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How Often Do You Say No as a VA?

When is the last time you said no to a client? A lot of Virtual Assistants I talk to say one of their biggest issues is doing tasks they don’t want to do every day. For some reason, they think they need to do whatever their clients ask them to do. But here’s the thing – you are not their employee. Yes, they pay you to do work for them. But that doesn’t mean that they get to decide what you do each day. You are a business owner in your own right – and you get to decide what services you offer – and which ones you turn down. If you are saying yes to your clients when you… Read More »How Often Do You Say No as a VA?

Still Struggling to Make a Go of Your VA Business? Read this.

If you are still struggling to make your Virtual Assistant business work, I am glad you are here. It’s time for a pep talk! So much of what we read online tells us what we are doing wrong, or what we should do differently to make our business work. I decided that today I want to celebrate YOU. I want to congratulate you for deciding to start. I want to congratulate you for learning SO many new things (some of which aren’t even interesting or fun!) I want to congratulate you for doing what so many people never do. And I want to congratulate you for believing in yourself. Because when you first started, you believed in yourself. Do you… Read More »Still Struggling to Make a Go of Your VA Business? Read this.

Help! How Do I Fix Scope Creep in My VA Business?

Quick question: do you love everything you do every day for all of your Virtual Assistant clients? Many VAs I talk to can’t say they love everything they do. Some of them don’t even LIKE what they are doing. It is so important for the longevity of your VA business (and you as a business owner) that you make it a priority to enjoy what you are doing every day. Ask yourself why you are doing things that aren’t really your specialty, or that you don’t really like to do. Is it because you are their ‘assistant’ and so you think you have to do whatever your client asks you to do? Is it because you are afraid that the… Read More »Help! How Do I Fix Scope Creep in My VA Business?

Managing Commitment Will Make You a Better VA

Here’s the story of when my piano teacher fired me for a lack of commitment. When you start learning something new, it’s not too hard to find your commitment – and motivation – to want to do it well. As time wears on, and the shine wears off, it becomes harder to keep up the initial level of commitment. We need to find ways to get motivated to keep going. Much of the time if we don’t get help with motivation, we simply give up. It’s why most New Year’s resolutions don’t last. It’s also why my piano teacher fired me when I was 15. I was a very good piano player. I could pick up a piece of music… Read More »Managing Commitment Will Make You a Better VA

What You Need to Know About Being a Virtual Assistant

Being a Virtual Assistant is a great way to be your own boss and to be in charge of your own schedule – right? Sure, but there is a lot more to it. When you start a VA business, you are not just offering services to clients in exchange for payment, you are becoming a business owner. If you want to be in business for any length of time, you need to start thinking of yourself as a business owner right now. I often ask VAs like you why they want to run their own VA business – and most of the time your reasons are very personal. • You want to be more available for your family • You… Read More »What You Need to Know About Being a Virtual Assistant

How to Get Clients Talking About Your VA Business

The best way to get clients talking about your VA business is to start talking about it yourself first. Now I’m not talking about being like that old used car salesman who talks and talks and never lets anyone else get a word in! But in order for people to understand what it is that you do for your clients, you have to be able to talk to people about it. I teach VAs what I call a Concise Marketing Message – it’s about getting really clear on what services you offer, who you support, and why it’s important to them to get help with that thing – and finally, why you are the best person for them to work… Read More »How to Get Clients Talking About Your VA Business

The Best Way to Charge Your Clients for Virtual Assistant Services

Setting your rates as you get your VA business started is always a challenge. You don’t want to overcharge, but you also need to be very cautious not to undercharge. You also need to be sure to provide the right amount of value for your client, while making sure that your business is profitable. Easy, right? It actually is easier than you think, once you have a strategy for charging your clients. Calculating your billable rate is important no matter how you charge your clients, but it’s also essential to figure out the best way for your clients to pay you. When you start out, hourly rates are a great way to charge clients. Often you will be doing tasks… Read More »The Best Way to Charge Your Clients for Virtual Assistant Services

Do I Really Need A Target Market as a VA?

When Virtual Assistants come to me and say they are having trouble finding clients, I always ask them who their target market is. Many times the answer is ‘I don’t have one’ or ‘I haven’t narrowed it down yet.’ If you have not chosen a target group to market your services to, you are making things much more difficult for yourself to grow your VA business. Narrowing down to serve a target market is an important part of your business planning. Without knowing who your customers are, it will be naturally harder to find them. Think about the places that you shop or go to. Who are their customers? What are their products and services? Who do they cater to?… Read More »Do I Really Need A Target Market as a VA?