After 8 months of intense development, I’m thrilled to announce that Dropzone 3.5 is finally here. This is a major update that takes the app to an entirely new level. The update has just been approved by Apple and is now available on the Mac App Store and also via to in-app upgrade mechanism for non-Mac App Store users. You should be notified of the update automatically shortly or you can force the update from the Updates tab in the Mac App Store app or by going into the Updates tab in the Dropzone settings and clicking the ‘Check Now’ button if you’re using the non-Mac App Store version.

If you’re a first time customer then Dropzone is 50% off (only 5 USD) for a limited time to celebrate the launch of the update so grab it now.

I’m excited to explain some of the new features in this update. But first, here’s a quick promo ad that shows off the new support for keyboard shortcuts:

User Interface Update

The new version has a brand new icon (shown at the top of this post) that fits in better with the current flat OS X design language.

The user interface has been redesigned with the fonts, action icons and dividers updated. Also a toolbar has been added at the top of the grid. Here’s how Dropzone 3.5 looks:

In the toolbar are the buttons for adding actions, and a new button for opening and closing Drop Bar:

You can either click the button as shown in the video above or drag files onto the button to expand the Drop Bar/Add to Grid area. This allows you to keep this area of the grid hidden to save space if you’re not currently using Drop Bar.

Available Actions Highlighting

After you upgrade to Dropzone 3.5 you may find that certain actions in your grid are greyed out as shown in the screenshot below:

This is due to a change to the way action events and dragging types are handled. When you click to open the grid, only actions that support click events will be highlighted. In the screenshot above the disabled actions only support having items dragged onto them, so they are greyed out unless you actually indicate a drag by dragging files to the top of the screen or onto the Dropzone menu item. Also, when you drag a particular type (text or files) then only actions that can handle that type will be highlighted:

This makes it easier to see at a glance which actions are relevant to the current event (a click or a drag) or content type (files or text).

Keyboard Shortcuts

You can now launch actions using the keyboard. This makes it faster than ever to use your actions. One way you can use this is to open a folder you use often, for example if I want to open my Downloads folder I can simply press F3 to open the Dropzone grid and then press ‘D’ since that’s the key I have assigned to my Downloads action. The shortcut keys are shown overlaid on your actions as shown in the screenshot below:

When you upgrade to Dropzone 3.5 all your actions will be assigned shortcut keys automatically, but you can change the key assigned to an action by right clicking on an action, choosing Edit from the menu and then editing the Services Key field:

Also – one secret hidden trick. You can change the position of the letters overlaid on the action icons as follows:

Open Terminal.app and enter the following:

defaults write com.aptonic.Dropzone3 ServiceKeyOverlaysPosition -int <number>

Where the <number> is the position on the icon as follows:

So for example the below line would change the position of the overlays to the top left:

defaults write ~/Library/Preferences/com.aptonic.Dropzone3 ServiceKeyOverlaysPosition -int 1

To reset back to center:

defaults delete ~/Library/Preferences/com.aptonic.Dropzone3 ServiceKeyOverlaysPosition


OS X Service Integration

You can now perform Dropzone actions on files and text using only the keyboard. This can be used as an alternative to dragging files or text onto the grid. This is implemented using a new system wide OS X ‘Run Dropzone Action’ service. To run a Dropzone action on a particular file or files, select the files in the Finder and use the default Dropzone services shortcut which is Ctrl+Option+Cmd+D. You can also activate the service from the menu as shown in the screenshot below:

This will cause the Dropzone grid to popup and ask which action you’d like to use with the selected items. You can then hit the key shown in the overlay for the service you want:

You can also use the OS X service integration to run a Dropzone action on some text. To do this you can select some text in an app such as Safari and then press the Ctrl+Option+Cmd+D shortcut (or right click on the selected text and choose ‘Run Dropzone Action’ from the right click Services menu). This will open the Dropzone grid and any grid actions that can handle text will be shown highlighted in the grid. For example, you could select some text and then have it read aloud using the optionally installed Say Text action.

Built in Goo.gl URL Shortening

Dropzone now allows you to shorten URLs using a dedicated OS X service shortcut. Simply select some text that is a URL in any app and press Ctrl+Option+Cmd+S. You can also right click on some text and choose ‘Shorten URL’ from the Services menu as shown in the screenshot below. URLs are shortened using the free Goo.gl URL shortening service and the resulting short URL is placed on the clipboard.

If you want to keep track of shortened URLs using the Goo.gl web interface with your Google account then you should add a Shorten URL action to your grid by clicking the white plus icon in the top left of the grid and choosing the ‘Shorten URL’ action. This will show the below window:

You should click the Authorize button to link your Google account with Dropzone. After doing this the Shorten URL service will add shortened URLs with your Google account and you can track URLs and visits etc. using the Goo.gl shortener interface at Goo.gl.

Write Dropzone actions in Python

You can now develop actions for Dropzone using Python as well as Ruby. This should make the Dropzone API accessible to more developers and result in more actions being developed.

To start developing an action in Python, choose ‘Develop Action…’ from the add action menu and select Python as the language from the ‘Language’ dropdown as shown below:

Full details on the Python support and API are available in the API documentation.

Preliminary El Capitan (OS X 10.11) Support

Dropzone 3.5 has been tested under the latest El Capitan beta and the most pressing issues have been fixed. There are no major problems currently, and the 3.5 update will run fine under it. I will continue to address bugs and issues with the developer betas as they arise.

Improved Performance and Stability

A big focus of this release has been reducing the number of bugs and crashes and also reducing CPU footprint. There were also some issues that could cause the app to hang if there were network volumes added to the grid and these have now been addressed.

Dropzone 3.5 Detailed Release Notes

New Features

– Redesigned user interface
– New application icon
– OS X service integration
– You can now run actions using the keyboard (select a file and hit Ctrl+Option+Cmd+D) or press F3
– Goo.gl URL shortening now included (select a URL and hit Ctrl+Option+Cmd+S)
– You can now hide the Add to Grid and Drop Bar special actions
– Python is now supported for writing actions
– Clicking AirDrop action now opens AirDrop in Finder
– Status item has been shrunk smaller as you can now drag files to the top of screen
– Transitioned grid fonts from Lucida Grande to Helvetica Neue to fit Yosemite better
– Pressing escape key now closes grid
– Added support for dragging photos from the new Photos app onto Dropzone
– You can now add more than 50 actions to the grid
– Added option in Develop Action window to turn off introductory comments
– Added new PythonPath metadata field to specify alternative Python version for actions if needed
– Actions that don’t support the current event or dragged type are now shown greyed out in the grid

Bug Fixes

– Fixed issue where Dropzone could use excessive CPU when idle
– Fixed bug where dragged text onto actions containing double quotes were escaped unnecessarily
– Fixed issue where folders with a dot in the name were being truncated
– Fixed bug where the ChooseFolder and ChooseApplications OptionsNIBs would ignore the SkipConfig metadata field and force you to select a folder
– Fixed issue where proxy environment variables were not set correctly
– Fixed issue where Dropzone would sometimes hang during launch
– Fixed bug in Amazon S3 action where mime type was not being set correctly
– Fixed incorrect sizing of ‘Check for Action Update’ button when editing an action
– Changed position of ‘Remove’ in right click menu to reduce change of accidentally deleting an action
– Fixed bug where files were moved to trash when dragging from TextWrangler onto Dropzone
– Added warning not to include ‘ftp://’ at the start of server field in FTP action
– Any actions with outdated action icons are now updated during upgrade to this version
– Fixed hangs that could occur when adding network volumes to the Dropzone grid
– Fixed issue where Ctrl+Clicking on actions didn’t open right-click menu
– Fixed issue where Imgur action would not authorise correctly when using a Google account
– Fixed issue where downloaded actions with a browser added filename suffix would fail to install

Keep It 1.7 is now available for Mac, iPad and iPhone. On both Mac and iOS, version 1.7 adds search and text recognition for attachments, improved Markdown previews, and improvements for viewing and working with mail messages, along with various other improvements.

This version updates Keep It for iOS 13 (and, when it’s released, iPadOS), adding support for Dark Mode, the ability to annotate PDFs and images, contextual menus, the ability to scan multi-page documents, and improved automation support in the Shortcuts app.

Keep It for Mac can now print all file types that it natively supports, there are improvements for Dark Mode on macOS Mojave and later, and improved Touch Bar support for notes, Markdown documents, PDF files, and images.

Dark Mode

Keep It now supports Dark Mode on iOS 13. As on Mac, notes, rich text, plain text and Markdown files will be shown as light text on a dark background, along with mail messages when appropriate, and Markdown previews and web pages styled to work in Dark Mode.

On both Mac and iOS, notes and rich text files with custom background colors will now always be shown as light content, to avoid issues where synced styles created in Dark Mode cause issues on devices not using Dark Mode.

Search Attachments

Keep It will now search files attached to notes, rich text documents and mail messages as though part of the item’s overall content, and will perform text recognition on attached PDFs and images when necessary.

Annotate on iOS 13

On iOS 13, tap the Markup button to annotate PDFs and images with Apple Pencil or drawing on the screen. It’s now also possible to markup PDF and image attachments in notes and rich text files, as on Mac.

Multiple Windows on iPadOS 13

Keep It will support multiple windows on iPadOS when it’s released. Drag items from the list to create new windows in Split View and Slide Over. Items can also be opened in their own windows from a contextual menu in the item list.

UI Changes on iOS 13

Tap and hold on individual items in the item list or thumbnails to show a contextual menu with quick access to things such as moving items and adding tags. Contextual menus will also be shown when tapping and holding in the Lists view and Tag Filter.

Every icon for lists and buttons has been updated to match the new look of iOS 13.

Shortcuts on iOS 13

To take advantage of the Shortcuts app on iOS 13, which now supports input and output parameters for third-party shortcuts, Keep It provides shortcuts to create items from text or files, append text to items, attach files to items, save web links, get items based on a wide range of criteria, obtain and change the properties of those items, and open items or lists in the app.

Touch Bar on Mac

Keep It for Mac now shows document-specific Touch Bar for notes to choose styles, highlight text, and insert checklists, for formatting Markdown documents, for navigating, zooming and annotating PDFs, and for rotating PDF pages and images.

And More

Scan multi-page images using the camera using the document camera on iOS 13. On iPad and iPhone, mail messages now show image attachments inline, and on Mac it’s now possible to find occurrences of text in mail messages and work with attachments. Also on Mac, printing support has been added for all editable text files, Markdown previews, PDFs, images, and web pages. 

See the release notes for Mac and for iPad and iPhone for a full list of changes.

Pricing & Availability

Keep It 1.7 is a free update for all existing customers. 

Keep It for Mac is available for $49.99 directly from Reinvented Software, and Together 3 users can upgrade for $24.99, unless they purchased Together 3 in its final 6 months on sale, in which case the upgrade is free. A 15-day free trial can be downloaded from this site.

Keep It for Mac is also available from the Mac App Store, offers a free trial and a choice of one-time purchase for all Keep It 1.x releases for $49.99, or an upgrade from Together 3 for $24.99 (or free if Together 3 was purchased in its final 6 months on sale). Alternatively, choose from yearly or monthly subscriptions at $19.99/year or $2.49/month.

Keep It for iPad and iPhone is available separately from the App Store with a choice of yearly or monthly subscriptions at $9.99/year or $1.49/month.

I really like seeing the pace of Drafts development. I can’t remember exactly where I heard Greg talk about it, but with the subscription model, he no longer has to wait a long period of time for big updates to drop new features; the releases can be done quickly, with focused changes in each one. This is great for him, and even better for users. Like the previous point release, the 5.2 update includes updates that provide better functionality within the app.

Draft Navigation

When writing my review, I needed a way to navigate between the different sections, and all of the subheadings I had created. I had developed an action to navigate to each of the markdown headers, which I was happy with at the time. It was nice to have that functionality to switch around where I was in my review.

Well, I’m happy to say that I have been Sherlocked.

In the upper right corner of the editor, there is a small triangle icon; when you tap the icon, you are presented with a navigation menu. Not only does this navigate headers in Markdown, but it also navigates projects in TaskPaper, and code blocks in JavaScript. It also include a top and bottom button, as well as a select all button.

Additionally, using the keyboard shortcut ⌘\, you can use your external keyboard now to navigate your way through longer writing, coding, or task management projects. This implementation is much better than I could have ever programmed in an action, and it’s great to see this type of behavior built into the application itself. As more syntax highlights come in the future, it will be nice to have navigation along with them.

Loading Modules

My favorite feature of Drafts has been workspaces. In the initial app release, it was possible to use the URL scheme to switch workspaces. Someone in the Drafts Community forum created a workspace switcher action group that could be customized to switch workspaces, using shortcut keys for external keyboards. While switching workspaces in this manner was fantastic, I wanted to see more in the way of loading modules. From my review:

Pushing modules further, I would love to see Workspaces get improved by allowing a pre-defined action group. That way when switching workspaces, the user can automatically have all necessary tools at their disposal right away, thus speeding up capture.

The idea of modules – using a workspace in conjunction with action groups – has been a game changer for the way I use Drafts. And now through scripting and URL steps, I can not only change workspaces, but I can also change the action groups in both the action drawer and extended row; this takes the module concept to completion. For those that don’t want to get into scripting, new URL schemes are available to switch action groups: – /loadActionGroup?name=GROUP-NAME loads action group in action drawer, while /loadKeyboardActionGroup?name=GROUP-NAME loads action group in extended keyboard. If you want to switch workspaces and both action groups, you can have a single module action with three URL steps, one each for the component you are changing.

But for those that use scripting, there are additional methods that allow for some further capabilities with modules. Not only can you switch the workspace and load action groups, but you can show or hide the drafts or action drawer/list; if you had pinned the drawer previously, it will show up as pinned.

When running on the iPad, I want to have my draft list shown (and pinned); however, I don’t want this to be done on the iPhone. When I run an action on either device, I want it to have unique behavior. Thankfully, there is a device script object that pulls which device I’m running the action on, allowing me to change the behavior of the action. For an example of using modules in this way, I’ve shared a Writing Module which contains the following script step:

// Get device model
var model = device.model;

var module = "Writing"
var workspace = Workspace.find(module);
var keyboard = ActionGroup.find(module);
var group = ActionGroup.find("Social");

// Show draft list if action is run on an iPad
if (model == "iPad") {
    app.showDraftList();
}
else {
    app.hideActionList();
}

app.loadActionGroup(group);
app.loadKeyboardActionGroup(keyboard);
app.applyWorkspace(workspace);
editor.activate();

This loads the Writing workspace and extended row, and puts my Social action group to the side. I can use this module to create posts like this one or share a thought or tweet storm to Twitter. When I’m done writing, I can use the external keyboard to quickly switch modules into scripting or task management.

I have even created some additional options in each one: if I’m on my iPad, my drafts list is shown on the side; on the iPhone, it hides the action drawer, presenting you with the editor activated. In some of the modules, I have also loaded different action groups based on the device I’m using. This gives me full control of what I do and where I share my writing, all with a single action; coupled with the use of keyboard shortcuts, this is now a powerful app-like switcher right inside Drafts. I even created a Select Module action with select boxes to load modules when on my iPhone, which I have added to each of my action groups for faster switching. I have placed a duplicate action at the beginning of every action group so that I can switch modules on the fly, especially when on the iPhone. And I’ve thrown them into a module action group, though I haven’t made it an extended keyboard row option because I use the single action to switch on the iPhone and the keyboard shortcuts on the iPad.

Other Improvements

Speaking of sharing actions, there have been a few new elements added in the Action Directory. There are two new visual indicators: trusted member and tested action. These indications give users confidence that the actions listed have come from trusted sources and that they do not contain any errors. When I refer to errors here, I am not speaking about programming knowledge and efficiencies. It specifically refers to the result of the action and that it won’t damage any of your data. This will be handled by the developer on a case-by-case basis: after all, this is Agile Tortoise’s app, and they need to make these decisions for their app and business.

Another nice feature that has been added is the ability to assign tags after a successful action; this can be found in the action editor. When I post to Twitter, I will archive the draft and assign a tweet tag. There isn’t a special script code block required like I had before, it’s simply baked into the action. Users could apply something like a sent tag for messages or emails, or a submitted tag for when you’re sending your writing off for review/editing. The nice aspect of this is that you don’t have to apply the tags up front, but you can apply them after the fact.

The small but useful changes and new features are another nice release for Drafts. The navigational improvements are absolutely fantastic for how you move through Drafts. I’m getting very close to never leaving the keyboard when I’m on the iPad. I love how fast I’m able to switch through modules now, providing different the various different mini-apps at my fingertips to productively get everything done.

We’re extremely pleased to pull back the curtains on our new Web site, which is the main face of a completely revamped Internet infrastructure. Adam Engst explains what we’re trying to achieve and how to make the most of the site.

Worried about your iPhone battery? iOS 11.3 tells you if you need a replacement. The latest version of iOS also introduces the beta of Business Chat, shows videos in Apple Music, and improves Safari.

In a welcome move, Apple has updated the entry-level 9.7-inch iPad with a faster chip, support for the Apple Pencil, and a few enhanced camera features. The price remains the same, starting at $329 for 32 GB.

Google has announced that no new users will be able to use the goo.gl URL shortening service after 13 April 2018, and existing users will lose access on 30 March 2019. Shortened links will redirect indefinitely.

watchOS 4.3 lets you control your HomePod from your Apple Watch, allows the Apple Watch’s Nightstand mode work in any orientation, and shows more information on the Siri watch face. tvOS 11.3 merely lets fourth-generation Apple TV owners play videos in their original frame rate, and HomePod 11.3 fixes bugs.

macOS 10.13.4 doesn't add any major features for most users, but it includes some welcome new features and fixes for professional users.

Apple is a bit of an underdog in the education market, where Google increasingly dominates with inexpensive, easily managed Chromebook laptops. On Tuesday, Apple staged an education-specific press event at a Chicago magnet school to trot out a host of education initiatives meant to make Apple more competitive in the classroom.

The iPad versions of Pages, Numbers, and Keynote gain Apple Pencil support for drawing and writing, along with Smart Annotations. Also, Pages has new ebook creation features.

Mark Jeftovic, the outspoken CEO of DNS provider easyDNS, has weighed in on the whole Facebook/Cambridge Analytica scandal with opinions that are simultaneously harsh and realistic. He starts by equating social media platforms to “The Spew,” a 1994 short story by Neal Stephenson in Wired, and lays out multiple condemnations of Facebook and Mark Zuckerberg. But then Jeftovic returns to the real question at hand: Should you delete your Facebook page? He recommends keeping business Facebook pages but not relying on them, and he says he’ll keep a personal Facebook page while assuming that anything he posts is completely public and will be used for targeting. But he votes against the mobile Facebook apps, which try their hardest to harvest your contact data.

Is your Finder sputtering and freezing? Josh Centers solved his Finder problems by cleaning out his Downloads folder and toggling Dropbox’s Finder integration.

If all goes according to plan, we’ll be starting the transition to our next-generation Internet infrastructure at the end of the week. Here’s an overview of how accounts will work, which you may need to know as you make article comments on the new site and manage your email subscriptions and TidBITS membership.

Apple has announced a new collection of Apple Watch bands, which will be available later this month. On the slate are new sport bands ($49), woven nylon bands ($49), sport loops ($49), and classic buckles ($149) in spring colors. Apple has also created new bundles, including the space gray aluminum Apple Watch Series 3 (GPS + Cellular) with the Black Sport Loop and the space gray aluminum Apple Watch Nike+ (GPS + Cellular) with the Midnight Fog Nike Sport Loop. The Nike Sport Loop band ($49), which will now be sold separately, will come in new colors, and the Hermès Single Tour Rallye ($439) and Double Tour ($489) bands now display contrasting paint details.

This is just a heads-up that we’ll be transitioning everything — Web site, mailing list, commenting system, membership system, and more — to new servers in a few weeks.

Apple has announced an education-focused event to be held at the end of March, at a Chicago high school. You might not want to buy an iPad or MacBook Air between now and then.

If you’ve been perturbed by how easy it to damage or lose the iPad Pro’s Apple Pencil, check out Twelve South’s PencilSnap. It’s a $29 leather case that holds the Apple Pencil snugly and attaches to the iPad Pro’s Smart Cover or Smart Keyboard with hidden magnets.

Jackson Mueller
March 08, 2017

Hello, FinTech in Focus readers! Yours truly attended LendIt USA this week and focused, unsurprisingly, on the policy and regulatory track, including moderating a panel on the regulatory landscape for...

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Wilko van de Kamp is a best-selling author, award-winning photographic artist and long-time Fancy Hands client. He also runs a weekly magazine called Living By Experience where he shares helpful tips for making the most of your time. Keep reading to find out how Fancy Hands has prevented Wilko from becoming his own assistant. 

Time is the one currency we all cannot get more of. We’re all on borrowed time, which sooner or later will run out. Yet we fill our time with being “busy”, claiming we “don’t have time”. It’s time to get your priorities in order, and starting making time for the things you love. Get your time back, before it runs out!

If you don’t have an assistant, you are one (quote by Raymond Aaron)

I’ve had a few assistants in the past that have helped me with building certain parts of my companies, and there have been several situations where I would just delegate anything I didn’t want to do myself. Not because I didn’t have the time for it, but simply because I didn’t feel like doing it. The fact I didn’t feel like doing it was a form of feedback I was ignoring. Some things I didn’t feel like doing shouldn’t be done in the first place as they didn’t serve any purpose. When I started focusing more on my core business, my assistants got more productive too. I don’t just delegate for the sake of delegating, I delegate for the sake of saving time. True efficiency meanseveryone gets to focus on the important things.

When was the last time you scheduled a difficult meeting? How many times did you have to email back and forth to select a date, time, and location that worked for everyone? How many travel websites do you visit to research your next vacation, trying to make sense of it all? How much time do you spend waiting on the phone listening to annoying music and (even worse) on-hold messages? Did you know this can end today? Don’t worry about the back and forth of scheduling meetings anymore. Spend more time enjoying your vacations instead of planning them. Stop making phone calls you don’t want to make. And much more.

Having a personal assistant used to be something reserved for the rich and famous, but not anymore. Thanks to the internet you can enjoy the benefits of having a “virtual assistant”, saving you time every day. Your time and money are worth more when you are able to concentrate on what you do best and leave the rest to an assistant. Virtual office assistants work from their own home-based offices and are highly trained in their skill areas as well as a variety of technologies. Many of them have advanced degrees as well as years of professional experience. Not only can a virtual assistant relieve you of mundane, everyday tasks, but also in many cases, s/he can even help you grow your business.

One of the biggest benefits to hiring a virtual assistant is the ability to delegate work to people who have better skills, and can do work you don’t know how to do, don’t have time to do, or just don’t want to do. The next big draw (when considering virtual assistants over bricks-and-mortar assistants) is that virtual assistants only clock-in and work when you need them and use their own resources. In other words, they’re not charging you to sit there and play solitaire on a computer you purchased for them.

Is it time to hire your own Virtual Assistant?

Top 10 Ways Solo-preneurs Use Virtual Assistants

1. Your VA receives calls routed to his/her home office phone so a call from your prospective customer does not go to voice mail.

2. You need to confirm appointments for the week. Your VA calls the appointments and notes who is confirmed and who must be rescheduled. Your VA even updates your calendar online, if you’re using a mutually accessible calendar program.

3. By using online invoicing software, billing can be done off-site by your VA. You email information to the VA, who then does daily electronic billing or accounting services to get your billing done.

4. You are preparing a marketing plan and need further information. Your VA can contact possible advertising outlets on the Internet, magazines, periodicals, newspapers, etc. and acquire information on pricing, publishing dates, publishing deadlines, payment policies, etc. All information is compiled into a report for you to review.

5. You are preparing a direct mailing and need to verify your database. The database is sent to your VA via email attachment. Your VA telephones each name and verifies name, spelling, title and address. All corrections are made, old names are deleted, and new names are added. The corrected database is “zipped” and returned to you via email attachment.

6. You need a brochure, business card or flyer for your business. Your VA can design, type and print your advertising material using your own artwork or stock art. Your VA can also make the materials ready to print by a professional print shop and simply email the file to the shop for printing.

7. You have a blog or website, but do not have time to update entries regularly. Brief ideas and thoughts or links can be emailed to your VA, who then helps with research or even updates your site for you.

8. You dictate letters, reports, notes or memos and e-mail it to your VA the MP3 file of your recording. S/he transcribes the audio and emails the completed transcript back to you.

9. You cannot keep up with the volume of email and are missing important messages. You or your webmaster set up a general email account (info@). Your VA retrieves all email, sorts, responds to routine requests, and forwards items of importance to you at your personal email account (myname@).

10. You would like to write a book, but can’t get organized. Your VA can compile rough drafts, notes, fragments, letters or memoirs and get them into an editable form to begin the process of formatting the book, research publishers, and send out queries.

Virtual assistants are here to stay. The above shows that virtual assistants can and do work well for most small and home-based businesses and especially solo-preneurs. Over the next couple of years you can expect your conversations with regards to virtual assistants to go from “What is a virtual assistant and what does a virtual assistant do?” to that of “Who provides your virtual assistant services?”

Implementing the use of a virtual assistant, especially through a virtual staffing agency, is a low-cost, low-risk undertaking. If the virtual assistant doesn’t work out, you simply request another, perhaps for a better fit. What’s more, coupling the use of a virtual assistant (or several virtual assistants) with your already up-and-coming business can catapult your income and success to the next level and beyond.

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