Interesting article in The Sydney Morning Herald last week about writer Valerie Khoo getting rejected when trying to get some transcription work done. She'd contacted the Indian company mentioned in Tim Ferriss' book about the 4-hour week, only to find they were too busy to do the work for her and would need to outsource it.  After shopping around via Guru.com and getting quotes from a few countries, including her own (Australia) she settled on a transcriptionist in the US. Many VAs have … [Read more...]
More than a reminder service…
I read a posting on a blog written by a man who was talking about his Virtual Assistant (girlfriend). This VA was rather different, in that it was really an email and web based reminder service that he could use to assist him with remembering actions, meetings and other activities throughout his busy day. It's amazing what the term 'virtual assistant' gets attributed to these days. I can't blame Eric for thinking that way though - I know in the past, when I was working in the corporate world, … [Read more...]
Watching Out For Scams
As a Virtual Assistant, your contact details are going to be on display for the whole world to see, so it is very possible that you will be approached by a scammer for work to be done. This can take many forms but for the most part they are out to get your money, so you need to be very aware of what to look for. First of all, money exchanges are definitely OUT. By that I mean if they are seeking for you to process payments into your own bank account and then send them their share of the … [Read more...]
Sub-contracting to other VAs
As the Virtual Assistant industry gains increasing interest and more and more clients come on board, many VAs have taken to sub-contracting work to other VAs in order to cope with sudden workload increases. This is a good sign that things are picking up, but there are some things that all VAs should take note of. If you use a contract for clients, then you should do the same with the sub-contracting VA. Set boundaries or ground rules - be clear about your expectations and don't leave it to … [Read more...]
The Importance of Networking… or putting your eggs all in one basket?
As I meet more and more business owner/operators the thing that tends to separate the successful from the not so successful, it seems to me, are those who understand the value of networking. Many talk about it but not all walk their talk. Being in business means having to do more than just supply services or products to clients, but rather it is important to make connections, get to know people, and let others know about what you have to offer. After all, we are the best salespeople for our … [Read more...]
Real Virtual Work
I live in Australia and manage a team of Virtual Assistants (VAs) that are in 16 countries altogether, so quite a widespread team. I've recently been doing a survey of my team with respect to the job requests that come into our team via my office, or via one of the team members. One thing that is noticed with many of the job requests that are placed - so many of our prospective clients still perceive the need for a VA to be located close by so they can physically meet them - and often the type … [Read more...]
More on ‘cheap VA labour’
Google Alert brings some interesting snippets in from time to time. Today there was an advert placed at Craig's list for a Virtual Assistant (Php9k-Php15k) so I went to investigate. Have a look at what this American businessman wants - someone who will work his hours, 8-10 hours a day, six days a week. That's 192-240 hours a month. And for that he claims he will pay "good wages to highly qualified, hard-working individuals, including bonuses on any new business we develop together". I did the … [Read more...]
Challenges and Hindrances
Regular readers know I belong to LinkedIn, which is a very large international professional business network. I have met so many people there and have been able to secure new clients for my team as well. It's been a great group. A new connection asked me some questions and I thought they were so good, I would add them here. I told him I was curious to know why he asked but I answered all the same. He's a professor of Finance and Economics so it's most likely professional curiosity and/or … [Read more...]
Spring is in the air and that means…
... clearing out the clutter!  In the southern hemisphere we are in the middle of springtime, the flowers are beginning to bloom, birds are waking us earlier in the morning and I'm growing aware of the clutter around me. Perhaps in winter we feel it necessary to have 'stuff' around us, to close us in, keep us warm, but when Spring arrives I want to shed off the extra weight (so I'm watching my diet more and trying to exercise regularly), shed off the hot clothing and get rid of the clutter … [Read more...]
