Team Double-Click® recently launched their answer to the increasing challenges of working in corporate America: the Licensed Virtual Assistant program. A Team Double-Click® Licensed Virtual Assistant is an individual who wishes to build their client base, backed by Team Double-Click’s® recognized branding and stellar reputation.

With this ground-breaking program, virtual assistants pay a flat monthly fee to be licensed by Team Double-Click®. Licensing will allow virtual assistants to use the Team Double-Click® name, brand, logo, and marketing messages to obtain their own clients rather than wait for Team Double-Click® to find clients for them. In growing their virtual assistant business, a Licensed Virtual Assistant will have the ability to perform the work themselves or to earn additional income by placing clients with Team Double-Click's® highly trained support-level virtual assistants.

I had a chance to talk to Gayle recently. The following are a few insightful excerpts from our conversation - click here for the complete interview.

Many individuals are interested in working from home, but don’t believe they can make the kind of income they make in corporate America. Why was it so important to create the Licensed Virtual Assistant program and do you believe it can be a long-term solution to the growing concerns we have with the current state of our economy?

We created the Licensed Virtual Assistant program as a viable alternative to the corporate job where individuals literally have the opportunity to make over $100k a year. The amount of money that they generate with this opportunity is completely up to them. A good analogy is to look at the Licensed Virtual Assistant program as similar to how Real Estate Agents pay a “desk fee” to build their business utilizing the reputation of the brokerage company that they work with.

In reading some of the articles that you have wrote, you have mentioned numerous times your concern for the environment. Why do you feel so strongly about this topic and how can virtual staffing help the global concerns we are all facing?

Team Double-Click® created the Licensed Virtual Assistant program as an option to grow a home-based business, in part to help the environment. Team Double-Click® believes that we all need to do our part to help the environment and those facing the daily challenges of working outside the home with the current economic landscape. We want to help as many individuals to be able to work from home and be there for their families.

Can you share why you believe that it is imperative that companies consider finding staffing solutions through a virtual channel, like Team Double-Click®?

The business landscape is ever-changing and the cost to fill a corporate position continues to rise. The average cost of an employee can be as much as 2 1/2 times their salary and includes social security, vacation/sick time, health insurance, worker’s compensation and Medicare. When hiring virtual assistants, companies do not have the costs involved with regular employees and can save thousands of dollars a year.

What are the benefits for companies to work with Team Double-Click® for their staffing needs?

With Team Double-Click®, the companies’ needs are assessed and based upon their requirements; they are matched with a highly-skilled and trained virtual assistant. Our virtual assistants use the most advanced means of communication, and the newest, most efficient and time-saving office products and work delivery, without any geographic boundaries.

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Thanks Jim and Gayle, and all the best!

The National Institute of Webographers, owner of the REAL ESTATE WEBOGRAPHER™ (REW) program, announced today that it has reached an agreement to feature RealTown Blogs as an official REAL ESTATE WEBOGRAPHER™, Technology Partner. Showcase of RealTown Blogs within the REW Certification compliments training on Blogs, a course module within the REW certification curriculum. See full press release.

Starting your own Blog is the one of the first steps in helping establishing your online presence. That's why RealTown Blogs are offered for free to all RealTown members. It’s this welcoming attitude that real estate professionals, over the years, have made nearly 1 million posts to RealTalk and other public and private communities hosted by InternetCrusade®.

"Designating RealTown Blogs as a Technology Partner within the REAL ESTATE WEBOGRAPHER™ Certification is an exciting opportunity for RealTown’s Internet Crusade. As a technology provider, we strongly support REW™ certification for agents, brokers and assistants,” said Saul Klein, CEO for RealTown’s Internet Crusade.

“As the industry’s oldest and most respected real estate network, a RealTown Blog is perfect for the real estate professional looking to launch his or her blog presence, while continually learning from the vast experiences of those RealTown veterans sharing their own insider perspectives," said Marc Grayson, president of the National Institute of Webographers.

For more information on RealTown, click here to signup for your own personalized blog!

The National Institute of Webographers, owner of the REAL ESTATE WEBOGRAPHER™ (REW) program, today announced that it has reached an agreement to feature Point2 Technologies (“Point2”) as an official REAL ESTATE WEBOGRAPHER™ Technology Partner. Showcase of Point2 within the REW Certification complements training on Agent Websites, a course module within the REW certification curriculum. See full press release.

"We are excited to showcase Point2 Agent to the candidates of the REAL ESTATE WEBOGRAPHER™ certification. Point2 Agent websites remain easy in configuration and maintenance as the core web presence of real estate professionals,” said Marc Grayson, president of the National Institute of Webographers. Continued Grayson, “Point2 Agent is not just about an agent website, but increasing visibility of listings through the system’s ‘Exposure Engine’ with over 30 syndication partners, interoperability with peer agent websites through Point2’s “Handshake™” opt-in reciprocal listing advertising feature, and advertising opportunities through Neighborhood Directories via Point2Homes.com.”

Real technologies are showcased inside the Learning Laboratory, an area within the certification experience where candidates can play with an array of technologies; technologies deemed as best-of-breed and fully compliment training on competencies such as Agent Websites

For more information on Point2, click here for special discounts in celebration of this milestone.

August 1st, the REW cert is going to $299. Before that happens, I'd like everyone (peers, assistants and other fellow RE professionals) to get the great and timeless technology training found in the REAL ESTATE WEBOGRAPHER(TM) at the lowest price available - EVER.

Give this code - REW0850 - to your associates and they can sign up now for REW for just $99. DISCOUNT CODE - REW0850

Tell them to sign up today - this offer is only available before August 1st. They can also use this link: --> http://www.webographeras.com/enroll.php?coupon_code=REW0850

Recently I was in contact with one of our REW candidates, Kim Desroches-Noel, a virtual assistant with the REW technology partner Team Double-Click. I had a chance to catch up with her and ask her how her life as a VA is going (clients, technologies used) and how REW is playing a role.

KIM: "I am still with Team Double-Click and using my [REW] knowledge as I am working for a Real Estate company through them. I am working in LeadTrax CRM and online platforms through Yahoo. Currently I am using IM programs as we work in a team of three per shift and we use the conference functionality to keep in contact throughout the shift. I am now in the process of using RELAY with my new job for online transaction coordination and have a local realtor who has me doing his quarterly newsletters for him."

"Your [REW] certification has been wonderful in increasing my knowledge and allowing me to serve my clients in a more productive way. I have recommended it to many colleagues and I hope they take my suggestion and pursue the certification."

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Thanks for the feedback Kim and best wishes with your continued success!

Today, featured on GeekEstateBlog.com, Marc Grayson touched on a portion of what he likes to call "attention-to-detail", in "How Music Dated the Real Estate Listing".

In the print world, presentation is paramount. Every Agent knows that no buyer wants to see incorrect information or misspelled items on print or advertising materials. It's just blatant oversight and a little effort to see an item through can easily avoid these situations.

Unfortunately, this "attention-to-detail" goes out the window (along with the kitchen sink) when it comes to online advertisements, email, websites... and the list goes on. So here are a few gotchas that every person (including me!) should watch out for when it comes to an online presence.

1. Spelling - You'd think this would be a no-brainer, but I have been just as guilty as the next person. In emails, online ads, etc, it's usually just a click of the spell checker. Don't skimp - use the spell checkers included.

2. Font - By far the most easily overlooked item. Many times when using HTML in emails or those fantastic email or website toolkits, there's a default font that none of us use. Take care when cutting and pasting in these instances as the default font, or even the font from the application the text was cut from may be transferred to someplace you don't want it. To avoid this, take a brief moment and re-load and re-read your online documents.

3. Links - Another easy item to miss, especially when you have a document using a lot of them. Again, re-load, re-read, and click on everything. Pay careful attention to links you want to open in a new window, and those you want to use the existing one.

4. Images - You'd be amazed how different WYSIWYG and email editors handle pictures and the spacing around them. The answer? Test, test, test, and just for good measure, test again. Nothing drives me more crazy than when I send something out "to the masses" and catch an error after the fact.

5. Content - This is a biggie - make sure your content says what you want it to say. Be sure quoted articles are cited properly and you aren't using false information. Aside from the tremendous legal liability, if you are telling folks one thing, and a reader calls you on it, other readers will take note.

Bottom-line, re-load, re-read, and test. Remember, online, face-time is limited - what you present your readers and clients is how they will evaluate you.