From the Desk of...
Wild Dolphin Energy Retreat
Speaking Circles International

Happy fall! For me, fall is a time for new beginnings. I know most of
you think of springtime when you envision “new beginnings” with flowers
blooming and birds singing. Fall is a time to renew goals. A time to say
goodbye to summertime fun, get the kids back in school, and focus on
business goals. This year is no exception. As I place my summer photos
in albums, I look toward what I want to accomplish this season in my
business. I have realized it is time to take business to the next level
as my practice is full (with wonderful clients!) Everywhere I turn I’m
hearing more and more about the importance of incorporating my business
and expanding my practice (and my mind) to be able to work with more
terrific clients. I’ll keep you posted as those plans unfold before the
end of 2005.

Before we completely tuck away the summer memories, I have a summertime
story to share with you in this newsletter. It has always been my dream
to swim with wild dolphins and I finally had that dream realized.

I’ve also been able to “stretch” a bit and step out of the comfort zone to
learn how to make the most of public speaking. Read below about that
experience.

Enjoy!
~Susan~

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WILD DOLPHIN ENERGY RETREAT

Imagine…..sailing on a 50’ catamaran on the exquisite turquoise waters of
the Bahamas, off the coast of Bimini Island. Sounds pretty good so far?

Our captain, who has sailed these waters for 40 years, is guiding us right
to the “wild dolphin grounds.” The anticipation slowly builds and my
traveling companions and I become wide-eyed and quiet except for an
occasional giggle of excitement. I know it’s not a question of “if” we
will see dolphins today but “when”.

I hear Captain Geoffrey call to us, “look left” and we spot the pod, first
one, two, three fins breaking the surface of the water. They are unafraid
as they circle our boat. I stretch across the netting that hangs just
inches from the water and watch in quiet amazement as dolphins of all
sizes play in the water right below me. I could reach out and touch
them—but that would be a “no no”!

We coast in the water for a few minutes giving the dolphins time to get
used to us. Geoffrey then gives us the sign to get into the water. We
put on our snorkels, masks and fins and one by one join the dolphins in
their environment.

I grab a knot on the tow rope and we are pulled through the water by the
boat. Within minutes we find that we’re not alone—swimming next to me are
two spotted dolphins. They dip and swim directly under me so I can fully
appreciate their gracefulness and beauty. I see mama and baby swim along
and a couple who travel under me for a time rubbing fins as they
effortlessly glide through the water. I realize I’m smiling and they are
smiling back.

The pods were 20 strong—curious pairs and groups taking turns checking us
out—their curiosity getting the best of them and us.

Just when we think the dolphins had left to explore elsewhere we witness
the most breathtaking sight. Our first mate and chef, Tita, free dives
down toward the bottom of the ocean. Two young dolphins follow her down to
the bottom. When she turns to come back up, the three of them spiral
around each other in the most beautiful dolphin dance I have every seen.
Tita moves as if she is one of the pod. Her blonde hair flows behind her
and her long legs and fins slowly pumping her through the water. When we
surface we all cheer with glee.

This was an unforgettable week with the wild dolphins in their natural
environment. Thank you Captain Geoff, First Mate Tita and Laura Scott for
making this amazing experience possible.

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SPEAKING CIRCLES©

How do you feel when you speak in front of a group? How about a
networking meeting where you want to make your very best impression? Like
many of you, standing in front of a group, all eyes on me, can make me a
bit nervous. So why would I volunteer to do such a thing? As business
owners, from time to time, we all must present ourselves to others and we
want to do it with ease and grace—connecting with our listeners. I was
recently introduced to Speaking Circles International and have attended a
couple of their events to polish my speaking skills.

Whether you suffer from stage fright or just want to feel more comfortable
in front of a group, Speaking Circles© can make a difference. I was
fortunate to work with SCI Founder Lee Glickstein and learned how to “be
present” with my audience. Maintaining absolute eye engagement with each
person is key. Lee says, “Effective public speaking is simply a series of
one-on-one conversations. Master that and you will speak with ease and
power, any time, anywhere." This relationship-based approach provides a
supportive listening environment where you learn to express yourself
confidently and naturally without performance techniques. Speaking
Circles© does not focus on the “content” of your talk, but getting you to
a point where you are comfortable and relaxed and truly connecting with
each person in the room. All the stress of having something “interesting”
to say is left at the door. There is no need to entertain. I found the
Speaking Circles© experience to be a very rewarding one. There are
facilitators worldwide. For more information, visit:
http://www.speakingcircles.com.

Don’t let the fear of speaking hold you back.

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I welcome you to share Susan Sez with anyone you believe would enjoy it.
Please forward it in its entirety, including the contact and copyright
information.

In this issue:
From the Desk of...
The Coach/Virtual Assistant Partnership
Business Tools - Groove Virtual Office

Welcome to the first edition of Susan Sez. I just returned from a stimulating trip to Chicago where I attended the IVAA Summit for Virtual Assistants. I had the great fortune to meet dynamic businesswomen from across the nation working their virtual assistant practices in a number of innovative ways. In addition to the energy and enthusiasm this trip pumped into my business, I expanded my network of referral partners, mentors and friends.

It is my hope to share with you business tips as well as personal experiences that may help you in your business via this E-zine.

Enjoy!

Susan M. Sullivan
Virtual Assistant & Marketing Partner
Innovative Concepts Virtual Assistance

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The Coach/Virtual Assistant Partnership
The Coach/Virtual Assistant partnership is a unique one. Both professionals are small business owners and many times, solo entrepreneurs who complement each other beautifully.

Whether the Coach is focusing on working with individuals, gathering corporate clients or filling their pipeline for large speaking engagements, the Virtual Assistant can be a tremendous asset to their business.

Here are just some of the ways VAs can assist Coaches:

Research networking opportunities for the coach to meet prospective clients.

Coordinate the follow-up process.

Provide that "finishing touch" to stay connected to the prospect until they are ready for coaching. Add depth and create an experience of the coaching process.

Handle communications (e-mail, phone, monthly E-zine).

Proactively identify speaking opportunities.

Negotiation terms of speaking engagements.

Oversee marketing strategy.

Assist with enrollment process for individual or group coaching.

Concentrate on return on investment (ROI) so coach feels s/he's getting money's worth.

Create a referral program and communicate the program to warm market. Handle all follow-up.

Coaches understand how VAs work and vice versa. I truly enjoy my coach clients and have settled into a niche working with energetic and creative women who coach. I have my own Business & Life Coach, Cheryl Mann, Goals InSight Coaching. Cheryl has helped me to attain both business and personal goals; and through my personal experience, I have gained a much better understanding of how I can best work with my coaching clients for their success.

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Business Tools - Groove Virtual Office
From time to time we all discover a business tool that really makes life easier and enhances communication and efficiency. One challenge all virtual assistants face is finding the most effective mode of communication to streamline our business and stay in touch with our clients. We all strive to close the gap of miles between our clients and us to create a sense of being in the same office, or just a computer click away.

Groove Virtual Office is software that allows teams of people to work together over a network as if they were in the same physical location. This enables you to store your files, projects, meetings, and data in one place so everyone on your team can access and update the information in "real time."

Files - Upload documents to the "files section" so all "workspace members" can view. The file can then be downloaded to your computer, changes made, and uploaded to share revisions with your client. No need to fill up your client's e-mail box with attachments.
Project Manager - List all of your current projects. The client can see at-a-glance the status of each task. No more long Excel spreadsheets.
Status Reports - Ability to post weekly status reports on projects completed/not completed, hours used and projections for the following week. No need for an additional reporting system to keep the client informed.
Contacts - A self-contained address book for those contacts with which both you and your client are working.
Discussion - A convenient place for an ongoing discussion about projects, documents, calendar, next steps. Again, no need for endless e-mails.
Chat - This chat function is highly effective for a quick question when your client is online or just to stay connected.
Meetings - Set meetings with all logistical information, create an agenda for the meeting and post minutes of the meeting with action items for after the meeting.
Calendar - The client uploads their calendar which enables others to make appointments and know the client's schedule.
Web Links - A place to store all relevant websites to the current projects that you wish to share with your client.
For more information about Groove Virtual Office, visit www.groove.net.

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Innovative Concepts Virtual Assistance provides administrative and personal support to authors, coaches, speakers and small business owners. If you're a busy professional and may not have the space or resources for full-time support, you may consider virtual assistance, and Innovative Concepts can help! Visit us at www.InnovativeConceptsVA.com.

If you have any questions about Susan Sez, please feel free to send us an e-mail! We love to hear from you.