This week I am celebrating my 7th anniversary of Your VA Mentor (I began teaching in 2010).
It’s very exciting, and it occurred to me that perhaps I should share my tips with you, for how to remain in business long-term.
They are simple tips, and they are ones that I have lived by over the last 7 years. Now granted I have not run Your VA Mentor full time up until now, but I have spent a lot of time and money keeping it in business to serve you – and I’ve done it by using the tips below!
1. Start with your passion.
Whatever you decide to do in your business, know that you will have hard times. You will face challenges. You will not get up and be excited to go to work every day. So you need to have a basic passion for what you are doing – a deep feeling that you know you are helping someone else have a better business, or a better life. When you know that deep down, you will find the perseverance to push through the tough days to the better ones ahead.
2. Be positive.
It’s just that simple. You have to remain positive in the face of adversity – or when you are tired, which can be often when you are a business owner! Maintaining a positive attitude can be tough on your own, so seek out and build a support network. Find someone you can call when you are having a difficult day, or when you need to vent or even celebrate. Just because we work alone during the day doesn’t mean we need to do it all alone.
3. Be generous.
If you are working with clients, get invested in their business. The more you become part of the fabric of their business, the more you can do for them – and the more they will do for you. That way in your normal travels if you notice something that could potentially be of benefit to their business, you will notice it and bring it to their attention. There is nothing that can build your business faster than helping someone else to build theirs. Share your best resources when you are networking. People appreciate great resources no matter where you go.
4. Be yourself.
Although it’s not necessary to cross our business and personal lives, I think it’s essential to bring your personality into your business. People will do business with you because they like you – so let your personality shine. It will be the truest form of yourself that you can be, and it’s so easy to maintain when you don’t have to think about who you have to be in any particular situation.
5. Be consistent.
Consistency in marketing and message are the most important pieces of business at times. If you disappear for months at a time because you get busy doing client work, you will have to work that much harder to get back into the minds of your potential clients. Whatever you are doing to network or market your business, make sure it is manageable so that you can keep it up. Visibility is everything, at all stages of your business.
6. Get support.
If you don’t know how to do something, you must learn how to do it, or get someone to do it for you. If you consistently try to teach yourself every last thing in your business, you will lose valuable time which should be spent networking, looking for new clients, or working with your existing clients. Getting support can be outsourcing some of your own tasks, or it can be your personal development through training or coaching. I highly recommend implementing some of each in your business. It just takes a little planning and you will see results in all areas!
7. Do what you say you will do.
When you take on a project or a client, get the job done. Nothing will build your business like having happy clients. If you don’t like working with someone, then transition them out, but always complete your tasks to the best of your ability. When you do this for others, you receive the same in return.
I could go on all day, truly. These are simple tips but sometimes we can’t see the forest for the trees.
Sustainability comes from being stable, being yourself, and consistently marketing and networking – and from not trying to do it all yourself.
No matter what size your business is, you simply can’t do it all and remain in business long-term. Either lack of revenue or burnout will get you in the end.
We think we have to do everything ourselves and we end up getting far less accomplished than we expect to.
We end up not having enough clients because we are too busy doing things that aren’t bringing in any money.
Start with a few simple tips like this, and implement them one at a time.
When you determine your passion, write it out and post it on your office wall, to serve as a reminder every day of why you are doing what you are doing.
Check in on yourself to be sure that you are maintaining a positive attitude. Find that colleague that you can buddy up with to support each other.
Don’t keep your tips a secret. When you learn how to do something or when you find something useful, share it with others. They will remember and respect you for it.
Share your personality in all of your interactions – with clients, in your networking – business is so much easier when you are not pretending to be someone else.
Never disappear. When you commit to doing something like posting to your Facebook page daily or doing videos, or writing blog posts or sending newsletters, do what you say you were going to do. If you need to adjust your schedule, do so, but always keep moving forward. People forget you when you are not around consistently.
Consider investing in training or coaching if you are stuck or struggling. If you have not done so yet, you don’t really know the value you can get from a good coach or trainer.
Be a good VA.
Work within your abilities and complete work according to deadlines. Sometimes this is the biggest downfall of VAs who do not succeed. Give yourself a chance and others will too!
I hope these tips are helpful to you. Step back, look at the ones that could be impacting your business, and make a conscious effort to implement change.
You will see the difference it makes in your business – success is within your reach. Longevity in business comes from taking little steps in the right direction, every single day.
Take your first few steps starting today! If I can help, don’t hesitate to reach out!