Staying in our comfort zone. We need to be flexible and stretch and bend if we want our businesses to grow.
Technology – where would this industry be without it? And yet we all get comfortable and set in out ways and get to a point where we feel we don’t want to learn anything new. It’s all happening too fast and we’re comfortable where we are… for a time.
I remember I felt like that before learning about blogging. I only investigated it because a client asked me too but I really did think (at that time) it was another ‘fad of the month’ and would soon pass. I reluctantly took the time to learn what it was about and look where I am today! 🙂
There is a fine line in taking on too much or trying to learn everything, but at the same time it’s important we don’t stay in one spot and not continue to grow.
If we have a solid client base and are happy with that, then I expect it’s realistic that we won’t move on and learn new things. But what happens when those clients either choose to stop or choose to move on? Where does that leave you?
I get faced with new technologies often and introductions to new products almost every week. I have to discern what would be worth exploring and what I need to let go for now. However, if I see something keeps popping up constantly then I will spend time with it to learn it. Hence the different social and business networks that I now belong to. I can’t join them all – I just don’t have the time, but I have elected to explore several and learn them, and have been able to introduce other VAs to them, and more to the point, my clients. In fact, I’ve picked up new clients simply because of my involvement with different social networking tools.
You could be making a mistake if you don’t take the time to explore and learn some of these new tools that come along. Who knows, it may be just what your business has been waiting for, to move to the next level!
virtual assistants, mistakes VAs make, social networks, business networks, new technologies
Diane Coville says
Hi Kathie:
Once again you are sooooo right! I find I am bombarded daily with all sorts of new information, products, services, technology, etc.
I could spend my entire day researching, attending teleseminars/webinars, learning and incorporating all the new offerings out there.
However, there must be a happy medium. There is client work to be done, but I do schedule time each week to broaden my horizons with knowledge and new skills I can offer to my clients and run my business more efficiently.
I think the biggest challenge in Virtual Assistant work is to keep up with all the latest technology in order to be knowledgeable and make wise choices about what applies to our individual niches and services.
Virtual Assistant says
This is a hit !
Yes ,i agree with you
To be able to cope up with the latest trend in technology, especially in computer and internet,one must be updated with what’s hot in the internet world.
For a steadfast virtual assistant ,constant research and more study is an indispensable menu.To be an effective virtual assistant ,one should not only gather data but also process them to be useful and to become relevant in the world of internet.
Beverly Mahone says
Kathie,
Technology is a big thing for me too. Trying to keep up with the latest plug-in and web 2.0 or 3.0 of WHATEVER! is quite a challenge. As a matter of fact, I ended up hiring someone to do that for me. I do what I can and what I can’t I leave it to someone who is much better qualified. Sometimes I think that’s a better option than wasting a lot of time trying to figure it out yourself.