Blog – Page 6 – Virtual Assistant Success Strategies

Wil Hart on November 20, 2012

Take Your Next Step Now

At this time today, as you read this blog post, you have a set of actions that you need to take at some point. Your action steps are related to building your Virtual Assistance business, improving your skill, increasing your knowledge or a host of other activities.

My question to you is, “What is holding you back?”

In order for you to make progress you have to take the next action step. So, look at your list of things that you need to accomplish this week. Take out a pen and write down the very next progressive step in each important activity.

There is a caveat to this simple instruction of taking the next progressive step. Try hard, I mean really hard to not live in the past. If you have a long list of to-do’s that you know should have already been completed, don’t stress about it. They are not done, but you still need to get them finished. Start where you stand! Take the next progressive step.

After you have taking the next step, be clear on the subsequent actions that need to be taken so that you can continue to make progress towards accomplishing your goals. Develop the ‘what-is-my-next-step’ attitude. Clarify the next action step and then get involved and complete it. What is your next progressive action step for your most important activities? Share them with us below.

Wil Hart on November 19, 2012

How to Face Your Fears and Defeat Them

Fear is a natural part of our emotional make up. It is even helpful at times. For without fear, we’d certainly walk into many unnecessary dangers. When it comes to being successful in your Virtual Assistance business, you may have many fears that hold you back from making the progress that you deserve.

Do you find yourself ignoring your fears in hopes that they will go away and never return? That is one method of feeding your fears so that they will never be eliminated.

So, what are some of the fears that you have? Is it the fear of failure? Could it be the fear of rejection? Some fears actually stem from the fear of success. Imagine that!

Here is a formula for facing your fears and dealing with them appropriately.

Acknowledge the fear that you have. Say out loud, “Yes, I’m afraid.”
Isolate the fear. Determine exactly what that fear is.
Take some action to eliminate the fear.

Now, we are going to make this practical and applicable.

You are trying to build a successful business. However, one of the obstacles that holds you back is a fear of meeting people. Do you remember what step one is? Say to yourself, “Yes, I’m afraid.” Next, you want to pinpoint the fear. The fear is meeting new people. The last step is to take some action towards eliminating the fear.

There are several things that you can do in this regard and they don’t all need to be business related. It could be something as simple as introducing yourself to a neighbor that you have never met before. Meet someone at the grocery store or at your child’s daycare. The more people you put forth effort to meet, the easier it will become. That particular fear will become a thing of the past.

If you face each of your business fears with this process, you will soon become a habitual ‘fear crusher’. Remember this, indecision and procrastination fertilizes fear. Action cures fear.

Do you believe that these steps will help you in your business?

Wil Hart on November 14, 2012

The VA Success Cafe: Episode 2

You already possess the knowledge and skills that prospective clients are willing to pay for. In this audio, you will hear a discussion of why many entrepreneurs need your expertise to solve their problems. Check out the audio and post your thoughts and questions below.

Wil Hart on November 8, 2012

Social Media – Helpful or Hindering?

Social media as a whole is an excellent tool for networking, brand building and many other facets of growing a successful Virtual Assistance company. But the question is, “Are you allowing social media to help you or hinder your success?”

Valid indeed is that question which may need to be answered on a daily basis. So, lets list a few ways that social media can both help and hinder your business success.

Hinderance:

Unfocused usage of social medial causes you to waste countless hours during the week.
Reading and “Liking” comments and discussions that have no bearing on building your business.
Surfing and “hoping”. Surfing the web and hoping that you will stumble upon a successful idea keeps you from working hard to accomplish your business goals.

Helpful:

Joining and participating in groups that are organized to help you succeed in business.
Posting questions that are related to your business.
Making beneficial connections that are helpful to you or helpful to others that you meet.
Adding value to the lives of people to whom you are connected.
Spend short, focused amounts of time to obtain specific goals.

Likely, you can think of many other ways to use social media to either help or hinder your business success. The key is to acknowledge how you are utilizing this wonderful tool and make sure that it is helpful to you.

I’d love to hear your comments on how your social media usage is affecting your business. Post your thoughts below.

Wil Hart on November 7, 2012

The VA Success Cafe: Episode 1

Henry Ford said, “Whether you think you can or whether you think you can, you are right.” It is imperative for you as a Virtual Assistant to believe that you will succeed in business. There are a few things that you can do to develop the success mindset. In this audio, you will learn what you need to do to avoid feelings of failure and cultivate a healthy, successful mindset.

Wil Hart on November 6, 2012

Successful Thinking for Virtual Assistants

Do you find it hard to believe that you can create or accomplish anything that you want? I used to have that problem. When growing up, I was very shy. My shyness stemmed from feelings of inadequacy. I always thought, “I’m not good enough, smart enough, strong enough, fast enough…” etc.

What needed to change? Just a few things needed to change. The most important was the way that I viewed myself and what was possible in life. The same goes for you if you think that you cannot accomplish whatever you so desire. Therefore, I invite you to ask this very important question, “What is possible?” If you ask that question enough, you will find an endless supply of possibilities in any field of endeavor. My goal is to help you realize the possibilities for your Virtual Assistance business.

Your success starts with the way you think about yourself and what you can accomplish. I have 2 guarantees for you. 1) If you think you cannot succeed, you won’t. 2) If you believe you will be successful, you WILL.

Is it that easy? Think about it, for a moment. When a person says that they cannot do a thing, they immediately cancel out the ability to succeed. However, when an individual believes that he will succeed, he will stop at nothing to fully realize what he is after.

Having a successful mindset requires ongoing maintenance and reassurance. Here are a few thoughts that may be helpful to you in developing and maintaining a successful mindset:

“Success is stumbling from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm.” ~ Winston Churchill

“Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve.” ~ Napoleon Hill

“Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved.” ~ Helen Keller

“In order to succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure.” ~ Bill Cosby

You determine what success means for you. Your thinking will move you towards realizing that success. Will you be a successful Virtual Assistant?

Wil Hart on November 5, 2012

FREE VA Success Strategy Calls

I have something very special and exciting for YOU! One of my favorite past times is to sit in a nice coffee shop, enjoy a nice brew and have good conversation with good friends. So, we have decided to do more of that in a virtual sort-of-way.

Over the past 7 years, Sydni and I have been working with entrepreneurs to help them build lucrative businesses. In the process we have started 4 different companies. One of them being EAtoVA.

You might be asking, “Wil, I thought you said that you had something for me?” And you are correct.

We are taking ALL of the knowledge that we’ve used to build our businesses and share it with you EVERY week. That’s exciting for a few specific reasons:

We will get to know you by talking on the phone regularly.
For 10 minutes I will share with you business-building strategies.
For 20 minutes you will be able to ask questions and we can brainstorm business solutions for you.
NO selling, NO pitches, NO tricks. We are having a friendly conversation and getting to learn more about one another.
These calls will be FREE, forever! Isn’t that cool? I really look forward to getting on the phone with you.

CLICK HERE to accept the invitation

Every Tuesday, we’ll discuss a specific topic. Check out the line up for November:

Nov 06: How to develop a success mindset.
Nov 13: Skill sets prospective clients are looking for.
Nov 20: What technologies are successful VAs using?
Nov 27: Fixing holes in your business foundation.

These are just 4 of the MANY topics that you and I will be discussing. Don’t worry, if you cannot join us live, I will post the recordings here on the blog! We are going to have an awesome time each week!

CLICK HERE to accept the invitation

Wil Hart on September 10, 2012

3 Surefire Ways To Get Your Clients To Pay On Time!

Protecting your business interests is a must. Always remember that you are not running a not-for-profit organization. That means getting paid late by your clients is a “No, no”! How can you avoid payment problems with your clients? Look at the three tips listed below.

1. Sign A Contract

A contract is an agreement that safeguards you and your clients. This is the first line of defense to protect yourself from client who may be trying to avoid paying you. Your terms as a service provider must be made clear in writing. Clients should know exactly what services they are paying for and how much they will owe you. Additionally, your contract should include when payment is due and what constitutes a late payment. Likely, you have heard the term, “the pen is mightier than the sword”. When you have terms and agreements in writing, life if much easier than fighting to get someone to pay you for services that you have already rendered.

2. Get 100% Pay Up Front

When you work with a new client, do not feel bad about receiving your fee in full before you start to work on his project. When payment is made up front, there will be no money matters to squabble about during the working relationship. In fact, you as a service provider will be able to work with a clear mind and laser focus because you now have to deliver on the promise that you have been paid for. Your work is positively affected when you do not have to worry about when or if your client is going to pay on time.

3. Monthly Retainer

A great way to manage your cash flow is to work with clients on a retainer basis. For instance, you may have a 3-month retainer as your policy. That means, when your prospective clients agree to work with you, they know that they are locked in for a minimum of three months. When the agreement is signed, you both understand that the relationship is established for three months. This will surely minimize late payments, especially if you get paid before you start working. How would your cash flow change if you have three to five 3-month retainer clients?

As a Virtual Assistant, you are providing valuable services to your clients. It is part of your duty to ensure that your clients pay you on time so as not to disrupt the working relationship that you have created. Implement these three business-building habits into your practice and notice the dramatic improvement in your income and client relationships.

Wil Hart on September 6, 2012

How Does Good Health Build Your Business?

It is possible that you have heard of the many wonderful benefits of regular exercise. My question to you is this, ‘Why should you seriously consider the powerful connection between good health and how it can help you to be successful as a Virtual Assistant?’

Let us make the connection to some of the benefits of good health and good business practices. When you exercise you are likely to experience:

1. Increased blood flow to the brain – As you receive more oxygen to your brain, it will increase your mental alertness and concentration. If you find that you have difficulty staying focused on the tasks at hand, you may be suffering from mental sluggishness. Get out of that lethargic state by walking for 30-40 minutes each day.

2. Reduced stress – Because you work with clients virtually, you rely heavily on technology to help you accomplish your business objectives. It goes without saying that breakdowns in technology produces increased levels of stress. Another stress inducing situation is working with clients and the challenging personalities they may have. If you have a good exercise routine, you will feel better physically and reduce the anxieties that you experience in your work and life.

3. State of happiness – Regular exercise produces a good feeling in many people. When you feel good and happy, you are poised to be more productive and to increase the happiness of those who work with you. Your happiness will infiltrate everything that you do. When you correspond with your clients they will notice a good aura when they hear your voice, read your emails and collaborate to accomplish goals. You will show up well when you are marketing your business and seeking out new clients. I know that you want to draw new clients into your business. Being in a state of happiness will help!

Regular exercise will improve your well-being. It will benefit your relationships, your personal health and your business success. Why not use exercise as a business building strategy. Your success as a Virtual Assistant depends upon it. Get started today!

Wil Hart on August 30, 2012

5 Tips to Recover from a Business Disaster

The worst thing that you can do to your business when you make a mistake is to ignore the error. As a business owner, you will run into roadblocks, you will have setbacks and you will commit some unforeseeable bungle! But, do not allow this to be a disastrous situation for your Learn & Earn business. How can you overcome what may seem to be an irreversible catastrophe? If you do not take decisive action, you could lose customers, trust and likeability. Below you will find 5 corrective action steps that will save you from a business disaster.

Tip #1 – Own it and apologize.

Mistakes tend to come in two forms, 1) Your fault and 2) Not your fault. However, when you are providing a service to your customers and clients, any blunder that falls under your business name is in essence, Your Fault! Consequently, it is best if you own the mistake and apologize for it. Please don’t make excuses because they will only exacerbate the aggravation. When you admit that any blame rests on your shoulders, you will gain immediate respect and likeability from all parties involved. Continue Reading>>

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