Virtual Assistant – Page 2 – Virtual Assistant Success Strategies

Wil Hart on May 10, 2013

Top 3 Reasons Why You Should Register

If you have not yet heard, we are hosting a free training that will show you exactly how you can use your administrative background to start your own Virtual Assistance business. This special training is a direct response to the many inquiries that we receive on a daily basis: ‘How do I get started? What is a VA? How do I get clients? How do I approach people? How do I get the courage to be my own boss?’ You will get the answers to these and many other questions. If you are not registered, click the link below.

Here are the top three reasons why you should register and join us for this training.

Reason #1 – Learn How To Become Your Own Boss

Picture yourself at your desk in your corporate job. You are the Executive Assistant to a C-Level manager and you have been for years. Your employer probably travels the world to handle business deals and you are helping him (or her) every step of the way. It is your objective to manage travel, produce and finalize presentations, connect with clients in different parts of the world, while at the same time holding the fort down in the home office. You are truly an asset in make multi-million dollar deals a success.

But, you don’t receive a fraction of the credit that you deserve. The skills that you have developed over the years can be your ticket to becoming your own boss. There are millions of small business owners who need the exact same assistance that your C-Level employer requires of you. The only difference is that you would now become the CEO of your own company. There is no one to tell you what time to punch the time clock. There is no one who will tell you how much you are getting paid. No more! You have just recognized that you have the ability to create the life you want with the talent and expertise that you already possess.

Reason #2 – Learn How To Establish Your Fees

We will teach you how to set up a fee structure that will enable you to support your lifestyle from the comfort of your own home. If a large corporation has paid you for your skills you can certainly make the same money when you become an entrepreneur. How can you do this? You need to make solid plans when you decide to become a Virtual Assistant. Fee structure is important because you will have to replace the income that you once had when you were employed.

Determine how much money you need to make. This should include estimates for taxes, insurances and other expenses that you have in your household. We have a simple formula that will help you to do this quickly and without getting a headache.

Reason #3 – Learn How To Market Yourself

As a Virtual Assistant, you are in the business of solving problems for your customers and turning a profit for your company. Implementing a good marketing strategy is imperative for you to stay in business. Are you apprehensive about showcasing your skills to the world? It’s ok! Many people are and with a little training and practice, you can become adept at marketing your much-needed services.

Let me give you a preview of some simple tactics that you can implement as soon as possible. Remember that your prospects have problems. You, as a virtual assistant provide solutions. Your clients receive big benefits from partnering with you. Always remember to look at your business from the perspective of Problem – Solution – Benefits. Shifting your paradigm to this way of thinking will remove stress and motivate you to help people get the relief they seek. You are an oasis in the desert for your clients.

There is so much more to share! We look forward to working with you during the free training session that is quickly approaching. Register. Mark your calendar. Have fun and learn!

Wil Hart on May 8, 2013

It’s ALL about YOU (… or is it?)

You can become a very successful Virtual Assistant if you focus on the right things at the right time. For example, if you are interested in becoming a virtual assistant but have not yet started your business, that is the perfect time to focus on YOU. Here are some things that you want to consider.

You Focus

Do you have: Continue Reading>>

Wil Hart on April 26, 2013

Hire Yourself, Fire Your Boss

I have no doubt that you are an amazing administrative professional. The skills that you currently possess may be enough for you to get starting in your new career as a Virtual Assistant. Although you will need to acquire new skills (as normal), the base knowledge and skillset that you possess could put you on the road to becoming an entrepreneur. What do I mean by that?

You Have The Needed Skills

The work that you are doing right now as an Executive or Administrative Assistant is currently paying your bills, correct? Great! It doesn’t matter if your in a law firm, an investment company or in the healthcare industry, your skillset is a wonderful asset to you. Think of the many activities that you engage on a daily basis. You are probably experienced in some or all of the following: Continue Reading>>

Wil Hart on April 3, 2013

The VA Success Cafe: Episode 13

In this audio you will learn the importance of increasing your knowledge of technology. Doing so will increase your efficiency, reduce your effort and save you money. At the same time, you will learn why it is necessary to consider the taking in the right type of knowledge so that you will improve work and personal life.

Wil Hart on April 1, 2013

How Can You Keep Your Client Work Organized?

Are you a Virtual Assistant who is looking for an easy way to collaborate with you clients and stay organized? If you are having difficulty staying organized in working with your clients, you may have too many locations where you store stuff.

For example, if you have 5 different clients that you work with, where do you save all of your communication? Is it difficult for you to keep track of the instructions that you receive via email? Does information get lost between the time you hear a voice mail to the time that you complete a task or project? It would be great if you could retain all of this information in one place. Well, the good news is, you can!

Basecamp is a fantastic resource that enables you to stay organized and focused when working with clients. Basecamp is online collaboration and project management software. Keep all of your data in one place so that you and your clients can review the same information at the same time. Additionally, you can edit and upload new versions of documents that you share. Why is this important for you? Basecamp will help you to stop losing emails and post it notes and voicemails. Upload all of the client notes that you have to Basecamp. Never lose a task or forget where you made notes about an important conversation.

Why is it so easy to keep track of files and conversations in Basecamp? Everything that you add to this tool is date stamped. You can get a visual timeline of the projects that you are working on currently. This let’s you know what is complete and where you may need to take action on specific project.

It is important for you to get and stay organized in your business. Impress your clients by staying on top of the tasks that you two have agreed on. Use Basecamp as the answer to the problem of being disorganized. Being disorderly is a choice. Therefore, make the choice of taking control of all of your business activity. Decide to be the captain of your business’ organization by implementing tools that will help you to serve your clients in a systematized and orderly way.

Wil Hart on March 15, 2013

If I Were a New VA I’d Start Here

After being in business for 7 years, we have learned what it takes to grow a successful business. We had no idea when we started our first Virtual Assistance business that friends, family and associates would constantly ask the same question: “How did you do it?”

Every single day of the week, we have new members join our community and ask a sought-after question. That question is, “How do I get clients?” Follow along as I share some foundational work that you can copy and start to implement today.

If I were a new Virtual Assistant trying to grow a business, I would do the following:

Assess my marketable skills – In the 17 years that I have been in the work force, I have developed many skills and a wealth of knowledge. People pay for the skills and talents that I use on a daily basis.
Determine what problems my skills solve – Even as an administrative assistant, I solved problems for the people that I worked for. Who created all those spreadsheets and documents and booked all of those travel arrangements? Me, that’s who! If a company paid me for it then, someone will pay me for it as a VA.
List the benefits that my clients will receive when I solve their problem – For a fact, I know that my clients will experience less stress and fewer headaches when I solve their problems. They will also be able to focus on income generating activities as I care for their administrative overwhelm.
Find out who struggles with the problems that I solve – There are a lot of micro-business owners who need the skills that I have. I would reach out to my warm market, or the people who are in my personal network, to tell them about my business as a VA. I’d simply ask, ” Do you know people who are dealing with the problems that I solve?”
Locate where those people ‘hang out’ – Here is where looking into associations and Meet-ups is helpful. I would definitely join a networking group such as BNI in order to expand my network and receive introductions to people who are looking for my services.
Show up in those ‘hang out’ places – I would take action and show up offline and online where people who need me are spending their time.
Help others to solve their problems – Being a valuable resource for others will make me stand out as a “go-to person” when people need help.
Deepen the connections that I make with people – Staying in touch with people that I meet will keep me top of mind when they or something in their network is looking for the solutions that I provide.
Exchange my solutions for fees at the appropriate time – The more connections I make with individuals, the more opportunities I’ll have to exchange my expertise for a fee. Potential clients are already looking for my services. I just need to show up as the solution at the right time.

This list is by no means comprehensive. The key to finding clients is becoming a problem solver in your industry. View prospective clients as people who are looking for solutions to their problems. View your business as THE Solution to their problems. As long as you continue to put yourself in a position to solve other people’s problems, you will always be in business.

Is running a business challenging? Of course! Going in to work for a company every day is also challenging at times. If you want to be successful in running your own Virtual Assistance company, you will need to become adept at the points listed above. Show up in a big way for the people who are already looking for your help. Serve them well and become a VA success story!

Wil Hart on March 1, 2013

Start Your Virtual Assistant Business Part-Time

If you are currently employed with a company working as an Administrative Professional and are wondering how you are going to transition into your own home-based Virtual Assistant practice, the thought may have crossed your mind to start your business part-time. This likely led to a number of other questions, such as “How do I get started,” “How will I balance my job, family and business?” and “Can I really do this and be successful?”

The good news is that you can create a profitable business that you work in part-time. You and I both know of many individuals who have been able to maintain two or even three sources of employment simultaneously. It would be no different if you were to choose to start your Virtual Assistance practice while you maintain your current job.

There are a few things that you will need to consider if you are going to start a part-time Virtual Assistance business, such as:

What is my current situation? As with any endeavor in life, especially when there is a demand on your time and financial resources, it is imperative to consider your circumstances as they are and not how you want them to be. Ask yourself:
- How much time do I have to devote to my business endeavor?
- How much financial support can I dedicate?
- How will my part-time Virtual Assistance business affect the time that I spend with my family?
- Will my quality of life improve or suffer by taking on this challenge?

There are no right or wrong answers to these questions. The point is to honestly assess where you’re at and what needs to happen in order to make your endeavor successful.

Who will I serve in a part-time capacity? I’m asked all the time, “Will clients be interested in working with me if I’m only available part-time?” And the answer is Yes! Why is that? It is because when and how you work isn’t really their concern. Remember, they are looking for a solution to a problem, not a Virtual Assistant. Here is what you will need to do. 1) Focus the client relationship on solving their problems. 2) Be clear about your availability and meet the agreed upon deadlines. WHEN you actually do the work is a non-issue.We currently work with several Virtual Assistants. They each have different circumstances and different schedules. When they do their work for us is not something we worry or care about. Once a task is assigned, we just want it delivered on time and as we agreed. What this means for you is that you’ll want to focus on providing services that aren’t necessarily time sensitive (that have to be done during normal working hours). You do this by matching your skill set with what the client is looking for and then honoring your commitments.

How will I manage my time and clients? Time is our number one resource. We all enjoy the same portion of it each day. You, as a part-time VA, will have to determine how you will use your allotment of 24 hours. First, be mindful that you do not need to tell your clients that you only work part-time. Every day, you treat your employer as your biggest client, right?

When you enroll a client on a part-time basis, they only need to know that the agreement that the two of you made will be honored. Therefore, even in a part-time situation, make only commitments that you can keep. This means not over-committing yourself or making promises you can’t keep. Be honest about what you can do and you’ll quickly build a trust with your clients that will likely lead to more work and referrals to others in their network.

Is pursuing a part-time VA business the right goal for you? It can be if you honestly assess your current circumstances. Decide whether or not you have the time to commit to building your business. You also need to determine if you have the financial means to support your business. It is also important for you to be realistic in your commitments to clients. Many are getting this accomplished. By reviewing the points mentioned in this article, you may be able to start a part-time Virtual Assistance business too!

Wil Hart on February 15, 2013

Read Your Way To Success

Think for a few minutes about the last book that you have read. How long has it been since you started or completed a book? Reading deeply and widely can help you tremendously in your Virtual Assistance business. Let’s take a look at several of the benefits that you can gain from picking up a book (or iPad or Nook or Kindle 😉

Reduce stress – By cracking open a book you allow yourself to disengage from what is going on in your life at that very moment. Of course this depends on your choice of reading material. Put this to the proof. If you need to relax, choose a reading topic that will take you to a place of serenity.

Increase vocabulary – Keep a pen and paper close by when you delve into your next book. You are likely to pick up a few new words of which definition you do not know. Avoid “thinking” that you know the meaning of a word. If you cannot readily define a word while at the same time provide a few synonyms and antonyms, then you do not have a good grasp and the word in this case is new.

Improve thinking ability – As a Virtual Assistant, you will face many business challenges. Reading widely and deeply can assist you with decision-making. You will begin to notice patterns in your business behavior that you may need to adjust, discard or adopt.

Broaden specialized knowledge – Would you like to improve your marketing skills? Maybe you need to develop some technical abilities. Choose any field of knowledge. If you choose to do so, through reading and application, you can become an expert on the topic.

Enhance writing skills – Good writers are good readers. If you have a blog or even desire to write a book some day, reading widely will build within you a wealth of knowledge on writing style, story-telling and content delivery.

Truly, the rewards that result from reading are endless. How many of the benefits listed above have you received from reading widely and deeply? Take note of other advantages that you have gained. Focus on how reading can help you establish and accomplish goals. It can empower you to overcome the most difficult mental blocks. When you open your mind through reading the experiences and ingenuity of other people, enriching your life and business is a guarantee.

Wil Hart on January 18, 2013

3 Steps For Realizing Your Goals

You do not want to miss the mark of accomplishing your 2013 goals! How are you going to put yourself in the best position to realize your dreams? Think about the 5 most important goals that you want to accomplish this year. Are you having difficulty remembering what those goals are? If so, you don’t have any goals. I remember when I was a young athlete, I heard a quote that has motivated me up to this point, “Dreams are dreams until you write them down. Then they become goals.” I don’t remember whom to credit for those fine words, but they sure are helpful.

I recently read the results of a study that was conducted by Gail Matthews, Ph.D. She is a clinical psychologist who focuses on life transitions and overcoming barriers to success. Dr. Matthews discovered that a specific focus group on average accomplished 76% of their goals. How would your Virtual Assistance business benefit if you accomplished 76% of your goals? I know that you would see a marked improvement in your success as an entrepreneur. But, what did these individuals do who experienced such remarkable results? There were three things they did that I hope you will implement in your business.

Their goals were written and rated. The rating included the following:
Level of difficulty
Level of importance
Level of skill and resources needed in order to accomplish the goal.
Level of commitment and motivation
Their goals had written action commitments.
They created an accountability system.

If you want to start or grow a successful Virtual Assistance company, you can realize your goals by implementing this same strategy. Here is how you can take action now.

Write out the goals that are important to your business and to your life.
Write out the action steps that will position you to complete those goals.
Create an accountability system by involving a friend or colleague who is willing to help you stay focused. Sharing a weekly progress report with them will give you the juice you need to keep pressing forward.

The process is really simple. However, the activity part may be where you need the most help. The thing that especially fascinated me about this study is that the suggestions are closely related to a goal setting formula that I have been using for years. You can take the information above and create your own system for accomplishing goals or you can just use mine. Email me at Wil@EAtoVA.com and I will send over your Goal Setting Formula.

January is now half over. In the snap of a finger, July will be knocking on your door. Are you ready to stop planning and start taking action on the objectives that you have set for your business? Do not allow another year to go by with you having unfulfilled dreams. Commit to yourself and to the process of setting goals and accomplishing them. By doing so, you will flourish as a Virtual Assistant.

Wil Hart on January 9, 2013

The VA Success Cafe: Episode 8

What comes to mind when you here the term “Networking”? Do you cringe at the thought of standing in a room with a bunch of people who are passing out business cards and hoping to walk away from the event with more money in their bank accounts? I hope not. That’s far from what networking is or should be. Networking is involved in almost everything that you do. Have you ever needed a baby-sitter or a really good doctor? Where did you turn in order to find someone who is reputable. Likely, you asked a trusted friend or family member. That is networking! Click play on the audio link above and learn how to be natural and comfortable with productive and authentic networking.

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