Brave New (Virtual) World

The world has turned digital. It used to be that we had to travel to a location and sit around a table to have a meeting. Sending letters meant using pen, paper and stamps. A networking party required getting dressed up and driving to the event location. And a job usually meant a daily voyage to your employer’s offices. Thanks to our computers and the internet, those facts are no longer certain. Much of life, both socially and business-wise, is now virtual. This not-so-new trend has been happening for over a decade now, and it seems to grow every day. The virtual world offers tremendous benefits to small business owners. In many ways it has leveled the playing field and allows home based businesses, free-lancers and small shops to take advantage of tools that were formerly available only to much larger (and richer) organizations. Do you want to hold a class or conduct a seminar? No longer do you have to pay big bucks to print up materials, find equipment and rent a space; then hope and pray that enough people show up to make it worth the trouble. Now all you need is a good idea and your PC with a decent internet connection; and you can hold a tele-class or webinar. And the best part is that with the new tools you can have a fun, interactive and profitable session without a huge up-front expense. Once upon a time, almost all networking was done on the golf course or the “rubber chicken circuit”. You had to go out to events and pump the flesh, and your schmoozing was limited to a certain geographical area. Today, there are online networking sites and forums for every subject, demographic or business industry you can think of. You can “meet” all kinds of people from practically all over the world – without ever leaving home. Add email and VOIP (voice over internet protocol) and you can keep in touch, make plans and conduct business from almost anywhere. Another great benefit to all this digital technology is flexibility. When business is going well sometimes it’s easy to get frustrated with all the mundane details that are necessary, but that take time away from your core business activities. Hiring help, even part-time, can also create difficulties, especially when you don’t have the space and equipment for an employee. What’s the solution? A “virtual” assistant. Wouldn’t it be great to have someone to take care of the paperwork, make sure everything stays organized, test new marketing ideas and help out with all the particulars? A good VA does all this and more while saving you time, money and hassles. Virtual reality has created wonderful opportunities both personal and professional. Embrace the virtual world and claim yours.