5 Tasks You Should Be Delegating To Your Virtual Assistant
(c) Tracey Lawton 2006

If you start planning now you can avoid all the hassle and stress that comes with this time of year. You may already be feeling the extra pressure. Perhaps your calendar is starting to fill up with Christmas get-togethers. Or maybe your client is pressuring you to get a project complete before the end of the year.

Whatever the reason for the extra pressures, here are 5 tasks that you SHOULD be delegating to your Virtual Assistant to ensure that you have as stress-free a holiday season as possible.

#1 Organizing and maintaining your mailing list

Now is a really good time to go through all of your contact data and ensure it's up-to-date. One really quick way of doing this is to set up a mail merge (either via email or mail) letting your contacts know that you are updating your data. Send them the information you already have, and ask them to fill in the gaps.

Updating your contact data is a two-part process; the first part is to set up the email/letter and merge it with your data; the second part is to then update the data as you get it back.

The first part is really easy and quick; the second part isn't so!

I recently did this exercise with my own contact database so I know that the second part takes up more time than you would think, and if you are really pushed for time this would be a really good task to delegate to your Virtual Assistant.  She will have the time needed to update your contact data once it starts to come back.

#2 Designing custom holiday promotions

Whether you want to send holiday greetings or a seasonal newsletter to your clients your Virtual Assistant can help you with this. A really good card service that I'm currently using is Send Out Cards http://www.sendoutcards.com - it's really quick and simple to use. You can even upload your own handwriting font to personalize your cards even more.

Your Virtual Assistant can help you with this too, as once you have an account set up she can upload your contact database, and organize the cards for you -- all you have to do is select which card(s) you want to send!

Other ways your Virtual Assistant can help with holiday promotions is designing newsletters, flyers, or other promotional items ready for you to send out.

#3 Sending out your holiday promotions

So, now you have your custom-designed promotions and your up-to-date mailing list, but do you have the time to send out your holiday promotions? Your Virtual Assistant can help by sending out your holiday cards and promotions for you. Once you have your promotional literature and mailing list organized, she can save you time by sending them out on your behalf - via email or post.

#4 Planning your Holiday Event

If you're thinking of hosting a seasonal seminar or workshop your Virtual Assistant can help you organize and plan the event -- from sending out the invitations to collating the RSVPs, producing the literature, or booking the venue. If you want to organize your own seminar contact me (http://www.traceylawton.com/contact.htm) for my no charge special report 'How To Plan and Host The Perfect Seminar'

#5 Helping you plan your New Year marketing campaigns

If you're already thinking past Christmas and into the New Year, your Virtual Assistant can help to organize your New Year marketing campaigns. Think of the relief you'll feel at knowing that your New Year marketing campaigns have been organized BEFORE Christmas!

I hope this has given you a taster of the many ways a Virtual Assistant can help you run your business, not just during the Holiday season but all year round. By partnering with a Virtual Assistant you can spend more of YOUR time doing what you do best!

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About the author:  Online Business Manager & Virtual Assistant, Tracey Lawton, supports professional speakers, coaches, and authors to operate an efficient, organized, and profitable business.  Learn how to create an efficient and organized office in 7 EASY steps, and receive free how-to articles at http://www.OfficeOrganizationSuccess.com

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