When you start out as a Virtual Assistant, one of the easiest services to offer is transcription.
It takes very little setup and it is an in-demand service. But is it really that easy to do? Not really.
It's important to note that transcription is a specialty; it is not as simple as just ... Views: 2262
Being a small business owner or a solopreneur can sometimes mean an endless list of things 'to-do' - either things to market your business, grow your business, manage your business or even just run it.
If you're like me, you probably have put yourself and your business to the bottom of your ... Views: 1784
The Virtual Assistant industry has really broken out of its shell over the last several years.
I remember when I first started out as a VA, there were only a few places to find really good information about getting started in the business. I am happy to be able to share some of my knowledge ... Views: 1644
I love to sit down and plan things in my marketing calendar.
First, it really helps me to get a clear vision of what I have coming up.
Second, it gets me excited about how I can expand and grow my business.
And last but certainly not least, it makes me accountable to do the things I say ... Views: 1550
Having a blog these days is a really great way to update your web content regularly and it’s easy to get started. But be sure that you take the time to put a plan together to ensure that your blog is not a hodge-podge of ideas and thoughts.
1. Decide whether you want to have your blog hosted ... Views: 1486
Article marketing is a wonderfully easy way to market your business, product or service. When you write articles and submit them to article banks, you are increasing your exposure to your niche market, and at the same time you are building a library of information about things that you know ... Views: 1485
Working with someone new can be an exciting time, but it can also be stressful. Everyone goes through it at one time or another. Whether you are a client working with your first VA, or a new VA with your first client, it can be a scary time ... all the uncharted territory ... like a child on his ... Views: 1446
I had a conversation with a VA last week who was trying to decide who her ideal client was. She had selected a market to work with that she thought would be a 'good market' because they needed a lot of support.
I asked her if she had any experience in that industry. She said no. I asked her ... Views: 1277
Have you ever had one of those weeks when you just feel like the wheels fell off your cart? No matter what stage of your business you are in, everyone has those now and again, and it's important to put a plan in place to help you deal with it quickly and easily, so you can get back on track. ... Views: 1261
So you have booked your date and selected your topic for your free virtual event. Now what?
Well, if you are conducting a virtual event in order to do some list building, then you will want to be sure that you prepare yourself for your event so that the people who attend it get the most value ... Views: 1217
Joint ventures are projects that two or more people undertake to achieve a certain goal.
Working with someone else on a project, whether large or small, can really benefit both of you in a variety of ways.
Consider these three options.
1. Free Teleclass - you can schedule a free ... Views: 1101
Establishing procedures for how and when you work will give your clients a clear understanding of your availability. Procedures help you set boundaries for your clients to follow, and also give them information about how to communicate with you. Here are some tips on how to set up effective work ... Views: 1098
"Why is it that with all the information available today on how to be successful in small business, so few people really are?" ~ Michael Gerber
Whether you are looking to build your business from the ground up, or grow from where you already are, it's important to look at what you are filling ... Views: 1086
So you are probably out there, doing some networking, and getting to know people. How do you respond when people ask you what you do? I have seen this handled many ways, but mostly this is the response that VAs come up with:
I am a Virtual Assistant. And then you sit back and wait for them to ... Views: 1081
Working virtually means that we don't see people face to face every day. We know that we need to perfect the skill of social networking in order to expand our audience and, well, our network.
But it takes skills in order to be able to do this effectively. We can't just walk into a virtual ... Views: 1059
It's great to be your own boss, isn't it? ... or are you?
Virtual Assistants often work with many clients at the same. It's a more common model to have many clients than it is to just work with one or two clients (once your business is established of course!).
So what do you do when ... Views: 1048
So, you think you want to be a virtual assistant? Good for you!
It’s a wonderful profession that, if you work at it, can be very profitable and rewarding.
Yes, that’s what I said … if you work at it. You should know that working from home is not the same as being at home on the weekends.
When ... Views: 1042
One of the most important parts of marketing your business will be to get in touch with your ideal client, and then to continue to maintain regular contact with them. It is essential that you build a relationship with your 'people' so that they will want to buy from you.
Building a ... Views: 1017
What is so special about your business? Have you narrowed it down yet?
As you build your business, you will realize that being very specific about what it is you are best at, is an essential part of your success.
Many VAs start out as generalists, providing various administrative services ... Views: 1013
There are so many different newsletter services out there, how do you choose one to use for your newsletter? How can you be sure it's the right one for you?
Here is a list of a few features of five very popular services, to help you make your decision easier:
1ShoppingCart - 1SC is a great ... Views: 1012
As the seasons change, it's a good time to step back and check out your business to see if things are going the way you want them to go. It's easy to get caught up in the day to day tasks you need to do. Don't forget to stop and have a look around to be sure you are staying on track.
Here are ... Views: 935
Once you start to build an email list, you will be starting to build relationships with people who will want to work with you.
The more information you provide for them, the faster that trust will grow. The key is to provide good content, and to provide it regularly so that they will always ... Views: 923
"A coach is part advisor, part sounding board, part cheerleader, part manager and part strategist.”~ The Business Journal
In order to grow your business to the level of success that you want, you need to formulate a plan that will get you there with the least amount of resistance. How do you ... Views: 914
When you decide to get started as a Virtual Assistant, it's generally because you have administrative skills that you have acquired over a series of jobs, and you want to start to work from home for one reason or another.
But it's important to realize that once you are home, sitting at your ... Views: 913
Virtual events have become a very popular way to market your business. Whether it's a simple teleclass, a webinar, or a multi-call event that spans several days or even weeks, holding a virtual event is a service Virtual Assistants should add to their specialties for many reasons.
You can use ... Views: 907
"Until you value yourself, you will not value your time. Until you value your time, you will not do anything with it."
~ M Scott Peck (The Road Less Travelled)
It's easy to say that you know your value, but you could be sabotaging yourself and your business by not paying enough attention to ... Views: 904
Hopefully by now you have an email list set up.
It doesn't matter what stage of your business you are in, it is essential to start building an audience of prospective clients that you can start to make that connection with.
I remember it was so exciting watching my list grow by a few ... Views: 901
When we talk about building a relationship with your clients and potential clients and so on, we often suggest starting and maintaining a newsletter as a regular means of communication.
But I know what stopped me from writing one for a very long time (well there was actually a list of things ... Views: 870
When you go into business for yourself, it is important to build and maintain a mindset that you are more than an employee to your clients ... you are a business owner that is collaborating with them on their business.
This can be a difficult place to break through, particularly if you come ... Views: 867
The other day I was shopping and came into the same aisle as a young family - Dad, Mom and Toddler. The Mom was pushing the cart, the Dad was looking on the shelves, and the Toddler got in the way of the cart Mom was trying to push around the corner. She immediately yelled, "That's enough of ... Views: 862
How do you measure success?
Maybe you are successful when you reach a goal, maybe when you make a certain amount of money, or maybe when you get to work with that client you chased for so long.
Whether you are after small successes or big success, it is important to recognize that to get ... Views: 858
Working with a client on their first virtual event is your chance to shine!
By bringing your expertise to the table, you can take a rookie client through their event and make them look like a professional. This will not only make them look good, but it will also reflect on you!
A common ... Views: 856
Whether you are setting up a new business as a VA, or you are trying to grow an existing one, you will inevitably have to set goals to achieve the success you want. If you are setting goals and not achieving them, what is standing in your way? My guess: YOU.
Setting goals is a very important ... Views: 856
I once took a course that helped me to see how I was interacting with potential clients, and how I was attempting to convert those potential clients into actual clients.
It introduced me to my 'magic number' - my conversion rate of prospects.
What does that mean? Well, simply put, that ... Views: 850
One of the things that it can be hard to see as a business owner is the clear path to your own success. You can do all the planning and research that you want, but when it comes down to it, because the path you are on is unfamiliar, doubts can arise and stopping points can come up that keep you ... Views: 842
Marketing your business can be a confusing thing if you aren't all that familiar with the concept of marketing. We talk a lot about your ideal client, and how identifying them will help you to build a more effective marketing strategy.
When you are getting started, it can feel like no one ... Views: 836
"You don't get paid for the hour. You get paid for the value you bring to the hour. " ~ Jim Rohn
Your clients are the people who pay you money to do what you love. Without clients, you have no business. So you need to be really aware of valuing them in order maintain and build a successful ... Views: 834
Whether you are just getting started in your VA business, or whether you are looking to grow, you will need to have a solid time tracking system in place.
Effectively and accurately tracking your time is something that seems easy to do, but can just as easily get out of control if you let ... Views: 833
Many Virtual Assistants go through phases of overwhelm in their business.
Anyone who owns a small business realizes that there are ebbs and flows of business, and there are also ebbs and flows of overwhelm as a result of that.
If you have ever had a client call you with a project and ... Views: 787
Do you strategize in every area of your business? Only some areas? (or should I even ask - any??)
Many virtual professionals I know have gone through that phase where they just put one foot in front of the other and hope that things go well.
The problem with that is that if you don't have ... Views: 780
As an entrepreneur or small business owner, there often seems like there is very little down time from your business. If you are not working with clients, you are probably working on marketing tasks or managing your support team. You are planning goals and programs, and laying out launch ... Views: 774
"People often complain about lack of time when the lack of direction is the real problem." ~ Zig Ziglar
One of the things that 'busy' people often lament is the lack of time. Well there is only so much time available. If you find yourself wishing you had more time, it would be a good exercise ... Views: 766
Do you regularly step back and look at your business to be sure it's running the way it's supposed to?
If you do, that's a good thing. It's important to look for gaps or inconsistencies in your service offerings for your clients.
One of the things you should look at is whether you are ... Views: 766
When we talk about revenue sources for your business, it is common for most VAs to have just one income stream - client work. That is, they do the work and the client pays them to do it. It's the 'one to one' model and most businesses are opened based on this income stream - this is called ... Views: 762
Do you set goals in your business? If you don't, you really should. There is nothing like having something tangible written down that you can refer to, to ensure that your plan and strategy are on track and working for you.
There are many places in your business that goal setting can really ... Views: 756
Have you ever thought about your high school days, and wondered what kinds of lessons you may have left on the table? High school is such a formative time in everyone's life, and sometimes the underlying messages that we are taught don't stick with us into adult life... at least not until we sit ... Views: 755
Putting together a teleclass is a great way to share content with your audience, and to pick up new subscribers for your list. The key is to provide great content, so that they will want to build a relationship with you, that will lead to eventually working together.
Preparing the content is ... Views: 753
I'm a list person. I'm proud of it. People have actually laughed at my lists from time to time, but I stand behind them in support of myself and in support of being organized, productive and successful!
From a personal perspective, I need to have a list when I go out shopping (especially if ... Views: 747
Do you have a wish list of things you want to get done in your business?
If you don't, you should. You should have a list of short term and long term goals, and an even bigger strategy for your wish list.
If you do, stop now and have a look at it. How are you doing with developing or ... Views: 746
Networking is widely considered one of the keys to succeeding as a virtual professional.
It really is 'who you know' that can help to build and sustain a successful business.
But ... the key to great networking is not just in the connection ... it's in the follow up.
After you meet ... Views: 735