Archives for February 2016
New Virtual Team Members | Three Tips for On-Boarding
Being the new kid on the block can be intimidating. The first day at the office is strange enough for the “average Joe”, imagine how awkward your first day as a remote employee might be. Working from home away from fellow team members can make a person feel isolated and cut off from the everyday happenings of cubicle culture. Leaders should give a little extra effort to bring these new employees into the fold.
You require and deserve the best tools available to achieve your goals and find success for your business. You deserve to work with a company that will not compromise your professional or personal ethics and integrity. Simply put, you have a right to the best business advice available, and we have a duty to provide that to you. We help overwhelmed small business owners duplicate themselves – so business can be fun again.
Shout it out! Let them know what it's all about.
One of the most important aspects of on-boarding is making the new employee feel comfortable and part of the family. Make sure they understand the vision of your company, and where their efforts will contribute to that vision so they can see how they’
Trust is a must.
Leaders need to get to know their employees. There must be a strong manager-employee bond and mutual understanding between the two. When bringing in a new team member, have frequent virtual face to face meetings with them. Again instill the company’s vision upon them and be clear about what is expected from that individual. Ask about their lives, and plans for their future, so you both get an idea of what they could potentially do for the company in the times to come.
Try training the new employee in steps, especially if their position is complicated. Teaching one aspect of their job at a time and giving feedback keeps you in contact with the team member. Seeing the employee learn each procedure of the job increases the confidence you’ll have for him or her. Building trust will put both of your minds at ease during the on-boarding process so you can be confident in your new team member’s abilities.
Tweek the recipe.
The process of on-boarding requires attention, constant communication, and trust. Be sure to make new team members feel welcome and part of the team. Train them well, step by step, and provide feedback. Give them a chance to ask questions and express concerns, so you can adjust the system to make them more productive.
Copyright 2016 Viral Solutions LLC
by Rob Carpen
We help overwhelmed small business owners duplicate themselves – so business can be fun again.
Viral Solutions LLC is a Digital Marketer Certified Partner, an Infusionsoft Certified Consultant, a Google Partner – Certified in AdWords and a Mobit Certified Partner.
New Virtual Team Members | Three Tips for On-Boarding
Being the new kid on the block can be intimidating. The first day at the office is strange enough for the “average Joe”, imagine how awkward your first day as a remote employee might be. Working from home away from fellow team members can make a person feel isolated and cut off from the everyday happenings of cubicle culture. Leaders should give a little extra effort to bring these new employees into the fold.
You require and deserve the best tools available to achieve your goals and find success for your business. You deserve to work with a company that will not compromise your professional or personal ethics and integrity. Simply put, you have a right to the best business advice available, and we have a duty to provide that to you. We help overwhelmed small business owners duplicate themselves – so business can be fun again.
Shout it out! Let them know what it's all about.
One of the most important aspects of on-boarding is making the new employee feel comfortable and part of the family. Make sure they understand the vision of your company, and where their efforts will contribute to that vision so they can see how they’
Trust is a must.
Leaders need to get to know their employees. There must be a strong manager-employee bond and mutual understanding between the two. When bringing in a new team member, have frequent virtual face to face meetings with them. Again instill the company’s vision upon them and be clear about what is expected from that individual. Ask about their lives, and plans for their future, so you both get an idea of what they could potentially do for the company in the times to come.
Try training the new employee in steps, especially if their position is complicated. Teaching one aspect of their job at a time and giving feedback keeps you in contact with the team member. Seeing the employee learn each procedure of the job increases the confidence you’ll have for him or her. Building trust will put both of your minds at ease during the on-boarding process so you can be confident in your new team member’s abilities.
Tweek the recipe.
The process of on-boarding requires attention, constant communication, and trust. Be sure to make new team members feel welcome and part of the team. Train them well, step by step, and provide feedback. Give them a chance to ask questions and express concerns, so you can adjust the system to make them more productive.
Copyright 2016 Viral Solutions LLC
by Rob Carpen
Rob is a content writer and editor, specializing in a variety of fields. He helps B2B and B2C clients with blogs, social media, press releases and web content that create more value for their marketing campaigns. He earned his Bachelor's Degree in Biology from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. He played Club Rugby at IUP for four years. He loves Rugby and recently attended the Rugby World Cup in Newcastle, England – New Zealand All Blacks v. Tonga Match. Rob is passionate about craft beer. He is transitioning his eight years of home brewing to earn his professional brewer certificate.
We help overwhelmed small business owners duplicate themselves – so business can be fun again.
Viral Solutions LLC is a Digital Marketer Certified Partner, an Infusionsoft Certified Consultant, a Google Partner – Certified in AdWords and a Mobit Certified Partner.
Virtual Team Challenges | Top 3 Challenges and How to Avoid Them
Virtual Teams are a great way to bring new talent into the workforce. More and more employees are working from home nowadays thanks to advances in technology. People working from home are found to be happier individuals because they are saving time and money while also avoiding the stress of the commute. Employers are also benefiting from Virtual Team members by having access to a larger selection of potential employees, having fewer absences, more productivity, and saving money. Along with these advantages come challenges. Knowing how to avoid them is critical for a leader to manage a successful Virtual Team. In this post, we will discuss the top three trials of Virtual Teams and how to prevent them.
Virtual Team Challenge Tip # 1: A great need for non-verbal, face to face communication.
With Virtual teams, there is a shortage of the usual interactions between employees and leaders that we see in the office. Such as coffee in the break
At Viral Solutions, we understand the trials and tribulations that many new owners of small businesses face in the early going. The commitment of time and resources that is necessary at the outset can leave many business owners frustrated or exhausted. We’ve experienced this ourselves in our own business operations, so we know just how unpleasant it is and how it can come close to crushing the motivation you had that led you to start the business in the first place. We help overwhelmed small business owners duplicate themselves – so business can be fun again.
room, or discussing ideas with the team at lunch. It is the visual communication that gives employers and their employees the confidence that everyone is on the same page.
Sometimes employees working from home will go days without interaction from fellow team members and their manager. Without contact, team members may begin to feel shut out and less important to the company. These emotions make employees less likely to express their ideas toward team goals, therefore, causing setbacks in productivity.
Communication must be increased daily. Leaders should create smaller group managed tasks. Group assignments give team members the chance to interact more often and develop camaraderie by attaining goals together. Team leaders should also communicate often with individuals of the Virtual Team to create strong mutual bonds. This will ease feelings of isolation of the employee and in turn, increase their enthusiasm to contribute. This overall leads to cutting edge ideas.
Virtual Team Challenge Tip # 2: Shortage of Social Interaction.
It is often hard for Virtual Team members to build friendships with one another. The lack of interaction with one another makes it difficult for each member to know how their contributions are helping the company to reach its goals. Look at it this way: the company’s goal is like a puzzle and the tasks assigned to each employee are the pieces, if each employee can see all of the pieces they will have a better idea of how they fit into the puzzle. Having a clear picture of the goal, increases the accuracy and efficiency of their work.
Virtual team leaders should use IM more frequently to encourage banter between team members. Instant Messenger can be used effectively to communicate the progress of each team member, and to inform each other of general happenings in life that temporally halt their work. Such as a vacation, health care appointment, death in the family, etc. Another way to communicate life events is to pencil in time during meetings (usually before getting down to business) for quick, informative updates on each other’s fast approaching plans.
Virtual Team Challenge Tip # 3: Trust Issues.
Building trust in Virtual Team members is hard when you don’t know what other members are doing, and your correspondence is not as immediate as it is in an office setting. Trust can especially be a problem when the Virtual Team is working in tandem on a project with a fellow employee who works in the office. Office employees may stereotype those who work from home as lazy and distracted individuals.
Members of a team need to know each others contributions to build trust. Leaders should be clear on their expectations and announce each member’s tasks to all team members. Also, managers should give feedback and posting individual achievements instills confidence that everyone on the team can perform up to standards.
The type of leader you are can have an effect on your team members. Individuals tend to trust and follow a supporting kind of leader. One who is more concerned about the employee’s welfare than getting results.
Running a Virtual Team can be very beneficial for your company, but you have to run it right. Remember to communicate often, make your expectations of individual members clear, and give lots of feedback to the employee’s while posting their achievements so all of the team can see the progress they are making. Do this, and you will have a smooth operating Virtual Team.
Copyright 2016 Viral Solutions LLC
by Rob Carpen
We help overwhelmed small business owners duplicate themselves – so business can be fun again.
Viral Solutions LLC is a Digital Marketer Certified Partner, an Infusionsoft Certified Consultant, a Google Partner – Certified in AdWords and a Mobit Certified Partner.
Virtual Team Challenges | Top 3 Challenges and How to Avoid Them
Virtual Teams are a great way to bring new talent into the workforce. More and more employees are working from home nowadays thanks to advances in technology. People working from home are found to be happier individuals because they are saving time and money while also avoiding the stress of the commute. Employers are also benefiting from Virtual Team members by having access to a larger selection of potential employees, having fewer absences, more productivity, and saving money. Along with these advantages come challenges. Knowing how to avoid them is critical for a leader to manage a successful Virtual Team. In this post, we will discuss the top three trials of Virtual Teams and how to prevent them.
Virtual Team Challenge Tip # 1: A great need for non-verbal, face to face communication.
With Virtual teams, there is a shortage of the usual interactions between employees and leaders that we see in the office. Such as coffee in the break
At Viral Solutions, we understand the trials and tribulations that many new owners of small businesses face in the early going. The commitment of time and resources that is necessary at the outset can leave many business owners frustrated or exhausted. We’ve experienced this ourselves in our own business operations, so we know just how unpleasant it is and how it can come close to crushing the motivation you had that led you to start the business in the first place. We help overwhelmed small business owners duplicate themselves – so business can be fun again.
room, or discussing ideas with the team at lunch. It is the visual communication that gives employers and their employees the confidence that everyone is on the same page.
Sometimes employees working from home will go days without interaction from fellow team members and their manager. Without contact, team members may begin to feel shut out and less important to the company. These emotions make employees less likely to express their ideas toward team goals, therefore, causing setbacks in productivity.
Communication must be increased daily. Leaders should create smaller group managed tasks. Group assignments give team members the chance to interact more often and develop camaraderie by attaining goals together. Team leaders should also communicate often with individuals of the Virtual Team to create strong mutual bonds. This will ease feelings of isolation of the employee and in turn, increase their enthusiasm to contribute. This overall leads to cutting edge ideas.
Virtual Team Challenge Tip # 2: Shortage of Social Interaction.
It is often hard for Virtual Team members to build friendships with one another. The lack of interaction with one another makes it difficult for each member to know how their contributions are helping the company to reach its goals. Look at it this way: the company’s goal is like a puzzle and the tasks assigned to each employee are the pieces, if each employee can see all of the pieces they will have a better idea of how they fit into the puzzle. Having a clear picture of the goal, increases the accuracy and efficiency of their work.
Virtual team leaders should use IM more frequently to encourage banter between team members. Instant Messenger can be used effectively to communicate the progress of each team member, and to inform each other of general happenings in life that temporally halt their work. Such as a vacation, health care appointment, death in the family, etc. Another way to communicate life events is to pencil in time during meetings (usually before getting down to business) for quick, informative updates on each other’s fast approaching plans.
Virtual Team Challenge Tip # 3: Trust Issues.
Building trust in Virtual Team members is hard when you don’t know what other members are doing, and your correspondence is not as immediate as it is in an office setting. Trust can especially be a problem when the Virtual Team is working in tandem on a project with a fellow employee who works in the office. Office employees may stereotype those who work from home as lazy and distracted individuals.
Members of a team need to know each others contributions to build trust. Leaders should be clear on their expectations and announce each member’s tasks to all team members. Also, managers should give feedback and posting individual achievements instills confidence that everyone on the team can perform up to standards.
The type of leader you are can have an effect on your team members. Individuals tend to trust and follow a supporting kind of leader. One who is more concerned about the employee’s welfare than getting results.
Running a Virtual Team can be very beneficial for your company, but you have to run it right. Remember to communicate often, make your expectations of individual members clear, and give lots of feedback to the employee’s while posting their achievements so all of the team can see the progress they are making. Do this, and you will have a smooth operating Virtual Team.
Copyright 2016 Viral Solutions LLC
by Rob Carpen
Rob is a content writer and editor, specializing in a variety of fields. He helps B2B and B2C clients with blogs, social media, press releases and web content that create more value for their marketing campaigns. He earned his Bachelor's Degree in Biology from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. He played Club Rugby at IUP for four years. He loves Rugby and recently attended the Rugby World Cup in Newcastle, England – New Zealand All Blacks v. Tonga Match. Rob is passionate about craft beer. He is transitioning his eight years of home brewing to earn his professional brewer certificate.
We help overwhelmed small business owners duplicate themselves – so business can be fun again.
Viral Solutions LLC is a Digital Marketer Certified Partner, an Infusionsoft Certified Consultant, a Google Partner – Certified in AdWords and a Mobit Certified Partner.
How to Learn from a Failed Social Media Campaign
Are you finding that your efforts to establish a social media presence are falling short? The trouble could be in your approach. When creating a social media campaign, the ultimate goal is to build relationships with your customer and industry trend-setters. It takes a fair amount of dedication on your part, but when you use your tools and resources, you can turn your campaign from sad to success. We’ve compiled a few tips and tricks to help you stay away from common social media campaign mistakes.
Who are you talking to?
This should always come first. If you can’t identify who you’re talking to, how will you know what to say to them? Determine who is likely to use your
We bring to the table, over 30 years of business ownership, c-level executive leadership, the experience of managing 100’s of people at once from a remote location, the challenges of balancing family with your entrepreneurship and the objectivity that fuels our insight and oversight of your business. When we’re first approached about the possibility and opportunity of working together on your business, we spend hours getting to know you, your challenges, what makes you tick and the business model you have developed. It’s so important to understand your why of what you do. It’s so important to understand what drives your passion. It’s so important to understand what your goals and objectives are. It’s so important to understand the depth and complexities of what makes you unique.
product or service and do research to analyze how that group accesses information. There are resources specifically designed to help you accomplish this online. Certain apps and programs allow you to search Twitter profiles for keywords that relate to your market, opening the door for you to establish relationships with them.
When are they listening?
Once you’ve identified your target audience, it is important to do some analysis to determine when they are most active on social media. Is your audience part of a typical 9-to-5 work routine? If so, it may not serve you to publish posts around the time they’re leaving the office. Timing is important! You don’t want your posts to be buried beneath hours of other content, because the likelihood that it will be read decreases sharply.
Again, there are apps that can assist you with this task. Scheduling programs allow you to set the time you want your content to be published, and automatically sends it out for you.
What are you saying?
Now that you know who you’re talking to and when the best time to reach them is, you need to make sure what you’re saying to them is high-quality and relevant. Analyzing the customer is key. You should be generating content that presents your business as an industry leader and a credible, trustworthy source.
Learn what type of content jives best with your audience. Infographics are great, concise, visually-appealing ways to pass information. For some audiences, they are perfect. Others may respond better to videos or articles. Hone in on what your customer wants to consume, and make sure your content is easy-to-read and aesthetically pleasing.
Copyright 2016 Viral Solutions LLC