Project Management

Project Management for Virtual Buzz Assistants

There is a wrong way and a right way to approach project management.

The wrong way is to get caught up in the software package. The right way is to address the key goals of your project management. Virtual Buzz Assistant projects may be based on time or monthly retainer with goals. Consequently, you may not want to show a client your time. Instead, you may want them to see the tasks and outcomes achieved in a month.

Because Virtual Buzz Assistants usually focus on a small number of clear tasks, it is sometimes OK to just use Excel or Word to report each month. In other cases, you may be coordinating multiple assistants and need more control and real-time updates.

So what are the things you consider when choosing a Project Management package?

What does your client expect to see?
What do you want to show your client?
Is it overly complex?
Can you upload documents and keep everything together?
Does it need to be secure? (SSL Encryption)

What this comes down to is that you and your client are both happy with what you have access to and the system does not waste your time with a lot of unnecessary configurations and data entry. Unless your project is very big, you will want to focus on simplicity. It should save you time by giving clients 24/7 access to the data and reports as well as minimizing your time to enter the data.

Let's Explore some options - and these are just a few of many.

#1 Online Documents at Google

This is the simplest option, but is not really a project management system. Instead, you could create a document or a spread sheet and share it with your clients online. You can give them read only access, and keep it updated.

The key here is to have a very professional image. Nice headers, contact information, etc. in the document. If you just point them to a plain spreadsheet, it is going to look unprofessional.

This option is best for small projects where the Virtual Buzz Assistant does not have a bigger system in place yet.

#2 SantexQ

Santex Q is a free online project management system. It is simple, but it does not allow real time access for clients. You have to export the reports to excel and then send them.

It is professional and free, but only useful for you to track tasks and hours along with your team members.

#3 37 Signals - BaseCamp & HighRise HQ

37 Signals is a company that builds great tools based on simplicity. While they do not have one system that does everything you will probably need, they do have two systems that, when combined, address the needs of a Virtual Buzz Assistant working one a project that requires list building and advocacy.

BaseCamp is their tool for project management. While it is not free, you can set up multiple projects in one account and the cost is reasonable. Because of how clean and simple it is, you will minimize your time and collaborate better with your clients. What it is missing is the data entry of contacts � which is not surprising because project management systems don't usually include that kind of thing. (But it is essential for Virtual Buzz Assistants on many projects)

So you can use another 37 Signals product called Highrise HQ to build the list. You can even pass the cost on to the client � have them sign up for an account and give you access. Then you can do data entry, record contacts and build the list for the client. This becomes your shared PR database with the client. It also includes tasks, which you would assign to your client, such as a follow up or a request for an interview.

#4 Zoho

I used Zoho Creator extensively. Recently they raised the price and now I do not endorse it as much, because the limited number of users makes it harder to justify. When that tool was unlimited, I had built a great custom project management system for Virtual Buzz Assistant projects. It included tabs where you recorded successes, contacts and more.

I might still use them more, but there are occasional times when clients have trouble with their dynamic HTML.

You can use Zoho Project for one project for free and see if you like it. It is affordable, but it does not have the same level of customization as creator.

#5 Open Source

There are a lot of good open source systems that you can host on your own website and will cost you (in theory) nothing. For example, at www.outstandahosting.com you can host a website for a few dollars a month on a Linex server and install phpCollab with a few clicks.

The issue with this approach is that you are responsible for the software. There is no support team other than going out to the forums or doing web searches.

It is a great option if you are serious about project management systems, but the cost of making changes and supporting it can be higher than just paying the monthly cost of one of the other options I have mentioned.

Other Project Management Solutions

This is just the tip of the iceberg. Please use the Virtual Buzz Assistant forums to discuss how you are managing projects and what question you have. Remember that it is ultimately about making you are your client collaborate and feel good about the goals you have agreed upon.