Friday, December 21, 2007

Books to Grow on



The life of a Virtual Professional is definitely not static. Unlike the desk jobs of our recent past, we must now create our own working environment. We must literally set the stage for a productive and abundant career, from our workspace to our paycheck. With so many balls to keep in the air, it is easy to forget that professional development is a key piece in our successful puzzle.

Growing a library of books (and blogs and ezines) to keep us invigorated and to continually grow our skill set is a must for any VP. This holiday season, as you wrap gifts for everyone near and dear in your life, remember to honor yourself. Be your own Kristine Kringle and choose a few books to grow on from the TVN website. Fill your stocking with two books on skill building and one on goal setting. And if you have time for one extra great read over the holidays, pick up our favorite:

From Entrepreneur to Infopreneur: Make Money with books, E-Books and Information Products

by our good friend, Stephanie Chandler.


From Entrepreneur to Infopreneur: Make Money with books, E-Books and Information Products


As 2007 draws to a close, remember that the one commodity you truly cannot save is time. It is passing. But spending it on growing yourself and your abundant career as a VP is simply money in the bank. It is the seeds you plant for your successful future.


With Gratitude, Michelle Ulrich, Chief Villager and President

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Thursday, December 20, 2007

The 5 Biggest Mistakes to Avoid When Writing Teleseminar Jan. 8th

Tuesday, January 8, 2008
12:00 pm Pacific, 1:00 pm Mountain, 2:00 pm Central, 3:00 pm Eastern (1 hour)

If you’ve promised yourself 2008 will be the year you really start writing, this is the teleseminar for you. We’ll look at the 5 biggest mistakes to avoid when writing and what to do instead. Learn tricks professional writers use to start writing and keep going!

· How to Get Yourself to Start Writing Every Time
· How to Write More, Faster
· The Most Important Thing to Know About Editing
· How to Select the Best Writing Tools and Equipment

Registration: This is a Complimentary Teleseminar. Just click on the link below and fill out the form; that’s all you have to do! We’ll email you the teleseminar telephone and passcode. We’ll send a reminder a few days before the call. If you do not receive this information, please email us at admin@susanborkin.com.

Register: www.susanborkin.com/teleseminar.htm

Susan Borkin, M.A. is a licensed psychotherapist, author and speaker. She is the founder of Write Now! a professional practice specializing in the use of writing for personal and professional growth. Susan specializes in helping people overcome creative blocks and achieve deep personal transformation through the use of writing. A personal growth writing teacher for more than twenty-five years, she is the author of When Your Heart Speaks, Take Good Notes: The Healing Power of Writing and Writing From the Inside Out: Using a Journal for Personal Growth & Transformation.

Interview with Laura Fenamore, Body Esteem and Life Coach

Thursday, December 27, 2007, 5:00pm Pacific; 6:00pm Mountain; 7:00pm Central; 8:00pm
Eastern

Complimentary Teleseminar Interview with Laura Fenamore, Body Esteem and Life Coach

With January just around the corner, when we typically think of making resolutions to lose weight or become more active, what better time to learn from someone who can really help you with your body esteem issues.
To register: Send an email to Laura@LauraFenamore.com with ‘Body Esteem’ in the subject line.
CALL 1-800-376-0163 x8601!
To find out how to enhance your Body Esteem and receive your complimentary gift, call Laura's 24-hour recorded 5 minute message at 1-800-376-0163 x8601
Loving Your Body For Good!
Why Diets Are Out and Healthy Body Esteem Is In!

Date: Saturday, January 12, 2008
Time: 10:00 am – 5:00 pm Pacific
Location: 220 Corte Madera Town Ctr, Bay Club Marin, Corte Madera, CA, 94925 (415) 945-3000 (venue telephone)

Summary of Workshop: Tired of diets that don't work? Carb counting and crash diets may help in the short run, but if you want change for a lifetime, you need to move beyond the temporary fix.

The Fenamore Method focuses not only on the steps you need to reach your goals; it concentrates on the even more crucial moment when you reach your goal and need a realistic plan to STAY there. Losing weight is only the beginning. Maintaining weight loss and healthy living is the long-term challenge and very few people succeed.

You will learn what "power" tools you have to take control of your life and how to use them! You can create permanent change.

Learn 10 new tools on how to create permanent change regarding weight loss and release the beliefs that hold you back.

Liberate yourself from destructive eating habits and the diet cycle.
Learn why dieting is not the answer.

Love who you see when you look in the mirror for life!

"Laura is one of the most dynamic, compassionate, caring, empowering, skilled coaches I've ever worked with in my life." ~ Jack Canfield, America’s Success Coach www.JackCanfield.com

Registration details and cost: Sign up before Jan. 1st, and pay ONLY $97!That is a $37 savings! $134 after January 1st!
http://www.laurafenamore.com/bodyesteemworkshop.html

Laura Fenamore is a gifted Body Esteem and Life Coach.
Laura created her company… “Journey To Balance”… devoted exclusively to helping others find balance in their lives and learn to value who they are. Her vision is living in a world where health and body image are celebrated. Laura Fenamore has become a celebrated speaker, lecturer and teacher to thousands of people nationwide. Her approach is unique. Jack Canfield, co-creator of the “Chicken Soup for the Soul” series thinks so. So will you.

Thursday, December 27, 2007, 5:00pm Pacific; 6:00pm Mountain; 7:00pm Central; 8:00pm
Eastern

Complimentary Teleseminar Interview with Laura Fenamore, Body Esteem and Life Coach

With January just around the corner, when we typically think of making resolutions to lose weight or become more active, what better time to learn from someone who can really help you with your body esteem issues.

To register: Send an email to Laura@LauraFenamore.com with ‘Body Esteem’ in the subject line.

CALL 1-800-376-0163 x8601!
To find out how to enhance your Body Esteem and receive your complimentary gift, call Laura's 24-hour recorded 5 minute message at 1-800-376-0163 x8601

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

TVN Tip of the Week - Setting Boundaries – Putting a Fence Around Your Garden

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Becoming a Virtual Professional is like sowing the seeds planted over a lifetime of hard work – often in offices where our worth was far from recognized.

As we approach the new year, we must ask ourselves if we have reached the level of self-commitment and discipline required to virtually soar within our industry.


Have we put the very basics boldly into place as VP’s?


  • Is your home office or workspace off limits to the daily chaos of running a household? (Or are you trying to work with one hand and fold laundry and pay bills with the other?)
  • Do you NOT answer personal or distracting phone calls during work hours?
  • Have you provided yourself and your family with adequate childcare to ensure that your “work day” is child “childproofed” and productive?
  • Do you plan and schedule time for professional development? This may be as simple as taking a tutorial on the newest release of a familiar software or reading industry-related ezines, or it may be as profound as coaching sessions with seasoned and inspirational leaders in our field. (A great holiday gift idea, btw! Point your loved one to the TVN website to get you that gift!)
  • Finally, do you have an END to your workday as well – allowing yourself to enjoy the beautiful life you work so hard to create every day?


As Virtual Professionals we must strike a strong balance between working from home and being at home.

Because in our case, home is not only where the heart is, it is also where the start is. It is the start of our new and fabulously successful lives as VP’s. So be fierce and bold and set the boundaries you must in order to grow a vibrant and triumphant professional life.


With Gratitude,

Michelle Ulrich, Chief Villager and President

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7 Simple Strategies to Boost your Sales Teleseminar Jan 2nd

Do you want to learn the shortcuts to sales success?

Learn the shortcuts to sales success! Learn how to improve your sales results and increase your sales productivity.

7 Simple Strategies to Boost your Sales (FREE Teleseminar)January 2nd
2:00pm PST / 4pm CST / 5:00 pm EST

If you're ready to gain some distinctions that will catapult you to success, then attend this teleseminar.

Gain valuable insights that will lay the foundation for ongoing sales success:

Learn how to establish the right mindset
Understand how to create a balanced life
Gain strategies to improve your sales skills

Who should attend?

Entrepreneurs
Small business owners
Consultants
Coaches
Virtual Assistants
Network marketers
Professional services firms

7 Simple Strategies to Boost your Sales January 2nd
2:00pm PST / 4pm CST / 5:00 pm EST

Registration: Please register at http://www.thepdapro.com/7SimpleStrategies.asp

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Proven Strategies to Increase your Productivity and Achieve Amazing Results

Proven Strategies to Increase your Productivity
and Achieve Amazing Results

Faced with an Avalanche of Work?Mired in a Mess?
Achieve Amazing Results Now!

Most people have too much to do. They’re faced with an ever growing inbox and struggle with what to do next. If this sounds like you, help is here!

There are a lot of technology tools you can use to increase your productivity. But, each tool carries with it another set of challenges. How do you work both productively and effectively?

In this teleseminar, you’re going to learn how to stay on track, focus on your priorities, and keep moving forward even when all hell is breaking loose.

Join me for a free call to learn...

FREE Teleseminar:Proven Strategies to Increase your Productivity and Achieve Amazing Results
Thursday, January 10th
2pm PST / 4pm CST / 5pm EST

Don't wait till the last minute this year. It's so much easier when you take a few minutes now to plan.

What you'll learn:

Steps to stay on track

Tips to get powerful results

Keys to leverage technology tools

Join me on this call and learn how to get more done in less time. Learn how to increase your productivity. And find out how you can stay focused and achieve your dreams.

Registration: Please register at http://www.thepdapro.com/ProvenStrategies.asp

The Virtual Nation Expert Teleseminar SeriesPresents...
Grow Your Business, Not Your Waistline
Tuesday, January 15, 200810:00 am ~ 11:00 am Pacific

Join me for one hour to learn all about turning your business challenges around and making them work for you!

Date & Time: Tuesday, January 15, 2008, 10:00 am Pacific, 11:00 am Mountain, 12:00 pm Central, 1:00 pm Eastern (1 hour)

Who Should Attend? Coaches, Entrepreneurs, Sales Professionals, Solopreneurs, and Virtual Professionals of all walks of life.

Grow Your Business, Not Your Waistline!

Does your personal health and fitness get relegated to the back burner in favor of your business?

What if you could have both a healthy, vital body and a healthy, thriving business?

You can! Find out what other successful entrepreneurs know: physical health leads to business wealth.

Ground-breaking new research proves that regular exercise can actually increase your sales! By approaching eating and exercise the way you approach your business, you can achieve both physical and financial health, without working overtime!

You will learn:

How to develop eating and activity habits that benefit your business and its bottom line!

How to save money by implementing new eating and activity habits consistently - without pain, punishment, guilt or deprivation!

How to find more time with simple changes in your eating and activity habits.

Simple strategies to make your new eating and activity habits part of your business plan, for increased growth and success.

Format: Michelle Ulrich, founder of The Virtual Nation™ will have a one-on-one discussion with Gillian Hood-Gabrielson. She will share her knowledge and expertise to help virtual professionals with their waistline challenges.

Gillian Hood-Gabrielson is the founder and President of Healthier Outcomes.
A popular and in-demand fitness and intuitive eating coach, Gillian understands the unique needs of busy women in different ages and stages of life. She is widely known for her ability to create a high degree of motivation among her clients to make exercise and intuitive eating an enjoyable and integral part of their lives.

Gillian brings to each client a unique and rare perspective on what it takes to eliminate the diet mentality and overcome emotional eating. Prior to becoming a fitness professional, Gillian experienced many of the same struggles her clients and millions of women experience, from weight gain and poor body image to disordered eating and lack of exercise motivation.
Having personally faced and successfully overcome her own battles with emotional overeating, Gillian fully understands that eating healthy, exercising and maintaining your weight is not an easy task for most women. For the last 14 years she has dedicated her life to educating, guiding and helping women lose weight and get in shape while learning to eat their favorite foods without feeling guilty or punishing themselves.

The breadth and depth of Gillian’s knowledge on health, fitness and emotional eating is a result of years of research and study, culminating in achieving a Master of Sport Science degree from the United States Sports Academy and a bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology (Exercise Science) from San Jose State University.

In addition to the degrees she has achieved, Gillian has received advanced certification from several prestigious organizations including the American College of Sports Medicine, (considered the "gold standard" for personal trainer certification), and Wellcoaches, and she has achieved Master-level Personal Fitness Professional from IDEA (International Association of Fitness Professionals), the latter being the highest level of achievement for a professional trainer.
Gillian is often quoted in various print media including Energy for Women, Costco Connection, Better Nutrition and the Sacramento Business Journal as a result of her inspiring and proven approach to losing weight and keeping it off. She is also an in-demand speaker on the topics of fitness and intuitive eating.

To reach Gillian you can email her at gillian@healthieroutcomes.com

Registration: This is a Complimentary Teleclass - Just click on the link below and fill out the form; that's all you have to do! You do NOT have to provide your credit card number; that’s if this were a paid event (which it is NOT.) We'll email you the teleclass telephone and pin number and send a reminder a few days before the call. If you do not receive this information, please email us at info@thevirtualnation.com.

Register: http://www.thevirtualnation.com/teleclass.htm

Friday, December 14, 2007

Staying Connected - TVN's Ezine

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As VA's, staying educated in our field on every aspect of being a great service provider can take on a virtual life of its own.

Finding two or three highly effective ways to stay connected and on top of the newest softwares, marketing methods, FAQs, etc., is vital if we are to be truly successful in our field. (And remember -- once your business is really booming, you won't have time for more than two or three, so choose your connections wisely!)

The Virtual Vision ezine is published each month and is packed full of free resources, tips and trends for the savvy virtual assistant and virtual professional. Don't get left behind while your colleagues are scooping up clients and learning new technologies to stay on the cutting edge.

A quick stop at The Virtual Nation's website will offer you archived issues of the Ezine. Bookmark this page! It will be a daily resource to answering your own business questions, large and small, especially for a new VA:

Archives


The Vitual Vision is also a tremendous advertising opportunity for virtual entrepreneur's -- members may place a one-time banner or ezine ad -- or even publish an article for only $25.00! Click on the SUCCCESS button below for more details!

SUCCESS


With Gratitude,

Michelle Ulrich, Chief Villager and President

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Monday, December 10, 2007

TVN Tip of the Week -- Plan for a Future That is Beyond Your Wildest Dreams

What Does Your Future Hold?

No matter how long a VA has been in business, having a strong and inspiring financial plan is a cornerstone to her future that should not be overlooked.

As businesswomen, sometimes we focus so much on our Marketing Plan, that our Financial Plan is easy to leave on a shelf, gathering dust.

Are we at a point where our business makes a profit month after month? If not, it is important to ask some basic questions when updating your financial goals:

  • Are your rates too low? (visit TVN's website for input on rates.)
  • Are you successfully managing your expenses?
  • Is your work flowing in a steady stream – or is it a flood at some times and barely a trickle at others?

If your business is at a profit level, it may be time to dust off the Financial Plan and set some new goals.

Remember that your business is not only your career, it is your future. Make sure to be adequately planning for your retirement, even if it seems far off, and speak to your insurance agent to determine if your disability insurance is robust enough to get you (and your business) through life’s unexpected rough spots.

And finally, ask yourself the Million Dollar Question: Are you building a business you could sell for a profit one day?

Does your Financial Plan plan for a future beyond your wildest dreams? If not, make one that does!

The Virtual Nation Expert Teleclass Series
Presents...

The Things Your Parents Never Told You
About Planning For The Future

Tuesday, December 11, 2007
10:00 am ~ 11:00 am Pacific

Click here for details


With Gratitude,

Michelle Ulrich, Chief Villager and President

Wednesday, December 5, 2007

Be Inspired -- By YOU

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Sometimes, when we get into a career, we end up almost imprisoned by our own aptitude. We may have specialized in one area of our jobs, just because as assistants, we can play almost any role that is thrown at us. But as we look for inspiration for our VA businesses, we need to take time to pause and reevaluate our goals. The obvious objectives are to have more time in our homes, to be financially grounded and successful, to have a host of clients and projects. Probably the most important goal of all, however, and the key that sets the stage for our entire business, is to do the creative and exciting work that we love.

Are you doing what thrills you, as a Virtual Assistant?

On your list of services, have you dared to include those things you enjoy the most? And if you don’t feel you have the level of necessary expertise to list those skills, have you made a plan of action to acquire them? If you love web design or desktop publishing or freelance writing, what are you doing to hone those skills? Remember WHY you have gone into business for yourself -- underneath all the other reasons, it is to have a life truly worth living.

As Virtual Assistants, we have taken a courageous step and left the traditional workplace. The next fork in that road is to do the work we love. Take stock in your business – if your work pays you well and you excel at it, but it leaves you uninspired, seek to add that project or skillset that you daydream about. Or if you are offering services that you hated in your old “office life,” this is the time to envision those fading and to see yourself as the star in your own show.

Give yourself the gift of a free few hours for a Goal Planning Session and dare to build a business plan constructed solely around skills you enjoy. This is your VA business, you can forge the road to your own future.


Ask yourself some simple (but not easy) questions:

- What was I leaving when I made the decision to become a VA?
Were you leaving the rigidity of an office? Were you tired of being treated like the lowest “man” on the totem pole – when really you were supporting the entire team on top of your own head. Were you exhausted by your commute?

-
What were you hoping to find, personally, as a VA?
More financial freedom? Peace of mind? Work that excited you?

- Where do you want to take your business? Are you setting your business goals high enough?
Take some time and really think about, and list, your goals for your business. Do you see yourself building a business strong enough to sell when you retire? Are you hoping to build a truly 100% virtual business, so you can travel and take your “shop” and your clients with you.

- Finally, what are you doing to search out clients and market your company?
(For a multitude of great marketing ideas, visit the archived Ezine’s (The Vision) at the TVN website.)


Remember, As VA’s we are no longer forced to be chameleons, good at everything thrown at us – we are now free to embrace the unique and vibrant gifts that we each have, and to build our new businesses and lives around those talents.

(And if you need a little boost to help you even decide what those gifts are, a quick visit to the bookstore at the TVN website could be just what the doctor ordered. A great example: The Purple Cow, by Seth Godin.)


The Purple Cow: Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable

by, Seth Godin


And, if you need a BIG boost to help you get started, or to do some major Goal Setting, consider a private coaching session with the founder of The Virtual Nation, Michelle Ulrich.)


With Gratitude,
Michelle Ulrich, Chief Villager & President

Monday, December 3, 2007

Tip of the Week -- Be Inspired

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As business owners and entrepreneurs, we understand the stress and the challenge of hitting the mark every day, for every client and every project. We do our best to juggle work and home (and friends) and to keep all the players in the band encouraged and connected.

Being able to do this requires that we find (and create) a foundation of daily inspiration and support for ourselves as well.

Sometimes, about all we can manage in our busy lives is a few deep breaths throughout the day and a mental note to look around and appreciate how blessed we are. Remember, as challenging as it is to meet the financial needs of our business and to find great clients, we are the inspired few who bring our dreams of entrepreneurship into reality.

Joining VA communities (such as TVN and IVAA) will definitely net you some of the support you need – but finding inspiration to help us weather the storms of self doubt that will visit us all from time to time is a little trickier.

One such source of rich inspiration can be found at http://www.tut.com/. Begun in 1989, TUT embraces the BIG idea that we can create and embrace our own reality. A recent message we can all benefit from was sent last Friday, November 30:

Here are 3 sure-fire steps that will take you from wishing upon a star to being one:

  • Imagine your dreams as if they already exist.
  • Speak as if they already exist.
  • And act as if they already exist.

On TUT's website, you can sign up for similar, awesome motivations to be sent to you by email every day. This is the perfect answer to the busy VA who may only have those two minutes to begin her day with inspiration, enthusiasm and that important reminder that she is powerful,
brilliant and uniquely gifted to unravel the day ahead of her.

With
Gratitude,
Michelle Ulrich
www.thevirtualnation.com


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Saturday, December 1, 2007

Calculate This! 100 Financial Calculators Every Entrepreneur Needs




I just came across a wonderful directory of calculators and wanted to share it you.

If you you need to know how to 'value' your business prior to selling, no problem. It's in there.

If you need to know how to figure out the ROI of an email campaign, it's in there, too.







This directory has calculators for the following:
  • Pay Per Click ROI
  • Operating Profit Percentage
  • Loans
  • Debt Management
  • Investments
  • Taxes
  • Personnel
  • Personal Finance
  • Miscellaneous
  • and so much more
Check it out at Bootstrapper.com

Enjoy!

With Gratitude,
Michelle Ulrich, Chief Villager & President
________________________________________

The Virtual Nation
A community of learning. A nation of culture. A virtual village.
________________________________________

PO Box 3692, Citrus Heights, CA 95611
(916) 536-9799 Office | (866) 844-9360 Fax
Michelle@TheVirtualNation.com | www.TheVirtualNation.com
Michelle@MichelleUlrich.com | www.MichelleUlrich.com

"If it takes a village to raise a child, then it takes a virtual village to grow a successful business." ~Michelle Ulrich

Thursday, November 29, 2007

The Things Your Parents Never Told You About Planning For The Future

The Virtual Nation Expert Teleclass SeriesPresents...

The Things Your Parents Never Told You About Planning For The Future

Tuesday, December 11, 200710:00 am ~ 11:00 am Pacific

Join me for one hour to learn all about turning your business challenges around and making them work for you!

Date & Time: Tuesday, December 11, 2007, 10:00 am Pacific, 11:00 am Mountain, 12:00 pm Central, 1:00 pm Eastern (1 hour)

Who Should Attend? Coaches, Entrepreneurs, Sales Professionals, Solopreneurs, and Virtual Professionals

Challenges for the Business Owner:

What is cash flow?
Profit versus cash flow
Business Financing
Tax Planning
Retirement Planning for Business Owners
How to make insurance work for you
Designing your own benefits package
Exit strategies for your business

Format: Michelle Ulrich, founder of The Virtual Nation™ will have a one-on-one discussion with Dianna Laney, CRPC® Ameriprise Financial Advisor. She will share her knowledge and expertise to help small business owners with their financial challenges.

About Dianna: As an Ameriprise financial advisor, I believe success should be measured not just by your financial well-being, but by how confident you feel about your future. My mission is to help you reach your financial goals through a personal relationship based on personalized, knowledgeable advice. This focus is designed to help you reach your goals, giving you greater confidence.

Registration: This is a Complimentary Teleclass - Just click on the link below and fill out the form; that's all you have to do! We'll email you the teleclass telephone and pin number. We'll send a reminder a few days before the call. If you do not receive this information, please email us at info@thevirtualnation.com.

Register: http://www.thevirtualnation.com/teleclass.htm

Sunday, November 25, 2007

TVN Tip of the Week - Networking

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Today's virtual world is not so far from the neighborhood marketplaces of a century ago. We join communities (like The Virtual Nation), have chats, and through our websites, we open a store and hang out a shingle.

But how do we effectively turn this into a business? For the new VA, promoting her business may take as much time as doing her business. Often the most obvious path (and one of the most effective) costs nothing. It is simple, free word-of-mouth networking.

No matter how long you have been in business, utilizing your existing relationships can springboard you to a new customer base.


#1 Send an email or quick hand-written note to every "boss" or manager from your "old life" -- before your VA business. Let them know what you are doing and ask for referrals. Chances are that they remember your hard work and creativity.

#2 Include everyone from your day-to-day contacts in a bi-monthy ezine (remember to have an opt-out button and full contact information to comply with email laws). Often, these personal relationships will net unexpected assignments and opportunities. (Need some ideas for your ezine? Check out The Virtual Nation's.)

#3 Volunteer a couple of hours a week to local organizations -- both those you belong to and those you don't. As VA's we all bristle at disorganization and jump in to serve our kids' scout troop and our church, but offering to assist your local chamber of commerce or political organization with mailings a few times a year can be big network builders. The point is, use your skills to make connections OUTSIDE of your every-day circle.

Turning your own relationships into business is like filling a vase with flowers from your own garden. These are people who know you and appreciate the unique flavor and warmth you bring to every situation. Invite them into your successful adventure as a VA, and in return, offer them the bargain of a lifetime -- the creative, talented, one-in-a-million YOU.

______________________

With Gratitude, Michelle Ulrich,

Chief Villager & President

The Virtual Nation(tm)

http://www.thevirtualnation.com



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How To Increase Sales Results and Make More Money Teleseminar

Date: Wednesday, November 28
Time: 4pm Pacific/7 pm Eastern
Location: Teleseminar
Cost: Complimentary

What is one of the single most important tasks as a business owner? Simply, closing a deal with a client. So, if closing sales is what you need to do…and fast, before the end of the fourth quarter, then you’ll need to be sure to increase your sales results in order to make more money and close BIG! Sales is the engine that drives your business. Are you ready to learn how to increase your sales AND make more money? Then, don’t miss our upcoming teleseminar. We are holding a weekly teleseminar to help you become a sales result machine!

You’ll learn:

· Where to find the best tips
· How to find new and cost-effective ways to learn from the great sages
· How hiring one key person can help you reach all the goals you set
· Secrets to staying focused
· How to ‘Increase your Sales Results and Make More Money’

Take action now to get the sales results you want. Learn from ‘Sales Superstars’ so you achieve massive sales results just like the pros.

This complimentary teleseminar will give you insights that will help you take the driver's seat, rev up your sales engine and accelerate your sales results as you head into 2008.
Go to http://www.salesresultsprogram.com/2007/10/insider-secrets.html for registration.

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

TVN Tip of the Week

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Looking for Subcontracting Work?
Are You Getting Your Name Out There Among Your Peers?

Talk to anyone building a business in the VA world, and the conversation will quickly turn to clients -- either the search for more, or managing those we already have. One of the best solutions to these challenges is subcontracting. The new VA will often find a client base in her own peers who are further down the career path, and established VA's can share their abundance and experience with talented and enthusiastic newcomers.

If you are one of those newcomers, however, the question becomes how do you get your name out there in the least expensive way. Certainly joining professional groups, such as The Virtual Nation or the IVAA is a strong introduction, and as soon as time and resources will allow, every one of us should have a virtual presence through websites and ezines, etc.

Another vibrant, inexpensive way to gain exposure, especially if you haven't had the time to develop a web presence yet, is through banner and ezine ads on already established Ezines. At the Marketplace on The Virtual Nation's website, you can find exactly these types of opportunities for as little as $25.00. You can even publish your own article this way with live links and archival.

With minimum research there are many other such opportunities for affordable peer exposure and the chance to develop strong business relationships and mentoring opportunities. Embracing these opportunities is a win-win for all of us in the VA world.

______________________
With Gratitude, Michelle Ulrich, Chief Villager & President
The Virtual Nation(tm)
http://www.thevirtualnation.com

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Saturday, November 17, 2007

"Self" Coaching Resources at The Virtual Nation

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If you just can't seem to fit one-on-one business coaching or even team coaching into your schedule or business right now, perhaps do-it-yourself coaching is the way to go.

One of the GREAT books waiting to be read at The Virtual Nation's BOOKSTORE is Bringing Out the Best in Yourself at Work: How to Use the Enneagram System for Success, by Ginger Lapid-Bogda

In Bringing Out the Best in Yourself at Work, Enneagram teacher and business consultant Ginger Lapid-Bodga shows professionals how to apply this popular tool to their work as a way to improve productivity and help build positive relationships with coworkers. The Enneagram is a proven psychological system based on nine personality types; it helps people achieve self-awareness and develop strategic approaches to interpersonal interactions. This system is used by such organizations as the Walt Disney Company, Silicon Graphics, the Federal Reserve Bank, and the CIA. This book provides a proven system to achieving career and life goals, such as:

  • Communicating more effectively
  • Providing and accepting constructive feedback
  • Preventing and resolving conflict
  • Bringing out strong leadership skills
  • Discovering methods for professional development
  • Working better in teams

This is a MUST HAVE for anyone seeking to have a more fulfilling and effective career.

You may find this book and many other resources geared toward professional development compiled by our own Michelle Ulich at the BOOKSTORE at The Virtual Nation.

GET THIS BOOK NOW!

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Wednesday, November 14, 2007

More on Business Coaching - Affordable and Priceless

Type "Business Coach" into Google and you'll come up with more than 71,000 hits -- and while this may be overwhelming, it clearly evidences the strong and growing role that coaching plays in today's business world.

As we line up at the starting gate of our own new business ventures, who are our teammates? Have we chosen a mentor who has the expertise and enthusiasm that we need?

Michelle Ulrich has taken her role at The Virtual Nation and used it to teach others how to create and succeed in their own virtual careers using eCommerce and technology. Michelle has given more than twenty-five presentations at colleges, professional associations and coaching societies, and has been the keynote speaker for both the International Association of Administrative Professionals and the Women's Council of Realtors. Her presentations on eCommerce on a Shoestring Budget and Creating Excellence in Life and the Workplace Everyday have been vital to many new and exisiting business.

Because of her committment to mentoring other professionals toward success, Michelle has put together three coaching opportunities that will fit into anyone's business model and budget.

6-week Mentor Coaching $97
Belong to a group of your peers where you can safely ask questions, share, help your peers and have a pool of knowledge should you decide to grow your business and need subcontractors. You also get unlimited email coaching.

Mentor Coaching Club $17/month
Continue your group coaching experience! With the coaching club, you and your peers can continue your group coaching experience, discussions, peer support and more.

Personal Coaching $75/mo and up
With personal coaching, you have direct access to Michelle Ulrich, seasoned Virtual Professional. To learn more about Michelle and her vast professional experience, visit her at www.michelleulrich.com/michelle.htm.

With personal coaching, you will explore in a one-on-one setting via telephone how to work through your individual challenges. All information is held in the strictest of confidences and our agreement with you will illustrate this as well. Coaching sessions are tailored to fit your unique situation and needs. Some commonly covered topics are:
  • Take time for yourself to gain clarity and a fresh focus
  • Confidently discuss your rates and services through role playing
  • Explore your passions and possibly refocus your business
  • Attract your ideal client Is your message clear and concise?
  • Assess your current marketing materials and techniques
  • Are you ready to subcontract some of your own workload or clients' projects?
  • How to effectively work with subcontractors

If you are interested in this type of coaching, please email Michelle for a complete intake package and available start dates at michelle@thevirtualnation.com or go to http://www.thevirtualnation.com/services.htm.

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Monday, November 12, 2007

Triple Your Revenue with These Six Foolproof Steps Workshop

Do you struggle with sales and marketing…unsure if you're taking the "right" actions, ones that are guaranteed to build your business?

Have you ever wished somebody could just tell you…
step by step…

exactly how to build a thriving business?

That’s precisely what we do.

In this 90-minute Complimentary workshop, you will:

Learn the specific marketing strategies that are guaranteed to produce the greatest results, so you stop wasting time and start generating more clients, customers, and profit.

Move past your fear of sales and marketing. Learn to serve your clients and customers so you never again have to worry about selling them.

Master the five-step sales process, enabling you to consistently convert more than 60% of prospects into paying clients and customers.

Our goal is to triple your marketing effectiveness and give you an outstanding competitive advantage. Our system is proven and time-tested. If you follow it, you will grow your business. Guaranteed.

WHEN:
Tuesday, November 13th from 7 – 8:30 pm Eastern Time
Register Now: http://www.businessbreakthroughinstitute.com/pages/workshops_register.php

How To Increase Sales Results and Make More Money Teleseminar

Date: Monday, November 19
Time: 4pm Pacific/7 pm Eastern
Location: Teleseminar
Cost: Complimentary

What is one of the single most important tasks as a business owner? Simply, closing a deal with a client. So, if closing sales is what you need to do…and fast, before the end of the fourth quarter, then you’ll need to be sure to increase your sales results in order to make more money and close BIG! Sales is the engine that drives your business. Are you ready to learn how to increase your sales AND make more money? Then, don’t miss our upcoming teleseminar. We are holding a weekly teleseminar to help you become a sales result machine!

You’ll learn:

· Where to find the best tips
· How to find new and cost-effective ways to learn from the great sages
· How hiring one key person can help you reach all the goals you set
· Secrets to staying focused
· How to ‘Increase your Sales Results and Make More Money’

Take action now to get the sales results you want. Learn from ‘Sales Superstars’ so you achieve massive sales results just like the pros.

This complimentary teleseminar will give you insights that will help you take the driver's seat, rev up your sales engine and accelerate your sales results as you head into 2008.
Go to http://www.salesresultsprogram.com/2007/10/insider-secrets.html for registration.

TVN Tip of the Week: 6 Weeks of Affordable Business Coaching for $97 - Maximize Your Efforts & Success with Business Coaches at The Virtual Nation

Are you having trouble putting the foundation of your business in place?
Are you overwhelmed by what you don't know?
Or have you gotten started and need help to hit that grand slam of finding clients, managing projects, and making money!

Sign up for six weeks of Mentor Coaching with an experienced Virtual Professional from The Virtual Nation and cover all the bases! http://www.thevirtualnation.com/services.htm
  • Virtual office setup
  • Confidently discuss your rates and services through role playing
  • Attract your ideal client
  • Keep on top of technology
  • Marketing and networking both online and offline
  • Learn how to focus your time using simple techniques that work
  • Openly discuss individual and unique challenges
  • Group setting for peer comraderie
  • Confidentiality agreements signed by all participants

An Overview

Week 1: Get to know your peers: introduce yourself, challenges, what you hope to get out of the class and more. Sign into private yahoo group, introduce yourself to your peers, post your photo and contact information.

Week 2: Change your employee mindset to a business owner mindset by learning the language of business. New dialoguing and languaging skills and techniques learned through role playing. Learn negotiating tactics for prospects who aren't sure how to work with a VA and more.

Week 3: Learn why being authentically 'you' will attract the clients you want to work with. We'll explore values, creating your unique message, and more.

Week 4: Marketing and networking that works for you, not just the general populace. We'll explore both traditional and non-traditional methods.

Week 5: Doing the work: how to focus, time management vs. project management, and developing systems that work for you.

Week 6: Review and cover unanswered challenges, concerns, questions and succcesses!

Are you ready to take your business in a new direction? Now, you can! Just select the coaching day of the week that best suits your schedule from below. (If these days and times do not work for you, please send us an email at info@thevirtualnation.com to discuss some alternatives.)

Choose between:

Coaching calls Mondays at 10:30 am - 11:30 am Pacific (Dates to be determined.)

Coaching calls Thursdays at 9:00 am - 10:00 am Pacific (Dates to be determined.)

**NOTE: Limited to 20 people per group. Some classes may be extended due to holidays and/or previously scheduled out of office dates.


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Sunday, November 11, 2007

Online Results The Easy Way - Quickly and Painlessly Teleseminar

Diamond In The Rough Teleclasses

We have an exciting teleclass coming up on November 21st!

Expert Teleseminar Series featuring Jeanette S Cates, PhD, Founder & CEO of TechTamers

Topic: Online Results The Easy Way - Quickly and Painlessly

Date/Time: Wednesday, November 21, 5:00 pm Pacific, 6:00 pm Mountain, 7:00 pm Central and 8:00 pm Eastern

Who Should Attend: Coaches, Entrepreneurs, Executives, Leaders, Managers, and Sales Professionals

Details: You've heard the stories of overnight success on the Internet. And you've heard about the incredible amounts of money and fame people gain from their online business. But so far it's eluded you. Join us as we talk about how you can get from where you are today to the Online Success you deserve.

We'll discuss:

The 3-minute explanation of online marketing

How to choose a business model that works for you now.

The strategic errors people make with their website - and how you can avoid them

How to recognize the pieces of the puzzle and how they fit together.

What it takes to get started right now!

Get ready to take a ton of notes, because we're going to reveal the secrets that have been keeping you where you are.

Interview Questions

Do you think a website is necessary for every business or are there some types of businesses that don't need one?

What is the best low or no cost way to get a website?

What are the biggest mistakes people make on their websites?

As an expert in Internet marketing, give us one key to making your online business a money machine that anyone can duplicate.

What's the best way to automate 90% of your business?

What are some of the mistakes people make when getting started online?

If someone is totally new to doing business online, how would you explain it quickly?

You talk a lot about online success. What IS online success?

What keeps people from achieving the level of success they want?

What steps would you recommend people take now to either get started successfully online or to expand their online business?

Teleclass format:Barbara Davis, founder of Whitaker Davis & Associates as well as Uncover Brilliance, will host a round table session with Jeanette S Cates, PhD. For more information on Jeannette Cates, go to http://onlinesuccesssecrets.com/blog/about/

Registration: This is a complimentary teleclass – Go to http://www.uncoverbrilliance.com/teleclasses.shtml , fill out the form and we’ll email you the teleclass telephone and pin number. We’ll send a reminder a few days before the call. If you do not receive this information, please contact Michelle Ulrich, my assistant, at michelle@whitakerdavis.com.

Tuesday, November 6, 2007

The Business Startup Checklist and Planning Guide

********************************************************************

Are you trapped by the 9-5? Do you dream of leaving your commute in the dust? Do you have a skill or product that could really take you places?


If these questions speak to you, why not tap into the abundance and expertise of fellow entrepreneur, Stephanie Chandler. Stephanie is an Author, Speaker & Entrepreneur. In 2003 she left her corporate job to begin her new life of freedom, hard work and creativity as her own boss. Along the road, she has led many others to occupational freedom, helping them build a path to a more fulfulling life after corporate America. Use this book as a tool to moving past your fears and beginning your adventure.


In her book The Business Startup Checklist and Planning Guide: Seize Your Entrepreneurial Dreams, Stephanie outlines all the things you need to plant the seeds of an idea and develop the roots of a successful business plan and new life.


Let's face it, we simply cannot know what we do not know. Culling information from the experts and taking tips from those who have gone down this path before us can be invaluable. Stephanie Chandler's book is a vital step toward beginning any business or entrepreneurial effort.


Click on the link below to read a more indepth description and order this valuable tool.


http://astore.amazon.com/tvn4105-20/detail/1593303009/002-9400124-6123268

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With Gratitude,
Michelle Ulrich, Chief Villager & President
________________________________________

The Virtual Nation
A community of learning. A nation of culture. A virtual village.
________________________________________

PO Box 3692, Citrus Heights, CA 95611
(916) 536-9799 Office | (866) 844-9360 Fax
Michelle@TheVirtualNation.com | www.TheVirtualNation.com
Michelle@MichelleUlrich.com | www.MichelleUlrich.com

"If it takes a village to raise a child, then it takes a virtual village to grow a successful business." ~Michelle Ulrich

Sunday, November 4, 2007

Business Startup is Overwhelming - Where Do You Start?

The Virtual Nation Expert Teleclass SeriesPresents...

Business Startup is Overwhelming - Where Do You Start?
Stephanie Chandler, Author, Speaker & Entrepreneurwill share her journey to Business Startup

Tuesday, November 20, 200710:00 am ~ 11:00 am Pacific

Join me for one hour to learn all about Business Startup! We'll eat lunch together and learn at the same time!

Date & Time: Tuesday, November 20, 2007, 10:00 am Pacific, 11:00 am Mountain, 12:00 pm Central, 1:00 pm Eastern (1 hour)

Who Should Attend? Coaches, Entrepreneurs, Sales Professionals, Solopreneurs, and Virtual Professionals

What You Will Learn from the book, "The Business Startup Checklist and Planning Guide:"

Chapter 1: The Fear Factor
Chapter 2: Is Entrepreneurship for Me?
Chapter 3: What Kind of Business Should I Start?
Chapter 4: Options for Starting on a Budget and Creating Multiple Streams of Income
Chapter 5: Understanding Your Business and Getting Started
Chapter 6: Business Identity and Website
Chapter 7: Financing and Money Matters
Chapter 8: Licensing and Insurance
Chapter 9: Location, Vendors and Setting Up Shop
Chapter 10: Business Tools and Essentials
Chapter 11: Operations
Chapter 12: The Business Plan
Chapter 13: The Marketing Plan
Chapter 14: Ready, Set, Go!

Format: Michelle Ulrich, founder of The Virtual Nation™ will have a one-on-one discussion with Stephanie Chandler, author of "Business Startup Checklist." For more information about Stephanie and her two passions, you can check out http://www.propublishingservices.com/ and http://www.businessinfoguide.com/.

Registration: This is a Complimentary Teleclass - Just click on the link below and fill out the form; that's all you have to do! You do NOT have to provide your credit card number; that’s if this were a paid event (which it is NOT.) We'll email you the teleclass telephone and pin number and send a reminder a few days before the call. If you do not receive this information, please email us at info@thevirtualnation.com.

Register: http://www.thevirtualnation.com/teleclass.htm

For more information prior to registration, please visit our teleclass page on The Virtual Nation™ at http://www.thevirtualnation.com/teleclass.htm.

Friday, November 2, 2007

Find this AWESOME book on entrepreneurship and MANY other resources on my website.

Entrepreneurial Freedom: The Virtual Nation(tm)
How to Start and Grow a Profitable Virtual Assistance Practice


By Jeannine Clontz and Lauren Hidden
Price: $19.95 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25.

Find this book and many other books and resources on my website: http://www.thevirtualnation.com/ Just click Marketplace and then choose Resource Directory.

This is the definitive "how to" for anyone looking to start or grow a small or home-based business, from deciding whether or not you have what it takes, to building a successful and ethical business. In this book you will learn to develope your brand, network, handle difficult clients, create a marketing plan and more! You'll also see contract and form samples, a resource directory and valuable information from other successful business owners that will encourate you to take the next step in your entrepreneurial adventure.

Wednesday, October 31, 2007

National Entrepreneurship Week February 23- March 1, 2008

During my search for great blog content to provide to my readers I came across this event for 2008. It's an appropriate end to Entrepreneurship Month here at the Virtual Nation and I hope to join many of you there!

CELEBRATE
2nd Annual National Entrepreneurship Week
NATIONAL - STATE - LOCAL LEADERS

FEBRUARY 23 - MARCH 1, 2008


Click here to JOIN US NOW

______________________
With Gratitude, Michelle Ulrich, Chief Villager & President
The Virtual Nation(tm) http://www.thevirtualnation.com/

Monday, October 29, 2007

TVN Tip of the Week October 29, 2007

This month's theme is entrepreneurs but here's a tip that can come in handy for anyone using email. Need to reformat some text for an email blast? Check out http://www.formatit.com It's super easy to use and comes in handy. Also, it's "cousin" Re-Formatit (same URL): "If you have text that has been previously formatted (such as e-mail you have received) and you would like to reformat it."

______________________
With Gratitude, Michelle Ulrich, Chief Villager & President
The Virtual Nation(tm) http://www.thevirtualnation.com/

Thursday, October 25, 2007

TVN Tip of the Week October 24, 2007

The entrepreneurial lifestyle is one of the major factors that drives many entrepreneurs to the decision to start their own business. It usually involves long hours, especially when starting out, but a great deal of flexibility as well. Juggling work and personal life can be a daunting challenge. As the driving force behind The Virtual Nation, I have had to set boundaries and structure my day to allow for the most and best of my energies to be divided among both. I now check my email less frequently and set definite times to end my day. I also have put together a top notch team that can be relied on for delegation of tasks. What can you do differently to allow for more balance in your life?

______________________
With Gratitude, Michelle Ulrich, Chief Villager & President
The Virtual Nation(tm) http://www.thevirtualnation.com/

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

3 Ways to Speak so Clients Listen

Preparation, presentation and passion- three simple
concepts that when used correctly can make you a great
speaker. In private and public life these principles
apply, and if you look closely at the successful
people in your life, you are certain to find them in action.
If you prepare in advance and take the time to present
yourself and the material well, your passion will come
through, and that's when people will really listen.

______________________
With Gratitude, Michelle Ulrich, Chief Villager & President
The Virtual Nation(tm) http://www.thevirtualnation.com/

Monday, October 22, 2007

Being an Entrepreneur

Look up Entrepreneur on Wikipedia and one of the things you will see about the concept is "... A more generally held theory is that entrepreneurs emerge from the population on demand, from the combination of opportunities and people well-positioned to take advantage of them. The entrepreneur may perceive that they are among the few to recognize or be able to solve a problem ..." We live in a unique time with all of the information and technology available to so many people. Have you recognized your unique ability to solve a problem? What are you doing to act on that idea? Let me know your story and perhaps you can be a featured speaker on one of my monthly teleclass calls in 2008.

______________________

With Gratitude, Michelle Ulrich, Chief Villager & President
The Virtual Nation(tm) http://www.thevirtualnation.com/

Friday, October 19, 2007

Riches from Giving to Others

As a firm believer in the Law of Attraction and Abundance, I was pleased to see an article on Entrepreneur.com saying that there is now scientific proof that these things do exist and giving to others is beneficial to the givers. Writer Arthur C. Brooks says this "This is precisely what is found in the S.C.C.B.S. data: More giving doesn’t just correlate with higher income; it causes higher income. And not just a little. Imagine two families that are identical in size, age, race, education, religion, and politics. The only difference is that this year the first family gives away $100 more than the second. Based on my analysis of the S.C.C.B.S. survey, the first family will, on average, earn $375 more as a result of its generosity." Sounds good to me. Can you think of ways that you could give more or ways that giving back has benefited your business?

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Entrepreneurial Forums

Participating in forums is a great place to "meet" potential clients. You can meet many other entrepreneurs at websites such as:
http://www.startupnation.com
http://www.womenentrepreneur.com
http://www.businessforum.com/
http://www.smallbusinessforums.org/
http://www.businessforum.net/
http://www.smallbusinessbrief.com/forum/
http://www.ibf.com/

Why not join in?

_______________________
With Gratitude,
Michelle Ulrich, Chief Villager & President
The Virtual Nation(tm) http://www.thevirtualnation.com/

Monday, October 15, 2007

TVN Tip of the Week October 15, 2007

Enhance your entrepreneurship: invest in learning. Not only in money, but in time, keeping up-to-date with things happening in your field is very important to keeping on the cutting edge of technologies and trends that lead the industry. Find some experts or leaders and sign up for their newsletters (and read them), take teleclasses (free ones are listed on http://www.seminarannouncer.com/ and http://www.teleclass.com/ and offered by The Virtual Nation, monthly).

______________________
With Gratitude, Michelle Ulrich, Chief Villager & President
The Virtual Nation(tm) http://www.thevirtualnation.com/

Friday, October 12, 2007

test

The Entrepreneur

"The entrepreneur is our visionary, the creator in each of us. We're born with that quality and it defines our lives as we respond to what we see, hear, feel, and experience. It is developed, nurtured, and given space to flourish or is squelched, thwarted, without air or stimulation, and dies." - Michael Gerber

Are you living your full potential as an entrepreneur? What ideas have you had that you haven't acted upon? What if you pursued just one of those ideas? We can't be afraid of failure because there is no success without it. Try something different today and see what happens.

______________________
With Gratitude, Michelle Ulrich, Chief Villager & President
The Virtual Nation(tm) http://www.thevirtualnation.com/

Thursday, October 11, 2007

How to Negotiate Without Manipulation

Diamond In The Rough Teleseminar

We have an exciting teleseminar coming up on October 24th!

Expert Teleseminar Series featuring Somers White, Business Coach, Consultant, and Speaker

Topic: How to Negotiate Without Manipulation

Date/Time: Wednesday, October 24, 5:00 pm Pacific, 6:00 pm Mountain, 7:00 pm Central and 8:00 pm Eastern

Who Should Attend: Coaches, Entrepreneurs, Executives, Leaders, Managers, and Sales Professionals

Details: A day seldom goes by in business or in your personal life without the need to negotiate.

Join me as I interview International Consultant and Speaker, Somers White, CMC, CSP, CPAE on the skills of negotiating. Somers is CEO of Somers White Company, Inc., a Management, Marketing & Financial Consulting Company which he founded over 25 years ago. He is a former Arizona State Senator and served on the Arizona State University Faculty teaching courses in Management and Bank Management. Somers holds a Bachelors Degree from Amherst College and a Masters Degree from the Harvard Business School. He started his business career on Wall Street with the Executive Training Program of the Chase Bank. While in charge of a new bank, Somers brought bank deposits from zero to over $33 million in just eighteen months. He is an in-demand speaker and has spoken in all 50 states and on six continents. Somers has written over 400 professional articles and is the author of twenty audio courses, including the 8-hour Audio Course "Increasing Negotiating Skills Without Manipulation."

I am delighted to have Somers as my guest for this teleseminar. I am equally delighted to have this opportunity to share his knowledge and experience with you. He has been my coach and mentor over the years. Many of you have probably heard me mention his name numerous times regarding his business and life enhancing strategies for my business and me.
Are you ready to uncover your negotiation brilliance? If you answered "yes" then you don't want to miss this month's teleseminar entitled "How To Negotiate Without Manipulation."

You'll Learn:

• Four keys that give you the most power in any negotiation
• How to be more successful in giving concessions
• How to avoid the #1 trap for a lop-sided deal
• How to become the one-minute negotiator
• How to gain leverage as a negotiator
• Three battle fields you can choose for negotiating and why one produces more victories
• Three components you must know in any negotiating session

Teleclass format:Barbara Davis, founder of Whitaker Davis & Associates as well as Uncover Brilliance, will host a round table session with Somers White. For more information on Somers White, http://somerswhite.com/biography.html

Registration: This is a complimentary teleseminar – Just go to our website at http://www.uncoverbrilliance.com/teleclasses.shtml, fill out the form and we’ll email you the teleseminar telephone and pin number. We’ll send a reminder a few days before the call. If you do not receive this information, please contact Michelle Ulrich, my assistant, at michelle@whitakerdavis.com.

Wednesday, October 10, 2007

More about practice

The response to my Monday post was so great that I would like to share some more advice about the topic of "Practice" -It's not only practice, but also knowing when you need to ask questions. Sometimes, a simple clarification is all that is needed to complete the project. So, ask, ask, ask. : )

______________________
With Gratitude, Michelle Ulrich, Chief Villager & President
The Virtual Nation(tm) http://www.thevirtualnation.com/

Tuesday, October 9, 2007

I'm a Star!

I'm a Star!

Over the past week or two a colleague and I had been emailing back and forth. She asked me some questions and I took the time to answer her questions and give her some advice. Little did I know how much this interaction meant to her. Apparently, it meant more to her than I had realized because she made me a star on her blog yesterday.

Check it out: http://merrickmgt.com/virtualassistant/?p=42

It reminds me that I have so much to be grateful for. I truly enjoy giving of myself, my knowledge and my time. Time these days is very precious for me, yet I find little ways to always give. I do not expect anything in return either. That makes it so special to me when someone says thank you or goes the extra mile like Taryn did in her blog to let me know how much these seemingly small interactions mean to others.

Do you take the time to give even if it's just a little? I'm sure most everyone has heard of some of these sayings.

  • It's all in the details
  • Little things do matter
  • "Great things are done by a series of small things brought together." -- Vincent Van Gogh
  • "Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies." -- Mother Teresa
  • "Doing little things well is a step toward doing big things better." -- Harry F. Banks
  • "Enjoy the little things in life, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things." -- Antonio Smith
I really believe that all the good things in life is wrapped up in the details. How much better is it when you receive a gift and the package looks so carefully wrapped with love and care? When you receive an enduring hug just when you really needed it? Or, what about a little note tucked into your lunch that simply says, "I love you?"

We can all be stars in our own lives and in the lives of others if we just give a little each day.

With Gratitude,
Michelle Ulrich, Chief Villager & President
________________________________________

The Virtual Nation
A community of learning. A nation of culture. A virtual village.
________________________________________

PO Box 3692, Citrus Heights, CA 95611
(916) 536-9799 Office | (866) 844-9360 Fax
Michelle@TheVirtualNation.com | www.TheVirtualNation.com
Michelle@MichelleUlrich.com | www.MichelleUlrich.com

"If it takes a village to raise a child, then it takes a virtual village to grow a successful business." ~Michelle Ulrich