Blog – Page 14 – Virtual Assistant Success Strategies

Wil Hart on August 20, 2010

Believe In Yourself… Or No One Else Will

Throughout the many Virtual Assistant communities that I belong to, I often see a LOT of untapped potential. I see aspiring, new and even established VAs who have the potential to command top dollar for their work, to create businesses that truly give them the flexible schedule they crave and to ONLY work with clients who respect them and value their contributions. I see this in them, but many times, they just can’t see it for themselves.

“WHY?” you may ask?

It’s because they don’t believe in themselves. Perhaps they doubt their worth or don’t believe they can truly succeed. Perhaps they are used to bosses, HR departments and companies that look down on them. Perhaps they have limiting beliefs (i.e. "I can’t charge that much" or "I can never be as good as …) and just don’t see the abundance of opportunity that is available.

In the corporate world, Administrative Professionals are not often given the opportunity to create their own success. When I was a corporate Executive Assistant I certainly did not have the opportunity to define my future, create my own path and make my career what I wanted it to be.

That’s the beauty of creating your own business, particularly in the Virtual Assistant industry. You ONLY offer the services you want to offer. You can charge whatever you want to charge. You can work two days a week or five days a week. You choose who you work with and who you don’t.

But to do this, one needs to COMPLETELY abandon the “employee” mentality.

Lesson 1 - image 3.jpg That mindset shift starts with saying, “I can do this. I can create my own success. I deserve to be successful! I will be successful!” It starts with a choice. Choosing to think differently and act differently than you have before. It’s that simple.

Embracing the thought that you REALLY can create the business of your dreams, and that what you really want and what’s possible is within your reach will catapult you towards success faster than any tip, resource or strategy I will give you.

The sooner that you, as a Virtual Assistant, can wrap your head around that concept, embrace it and own it, the sooner you’ll see success and the faster you’re going to achieve it.

It is especially important to get your mind wrapped around this at the very beginning of your entrepreneurial journey (or if you have decided it’s time to upgrade your business). You can’t set a precedent for letting your clients dictate how you run your business. You can’t second guess your decisions. You can’t run your business for the benefit of your clients. If you are going to be a successful business owner–over the long haul you have to make decisions and stand behind them. You have to determine what your standards are and how you’re going to set up your business. And you can’t let ANYONE, especially a client undermine your boundaries and make you second guess them. Otherwise you might as well go back to get a regular job.

I implore you to approach your business from a place of confidence. Present a confident stance with your tone, voice, presence, marketing materials and website. Be proud of your decision to ditch the corporate rat race and take ownership of your career.

I believe in you! I believe that you have the talent, tenacity and drive to be a fabulously successful VA! But, that’s not enough.

You have to believe in YOU too. Because if you don’t, no one else will.

Share your thoughts and comments with me by posting a comment here on the blog!

Wil Hart on August 14, 2010

Save Time and Energy by Using an Online Scheduling Tool

Hands down, one of the most time consuming tasks in any business is scheduling meetings. First, you have to figure out what time you have available to meet, then you propose a time only to find out that the other person has a conflict.

Save Time Then… the barrage of emails starts. The other person proposes other times; you respond back, they email to confirm…you know this scenario, right?

Quite frankly, this is a waste of everyone’s time. But, there is an online solution that will save you time and energy scheduling meetings. And best of all, it’s FREE!

There is an online service you can use called Tungle, and you can find the service at http://www.Tungle.com. This free online service offers many features that are perfect for a virtual assistant or small business owner.

Some of the features include:

Personalized URL so that people can see your calendar and find out when you’re available. Your URL is unique based on your name, like http://www.Tungle.Me/YourName and you can post it in your signature lines for emails, on your website, social network profiles, etc.
Ability to customize your calendar every day of the week – block out times you are not available so that no one will try to schedule a meeting with you during that time.
Converts time zones – perfect feature when working virtually! You set your calendar to your time zone, and the other person sees your calendar in their time zone (by changing the view) so there’s no confusion of 1 PM "my time" or "your time".
Synchronize your calendar with Google, Microsoft Outlook and Lotus Notes 8.0.2 FC4 (and above)
Propose a meeting time and invite participants – Plan a meeting and send an email to all participants to confirm. You will receive an email for each person and whether they "accepted" the meeting or "declined" it.

You can also personalize your profile to include your picture, business, email address, website and social network profiles to make sure everything is linked together.

For a free service, this is pretty robust and offers many of the same features that the paid online scheduling services offer. But more importantly, this saves you time by avoiding the back and forth emails and the headaches that come with it. Additionally, this gives you another layer of professionalism. By having an online scheduling service, it demonstrates to potential clients that you are serious about your business, you care about their time and their needs and you are organized.

Efficiency and organization go a long way in validating your professionalism and trustworthiness. No one wants to hire a virtual assistant (or any business owner for that matter) who is unorganized because that is a good indication of how they will handle your business. Things get missed when you’re not organized.

So, take the next step to working more efficiently and effectively by using an online scheduling tool. Your email inbox and clients will thank you for being proactive!

Have you had success with an online scheduling tool? Share your thoughts and comments with me by posting a comment here on the blog!

Wil Hart on

Save Time and Energy by Using an Online Scheduling Tool

Save Time Then… the barrage of emails starts. The other person proposes other times; you respond back, they email to confirm…you know this scenario, right?

Quite frankly, this is a waste of everyone’s time. But, there is an online solution that will save you time and energy scheduling meetings. And best of all, it’s FREE!

Some of the features include:

Personalized URL so that people can see your calendar and find out when you’re available. Your URL is unique based on your name, like http://www.Tungle.Me/YourName and you can post it in your signature lines for emails, on your website, social network profiles, etc.
Ability to customize your calendar every day of the week – block out times you are not available so that no one will try to schedule a meeting with you during that time.
Converts time zones – perfect feature when working virtually! You set your calendar to your time zone, and the other person sees your calendar in their time zone (by changing the view) so there’s no confusion of 1 PM "my time" or "your time".
Synchronize your calendar with Google, Microsoft Outlook and Lotus Notes 8.0.2 FC4 (and above)
Propose a meeting time and invite participants – Plan a meeting and send an email to all participants to confirm. You will receive an email for each person and whether they "accepted" the meeting or "declined" it.

You can also personalize your profile to include your picture, business, email address, website and social network profiles to make sure everything is linked together.

So, take the next step to working more efficiently and effectively by using an online scheduling tool. Your email inbox and clients will thank you for being proactive!

Have you had success with an online scheduling tool? Share your thoughts and comments with me by posting a comment here on the blog!

Wil Hart on

Save Time and Energy by Using an Online Scheduling Tool

Save Time Then… the barrage of emails starts. The other person proposes other times; you respond back, they email to confirm…you know this scenario, right?

Quite frankly, this is a waste of everyone’s time. But, there is an online solution that will save you time and energy scheduling meetings. And best of all, it’s FREE!

Some of the features include:

Personalized URL so that people can see your calendar and find out when you’re available. Your URL is unique based on your name, like http://www.Tungle.Me/YourName and you can post it in your signature lines for emails, on your website, social network profiles, etc.
Ability to customize your calendar every day of the week – block out times you are not available so that no one will try to schedule a meeting with you during that time.
Converts time zones – perfect feature when working virtually! You set your calendar to your time zone, and the other person sees your calendar in their time zone (by changing the view) so there’s no confusion of 1 PM "my time" or "your time".
Synchronize your calendar with Google, Microsoft Outlook and Lotus Notes 8.0.2 FC4 (and above)
Propose a meeting time and invite participants – Plan a meeting and send an email to all participants to confirm. You will receive an email for each person and whether they "accepted" the meeting or "declined" it.

You can also personalize your profile to include your picture, business, email address, website and social network profiles to make sure everything is linked together.

So, take the next step to working more efficiently and effectively by using an online scheduling tool. Your email inbox and clients will thank you for being proactive!

Have you had success with an online scheduling tool? Share your thoughts and comments with me by posting a comment here on the blog!

Wil Hart on July 23, 2010

Your Unique Story is Compelling – Use it in Your Marketing Materials

Creating compelling marketing materials is an exercise you cannot afford to skip or rush through. Your marketing materials are critical to your overall marketing strategy and brand. One of the important components in your marketing materials is "your story".

In The Beginning Your story, of how you decided to become a Virtual Assistant is a great way to educate your target audience about you, your expertise and your passion. Your "why" is just as important as your expertise because it makes you relatable. Marketing your business should be authentic and real. You don’t want to come across as sales-y or pushy. No one likes the used car salesman approach. So make your marketing materials stand out with your story.

How do you include your story in your marketing materials?

Writing a heartfelt message to your website visitors on your "About Me" page is one way to convey your story. Many people look at the "About" tab first to see who they are visiting. Who does this website belong to? Why did they start their business? What is their passion? And most importantly, they are looking for a connection with you. Why should they hire you?

While you want to be honest about your story and your journey to becoming a Virtual Assistant, you don’t want to share private information. No one really wants to hear the sordid details of your divorce. As much of a hardship as this is, that’s a little too real for a first time visitor.

Instead, focus on your main "why", really drill down as to what motivated you to start your own business and work so hard. While divorce is an unfortunate event in your life, the real motivator was that you had to find a flexible career that allowed you to take care of your children. Almost anyone can relate to you wanting to provide for your children and raise them on your own. By giving your website visitors a compelling "About Me" page, you are giving them a reason to find out more about you, your services and your expertise.

Another way to use your story in your marketing materials is to relate to your target audience based on the solutions you provide. For example, you could add something like this to your services page:

"Taking care of your family, your house and a successful business isn’t easy. There just doesn’t seem to be enough hours in the day to take care of everything and everyone else…let alone yourself. I know exactly how you feel, and I want to help you. I can help you get back some precious time in your day by taking care of tasks like…"

By using an example like the one above, you are speaking directly to their problems, identifying with them as someone who knows what it feels like to be overwhelmed, and then offering them a solution.

These are just a few ways you can incorporate your story into your marketing materials. But, including them is part of the key to your success by identifying with your target audience. What other ways have you used your story in your marketing materials? Share your thoughts with me by posting a comment!

Wil Hart on July 15, 2010

Wil Hart on July 2, 2010

What’s Your Contingency Plan For Your Business?

Let’s face it – we live in uncertain times. On any given day you may have a power outage, your Internet connection may be down, your child could wake up sick or you may be faced with some type of natural disaster. Hiccups and disruptions in your work flow COULD be detrimental to your business. However, that doesn’t have to be the case.

Taking a proactive approach to preparing yourself for the unexpected you can minimize the effect on your business. By having a contingency plan, you are establishing yourself as a business professional just like any large corporation. If done correctly, your clients won’t even know you had an issue unless you decide to tell them.

So what exactly is a contingency plan?

A contingency plan is a process you have for your business to protect yourself and your data from being lost during an emergency. Losing data would be detrimental to your business not only for the information that you would have to recreate, but also the violation of your clients’ private affairs.

Wil Hart on June 23, 2010

Stand Your Ground on Your Fees – Don’t Negotiate

Everybody likes a good deal and to save money. Perhaps you clip coupons to use at the grocery store. Or maybe you go out to eat on family nights when kids eat free. You may look for “out of the box” or gently used items to get that new electronic gadget you want.

But one thing you should remember as a Virtual Assistant and a business owner is that your fees are not negotiable.

Despite the fact that the economy has changed, that isn’t a reason to reduce your rates. Likely, you have continued to invest time and money into improving your skills and building your expertise that will allow you to provide more value to your clients. Your clients need to understand that by choosing to work with you, they are working with the BEST of the BEST, and that your rates are simply a reflection of that.

Admittedly, dealing with the question, “Can you lower your rates?” can be challenging. While you might feel like you want to reduce your rates, you should stand your ground. It doesn’t have to be as difficult as you think it might be.

Here are some tips to handling the conversation if a prospect tries to negotiate your fees:

Be confident! – You should firmly believe in your rates and your expertise. If you don’t, your clients won’t either. Nothing is more professional than someone who is self-assured and confident in their abilities and their value.
Have a standard response – Knowing what to say in this situation before it happens will help prepare yourself for the conversation. Don’t let yourself be caught off guard.
Don’t grovel or waiver from your response – If a potential client reacts negatively or asks you again, don’t cave. Stand firm with your rates and your decision. If they can’t afford your rates or don’t want to pay them, then they are clearly not your ideal client and won’t ever fully respect your working relationship.

Here’s an example of what I have said to people who have tried to negotiate my fees, “No, my rates are not negotiable. They are a reflection of my skills and experience. So if you would like to benefit from the services I provide, that that is the fee structure I have in place.”

That’s it – don’t say another word.

There will be a kind of uncomfortable silence (perhaps uncomfortable for the prospect, NOT you) that will force the person either to say yes or no. If they say yes, then they understand the value you can provide their business. If they say no, then they are not the client for you and let them go. Again, don’t grovel or waiver and don’t be uncomfortable. Don’t underestimate your value for anyone.

When you are meeting with a potential client, it’s not just about them interviewing you — you are interviewing them to see if they deserve a place in your practice. Remember, taking on a new client is starting a new relationship. So you want that relationship to start off in the best way possible and with mutual respect. NOT with the client trying to de-value what you offer from day one.

What has your experience been with clients who have tried to negotiate your rates? Did you lower your rates for them? What was your experience like with this client? Post your challenges here so we can learn from each other!

Wil Hart on June 21, 2010

Create a Work Schedule That Gives You Time to Play

Starting your own home based Virtual Assistant business is a decision that involves a lot of thought and preparation. One of the biggest “perks” that comes with working for yourself and from home is having a flexible schedule. However, that flexibility can become a liability if you don’t manage it well.

One common pitfall I see VA’s struggling with is the tendency to “multi-task“. While you may think you can get more done, multi-tasking can truly be a detriment to your business and personal life. It’s so easy to think you can do a load of laundry while you’re working on a website, and then take a break to fold the laundry and come back to the website when you’re done. While this may seem harmless, it actually is making you less efficient in your work as a Virtual Assistant and your housework (or whatever the other activity may be). As a Virtual Assistant, it is important to create a work schedule for your clients’ benefit…and yours.

A key to creating a work schedule and maximizing your time is called “batching”. Batching refers to setting aside a specific block of time to handle similar tasks. So, say for example you have 3 clients and all of them need you to do some phone work. You might be making phone calls to clients, checking on insurance rates or whatever. The important thing here though is to do all the phone calls at once. By blocking out 2 hours in your day to do all the phone calls, you are focusing on just being on the phone and completing the project. Even though you will need to track the time spent on the phone for each client so you can allocate the time appropriately, you are still being more efficient by doing all the phone calls at one time. If you were to make a phone call here and there throughout the week, the project would take much longer.

By batching your tasks, you become much more efficient which can free up time for you later in the day to do other client work, or take (some well-deserved) time off. This technique works with virtually all tasks that you do: bookkeeping, reading emails, transcribing files, client projects, etc. You can even batch clients individually, rather than by task. What this means is that maybe you designate each day of the week to a particular client and do everything in that day for them. You’ll have to test this method out to see if it works out for you (and the client), but it can be a really effective way of getting projects done.

Another important thing to remember to schedule in your day is breaks. We all need a mental break throughout the day to ensure we’re on top of our game. So maybe you find that you can work for a solid 2 hours before your mind starts to wander. Then make sure you schedule your day in 2 hour batches with a 15 minute break to get something to drink, take a brief walk or just rest your brain.

By taking the time to outline your schedule and establish how you’ll get work done, you are setting yourself up for business and personal success. You’ll have a clear “start” and “end” time for your business and family time. This gives you the ability to make the time for doing housework (YUCK!) and of course enjoying your family time each day. By focusing on one project at a time, you are also giving your full attention to the task at hand. This is very important to completing clients’ projects, but also to your family who notices when you’re “distracted” by work.

What type of work schedules do you use? How do you batch your day? Please share your techniques with us so we can learn from each other and hopefully help someone improve their work and life balance!

Wil Hart on June 15, 2010

Showcase Your Expertise: Solve Problems On Your Blog

One of the best ways to showcase your expertise as a Virtual Assistant is to create and maintain a blog. As a VA, you want to show potential clients you hold the key to the solutions they’re looking for.

Now admittedly, one of the first concerns you may have about writing a blog is figuring out what you will write about. One way to create highly useful, relevant content is to answer questions or solve problems in your posts. Prospective clients (and even current clients) come to you for assistance because they are struggling with particular problems. So use those situations as your inspiration! If a client doesn’t mind, you can even use them as an example (with a link back to their website, of course) so that you can demonstrate your expertise and how you add value to their business and their life.

For example, let’s say one of your clients’ websites was hacked and they “lost” their website. This is a scary thing for business owners but that’s why they’ve hired you as the expert, right? So, in your blog post, you can detail how this “problem” was minimized because you create weekly backups. Your blog post can then detail 3 or 5 tips on how and why to run weekly backups and maybe even provide some solutions on what to do if they did not backup their site and how they can fix it.

As you see in this example, you offered a specific solution to a specific problem. Not only did you solve it for your existing client, but you also provided resources for other people to solve the problem on their own, or better yet, gave them concrete examples on why they should hire you to solve the problem for them.

There are 3 main goals of your blog:

1. Maintaining it as a marketing tool to attract prospective clients
2. Showcase your expertise and build your credibility
3. Encourage participation through comments and suggestion to build your community

By using examples from your own experiences, you can provide countless solutions to problems that you are already solving. All you are doing now is taking the time to document the problem, the solution and recommendations for avoiding the problem for someone else. Using this as a method to keep your blog posts fresh will help you avoid the “what do I blog about” mind block.

What other ideas do you have for keeping your blog posts fresh and up to date? I’d love to hear your ideas – please post them below so we can talk about them!

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