Develop the “Follow Up Habit”

Do you ever wonder when your telephone will start ringing?  Are you sitting in your office waiting for prospects to call you and hire you?  If so, you will need to change this mindset immediately!  Please understand that if you do not take the initiative to follow up on even the smallest interest in your service, you may be stealing money from your own wallet.

How can you rob from your own wallet?  This is done whenever you have an opportunity to build your business and you, well, decide NOT to!  Do you have the habit of following up when you meet a new business contact?  Do you follow up even if there is a tiny bit of interest in what you have to offer?  Take for instance the family member who says to you, “I think I know someone who could use your help.”  How do you deal with this situation?  There are several action steps that you could take:

1. You could wait for your relative to put you in contact with the person.
2. You could ask your relative to pass on your contact information to the person.
3. You could ask your relative for the contact information of the person.

Which of these action steps seems to be the MOST effective to you?  If you are going to develop the follow up habit, you have to take the initiative.  You want to take the best step that will put you in front of the referral.  Action step number three is the best way to go.  But, we can take it a step further.  Why not ask your relative for the contact information.  Tell her that you are going to call the referral.  Additionally, ask your relative to contact the referral as well to give them a heads up that you will be calling.  Are you doing this now? In order to develop the follow up habit, you ALWAYS have to take the big, bold initiative.

The same is true when you meet other people who mention that they have an interest in what you do.  Or, they may mention that they know of someone else who is looking for the type of support that you provide.  Do not rob money from your own wallet by not following up.  If you come into contact with a new acquaintance on Monday, it would be a great idea to give them a call on Tuesday.  Do you have difficulty figuring out what to say?  Here is a sample conversation starter:

“Hi Sharon, my name is Wil.  We met yesterday and I hope you are doing well.  I’m calling because I told you that I would follow up with you to give you more information about how I help my clients to increase their revenue in less time than they have done so in the past.”

Keep in mind that the sooner you follow up, the easier your conversations will be. You want to talk to people while you are still on their mind.  However, you do not want to wait until the person waits to call you.  Remember, you are not in high school.  You don’t want to have the attitude that ‘I’m not calling her until she calls me first’.  That is best way to steal money from your own wallet.

At this time, take out all of the business cards that you have gathered over the previous weeks and start making phone calls. You are in the business of building your business.  Getting into the follow up habit is one of the cheapest methods of marketing your business.   Put the money in your wallet and don’t leave it on the table!

Clearly Talk About What You Do

A clear message always leads to better understanding.  Have you ever been in an airport and a heard a voice come over the PA system?  Sometimes, the message that the announcer dispenses is very unclear.  You cannot determine if the airplane that you plan to catch has begun the boarding process or if the doors have already been locked.  In a situation like this, hopefully you are in full view of what is going on at the gate where you plan to take off.  How frustrating!  Now, think about when you are telling someone about your profession. Does the person who is listening to you have a clear picture of how you serve your clients?  Can they determine that you are a service professional?      Continue Reading »

POSITIONING

With any endeavor in life, we try to put ourselves in the best position possible to get the things we need in life.  When you were in grade school perhaps you thought about going to college so that you would be in a better “position” to obtain a good paying job.  (More than likely you weren’t taught to start your own business when you were in high school).  Now that you are running your own business, it is your ultimate goal to make your business a thriving one.      Continue Reading »

“Do you know a good…?”  That simple question is the beginning of networking!  How often do we look to others for a solid resource that will improve our lives?  This is at least a weekly if not a daily occurrence.  “Do you know a good Vegan restaurant… a good hairstylist… a good mystery novel… a good dentist?  The list is infinite!  Either we ourselves or someone we know is looking for a reputable something or someone. Think about it, if that recommendation is followed through, someone just gained a new client. When situation is appropriate, that someone could be you! Continue Reading »

Do you know that you are possibly sitting on a gold mine!  Whether you are new or experienced as a virtual assistant, it is important for you to tap into your warm market.  “What is my warm market?” you may ask?  I’m so glad that you asked that question because it is a great topic for discussion. Continue Reading »

What is your answer to the question in the title of this blog post?  If your answer is, “I don’t know”, this post is designed for you.  If you do already have a target market, you will get some helpful reminders as to why it is imperative for you as a business owner to focus on serving that market. Continue Reading »

At EA to VA we have conducted several surveys over the past several years.  The most popular question that we receive is, “How do I get clients and run a successful business?”  This is a very important question.  If you belong to the EA to VA community, you know that there are many resources available to you that will teach you how to run a solid Virtual Assistance business.  We encourage you to keep following the blog and post comments and questions when they arise.  Also, take advantage of the many resources within the weekly ezine. Continue Reading »

By Sydni Craig-Hart

When you’re out networking or talking to your family and they ask you, “What do you do?” or “What is your business all about?” what do you say?

Do you freeze?  Stammer?

Or do you apologetically and quietly say, “I’m a VA" or "I’m a Virtual Assistant.”

And then, you get the blank stare.  You know, the deer in the headlights look that says, “I have no idea what that is.  I still don’t know what you do.  And I don’t think I need that.”

The truth is, saying you are a Virtual Assistant doesn’t mean anything because people still don’t know what you do.  Just like there are different types of lawyers, there are different types of VAs.  All have different specialties, expertise and knowledge.

So, what you need to do is really focus on a descriptive one liner that tells people exactly what you do.  For example, “I help real estate agents manage their tasks so they can focus on selling properties.”

By having a descriptive sentence like this, you’ve accomplished three things:

1. You’ve identified your target market:  real estate agents.
2. You’ve described what you do and show that you solve a problem:  you manage tasks so they can focus on selling properties.
3. You’ve opened the conversation for more questions about what you do; targeted questions that will allow you to showcase your expertise.

Whether you work online or offline, one of the keys to your success and having a full practice is networking.  In order to network effectively, you have to do two things really well:  1) you have to build relationships so that others feel comfortable talking to you and referring your services to their friends, family and colleagues, and 2) you have to market yourself so that people know who you are and what you do – without questions or hesitations.

So, now that you know you shouldn’t just tell people you are a Virtual Assistant, you need to work on your presentation.  Some people call it an elevator speech, others call it a 30 second intro.  Whatever you call it – make sure it’s descriptive, make sure it’s effective and make sure it’s easy to say.  Talk about the problems you solve and the pain you eliminate in a way that a young child would understand.  (What would you say if your child asked you , “Mommy, what do you do?”)  When something is easy to say, it rolls off your tongue and you don’t worry about it.  You exude confidence, which tells people you’re ready for business.

And THAT is highly client-attractive!

YOUR ACTION PLAN FOR THIS WEEK:

• Get clear on EXACTLY who will best benefit from your services and who you are meant to serve.
• Brainstorm about the benefits and results your clients enjoy when working with you.
• Combine these two points into ONE succinct sentence: I help [GROUP] [ACCOMPLISH SPECIFIC BENEFITS & RESULTS]
• Leave a comment below and share what you came up with!

Virtual Assistants tend to be really good at creating lists. We create to-do lists for ourselves, our clients, our families, the housekeeper, etc. These lists are created as a method for getting things done. But, how often do you go back and review your lists to see if “what” you’re doing is yielding the right results? In other words, is how you’re spending your time supporting or detracting from the life and business you want to create?

If perhaps you aren’t making the money you want to make, or you’re working with clients who drain your energy, or you find yourself working far more hours than you’d like, it’s time to step back, take an honest, objective look at your VA practice and decide what adjustments need to be made. Just as you would create an action plan for your clients, you need to create one for yourself. The first step is to answer this question, “Are you making these 3 common mistakes?”

1. Is my own mindset getting in my way? Have you ever gotten frustrated with how things are going in your business and thought, “I’ll never work with high-quality clients who happily pay my fees,” or “I guess I’m destined to discounting my fees if I want to stay in business?” If you answered yes, then that’s exactly what you’ll get. This element of the Law of Attraction is simple and it applies to EVERYTHING you do. Whatever you tell yourself is ABSOLUTELY true. If you put out negative energy that is what you’ll get in return. But if you consistently focus on positive, abundant thoughts, you’ll begin seeing ways to create the results you desire—and the opportunities you need will find their way to you. (Not to mention a positive attitude is highly client-attractive!) If your tendency is to have a negative attitude toward your business, stop! Make the decision to change your thinking, starting TODAY. If you consistently attract non-ideal clients, ask yourself: “What can I do to attract my perfect client?” Look into upgrading your services by taking new courses that expand your knowledge and justify higher rates. Participate in social networks to explore what kind of support your ideal client is looking for—and place yourself directly in front of your target market. Also, be honest about where YOU are standing in your own way. What fears do you have about your business? What limiting beliefs are you holding onto? Put forth the effort to stare your gremlins in the face. Then make the decision to start thinking differently from today forward. All these activities will help you tap into a new group of clients and move you closer to your goals.

2. Do you only market or advertise your services when you need more clients? This is one of the biggest mistakes that Virtual Assistants make. And it is an area where they struggle needlessly. Some may feel hesitant about marketing thinking they have to be pushy and sales-y in their approach. That is certainly not the case. Marketing is simply a matter of sharing solutions with people who were already looking for them. The most effective marketing strategy for Virtual Assistants is to get clear on what you offer, embrace the value you bring to your clients’ lives, get to know your ideal clients REALLY well so you know what their urgent needs and compelling desires are and then put yourself in front of them as THE solution to their problems. You should be marketing your business every week, bare minimum. (Ideally you should be doing SOMETHING to market yourself every day.) There are countless ways to market your services. Attending networking events and industry events has always been highly effective for me. Blogging about the benefits and results you create for clients is another. Publishing an email newsletter, getting involved in social media, and sending a letter to EACH person in your network explaining your services also yield positive results. The list goes on and on. The goal is to be consistently attracting new leads to your business and keeping your pipeline full. Even if you find yourself at full capacity, when potential clients contact you about your services, you can still have your introductory meeting with them to determine what their needs are. If their needs exceed the support you can provide at that time, just let them know your practice is full. Then, offer them the option of going on a waiting list or refer them to another Virtual Assistant. Either way, you keep the lines of communication going. And, if you have an opening, you now have a “warm market” list to contact. This will keep you out of “feast or famine” mode with your finances.

3. Is your business foundation solid? Building a business is like building a house—it needs a solid foundation. If you don’t have an effective bookkeeping method, your office and paperwork are a disorganized mess and you don’t have a marketing plan to follow, you do not have a solid foundation for your business. If you struggle meeting deadlines because you can’t find everything required for a project, it’s time to stop and get organized. Nothing is more important than a solid foundation for your business for it to grow and prosper. This means treating your business like a business, NOT a hobby. Outlining your standards, boundaries and operational guidelines clearly on paper will give you a roadmap to follow to successfully run your business for years to come. Remember, the best compliment a client can give you is to refer your services to a colleague. Make sure you earn that referral by being a competent business owner.

If you are making any or all of these three common mistakes, there is good news! You know now what they are and can take action to make improvements. Spending time assessing, planning and implementing proven solutions will help you to upgrade your business in short order. It will also boost your confidence, decrease your stress and move you that much closer to having the business you dreamed of when you first started.

Action Steps For This Week

1. Schedule one hour on your calendar to sit down and honestly assess your business. Make a list of what is working and what is not. Pat yourself on the back for having the courage to stare your business in the face and acknowledge that some improvements need to be made.
2. Once you’re clear on where you’re at, it’s time to get clear on where you want to be. Set a few specific, measurable goals for improving your business and assign a deadline to each.
3. Break down each goal into a series of projects or action steps. Schedule time on your calendar over the next 2-3 months to work on these projects and get your business affairs in order.
4. Reach out for help if you need it! No one who is successful in business has created that success alone. NO one. So, don’t be afraid to ask for help. You and I can work together one-on-one if you like. (Simply email me at Support@EAtoVA.com to schedule an appointment for us to chat.) You can register for a mentoring program. (www.SuccessfulVA.com or www.FullPracticeVA.com). Plus you can reach out to other VAs for ideas and support. (Check out my group on LinkedIn.com) Whichever option you choose is fine, but set yourself up with the support and accountability you need to take your business to the next level.
5. Leave a comment below and let me know how this business overhaul is working out for you! I love hearing about your successes (no matter how “small” you think they are) and celebrating with you!

Most VA's start their business because they want more freedom, more flexibility, and more opportunity to utilize their skills to make a difference in the lives of others.  Those are great reasons to start a Virtual Assistant business!

Unfortunately, it often happens that once you start your business, you quickly realize that you are actually in the business of marketing. After all, you won't have a sustainable business without clients. And to attract ideal clients you MUST market!

ARRRGGG! M-A-R-K-E-T….

For some Virtual Assistants, just hearing this word creates an instant frown. Perhaps you have thought, “I don’t want to market…. I just want to do my work!’”

I know that this thought has crossed your mind at one time or another, because when I was a VA it certainly crossed mine. When I first started my business as a Virtual Marketing Assistant, all I wanted was to work comfortably in my cozy little home office and for people to send me checks. It never really occurred to me that I’d have to actually get out there and sell my services…I just expected clients to show up knocking on my door.

Perhaps you can relate. Some VAs who have an aversion to marketing feel that way because to them, marketing represents something pushy, sales-y, and difficult. In the back of their mind their thinking “used car salesman” and that is not who they want to be.

I get it!

The good news is that marketing your VA business doesn’t have to feel that way, and you don’t have to be afraid of marketing. It can actually be … (gasp) FUN!

The thing is… marketing is simply a matter of sharing solutions in an appealing way with people who are already looking for them.

I’m going to say that one more time; marketing is simply a matter of sharing solutions in an appealing way with people who are already looking for them. So there is absolutely nothing to be afraid of. There are countless entrepreneurs who right now are desperate for help in running their business and in need of the exact services you offer. It's effective marketing that will allow you to connect with these individuals, present your solutions and enroll them as your clients.

Following are a few proven tips to help you overcome the fear of marketing:

1. Stop worrying about what other people think of you – You may be surprised to know, they really aren’t as concerned about you as you think they are. Instead of worrying about what they think, channel that energy into generously sharing your expertise with those who need your help.
2. Get very clear about what it is you actually do for your clients.  Don’t label yourself as a Virtual Assistant.  Instead, focus on the benefits and results you create for your clients.  Doing so will make it much easier for you to talk about what you do (and make you much more attractive to ideal prospects)!
3. Take action in spite of your fears!  Many times, we allow limiting beliefs, doubts, and fears to hold us back only to find out months (or even years) down the line that the very thing we were worried about – had absolutely no basis.  So, don’t stand in your own way and hold yourself back.   Take steps to move forward in consistently growing and marketing your business.  Highly successful entrepreneur Kevin Nations says, “Winners take imperfect action!”  Your efforts do not have to be perfect, but consistent action will take you a VERY long way.
4. Reach out for support!  No one who is successful in life or business has done it on their own.  We all need a support system, a place to bounce ideas and get reassurance that “it’s going to be OK”.  Start surrounding yourself with individuals who believe in you and want you to succeed.  Hire a coach to help keep you accountable and to help you strategize.  Don’t be afraid to ask for help!

Remember, marketing is simply a matter of sharing solutions in an appealing way with people who are already looking for them.  There are countless people right now looking for the very solutions you have to offer.  It’s your duty to share your expertise and service.  Allow marketing to be your vehicle to doing so!

Which of the strategies shared here will you implement in your business?  Share your thoughts and your plan here on my blog!