I'm steadily working my way through the course every spare minute I get. It's proving to be worth every penny. I only wish I'd known about you guys sooner.
Thank you for setting up the forum too. It will certainly come in handy for exchange of ideas, tips etc.
I most definitely intend to purchase one (even two) of the template packages and will also seriously consider the Marketing course as you suggest.
All the best to you and thank you again for your continual support.
I have managed to start to look at it, just going through the course first plus before I go 100% as a VA I have to still work full time - I am planning to cut down my hours slowly though until I can eventually start out alone.
So far the documents are looking good and I have started to put my details in. Looking forward to using them and I will let you know how it goes.
Thank you again for your help. Looking forward to a long relationship with you all.
Elizabeth Brereton
I have now customised the templates that I purchased from you. Having these templates has made setting up my internal processes so much easier.
I have not yet started trading, still have some bits to sort out before I do, but I now have all my documentation in place ready for when I do start trading.
Last week we talked about some of the skills and attributes you need to be a successful Virtual Assistant… Here are five more:
Are you prepared to work harder and longer hours? Being your own boss is very rewarding but also a lot of hard work. You now wear all the hats and have to learn a lot of new skills. You need to be prepared to put in the work and hours to make your business a success.
Can you afford to start up? One of the first questions many new VAs ask is: “How long does it takes to get clients?” Some people have clients lined up before ‘opening their doors’, others find it takes them up to six months. You need to make sure that you have sufficient capital to cover your expenses until your business is in a position to pay you a salary. I recommend that you have enough capital to cover your costs for approximately six months.
Can you be self disciplined with your time? Your time is now money. However, you will find that not everyone values your time as you do. The main offenders will be your family and friends, who believe that you only work part-time and spend your time sitting at home watching daytime TV!
You need to be self-disciplined and create boundaries for your friends and family; they need to appreciate that your work time is just that.
Do you have support from your family and friends? The support of family and friends will motivate you to make your business a success. You may need to make some sacrifices with your time in the early days. This will be easier if they understand why your business is important to you and how they can help.
Have you conducted all the research? Starting up in business is a very serious decision to make, and is one that should not be taken lightly. The first steps you need to take are research, research and more research. This way you are fully prepared for the journey you will be taking towards a full, thriving and successful VA business.
By becoming a VA, you are entering an exciting industry, full of supportive people. Join the organisations and become involved – this way you will get to know your fellow VAs.
Part one of this article looked at what your clients like about your service, and how these associations affect what they think about your business as a whole. It is also important to look at what they do not like about your service.
What weaknesses can you see? Some weaknesses may be related to the industry as a whole. For example, it may be that as you work remotely you cannot make the coffee. However, be aware if things crop up that you can do something about. Perhaps you have missed deadlines or you are not up to speed with particular software that your clients use. Think about how you can improve on these in the future.
How can you ‘delight the customer?’ Years ago I used to work for a holiday company that used the line ‘delight the customer’. The idea was that you do not want the customer just to be satisfied with what you have produced for them. In order to get them singing your praises you really need to ‘delight’ them. So, what can you do to delight your clients? Where can you add that little bit of extra value or really show some initiative? If you are seen to be going that extra mile, your clients will love you for it, and that is when they start to become your raving fans and tell everyone how great you are.
Better than advertising As you can see, creating your brand or the ‘image’ for your company is not about expensive graphic designers or advertising experts. It is about identifying what is great about your business and communicating that in a clear and consistent way. If you can turn your clients into raving fans, they will not only stick with you through these turbulent times, but they will also recommend you to others. That has got to be better than spending a fortune on advertising!
Raving fans are satisfied customers who are happy to tell the world about the benefits of using your VA business. They are a fantastic marketing tool. And, they are free!
A couple of quick ways you can create raving fans are:
Provide added value Look at ways you can add value for your clients with your services – a referral programme, extra services, etc.
Treat all clients like VIPs Your clients will appreciate being treated like VIPs and be delighted to talk about it. So, think about how you can make your clients feel special.
For more ideas on how you can create raving fans who will happily promote your Virtual Assistant business to others, check out our free 10 Step Downloads at http://vasuccessgroup.co.uk/virtual-assistant-freebies/10-step-downloads/
So, you want to be a Virtual Assistant? Well done for finding this exciting and rewarding career.
However, running a VA business is hard work and isn’t a get rich quick scheme. Before taking the leap into running your own business, you need to consider the following to make sure this is the right route for YOU.
Can you motivate yourself? Moving from the corporate world to self-employment requires quite a mind shift – you now need to think as a business owner, not as an employee. This is something you need to come to terms with quickly. Self-motivation is essential, as you no longer have a manager to motivate you.
Are you extremely organised? As a VA, you will be working with a range of clients from different sectors, as well as running your own business. Your time management and organisational skills have to be strong to ensure that you complete all work to the agreed deadlines.
Working for a range of clients can be interesting but difficult for some people to switch their minds from task to task – you need to have a system that works for you.
Do you have the right skills? There is much debate on the international VA forums about the necessary skills for a VA. Some believe that a successful VA should have a minimum of five years’ upper-level administrative experience, while others feel that set skills are not required. The only thing I recommend is that you should be skilled, experienced and competent in the services you offer, as clients are paying you for these tasks.
As a rule in my VA business, I do not offer any service if I feel that I do not have the necessary skills to undertake them.
Do you need office banter? The life of a VA can be quite lonely, as you may not leave your office for several days, and when you do, it is to attend a networking event. At the end of a long day, when you are with your family or friends, you may realise that you have not seen anyone else for a while.
If you need the interaction with other people, why not try to meet other VAs or home-workers in your area to get together for a coffee.
Next week, we will continue with five more necessary attributes for aspiring Virtual Assistants.
We all hear about branding and how important it is to your business. But branding is not just about your web site or logo, it is also about the associations your clients hold with you and your company name. The more positive that association, the more likely they may be to remain loyal to you when times get hard and competitors start slashing their prices.
So, how do you know how you are perceived by your clients and prospects, and how can you set about improving or building on your brand?
What do your existing clients think of you? The best place to start is by sending a questionnaire to your existing clients and everyone on your prospect list. It is a good opportunity to ask what they like about your service and what improvements could be made. You should begin to see some similarities in the responses, which will give you an idea of how your brand is perceived.
What do they like? When you have identified the similarities, have a close look at what your clients and prospects love about you and your service. These are the positive aspects or your brand – the things that you should be communicating in all your marketing information.
Manage your clients effectively with this simple Client Management Templates Pack system: http://vasuccessgroup.co.uk/virtual-assistant-document-templates/
Once you have set up your blog, the next stage is to decide how you will use it to promote your business. Here are a few tips to get you started:
1. Define your audience.
Have a good think about who you want to be reading your blog. This is easier if you have a niche market because you will have a clear idea of who your customers are. If you do not have a particular niche, think about what your clients have in common.
2. Define your content.
Once you have decided who you want to reach, think about what information would interest them. Your blog is not a platform for you to continually trumpet your services and remind readers how great you are; it is an opportunity to provide useful information for your readers.
3. Set you posting rate.
A blog is for life, not just for Christmas! A blog takes commitment and is very interactive. Your readers will expect regular new content, so think about how often you want to post. I would recommend at least twice a week.
Communication is key when working with multiple clients as a Virtual Assistant.
Because you do not see your clients face-to-face every day, as in corporate roles, it is important that you get the communication right, so that you get the work done, while simultaneously building your relationship.
Send a weekly activity report Detail which tasks have been completed, hours worked and any relevant comments.
Set up a regular time to talk Communicating by email is OK, but you need to talk to your clients regularly to build the relationship. You do not have to meet in person; make use of telephone or video-conference facilities.
Include all updates on one email Instead of sending several emails to your clients – adding to their email overwhelming inboxes –just send one email with a breakdown of all their projects, whenever possible.
As you also develop with experience, practice and gaining the knowledge you need for the job, you will be able to become more successful with your business. Continuing to define what you need and constantly growing into your virtual assistant business will help you to find success.
The most important thing to keep in mind is that the satisfaction should come from the process, not the goal. No matter what stage you are at, there is always room for growth. This may mean that you will grow into success by redefining the services that you offer, or by continually refining your professional standards. It may also mean developing your skills in certain areas, or learning new ones to make you a well-rounded and progressive virtual assistant. The more you know and the more you can offer, the better of a chance you will have at continuing your success.
Becoming a successful virtual assistant simply means taking the steps that you need to be successful and achieve your own goals, whatever they may be, beginning with your own idea of what success in your business would mean to you, and moving forward one step at a time.
Successful Virtual Assistants work with multiple clients that need good organisational skills to make it work.
From the client side of things, they will know that you work with other clients but something you can do to set yourself apart from all the other VAs out there is to take very good care of your clients.
Some ideas of how you can achieve this:
Provide high quality work at all times Whatever task you complete for clients, from routine to more advanced, make sure that you pay attention to the details so that the work is delivered to a high standard.
Have a master project list for each client Take some time to make a list of all tasks and deadlines associated to each project that you are working on. This will allow you to step back and look at the bigger picture when working with your client.
Own up to your mistakes We all make mistakes from time to time, but the key to handling them in the right way is to own up to your client and offer a solution to fix it.
These simple strategies will go a long way to building a successful and long term relationship with your clients.
NETWORKING COURSE: Use the power of networking to build your Virtual Assistant business. Practical course that takes you through the basics of networking
The templates I have purchased from your website are fantastic – I had no idea where to start with producing these kind of documents and your forms are brilliant. I have customised and tweaked and have already put into please the Pre-consultation Questionnaire....and I look forward to using the Client Consultation form tomorrow when I meet the potential new client. The welcome pack and information pack is also extremely useful and I spent the weekend branding them all as my own.
Thank you so much for these – the process was easy to download....fast....reasonably priced...and exactly what I was after! It would have taken hours of my time had I even attempted to put these docs together myself from scratch...so thank you again! You have made my life easier and my business look more professional! I love them!
After starting my VA business last year in the recession I was feeling that I had lost my way. I signed up to have a one to one with Justine and I was very impressed how clear everything became. It is so important to talk through your worries and fears with someone who has been there and done it.
I have revamped my website and have clearer goals than before.
I really appreciated the feedback and support that Justine provided.
