A couple of weeks ago, as part of Get Ahead VA’s 10th business birthday celebrations, we asked our team of Regional Directors what they’ve learned about being in business over the years, and we shared all their great tips in our ‘10 things we’ve learned from 10 years in business’ post.  

Well, they gave us so much good advice that we’re back with another 10 things we’ve learned over the past decade! Whether you’re just starting out, or you’ve been running your business for a while, we hope you’ll find something useful here. 

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The idea of doing a digital detox – i.e. stepping away from technology to focus on real-life hobbies and in-person interactions – can seem challenging at the best of times, and especially so now, when we have even fewer opportunities for face-to-face quality time. But taking a digital detox could be even more important right now: since we’re being forced to spend so much time online, to do our work and stay in touch with our loved ones, the time we spend offline has become even more precious.

If you’re a business owner, you might be finding it particularly difficult to cut down on your screen time, as this may be the only way for you to communicate with your employees, network with others in your field, and promote your business to customers. After all, you can’t just put your phone in a box and stop checking your emails when you have a business to run! The good news is that a digital detox is still possible for you – here are some things you can do to give yourself a break from the screens, and to use them more mindfully when you need to.

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Virtual assistants can provide invaluable services to businesses at the best of times, and especially so right now, when many people need extra support to keep their businesses running smoothly during lockdown. Remote, flexible working is the comfort zone of the virtual assistant, and that’s why we’re well placed to help you adapt to these extraordinary circumstances. Want to know more? Here are 5 key ways a virtual assistant can help you during lockdown.

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A lot has changed in a week, and this continues to be a very strange time for the world. The UK government has now ordered all pubs, restaurants, cafes, libraries and gyms to close, as well as shops selling non-essential items.* Many businesses are feeling the impact of these new protective measures, especially small businesses and independents, and many business owners now find themselves in the position of trying to keep things running while also heeding expert advice.

If you are one of the many people trying to come to terms with this new reality, we’re here to help, with some advice about how to market your business, mindfully and sensitively, during this difficult time.

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As a business owner, you probably already have a Company Page on LinkedIn, and you use it to share content, find contacts and get the word out about your business. But did you know that you can build your business’ social media presence by encouraging your staff to sign up too?

Of course, you can’t demand that your staff actively promote your business on their personal LinkedIn pages, but you can explain the benefits of doing so and provide some guidance that will help them to advocate for the business if they want to. To get you started, here are 4 reasons why it can be useful to link up with your employees on LinkedIn.

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Instagram is an ideal social media platform for many businesses, especially if you have a strong visual brand or physical products to promote, and it has the potential to bring you lots of interest and a substantial following. So how can you go about building a beautiful, recognisable profile? Here are 5 key things you should think when building your company Instagram account.

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Have your business’ social media accounts got a bit neglected in the lead-up to Christmas? Don’t worry, there’s still time to get things back on track – and you certainly should, because social media has an important influence on sales, both online and in store, over the festive season.

According to research published by Curalate, shoppers in the UK are now 79% more likely to find products on social media compared to just two years ago.* The most influential platform is Instagram, and more than 33% of consumers will browse a company’s social media to research the brand and its products before they buy.

So if you want to give your business’ social media a final push before Christmas, here are our top tips to make it fun, festive and engaging for your followers!

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Social media is a vital tool for modern businesses, but with so many platforms to choose from, how can 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 Pinterest.

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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 YouTube.

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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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