But there’s one thing no one talks about much, because it’s not very popular. Coaches know what it is, but they don’t mention it because it doesn’t sell. A coaches’ coach will say “Shhhh, are you crazy? Don’t mention that, you won’t get the client.”

Well, I’m going to talk about it. I don’t care if I’m not supposed to. Because I know one thing for sure: knowledge is power. If you can look something straight in the eye and say “I know you,” then you have the power to use it to your advantage.

And you also take away the power it has over you, because you recognize it for what it is.

But I’m getting ahead of myself. What is this critical element?

It’s the willingness to face our limiting beliefs, our prejudices, our fears and our blind spots. In other words, personal growth.

No one is exempt, and none of us can move forward successfully with the “secrets”, “keys”, or “essential elements” to advance in our business without facing our personal demons in the process.

And that is uncomfortable. This makes personal growth somewhat unpopular.

And it’s not just a one-time deal, either. There’s always another personal challenge around the next bend . . . Another place we need to grow, in order to grow our business.

Show me a business that’s stuck, and I’ll show you a business owner that’s stuck. Unstick the owner, and the business jumps to the next level. It’s that simple.

You’ll notice I said simple, not easy. There are many entrepreneurs that want to take their business to the next level, but who want to stay in their comfort zone while doing it.

They want to stick strictly to business, and think by doing so they can avoid any personal discomfort. But it just doesn’t work that way.

And whatever is stopping you, stops you everywhere: in your personal life, and in your business. It’s rarely just about knowing the right technique, or the right way to do something. There’s always a part of the challenge that involves you needing to step outside of your comfort zone and grow.

So, what to do?

Become comfortable being uncomfortable. Embrace the discomfort.

Resistance causes persistence, so the more you resist, the worse it gets. Just decide that the discomfort is ok, and move forward. Grow. Take action. If you need support to do it, then get the support.

You can do it, and you’ll be glad you did. Because speaking from experience, my own and many others, I can tell you that the other side is awesome!

I’d love to be the one who supports you in your growth, so please contact me for a consult @ Kellie@theVASuccessCoach.com

There are many possible reasons you may not be attracting clients as quickly or easily as you like, but what I’m going to focus on here today are three of the biggest blocks that prevent coaches from contracting a Virtual Assistant.

Stop #1

They aren’t clear about what your strengths and specialties are: Coaches aren’t looking for a VA who can “do it all.” In fact, they know that no one can be good at everything, so if you say you do it all, they are more likely to pass you by, not less likely.

What they want is to know what your core strengths are, and what you love to do. They want to know what you can do sufficiently well that works for you, and they want to know what you hate to do . . . and don’t do well at all.

You see, if your core strengths and what you love to do match up with their goals, you’ll be the perfect match for them. They can find someone else to do the stuff you’re not good at.

But many VAs will say yes to everything a coach wants, or say they can do everything well, because they don’t want to lose the client. This frustrates coaches because they never really know until they begin working with a VA what that person’s strengths and weaknesses are. And it may not be a match.

It’s not good for you as the VA, either. What you want is an ideal client who loves your work and raves about you to other coaches. You want a fan who refers you. That’s only going to happen if your core strengths match up with what that coach values most.

In fact, this has become such an issue among coaches, that I created an assessment that helps Virtual Assistants and Coaches find their ideal match in each other.

As a VA, if you present this assessment to a prospective coach client, you’ll not only look incredibly professional, but you’re a “shoo-in” to be contracted by grateful coaches who are happy to find a VA they know is a good fit.

I’m offering the assessment to you this month at the special price of $47 (value: $87). Just enter the following code when you purchase it: ATTRACT For more info and to purchase, click here: www.thevasuccesscoach.com/assessment

Stop #2

It’s not clear that you specialize in working with them: Coaches want to know that you understand them. They want to work with VAs who “get” coaches, who have the particular mindset and skills needed to help a coaching business grow.

Many VAs are afraid to make it clear that they specialize, because they think they’ll be cutting out all the potential clients who aren’t in their niche. But the truth is, it’s much harder to get clients if you don’t have a niche, because most people want someone who specializes in them only.

So you’ll actually get more clients by working exclusively with coaches. In fact, many coaches have told me they only look for VAs who work with coaches.

The exception is VAs who work with coaches and speakers. Most coaches are speakers and vice versa, so it loosely qualifies as the same niche.

Stop #3

You don’t market yourself well, which tells them you won’t understand how to help them market themselves well: Most coaches are looking for more than just a general administrator to do basic tasks. They want “back-end” internet marketing tasks performed on a regular basis.

So they want to know that you understand those tasks, that you know why they are important, and can even offer a suggestion on occasion. And they want you to catch obvious mistakes.

If they look at your own website and marketing and it reflects a lack of knowledge on how to effectively market yourself, they may pass you by for someone with more savvy in that area.

So if you’ve never had mentoring or coaching in how to market yourself effectively, or it’s been a while since you’ve “tuned up” your site, it may be time to start thinking about hiring a business or marketing coach. If you’d like help with marketing, or taking effective action to correct any of the “Stops” above, please email me for a free consult at Kellie@theVAsuccesscoach.com

If you’d like to hear more about what coaches are looking for in a VA, and you haven’t yet listened to my FREE “6 Coaches Tell-All Teleseminar,” it’s a must-hear! To learn more, click here: www.thevasuccesscoach.com

Related posts:

• 10 Strategies to Get More Marketing Done in Less Time
• 6 Powerful Steps That Will Put a STOP to Your Over-delivering and Undercharging

It also says what actually will make us happy.

The title does grab you though, doesn’t it? Those of us who don’t consider ourselves in the “rich” category kinda want to hear what reasons rich people could possibly have to hate their lives, don’t we?

I loved this report. Each “reason” is short, sweet, and full of rich wisdom. It’s one of the best I’ve ever read, and I highly recommend it: The 8 Reasons Rich People Hate Their Lives (PDF).

It’s so good, I had a hard time choosing which part to highlight here. I wanted to talk about what would be most encouraging to VAs, so I finally decided on #5, which I’m going to call “How to Eliminate Failure Forever.”

The report outlines two different possible mindsets an entrepreneur might have: “fixed” or “growth.”

Those with the “fixed” mindset tend to come from the unconscious belief that they either “have it or they don’t.”

What this means is when a job, project, or launch doesn’t go as well as expected, or produce the results desired, they tend to blame themselves: “I’m lousy at this, I failed, I’m just not good at it, I can’t do it well . . . essentially they beat themselves up and feel like a failure.

Have you ever done that? I confess: in the past, I have. I had to learn how to switch to a different, more effective mindset. In fact, it’s a very common mistake for entrepreneurs to blame themselves. Many of the clients I’ve had over the years have learned to change that same mindset, with my help.

Why on earth do we do that? It’s painful and it doesn’t feel good. But it’s not really our fault. In the past, society has raised children to think success is achieved because they are smart or talented, and failure happens because they are dumb.

Think about your classmates in school. The ones who got D’s or F’s were considered dumb, and the ones who got A’s were considered smart, Right? It was just how it was. In other words, you either had it or you didn’t.

This mindset is a recipe for misery and failure. Because you’re not going to be instantly successful at everything you do. And if you decide you’re “just not good at something,” you might quit, and then you’ll never succeed.

So what’s the recipe for success? It’s called the “growth” mindset. Entrepreneurs with the growth mindset view a lack of results as feedback, not failure.

Rather than beat themselves up for not succeeding, they say to themselves “Ok, that didn’t work. Why not?” They analyze, make corrections, and try again.

They take an objective look at what they can change, so as to have a better result the next time.

Then when they succeed, they say to themselves: “Yes! I worked hard on that, and it worked!”

The key difference is the growth mindset attributes success to effort, and the fixed mindset attributes success to innate talent or ability. The truth is, anyone can get A’s in school, if they practice, study and work at it.

True, some may have to put more effort into it than others, but so what? The fact remains that anyone can do it. It’s about effort, NOT about innate gifts, ability or talent.

It’s about figuring out what needs to be done to succeed, then doing it. Thomas Edison, a successful inventor with the growth mindset, failed at inventing the light bulb 10,000 times. But around the 700th time he is quoted as saying:

“I have not failed 700 times. I have not failed once. I have succeeded in proving that those 700 ways will not work. When I have eliminated the ways that will not work, I will find the way that will work.”

Thomas Edison knew that failure is a mindset, not an outcome. So do all successful entrepreneurs, especially millionaires.

So next time you catch yourself feeling like a failure because something didn’t work out the way you expected, remember Thomas Edison and the millionaire mindset. Stop beating yourself up, figure out what didn’t work, and try again.

In other words, choose to eliminate failure forever.

To quote the report [The 8 Reasons Rich People Hate Their Lives (PDF)]:

“Wise, happy millionaires adopt a growth mindset. When they fall into fixed mindset thinking, they recognize it and change how they’re talking to themselves. They know that mindset can be changed at will. And they know that success comes from taking action, not from intelligence or talent.”

Want a little help with your mindset? Contact me for a 20 min. breakthrough strategy session – I’m offering them absolutely free this month!

Kellie@theVAsuccesscoach.com

So my oh-so-observant friend says to me: “Wow, your dog is a lot better behaved than your kids are.”

Ouch. Yes, he’s still my friend, 30+ years of friendship buys him the right to say stuff like that, lol. And he’s right. At times my kids could easily be compared to a pack of wild Indian children running through a dusty camp of tee-pees and cooking pots.

But before you judge me as a mom, consider this: Their teachers, friend’s moms, and pretty much everyone else on the planet who has the pleasure of their company away from home constantly tell me what well behaved angels they are.

No kidding. In fact, almost every time I have a chat with their teacher she tells me how wonderful they are: caring and considerate of others, great listeners, respectful, helpful, and fun to be around.

Who on earth are these strangers??  Surely not my children!!! Yes, I try like crazy to teach them all those things, but it doesn’t appear to be working from my perspective. And yet, it is. Just because I don’t see the results of my efforts doesn’t mean the results aren’t there.

They are noticing what I’m teaching, and they are paying attention, or they wouldn’t be modeling those behaviors elsewhere.

It reminds me of what it’s like to market a business.

Sometimes as an entrepreneur you’ll market like crazy, putting it out there, putting it out there, and it doesn’t appear to be working, because you can’t see the results . . . yet.

But that doesn’t mean it isn’t working. It doesn’t mean that people aren’t noticing, or paying attention. It doesn’t mean that it won’t pay off. It just means that it hasn’t reached the point where it’s visible to you yet.

So it’s a matter of trust. Until the results begin to show themselves, you need to trust that it’s working. Because when you consistently market your business, it’s been proven time and again that it works.

Someday, I’ll get to see the same kids everyone else sees. In the meantime, I’m going to keep teaching them the values I know will help them be happy, loving people . . . because I trust that it’s working, even if I can’t see it yet.

Until Next Month,



Related posts:

• 10 Strategies to Get More Marketing Done in Less Time

From the Virtual Assistant point of view, many have a belief that coaches will take advantage of them if allowed to, and consequently set firm boundaries around the area of accessibility and project turnaround time.

They don’t answer the phone spontaneously, they don’t respond to emails immediately, and heaven forbid they use instant messaging! They complete project requests on their own schedule. This attitude is supported by many VA mentors, VA schools and training programs.

There is admittedly a very good foundation for this. The majority of VAs come from a corporate environment, where as an employee they are accustomed to being at the beck and call of their employer.

Once they leave corporate and start up their own business, many find it challenging to make the mindset shift from employee to business owner, and continue to respond to their clients as an employee would, as opposed to a business owner.

The problem with that is, you can’t make every client the boss. You can’t run a business and retain your sanity catering to clients in that way. VAs need to get that they are the CEO of their own business, and need to set policies accordingly.

So in response to this need, some VA schools and mentors have gone overboard in the other direction, instilling in their disciples a strong sense of justification for doing work in their own time and offering very limited availability to their clients.

From the coaches/client’s point of view, this often is perceived as a “snobby” attitude. Many coaches feel frustrated with what they believe is the lack of “good” VAs “out there,” and part of that frustration comes from their dislike of this attitude.

The rest of their frustration comes from the simple fact that in order for them to grow their business effectively, they need assistants who are reasonably customer service oriented and responsive.

Emphasis on the word “reasonably.” Most don’t expect the kind of “catering to” that many VAs are concerned about, but they do need something in-between.

The typical, and not altogether unreasonable, response from some VAs is that coaches need to learn to be proactive. They shouldn’t run their business in “emergency” mode, expecting their VA to take up the slack.

It’s best summed up by the old adage “Poor planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part.”

Most good business owners, including coaches, would agree with this. However, a coach with a growing business also needs to be able to respond quickly at times to grab opportunities, and it can be very frustrating to have a VA that’s not “with the program.”

I know coaches that have passed VAs by because they didn’t like the attitude, and I know VAs who would say good riddance. But let’s take a bird’s eye view of this for a moment.

Is this conflict really serving anyone? Coaches want VAs they are happy with, and VAs want clients. There are parties in both camps who are frustrated and feel that the other is hard to find. Isn’t it worth the effort to find a win-win solution?

As a coach who helps VAs market to and get coaches as clients, and who has connections in both communities, this topic is front and center for me.

So I’m going to have the audacity to suggest a possible solution.

If access to their VA and quick turn-around time is of high value to a coach (and it is to many), then what do you usually do when you have something to offer that’s of high value to your market?

Think about it.

That’s right. You charge for it. Why would you give it away for free . . . and why would you withhold it? Add it into your highest retainer package and then charge accordingly!

Coaches who are on their way up and need the access and quick turnaround will find your higher package most appealing and appropriate for their needs anyway.

The only thing VAs have to lose is the attitude. And they have everything to gain. They can still set boundaries, think like a business owner, and run their business effectively.

In fact, it’s the ultimate in “CEO” thinking, vs. employee thinking. It’s the next step up.

It’s what I encourage all of my clients to do. If the idea intrigues you, and you’re wondering how you might incorporate it into your business, I’m offering a free 20 min. breakthrough session this month to anyone serious about having a breakthrough in their business.

I invite you to take advantage of it and strategize with me.

In that session we’ll take a look at your business and at what needs to happen for you to take this next step up to the CEO level. Shoot me an email:  Kellie@theVAsuccesscoach.com

And keep thinking “out of the box.” It’s what will keep your business alive and growing!

Have you ever lowered your price, not raised it to begin with, or extended a payment plan because you didn’t think your prospects or clients could afford your services?

You may have some issues with boundaries and money that you aren’t aware of. Being a pushover with regards to pricing and money usually indicates that you’ve decided for others what they can, and what they can’t pay for.

Even if they’ve told you they can’t pay your price, it’s still you agreeing that they can’t afford it, and the truth is, you really don’t know if they can actually afford it or not.

Here’s a truth: Time and again, I’ve seen people who said they couldn’t afford something come up with the money for it when they decided they really wanted it. I’ve heard people thinking out loud about where they’ll get the money, and pull it out of a hat.

You don’t know the other person’s situation. Even if you know something about their income, you don’t know other circumstances in their lives.

People have money in savings, they have spouses, they have inheritances, they have tax returns, and they have other things they pay for regularly that they don’t really need to any longer.

I’ve watched people who said they couldn’t afford something turn around and come up with the same amount of money to buy something else they really wanted at the same price: a fun vacation opportunity, a big screen TV, an iphone . . .

I’ll even confess, I’ve done this myself, and I’ll bet you have too at one time or another. I think we’ve all used the reason “I can’t afford it,” when the truth was, if we really wanted it, we could have come up with the money.

It just wasn’t a high enough priority. We weren’t emotionally invested in having it.

And here’s another truth: when you lower your price to accommodate someone else, operating in the background of your sub-conscious mind is the idea that the other person getting what they want is more important than you getting what you want.

A first step to changing that would be to write and post on a sticky where you see it when you’re on the phone: “I don’t have the right to decide for someone else. Only they can decide for themselves.”

Here’s another question for you: If you knew for certain that it was actually supporting your client in holding firm to your prices, rather than the other way around, what would you do in that case?

If you’re answer was to hold firm, then let me assure you that you are supporting them by not lowering your price, and here’s why: your clients get more value out of taking on the challenge to “step up to the plate” than if you make it easy for them.

It’s a powerful moment for someone to stretch to have something they want. They grow, they feel proud of themselves, they have an increased sense of confidence, they are more committed to creating value from your service, and you’ll have a fantastic, ideal client!

Here’s a quote from Kendall Summerhawk that sums it up nicely: “When you hold your ground with your fees you make it possible for someone to step up and get what they want in a bigger, more powerful way.”

So don’t rob your clients or prospects of their chance to step up to the plate, and don’t rob yourself of the money you rightfully deserve for your services.

There’s one more point I want to make: I know that you’re a good-hearted person.

You want to help people, and you want them to have what they want. I know that, otherwise none of the things I’ve said here would ring true for you, and you probably wouldn’t have made it this far into reading (or listening) to this post.

So your intentions are good, and you want others to know that you care. And, it’s possible to let them know you care without being flexible on your boundaries.

Your caring shows in your overall attitude, in your desire to do a great job for them, and in your faith in their power and ability to find the money for something they truly desire.

People will always find the money for something they really value and want.

Instead of lowering your prices, you need to learn how to make certain your clients are emotionally invested in having your service. You want to know how to insure that they really value and want your services.

If you’re ready to do that, I invite you to sign up for my “How to Charge What You’re Worth and Get It” telecourse, where I’ll be giving you tons of information and some powerful exercises that will show you how to do exactly that.

Click here for more information and to sign up:  http://thevasuccesscoach.com/htc/va.html

And remember, bite your tongue when you’re tempted to lower your price! It’s better for you, and it’s better for you prospect or client.

Related posts:

• Why VAs lose clients by not charging enough
• Give Yourself a Raise

I talked about the reasons why you over-deliver and undercharge, and I shared what needed to happen for you to make the conscious decision to stop.

Today, I’m going to offer you 6 powerful steps to take AFTER you’ve made the decision to stop giving away too much for too little, so that you will succeed in valuing yourself and your services appropriately.

But first, I want to make it clear that I am not advocating being miserly or ungenerous. Generosity is a wonderful thing and I believe that being generous creates a circle of abundance that spreads to all of us. Plus it’s a great feeling to give to others!

However, there is a difference between being generous, and giving away your time, money and skills because you undervalue yourself and aren’t honoring your own boundaries. So as you read this, please bear that difference in mind.

6 Steps From Obligation to Freedom

Step # 1: Stop doing things for your clients that aren’t included in your fees, such as giving away your time or your help without charging. As I explained in my post “Why VAs Lose Clients by Not Charging Enough,” people don’t value what you don’t charge appropriately for.

Step #2: Stop giving away too much information and too many tips to prospects (this is otherwise known as “giving away the farm”). Instead, learn how to whet their appetites and entice them, so they recognize the value of your service and become loyal, paying clients.

Step #3: When that feeling that you’re not offering/doing/giving enough hits you, make a list of all the great things you’ve done for your clients over the past few days, weeks, or even years! Post the list where you can see it from your desk. Read it every time you get the impulse to give more than you know you should.

Step #4: Make it a habit to collect testimonials from all of your clients. Keep them handy and read them frequently, to remind you of how great you already are!

Step #5: Create a policy sheet or add a set of policies to your initial business contract that sets clear boundaries from the get-go. Include exactly when you are available and for what services.

If a client pushes your boundary, stick to it and professionally and politely steer them back to what you do offer and when. If you’ve made the boundary clear from the beginning, they’ll know they are pushing it, but they’re testing you to see if you’ll really hold to it. Suggest another resource if it’s appropriate.

Step #6: It’s important to remember, if a client needs something that is beyond the scope of your agreement, you don’t have to provide it just because you can, or just because they need it. If you choose to, create an add-on service to your package and make certain you charge appropriately for it.

Present Your Service So It’s Appreciated

The bottom line is, it’s all about value. Others will value what you offer to the exact extent that you value it – no  more, no less. I happened to be listening to a client offering one of her packages on a call the other night, and I winced when I heard her hurriedly say “Oh, and I’ll throw X in too.”

“X” just happened to be a service that although it appeared modest, in actuality was incredibly valuable to her prospects. There was no question in my mind she was doing them a disservice by downplaying it, because they didn’t understand what it could do for them.

Needless to say, the next time she presents that package, that particular service will get all the fanfare it deserves!

Here’s another example on the other end of the spectrum: Kendall Summerhawk, founder of the Money, Marketing and Soul work and creator of the “How to Charge What You’re Worth and Get it” program, values everything she offers tremendously. My personal metaphorical picture of it is that she “wraps everything up in beautiful paper, puts a gorgeous bow on it, and presents it with music and fanfare.”

So that’s my recommendation to you: Value your service so highly, that you wrap it up in beautiful paper, put a gorgeous bow on it, and present it with music and fanfare!

And for those of you who want more, who are ready to step up and Charge What You’re Worth and Get It, be sure and sign up for my f.ree preview teleseminar on that topic: http://www.thevasuccesscoach.com/htc

You may be harboring a subconscious belief that your services aren’t quite “good enough,” or that you don’t know enough, or that what you do know isn’t good enough. Regardless of how it manifests, it’s causing you to charge less than you deserve.

The thing is, there’s always going to be someone who knows more than you, and someone who knows less. There will be someone who does it better, and someone who doesn’t do it as well.

And no matter what you do, no matter how many products or services you buy, no matter how much you learn, or how much you offer your clients, it’s never enough. The feeling of not being “enough” never quite goes away.

You just wind up exhausted, overworked, underpaid, or/and under-appreciated.

All because of an underlying feeling of guilt that you don’t quite “measure up.”

You probably always have at least a few clients who are high maintenance, demanding, or never completely happy. Even though they may be very nice about it, you can feel that underlying current of expectation from them that you aren’t quite meeting.

You may over-deliver to make them happy by giving more time or services than agreed to, making their project a priority when it shouldn’t be, or working on their project during off-hours.

If you have raised your prices in the past, you may have increased this behavior to justify the increase, continuing the cycle.

If you recognize yourself in some or all of this, know that you aren’t alone. Our society programs us to desire the approval of others, which is a big part of what’s going on here: the desire to be accepted and approved of, and the fear that we won’t be.

Rejection hurts. No one likes being rejected. But when the hidden fear of being rejected and thinking you’re not good enough gets involved in your business, it stifles your creativity and prevents you from living the relaxed, happy, abundant life you deserve.

Here’s an example: I had a client last year who was incredible. Well, all my clients are incredible, but this one didn’t realize how amazing she was. She had persevered through things the rest of us couldn’t even imagine. Let’s call her Susie.

Susie was bright, competent, intelligent, creative, resourceful and dependable.

She was the “go-to” person at her job, and everyone depended on her to keep things going.

She regularly worked more hours than she was paid for, and hadn’t asked for a raise, well, ever. And when I asked her the last time she took a vacation, it was so long ago she couldn’t even remember!

Susie was essentially doing the job of at least two, if not three people.

She put everyone else before herself, and was exhausted, worn-out, resentful, and fed up.

And the last part of the sentence is the key to freedom from this syndrome.

You have to be fed up. You have to be tired of the demanding clients, and sick of giving and giving while others take and take.

You have to get angry about allowing clients in your business who send the subtle message that you aren’t quite measuring up, and that you’d better provide more.

You need to decide that you deserve to be paid what you’re worth, and that you ARE worth more than you’re charging now.

Once you make that decision, you can start to make the changes you need to in your business and in your life. You can set limits, stop “over delivering,” raise your prices, and begin enjoying your life!

By the way, the client I mentioned? By the time she completed her coaching with me, she had asked for (and received) a big raise, insisted on a defined job description that was reasonable for one person, and is now doing only that job and no one else’s.

The word “no” has become the most important word in her vocabulary, and she puts it to good use on a daily basis.

She’s taken one vacation already, has another one scheduled for this year, and has a month long Sabbatical to Italy planned for 2011.

Life is good. Ask for what you deserve, and then enjoy it.

And for those of you who want personalized help creating a breakthrough so you attract the income you deserve, I have a new 20 minute breakthrough laser coaching session available.

Just shoot me an email if you’re interested at Kellie@theVAsuccesscoach.com and I’ll send you the details.

Related posts:

• Give Yourself a Raise

For example, even if you have quite a few clients, you might want to expand your team with other VAs. Or maybe you want more “ideal” clients. Or you might be transitioning from one business/job to another, and of course if you have children at home, time is always a challenge!

Whatever your situation is, when time is an issue, marketing often goes out the window. Here are ten strategies to help you get your marketing back on the list, and get more of it done in less time  so you can grow your business – and your profits:

1. Decide on how much time per week you need to market, then schedule those hours into your calendar, and treat it like an important appointment you simply can’t miss. It is an appointment – with yourself. And if you want to bring in more money and more ideal clients, you really can’t miss it.

If you’ve never tried it, don’t underestimate this first strategy. I’ve had clients who were sure they just didn’t have the time, but once they actually scheduled it in as non-negotiable, the time seemed to just magically appear.

2. Schedule Marketing time in larger chunks as opposed to bits here and there. At least two hours at a time is optimal. If you work on related tasks in the same time chunk, it’s possible for you to get through those tasks faster than you would otherwise, because your mind doesn’t have to make the transition. For example, if you are writing, do all your writing in one block of time.

3. Schedule your marketing time in when you have the most energy and vitality. Pay attention to your energy levels. When are you at your best?  It will come through in your branding and your message, and you’ll be less likely to put the task off because you’re tired. Save more familiar and repetitive tasks for times when you’re energy is lower.

4. Eliminate distractions. You’ve heard this one before, but it bears repeating. Sit down and make a list of all the things that can distract you, then do whatever it takes to make sure they don’t: Turn off the phone, turn off incoming email, and if anyone else is home, resist the temptation to be available to them because you aren’t doing ”work.” Instead let everyone know this is extremely important work.  Then put a “do not disturb” sign on your office door.

5. If you think it’s going to take you an hour to do a marketing task, give yourself 40 minutes. Psychologically you’ll be more motivated, You’ll be more efficient and often get it done sooner. Set a timer.

6. Let go of perfectionism. Just get it done! Marketing, unlike brain surgery, is one of those things where sacrificing a bit of quality in favor of quantity gets better results.

7. Plan and review. Take some time to strategize on how you will do a marketing task(s), rather than rushing in because you’re busy. You’ll often come up with creative ways to accomplish it in less time. Afterwards, do a quick review to see if there’s a way you might do it faster next time.

8. When marketing via social media, write down what you want to accomplish in advance and then stick to it (see #5). Don’t get distracted by your sister’s broken water pipe disaster. Save that for your “off” hours.

9. Make sure you choose something you can accomplish each time you work on your marketing, and do it first. Then if you leave some tasks partially done for the next time, the feeling of accomplishment from that first task will keep you motivated.

10. Hire a business or marketing coach. A good coach will help you come up with a customized marketing plan just for you, to get the most results in the least amount of time. They’ll help you plan what steps to take and when each week, and then hold you accountable for getting them done. A coach is a business investment that will pay for herself many times over by helping you bring in more money, faster.

To schedule a f.r.e.e. consult regarding your customized marketing plan: http://thevasuccesscoach.com/contact-kellie-deruyter/

If you’ve tried any of these strategies and have any further tips to share, please comment and share them with us,  thanks!

Imagine that you are shopping for widgets. You see one widget for $9.99, several for around $19.99, and one for $34.97. They all claim to do what widgets do, and there is no other obvious difference other than price. What do you assume about the $9.99 price? How about the $34.97 price? If you’re like most people, you assumed that the $34.97 widget must be the highest quality, the ones around $19.99 must be average quality, and the $9.99 widget is probably cheaply made.

You can see where this is leading. Yup. It’s no different for services. It may not be accurate, but it’s human nature to judge the quality of services based on price. Which means that the segment of your market that wants the best, when faced with a choice between you and another, higher priced service, will often choose the other service simply because they assume if it’s priced higher, it must be better than yours!

Crazy, huh. But very, very true. Which means if your prices are too low, you are losing clients. But hold on – I hate to tell you this, but it gets worse.

There’s a segment of every market that does not value having the best as their top priority. For them, the main concern is getting the lowest price.

Now like most people, they also may perceive that the lowest priced service isn’t the best, but since their biggest concern is price, they may be willing to accept “lower quality” in order to save money.

Is that how you want your clients to view you?

Consider what it’s like to work with a client whose main concern is saving money. Some of them are just grateful to have you, of course. But then there are the ones that complain about your prices, and heaven forbid you should raise them even a small amount! So in a way, your fear that you’ll lose clients if you raise your prices is valid. But it’s not because your prices are too high.

This type of client often wants to squeeze the most value out of their money as possible, so they also tend to be your most difficult client: expecting extras without charge, keeping you on the phone longer than they’ve scheduled or paid for, etc. etc. So you need to ask yourself: “Is this the type of client I want to work with?”

I’m not saying that all your clients are like this. Some are respectful. They know you are excellent at what you do and that you should be charging more, and those are the ones that are thrilled at what a bargain they’re getting.

But here’s another question to ask yourself: “Do I want to be a bargain, or do I want to earn what I’m worth?”

Here’s the truth: The very best clients, the ones you love to work with, who treat you well and respect your boundaries without having to be asked, and never complain about you raising prices, are the ones who pay more.

They are only interested in quality and fit, and in choosing a VA that will help them build their business. They figure a good VA is an investment that will pay off in more money and business for them. And they often won’t even consider a bargain, because that’s not what they’re looking for.

Even if your prices aren’t on the low end, but they are average, consider this: Are your services average? If they are, seriously consider investing in yourself and your business so that your services are above average, then raising your prices to get the very best ideal clients.

And if your services are already above average, stop charging average prices when you’ll get more ideal clients by charging what you’re worth!

Think about it.

If you decide you want to make good money AND have great clients, but you’re not sure what your next step is; OR you just need some support to take the leap into charging what you’re worth, I’d love to do a complimentary consult with you to help you figure it out. Just shoot me an email at Kellie@theVAsuccesscoach.com and we’ll set up a call.

Related posts:

• Give Yourself a Raise
• Pricing and Boundaries: Why you need to stick to your guns!