It would be an understatement to say that you want more clients, more stability, fewer expenses and more money in your business. Let’s not start there because that is what business is all about. If you focus on three simple activities, you will see your business improve in all of the aforementioned areas.

PLAN ~ You likely have your sources for information gathering. In fact, the list of resources that are available to you grows daily. In some way, you have mentors who teach you tactics and skills that will help you to accomplish your business objectives. How you obtain that information is not as important as how quickly you will put it into action. BEFORE taking action, however, step back and get the “blimp perspective“. Blimps, such as the Goodyear Blimp, provide a perspective of a city or a venue like the Super Bowl, that you otherwise would not see. It’s the full scope. If you apply the blimp view to your business it will give you a broad perspective that includes:

1. Where you have come from.
2. Where you are now.
3. Where you want to go in the future.

Planning allows you to achieve such a view of your business. Therefore, it is imperative that you take all of the knowledge that you have gained about running a successful virtual assistance company and map out the future course of your business. The blimp perspective gives you the freedom to see many potential roadblocks, opportunities and sterling possibilities. Then you will have to …

DO ~ This is the step that moves you from the drawing board to the playing field. The plans that you drew up for your business are now “LIVE”. Now it is time to ‘do or die’, ‘sink or swim’, where the ‘rubber meets the road’,  or whatever cliche you can think of that helps you to get things done!  There is no substitute for taking action on the plan that you have created. Many entrepreneurs habitually purchase programs but fail to implement what they have learned. It is as if the mere purchase would increase their business. I often wonder if they reason this way, “since I have invested in my business, I should be successful.” That is so far from the truth. Investing in a program, a seminar, a software or a service is tantamount to picking up a tool. Something has to be done after picking up that tool. Oh yeah, they call that WORK. Action is the key that unlocks the door to business success. But, do not be satisfied with planning and acting on your plan. Next, you will want to …

REVIEW ~ That’s right! Consider the results of your hard work. Did you reach your goals? How far off were you from your targets. What did you omit from the planning or action steps? What would you adjust, cut out or include?  Reviewing and measuring your results will enable you to start this 3 step process with what I like to call Success Data. This data is the stepping stone for your next round of planning, action and reviewing.

These 3 activities, when applied to your marketing, client work and back office duties will set you up for business growth and success. You cannot go wrong with this process. You will never have all of the knowledge you need at one time. Most of the important things you learn comes from the action that you take. So, do not be paralyzed by perfectionism. As long as you take confident imperfect actions, you will step closer to the goals and dreams that you have established for your virtual company.

Until next time be sure to Plan, Do and Review.

Let me know how this works for you by commenting below.

Give yourself the credit you deserve!

Many people doubt their self-worth. This is the case especially for woman. That can even be increased for female entrepreneurs.

"Will people buy what I am selling? Might they think I'm a fraud? Who am I to try and be successful in business?"

Let's stop right there! If you have such feelings of self-doubt, it is important that you believe the next fours words in this article. YOU ARE THE BOMB! End of story.

Of course it is not that easy to dispel negative feelings that may have deeply entrenched roots. But, I want to help you to start realizing that you can overcome such feelings. In fact, it is a MUST if you are to be a successful entrepreneur. So, where might those feelings of low worth come from? As an administrative assistant in the work force, you are used to being at someone else's beck and call. Clearly, that is the main function of an administrative assistant. Run here, run there. It never seems to end. That type of employment forces you to answer to every whim of other people. What is more, it may even be hard to make decisions without the approval of a superior.

Now that you seek to be a successful entrepreneur, you may find it difficult to take the first, second or even third step towards accomplishing your goals. How can you combat low self-esteem?

The key is to learn how to pat yourself on the back as you take steps towards building the business that you desire. When you learn to gain your own approval, you will find it refreshing. You will also realize that the pressures imposed upon you by other people will dissipate. Become proud of your accomplishments in everyday life, not just in business. As you become more adept at building up your self worth, you will see your level of accomplishment skyrocket. Start now by repeating this phrase, "I am the BOMB. I am SMART. I am SUCCESSFUL in all that I do."

Feel that positive energy and allow it to boost your self-worth, your personal productivity and your Virtual Assistance business.

I've been hinting about this for a few weeks and have an announcement for you! Check out the video message I've prepared for you:

Do you have the tools that you need in order to serve your clients at a high level? Take a look around at your office set up? It does not matter if you work out of your bedroom or in a living room nook. Your technology needs to support your peak performance.

Are you comfortable in your workspace? Is your computer screen large enough? Are you set up for mobilization if you travel often? Technology in this sense does not mean computer hardware and software. In this article, technology will pertain to tools that you need to deliver the solutions your clients are looking for.

Let’s take inventory of your workspace. What do you need in order to be comfortable, equipped and effective as a Virtual Assistant?

Comfort: Do you work from a laptop or a desktop? This will greatly affect your comfort level. If you are looking downward at a laptop screen all day, the strain on your neck, shoulders and back may become unbearable, undermining your efforts to serve your clients and grow your business. What can you do to improve this situation?

Acquire a large monitor to connect to your laptop. This will allow your work to be closer to eye level and relieve the stress that you currently place on your neck and shoulders.

Do you have a chair that properly supports your body while you work at your desk? If you have soreness in your lower back and or hips, it is not likely that you have an appropriate sitting position. An ergonomic chair may be all that you need to solve this problem.

Equipment: It is important for you to use tools that help you in accomplishing your work quickly and efficiently. For instance, do you do a lot of proofreading? Would having two computer monitors help you to get through your reading faster?

How fast is your Internet connection? Is it serving you well? (Please do NOT use Wi-Fi for your business. Your client and business info need to be kept safe at all times!) Do you need an upgrade in order to serve your clients better?

Do you have a business phone number that is separate from the family phone line? You want to show up in a BIG and professional way as a business owner.

Effectiveness: As you take inventory of your virtual tools and your comfort level, does your situation enable you to be the MOST effective business owner that you can be? If you are not proficient in actually working virtually, this needs to be addressed immediately. Consider what specific solutions your prospects and clients are looking for. Then research the tools you need to work with them and serve their needs. Invest in the training you need to become a top-notch Virtual Assistant.

As an entrepreneur, it should be your goal to grow your business. As your business grows, you will need to grow with it. That means upgrading your technology at every opportunity. Doing so will allow you to really make a difference in your client's lives and create a profitable, successful business for yourself.

Take a look at your client load right now.  Are you satisfied with the number of clients that you have?  If not, why not?  The number of clients that you have or do not have is directly related to your level of marketing.  Why not examine all of your marketing activities and strategies and measure how well they are working for you.

Developing the marketing mentality will help you to focus on opportunities that come your way.  Additionally, this mindset will motivate you to set up systems to support each of your marketing strategies.  Take as an example, networking.  What is your system for meeting new people, gathering business cards, and following up?  When you follow up, do you send one email or make one phone call?  Or do you attempt to contact the person until you get an answer.

Think about reaching out to your warm market.  That is the group of people who already know, trust and like you.  To some extent they even know the level of skill and knowledge that you bring to the table as a service provider.  So, do all of these people know about your Virtual Assistance company?  If not, send them a professionally written letter that details the important information about your company.  Tell them about the services that you provide, the target market that you serve, the problems that you solve and the benefits that clients receive from working with you.

If you develop and maintain the marketing state of mind, you will see plenty of opportunity that surrounds you every single day. So, start reaching out to the people that you know you need to contact. Follow up and make your voice heard.  There are a lot of people who need the services that you are offering.  Use these two marketing strategies immediately.  They are free and easy to implement.

If your Virtual Assistance business is not yet successful, what is the reason?  Think about how long you have been in business.  What are your responses to the following:

1) I have been in business for ___ years (or months).

2) I (have/have not) reached the level of success that I envisioned when starting my business.

3) ______ is holding me back from reaching my definition of success.

When it comes to running your own business you either will or will not accomplish your goals.  No matter the outcome it is really easy to track your level of accomplishment or lack thereof.  So, whether you have reached your goal or not, determine what has prevented you and GO GET'EM!

FEAR of success might be a major factor for unsuccessful people. Here are a few reasons why many people are afraid of being successful:

1. It takes a lot of hard work. (Or, "I want success to be easy.")

2. Some may be concerned about other people viewing their success negatively.

3. Fear of failure.

4. Fear of more responsibility.

5. They don't feel comfortable being in the spotlight.

There is a plethora of reasons  and excuses that people have for being afraid of having a successful business.  If you are afraid of being successful, I challenge you to dig deep inside your mind and find the reasons.

Whatever you learn about yourself and your own mindset issues if perfectly fine.  Believe me, it is okay!  But, would you not rather know why you have such fear so that you can make the choice to either stay in a place of fear or actually conquer it?

The choice is yours. I wish you MUCH SUCCESS!

Perhaps you've heard the phrase, “Perception is reality.”  And while it may mean different things to different people, today I want to focus on how our limiting beliefs, self-doubt and negative thoughts all play a part in creating a successful business.  Even if you think these feelings are only tied to your personal life – think again.  They can (and will) interfere with your business.

Why?

As a Virtual Assistant, your personal and business lives are often completely intertwined.  It is important to recognize this potential problem because it could actually be holding you back in achieving the business success you are looking for.   For example, let’s say you are just plain discouraged with your life right now.

Perhaps your personal life is less than stellar – maybe you haven’t had a date in awhile, or you and your significant other have been at odds with each other lately.  Then, you start to focus on the things “wrong” with your life and you get discouraged with everything, including your business.  You start to think that you can’t be as successful as you want to be because of your competition, lack of knowledge or lack of funds to take a continuing education course, or whatever.

Once you get “down in the dumps” about yourself and your business, that’s exactly what you project to everyone else.  That in and of itself will limit your progress.  That negative energy you are putting out into the world around you will only attract more negative energy.

So how do you fix this?

First acknowledge that you are discouraged and don’t beat yourself up over it.  All of us can get discouraged now and again.  But once you realize this is the case with you, make the decision to “turn the corner” and focus your attention on resolving the issues at hand.

Often we make situations more complicated than necessary because we over-think matters and ignore simple solutions.  Don’t fall into this trap! Make the decision to view things differently. Give yourself the space to calmly and objectively think about the situation.  Talk out your feelings with a trusted confidant to clear your mind.  Decide on a resolution, take action and pat yourself on the back for doing so!

Also, get support from fellow VAs who can relate to your business challenges and personal circumstances.  Consider teaming up with an accountability buddy, joining a mastermind group or hiring a coach to ensure you are making progress in your business.  At the very least connect with others in the EAtoVA community by getting involved in our LinkedIn group. All of this “mental cleanup” and trusted support will help you get clarity in your personal and business life.

Once you’ve gained clarity, moved away from discouragement and start to take positive action, you will see your personal and business life flourish.  Even in seemingly small ways.

Henry Ford once said, "Whether you think can or think you can't you're right!" So, you have to put yourself in a place to attract and receive success.  Remember, the only way to do this is to break through the negative beliefs that you have.  You’re not the only one; we ALL have them in one form or another.  You’re not crazy.  You’re not destined for “failure”.  You are human.

How you choose to deal with the challenges will set you apart from those who “wish” they had it together and those that actually do.  Your version of success is right in front of you, there for the taking.  So, don’t stand in your own way and let it pass you by!

I'd love to know what you think about this week's article and how we as a community can support you in achieving your goals. Stop by the blog to comment and share your thoughts!

Your Action Plan For The Week:

1. Watch for any tendencies to over think your problems. If you find yourself getting down in the dumps, acknowledge it and talk out your feelings with a trusted confidant or accountability partner.
2. Make a decision to think about things differently. Once you’ve given yourself space to gain clarity, focus on looking for simple solutions to your challenges.
3. Take action! The best way to break through a negative belief is to take ONE step toward your goals. Prove yourself wrong by taking action.
4. Get support from your community. Get involved in the EAtoVA LinkedIN group (it's completely FR*EE!) so you have access to advice and support from people who understand what you’re going through.

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 »

Time.

It’s the most precious resource we have and one of the very few that cannot be replaced. For Virtual Assistants looking to create a highly successful, lifestyle-focused business it is essential that we use the gift of time well so that we can achieve our goals.      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 »