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Podcast: Your VA Business is Business, Not Personal

Today’s Quote: It’s not personal, Sonny. It’s strictly business. – Michael Corleone Welcome to another episode of the podcast that teaches you how to be a ridiculously good virtual assistant. Today we are going to talk about business. Click the play button above to tune in, or choose your favourite podcast player below:   Connect with Tracey D’Aviero, VA Coach and Trainer         Episode Notes: You have probably heard me say more than once that business is business, it’s not personal. Michael Corleone said it in The Godfather series and I agree. When we let our emotions dictate business decisions or communications or boundaries, we can be heading for problems. Is there a place for being personal?… Read More »Podcast: Your VA Business is Business, Not Personal

Is It Time to Raise Your Virtual Assistant Rates?

If you are wondering if it’s time to raise your Virtual Assistant rates, then it’s probably time. Raising your rates is a natural step in any business – and if you don’t have a plan in place to do it regularly, you should put one in place now. How do you know if it’s time to raise your rates? Well, if you are thinking about it for any reason, then you probably know it’s time. But here are a few reasons that you should be thinking about it: If you have worked with a client for a period of one year and have not increased their rate If you have started providing newer or higher-level services through experience and training… Read More »Is It Time to Raise Your Virtual Assistant Rates?

Podcast: Time Management – VAs Are You Doing It Wrong?

Today’s Quote: Time is the most valuable coin in your life. You and you alone will determine how that coin will be spent. Be careful that you do not let other people spend it for you. – Carl Sandburg Welcome to another episode of the podcast that teaches you how to be a ridiculously good virtual assistant. Today we are talking about time management. This is something that so many VAs come to me for help with. Click the play button above to tune in, or choose your favourite podcast player below:   Connect with Tracey D’Aviero, VA Coach and Trainer         Episode Notes: Why is time management so important in your Virtual Assistant business? We all… Read More »Podcast: Time Management – VAs Are You Doing It Wrong?

3 Challenges to Being a Virtual Assistant (and how to fix them!)

Running a business is challenging, and a VA business is no different. If you are struggling, it’s normal. There are a lot of challenges that a VA can face, without realizing that they are even struggling. Here are three big ones (and how to fix them!) 1. Loneliness Working by yourself is so appealing when you first start out. No distractions, no interruptions, no one else making decisions except you. It’s pure bliss! But soon enough, the solitude can really weigh on you. It doesn’t happen for everyone, but it’s very common, and if you are experiencing loneliness, know that it’s perfectly normal. But you do have to get out of it! How to fix it: Find a trusted small… Read More »3 Challenges to Being a Virtual Assistant (and how to fix them!)

3 Steps to Getting Better VA Clients From Discovery Calls

Do you find yourself doing a lot of discovery calls but not signing Virtual Assistant clients? The discovery call is usually the first one-to-one conversation you have with a potential client. The objective for any discovery call is simple: to sign the client. Right? Yes and no. If you are going into every call thinking that you need to sign the client, you are taking the wrong approach. And either you are not getting the client – or you are getting bad clients! Here are 3 steps to getting better VA clients from your discovery calls: 1. Ask Questions The most important thing you need to do on the call is to ask questions. What does the client need? Do… Read More »3 Steps to Getting Better VA Clients From Discovery Calls

Help! How Do I Fix Scope Creep in My VA Business?

Quick question: do you love everything you do every day for all of your Virtual Assistant clients? Many VAs I talk to can’t say they love everything they do. Some of them don’t even LIKE what they are doing. It is so important for the longevity of your VA business (and you as a business owner) that you make it a priority to enjoy what you are doing every day. Ask yourself why you are doing things that aren’t really your specialty, or that you don’t really like to do. Is it because you are their ‘assistant’ and so you think you have to do whatever your client asks you to do? Is it because you are afraid that the… Read More »Help! How Do I Fix Scope Creep in My VA Business?

7 Communication Tips to Make You a Better VA

Do you think of yourself as a good communicator? To work virtually like we all do as VAs, communication is one of the most important skills you should build. I often get asked what the most important skill is for a Virtual Assistant to have. Hands down I would say good communication skills – actually GREAT communication skills. When we work mostly virtually (usually via email or a project management system), how we work with clients comes down to how well we understand each other. You need to understand what your clients are asking you to do. Your clients need to understand how or when you work as well as when you will deliver, and how to get what they… Read More »7 Communication Tips to Make You a Better VA

Looking for the Upside During Challenging Times

The world has been slowed to a crawl because of Coronavirus. How are you coping? When things aren’t going the way we want them to in our business – we don’t have enough clients, or we don’t make enough money, or we burn ourselves out because we don’t charge enough (or can’t say no to a client) – it is easy (oh so easy!) to get down. It is easy to let the bad stuff overtake your mind, and your thoughts. With a pandemic, many things are out of our control. It can be even harder to see the upside. You might realllly have to look for it some days. Here are a few tips that might help: 1. Talk… Read More »Looking for the Upside During Challenging Times