Periodically new VAs post help! messages to VA forums looking for this item, or that or advice on how to do something. The advice part is ok but there are some things that they really need to do for themselves, for example researching how much they should charge, or setting up certain templates for regular use with clients. One of the things they really need to work on themselves, and not get a copy from someone else, is their business plan. I really believe they need to find a generic business … [Read more...]
Volunteering Makes Good Sense
Many prospective or new VAs are keen to get as much experience as they can to be eligible for job leads that come along, but how do they get the experience if a client only wants someone with experience? The answer is to volunteer their services! I don't mean give away a lot of your time, but I do mean keep your ears and eyes open for opportunities in areas where you already have an active interest. Perhaps it's your local kindy or junior school where a son or daughter attends. The mother's … [Read more...]
Your Business and Your Health & Safety
The team and I had a great chat Wednesday. It started because one of the girls was experiencing some pain in her shoulders from constant typing and she was seeking advice on what exercises she should do. The discussion opened up with suggestions on seeing an Osteopath, Chiropractor or Physiotherapist, but then it turned to general OH&S practices and what is important. We all should be regularly taking breaks from our computers and doing something else. It's possible that many of you have not … [Read more...]
Working Virtual With a Presence
In my field I get requests for help almost every day from those who want to be VAs or those who have been trying to get their businesses going for a while but not getting anywhere. In most cases there are some fundamental things missing in their approach to develop business and two of those things are: networking and having an online presence. They pay out money here and there for what seems a great opportunity and promise of lots of work, and then find nothing happens, except their money is … [Read more...]
Getting Back Into Things
Well, we've been back home for 3 days now but still suffering the jetlag thing and waking up at 2am with our minds busy! Guess it will go away eventually but a little annoying. Although I'd switched off the forum lists I belong to and a few other things I still had a mountain of emails to go through when I got back home - although I did deal with a few whilst I was away. Having my laptop with me was really worth the hassle of getting it through security each time we went through an airport (and … [Read more...]
One thing……
I do have one thing to add here before I go on leave. This morning a new member of one of the VA chat forums I belong to posted a message requesting help on how to attract more work. Unfortunately their post was not very well typed, spelling errors, no caps used, words run together. I emailed them privately suggesting that their typed email is also a form of marketing - to their fellow VAs, and if someone wanted to outsource work to them, examples of their typed emails is the only way to get … [Read more...]
Silence
I may be a bit silent here over the next few weeks. We're taking some leave (you can read about it on our family blog) and unless I have some fantastic thought or a sudden revelation, I'll probably not post here. Much of my writing comes from things that happen during my working day and so I expand on what's taken place, or on something I've shared with others, or something I've learnt. I will be meeting with some business contacts during the time away so perhaps something might be forthcoming, … [Read more...]
Putting Your Eggs All In One Basket
Discussions via the VA forums get quite interesting and it's good to see really meaty topics take place. Recently one of my team posted a series of questions for other members to answer and it gave real insight into the background of many, their experience, why they started out as VAs, would they ever return to the corporate world, and so on. One answer given to a question asked brought to memory something I'd done a couple of times (hopefully I've learnt from it) where I became dependent on … [Read more...]
Advice For Clients Seeking To Use A VA
Each virtual assistant works as an independent contractor in their own business. Some work full-time and some part-time and also in temporary positions. Because they work independently, prices vary amongst VAs, plus they are in many countries around the world, so feel free to shop around. Please understand that until the work is sighted, it is sometimes difficult to accurately price a job. Thought to consider: The speed and experience of one VA may mean they charge higher than another VA who … [Read more...]
