It was suggested to me via a recent comment posted that I should post some Case Studies and I think that an excellent idea – it will help demonstrate to both wanna-be VAs, and prospective clients, just how a client-VA relationship works. So, enter Lorraine, one of my longest-term clients.

Lorraine is a Business Coach who specialises in showing people how to better organise their working and personal lives. Her business name is The Office Organiser and her catch phrase is “How to Have Less Mess, Less Stress and More Success”. Her business is just over 10 years old. We’ve been working together for at least 9 years after she saw my business card at a networking event and rang me to find I lived around 5 minutes away from her.

I do many, many things for Lorraine, most of which is virtual – and occasionally I will go to her office to provide onsite support in the form of installing new software, fixing a computer problem, modifying her database layout and/or showing her how to use a program. I also attend a monthly public workshop she presents at a local function room to provide support on the day.

Here is a list of some of the things I do for her:

• Manage her database by entering business cards (which she faxes to me – several to a sheet), or entering new clients from online sales, send out emails on her behalf to people on the database and modify the database as needed. The program we use is ACT! and we can synchronise via email whenever it suits us – usually 2 or 3 times a week. We also use 1shoppingcart.com for maintaining her list online.
• I have an email address set up from her domain name that comes to me (admin@….) and I use this to respond on her behalf to emails, and to send out emails for her – people often respond thinking it’s Lorraine that’s sent the email and I will either action what they want and/or forward it on to Lorraine for her input.
• Because I also provide webhosting and webdesign services (not all VAs do) I also host her website and maintain it for her on a weekly basis, uploading the latest newsletters, updating workshop dates, updating product information, and creating payment links via Paypal – I also manage her Paypal account for her.
• Send out mailed items for her – usually thank you items to key clients she has or perhaps products she has sold.
• Modify/update her Powerpoint Presentations.
• Create any Word documents she wants and/or reformat ones she has started.
• Take photos at her workshops, type up delegate testimonials.
• Prepare nametags and look after registrations for workshops.
• Periodic research via the internet.

There are other things from time to time but this will give you a good idea. Lorraine and I live 5 mins apart but usually we only see each other face to face once a month at the workshop. We occasionally speak on the phone but email each other almost every day, and sometimes several times a day. If I didn’t live close by she could have someone else provide the computer support at her premises and support her at the workshop. So our working relationship is about 95% virtual.

Because Lorraine is all about efficiency and not wasting time, a virtual working relationship is what works best for her (and me ) and, as time goes by, she finds more things that I can do for her, on her behalf. I used to do just a couple of hours a week for her but as she and I have developed an understanding of what I can do to assist in her business I now average around 10-12 hours a week for her.

I have a couple of other public speaking clients and I do a variation of similar items for them – although much less hours and more ad-hoc. I’m open to questions via the Comments if you’d like to know more about how this working relationship is handled. KMT

Today is 24th March. Probably doesn’t mean much to most people who read this – unless they have a birthday, anniversary or something else that prompts them to think of this day. For me it’s the anniversary of the day I registered my business in Melbourne, Australia – on National Secretaries Day 1994. 12 years ago!

Each year I think I really should do something to celebrate the day, make it special in some way, and each year it sneaks up on me – probably because I’m always busy doing something. I guess what better way to celebrate than to work for the clients I spent time dreaming about all those years ago?

To all those who are just starting out in business, or have been operating only a short time, may I encourage you to dream of what it will be like for you when your business reaches 12 years of age. Will you still be doing what you are today? Will your business look different to what you thought it might? Mine does! But then I didn’t know the Internet was about to transform the world with its entry into the business arena.

Be prepared to dream and plan but be flexible because you do not know what changes might take place that could propel you forward but in a different direction. It can be quite an exciting adventure! KMT

Technorati Tags: secretaries day, office professionals day

I often get requests for help from those just starting out in our industry. Often they have set up great looking websites, have some brochures ready to give out – they just don’t have the clients and don’t know where to start. So they ask if I can get them started, or send work their way, or give advice… there are so many things they ask for, and I could spend all day, every day, assisting others and not getting my own work done.

There’s a saying: Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day, teach him how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.

So, for quite some time (I should explain for at least 2 or 3 years now), ideas have been rolling around in the my head and I am now putting them down in a formal way. The end result will be an online VA training program for those just starting out, or for those who want to enhance their businesses further. I’ve set up a website for those interested in getting information once the education program is ready – the site will have more information when the program is launched. If you’re interested in being informed when it is ready and/or would like to register as a student, please go to VACoachingOnline. KMT

I was asked over the weekend by a new VA, the following two questions:

1. How do you know how many potential clients you should market yourself to? In terms of income I would perhaps prefer to have one particular client that I work for on a regular basis and then pick up other work as and when I can.
and,
2. Should I simply saturate the market with advertising material – on the flipside if it does get busy I might end up turning clients away.

Kristen
First Legal Support Solutions
Email: kae@flss.com.au
Web: www.flss.com.au

This is my answer to that VA:

First thing – important that you definitely have more than one client for your income. If a client provides 80% or more of your income they could be deemed as your employer by the ATO (Australian Tax Office) and both you and the client would have some challenges regarding taxation, super, insurances, WorkCover, etc.

Now, to market yourself – I say keep marketing all the time. If you get more work than you can manage at any one time you can either pass it onto another VA or subcontract to another VA, or even perhaps engage a part-timer to come to your office. All businesses have their ebbs and flows and so the busy times will help carry you through the quiet times.

It is good that you’re thinking ahead because this will help you when the busy time comes. KMT

One of the topics of discussion via our forum this week has been about required registrations for the Tax Office. Here in Australia we need to register for Australian Business Numbers (ABNs), and also Goods & Services Tax (GST) if earning over a certain amount. I’m sure in other countries there are obligatory requirements for people in business – small or large.

It amazes me how many do not investigate this side of getting their business started. They ask via chat forums for advice on matters that should be obtained from a professional in that field. In fact, getting to know an accountant is most important as you’re going to need one that understands your business and can guide you as it develops.

If you are a new startup business I encourage you to ask your business associates, or network with other business operators and get referred to a good accountant who understands small business. You might have to move from one accountant to another until you find the right one – or as your business needs grows, but you do need to find out from the start what is right to do. Of course you can search the web for information, but how do you know if you’re interpreting it correctly and/or understand what is required? As I said, it is most important to connect with the right professional at the start of your business. I heard a story the other day at a business launch meeting of a couple who started a business, got the business name registered, set up their premises, almost ready to roll and then started ordering stock, only to find that because they hadn’t organised an ABN the supplier would not do business with them. Their business collapsed before they could even get started. The speaker believed they were no longer in operation.

Do your research, find out what needs to be done and get the facts from the right people to make sure that what you are doing really adds up to developing a good business. KMT