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Why Do Your Clients Choose You As Their Virtual Assistant?

I was reading a chapter in Blue Ocean Shift the other day that gave me pause to really think about what I am bringing to my clients. What makes me different than my competitors, and why people should choose to work with me, instead of another Virtual Assistant. Have you ever done this exercise for your VA business? Do you know why your clients work with you? Or if you don’t have clients yet, do you know why someone SHOULD work with you over someone else? If you haven’t stopped to think about this yet, I highly recommend that you do. As VAs, your own value can be a very tough thing to see in yourself. First, we are new to the industry and seemingly… Read More »Why Do Your Clients Choose You As Their Virtual Assistant?

Do I Really Need a Virtual Assistant Niche?

It seems one of the most controversial topics about being a VA is whether you need to specialize, or ‘niche’, your services. The conversations take place in networking situations, often started by newer Virtual Assistants who honestly don’t know what they should provide as services. More seasoned VAs are quite opinionated about the answer – and it’s largely due to the circumstances of their own experiences (which of course, is exactly where our opinions come from!). To Niche or Not to Niche? There are two schools of thought on this: School #1 says that you can offer any services you know how to do to any clients and build a bigger and better business. This group believes that your business… Read More »Do I Really Need a Virtual Assistant Niche?

Give Your Virtual Assistant Marketing Efforts a Fighting Chance

How is your marketing working for you? If you’re like most VAs, you have ideas of what you want to do in your business. Getting more clients almost always tops the list. And your marketing is the vehicle to help you get that done. But if you don’t have a plan, are you giving your marketing efforts a fighting chance? Making the decision to get your message out there is great. Deciding how to do that is a step that often gets left out – either due to lack of knowledge on how to do it, or perhaps a lack of strategic planning ability, or event just sheer desperation (sorry if this is you!). Getting clients is a stressful thing.… Read More »Give Your Virtual Assistant Marketing Efforts a Fighting Chance

What’s Your Morning Routine as a VA?

I have had several conversations about routines lately. I guess at this time of the year it can be challenging to get back into the swing of things after taking some time off for the holidays. Do you have a morning routine? The conversation I started was about your business routine, but certainly a lot of people talked about getting up early to work out, or walk pets, or read before getting started on work. I don’t have a real morning routine per se, but I do make a point of doing one thing: I do a whole hour of business work before I ever check email and voicemail. Every single morning.  I learned a long time ago that getting up and… Read More »What’s Your Morning Routine as a VA?

What’s working in your virtual assistant business? What’s not?

Ah the end of the year…! It brings with it mixed emotions for many. Sometimes we can get excited about the coming year and what’s in store for us. Sometimes it’s a time to reflect on what didn’t go right. Let’s face it, when you are doing your year end reports, sometimes they don’t look as great as you had hoped. Maybe you didn’t make as much money as you had expected. Maybe your expenses got out of control, and your profit is down. Maybe you worked really hard and are now in a position to need help but overwhelmed about how to do that. There are lots of emotions at play. I like to break this whole activity down… Read More »What’s working in your virtual assistant business? What’s not?

What I have learned (and from whom!) – a peek behind my VA business curtain!

I am a big advocate of professional development in business. I believe that in order to keep growing, you need to keep learning. And it’s definitely why I choose to teach! Of course in order to grow from your learning, you need to implement what you learn into your business. So although I suggest learning as much as you can, you still need to monitor what you are doing (especially the free stuff which can get out of control quickly!) so that you are only doing as much as you can implement. There will always be another social media class or planning day, but if you can’t put into practice what you are learning then you should think twice about… Read More »What I have learned (and from whom!) – a peek behind my VA business curtain!

Make Time for Marketing Your VA Business

In order to build your business, you have to make time for marketing. Many Virtual Assistants know this, but it can be difficult to find the time. And once we start working with clients, that always seems to take priority over marketing our own business, but it shouldn’t! Keeping your own marketing active is a key piece of ongoing business. People insist that they don’t have enough time to do everything, and certainly marketing falls to the bottom of the list. I know that it’s tough – believe me it’s the same for me sometimes. But I have seen the results when I do make time to market and so that keeps me finding time, even when it seems impossible.… Read More »Make Time for Marketing Your VA Business

Who Inspires You in your VA Business?

Who inspires you in your business? When we work alone all day, every day, sometimes inspiration is something that eludes us. At least on a regular basis. It’s important for Virtual Assistants to connect with people who inspire to do well, to build, to grow, or to do whatever it is you want to do with your business. I am on the mailing lists and in the social media groups of many, many people that I look to for inspiration. Sometimes I need inspiration to know that I am on the right path. Sometimes it’s to help me find my way through a period of growth. And sometimes it’s just to help me keep my mindset in a positive space.… Read More »Who Inspires You in your VA Business?