Welcome to our Blog
A hub of tips to help entrepreneurs and busy business owners work smarter, not harder!
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Mental Health and the effect on Business Owners
Mental health is a topic that, in recent years, has become increasingly recognised as a significant health issue. However, what is not spoken about as often, is the impact that it has on entrepreneurs and business owners. Running a business in itself is a mountainous task, but when added pressures such…
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Be kind – Show someone that you care
With the UK currently directing nearly all efforts towards fighting the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, other services have and still are experiencing unprecedented circumstances in our everchanging world. Mental health is one of these services. There’s no shame in admitting that we all go through tough times every now and then. But what’s important to remember, is that it’s the people…
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Online conferencing – and how to succeed at it
Online conferencing is suddenly all the rage – which is hardly surprising when so many of us now have to work from home. But if you’ve not done it before, or are still deciding which software to use, a little advice may be helpful. From our experience…
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Coronavirus – a business survival guide
Coronavirus is here in the UK, and it’s spreading – so it’s sensible to think about how your business will cope. Sick leave First and foremost, it’s vital to ensure that staff who feel unwell don’t come in to work. So many people struggle in even when…
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What does a virtual assistant actually do?
When people ask us what a Purple Haze Virtual Assistant actually does, we have a standard response: ‘What would you like us to do?’ And the answer to that question is likely to depend on the nature of your business. A startup business… Say – just as…
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Building your brand? Don’t do it on your own
Building your brand is hard work (obviously). And, to begin with at least, most of that work will be down to you. (Plus, if you’re very lucky, anyone else who’s brave enough to share your vision.) But what happens when all that hard work finally pays off?…
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In construction – and too busy to answer the phone…?
The UK construction business is booming – which is great news if you happen to be a part of it. In November last year, private house-building picked up by 1.9% – despite a shrinking UK economy. And the biggest growth area was in private residential work. So…
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Helping healthcare professionals (and clients) stay healthy…
If you’re working in any form of healthcare, then you know life is about to get very interesting. Of course there’s the usual rush of winter issues (flu, bronchitis, injuries from falls, seasonal depression…) But there’s so much more to look forward to. All the joys of…
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Coping with the Christmas rush?
Given that Christmas (these days) seems to begin in July, the usual panic may not be just an end-of-year problem. But there’s no doubt that for many businesses (including many that aren’t in the gift business) November and December can be difficult months. Last-minute Larry’s Christmas… These…
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It’s flu season – so how about some emergency cover?
What’s your definition of a business emergency? (Excluding, for the moment, a meteorite strike or a plague of frogs.) How about a flu epidemic among your staff? We’ve all met that brave soul who arrives at work with a soaring temperature, a file-scattering sneeze, and a graveyard…
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Does your clinic appointment book need some TLC?
Managing appointments for your clinic can be a trial. Especially if you’re the one trying to make sure that patients a) know when their appointment is, and b) are actually going to attend. A friend told us the story of a clinic that seemed to have trouble…
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How a virtual office manager could save you money
Why would you need an office manager? (Virtual or not?) Perhaps because it’s one of those jobs that is often seen as ‘somebody else’s problem’ – or, perhaps, not a problem at all. But if, say, you’re working in a busy and fast-growing construction company where people…
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How good is your customer experience?
The customer experience is what makes or breaks an e-commerce website – and that doesn’t just depend on the quality of your software. Because even with the very best software, things can go wrong… I’m not sure what to do…? Try as you might, some of your…
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Time to take a proper holiday?
Remember what a holiday used to be like? For some that might mean going back rather a long way, to carefree childhood days. When things like money and work were things that grown-ups talked about – while you got on with something more interesting. But if you’re…
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Ten years of premium service
Think back ten years. Can you remember some of the things we take for granted now that simply weren’t around? There are quite a few – and some may surprise you. The iPad, for instance. That didn’t arrive until 2010. Snapchat, Pinterest, Spotify and WhatsApp were still…
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How your VA could save your business (and your sanity)
Why do you need someone you can happily call ‘your VA’? Well, perhaps you don’t. You’re a capable, energetic person. You can do it all yourself. There’s a skill you don’t yet have? You’ll learn it. Software you’ve never used? You’ll ace it in the first week….
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Do your documents need a facelift?
Documents? Mostly they aren’t sexy, and they’re certainly not exciting. But every business needs them. And what do we mean by ‘documents’? Think terms and conditions. Letters of agreement. Manuals and handbooks. ‘Standard’ client communications – the stuff you send out all the time. Things which, perhaps,…
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26 tasks a virtual assistant can help with
So what does a Virtual Assistant actually do? Yes, of course they’ll answer the phone. But that’s just the beginning. Because it’s only taken us a few minutes here in the office to come up with an A to Z of tasks a virtual assistant can help…
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6 top concerns when outsourcing to a virtual assistant
Have you considered outsourcing to a virtual assistant, but wondered if it’s really right for you? Many people hesitate – with good reason. Why? Because you absolutely should think twice before you hand over a key part of your business to someone else. After all, you’d certainly…
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Does your cashflow need a Christmas present?
Are you already fed up with Christmas? We all moan about the annual deluge of Christmas ads, especially when they start in August. But for many businesses the last quarter of the year is also the most profitable. Especially for retailers (on- or off-line) and for restaurants,…
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Why your website needs live chat
If you think live chat is a little gimmicky, it may be time to think again… Fair enough, it did used to be irritating. The little pop-up that wouldn’t go away. And which, when you clicked on it, told you someone would be with you ‘right away’….
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One word can make all the difference…
Is your website doing its job? Perhaps that isn’t a question you’ve considered. If your business is doing well, then checking on the website may well not be at the top of your ‘to do’ list. But if you’re facing challenging times, then perhaps it should…
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Making email work for you
Making the most of email communication for business… As noted in an earlier post, most of your clients and potential clients still prefer you to contact them by email. And – provided you have permission to do so – that opens up a world of possibilities….
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Email marketing: the fortune in the follow-up…
On any e-commerce website, email marketing is your friend. It’s still, indisputably, the best way to keep in touch with your customers, retain them, and generate new sales. And, surprisingly, it doesn’t seem to matter how old they are. Data gathered by the Direct Marketing Association in…
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Growing your business – without the pains
Growing your business is – as we know from experience – a lot of work. Not made easier by the expense and complication of finding people to work for you. Luckily, there’s an alternative. Better yet, it’s a flexible alternative. Because the jobs you want someone else…
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Need advice? Lean on our experience…
When your business is changing, you may need some advice. If you want advice about strategy, you’ll talk to a business coach. (And we’re not business coaches, of course.) If you want advice about money, you’ll talk to an accountant or a financial adviser. (And we’re happy…
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Planning the Big Event… is about communication
We’re writing this particular article just as the country’s gearing up for another Royal Wedding. But there are some basic principles that apply to any wedding. And, for that matter, to any event that involves getting a lot of people together. In the same place, at the…
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Want to show a little more customer love?
Customer love? Nice idea, but let’s face it, we’re all busy. That’s why we call it a ‘business’, after all. Which sometimes means we don’t have as much time as we’d like for the little things. The trouble is, it’s the little things that make a difference. (Oh….
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How goes it with the resolutions?
So – you started the year with a new burst of energy. And some new resolutions. You’re going to get things done. Be efficient. Get organised. Get sorted, in fact. All good and praiseworthy goals, of course. But then real life kicks in. You know how it…
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Why Santa needs VAs
Does Santa need VAs? Of course he does. Have you ever tried to imagine what’s really going on up there at the North Pole? Especially these days? Let’s face it when Dickens’ A Christmas Carol life was published way back in 1843 life was a whole lot…
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Does e-commerce bring fulfilment?
On the face of it, e-commerce sounds like a great idea. You build your website (or, preferably, get an expert to build it for you). You add the necessary online gizmos and gadgets. And then you sit back and wait for the money to roll in. Except,…
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CRM for the nervous
CRM? Let’s face it, when people (especially computer people) start throwing initials around, it’s natural to expect trouble. But in this case, the news is good – as you may have seen in a previous blog. So to recap: CRM stands for Customer Relations Management. A CRM…
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Don’t lose a fortune on the follow-up
‘The fortune’s in the follow-up.’ A hoary old business adage – which happens to be true. So – how well do you follow-up your leads? How easily can you keep track of them? And how often (come on now, be honest) do you miss out because you…
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Don’t you just LOVE data entry?
‘Love’ data entry? Really? Well, it seems that rather a lot of us do. We must. After all, we keep doing it. Just stop for a minute and consider… Do you keep all the information about your clients in just one place? If you do, you’re one of…
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‘Just’ a telephone answering service?
So what would you expect from a ‘telephone answering service’? Well, someone to answer your phone calls, obviously. Which is, of course, an improvement on even the friendliest voicemail message. And – yes – you’d expect that person to be helpful. To give intelligent, informed responses. And…
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We don’t like making excuses – so you need to trust us…
Seriously. We don’t. But if a client doesn’t trust us, we don’t have much choice. ‘I’m very sorry, madam. Of course, we’ll tell him you called. But I’m afraid I don’t know if the scintillator valve on your SP193 has a bifurcating dongle…’ So it’s great when…
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Help your Virtual Assistant to help you…
You’ve taken the plunge. You’ve decided to hand over work you don’t want to do to someone else. In fact, you’ve decided to outsource. To a Virtual Assistant. Your business coach (if you have one) will applaud you. Your family (if you have one) will thank you. But now…
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Hire a Virtual Assistant and Reorganise Your Workload
Developing your business is something that all directors and team members should spend time doing. Growing custom, creating contracts and delivering excellent service or product is key. Thinking about the future is also something that people spend a lot of time doing, but really only you know…
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Invoicing Systems save time and money!
In the modern world of business, electronic invoicing has become a common tool. It makes for seamless transactions and the benefits towards a positive cash flow are fundamental to small businesses. Are you yet to utilise this and are you aware of the advantages of doing so?…
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Why do you need a Virtual Assistant
Are you overwhelmed running your business? Are there not enough hours in the day? The more your business grows, the more administrative tasks you have; the more time you spend on administrative tasks, the less time you have to generate new business. How much is your time…
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CRM – What does it mean and how can it help me?
You’ve probably heard the term “CRM” if you are a business owner or sales manager. But what does it really mean? C-R-M stands for Customer Relationship Management. At its simplest, a CRM system allows businesses to manage business relationships and the data and information associated with them….
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Getting to know Rachael Tate
Welcome to Rachael Tate – the latest addition to the Purple Haze team. We thought it would be nice to spend some time getting to know her, so you’ll be on familiar territory when you speak to her. So, Rachael – tell us a bit about yourself….
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Zen and the art of customer service – Purple Haze
Customer Service Excellence Keys Research shows that for customers the following 5 parts of service are key: Delivery – Doing what you say Timeliness – Doing it when you say you’re going to Information – Holding and using customer information that is correct and relevant Professionalism –…
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Image is Everything
Your company image is one of the most critical elements to get right. Failure to implement a consistent, professional brand across all of your materials could result in people not taking you seriously. Of course, image starts with your logo, but that’s only the beginning; The typeface…
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Is there still a place for the skill of minute taking?
With recorders now allowed in courtrooms and every Tom, Dick, and Harry having a smartphone with a voice recorder, is there still a place for the skill of minute-taking? The average person speaks at three words a second – imagine being able to take down 100 words…
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Parcel delivery service
One of the most frustrating things we experience, according to a recent survey, is having to wait in for a parcel to be delivered. It’s made worse when the courier company gives you no indication of whether the delivery will be made at 9 am or 6…
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e-Commerce, the unexpected overhead
So you’ve made the decision to sell your products online. Wonderful. Clicks and mortar – it’s the future, right? You’ll have weighed up the costs in terms of website design and development, you will have tested and identified the most appropriate payment gateway and set up an…
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Helping you hit your targets…
As a recruiter, you will know that consultation is the key to successful recruitment. Developing solid and lasting relationships with both candidate and client alike is vital to commercial and reputable achievement within the industry. However, as a recruiter, you will also know that the primary source…
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Benefits of e-newsletters
Businesses can often be hesitant about sending e-newsletter campaigns, be it for promotional or informational reasons, but few are aware of the full range of benefits they can have. The first, and possibly the most important, reason for sending an e-newsletter campaign is to keep in contact…
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The Telephone and Your Business
Picking up the phone is still key to running a successful business; making contact with clients and prospects alike and being heard in your business community. But picking up the phone requires time and planning, and as a small business with so many other constraints even making…