This is a question I see from time to time in VA forums from new VAs struggling to work out what they should be offering and how to attract clients. Personally, sometimes I think the focus on 'niches' gets in the way of people starting up their businesses and here are my thoughts. Can I tell you I never had a niche when I started over 23 years ago? I just did whatever was needed, typing, data entry, minutes of meetings, bookkeeping, phone answering. Whatever I could do. It was three years … [Read more...]
Virtual Assistant Industry 21 years old
Did you know that the Virtual Assistant industry, here in Australia, is now 21 years old? It would be safe to say that it's probably the same worldwide too. For my own part, I started my business in 1994 and then began a network in 1996 - originally known as The International Home-based Secretaries Network, we changed to use the term 'virtual assistant' when it became obvious that was how the industry was being viewed as more work was being handled via email and the Internet. We've … [Read more...]
Working out rates as a VA
This is a discussion I see at my own and other VA forums - VAs wanting to know how much others charge so they can work out a rate for themselves. However, it's not as easy as that. Each individual VA has experiences, skill sets and different locations of living, which also come into the equation. Cost of living is a big factor, and therefore, will affect how much you might charge for services you provide and which currency. So, it is very, very important that each individual VA goes through … [Read more...]
Looking after self
As VAs it is ingrained into many of us to focus on our clients and get their work done. Sometimes to the detriment of our own health. I know I've been guilty of that myself. "I just have to get this done first...", "I can't leave the office because this client might be emailing me shortly...", "There will be time enough for 'that' later...", "There's not enough time in the day..." and so it goes on. Not to mention family needs, household needs, etc - we're always at the end of the line, have you … [Read more...]
What platform should you build your website?
One of the things I do as a VA is manage websites for clients and I've built many too. I started to do this out of necessity for myself back in 1996 when it was hard to find a web designer and I've learnt along the way. Having transitioned from MS Publisher (yes, seriously!), to MS FrontPage to Dreamweaver and eventually WordPress (2006) there is still much to learn. I doubt I'll ever know it all but I know enough to get websites up and running in reasonably short time and teach my clients how … [Read more...]
The Value of a Virtual Assistant
Recently there was a discussion on a business group by a person who wanted to outsource work but was complaining that they had not been able to find anyone who could do what they wanted. Basically they wanted someone to be able to replace them - think like them, do what they wanted without their hands being held, basically understanding from the start what was needing to be done and... they didn't want to pay much for that service. They complained that engaging a VA here in Australia was akin to … [Read more...]
New things happening!
I've been going through a lot of new things of late. And have discarded old things. After 15 years with BNI, I left late last year. I was in need of something new. I felt like I'd learnt all I could and was looking for more, although I wasn't sure what. A few months earlier I'd joined a local Rotary Club and am their Secretary. I joined at the right time. Their former secretary had taken ill and couldn't continue with the role so I came along just when they had a real need. Since then I've been … [Read more...]
The day I stop learning is the day I die
"The day I stop learning is the day I die". Dorothy Brimble My grandmother told me this when I was just 14 years old. No idea what we were talking about at the time, but she was a lady that taught herself a new word from the dictionary regularly through her life, did crosswords, hand wrote out music just to keep her hands working well and because she loved the way the notes played on the bar lines and the curves of the treble and bass clefs, played multiple instruments, wrote stories and spent … [Read more...]
5 Good Reasons Why Your Business Needs a VA
At some stage business owners start to weigh up what kind of support they need in their businesses. Should they be hiring an assistant or should they look at getting virtual support? I'd like to share with you 5 reasons why Virtual Assistants should be the answer to that question. During the course of operating a business there comes a time when the business owner must consider whether it's more efficient for them to engage support in order for their business to move forward. Whether … [Read more...]
