. ShareThis http://www.provirtualsolutions.com/2008/04/web-worker-daily-%c2%bb-archive-continuous-innovation-in-the-online-office-%c2%ab/ I'm finally getting unpacked from the IVAA Summit in Charlotte... and I had a great time! There were terrific programs and a record turnout - about 80 VAs from all over the USA and Canada, and I had the pleasure of meeting most of them. Best of all, I got ... http://www.provirtualsolutions.com/2008/04/back-from-the-ivaa-summit-a-blast/ Frequent visitors to CNN.com have likely noticed that their headlines are sometimes unintelligible, tawdry and/or creepy and have no relationship whatsoever to important news. Now we know the method to the madness: CNN Shirt Not familiar? View Gawker's Extensive History Of Terrible CNN.com Headlines ShareThis http://www.provirtualsolutions.com/2008/04/cnncom-sells-t-shirts-with-web-headlines/ I'm always ranting about how the price of gas would drop like a stone tomorrow if all those who could do their work at home actually did. Here in the Philly 'burbs, the main arteries leading to the city and to the office parks of King of Prussia are CLOGGED ... http://www.provirtualsolutions.com/2008/04/what-if-everyone-who-could-telecommute-actually-did/ I just installed RescueTime - a free product which aims to provide users with a cold, impartial analysis of how you spend time on your computer - without data entry. RescueTime runs in the background and (basically speaking) tracks the focus of windows on your computer to compile a report ... http://www.provirtualsolutions.com/2008/04/rescuetime-measures-your-productivity-do-i-really-want-to-know-this/ Twitter saves an American arrested in Egypt? http://gawker.com/380288/twitter-saves-american-arrested-in-egypt ShareThis http://www.provirtualsolutions.com/2008/04/twitter-can-be-useful-part-2/ I spend a lot of time playing with new Web 2.x services and putting them to use. I love finding something that saves me a few minutes or fills a need - a need that sometimes, I didn't even know I had (Jott.com, comes to mind!). I never really "got" ... http://www.provirtualsolutions.com/2008/04/ok-i-get-twitter-now/ If you ever looked at your browser's "Favorites" file - its more than likely that it is completely disorganized and out of control. I (like most) had a bad habit of viewing a webpage that I want to revisit - then "adding to favorites" or "bookmarking" - only to discover ... http://www.provirtualsolutions.com/2008/04/evernote-will-change-your-life/ If you host online or live events... do yourself a huge favor and check out EventBrite. EventBrite literally does it all... contact management, fee collection and promotion. While testing the service for some upcoming teleclasses I'm planning, I was blown away by the completeness and ease of use. I couldn't ... http://www.provirtualsolutions.com/2008/03/eventbrite-is-simply-spectacular/ ProVirtual Solutions is now offering one-time specialty services, including web conferencing and recording, domain record updates and Google web services setup. These services are specially priced to provide better value without the need for an ongoing service agreement. Web Conferencing: 90-minute service package includes webinar hosting and recording to a ... http://www.provirtualsolutions.com/2008/01/new-services-web-conferencing-google-web-services-support-more/ I notice that all my AOL contacts have little text ads in their emails. As AOL charges $25+ or so a month for their crappy, ad-laden, computer-clogging internet service, I think they can do without sneaking text ads in their email messages... just a thought. The really galling part is that ... http://www.provirtualsolutions.com/2008/01/aol-still-evil-after-all-these-years/ A contact of one of my clients recently tried check the availability of a domain name with two registrars, GoDaddy and Network Solutions. Network Solutions was attempted first, and the domain appeared to be available. In the shopping-around process, GoDaddy was checked, and the domain came up as unavailable. Another ... http://www.provirtualsolutions.com/2008/01/dont-check-domain-availability-at-network-solutions-they-will-hold-it-hostage/