A New (Unofficial) Arrival, Broken Promises, and Getting the Help You Need

I would like to welcome our newest addition to the Signature Worx team. Mackenzie Calin McVicker, who is no longer “in the worx”, was born on Monday, March 30th at 3:20 pm weighing in at 7 lbs. 15 oz and measuring 20 1/2 inches long. She is doing fabulous…other than not letting her mommy get much sleep. Mackenzie enjoys instrumental lullabies and long strolls in the neighborhood.

img_2922Here’s a picture of her…isn’t she just the cutest thing? Of course I am a little partial, so just agree with this new again mommy please! I live on coffee these days. In fact there is very little food because I simply forget to eat! Of course I never forget to feed Mackenzie which explains the pudgy little cheeks!

I would have posted one of the professional photos that were taken of her at the hospital, but unfortunately I don’t have any. Yes, my baby is 7 weeks old today and I still don’t have her photos, nor do I have her birth announcements. I just don’t feel like it is official until a birth announcement has been sent you know?

So this is the story of the seemingly overworked, over exhausted and over extended photographer. After not receiving my proofs in the hospital the next day as promised, it took me two weeks to even get her on the phone after leaving multiple voicemails and emails. She was nice, apologetic, and even threw in a few extras to my order for my trouble. She also went beyond that and said she would rush my order and I would have it in about a week as opposed to her normal 4-6 week turnaround time.

Unfortunately it is 5 weeks later and I still have NO photos or birth announcements! I called and emailed her a week ago and finally got a response from her yesterday, via email, but have to say that I’m not totally satisfied with her explanation. I hate to think the worst of people, but in this case I believe I’ve been patient enough. She responded that ’someone’ mailed my photos to me, but that apparently I did not receive them. So she said she will reorder them and they will be back this week.

So, first of all if I actually do receive my order this week, I’ll probably be a little shocked. Ecstatic, but nevertheless shocked. Why? Because it becomes difficult to believe someone when you are consistently promised something that never gets delivered. And when you were promised a rush before and not only didn’t receive it, but didn’t even receive a follow-up or anything, it just becomes even more difficult to trust them. Read more

Creative Spotlight: Mann Made Copy

My good friend, client, and business associate, Jaime Lee Mann, has done it again. For those of you who run a business at home, with children, and wonder how the heck you’re going to balance everything and get it all done, I swear Jaime makes it look so effortless. Of course she will probably disagree and say she is as clueless as the rest of us, but once again, she has totally amazed me.

Jaime first started her virtual assistant business, Mann Made Time, back in the summer of 2006. This is how Jaime and I first met because I had also just started my virtual assistant business earlier that same year and we found ourselves in the same virtual circles. Jaime first contacted me to design a logo for Mann Made Time, which then led to designing her business cards, brochure, and ultimately her website. Since that time, Mann Made Time has gone through a complete rebranding, which Signature Worx had the pleasure of designing again – everything from the logo down to the website. This is how caricature Jaime was born.

Late last year, Jaime once again contacted me about designing and branding her new copywriting business, Mann Made Copy, and so the creative juices began flowing once more. One of the wonderful things about working with Jaime is that I know her so well – her likes and her dislikes – that she doesn’t even feel the need to steer me in any particular direction. In fact, I think she thoroughly enjoys just sitting back and seeing what I come up with on my own – as if she doesn’t want to taint my creativity.

After many hours of collaboration, today, Mann Made Copy was launched. Although Jaime has been writing forever, today she is officially a copywriter, not a virtual assistant. She has been heading down this road for close to three years now and has finally arrived. I know she is so proud! Oh, and on a side note, the entire site was custom designed and built using the WordPress platform as a CMS.

Check out her snazzy new Mann Made Copy logo and website, and if you’re in need of a fabulous copywriter, then Jaime is your gal. I get nothing in return for saying that or for recommending her, other than the sheer pleasure that I know you will be completely satisfied. After all, Jaime is my first choice for all of my copywriting needs – I don’t leave this stuff to just anyone you know?

By the way, you should really check out and subscribe to Jaime’s Mann Made Blog, too. I can never get enough of how Jaime can pound out a story from a regular, everyday event and turn it into a business or life lesson.

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February Signature Specials Newsletter

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Happy Valentine’s Day!

Signature Specials Newsletter sampleThis month, Signature Worx is offering you a sweet deal…the chance to fall in love with your business all over again with our Let Me Call You Sweetheart Special. There’s never been a better time to get that virtual assistant you’ve always wanted…and needed!

The Let Me Call You Sweetheart Special allows you to choose from our business retainer and Internet maintenance plans at an additional 10% off our already discounted plan prices.

Also, don’t forget we still have special invitations from Dreamhost available to those looking for awesome web hosting.

To read the full version of this newsletter online, complete with promotional codes and active links, go to http://www.signatureworx.com/specials/ss_february_2009.php

Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire!

Since I launched my VA business 3 years ago, one thing has always puzzled me about others who are beginning the same journey. Why do people offer services they simply have no experience doing?

I know this article is going to be pretty unpopular with many people because they may think I am criticizing them or putting them down, but it just seems like common sense that you should only offer services you have experience with. This has always been a pet peeve of mine since I worked in the corporate world. Even there, people would flat out lie on their resumes. Notice that I did not use the word “embellish” or another fluffy term for it. It is lying, plain and simple. There is no gray area here.

Just because you’ve opened Microsoft Word before does not make you an advanced user of the software program. When someone asks you whether you’ve created mail merges in MS Word or whether you’ve created multi-table queries in MS Access and you say you’ve done these things when you don’t even know what they’re talking about-that’s lying.

Maybe those who do this feel like they can’t get the job without lying. Maybe they think they’ll learn it on the fly. Maybe they think no one will notice. I’m here to tell you that a client or an employer is much more likely to want to train someone who was honest from the beginning than to find out later that half the person’s resume was a complete lie. Trust me. I know because it happened in my office far too many times. My favorite (note the sarcasm here) was the girl who was hired to be our administrative assistant. She couldn’t even type-literally. Read more

December Signature Specials Newsletter

Not only is it that time of the month again, but this is also our very last newsletter of the year! Of course I’m talking about our Signature Specials newsletter and we’re going out with a bang!

December’s newsletter is stuffed with special offers and savings, including:

To read the full version of this newsletter, complete with promotional codes and active links, you’ll have to subscribe! So what are you waiting for? Just click here to get started.

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