I have created many organizational systems in my business that I like to share with my clients and colleagues.  One organization tip I share is for password storage.  I created a quick video with some tips for storing and organizing and when to update passwords.

I’d love to hear how you keep your passwords stored and organized. Please comment below to let me know!

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I am proud to announce that I have earned the Virtual Event Specialist (VES) certification from VAClassroom.com! The 4-week training program equipped me to help consult, coach, train, moderate and produce virtual events like teleseminars (with one or many speakers), webinars and webcasts, live streaming shows and podcasts!

More and more companies and small businesses are choosing to hold Virtual Events rather than the more expensive offline events and conferences. In fact, “Virtual Meetings and Events [will] replace 2.1 million airline seats by 2012” (Gartner, Feb. 2009). 76% of businesses say they have already begun using or plan to start using Virtual Events in 2009, while 70% of Corporate Event Organizers predict a reduction in live events in 2010 and forecast significant growth in virtual conferences and webinars.

Why my interest in virtual events? Part of the interest stems back to my training in college where I majored in Sound Recording Technology. I’ve always had a love of technology and gadgets – but not everyone shares my views. Even with the myriad of easy-to-use-tools for virtual events available, some entrepreneurs and online professionals would rather concentrate on delivering their content, and not worry about the technology. And that is the gap that our Virtual Event Specialist services fill!

I plan to launch a new division of my business called Virtual Events Team in 2010. Here is an example of my work.

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The WilsonVA blog profiles an organization doing good works every month. If you know an organization doing great works that you think might want some exposure, please contact me. This month we feature Making a Progressive Philadelphia.

Because my buddy, Gloria Bell, is involved in great organizations, I am profiling another one that she serves personally – Making a Progressive Philadelphia – or MAPP – which launched in October of this year. The mission of MAPP is to “fund thoughtful, committed citizens who can positively transform the City of Philadelphia neighborhood by neighborhood through the use of micro-grants.”

As examples, MAPP will give micro-grants to a neighborhood watch group that may need flashlights and whistles – or to a community garden that needs a rain barrel.

MAPP currently has 18 volunteers that help with everything from Community Relations to Social Media to Grant Review – as well as volunteer Explorers who visit neighborhoods to discover committed citizens and groups making a difference. Gloria, who owns Red Stapler Consulting, is on the team handling social media strategy and outreach for MAPP.

Want to help? MAPP is looking for corporate as well as individual donations to help fund grants. You can donate or volunteer by visiting the MAPP website.

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As an assignment in my Virtual Events Specialist class, I needed to re-purpose one of my previous assignments into a new “product”. I decided to add some powerpoint slides to the audio from my teleseminar. The result is a (short and sweet) video I produced for Realtors in which I provide some tips and tricks for the use of Top Producer 8i, a Real Estate specific customer relationship management program.

I would love your feedback.

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a sample post on ShareUrMeal.com

The WilsonVA Blog will profile an organization doing good works each month.  If you know a organization doing good works that you’d like me to profile, please contact me at Carla@WilsonVA.com.  This month we feature ShareUrMeal.com.

If you consider yourself a foodie and use Twitter, you’ve probably seen the hashtags (#foodporn, #sexonaplate) and photos of food.  Foodies love food and are not afraid to show it – especially on social networks.  One local non-profit took what we foodies were already doing – posting photos and commenting on food – just one step further to help those in need.

I’m speaking about ShareUrMeal.com, which launched in October 2009 in Philadelphia, PA.  I spoke with Gloria Bell, one of ShareUrMeal’s 15 volunteers, about the organization because I wanted to bring awareness to the good works of their organization.

Here’s how ShareUrMeal works – and how you can help them help the hungry.  Take a photo of a dining experience with your digital camera or phone.  Email the photo to post@shareurmeal.com.  For every picture posted, $1 or unit of food is donated to the hungry in the metro Philly region.

ShareUrMeal’s organizers, headed by Devon Segel, partnered with local corporations and the United Way to make it all happen.  ShareUrMeal coordinates the movement, and the United Way coordinates distribution to local food pantries and organizations for the hungry.

Although based solely in the Philadelphia region, ShareUrMeal hopes to expand this movement to other cities.  I asked Gloria if there was a goal for the number of posts, or amount of money they wanted to raise.  She replied, “We intentionally did not make a public goal – and we don’t want to make an effort to start creating goals.  Feeding the hungry is an ongoing problem, so we want ShareUrMeal to be an ongoing effort.”

Gloria volunteers with ShareUrMeal.com because, “…for every minute we donate, it’s helping someone else.”

Want to help ShareUrMeal, too?  You can post pictures of your dining experiences on ShareUrMeal.com.  Simply email your photo to post@shareurmeal.com to post anonymously or create your own profile page (like I did) and post there.  If you want to help ShareUrMeal.com with donations, you can find more information on their website.

Please leave me a comment below and let me know your feedback!

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As part of a VAClassroom assignment, I had to record a live streaming video show. I created a show on Ustream and discussed 5 benefits of hosting virtual events. To follow is the recorded version.

Shortly, I will be able to announce that I have earned my Virtual Event Specialist certification through VAClassroom. I want to help entrepreneurs implement the use of multimedia in their marketing efforts, and felt a live stream video was one method of demonstrating the ease of use.

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In this last audio, I teach you Secret 3 for Turning Contacts into Sales. After organizing, and planning marketing, it’s necessary to track your efforts to know if they are effective. In this audio I discuss some ideas for tracking your marketing.

Please let me know your thoughts by adding a comment below.

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This secret for turning contacts into sales has several parts. First you must decide the action plans for keeping in consistent contact with your prospects and clients, plus you need to schedule your overall marketing plan. In the audio to follow I mention the use of a spreadsheet to help you organize your marketing. Please email me (Carla@WilsonVA.com) if you’d like a copy.

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Those who have worked with me know I am stickler for organized databases.  A database is the backbone of your business – it’s your bread and butter – so take care of it.

When I consult with clients about their databases, the first thing we talk about is the contact types, or categories, in which the contacts are organized.  Here is an audio about organizing contacts into contact types.  Ideal Contact Types.  Ideal to you and your business.

Please let me know your thoughts by adding a comment below.

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