Author: Akiko Design

Facebook can be a hugely useful tool for businesses to find and connect with their audience online. The platform – which has more than 2 billion active monthly users globally* − allows business owners to run ad campaigns and monitor response in order to get their message to the people who matter.

Of course, not all Facebook ads are created equal, and there are some tricks of the trade that can boost the reach and performance of your ads. We spoke to one of our VAs, social media expert Isil, to find out the most essential elements of making Facebook ads that work.

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Social media is a vital tool for modern businesses, but with so many platforms to choose from, how do you know which one is right for you? We’re here to help – each month we’ll focus on one social media platform and examine how it can help your business grow and connect with an online audience. This month, we’re looking at Instagram.

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At 12:00 pm on Monday 30th September, Get Ahead VA will be running a free one-hour webinar all about becoming a Get Ahead VA franchisee. 

Our franchisees run the Get Ahead VA regional offices all over the country, offering business and marketing services through our team of professional virtual assistants (VAs). We currently have offices in Guildford, Berkshire and North Hampshire, Bristol, Leeds and Newcastle, and we’re always on the lookout for new franchisees to join the Get Ahead VA family. 

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This month we’re delighted to be celebrating Get Ahead VA’s 9th birthday, and we couldn’t be prouder of everything our Regional Directors and Virtual Assistants have achieved over the years.

We also understand that big achievements come out of small actions, so we’ve put together a list of 9 things you can do over 9 days to develop yourself – your motivation, productivity or general well-being. Each of these should take no more than half an hour, but you might be surprised by what a big difference they make.

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September is Get Ahead VA’s birthday month, and this year we’re turning nine years old! Back in 2010, Rebecca Newenham founded Get Ahead VA in order to provide business and marketing support to business owners, and the company has gone from strength to strength since then. So, to celebrate our birthday, here are 9 top tips for starting a successful business of your own!

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If you’ve always dreamed of starting a business and being your own boss, Get Ahead VA’s franchise opportunity could be right for you. It allows you to set up a branch of Get Ahead VA in your area, so you’ll be going into business for yourself, but with the backing of an established and successful brand.

So when you decide to become a Get Ahead VA Regional Director, where should you begin? We’ve spoken to a few of our existing RDs to find out the first steps they took when they opened up their franchise, so you can see just what it takes to get a new business off the ground.

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For so many of our Regional Directors – the ambitious business people who run the regional branches of Get Ahead VA – achieving a healthy work–life balance was a major reason for deciding to open a Get Ahead VA franchise. Running their own business gives them the flexibility to plan their time and fit their work around their home life – not the other way round.

We’ve spoken to a few of our Regional Directors to find out exactly how they achieve this all-important balance, and to give you some tips if you’re thinking about taking the plunge too!

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When you run a small business, it can be tempting to do as much as possible yourself, but sometimes this DIY approach will end up costing you more than if you had simply outsourced the work to a professional.

This is especially true when it comes to photography for your business – if you’re not a photographer, taking your own photographs can be a risky move. In honour of World Photography Day (19th August), which celebrates photography in all its forms, we’re taking a look at how hiring a professional photographer could be the best decision you can make for your SME.

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Social media is a vital tool for modern businesses, but with so many platforms to choose from, how do you know which one is right for you? We’re here to help – each month we’ll focus on one social media platform and examine how it can help your business grow and connect with an online audience. This month, we’re looking at Twitter.

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With 50% of the UK’s workforce predicted to be working remotely by 2020,* there has never been a greater need for virtual team meetings. Done right, the virtual meeting is a great way to keep in touch with the members of your team, even if you’re working in different locations or you’re on the road.

So how can you make sure your virtual team meetings run smoothly? We’ve got 5 top tips for business owners who want to make their online catch-ups both productive and useful for everyone involved.

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