Skip to content

Favourite Tools for VAs: Zapier

Zapier is an automation service that allows you to connect two unrelated programs, so that they can work together. For instance, when someone signs up for a Go to Webinar event, you can have Zapier ‘talk to’ Aweber so that your registrant automatically gets added to a list in Aweber, and can then get your follow up sequences. There are a lot of different programs that you can integrate with Zapier. They have a free level as well as a premium levels depending on the programs you want to integrate. Some free ones include: Facebook, Twitter, Trello, Google Sheets, Paypal, Slack, Google Calendar, Mailchimp, Evernote, WordPress, Asana, Office 365,. Gmail, and so much more. Another few examples: – publish a… Read More »Favourite Tools for VAs: Zapier

Stop Confusing Your Potential VA Clients

When you attend a networking event, are you nervous beforehand? You’re not alone. Do you get anxious thinking of what people might ask you? Do you get freaked out because you think you will not say the right thing? Happens to the best of us! But … do you rehearse what you will say to them in return? Probably not! The most important part of the networking action is what you say. You can meet 100 people or 5, but if you don’t say the right thing to all of them, your actions are useless, and your time (and theirs!) is wasted. The words that come out of your mouth will make or break any networking connection that you make. I… Read More »Stop Confusing Your Potential VA Clients

Favourite Tools for VAs: Audacity

Audacity is a free audio editing software that I use a lot in my business. My clients record their training calls and Audacity makes it very simple to edit the audio to add new sections, take out what we don’t want, and even merge two audios together. It’s an invaluable tool for me, because it helps me provide an add-on service for my clients. I also use it to do all of my own audio work. I really enjoy it! It’s got a lot of other great features too, like a sound mixer and audio recording software. I use it very simply in my business. 🙂 It is very easy to use too. What more could you ask for? Check it… Read More »Favourite Tools for VAs: Audacity

7 Tips for Better Face to Face Networking Results

Here is a cool stat for you from a great infographic from Virgin Entrepreneur: 95% say face to face meetings are essential for long-term business relationships. Now I know we are all virtual professionals, and I’ve done my fair share of hiding behind my computer screen. ‘I don’t do in-person meetings.’ ‘I don’t do Skype or Facetime.’ ‘Thanks for the invitation to coffee, but I only do phone meetings.’ ‘You can only reach me via email. It’s how I work.’ I’ve said these things to my clients and potential clients. I still say them! BUT in terms of networking, there are many cases where meeting face to face (either in a small business setting or a large event) can really fast-track your business… Read More »7 Tips for Better Face to Face Networking Results

Make a Decision Now – What Do You Want to Do?

Do you like vacuuming? I can’t stand it. I tend to do it quickly to get it overwith so it makes me all hot and sweaty. Just probably my least favourite household chore. I do a decent job but I often take shortcuts because I just dislike it that much. I also don’t like ironing, but I’m good at it so there’s that. I tend to iron as we need things though, instead of doing it all at once like my Mom used to do. I do like dusting. I have this amazing furniture polish from Melaleuca that I really like. It smells great and it really does a beautiful job. And I quite enjoy doing the laundry. I get into… Read More »Make a Decision Now – What Do You Want to Do?

Favourite Tools for VAs: Square

Square is such a handy payment tool.  If you want to take credit cards in your business, it’s a simple solution whether you are doing business in person or over the Internet. It’s a simple device & app for your smartphone that allows you to process orders and send receipts to your customers. The money you collect gets deposited to your bank account the following day, making it faster than Paypal. The fee is slightly higher – about 3% – but can be worth it if you are at a live event or in my case this week Paypal wouldn’t accept my client’s credit card. (Paypal makes up its own rules sometimes!) So I ran it through my Square without… Read More »Favourite Tools for VAs: Square

How to Fire a Virtual Assistant Client 

Have you ever wanted to fire a client? The anxiety that comes with not being happy working with someone can paralyze you. I know, it’s happened to me. You open your email and you see their name. Your blood pressure rises. You read every little inflection in their emails with a negative voice. You complain to your colleagues (hopefully not on public social media!) and your family about said client. It’s time to fire them. But here’s the thing – it’s business, it’s not personal. That’s what we talk about in today’s training call: How to Fire a Client. There is a good process that you can use that will help you to still be a good business owner even… Read More »How to Fire a Virtual Assistant Client 

Favourite Tools for VAs: Office 365

Office 365 is one of the indispensable tools that I use in my business. Almost everyone uses a software package like this in our line of business, and when I discovered Office 365 I bought it and never looked back at an actual program install again! Office 365 Business costs only about $10 / month and you get desktop and web versions of all of the MS Office Suite of products for web and mobile. The versions are always kept up to date, and you can install on 5 devices for that price. It’s crazy! And you get 1 TB of storage space online too – so everything is in the cloud and you can access anything you need anywhere. So… Read More »Favourite Tools for VAs: Office 365