Over the past few weeks I've heard directly from two VAs who are owed a few thousand $$ from clients, and I have heard about other VAs owed by the same clients. This is a very disturbing thing to hear. While we are often on the watch for potential scams, sometimes real clients can be a concern too - a major one. Clients who want a lot of your hours very quickly in the working relationship is something to be wary of. What do you do when a client wants to use lots of hours of your services … [Read more...]
Do the locals know you exist?
I see many (new) VAs asking on different VA forums how they can find clients, or if anyone can give them work. Often, when asking questions about what they've done, they've got their office set up, created a Facebook page, set up a website or some kind of web presence, created a LinkedIn profile but it's rare to hear they actually go out networking face-to-face. How many businesses local to where you live actually know you exist? What makes you think they'll know you have a website or a … [Read more...]
Things that VAs don’t do
It may come as a shock to you but Virtual Assistants (VAs) don't do everything! Despite what you read out there. Take it from someone who works inside the industry and has done so for over 20 years. VAs don't do everything individually, but we do a lot of things collectively. Originating from the administrative/secretarial field in the 1990s, the Virtual Assistant Industry evolved with the introduction of the Internet and the development of new technologies. Consequently today you'll find … [Read more...]
Do they know how to contact you?
I'm seeing an increasing trend of people creating brand new websites for their businesses but neglecting to put the most important information on their sites! Namely, how to contact you. Personally I don't like doing business with people who only have a contact form and no other form of contact on their site. Makes me wonder what they're trying to hide. I know, from personal experience, that many prospective clients like to pick up the phone and talk to me. Why wouldn't clients want to do the … [Read more...]
Who should you be asking?
Sometimes on the VA forums I see people asking questions that really should be directed to others more equipped and qualified to answer those questions. For example, should I have a business license? Or, if in Australia, should I be registered for an ABN or GST? While people on forums can answer these questions, if the forums are global, rather than national, then the new VAs run the risk of receiving advice that really isn't relevant to them in their location. Who should they be asking? They … [Read more...]
When the client search is on
When we are new in business, or business is slow, the client search takes place. Sometimes it's hard to know where to look, what to do, who to contact, in order to secure clients quickly. After all we're in business to make money and to do that we need clients. Where do they come from? They should come via our own efforts of networking, connecting with people, both offline and online, and helping people to learn about our services. They should come from our own personal databases and personal … [Read more...]
Virtual Assistants and Digital Transcription
Digital transcription is a popular choice of service provision for many Virtual Assistants and when new VAs join the industry they often see many of these jobs being promoted via the various VA networks. They're quick to jump on board to offer this as a service too. However, fast and accurate typing isn't the only skill that's required for providing transcription support. You also need to have the ability to spell accurately, know where to put in items such as commas, fullstops, semi-colons, … [Read more...]
Reasons for joining a VA Network
There are many reasons why people become Virtual Assistants. I've often shared the importance of joining a VA Network. Why is that? There are a number of reasons: Most VA Networks have their own discussion forums. Community. This industry is very much built on community and when you're working home alone all day, being able to connect with others online is a saving grace. Being able to learn from others without necessarily paying for that learning. Joining in and sharing your knowledge … [Read more...]
Reasons for becoming a Virtual Assistant
I've come across so many stories as to why people have chosen to become a Virtual Assistant. For me it was about family and has always been that. I began before the internet and in those days we were known as home-based secretaries. But the reasons why were the same. Fed up with corporate life and the rat race. Fed up with driving into the city and back every day, or being stuck because a train has broken down. Fed up with office politics and all that went with it. Fed up with being blocked … [Read more...]