phone to him, and he asked me to dictate. This makes the process easier as we do not have to change the context of the person responding.
[This is to avoid having an assistant convert my first-person “Please tell him that I …” to third-person “Tim says that he …”—providing shorthand for “cut and paste” saves hours of assistant time.]
If someone e-mail blasts a bunch of people and I am one of them, usually safe to ignore or delete. Read them carefully, of course, but if it says for example “a few influential people I know” or something like that then if someone can’t take the time to personalize for me, forget them. If Tim is copied, of course, that’s a different story.
Tim’s address is XXXX. THIS E-MAIL IS NOT TO BE DISTRIBUTED OR GIVEN TO ANYONE. If you want to copy Tim on an e-mail, please use the BCC field, so that it remains private.
Mark anyone from Princeton for me to look at (TIM label). [Note: I’ve since had to modify this due to volume.]
If I decline someone and they persist, give them one more reply—“Tim appreciates the persistence, but he really can’t…” etc.—and then archive future requests. Use your judgment, of course, but that’s the general rule. Some people don’t know when persistent turns into plain irritating.
Please also create a rule to respond with “scheduled” for all items I send to be put in the calendar (when they’re put in the calendar). Missing calendar items can cause big problems, so this is a check and balance to confirm.
No need to follow up with someone after a call has taken place unless Tim instructs otherwise, or they request something from us.
Send all speaking requests to XXXX and ensure that he confirms receipt. (However, also see items 38 and 39).
Foreign language requests (i.e., purchasing rights, if the book is available in a particular language, etc.) send to [the appropriate person at my publisher].
XXXX’s replacement at Random House is XXXX.
Inquire with Tim first before booking any speaking gigs on a specific date, as he may be traveling.
When booking appointments in the calendar, be sure to also ask which topics they would like to discuss, and put them in the calendar description for Tim so he can prepare. Also be sure to ask for a backup phone number in case they are not able to reach Tim. [I almost always have people call me unless I am abroad, as this is another safeguard against missing appointments.]
Put initials in the subject line of calendar events so we know who (which virtual assistant) put the item in the calendar.
Prepare inquiries for Tim before sending to him for his review, i.e., get their Alexa ranking, possible dates of the event, a link to past events they have held, their budget, other confirmed speakers, etc. Then send this info to Tim for his review.
Respond to PX Method inquiries with the following response:
Hi [name],
Thanks for your inquiry about the PX Method, however the PX Method page is designed as just a template others can look at as a reference for testing their own product ideas.
We are not sure if or when Tim will offer the PX Method for sale, but there are no plans at this time. We appreciate your inquiry nonetheless. Thanks!
[I get quite a few e-mails from readers who do not see the disclaimer on the PX Method mock-up page and thus attempt to order a product that isn’t ready to ship.]
Download eFAX viewer to view Tim’s faxes. His fax number is: XXXX.
Event or speaking inquiries can be responded to as such:
Thanks for your e-mail and for your invitation to Tim. In looking at the event online, I see that the event is April X and X, 20XX in Portland, Oregon [for example]. Before I present this to Tim, could you answer a few questions for me, so we can make a more informed decision?
Would you like Tim to be at the entire event?
How long would the keynote presentation be? Or would it be a Q&A panel?
Do you cover travel and accommodation along with a speaker’s fee?
What is your budget for keynote presentations?
Have any other speakers confirmed to present?
As soon as I hear back, I can speak with Tim about the possibilities of making this happen. Thanks again!
Warmly,
[Name]
this e-mail is: [] blogable [x] ask first [] private
[name]
Executive Assistant to Timothy Ferriss
Author:
(http://www.fourhourworkweek.com)
(Random House/Crown Publishing)
Bio and Fun: http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog
Proposal to Work Remotely on a Contract Basis
This is the actual remote-work proposal reader Autumn Brookmire used successfully to move to Argentina while retaining her job and cutting back to 5–10 hours per week of work.
AUTUMN BROOKMIRE July 2008
Background
After working for the [company name] for more than two years, I have a great loyalty to the people and mission of this organization. I believe I have added a great deal of value to the organization in my position as marketing coordinator. With my creative problem solving and my cost effective solutions I have changed the way we produce and distribute our holiday cards and I’ve developed a contest to bring in more usable photos for our marketing and publications. I would like to propose continuing to perform the following tasks for [company name], but on a contract basis, remotely. I plan to live in Argentina for 6–12 months starting in September of 2008. My goals are to develop my fluency in the Spanish language and immerse myself in another culture and completely foreign environment so that I develop my skills in adaptation to new ways of thinking.
I am more than happy to discuss different ways to make this possible and I have some suggestions if [company name] would be willing to consider them. We can test this arrangement for a few months to see if it works for both of us, since that would make the most sense.
Role #1: Graphic Design and Print Advertising Coordinator
Create timelines for print materials and coordinate with respective program teams.
Print materials will be completed on time.
Coordinate design projects with program directors and outside graphic artists/designers.
