How to use email effectively

Block off times to process your e-mail. Twice per day should be enough. Avoid the temptation to check e-mail more frequently.

Check the spelling of your e-mail before sending it. Spelling errors seem generally accepted in e-mail. But go beyond acceptable. Aim for excellence.

DON'T TYPE IN ALL CAPS. This is perceived as shouting.

Re-read your e-mail before sending it. Writing quickly often results in awkward grammar.

Don't copy documents from other programs, such as MS Word. Odd characters such as apostrophes can show up as gibberish. Special formatting will go wonky. Instead, send the original document as an attachment.

Use the edit and paste commands as you would in word processing. This is helpful in repeating information or creating a type of form letter to be sent to various participants.

Just say no. If you're on a mailing list for which you have no interest, reply by writing "unsubscribe" or "remove" in the comment box. Be careful though. Sometimes mass-mailers use your response to confirm that you have an address, and send you more stuff. Use a filter to prevent mail with features that are repeated from being downloaded.

Use a stacking tray or file folder labeled "E-MAIL" to store paper items associated with e-mail you plan to send. Then you can batch them more efficiently.

Place items in separate e-mail folders as you would with paper items. Don't use your Inbox or Sent Mail as catchall holding tanks.

Sort incoming e-mail by subject, key word, or author so you can process related mail together.

There is a convention to intersperse someone else's original message with points of your own when you reply. Consequently, it takes a while to figure out what is original and what is new. Avoid wasting people's time. Create a proper response as you would a business letter. Instead of leaving an entire message that you received intact, just make a reference to it. They don't need to read everything they wrote when you respond to them

Consider carefully what you write; it's a permanent record and can be easily forwarded to others. Never accuse people, call them names, suggest they aren't being smart or criticize their spelling. Assume their intentions are genuine. Avoid sarcasm. Be polite and assertive if necessary (i.e. to spammers) but not vindictive.

Don't attach large files without getting permission from your recipient first.

Write descriptive subject lines. Many busy people will only open messages with captivating subject lines. Think creatively.

If you must forward a message, put your comments at the top.

Learn how to keep an address book to save e-mail addresses, automatically insert them into a new message and maintain groups of contacts.

Use autoresponders to offer frequently requested information. These e-mail bots will automatically respond to the sender with a prewritten message. They are often used for brochures, price lists, directions, etc.

Delete all unnecessary mail. Old messages congest servers. Delete old, duplicate or reply version copies and free up space for new incoming mail.

Do not keep all of your messages in your mail box folder. Create new mail folders with names that categorize your mail and move messages into them. This way new mail is not only easier to find but quicker to load (which is especially true when dialing in remotely).

Delete messages with attachments after you have saved them to your hard drive. They take up a lot of space on the server.

When replying to a message, be sure you reply to just the person you want. Be careful not to accidentally reply to an institute wide message.

Be careful with punctuation. A lot of periods can separate thoughts..... but use a lot of exclamation marks and it looks like you're angry!!!!!!!!!! How does a line of question marks look ??????? You might not intend strong emotion, but the other person might think you do.

Use the blind carbon copy (bcc) feature for your own mailing lists. You can send out periodic announcements to a list of people. By using the bcc feature, recipients won't be able to copy other people's names and addresses.

Do not forward personal e-mail to a discussion group without the author's permission.

Don't attach files when posting to discussion groups. Refer participants to a web site where they can find the information.

Don't send entire web pages to a discussion group, just post the web address.

Don't blatantly promote your business by posting an advertisement to a discussion group, unless it is clearly an accepted use and you have cleared it with the moderator (if there is one) first. Otherwise, you are "spamming." Offering information of value, rather than simply inviting people to your web site.

Avoid cyber-speak. Not everyone is familiar with the cute acronyms used in E-mail correspondence, such as IMHO (in my humble opinion) or FWIW (for what it's worth). Performing a mental translation each time slows down the reader. Don't make reading difficult for them.

How to handle paperwork?

Create a block of time during non-prime hours to handle paperwork. Schedule this in your planner and stick to it.

Sort through and handle the papers in your in-basket no more than twice a day.

Never handle a piece of paper more than once. Avoid the "I'll just put this here for now" habit.
Throw away previous drafts. They serve no purpose.

For items that will reach you, ask your assistant to a) sort it according to urgency, b) highlight important aspects, such as magazine articles and c) attach relevant files or information.

Ask subordinates to submit recommendations along with important reports. Nothing should be sent to you without a summary or indicated action.

Limit the length of letters, recommendations, responses, meeting requests and other correspondence to one page.

Try not filling out redundant sections of forms, to see if anyone is really using them.

Ask people if reports they prepare (or you prepare) are really necessary. Prepare them only when needed, not as a regular routine.

Don't keep copies of all your requests to others, unless there are legal or personnel reasons to do so.

Do something with every piece of paper that reaches you and put it in its proper place ­ not just back on the pile.

Handle routine requests or tasks immediately whenever you can.

Cut back on sending memos. Use a phone call instead.

Reduce the number of memos you keep. After all, memos are primarily for short-term information. Record the information you need and toss the memo.

Don't keep business cards tucked away in a drawer. Enter them on a contact manager database, and then throw out the card.

Create different file folders:

Reading files for long reports and magazines. If you read everything when it arrives, you will never get through your in-basket.
Personal file for those wacky inter-office jokes you want to keep (but will probably never look at again)
Training file for useful items on personal or professional development
Supplier file for information on products and services
Files for each subordinate for items to pass on or discuss
Invoices to pay
Upcoming events to attend
One folder for each subordinate and for your manager
One for each major project you're working on

Throw out last month's copy of a magazine when this month's copy arrives. If you must save them, only keep a year's worth. Stop subscriptions to magazines and newspapers you don't read anymore. This saves you money as well as time and guilt.

Schedule major reading for twice a week during non-priority times. Try reading on the subway, bus or train, while waiting for appointments, or at breakfast instead of reading the paper.

When you find items you keep putting off reading, ask "How likely am I to read this and how valuable is this information?" Throw it out.

Extra storage space ends up getting filled up quickly. Try reducing or throwing out extra paperwork collectors. Limit your stacking trays to two: one for incoming papers and the other for outgoing papers.

Reduce your credit cards to one per adult, two if you use one for home and one for work. This reduces statements and bill-paying time.

Reduce your bank accounts, if you have several. If you find yourself dealing with multiple bank statements every month, this is a good place to start.

Pay bills by automatic deduction. Most utility bills can be handled this way.

Put all your receipts in a small envelope. Sort through them every month or every quarter.

How To Plan Your Day

Do you ever find that there are just not enough hours in the day? Why not try to plan your day? Here are some tips:

-Visualize your long term picture of success and put it in writing. Review your goal frequently. Your goal should be specific, measurable, achievable and compatible with where you are now. There should be an end date as well. Steven Covey calls this "Begin with the end in mind."

-Try to do your planning at the same time every day. Use this time to review past accomplishments as well as future things to do.

-Use only one planner to keep track of your appointments. Keeping a separate business and personal planner creates confusion.

-Write out a To Do list every day. Include items that can be completed, such as "Prepare exhibits for monthly report", rather than just "Work on report."
Separate your To Do list into A, B and C priorities. "A" items are important to your long term success, "B" may be urgent but not as important and "C" are those that would be nice to do if you get the time.

-Start with the A items. Don't work on a C just because it's easy to do. Also, break your A items into small manageable chunks, so they're easy to accomplish.

-Check off items as you complete them to give yourself a sense of accomplishment.

-Block off time in your planner for major activities. This might include a block of time for working alone on major tasks. If someone wants to meet you during that time, say "I'm sorry, I already have an appointment."

-Don't jam your day full of activities. Leave time for emergencies, special opportunities and thinking time.

-Be your own manager. Ask yourself if you have met your goals, and what changes you plan to make to achieve them.

-Do it now. People will often say "Call me next week, and we'll book an appointment then." Respond by saying, "Let's save ourselves a call and do it now."

-Always plan time for balance; include family, fitness, recreation, social and spiritual activities.

-Conduct a time study to see how you're doing and where the opportunities for improvement lie. Many people are only able to spend one quarter of their time on top priority activities. Moving this up to one third of the week means almost 4 more hours per week on key activities.

I'm a moderator at Virtual Assistant Forums

A few months ago I joined http://www.virtualassistantforums.com/ The admin Tess is great and always helpful. I had joined other forums but was always afraid to post. But this forum is different. Right from my first post I felt a sense of being welcomed. Everyone there was also in the same situation I was in. I was a new VA who didn't have years of experience but needed to slowly show that I could contribute and not be afraid. So now I am a moderator for Virtual Resources and Software Section.

Thank you Tess and all my fellow virtual assistants.

Networking Tips

Now that I have my website ready, it’s time to get networking. I did some research on networking and can up with a few tips.

The main purpose of networking is to get known and trusted by someone who can help you. Networking is talking to the people you know, talking to the people they know and talking to the people you should know.

Here are some tips that you can use as you start networking:

Develop a contact

-Take the initiative to identify individuals you would like to meet and contact them
-Keep your options open and enjoy meeting people from a wide variety of different
backgrounds
- As you generate your networking contacts, listen as well as share

Be prepared to maket yourself:

-Identify the types of work or information you are looking for
-Establish a career profile, identify your career-related interests, skills and values
-Have a prepared, up-to-date resume

Decide how to organize and keep track of you network:

-Create contact records on companies and individuals
-Maintain and update your contact records. Include notes on past conversations, important
points etc.
-Keep an organized collection of business cards
-Attempt to contact your contacts regularly(set goals and be disciplined about achieving
them)

Helpful links for networking meetings:
http://www.bnicanada.ca/index_main.asp
http://businesspartnerships.ca/canadian_business_networking_groups.phtml