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How To Respond to an RFP for a Virtual Assistant

Recently I put out a job request  and every time I do, I am reminded that not everyone knows exactly how to respond to a one. Or to an official Request for Proposal. Today we are going to cover just how to do it properly. When someone sends out a job request of any kind, they are usually looking for specific skills. Now sometimes they send out a laundry list of skills with the hope that one person can do it all. But most of the time they will realize that they need more than one person. If the potential client is smart, they will tell people to respond with whatever skills they have so that they then the client… Read More »How To Respond to an RFP for a Virtual Assistant

My Challenge to You

We are heading into the final quarter of the year already. So with the beginning of a new quarter upon us, it’s time for a challenge! Pick a goal, any goal. No, not really. Pick one of these goals: 1. Get one new client. 2. Develop a new daily routine. 3. Set communication boundaries for your clients. 4. Raise your rates. 5. Set up or update your networking calendar. Okay so there are five good goals. Pick one that you want to achieve. Now here is the challenge. Set the deadline to achieve that goal in 30 days. Write the deadline on your calendar. State your intention. So today is September 23rd. If you choose number one, ‘I will get… Read More »My Challenge to You

The Power of Social Media

Be careful what you say on social media. I know, you’ve heard this before. But it really is true. First of all, when you put something out there on social media, it never really goes away. And secondly, you could really, really hurt someone (personal or business) with your ‘share’. I’ve seen many people get emotional and rant about various things. I’ve seen people overshare (I love that word!) and I’ve seen people say things they later come to regret. But here’s the thing. When you put something out there, if anyone shares it, you run the risk of it staying online forever. Even if you come back to delete it from your own profile. We learned that this week… Read More »The Power of Social Media

Here’s An Idea For You

Summer has come to an end, at least the actual ‘days off from school’ part of summer. So that means that everyone is getting back to business as usual. Do you work summer hours? I know many VAs who do, and it can be hard to get back into the routine when the fall hits. We are used to getting up late, maybe a reduced workload, perhaps shorter office hours. Leaping back in can be a shock to the system. So I have an idea for you. Why try to get ‘back’ into your old routine? Why not actually form some new ones? Growing in your business only comes from change, and the first one you can change is your… Read More »Here’s An Idea For You

Time to Celebrate!

The last few weeks we have had a few parties at our house celebrating various events. Celebrating is always so much fun, and it only takes someone to have a party to do it. So this reminds me that we need to celebrate ourselves in business as well, and I know a lot of people who never do that. Each week I talk to my coaching clients and we talk about what they are doing, what the plan for the week is, and how they did with their goals. Sometimes, they are pretty down on themselves when they feel like they are running to catch up, or they didn’t get done what they had planned. So we talk about the… Read More »Time to Celebrate!

What Is Your Biggest Fear?

I was talking with a colleague recently about success – or lack of success. It was a pretty general conversation but we were talking about VAs and mindset to start with and it morphed into this conversation about what everyone really wants. What we want. What do you want? What are you afraid of? Our fear can often cripple us as business owners. We can be afraid to make decisions because we don’t know what the outcome might be. Have you ever had these feelings? If you have, you are perfectly normal!! Fear of the unknown is one big reason I recommend having an accountability partner or coach. It helps you to push past the hesitation – however small or large –… Read More »What Is Your Biggest Fear?

It’s Not Personal, It’s Business

This week I have seen a common theme running through various Facebook groups for VAs. Well, I see it quite often but for some reason this week it really became noticeable on several groups. It’s about personal versus business. The whole concept.  One of the things I have learned in my business life is that most men handle business decisions VERY differently than most women do. Most men treat their business like a business.They make decisions for the good of the business, not because they think people will like them better or because they think that people will judge them for making a hard decision. Most women tend to treat their business as their pet project, or even as extension of their… Read More »It’s Not Personal, It’s Business

What Makes You Different Than Other Virtual Assistants?

Have you ever had anyone ask you why your clients work with you? As a coach, I ask people this all the time. And a lot of time, I get the answer, ‘I don’t know.’ It’s okay to answer the question that way, but then we have to get into what the answer should be. Let’s take it from you being the consumer. It’s like anything you buy – what helps you to make the decision to pick one brand over another? I’ll use my toothpaste example! (I use this in my Getting Started program!) One toothpaste is family size. Another is travel size. One toothpaste is white paste. Another is gel. One toothpaste has whitening properties. Another does not. One is… Read More »What Makes You Different Than Other Virtual Assistants?