Couldn't have put it better myself. Great article here published with smallbusiness yahoo November last year. It is very true that businesses do struggle to get everything done, and if they spend their funds on employing staff and having to put in place all the things that go with that, office space, equipment, furniture, and the employee overheads of sick and holiday leave, superannuation, taxes, etc, it's no wonder they get strapped for cash. But it does make sense to outsource your needs. … [Read more...]
Tips for working with a Virtual Assistant
One of the biggest delay factors in getting work completed for a client, is the delay in getting complete and accurate information. If incomplete information is given then we have to wait for you to get back to us if we leave a phone message or send an email with a query about what needs to be done. It's important to remember that we don't share the same head space that you do so you need to give the complete story, not just the bit that you want done. It is amazing how often I might get asked … [Read more...]
Referrals, Testimonials and Professional Ratings
There appears to be a new trend of asking people, via LinkedIn, to give you a testimonial, recommendation or professional rating. Now, that would be OK if the person asking had actually done some work for me, or worked with me on a project, and I had personal experience of their work-style and ability. But, increasingly, I'm getting people asking me who I've never worked with. How could I possibly know what their work ethic is like or how they achieve things? When participating in an online … [Read more...]
How do I become a Virtual Assistant?
This is a question I get asked from time to time, via email, and I thought I'd answer it here. One of the very first things I notice when I get this request, is how the email is written. Some write the email well and professionally but others write to me like they might be writing to a family member or even similar to text speak on mobile phones. I can say that not writing the email professionally instils little confidence for me that the person writing is going to be able to manage a VA … [Read more...]
Sign it off!
I'm amazed at how many emails I receive where people don't sign off properly. It might be a client, a colleague, a friend but all people who are in business. I use a signature block all the time, and when I hit reply to an email it automatically appends. It also automatically shows when I create a new message. If someone wants my phone number, it's there, same with my website to click on, or even my Facebook Page, LinkedIn profile and Twitter account. They don't have to forage around, looking … [Read more...]
“Work at Home” Day
Ken & Lucy from LightFM were chatting about Thursday 9th May being 'Work at Home' Day. They were inviting listeners to text in and vote for one or the other as to who should be working at home on that day. Ken, at one time, was encouraging listeners to vote for him and he mentioned 'having a day off'. My ears pricked up at that. I was on the road at the time so found a safe spot to pull over so I could text him and let him know that working at home does NOT mean having a day off. It means … [Read more...]
Personal time vs Work time
I raised this topic on my Facebook page and we've had some great discussion over it. Thought I would bring it here and encourage you to comment on my blog below. Has working at home blurred your boundaries when it comes to working on week days or weekends? I have noticed a number of seminars, conferences, webinars now being held on Saturdays and Sundays. While I know that AVAC is held on a Friday/Saturday, I wouldn't dream of encroaching on an entire weekend for a work related event. After … [Read more...]
Working at home alone
With many joining our industry daily, I thought I'd touch on this topic once again. Working at home can be wonderful and it certainly has been for me, and many other Virtual Assistants. However, it's important to understand that you will be home alone, day after day, and you might not have much face-to-face interaction with others. We do have online forums for VAs to chat with each other, learn how to do things, seek assurance in what they're doing, perhaps even share ideas and resources. But … [Read more...]
Word confusion
I own and run Australia's oldest Virtual Assistant Network. My own business "A Clayton's Secretary" was started in 1994, pre-internet, so I could be home for our 5 daughters, and then the internet began just 18months later. Not long after I placed my first webpage online I had women contacting me to ask how they could be doing what I was doing. Australia's first VA network was started and we were on our way. There are now other VA networks in the country, and it's good to see the industry … [Read more...]
