Government Grants for All

VSSCyberOffice $1000 Grant Helps Active Duty Military Spouses Launch Online Virtual Companies

Emporia, VA (PRWEB) March 20, 2006

Virtual Support Services, LLC., (VSSCyberOffice) announced today that it is sponsoring a first-ever $ 1000 dollar Virtual Business Startup Grant Competition through the newly launched website MilitarySpouseChannel.com (http://www.militaryspousechannel.com).

The Victoria M. Parham, Virtual Business Startup Grant competition is open to all active duty military spouses.

VSSCyberOffice president Victoria M. Parham, a retired Army spouse said “starting a business of any kind can be very challenging when you are on a strapped budget, we hope to offer some financial assistance to a military spouse who understands the power of entrepreneurship and is serious about starting their own successful online virtual business. Technologies like high-speed Internet, Wi-Fi hot spots, laptops, email, virtual workspaces, a website, cell phones, affordable toll free lines, online meeting places, fax-to-email services, and portable printing solutions have opened the doors of opportunity for talented military spouses to build flourishing careers conducive to the military lifestyle.”

The purpose of the Victoria M. Parham, Virtual Business Startup Grant, is to encourage and foster entrepreneurship among active duty military spouses and to provide financial assistance to a military spouse who is serious about launching a compelling virtual business, that is portable, successful, and financially rewarding.

To apply for the grant, military spouses must meet the following minimum requirements:

1. be an Active Duty Military Spouse 18 or older from any branch of service with a minimum of two years remaining on active-duty

2. enroll and complete the free Virtual Business Owners Training Program at: http://www.vsscyberoffice.com/vbo


3. have an active domain name and domain email address

4. For this grant, the business must be either a new virtual business or an existing virtual business looking to expand

Military spouses can go online to http://www.militaryspousechannel.com, to learn more about the grant or to download an application packet. Grant applications MUST be submitted by July 17, 2006: 12:00 Midnight EST.

Announcement of the winner will also be posted online at the following websites:

http://www.VSSCyberOffice.com, http://www.MilitarySpouseTalkRadio.com, and http://www.MilitarySpouseChannel.com.

About VSSCyberOffice:

VSSCyberOffice is a veteran-owned virtual business startup consultancy and entrepreneurial training firm specializing in portable careers training for trailing spouses.

About MilitarySpouseChannel:

MilitarySpouseChannel.com, connects military spouses around the globe to grant information for starting a virtual business, free virtual business and virtual assistant training programs, and online talk radio for and about military spouses.

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Related Business Startup Grants Press Releases

Tags: $1000, Active, Companies, Duty, Grant, Helps, Launch, Military, Online, Spouses, Virtual, VSSCyberOffice

Virtual 800 Number Versus Local Number Only

Many people know that a virtual 800 number is a way they can have a toll free phone number for customers and potential customers to dial, but many also question whether or not they need one. You may feel that your local number is more than enough to have as you may feel that if someone wants to call you bad enough they will.

While having your local number on all advertisements and your website is certainly a great idea and will more than likely garner some local calls and additional business for you, the question really is why are you limiting your business? Put yourself in the potential customer’s shoes. If you go online and you find two companies that offer you everything you want and their prices are the same but one has a toll free number and the other has a local number only that is long distance to you, which one are you going to call? Your potential customers are no different.

Another benefit that comes with having a virtual 800 number in addition to your local number is that you come off looking bigger and better than your other local competition. This is simply a matter of the way people think. Many times when a person sees an 800 number they think, “Wow, big business.” However, if those same people see a local number only, they will probably think, “Too small to afford an 800 number.”

In reality, the company that is smaller than another may be the one with the 800 number. This means that in the minds of many, they will be viewed as the bigger company even though they are actually smaller.

Having a virtual 800 number also allows your current customers to have a better sense of security with your business and your products. If they do need to get a hold of you then they can do so if they are out of the area on a trip. People like hassle free experiences and that’s what a virtual 800 number can provide.

Obviously it is in the best interest of any business to get a virtual 800 number, so what is stopping so many, maybe even you? Most of the time those who debate with themselves back and forth about whether or not it is worth it to get an 800 number are debating the issue because they think it is too expensive to obtain an 800 number. This may have been true just a few short years ago, but it is no longer true today.

Many virtual 800 number services will start out under ten bucks a month. Best of all most require no contracts to be signed ever. Really it is an easy and inexpensive proposition.

The debate should really not be over a virtual 800 number versus a local number only. The two actually go hand in hand and where a local number can help you to keep up your local home town look, your virtual 800 number call help you bolster your multinational look. The two simply work together to make a better small business for you.

Tags: Local, Number, Only, Versus, Virtual

Virtual Author Tour How-To Guide

After years of working with authors on Internet tours, talking about blogging, podcasting, social networking, and all other assorted online promotional tools, the basic questions still remain: How the heck do I promote myself on the Internet? Broken down in simple steps, this article is designed to give you a good starting point to kick your Internet promotion into high gear. It’s not difficult but you have to start somewhere. Let’s start with your web site.

Web site: Why would someone visit it? Why would anyone care? Before you start marketing yourself online, ask these basic questions. You can get anyone to a web site once, but getting them back a second, or third time is where authors often lose momentum. Studies have shown that less than 14% of web site visitors will buy the first time they visit. It’s only on the second or third visit that they decide to make a purchase. Anyone can drive traffic to your site, it’s getting them back that counts.

The point of your tour: getting incoming links

Here’s the thing: anyone can get incoming links, the point is, you want GOOD and quality incoming links from sites that can actually send you traffic and readers that will buy your book. We get numerous calls from authors who have bought into inexpensive programs that do nothing more than drive unqualified, “tire kicking” traffic to their web site. This kind of traffic is not going to do you any good; in fact, if you’re not careful, getting a bunch of errant links from sites that Google doesn’t feel are right for your topic or market can get you downgraded online instead of a better ranking. So how do you beat this?

First, you’ll want to download the Google toolbar. This toolbar comes with a Page Ranking piece (in some cases you may have to download this separately). This Page Rank is important because it’s an indicator of how important Google thinks a particular site is. Ideally sites you target will have a Page Rank of 4 or above. We like to target sites that have a ranking between 4-6. Then look at the nature of the sites you’re pitching. Are they related to your topic? Do the sites have lots of great content? Would they consider reviewing your book, maybe interviewing you or excerpting your book? Regardless of what they’re willing to do, the idea is to use these sites to help spread the message about your book and give them great content. All sites are looking for great content and if you can offer it to them, it’s a win-win. Here’s what not to do: don’t just link swap with your friends. I know writers who belong to writer’s groups and just swap links with other writers. This isn’t good for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is that the site you might be linking to (or getting a link from) has nothing to do with your topic.

Slow and steady wins the race: The idea of ‘touring’ or promoting yourself online is about building traffic, links, and authority status within search engines. I tend to reference Google a lot since most of us default search there. People ask me how long they should promote themselves online, I tell them for as long as they need to. As long as there are sites you can pitch yourself to you can continue promoting. Our web site, Author Marketing Experts, has never been promoting in an aggressive fashion. Yes, we use new promotional techniques and cutting-edge Web 2.0 trends but it’s never been about a fast push; it’s always been about slow and steady growth. Because of this we have great ranking, linking, and placement on Google. I’ve never paid for a single ad-word placement or fancy traffic program that leverages links only.

Using blogs, podcasts, and article syndication: the Internet is full of tools to use. Blogs are a great way to promote to but consider this: why not comment on blogs in your market that are getting a lot of traffic? You may not be able to get a review but you can always comment and, you’ll get a link back to your site in the process.

Podcasting is another great tool, there are a ton of podcasts out there that you can promote yourself to. Check out iTunes and Podcast Alley to find some that might suit your topic and market.

Article syndication: another powerful but often overlooked market. Write a piece between 500 and 2,000 words and send it out into cyberspace via sites like Isnare, Ezine Articles and Article City and watch the links start building to your site.

If the idea of social networking, social bookmarking, video and the like are overwhelming then I recommend that you start simple: begin by pitching yourself online and see what you can grow from there. Most of the time the main reason an author abandons any thought of an online campaign is because they are overwhelmed by their choices. Start small and build from there, this is how we did it and how we grew our market. You can too. Then, when you’ve gotten your ‘sea legs’ when it comes to Internet promotion, you can branch out into other areas.

Good luck, here’s to your Red Hot success!

Tags: Author, Guide, HowTo, Tour, Virtual

Leasing Virtual Employees

Need help in achieving your company’s full potential?

Offshore employee outsourcing would be the best solution for you!

Outsourcing is one of the most powerful business tools to date. Several companies in various parts of the world are deploying this strategy to continually maintain their stability in the overly competitive market while still providing low-priced products and services to their customers.

If you’re not much familiar with the outsourcing industry, several questions must have been currently roaming on your head. And most probably, the first question that would pop-out into your mind is “What is outsourcing all about?”

Offshore outsourcing is a kind of strategy wherein services are procured from external suppliers overseas. It is a set-up in which non-core operations are delegated from an internal department within an establishment to an outside supplier with specialization on that kind of operation. It offers you great cost, quality and time advantages. This helps in substantially lowering overhead expenses and enables you to focus on your company’s core competencies such as strategy and growth.

Maybe you’re now wondering how this strategy would provide you with such advantages. We’ll give you a larger view of how outsourcing will work out well for you.

Outsourcing gives you these benefits:

• Deferment from the following liabilities: non-productive administrative costs, human resources related fees, government taxes, levies, unemployment insurance costs, in-house training expenses, etc. Since we will appear as your employee on record, we will take care of all these for you!

• Our leased employees will be submitted to your company fully geared up- with their own office table, computer, internet access, and everything they could possibly need! Wow! Isn’t that a relief from the burden of budget allotment not only for your staff but also for your equipments?

• By outsourcing overseas, you can take advantage of the value of less than par foreign currencies. Imagine you will only be paying us a fraction of the cost in comparison to the actual charges of using local manpower resources in your area.

• Say goodbye to the worrisome budget allotment and time consuming tasks associated with traditional recruitment and staff maintenance matters! We will also handle those duties for you! We will take care of almost all of the routine maintenance and development tasks for you.

• Round the clock service availability! We operate 24 hours a day, 6 days a week, 4 weeks a month.

You can now focus on the mainstream of your business. This will further boost your ability to compete with other large-scaled businesses out there. Prime Outsourcing will help you!

Prime Outsourcing is an IT outsourcing and offshore employee leasing company. We specialize in high quality, cost-effective, flexible services that ensure utmost client satisfaction. As a team, we are determined to provide you with the utmost services you deserve. It is our goal to assist you in becoming more efficient and competent. See how Prime Outsourcing can move you one step ahead of the competition! Contact us today and we will do our best to earn your business!

Tags: Employees, Leasing, Virtual

FabulaTech announced today launch of Virtual Serial Port Kit update version 5.0.5

United Kingdom, May 12, 2008, Liverpool – FabulaTech, a software development company, announced today the launch of Virtual Serial Port Kit updated version 5.0.5 which soon will take part in the worldwide software tradeshow WST on June, 19, 2008 in New York being currently available at http://www.virtual-serial-port.com

According to Robert Fischer, a company spokesman, Virtual Serial Port Kit version 5.0.5 is tenderly designed to create pairs of virtual serial ports in the system which are virtually connected to each other. Physical null modem cables are not required any more. One can connect any number of virtual port pairs. Virtual serial port pairs will look and work exactly like real hardware serial ports connected via null modem cables. Virtual Serial Port Kit is designed for software developers to speed up development process during software debugging.

Additional offerings for discount enable use of OEM license, the latter allows to integrate Virtual Serial Port Kit functionality into any own application and permits unlimited redistribution of Virtual Serial Port Kit as an integral part of one’s own software without having individual license keys. Andrew Scott said OEM License grants a royalty free distribution, so it is no use to pay extra fee per every license of one’s application.

“Whether you need to emulate unlimited number of serial ports and connect each pair of them via a virtual null-modem cable, Virtual Serial Port Kit is the ideal solution. For example, using VSPK, you can create pair of virtual serial ports (e.g. COM7 and COM8) and connect two applications to them. All data that the first application writes to COM7 is read from COM8 by the second application, and vice versa” says the Business Director of FabulaTech , John Scott. He added, “Virtual Serial Port Kit is extremely useful for serial software developers as it allows to speed up development process during debugging and data-logging period. You can debug your program (which uses serial port) by connecting it to another program (e.g. serial device emulator).You can connect ActiveSync directly to Pocket PC emulator using Virtual Serial Port Kit”.

According to Fischer, Virtual Serial Port Kit is the only program of its kind designed both for professionals, software developers and general users.

Tags: 5.0.5, Announced, FabulaTech, Launch, Port, Serial, Today, Update, version, Virtual

Outsourcing Tips On Jobs That Can Be Handled In The Virtual Field

While it’s possible to outsource almost any job you can think of, there are certain types of work than lend themselves to outsourcing better than others. These are usually the type of jobs that are otherwise routine or require specialized knowledge. Look over these outsourcing tips to see what you can send out.

You may be able to get an IT team for less if you outsource this technical work. Jobs like data warehousing or website upkeep and development are just a few of the functions that can be handled by outside staff. A big plus is that you can take advantage of their updated hardware and software without needing to invest in any or spend for its maintenance.

Routine business tasks like secretarial functions, payroll, data entry, or recruitment are other options. You need personnel to do these tasks, but not one hundred percent of the time. Outsourcing allows you the best of both worlds: you get top-notch personnel but only when they’re really needed.

What about outsourcing your finances? Outsourcing companies should never be allowed to handle the delicate tasks of disbursing funds, but you can definitely ask someone else to handle routine bookkeeping, invoicing, and tax management. After all, you don’t handle your own auditing, do you?

Why not look into companies that specialize in sales and advertising to handle that aspect for you? While you may be already producing a great service or product, you may not have enough knowledge to get it out in front of the public. Big corporations already practice outsourcing their advertising and marketing campaigns, why shouldn’t you do that, too?

A health and safety officer is someone very important to a company to make sure no one is taking unnecessary insurance risks. A company or consultant that specializes in safety compliance may be able to give you more cost-effective solutions for especially complex risks to your employees.

So while not every task is suitable for outsourcing, there are certain jobs that you can offer to outsourcing companies in order to take advantage of their superior skills, knowledge, and technology. That’s really having the best of both worlds at a very affordable price.

Tags: Field, Handled, Jobs, Outsourcing, Tips, Virtual

FabulaTech announced today launch of Virtual Serial Port Kit update version 5.0.5

United Kingdom, May 12, 2008, Liverpool – FabulaTech, a software development company, announced today the launch of Virtual Serial Port Kit updated version 5.0.5 which soon will take part in the worldwide software tradeshow WST on June, 19, 2008 in New York being currently available at http://www.virtual-serial-port.com

According to Robert Fischer, a company spokesman, Virtual Serial Port Kit version 5.0.5 is tenderly designed to create pairs of virtual serial ports in the system which are virtually connected to each other. Physical null modem cables are not required any more. One can connect any number of virtual port pairs. Virtual serial port pairs will look and work exactly like real hardware serial ports connected via null modem cables. Virtual Serial Port Kit is designed for software developers to speed up development process during software debugging.

Additional offerings for discount enable use of OEM license, the latter allows to integrate Virtual Serial Port Kit functionality into any own application and permits unlimited redistribution of Virtual Serial Port Kit as an integral part of one’s own software without having individual license keys. Andrew Scott said OEM License grants a royalty free distribution, so it is no use to pay extra fee per every license of one’s application.

“Whether you need to emulate unlimited number of serial ports and connect each pair of them via a virtual null-modem cable, Virtual Serial Port Kit is the ideal solution. For example, using VSPK, you can create pair of virtual serial ports (e.g. COM7 and COM8) and connect two applications to them. All data that the first application writes to COM7 is read from COM8 by the second application, and vice versa” says the Business Director of FabulaTech , John Scott. He added, “Virtual Serial Port Kit is extremely useful for serial software developers as it allows to speed up development process during debugging and data-logging period. You can debug your program (which uses serial port) by connecting it to another program (e.g. serial device emulator).You can connect ActiveSync directly to Pocket PC emulator using Virtual Serial Port Kit”.

According to Fischer, Virtual Serial Port Kit is the only program of its kind designed both for professionals, software developers and general users.

Tags: 5.0.5, Announced, FabulaTech, Launch, Port, Serial, Today, Update, version, Virtual

Virtual 800 Number Versus Local Number Only

Many people know that a virtual 800 number is a way they can have a toll free phone number for customers and potential customers to dial, but many also question whether or not they need one. You may feel that your local number is more than enough to have as you may feel that if someone wants to call you bad enough they will.

While having your local number on all advertisements and your website is certainly a great idea and will more than likely garner some local calls and additional business for you, the question really is why are you limiting your business? Put yourself in the potential customer’s shoes. If you go online and you find two companies that offer you everything you want and their prices are the same but one has a toll free number and the other has a local number only that is long distance to you, which one are you going to call? Your potential customers are no different.

Another benefit that comes with having a virtual 800 number in addition to your local number is that you come off looking bigger and better than your other local competition. This is simply a matter of the way people think. Many times when a person sees an 800 number they think, “Wow, big business.” However, if those same people see a local number only, they will probably think, “Too small to afford an 800 number.”

In reality, the company that is smaller than another may be the one with the 800 number. This means that in the minds of many, they will be viewed as the bigger company even though they are actually smaller.

Having a virtual 800 number also allows your current customers to have a better sense of security with your business and your products. If they do need to get a hold of you then they can do so if they are out of the area on a trip. People like hassle free experiences and that’s what a virtual 800 number can provide.

Obviously it is in the best interest of any business to get a virtual 800 number, so what is stopping so many, maybe even you? Most of the time those who debate with themselves back and forth about whether or not it is worth it to get an 800 number are debating the issue because they think it is too expensive to obtain an 800 number. This may have been true just a few short years ago, but it is no longer true today.

Many virtual 800 number services will start out under ten bucks a month. Best of all most require no contracts to be signed ever. Really it is an easy and inexpensive proposition.

The debate should really not be over a virtual 800 number versus a local number only. The two actually go hand in hand and where a local number can help you to keep up your local home town look, your virtual 800 number call help you bolster your multinational look. The two simply work together to make a better small business for you.

Tags: Local, Number, Only, Versus, Virtual

Virtual Assistants Offer Economic Advantages To Business Owners

Building a successful business can turn into a nightmare of headaches, frustration and exhaustion, if you aren’t careful. Unfortunately, the more successful you are, the more administrative tasks you have; the more time you spend on administrative tasks, the less time you have to generate new revenue.

It’s a vicious, vicious cycle.

So what’s a business owner to do?

Hire a virtual assistant.

What’s a virtual assistant?

Virtual assistants (VA’s)are professional office assistants who provide office services and support without actually being physically present, by using the Internet, fax and telephone. Virtual Assistants also complete work through the use of online collaborative workstations. And since much of their work is done online, they can work locally or globally eliminating the need for you to search for local qualified help.

In a nutshell, the virtual assistant takes the traditional role of the temp worker and elevates it to the status of entrepreneur. Because the virtual assistant is self-employed, bills only the hours work or by tasks completed, and is dependent on referrals and steady work flow from existing clients, she can be the perfect solution for a growing business.

A virtual assistant offers several distinct advantages over a paid employee. When you hire a virtual assistant you get all the benefits of outsourcing – no employee tax and benefits issues. Yet, you still get the loyalty and reliability of a company employee.

How practical is a virtual assistant?

As more and more businesses move their marketing and communications to the Internet, virtual assistants become more and more the obvious solution to staffing problems. For an hourly fee of $25 to $35, less than the cost of temps or employees.

However, it should be pointed out, VA’s with specialized skills and backgrounds do charge higher rates. By using a virtual assistant, businesses can take advantage of professional assistance and a variety of skills at the click of a mouse.

Virtual assistants are already computer trained, and can assist with your specific needs from traditional office support services to highly specialized areas including web page design. Virtual assistants also provide basic word processing, phone answering, bill paying, appointment scheduling and calendar maintenance. You can even custom-train your virtual assistant to go beyond administrative support to client development and marketing support.

As cable Internet, wireless Internet, and other broadband solutions continue to grow at an amazing pace, virtual assistants will become even more vital to business owners.

If you would like more information regarding hiring a virtual assistant, contact Rosalind Harris at:rharris@instantassistant.net or visit http://instantassistant.net

Tags: Advantages, Assistants, Business, Economic, Offer, Owners, Virtual

Misconceptions About Colorado Virtual School

Colorado has become a hot bed for online education. Colorado virtual school consists of students both in K-12 and higher education, jumping onto a virtual school for learning. Luckily, today’s CO virtual school are providing learning experience equal to what students find in traditional schools. The technology is a great help because research on teaching and learning and the commitment of the instructors to helps students succeed in their education.

Despite of the increasing numbers of online schools and students in Colorado, there are still misconceptions about online programs left over from the early days of online learning. Some of those misconceptions include:

Students are collectively secluded, spending hours unaccompanied at their desks.

Today’s virtual classes are extremely engaging with class assignments basing from students cooperating with each other and the instructor on an ongoing basis. In actual fact, there may be more chance for students and instructors to attach with each other than in traditional classroom surroundings, where loads of students are shy to speak up in public.

Online courses are low in worth and quality.

With the arrival of multimedia learning technologies, skilled online instructors and advanced online learning methodology, online high schools have completed vast steps in their capability to both understand and appreciate how online students gain knowledge and how to produce prosperous, active, multimedia courses to sustain that learning.

No one holds students responsible for their development.

There may be times when a number of online students wish this was the case, but no such luck! The online schools these days cover lots of ways to assist students stay on track with their assignments and studies, and instructors perceive that as a significant part of their job. From every day quizzes, to cyclic assessments, to meetings between advisors, parent and students, it is anticipated that everyone involved in that student’s education helps add to his or her success. Indeed, an online instructor can in fact distinguish how long a student has studied a certain subject and achieve an understanding of the students intellectual capacity by virtue of the time used up on the subject.

In conclusion, Colorado virtual school is a great option for many students and their families who are in search of an alternative to the conventional school surroundings. For most of the families in Colorado, overcoming the misconceptions about Co virtual school can lead students and families to a learning alternative that is modified to all learners providing them the self-determination to learn at their own speed at the time of their choosing.

Tags: About, Colorado, Misconceptions, School, Virtual