Yesterday I attended an all day planning session with my coach and his other clients. He gets all his clients together regularly through the year to listen to motivational speakers and learn more about developing their businesses. Yesterday was an all day session designed to help us plan our year and then break it up into 90 day chunks so we have smaller bite-sized goals to achieve. I always enjoy days like this because it gives me 'permission' to take my mind off my own clients and … [Read more...]
A Great Looking Website Isn’t Everything….
I saw a post tonight regarding websites and their designers. Demetria emphasised the importance of doing your research and making sure you not only get someone who can do your site but make sure they also include your meta tags (keywords and description) and make your site search engine friendly - otherwise no-one is going to find you! Today I was at a planning coaching day and met a photographer who mentioned she was seeking more work but didn't seem to have much happening with her website. … [Read more...]
Do You Need a Virtual Assistant?
I saw a post on a 'Start a Home Business Blog' today that indicated engaging a virtual assistant was an expensive option. He ended up hiring someone else but didn't explain what it was he wanted done or any indication of what he was looking to pay. It is true that there are VAs at the high end of the market and others in the low end so you can shop around. You could engage a high school student or a uni student at the low end rate and providing they have good computer skills, and know their … [Read more...]
You Gotta Laugh!
It almost reads like a comedy with a phishing story included. But it's not, it is, or was, reality. A client of mine has been registered with a free teleconferencing company that has a web based control panel which we'd been using for teleseminars. Late last year she got an email saying that she needed to renew her registration and they'd changed their number. She sent it to me and I said, ok, we'll need to update the web promotion - which we did for this year. We logged in yesterday after … [Read more...]
Not everything you read….
.... is correct. I use Google Alert to keep me informed of new articles being posted, or if something has been uploaded that might refer to my business. Tonight two separate articles were posted about Virtual Assistants and both had very different charge rates listed. The American Chronicle's 'Virtual Assistants Offer Economic Advantages To Business Owners' outlined the advantages of using a VA and listed one set of suggested expected rates to pay. And on the other hand Paid Surveys Free.com … [Read more...]
There’s Value in Writing Articles
I periodically get clients (new and existing) ask for assistance in getting exposure for their website and their business. There are a number of things you can do such as Google Adwords or any of the other click through advert programs available, make sure your site is listed with search engines and so on, but one of the best value items you can do, is write articles on your niche topic. How many others know your topic as well as you do? And how many others are writing about it? If you are … [Read more...]
Time Management With Clients
I had my eyes opened by a client late last month. A prospective client in the US had emailed three of my existing clients with a list of questions relating to the services I provide for them. The responses they gave I was very happy with - feedback is always good for your business, and the soul! However, there was one comment one of my clients made, that had me thinking a little more about how I handle my clients, and the workload that comes in. I'm going to share it with you as I think it might … [Read more...]
My client said to me today…
He rang up late in the afternoon, 5.20pm to be exact. He was in his car and heading out away from some meeting when he said to me, 'do you know what I like about having a virtual assistant compared to a personal assistant?' He didn't wait for my answer. 'Because I know that the VA is still there when I suddenly realise I need something urgently for tomorrow. Do you mind? Can you manage this if I swung by in an hour to pick it up?' He told me what he needed and I was able to confirm I could … [Read more...]
Working Virtually – What Does That Mean?
I have on my VA website a Job Request form for prospective clients to fill out, asking them the questions that we need answers to, to know what kind of support they require. Two of those questions ask if they need local support and where the job is located if local support is required. However, not all answer those two questions and we end up with some interesting exercises to ensure that the right VA contacts them for their needs. For example: If a client is based in the US and indicates … [Read more...]
