VA Secrets Revealed! The Blog

New Virtual Assistant Website: Virtual Assistant Hub

2009-03-22T13:39:34-04:00

As many of you have probably noticed, I haven't posted much on this blog lately. I apologize for that, but it's been for a very good reason, I promise! I have been working very hard on a website for virtual assistants and clients of virtual assistants. And I am thrilled to announce that the site launched last week: Virtual Assistant Hub.

It's a free site for virtual assistants, clients of virtual assistants and anyone interested in the virtual assistant industry. From the site:

Our goal is to provide an outlet for aspiring, new, and seasoned virtual assistants where they can share and receive practical information and high-quality tools to advance and improve their businesses. We also aim to facilitate the working relationships between virtual assistants and their clients by providing information about the industry and assisting clients in their search for a virtual assistant.

The site features articles (written and submitted by virtual assistants and clients), free resources, products, an RFP system, and a variety of other information you can use to expand your business. As a member, you can participate in a rewards system that awards points for a number of activities. Points can be redeemed for free products, services and discounts.

Please visit the site and sign up today...and, as always, I'd love to hear what you think!

Secret #19: No Doubt

2009-02-11T07:45:00-05:00

One key to being successful as a business owner has to do with your mindset. In order to be successful, you must think like a successful person. It is all about attitude; be confident in your abilities and don’t listen to the naysayers. Also make sure you build a network of people that will support and nurture you. You can also practice daily affirmations and other self development exercises to help build up your confidence. It may sound silly, but it works!

This post is expanded from Chapter 6: My Top 20 Secrets to Success in the book, VA Secrets Revealed! An Insider's Guide to Being a Successful Virtual Assistant. Grab a copy and follow along as I blog!

Secret #16: Give it a Home

2009-02-03T06:43:00-05:00

You just received payment from a client; a nice big check for all the hard work you did over the course of the month. You put it on your desk and the next day when you're on your way to the bank, you go to grab it and it's missing! Two hours later, you find it behind your filing cabinet with the birthday card you were supposed to send to your Uncle Bob last month.

There is no better reason than being a business owner to get organized. There are so many important client documents, reference materials and tools you will need to be able to access quickly. When setting up your office, create a system that is simple to maintain, allows you to file quickly during your day, and helps you find what you’re looking for right away.

And don't forget about electronic organization. You should have a working system for files on your computer and a system for organizing your e-mail, too.

Mistake #2: Forgetting Who’s Boss

2009-01-28T09:39:00-05:00

A common challenge among virtual assistants is understanding the different between being a business owner and an employee. This is especially true if the work you are doing as a VA is similar to what you did as an employee.

Accepting the business owner vs. employee differences is a responsibility of both you and your clients. You need to be firm with your business policies, what you will do and won’t do, and how you want to work. And then make sure your clients are aware of it.

Keep in mind that working with a VA will also be a new experience for many of your clients, so it’s up to you to educate them about what it means to be a VA and how you have decided to run your business.

And don’t forget about your independent contractor agreement! It’s a must-have tool for your business because it protects you and your clients and can serve as a reminder on how the virtual assistance relationship works.

This post is expanded from Chapter 2: The Biggest Mistakes VAs Make in the book, VA Secrets Revealed! An Insider's Guide to Being a Successful Virtual Assistant. Grab a copy and follow along as I blog!

Secret #9: Call in the Cavalry

2009-01-20T08:19:00-05:00

Learning to recognize when you need support is a very powerful skill in business ownership. It’s so much more effective to have all hands on deck to work through a problem instead of waiting until the 11th hour and scrambling.

Even if you’re not at the point where you need help, create a plan now and you will be happy you did.

Secret #7: Back It Up, Please

2009-01-16T10:27:00-05:00

If you only implement one tip from the book, this is the one! One of the most important things you can do for your business is create back-up copies of everything. That means make copies of all of your files, settings and everything else you store on your computer to an external media, i.e., somewhere other than on your computer.

The purpose of this is to prevent loss of work, files, client data and e-mails. If your computer crashes -- which unfortunately is not an uncommon occurrence -- and you don’t have your information backed up externally, you are going to have one huge headache, lose a lot of money, and possibly have to rebuild your business from scratch.

Read this article outlining some options for creating backups of your data.

Time-Saving Online Services for Work at Home Moms

2009-01-15T10:05:37-05:00

When you work from home, it can be difficult to avoid getting caught up in the non-work things that need to be done. You see the unwashed floor, are reminded by the clothes that need to be returned, and get to look at the pile of ironing until you find the time to get it all done.

So what's a WAHM to do? Unfortunately, we have to fit it all in. Here are a few time-saving online services to help those faced by the housework/family/errand time-killers find a little more time for work and have a little less on their to-do list.

Read Full Article

Work From Home Jobs - Weeding Out the Scams

2009-01-08T21:51:42-05:00

Work from home opportunities are appealing for entrepreneurs looking for some extra income, professionals who work full-time outside the home and want to supplement their salary, and those interested in finding a way to make enough money to be able to work from home. How can you weed out the scams and find legitimate opportunities?

If you do a search online, you will find thousands of websites promising lucrative work from home jobs. Unfortunately, very few are actually legitimate. Not only do the scams waste your time, but if you haven't done your research, they can cost you money as well.

Read Full Article

Secret #10: Cha-Ching

2009-01-07T07:22:38-05:00

One of the most exciting parts of business ownership is making money, so you need to develop your billing policies well before getting your first client. There's nothing worse than speaking with a prospective client and being tongue-tied when she asks you how you invoice. Here are some tips for making sure you have your bases covered:

Decide on Payment Methods -- Do you plan to accept payment by check or do you want to take credit card as well? Are you going to use a service like PayPal?
Create a Monthly Schedule -- Pick one day a month to do invoicing. It’s also great if you can coordinate your monthly bill payments on the same day.
Bill in Increments -- Decide how you want to bill for your time, i.e., actual time spent, in 6-minute increments, 15-minute increments, etc.
Track Your Time -- You will definitely want to use a time tracking application to keep tabs on your work for clients. Most have a "punch-in/out" function so you can accurately account for your time, even if you quickly switch from one task to another.
Keep Clients Informed -- There can be nothing more shocking for a client who gets a humongous invoice at the end of the month that they weren't expecting. Keep them updated on how much time you have put in. I do this by sending my retainer clients a weekly time report at the end of each week, showing them what tasks I spent time on each day. It carries a running total for each week and month. This also comes in very handy at month’s end when I do my invoicing. The VA Resource Toolkit Online Edition includes a sample time report you can use in your business.
Follow Up When Overdue -- You should create a plan for following up with clients who are late in paying. How long are you giving your clients to pay your invoices? What type of reminder will you send them? Will you cease all work until you are paid?

You may also want to consider hiring a bookkeeper. A professional can do a thorough job managing your monthly books, submit any required forms and prepare your files at year-end for your accountant. Not to mention this will free up your time to focus on what you do best!

Secret #17: Go for the Wow

2009-01-06T13:50:38-05:00

Want to know one of the best, easiest and least expensive ways to get clients? Make your current clients happy. Actually, make them more than happy -- make them ecstatic. And they will pass it on. Word of mouth marketing works!

Here are some things you can start doing today:

Do more than a client expects whenever possible -- By going the extra mile, you are telling your clients that you care about their businesses and they are more likely to trust you with future work.

Always pay attention to the details -- don’t send back work that is not your best. Be focused on the work you are doing for each and every client, when you are doing it.

Think about the big picture -- If you come across a process or system that you think would work better during a project you are working on, don’t be shy! Let the client know. Most clients will be very receptive to your input if it will save them time and money down the line.

By considering each client as a partner, you will build long-term relationships that will invaluable to both you and the client.