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Add New Skills To Your Virtual Assistant Business

Recently a Virtual Assistant asked me about adding new skills to her business. She felt that she wanted to raise her rates, and that adding new services was the way to do that. When we talk about expanding our service offerings, it’s important to start by stepping back and looking at the big picture. Ask yourself the following questions: 1. Why am I considering adding a new skill or service? 2. Why am I considering adding THIS new skill or service? 3. Where can I learn about this new skill or service? 4. Is the training free or paid? Can I afford the time if it’s free, and can I afford the time and money if it’s paid? 5. Is… Read More »Add New Skills To Your Virtual Assistant Business

20+ Cheap or Free Resources to Boost Your VA Business

I often talk with people who are very new to the Virtual Assistant business, or are thinking about getting into it. One concern is that you will need to spend a lot of money at startup getting all of the necessary pieces in place – software, training, and many other things come up for people when they are starting a business. I always tell them that it’s possible to get going with really solid tools, without spending a lot of money. Don’t get me wrong. It’s important to have good resources and things in place – but it’s important not to spend money that you haven’t made yet. When I started my work as a VA, I looked long and… Read More »20+ Cheap or Free Resources to Boost Your VA Business

Client Relationship Responsibility

Are You Being Responsible in your Business?

I recently had a discussion with a group of VAs and it was based around my policies that I have to work with my clients. Policies are important, as we all know, so that everyone knows the ‘rules’ and it makes for a better working relationship — from clients to team members, and everyone else you might work with. The thing that caught several people off guard is that I told them I delete my client emails after 60 days. I don’t keep their documents or information on my computer. Once it’s delivered to the client, I delete it. Audible gasps were heard when I told them this. Why would I do that? What if I needed something? How could… Read More »Are You Being Responsible in your Business?

Your VA Mentor: Schedule Your Work

Get More Done, Make More Money

At the IVAA Live Summit I spoke about organizing & prioritizing your work. One of the pieces of my presentation was about organizing tasks so that you get more done each day. When you are working as a support professional, it is easy to try to multitask and do many things at once, but there are all kinds of studies out there that show that multitasking is simply ineffective. It’s much more efficient to focus on one task at a time, and complete it, and then move on to the next thing. The way I handle multitasking in my daily routine is by batching my work – that is, collecting tasks that will done at one time and doing them… Read More »Get More Done, Make More Money

The Number 1 Reason You Don’t Have Enough VA Clients

I recently came across an old teleclass I did from 2010 – 3 Secrets to Get High Paying Clients to Call You – and as I listened to it I realize that this is really important information for you to have and practice – so I reran the class as a webinar, with a new Powerpoint presentation. I speak with many VAs in my networking who are struggling to get clients – and though there are many reasons for this, there is one that is the most important … they don’t know who they can best support. They haven’t figured it out. Is this you? If so, don’t worry – it’s easy to do … and it’s an absolutely essential… Read More »The Number 1 Reason You Don’t Have Enough VA Clients

Is Anyone Stomping on Your Boundaries?

I’ve been witness to some funny (weird, not haha!) situations lately that I wanted to share with you. Lately I’ve been noticing that more and more things are making me go ‘huh?’ I sat back to reflect on several of those things – I’ll share some with you below – and I think what it boils down to is the sense of entitlement that people feel when they are spending money on something. Let me explain. When I spend money on a service provider or a training program or whatever, I have clear expectations of what I am getting for my money. You probably do too. But lately what I am seeing is a trend of people that expect to… Read More »Is Anyone Stomping on Your Boundaries?

Great Customer Service in Three Steps

Recently I have been noticing how I am treated as a customer when I am out shopping, dining, or even connecting with people online. I have had some great experiences, and some not so great. What makes good customer service? For one thing, it’s about recognizing the fact that without customers paying for your service, you would not have a business. Now that doesn’t mean ‘the customer is always right’, as the old saying goes, but it certainly weighs heavier since your success depends on keeping them happy. Here are three easy steps to great customer service: Keep Them Informed One of the things that can make clients nervous or uneasy while working with someone virtually, is not knowing the… Read More »Great Customer Service in Three Steps

How to Make Your Numbers Work For You

Site visits, opt ins, email opens, click throughs … Since the first quarter of the year has gone by, I thought it might be a good idea to check in with you to see how your numbers are adding up. Do you look at your numbers on a regular basis? If you do, what kind of follow up do you do with them? If you don’t, why not? Checking things like your website visitors and your email opens is essential to make sure that your marketing efforts are working for you. Going through the motions is not going to help you build your business. Let’s look at a few key things you should be checking regularly: Website visitors How many… Read More »How to Make Your Numbers Work For You