So, I debated, I polled my readers and I debated some more. I simply wasn’t happy with the last redesign of the Eco-Office Gals site. So, I re-re-designed it with an awesome StudioPress Theme and I am very happy with the results!

I feel that it’s less busy, has a nice home page that highlights the company and our services more. I also designed a brand new logo, featuring bamboo. Bamboo is a sustainable grass used in so many products, including office supplies, building and furniture. I thought it was a nice fit for Eco-Office Gals since we promote the growth of green and sustainable business.

The new site has also streamlined and separated some of the services available. You will now find that our WordPress Theme design has it’s own page since it is a large area of our business. You can still view all our other green and paperless services on our Services page.

Leave a comment letting us know what you think of the new design and as always feel free to contact us so you can grow your business green today!

Post from: Eco-Office Gals

Eco-Office Gals Is Live, again…

Matt Silverman, Associate Features Editor at Mashable, offers suggestions on some technology investments that small businesses can take that could result in huge long-term savings and decrease the wasteful use of paper products.

Matt recommends that small businesses consider the following software solutions:

• NitroPDF
• PDF995 Printer Driver
• Fax to E-mail Services
• EchoSign Online Contracts
• Online Backup and Record Keeping

Business owners should also consider using one of the technology based tools available for billing, tracking and collections, like AcceptPay from American Express OPEN. For more information on AcceptPay, visit www.acceptpay.com.

See the full article here.

For all the latest headlines, ideas, and insights from the new OPEN Forum follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/OPENForum

Post from: Eco-Office Gals

Guest post: Paperless Office Options

This morning, I was sent a request to read a post on Software Advice. The topic hit spot on with my own values on paperless, so I am more then happy to share this with my readers!

I’m a Whole Foods regular. Not just any Whole Foods, but the flagship World headquarters in Austin, Texas. I live right across the street and every morning I stop in on my walk to work. I pick up two breakfast tacos and a coffee.

I also pick up a useless paper receipt.

I certainly don’t need a paper receipt – I have no desire to return a taco. Paper receipts represent a wasteful vestige of the last millennium. In fact, there is no reason – legal or otherwise – why consumers or retailers need paper receipts. Electronic receipts are completely valid and they are far more efficient.

Moreover, the production of paper receipts do some real damage to our environment. Here are some stunning factoids that I found at AllEtronic, an interesting business that is working to move receipts to digital format.

Read the full article…

Agree, Agree, Agree! Paper receipts are such a HUGE waste, my purse is always over flowing with debit card receipts from every stop I make during the week.  Then when I try to find that one receipt I actually do need for a return, I never find it and get stuck with a store credit instead of the cash I paid! An inefficient system from beginning to end for sure.

So, what can be done?

First, educate!

Please Kill the Paper Receipt taught me that “thermal receipt paper cannot be recycled”…WHAT? So, all the receipts (first checked for any personal information) I have tossed into my paper recycling… what about those?

Next, motivate!

So, what we really need is a strong incentive to move to electronic receipts. We need incentives – primarily monetary – that motivate consumers and retailers to push toward the vision of paperless retail purchases.

Finally, vote and comment!

After taking the time to read Please Kill the Paper Receipt, take a minute to answer their poll and sharing your thoughts on this in the comments, or post the link on FaceBook , Twitter or other social networks.  This way you can educate others as well. Thank you to Software Advice for sharing this post with me this morning, a Green Gem of the Week for sure!

Cheers!

Post from: Eco-Office Gals

Green Gem of the Week: Please Kill the Paper Receipt

Want to try out Eco-Chic Entertaining for Earth Day?  Try out one of the hottest new eco-chic entertaining solutions- www.cocodot.com – the latest in chic, well designed and easy to send online invitations and greetings.  A-list entertainers such as Gwyneth Paltrow, Brooke Shields, Courteney Cox, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck have all joined the cocodot craze and have made their parties “greener” by sending a cocodot invitation for their most recent soirees.

Cocodot allows you to save time, money and energy without comprising style and sophistication. With a gallery of over 6,000 exclusive images shot by famed fashion and lifestyle photographer Amy Neunsinger (she shoots the Target campaigns!) cocodot’s invites will inspire you to host your next dinner party.  Unlike other online invitation sites, cocodot is ad free and offers an advanced guest management and communication platform, event home pages and easy tools for linking invites and greetings to social networks.

While cocodot is subscription based ($19 for one party, $99 for an entire year’s worth of invites and greetings), they have invited Eco-Office Gals readers to create a COMPLIMENTARY cocodot invitation in honor of Earth Day by entering cocoEarth2010 at checkout, now through May 15th for a free party invite, which can be created, personalized and delivered to an unlimited amount of guests within minutes.

Some of the most iconic entertainers are going green with cocodot.com – take a look at what they’re saying:

“Paperless invitations are all the rage and Cocodot takes it to another level. With tons of designs to choose from, Cocodot’s invitations and greeting cards are easy to send and excellent for the environment.”
Gwyneth Paltrow

“Online invitations are the new eco-chic way to entertain and Cocodot.com is the ultimate destination for style and sophistication.”
Colin Cowie

“I love cocodot. The cards and invitations are easy to make, unique and beautiful. With so many different designs and options, I have an excuse to use cocodot for anything!”
Giada De Laurentiis

“Cocodot is the Bergdorf Goodman of e-vites.”
Robert Verdi

Post from: Eco-Office Gals

Green Gem of the Week: Cocodot

Yes you heard me right.

An analogy for you: I had an ex-boyfriend that would order steaks from Denny’s and then complain every time about how terrible their steaks were.  If you want a good steak don’t go to Denny’s, go to a steakhouse. Go to Denny’s if you want a yum breakfast or piece of pie at 3 am. Likewise don’t hit up a steakhouse if you’re looking for fast food…. get my drift.

Your Virtual Assistant should have a specialty or a niche as the VA industry has seen fit to call it.  That one area they have become the “go-to-gal/guy“.   When I connected with Cristina Favreau on Twitter and saw her bio “I help VAs find their marketing voice, define their niche, get clients! Master at brainstorming.” I knew she was a sure follow.  She not only got the concept “If you try to please everyone, you end up pleasing no one” she had made it her specialty!  If you are a VA still struggling to find your place I recommend you check her out.

So, What about Eco-Office Gals? We are a Green Virtual Assistant Service. We strive to not only to provide your small business with administrative needs, but we are always looking for the best ways to make us all a little greener. We try to give your small business eco-alternatives to everyday administrative needs. We encourage electronic communications, e-signed contracts, and other earth friendly alternatives. Above all we are paperless. The best you will get out of us print-wise is designing a business card to print in a responsible manner.  We will create a blogsite, an e-newsletter or other e-publications, draft an email or design web advertising for you. If you need letters drafted, hard copy publications, fliers etc. Eco-Office Gals is not a good fit for your Virtual Assistant needs.

Do you have to be a green company to work with Eco-Office Gals?  Not exactly.  However, if your company has no desire to move in a sustainable direction chances are we will not make a good fit from the start and our partnership will be short lived.

So, while you do want your Virtual Assistant to “know it all”… don’t expect to find one that is willing to do it all. If you want a steak cooked to perfection… find good steakhouse.

Grow Green,

Jen

Image courtesy of Dallas Steakhouse Restuarant

Post from: Eco-Office Gals

Don’t Pick A Virtual Assistant that “Does It All”

The economy is taking everyone for all their worth so why not try out a few free or cheap ways to green up your act in the office without hurting the green in your wallet?

The Green Office is giving away some office supplies. Just become a fan on Facebook and comment on their wall.  That’s it, once a week they will pick a winner. Check out details.

How about a HUGE discount on green business cards? I recently connected with PrintingForLess.  They really cover the spectrum of being green if you have to print.  Their standard is to use FSC certified paper, non-toxic ink, wind-powered facilities and more.  For first time clients I can also offer my readers a $25 Off your first order!  Use my referral code RP1D6SEJM and $25 dollars will get knocked off your first order!

I was recently introduced to a new company O’Bon and I am drooling to try a few of their products.  Recycled newspaper pencils, sugarcane paper and more.  You can request to review a product, enter to win or for more immediate gratification they have some great low cost specials.

I have to mention my tried and true favorite, Echosign.  Paperless, e-sign contracts that are SO easy to use. Don’t have too many contracts each month? They offer 5 per month for free.  If that doesn’t cut it you can go unlimited for as low as $14.95 per month.

I couldn’t close this up without offering Eco-Office Gals own green web hosting.  Starting with plans as low as $9.99 per month you can feel good knowing your site is being hosted with 130% wind powered hosting.

So, go ahead and make a few baby steps to grow your small business green without hurting your green.  Every step counts!

Image credit TheCubeKing Blog

Post from: Eco-Office Gals

Green-Up Your Office For Free or Cheap!

Last week I got an email from Kelly Coakley, the weekend anchor for WYFF4 News our local NBC News Affiliate.  She found my blogsite on their sister site Sound Off South and was interested in having me come in for a Live interview to share information about Virtual Assistants and my green/paperless twist on Virtual Assistants! I  can’t wait! So I have lots of questions to ponder over and get back to Kelly and I will be going to the studio next Sunday morning,  April 5th for the interview! It will be on YouTube so I will be sure to post it on the site as soon as it goes up.  Yeah!

Don’t mind me if get a little quiet this week, I’ll be prepping for half my lifetime worth of fame (6 minute interview) and getting the month wrapped up.  So, no Flaunt It! Monday this week, sorry kids.  Have a great weekend.

All the best!
Jen

Post from: Eco-Office Gals

Eco-Office Gals Live Interview Date Announced

Not too long ago I started this little Virtual Assistant business, Eco-Office Gals.  Only one problem was there were no “Gals”, just me juggling it all; the clients, the posts, the marketing, the blog designs, the reviews & giveaways, you name it.  It was a one Gal show.  Certain projects would slow me down since they were not my strong skill areas. Other areas I would love to spend more time on, I couldn’t since there was more on the list to tend to. I needed to find someone that could fill in the pieces, someone that had strengths where I fell short. Additionally, I needed someone that had the same desire to grow businesses green and paperless.  As I struggled with all of these thoughts on the direction of Eco-Office Gals I got an email from Christina. She shared some great feedback on my site as well as some insight into her own Virtual Assistant business.

Christina Greenway has over 5 years of Virtual Industry experience and is currently the owner of Online Office Assistants, specializing in developing and implementing successful and affordable Online Marketing Strategies for every type of business. She lives, works and plays in Victoria, BC, Canada

Christina is always looking for a ‘green-way’ to do things – as a mother of three, embracing everything from organic cleaners to cloth diapers!

As Christina and I started to communicate more, I started to realize I had a lot to learn from her and many of our business goals fell inline with one another. I knew Christina was the Gal I needed!  So, I threw my thoughts into an email about partnering together to bring the best of everthing green and paperless to the Virtual Assistant world and Woohoo, she was for it!

Moving forward, Christina and I will both continue to develop our individual Virtual Assistant businesses.  However, on many projects we will be joining forces to bring you the best of both our skills!

Christina will help Eco-Office grow your business the “Greenway” with:

• Shopping Cart Management
• Membership Sites
• Social Media Marketing Techniques

Coming Soon:

• Wind Powered Web Hosting
• WordPress video and Power Point training
• Improved Blogsite packages and paperless communications to better suit your needs
• Twice the online presence to seek out the best ways to grow your business green!
• more, more, more!

I hope you will take a moment to leave a comment and say Hi to Christina and maybe even let us know what area’s you would like to see us cover in growing your office green!

Have a great day!

Jen & Christina

Post from: Eco-Office Gals

Introducing “Greenway”: The New Gal In The Office

Electronic Publications are taking over these days. With e-books, e-magazines, blogs and gadgets like the Kindle, there really isn’t any excuse if you’re serious about going paperless.  Since I have been working on and with others on publications such as these lately, I thought I would share some of these options.

• Ebooks: Electronic books have become quite mainstream these days, but how can you use them for business? Employee manuals, budgets, handbooks there is really nothing you can’t replace with an e-book to reduce paper.   An example of an e-book I recently completed is the Indie Shopping TV Information Kit.
Open publication - Free publishing - More video

• E-Media Kits: Gone are the days where you have to ship big bulky packages to Media and Publishers to get your information out to the masses. Your Media Kit summary, articles, reviews, logos, etc can all be made available on your site for the public use. Eco-Office Gals worked with Erin at Ely Organics to build her Media Resources page, no shipping required!
• E-Magazines: You can grab almost any popular magazine in it’s electronic form this days. However, you can also get a wealth of great information from the not-so-mainstream.  Smaller publications are taking advantage of electronic resources to get their information out to their readership.  One such publication, A Distinctive Style, was recently introduced to me by the publisher Denise Marie.  This magazine is full of great articles and beautiful artwork & photography.

We invite you to escape, take a new and exciting adventure while reducing your carbon footprint. Join thousands of other readers who have already taken Green to the next level by reading A Distinctive Style Magazine. We’re an interactive, online publication that brings you the latest news and trends in the world of ecology. A Distinctive Style Magazine is your one-stop source to live a greener, healthier and happier life.

Immerse yourself in the pages of our publication and journey through a world of art, fashion and inspiration, while discovering new ways to go green! Find every variety of the newest eco products, functional gifts ideas, recycled products and services, and allow yourself to be swept away by breath-taking art that will stir your soul and reconnect your inner spirit with the beautiful side of life.

Visit ADistinctiveStyle.com and travel through the pages in wonderment – it’s just like a printed publication, only you’re not contributing to the 7,400 thousand tons of paper waste that go into landfills each year* – (that means you’re helping save our planet!) And unlike a printed magazine you can click and shop, crop or clip articles, bookmark links and send feature stories to your buddy list and post them to your social networking pages too.

And with the growing need for sustainable products and services many eco-businesses have already taken advantage of our unbeatable advertising specials. So, for all you Green Businesses out there, live up to your reputation and advertise digital! Right now we are offering 50% off a full-page advertisement. Another great advantage to advertising with us is, we do all the work for you! We don’t just design an ad., we throw in a professionally written story about your company at no extra charge!

As you peruse through the pages of our magazine we know you’ll be amazed at the capabilities to link directly to the digital storefront of the businesses and services we advertise. More than that, you’ll wonder why you didn’t discover this way of reading before and it will definitely change the way you look at magazines forever.

Embrace Life and Enjoy the Journey!
Denise Marie – Publisher

publisher@adistinctivestyle.com

*Source: www.data.un.org

So, spend sometime looking around your work or home office – get inspired – go paperless!
All the best
Jen

Post from: Eco-Office Gals

Eco-Options: Electronic Publications

One area of your business that is easy to overlook when growing green is your business cards.  There are so many cheap, or free options these days. I have been quick to slap some images and text on a template and check out without a second thought of what kind of paper or ink is being used or even the shipping method used to have them brought to my door.

As an ecopreneurists, your most ideal option when going paperless in your office is not to have business cards at all.  Personally, I have not ordered business cards for Eco-Office Gals and since I am a 99.9% virtual business, I don’t miss them.  Yet, that .01% of the time that I find myself in the “real world” and someone asks what I do, I could kick myself for not having some to hand out.

So, what are your options when paperless is not an option? Here are a few companies that have been recommended or I have come across with a little background from their site:

PrintingForLess – (Use code RP1D6SEJM for $50 OFF your first order, no expiration) This company seems to have taken great care in covering every aspect of sustainability! Beyond being FSC Certified and 100% Wind Powered (from the site)

• Our paper is milled Elemental Chlorine Free. Trees are a renewable resource, but dioxin (used to bleach paper white) is forever!
• Our inks are vegetable-based, primarily soy, which is both gentle on the environment while producing bright, high-quality images.
• We package our products with biodegradable padding materials instead of those that are annoying and harmful to the environment, such as petroleum-based foam “peanuts.”
• We use water-based aqueous coating to protect your printed pieces. It provides a high-gloss surface that deters dirt and fingerprints and is more friendly to our environment than UV coatings.
• We are focused on reducing waste. By using top-grade paper with highly-trained press operators, we have considerably reduced the number of test or “make-ready” sheets needed to run through the presses as we set up your printing project.
  

Moo.com – Is a fun twist on the business card and they have a 100% Recycled Fiber, Totally recyclable and biodegradable & Totally Chlorine Free (TFC) paper option.

Your business isn’t like anyone elses, so why should your cards be? With MOO, every card can be different, allowing you to show your product range, your portfolio or your full list of services.

US Business Cards – Eco-Office Gals really loves the idea behind these Cereal Box Cards!

Breakfast Cereal Boxes – Precision cut by guillotine paper cutter. Sharp, clean edges. Randomly cut from popular cereal brands such as Wheaties and Cheerios, plus colorful ones like Fruit Loops. Standard size is 2″ x 3.5″. Printing is on the blank side.

So, next time your business card supply runs low, consider some of the above “greener” options.  Additionally,  check out this post from Reencoded for fun ideas and design your own green business cards!

Grow Green!
Jen

Post from: Eco-Office Gals

Eco-Options: Business Cards