Of course, being able to work from home is truly a luxury and something I never thought I would be in a position to do.

However, in creating my own work-from-home business, I have discovered a few things about myself.

For example, I thought that if  I was ever able to 'work' from home, I could happily spend my time watching television, having coffee with friends or going shopping, mainly because I would have all this 'free time' to do whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted.  After all, isn't that the whole point of working from home?

Well, it's not like that at all.

I've discovered I'm a bit of a workaholice and that I'm also extremely disciplined.  So, when it's a stunningly sunny day, I could easily wander outside, gaze at my beautiful sea view and sunbathe for a few hours.  But I don't.  In fact it's quite the opposite.  My office faces the road, not the view, and regardless of the weather, it's the room in our house where I spend most of my time and I actually like being in there.

I have discovered a kind of 'inner drive' about myselft that compels me to want to be in my office, getting on with my work and helping my clients.  I actually don't want to be outside working on my tan! 

When I worked in the 'real world' I always enjoyed my jobs and found my work extremley rewarding, but it's absolutley nothing like owning your own business and nothing beats the feeling of having a happy client and a job well done.

Now, if I could just get the hang of not going to work in my PJ's and slippers...!  ;o)

Well, the 2011 Rugby World Cup may be over for the next four years, but for me, wonderful memories of it will linger on for many years to come.

I was lucky enough to be on a lovely launch right in the middle of Auckland Harbour to watch the opening ceremony fireworks and we couldn't have picked a better spot if we'd tried.

I watched most of the Pool games sitting in a mini grandstand, in an open-air marquee with a cocktail in my hand, whilst on a wonderful holiday in Rarotonga and I managed to attend two awesome semi-final games.  The first of these was the Australia v Ireland game, which was a huge amount of fun, to the extent that I lost my voice for a little while from all the cheering and singing!  The second was the nailbiting and very worrying (for a while) game between New Zealand and Argentina.  Both games were so incredibly different and thoroughly enjoyable.

We watched the other games from the comfort of our couch - each game with various family and/or friends and each game being pure excitiment in it's own right.

My partner and I enjoyed a wonderful day wandering around Downtown Auckland the day before the Rugby World Cup final, if for no other reason than to be part of the crowd and soak up the electrifying atmosphere.  The Viaduct and Wynyard Quadrant were full of families and happy diners all chatting and laughing, whiile the Cloud and Fan Zone (which were dwarfed by two large cruise ships) and the whole of Downtown Auckland was full of smiling faces - people of all ages, from locals to international visitors - the whole place was buzzing!  Every second person was dressed in black and the experience was truly magical and incredibily exciting.

We watched the New Zealand v France final with friends and neighbours and couldn't believe it when the All Blacks won by just ONE POINT!  Nerve wracking, exciting and riveting right until the last minute!  The relief when it was all over was undeniable and a great 'excuse' for us to break open the champagne (French! of course!) and party until 3.00am.  Thankully the next day was a public holiday in New Zealand!

We thought about attending the All Black's parade in Queen Street, Auckland, but that's as far as it went.  Instead we rounded off the whole exiciting event of the 2011 Rugby World Cup with a lovely day spent sitting in the warm Auckland sunshine on our deck at home, surrounded by our wonderful friends and neighbours.  And it felt like everything was right with the world..!

It truly was fantastic to be involved in such an international event and we are thrilled to have been given this opportunity, and of course, huge, huge, congratulations to our gracious champions, the New Zealand All Blacks!

The last word, from All Blacks Captain, Riche McCaw - "Everyone's part of the All Blacks.  We're just the ones that go out and play."

Huge, huge congratulations to my wonderful client, Author and Publisher, Jill Marshall, for winning the Arts and Culture category at NEXT New Zealand Woman of the Year Awards 2011, on  Thursday 6th October.

Click here to visit Jill's website

My Virtual Assistant is proud to have worked with Jill to create the website for Curly from Shirley:
www.curlyfromshirley.com

Displaying comments from happy customers on your website is one of the best ways to build your credibility and show potential customers that you are trustworthy, reliable and an expert in your field.

1. Don't be shy
If you don't have any or many testimonials on your website, then get them!  Simply email your customers and ask for their feedback on your business and/or service.  If you've done a good job, provided a good service or your product is useful, you will find that most customers will be more than happy to give you a recommendation.

2. Talk about the benefits
A comment like, "This product is great!" is nice to hear, but it doesn't tell readers what your product can actually do for them.  The benefits of what  you offer should be the highlight of every testimonial.  Look for recommendations like these:  "This product doubled our profits in a month!" or "This product made the pain in my back disappear completely - and did it fast!" or "We've never seen any product that could get the rust off our car without damaging the paint - until now."

3. Substantiate your claims
If you say your product can do something, your testimonials should back up your promises, complete with actual facts and figures. How much money did your customers save by using your product? How much time did they save by using your service? How did it solve their problems or improve their lives?

4. Something to relate to
You want your readers to see that your product/service helped someone just like them. Make sure your testimonials come from someone with whom your target market can identify.  If you sell primarily to seniors, for example, ask your customers if you can include their age along with the testimonial.  If you're selling to Mums with children, ask if you can mention how many kids they have or include a photo of their family.

5.  Credibility
Accompany each testimonial with the first name, last name and hometown of each testimonial-giver to show that your endorsements come from real people.  Always try to include a photo as well.  And if you can, take it to the next level by including audio or video testimonials for maximum effect.  Do anything you can to help your readers connect with your testimonial-givers on a personal level.

When people read testimonials they gain confidence in your products and services and are far more likely to buy from you.  Think about your own experiences - are you more likely to hire a plumber or a builder when you read their brochure or when a friend recommends them?

I thought I would pass on this awesome invitation to you.  This is a fantastic opportunity to hear two wonderful speakers/presenters and discover how to overcome your fear of public speaking.

John Shackleton has won a heap of awards and Cath Vincent (whom I know personally and can highly recommend!) is truly amazing and extremely inspirational.  What you learn from them will honestly stick with you for the rest of your life.

Don’t miss this presentation, to be held at the Waipuna Hotel theatre (which seats an audience of 400), on Monday 5th September from 9.30am – 3.30pm.  Tickets are $199 per person.  If you bring a partner or work colleague you will pay just $299 for two.  CLICK HERE to register and don’t forget to mention my name when you sign up!

This is a wonderful opportunity for anyone, after all, who knows when you’ll next have to stand up in front of an audience to deliver a speech or a presentation - whether it’s at a wedding, in your office or at a conference?  Fantastic for anyone in sales or to generally build your own confidence and self esteem.

Join Cath Vincent and leading motivational speaker John Shackleton for a 1-day workshop to Overcome Your Fear of Public Speaking.  One date only!  Monday 5th September 2011.  Register here.

Click on the file below for more information:

When I first launched my business I thought it would be pretty cool working from home and being my own boss, and of course, those things are wonderful, but I didn’t realise how much fun it was going to be as well!

Apart from having some truly lovely clients who are an absolute delight to work with, the tasks I get to work on are always interesting and varied.  One minute I might be designing a flyer, the next I’m updating a client’s website or creating a brand new template website from scratch.  Then, I’m designing a brochure using InDesign, setting up a newsletter, formatting a document or making a YouTube movie out of a PowerPoint presentation!  I’ve even taken photos of local scenery for one of my clients.

When it comes to the kind of work I will do for my clients, I’m always open to suggestion and there’s not much I won’t put my hand to.  I love figuring out new things and really enjoy the chance to be creative and the buzz I get from the end result – especially when I have a happy client as well!

I always enjoyed my jobs when I worked in the ‘real world’ and it’s like everything I learnt during those years has culminated into everything I now do as a Virtual Assistant and best of all, it’s all so fascinating and diverse!

I often tell people that ‘I love what I do’ and do you know what?  I really do!

Being happy at work is related to how much you like your job, but there are some small steps you can take which will help boost your mood.

Making sure you feel comfortable, combined with sprinkling a few small pleasures throughout your day and using your time wisely, can all contribute to more happiness when you are at work.

1  Check for eyestrain.  Put your hand to your forehead in a salute.  If your eyes feel relieved then your space is too bright.

2  Get a good desk chair and take the time to adjust it properly.

3  Sit up straight - you will instantly feel more energetic and cheerier.

4  Invest in some nice desk accessories to help you stay organised or get a good desk lamp.

5  Don't snack on sweets.  Eating a handful of M&M's each day will not only make  you put on weight, they will make you feel lethargic once the sugar rush has gone.

6  Take time to sort through those loose papers that have piled up.  You'll be amazed at the wonderful calm it brings.

7  Go outside at least once a day, and if possible, go for a walk.  Sunlight and activity is good for your focus, mood and information retention.

8  Don't let yourself get too hungry.

9  Try to make a lunch date with someone outside the office at least once a week.

10  Its okay to let yourself be ignorant of things you don't need to know.

Above tips are by Gretchen Rubin, best selling author whose book, The Happiness Project, is the account of the year she spent test-driving studies and theories about how to be happier.

An effective way to keep in touch with your clients and prospective clients is by writing a business newsletter.  Newsletters are a great way to let people know that you are still around.  It also shows professionalism and it's far less threatening than cold calling.

Use your newsletter to inform your readers about current issues and developments happening in your industry and at the same time, you can market your services/products.  Offer tips and tricks in your field of speciality and keep articles brief.

Apart from being a great way to maintain regular contact, your newsletter will enhance your credibility and prominence in the marketplace.

Ask yourself who you're writing the newsletter for and ensure you target your audience and cater your newsletter specifically to them.

Your newsletter doesn't need to be restricted to providing information on your company alone.  Feel free to include details of upcoming events and talk about other news related to your industry to keep things interesting.  You may also wish to include an article from a guest writer.   Remember to allow room for pictures and captions.

You can make the most of your newsletter content by using it on your website or blog page.

Whatever you do, make sure your business newsletter is relevant and fun to read.  Give your readers the information they need on what's happening in your company, upcoming events, news of achievements and offer advice, tips and tricks.

Click here to receive your monthly newsletter from My Virtual Assistant.

Somehow I seem to have 'fallen' into creating template websites for my clients.

I have always been pretty creative (I'm crazy about art and interior design) and when I was working in the 'real' world I used to refer to myself as the 'Layout Queen'.  I guess it's just that I like things to look good on a page!

I can't stand it when words are wrapped incorrectly, for example, in the case of 'New Zealand', when 'New' is at the end of one line and 'Zealand' is at the beginning of the next line, or when a centered heading or headline is broken up in the wrong place - it just irks me!

When I was first setting up My Virtual Assistant I decided to build my own website. This was something I hadn't ever done before so there was a lot of trial and error (mostly error!) and a whole lot of frustration.  The end result was okay, but nowhere near what I had hoped for.  People said they liked my website, but I couldn't get the layout right, things weren't centered properly and I just couldn't get pictures and text to line up how I wanted them to.

Around about a year later, I stumbled across template websites and quickly set about creating an entirely new website for my business.  Finally, I was able to place things on a page where I wanted them to be and the whole creative process was so easy to use, especially compared with my old website.

Not long afterwards I was talking to a client who said she really wanted a website for her start-up business and a quote of $3,000 from a website company was something she really couldn't afford.  I told her about template websites and she asked me to create one for her.  In just eight hours she had a new website and I had saved her over $2,600!  Needless to say, she was thrilled.

Since then I have created template websites for various other clients and I love every minute of it.  Once my creative energy kicks in I even surprise myself as to where it leads - and the best part is, my clients are very happy with the end result (and price)!

View websites created by My Virtual Assistant.