Looking to build your VA business fast? You might just want to get to know your fellow Virtual Assistants. Yes, “the competition“. If you haven’t noticed already, the VA industry is a world its own unlike any other.

VAs have forged their own online community- one that you’ll want to be part of if you’re going to give your business the best possible advantage. Virtual Assistants are, by nature, supportive people (go figure!) and not just when their pocketbooks benefit from their contributions. In general – and to a surprising degree- they are more than happy to offer advice and save newer VAs from learning some of the toughest lessons the hard way. VAs also like to pool their knowledge and share helpful resources, understanding that by strengthening the industry itself, they all benefit.

A great way to connect with other Virtual Assistants is to join a forum made for VAs by VAs. Personally, I like <a href=”http://www.virtualassistantforums.com/. It’s free to join and offers a tremendous amount of information, resources and support.

VAs also frequently work with each other, either assisting with overflow work or teaming up on larger projects that they wouldn’t be able to take on by themselves. They also refer prospects to each other, if a task is beyond their area of expertise. Of course, to use this strategy with your own business, it helps not to be a stranger to other VAs. They’ll want to feel familiar with you and trust your work ethic before teaming up or referring their own clients to you.

So get to know your out-of-office mates. You’re certain to benefit from the experience, and you’ll probably make some great friends in the process!

I have heard the question posed:

Will the slowing economy hurt your Virtual Assistant business?

My short answer is no. But if you’d like to know how I arrive it, please read on.

In a slower economy, more than ever, small businesses and entrepreneurs need to become more value-centric. Every dollar counts and has to deliver maximum benefit.

Well, that is what being a Virtual Assistant has always been about. VAs provide excellent value by providing expert support and billing the client only for the time spent doing so. For many small businesses, teaming with a Virtual Assistant can save them a ton of money over the prospect of hiring an employee (who may not even be as qualified as a VA) and incurring the additional costs of payroll taxes, sick time, vacation pay, office space and equipment allocation, and then some.

If you have been reluctant to market your VA business because the economy hasn’t been so great, it’s high time you start doing so. Small businesses still need expert support and exceptional value, two things that have been the hallmark of the VA industry since its inception.

I was really excited earlier this month when JumpUp asked if they could spotlight my business on their website. My feature just went live today and can be viewed at http://www.jumpup.com/spotlights/rosanna.

More importantly, though, is that JumpUp is a free small business resource that can provide you with invaluable information, resources and advice on some of the toughest aspects of running a business. It also allows you to network with other small business owners who have been through a lot of the same things that may be going on in your business today.

Whatever stage your business is in, whether you have questions about funding, marketing, choosing a name, creating a business plan, or any one of the myriad of issues that they cover, you can find a ton of information and ideas on just the topic you’re looking for.

There is a myth out there that in order to grow your business, your services have to be cheaper than your competitors. If you want out from under the pressure of this untruth, read on.

I was talking just the other day to a prospect. He said he was very impressed during our initial consultation but that he was also considering another VA whom he had been speaking with whose rates were lower than mine. He said he’d let me know in the next few days whom he had chosen.

When I had first gone into business years ago, hearing this would have prompted me to immediately try to beat her rates. Instead, I followed up with an email thanking him for the opportunity to discuss his administrative support needs. I acknowledged that I am not the cheapest VA out there but that my focus is on providing exemplary quality and service to my clients. I take a personal stake in their success and if he chose me to provide VA services, he would receive that same treatment. I attached a copy of my contract for his consideration and two days later, he returned it to me signed.

I am not saying that it’s always wrong to compete on your rates. But the sooner you realize that there will ALWAYS be someone who is cheaper than you are, the better off you and your business will be. So if there will always be someone who is willing to do what you do for less, you can’t compete on that level unless you are looking to become an administrative support charity instead of a business. And what would the point be then?

What you must do is compete on a different level- one that should matter to your client even more than price. Quality and value. Start selling your prospects on that notion and you’ll become an indispensable part of their businesses. Instead of providing cut rate services, you will be offering your clients a true partner in their success — someone they can depend on to get the job done correctly and on time every time.

The services of a competent Virtual Assistant will often pay for themselves in terms of increased opportunities created for their clients by allowing them to effectively leverage their time and focus on growing their businesses. Believe me, once they experience working with a professional VA who can make their administrative headaches a thing of the past, they’ll be happy that they decided to pay a little more to get an experienced Virtual Assistant.

Set your rates honestly and stick to them. If you have a prospect who seems disproportionately focused on price, chances are they will become a Pandora’s Box of constant complaints, issues and conflict as a client.

Virtual Assistant project management has just soared to a new height with the web-based application, ClientSpot. It’s designed to help Virtual Assistants track projects, files, deadlines and time. If you have ever tried to manage all of your pans in the fire with a generic project management program, you may have been left with a number of work-arounds that you had to create in order to make it work for you. Not very efficient, is it? Especially when efficiency is the name of the game when it comes to being a successful VA.

ClientSpot is different because it was developed specifically with Virtual Assistants and freelancers in mind. It allows you to handle multiple remote clients effectively, not to mention almost effortlessly. In addition, it provides great value to your clients by providing them with a single place to assign tasks, upload and download files, discuss projects, and monitor progress.

“I think what makes ClientSpot unique is that it’s really focused on the needs of virtual assistants. For example, a major focus has been making sure the system is easy enough for clients to use without getting overwhelmed. We’ve also added features like tracking retainer hours based on feedback from VAs,” says Dave Churchville of ClientSpot.

If storage or security is a concern to you — as it is to all VAs — you will be thrilled to know that they have generous file storage allotments included in their cost-effective plans as well as the option to enable SSL for all communications. It’s one way that they enable you to further safeguard your clients’ sensitive information.

Another impressive thing about ClientSpot is that they really listen to the feedback they get. They are always in search of ways to make their application even more indispensable to busy Virtual Assistants and their clients. In fact, when you email them, someone actually gets back to you promptly- and not by generic form emails. Yes, real professional contact from a software development company that really cares about its customers!

Now you are probably wishing I would hurry up with the rest of this post so you can try it out for yourself. Oh, did I mention that you can set up a free account to see why I am raving over this software? Simply go to http://www.myclientspot.com.

You can also see a short demo video (with sound) at http://www.myclientspot.com/tour/.

As you know, I am big on networking — and for good reason. It works. When it comes to online networking, there are a lot of great options available. From time to time in the weeks ahead, I will be filling you in on some of my favorite online business networking sites.

LinkedIn is a very popular site that is powerful yet easy to use. You will find some of the most respected names in business networking there- a testimony to the value of LinkedIn.

Start with a free membership that has plenty of functionality. Connect with your existing clients and contacts — and develop new ones as well. LinkedIn allows you to search your existing Outlook contacts to identify people you aready know who are also members of LinkedIn. With just a couple clicks of the mouse you can invite them to join your LinkedIn network. You can also invite people who aren’t yet members to join and link up with you.

LinkedIn also allows you to ask questions to your network, fostering a collaborative environment that can be so beneficial to your business. On the flipside, who knows, you just may have an idea that can help one of your contacts or a member of their network. LinkedIn offers you a place to really shine and show that you know your stuff!

As you know, it is all about visibility when it comes to running a VA business. The more places you can be found online, the more avenues you have to finding new clients.

I love networking mixers. Almost enough to order a bumpersticker that says so. If it has been a while since you have been to your last business networking mixer, now is the time to plan for the next one that you’ll attend. If you have never been to one, you’re really missing out on some phenomenal opportunities for your VA business.

Networking is important. Virtual Assistants are often good at networking online, but face-to-face networking should be equally important to you. Business networking mixers are great because you get to meet other professionals in a relaxed and casual environment. You will be amazed at the phenomenal contacts you will make at a mixer.

A lot of overstressed business owners and professionals have never heard of a Virtual Assistant, much less considered the benefits of teaming with one. It’s a great opportunity to introduce an option to them that can have an exponential impact on their success and dave their sanity at the same time. And by building a professional relationship with the businesses and people in your area, they develop a favorable impression of the VA industry.

If you are looking to get all you can out of the next business networking mixer that you attend, you may want to try the following:

So look in your local paper, call your chamber of commerce, read your local business publications and find out when the next business mixer is being held and make plans to attend. You will be glad that you did.

Do you ever wonder what your clients really think about your services? Maybe you should enlist the help of a monkey – SurveyMonkey, that is. It may have a cute little name, but rest assured, the folks here don’t “monkey” around when it comes to providing priceless insight into what your clients are thinking about your services.

SurveyMonkey allows you to create and distribute dynamic surveys that get to the heart of what is really important to your clients. Clients receive their survey via email and follow the simple instructions to access their secure questionnaire online where the results are collected and stored.

This clever little monkey then compiles the survey data and helps you analyze your results far more in-depth than if you set out to do this on your own with a paper survey. From collective graphs and charts to individual responses, SurveyMonkey provides the results in every format you could dream of and even allows you to download the full report in just seconds.

Just imagine what you could do with all this information! Perhaps the best part is that they offer an extremely functional FREE package. It’s a great reason to visit SurveyMonkey today!

Spring is just around the corner (I am pretty sure it’s in sight, anyway), and many of us engage in our “spring cleaning” rituals around the house. It’s such a good feeling to have everything in order and to check those elusive tasks off your list that you hadn’t found time to do in the weeks (okay, let’s be realistic- months) past.

While you are enjoying the fresh start at home, why not carry that same mindset into your VA business? Plan to set aside a block of time in the next 30 days to improve your organization as well as tackle some of those tasks that you haven’t been able to get to recently.

Whatever it is that you have had on your list or in the back of your mind, now is the time to invest in your Virtual Assistant business and plan to do a little “spring cleaning”. Chances are you will stumble upon some great ideas in the process!

It is quite possible that there is no better, more effective method of advertising than referrals from your clients. They have experienced firsthand the value of teaming with a Virtual Assistant, and their respected word and opinion almost instantly propels you into a “trusted agent” status with the associate whom they are sharing the benefits of a VA with.

Think about it. Others see your clients’ success and satisfaction, and they naturally start to want that for themselves. Once they hear about your services, they are many times more likely to sign on with you than the average prospect who just happened upon one of your advertisements. They have already been sold on your service. They just need a place to sign.

Referrals are tremendously powerful and offer your business a chance to grow like no other, but there is one significant caveat. If you don’t ask for them (and do so properly), you are never going to be able harness their full potential. Creating a referral program is a great way to do that. By incentivizing your clients to provide their glowing testimonials of your services to others, they will actually seek opportunities to spread the word about you!

Here are three tips for developing a business building referral program:

Starting a referral program was by far the most effective business building strategy for my business. I was amazed at the response and the enthusiasm of my clients to refer their friends, family and associates to me. The benefits have greatly outweighed the costs, and I couldn’t have gotten the same results from spending the same amount on other forms of advertising. Of course, other methods of advertising have their place, but a referral program is at the top of the list for me.