1. Change Your Business Voice Mail.  Make your message have some personality (you can do this and still be professional).My comment: I was reading an article by Paul Cherry
   and he recommends that your compelling message should focus on helping your prospects become better at, resolve, gain more control over, save time/money, or make their job easier. And be sure to keep your voice message to 30 seconds in length.
2. Buy Some Cool Thank You Cards.  Corporate thank you cards are boring because they are all about you and not about me (your customer).Your logo on the front of a thank you card doesn’t mean a darn thing. However, put a picture of something fun or a great quote and now you’ve got my attention.My comment: Well, I like the idea of putting my logo on the Thank You cards – maybe not front and center but down beside my signature for brand recognition. I will think about how I can do it in a “cool” way. Perhaps including an intriguing photo that would be meaningful to my coaching clients. 
3. Think of a Free Way to Promote Yourself Each Week.  Perhaps you can write an article for an association of your Ideal Customer; get a column in a weekly newspaper; ask for 3 referrals you’ve always been too chicken to ask for!My comment: Denise Wakeman
   recently had a contest where you could win one of two books if you posted on her Facebook Fan Page. A great example on promoting your business and your Facebook Fan Page.
4. Create A Club.  Hmmm – how could you create a club of customers that want to meet with each other once per month?My comment: Webinars are ideal for gathering your clients either online or over a telephone line. Make sure the topics help your clients solve their problems.
   You might also want to start a networking group in your local area that brings together your customers face-to-face each month.
5. Take A Valued Client For Lunch or Send Them a Gift.  OK – so you have these people who buy from you on a regular basis, spend big money and who refer you to others consistently. I think they deserve a Caesar salad at the very least don’t you??My comment: I like this idea. Lunch with clients who live close by and send a gift to clients who live at a greater distance away. So now you have five great ways for going from frumpy to fresh this week. Which one will you try first for your business?

Bev McCrostie, M.Ed.
Coordinator, Virtual Assistant Certificate
Red Deer College

Writing a Business Plan forces you to be more concrete and specific. Sure it is difficult and time-consuming. But as soon as you starting writing, you realize there are gaps in your knowledge of your target market, your competitors, your marketing strategies, and your financial projections.

Your Business Plan, will enable you to:

1. Identify who your target market is. Can you describe them in detail? What are their hobbies and interests? What is their biggest worry in life? What do they read and watch? Why would they choose your product or service? Knowing your target market gives you clear insight into which of your business features and benefits they would love.
2. Know who your competitors are. What are they good at and where are they weak? Can you provide quicker service, or give more for less money, or give better service for more money? As well, with so many businesses now online, you can’t say, “I don’t have any competitors in my town.” You will learn more about running a successful business from your competitors than anyone else.
3. Describe what marketing strategies you will use. If you are like most small business startups, you don’t have a lot of funds to allocate to marketing. Social media sites (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn) are an inexpensive way of getting the word out about your product. Why not offer your product or service as a prize on one of the popular blogs read by your target market. Make sure you look around your local area for business networking groups – they provide a wealth of contacts, information, and support for new businesses.
4. Chart out your revenue and expenses projections for Years 1, 3, and 5. As you set monetary goals for your business, put some stretch in so that you are motivated to achieve but not so unrealistic that you soon become discouraged. One of the first things you will discover is that you are not charging enough for your product/service. You will also discover that in order to reach your monetary goals between years 3 and 5, you will need to change, delete, or add to some of your business practices.

 Creating a Business Plan is like eating an elephant – easy if you do it one bite at a time. Start today by identifying who your target market is. Then move on to the other three until you have a clear Success Plan for your business.

Bev McCrostie, M.Ed.
Coordinator, Virtual Assistant Certificate
Red Deer College

Operating a virtual team isn’t the same as working in a brick and mortar building where you can shout over the cubicles. I’m very fortune to have an amazing team who supports me from different areas of the country. It can be tricky at times especially when everyone is in a different time zone.

We don’t just make it work; we’re a fine-oiled machine that hums. And I often get asked how we do it. I give much of the credit to my COO, Liz, who started out as my first VA (virtual assistant) a decade ago. We’ve learned a lot along the way, and these factors have played a major role in our success.

1. Communication.

This one may be obvious, but it can’t be overstated. Staying in touch with your virtual team is vital, especially because you don’t see each other every day. Our team uses every means of communication to touch base including phone, fax, email, Google chat, conference calls, regular team meetings, and in-person meetings whenever possible. We use simple yet effective methods such as marking an email urgent (red exclamation point in Outlook) or adding “HOT” in the subject line as an attention-grabber for top priority tasks.

2. Delegation.

I’ve learned to delegate absolutely everything that I possibly can. If you are one of those who says, “I can do it faster myself,” and do, then you will be in trouble real fast. Delegating a lot of little things really adds up as a big time saver, and will help in the long run big time. Only do the tasks that no one else can do, and delegate the rest. As your business grows, those delegated tasks will be handed down to new team members, and ultimately you’ll have many with cross-trained capabilities who you can shift around as needed.

3. Systematization.

Examples of systemizing include: creating procedures (written, video, audio depending on the situation), approval processes, checklists, storing information in a central online place that is backed up, cross-training, moving tasks around, etc. Our team has used Webex, Box.net, and BaseCamp, to keep the work flowing and secure.

Create systems wherever you can for several reasons:

a. Increasing efficiency

b. Decreasing occurrence of errors

c. Ensuring quality control

d. Maintaining the integrity of the information

e. Backing up your intellectual property

f. Easing team training

When there is a bump in the road, analyze your system, and make changes as necessary to keep everything running smoothly.

4. Showing Gratitude.

We have a hard-working team of highly motivated individuals who are more interested in getting it right than just getting it done. They foresee obstacles and devise solutions before they occur. When they do have challenges, they present them with potential solutions and a recommendation. If you have team members like this, you need to treat them well. Find out what kind of appreciation they like most: cash bonuses? flowers? chocolate? You may find that it’s the least expensive forms of appreciation that will go the furthest…a phone call, a “thanks” on a fax, a thank-you email, or a hand-written card.

5. Only Team Players, Please.

I remember being in corporate America, where some women were their own worst enemies…meow! As the owner of my own business, I have the privilege of hand-selecting my clients, vendors, and team members. It is so peaceful and productive to work with women (and men) who work well together. Simply put, we only work with supportive team players who work hard and care tremendously about what we are accomplishing. Grouches, gossips, and divas need not apply, and should be ousted immediately.

© 2010 Ali International, LLC

Self-made millionaire entrepreneur and Inc. 500-ranked CEO Ali Brown teaches women around the world how to start and grow profitable businesses that make a positive impact. Get her FREE weekly articles and advice at www.AliBrown.com

Stick to a schedule. True, working from home allows you to set your own schedule and gives you the flexibility to travel, take care of children, or otherwise tend to your personal life. But if clients never know when they’ll be able to reach you or if you sometimes sleep ‘til noon because you stayed up late watching movies, that can jeopardize your professional reputation. Your work hours will depend on the nature of your business and when you work best, but once you get into a schedule, try to follow it. And let your regular clients or customers know what those hours are. Being self-disciplined with your time means customers or clients can count on you and makes it easier to get work done.

Mind your social media use. Sites like Facebook and Twitter can be excellent tools for promoting your business and keeping in touch with old friends or colleagues. But if you get too personal or casual online, it can have an adverse effect on your business. Remember, anything you post online is public. Even if your settings are supposedly private, it’s easy for one of your contacts to take a screenshot or retweet something they find funny and/or offensive. Be friendly, but put on a professional face and always ask yourself how potential customers or clients might react to something you’ve posted.

Manage your incoming phone calls. If you use your cell phone for business and personal calls, remember to answer calls from unfamiliar numbers in a professional manner. Resist the urge to answer if you’re in a noisy bar or next to a screaming child. In fact, if you have young children, you should set up a separate phone line for your business and make sure you’re the only person who answers it.

Set up a separate workspace. Even if it’s a converted closet or a corner of your living room, having a space devoted to work helps you get into a business mindset that you’ll project to clients or customers. Having a designated workspace also helps you navigate issues of work/life balance. When you’re at your desk, it’s time to work. When you’re sitting on the couch watching TV, it’s time to relax.

Get out of the house when you have to. Sometimes it’s hard to feel like a professional when you’re surrounded by laundry that needs to be folded or toys that need to be put away. In those cases, it makes sense to work somewhere else, at least part of the time. It’s also smart to have a place outside of your home for meetings. Co working spaces often let you rent conference space by the hour or the day. You could also partner with another small business to share meeting or office space.

The bottom line? Maintain a professional mindset and create some separation (physically and mentally) between your business and your personal life.

© 2010 Ali International

Self-made millionaire entrepreneur and Inc. 500-ranked CEO Ali Brown teaches women around the world how to start and grow profitable businesses that make a positive impact. Get her FREE weekly articles and advice at http://www.alibrown.com/

Darrell Harmon, of People Smarts, often uses examples from home in his business training sessions to explain how crucial conversations and crucial confrontations can be handled. Darrell used to say, “My wife does Pampered Chef.” Well yes, that is Jennifer’s business, and she has been a successful consultant for the past 13 years.

But here are the phrases Jennifer asked her husband to use to create an interest in her business:

“My wife goes into homes and teaches cooking skills.”
“My wife teaches women meal planning and cooking tips.”
“My wife shares with other women how to bring the family back around the table.”

The results – increased sales!

Have you been overlooking the opportunity to have your spouse or other family members network for you?

Bev McCrostie, M.Ed.
Virtual Assistant Certificate
Red Deer College
Bev.mccrostie@rdc.ab.ca
www.virtualassist.ca

Last Friday I attended the Startup Princess Annual Conference for Women Entrepreneurs in Salt Lake City, Utah. During Heather Bailey’s Keynote address ( heatherbaileydesign.com), she asked if anyone had a tissue. I quickly reached into my bag and pulled out a package of Kleenex.

While Heather might have appreciated the opportunity to wipe away her tears (she had an inspiring message for women entrepreneurs that touched everyone’s heart), I had one of those “oh, boy” moments. Exactly when did I start loading into my bag:  a mending kit, hand cream, Tylenol, whiteboard markers, toothpaste, AA batteries,  3 rulers, 2 jumpsticks, a handful of mints – to name just a few. Do I need all those things? Well, you just never know when they might come in handy.

But that’s not my only resemblance to my mother. My sisters tease me that just like mom, I can strike up a conversation with virtual strangers. My response is, “Have you never heard of networking?!” What better way to connect with other women entrepreneurs than striking up conversations with the conference attendees. I came away with new contacts and ideas for reaching other markets.

Networking doesn’t have to be just at face-to-face events where you hand out and collect business cards, trying out your various elevator speeches to see which are the most effective. Networking is also being seen online with a blog, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. It’s writing articles, commenting on other’s blogs, and sponsoring local and online events. For a small dollar amount, you can get the word out about your unique business offering. 

So yes, I do talk to strangers and I do have a spare (clean) Kleenex in my bag – just in case.

- Bev McCrostie, Coordinator for the VA Certificate Program is on sabbatical in Utah.  She will be sharing her insights along the way.

And despite the optimistic premise, it has yet to land a real client.  All it ultimately does is set up more situations where my talent/time/creative energy are all greatly appreciated, but no one wants to pay me for the work I do.

So this is where that ends too. I am slowly but surely disconnecting myself from my various community volunteer obligations (you know something is amiss when “volunteer” and “obligation” are strongly connected).  And I have promised myself never to take on another “volunteer” client project no matter how exciting it is, or great the exposure to other potential clients, unless reciprocity is guaranteed in some fashion.  I remember reading somewhere during my VA classes at Red Deer College, that you gain credibility by charging for what you do, and by charging appropriately.  Pro bono work is encouraged in the context of “value added” service to existing clients or in lieu of advertising or some other tangible service (read barter). 

The reason for taking on a volunteer project must be rationalized and justified, as not only will your professional life suffer so will your personal life depending on when you work on the volunteer projects.  The pros of volunteering (at the community level or for potential clients) include reinforcing many skills that are taught in the VA program (what comes to mind in particular are desktop publishing, document formatting, spreadsheet skills, and web design, in addition to office management) and building up your portfolio of projects.  The con of volunteering is the tremendous loss of time and creative energy for no monetary compensation.  .  While initially there was great pride in a job well done – improving or creating something that works – now there is just fatigue and little joy. 

I don’t plan to quit volunteering all together – for that would be to deny who I am.  But I will be much more diligent in analyzing my overall goals and needs in my determination of what I can and what I should not do.

Suzanne Welsh

Recently, I ran a webinar event for my VAClassroom Members titled: “Marketing your VA Business in a Web 2.0 World“. We spent some time discussing the power of Video Marketing and the sheer potential it has for rapidly increasing website traffic and improving search listings.

I mentioned to the group that I had recently noticed that very few Virtual Assistants actually have included video on their websites nor have submitted videos to YouTube. Now, I am sure some of you have, but I still think you would make up the minority at this point.

I posed the question during the webinar, “Why are most Virtual Assistants not including Video in their marketing efforts?” Does it have to do with simply not having the right equipment to produce the videos or is there a “fear factor” involved here? Is there a hesitation to jump in front of the camera for fear of looking silly or not presenting yourself very well? Would you fall into this category?

I have produced many YouTube Videos in my home office, backyard, park, coffee shop, hotel room and I have to say that I always feel a little weird initially when doing the videos, but thanks to the editing power of tools such as Sony Vegas Movie Studio, I am able to clear my stutters and stammers and actually produce a quality video. Creating videos is kind of like public speaking -  the more you do it, the more natural it becomes. In the first couple videos, you might feel like a “deer caught in headlights”, but it gets easier!

The bottom line here is that Video marketing is way too powerful and effective to not include in your overall marketing game plan.

Here are 5 compelling reasons for adding Video Marketing to your current promotional strategies:

1.    Videos offer an innovative medium to present the selling benefits of your business in a way that brings out your personality, top-notch skills and abilities.

2.    Videos become a mini digital marketing message for your VA business as you syndicate it through targeted channels in YouTube as well as other Social Network sites such as your Facebook Business Profile. Videos are quickly becoming the web’s fastest means of transmitting information and content! I have created a number of YouTube videos for our training center, VAClassroom and I have been super pleased with the targeted traffic we have received.

3.    Videos bring “YOU” to the forefront. They get you out from behind your website and allow prospective clients to learn more about you and assess whether you are the type of person they would like work with. It is a resume “in action”!

4.    Videos allow you to engage prospective clients in a personalized and creative way that compliments your existing website content. As mentioned, I have seen very few Virtual Assistance sites that offer a personalized video introduction. This could be a powerful addition to your website.

5.    Videos are an easy “calling card” to pass to prospective businesses you would like to work with. You can simply drop them an email with your contact information and YouTube Link to your viral video. As a client, I would much rather watch a two-minute video than read through a long email or content-heavy website. Videos can give the “straight goods” on who you are and how you help take a client’s business to the next level.

In conclusion, here are four quick pointers for creating effective business videos:

1.    Be YOURSELF! It is essential not to over-professionalize yourself so that you come across as a robot devoid of all personality. Be honest with who you are and what you bring to the table. I have watched many YouTube videos and the ones that always catch my eye are those that are more casual and “real” as opposed to stuffy and corporate-like. We are virtual workers for goodness sake – save the dry videos for the “corporate zombies”!

2.    Keep your marketing videos relatively short and concise (under two or three minutes). Most Internet Business owners have large workloads and tons of competing priorities. They likely don’t have a lot of time to watch lengthy videos, so quick and snappy is the key!

3.    Be creative and try to “stand out from the pack”. If I was to review videos from Virtual Assistants I was considering hiring, I would be looking for something memorable. If a VA is simply reciting the skills and services already listed on the website, then I might quickly lose interest and move on.

4.    Do Video-Based Cold Calls. I would be pro-active and brainstorm a list of business owners you might want to approach. Send an introductory email with a link to your website and YouTube Video. This approach beats mail-outs and template emails because you are sending a customized video that is quickly and easily viewable. Plus, you are “speaking their language” as many of these business owners are using videos for their own business as well!

As you probably can tell, I am very passionate about Video marketing primarily due to the profound impact it has had on my traffic and search listings. There is no better time to incorporate Video into your overall marketing strategy then right now. Lights, Camera, Action!

Craig Cannings is an experienced Internet Entrepreneur and Marketer who co-founded VAClassroom, a niche training center for Virtual Assistants that offers practical and in-demand skills training programs. Their flagship course, the Internet Marketing VA Training Program equips Virtual Assistants with niche Internet marketing skills that businesses are seeking today. Also, VAClassroom has just released a new Social Media Marketing Specialist Program in 2009.

Many virtual assistants share that one of the biggest challenges facing their business is getting that “real-life experience” working in a client/VA relationship. Especially for new VA’s, just having the option to work in a client/VA scenario to gain experience would be a great opportunity.

As with any decision, a careful analysis should be conducted. So…keep this information in mind if you are thinking about working as a subcontractor to a multi-VA business.

1. Find the right mix

What are you good at? What skills do you want to market? Searching for a multi-VA business that you can connect with is like finding that perfect pair of jeans; they fit, you feel good in them and the price is right! So do your research:

• Search the web and online forums to find those businesses that interest you.
• Find out what niche they serve, or if they specialize in certain skill sets for their clients.
• Find out how long have they been in business?
• Inquire for more information by sending them an email or filling out their online application.

2. Hiring – What questions to ask

Let’s say you’ve found a multi-VA business that you’d like to work with. What do you need to know before joining the team?

• Do they have a contract?
• What do they pay their subcontractors?
• How do they pay – will you be paid via PayPal, bank transfer or cheque?
• When can you expect payment?
• What happens if the client you are working with does not connect with you or you with them?
• What type of help can you expect from the multi-VA team environment?  How many hours can you expect?
• If you wish to dissolve your VA contract – how many days notice do you need?

3. The pros and cons

There are always advantages and disadvantages to any choice you make in life and working as a subcontractor is no different.

Pros:

• Ability to work in a team environment
• Free training
• The chance to work with real clients
• No marketing needed – resulting in more time to spend on client work
• No billing to client and negotiating terms and prices with client – your multi-VA business owner is responsible for this

Cons:

• Possibly making less money that having your own clients (most subcontractors should be making between $20-30/hour)
• Takes time away from building your own business
• Possibly experiencing a delay in getting paid (you may get paid only after the multi-VA owner is paid)
• Possibly having less direct client contact (the multi-VA owner may be responsible for client relationship management)

On a personal note:

To say that I like being part of a VA team is an understatement. Having a group of VA’s that work alongside of you, support your efforts and build you up has been a rewarding experience.

Secondly, the skills I have gained from working with experienced VA’s is insurmountable. I know these skills would have come in time, but I was able to cut that learning curve short by months, maybe years by really plugging in.

Thirdly, my own business is now starting to bloom with the added confidence, skills and enthusiasm that I credit to working as a subcontractor.

In short, do consider the idea of being a VA subcontractor; the obvious and hidden benefits are there for the taking.

About the Author

Theresa Scholes, B.Com. Certified Virtual Assistant and Owner of “Click Virtual Assistance”, helps busy entrepreneurs manage the demands of a growing online business. Theresa works closely with coaches, consultants and internet marketers to manage the e-commerce, marketing and administrative aspects of their business allowing them time to focus on what they do best. theresa@clickva.com

What Value Do I Bring?
For starters there is the savings of not hiring a full or part-time employee. This includes no overhead, such as, office space, computer equipment, software, office supplies along with soft skills or computer training. In addition there is no payroll, benefit plans or other contributions required on behalf of the client. Keep in mind that whatever wage an employer is paying it costs about double to actually maintain that employee.

For the serious VA who is interested in not only providing admin services but strategic and collaborative business support, however that may look for the client, the value scale jumps tremendously.

The Partnership
The biggest value any VA can bring to their client relationships is the collaborative partnership in the success of the client’s business. This is about paying careful attention and listening to the client for challenges, dreams and ideas for growing their business. It’s about seeing and communicating possibilities from a solution standpoint. Having the courage to present ideas, solutions, or a different perspective that the client may be unable to see or hadn’t thought of.

The VA takes on the responsibility of knowing what is going on in the client’s industry and staying on top of the latest trends and technology. Only then can you offer and implement the right solution for your client.

This is what sets us apart from strictly office support services and makes our VA/client relationships so valuable. We are there to support our clients in the growth and success of their business however that may look. You only find this in the Virtual Assistant profession.

Owning and Honoring Value

So the key question is…what can I do to own and honor the value I bring?

First of all be very clear on what rate you are charging. Define your ideal rate and then what the lowest discounted rate that you could live with is. Never, ever, ever go below this rate! Don’t be talked into it. Stand firm and remember the value you bring. If the potential client doesn’t get it, try to educate them, if they still try to negotiate you lower, run the other way.

I know, I know how can you possibly do this when you have bills to pay and a family to feed? The answer is to trust in yourself, believe in your abilities, honor the value you bring and you will automatically attract those clients to you. When one door closes another door opens. When working with less than ideal clients you do not have the space to open the door for your ideal client to come in.

Come from a place of abundance versus scarcity, from a place of choice rather than need. Keep in mind that the VA profession is still very much in it’s infancy therefore potential clients are almost limitless. Always remember that you are a business owner not an employee and as such have a choice in who you work with and financial compensation. Get out of the employee mindset.

Have confidence in yourself and your abilities. Debrief and analyze all that you do in order to grow and make changes. The right clients will pick up on this and be willing to pay for the right person.

Use the amazingly support community of VA’s! Many have gone before you and will guide, support and celebrate with you, especially when you have to make some of those tough decisions. Work with a coach or mentor. Having someone in your corner to remind you of who you are and what you bring can be priceless!

About the Author

Mary-Lou Ashton has been a pioneer in the Virtual Assistant profession in Canada since 1997. She has developed a training program and a coaching practice to support other VA’s in being successful. Her passion for the profession continues to grow and Mary-Lou strongly believes in giving back to the community. Visit Mary-Lou at www.vatp.ca