Recently you would have seen my article about not having two accounts on Facebook. It amazes me just how many people justify why they do it and why they ignore the Terms of Service that Facebook has in place. It doesn't matter if you have multiple email addresses - I do too! But it does matter that you have only one account, not multiple accounts. And I wish people would understand the difference between a Profile and a Page. A profile is attached to your account and it's in YOUR OWN NAME. … [Read more...]
Usernames in social media
I've always worked with the same username on many social media tools, where possible, to develop a footprint on the web. That way if people Google my username they can find where I am online and the different places I've been active. How about you? Do you do the same? I encourage you to think about it. Here's a cool tool to see where your username has been used and whether it's available elsewhere and also as a domain. It's called Namech_k and I love that helps you to find out what domains … [Read more...]
Who sets the rate?
Many 'trades' set their own rates, although some might be guided by industry requirements and expectations. Solicitors, bookkeepers, accountants, business coaches, plumbers, painters, mechanics, and so the list goes on. So, why then, do many of the public feel they can tell Virtual Assistants how much they should be charging? I've heard many VAs talk about this - they get contacted by a potential client who wants a lot of stuff done, often things that require someone with a great deal of … [Read more...]
How I use LinkedIn
How often are you in LinkedIn? I'm logged in every day. I have multiple tabs saved as my 'home pages' and LinkedIn is one of them. So I'm prompted to be there every day, checking for messages, invitations and articles and posts of interest. LinkedIn is a great networking tool, if you use it as intended. LinkedIn never intended for us to connect with strangers but with people we knew or had a passing acquaintance with. Of course, these days they make it really easy to connect with strangers by … [Read more...]
Two accounts on Facebook?
I get amazed that people don't check into things like Terms of Service instead of making assumptions or taking the advice of others who probably don't know either. I want to set the record straight. You can only have ONE account on Facebook. Further, that account has to be in your real name - see item 3 under your commitments in the link above for having an account. For your benefit here: item 3.1 states: Who can use Facebook When people stand behind their opinions … [Read more...]
Being a Virtual Assistant means you are a business owner
This post is a bit of a rant, but I see so many misnomers on discussion groups about people wanting to become a VA but not put in the commitment it requires. Below is a recent post I made. I want to clear something up. There's a fallacy that it costs nothing to become a Virtual Assistant. But I need to tell you there are costs. Being a Virtual Assistant means you are running a business. It's not something you do on the side to earn a bit of pocket money. It's a business. Some do it part-time, … [Read more...]
The History of the Internet and the VA Industry
Discussions I saw recently revolved around how old the VA Industry is and how long the internet has been around. While the internet was 'invented' in 1983, it didn't actually become available for world wide use till 1991 and the VA industry was birthed just 4-5 years later. Here's some info about the Internet: On 6 August 1991 (that is 27 years ago next month), the World Wide Web became publicly available. Its creator, the now internationally known Tim Berners-Lee, posted a short … [Read more...]
Facts about the VA Industry
I recently read an article about the 5 challenges of a business hiring a VA. What it assumed was that when people are seeking offshore VAs, they want full time VAs from the Philippines. Not so, I'm in Australia, but if I'm working for a client in the UK, USA or another country, then I would be considered an offshore VA. And what was outlined in that article seems to really only relate to VAs in a particular region. VAs in the Philippines, and often other Asian countries, are mostly employed … [Read more...]
The things that VAs do
Recently I asked many VAs (hundreds) via some VA forums, what did they used to do before becoming a VA? And then a day or two later, I asked the same VAs, what do they do now. Amazingly, or perhaps not really that amazing, many were providing services that related to their past roles before becoming VAs. What does this mean to you, as a reader? Well, if you're a potential VA, it means there is hope for you, as there is more than likely other VAs who used to do what you're doing now. And … [Read more...]
