I know that many decide to cold call to get extra business, or even just to start out. Personally I've found that a very disheartening way to do things but I know that some really do excel at this type of communication and successfully achieve their objectives. So, if you're considering using cold calling as a form of drumming up business, may I suggest you learn from the following? I just had a phone call from a guy (whose accent was difficult to understand and he spoke way too fast) wanting … [Read more...]
Starting out as a Virtual Assistant
It was several years ago I began this journey of developing a business at home. 16, in fact, next month. That time has flown by. My daughters are all now adults and no longer needed a mum at home but I must admit I have no inclination to go back out into the traditional workforce. I love my surroundings, my comfortable office and the line of work I do for my clients. However, I know many feel totally overwhelmed when they join the Virtual Assistant industry and have no idea how to start … [Read more...]
VAProject 52 – Who have you helped this week?
One of my VA team members is going away overseas on a holiday soon and she was keen to find out what I did to protect my business and my clients when I was away last year for a whole month. I was able to share with her what I did, how I outsourced the work and ensured my clients were happy and any lessons I'd learnt during that exercise. Fortunately I'd been away on leave before, for shorter stints, so have learnt along the way the things I need to set up and do prior to going on holidays. … [Read more...]
The Importance of Self-Education
Recent posts at a VA forum has made me wonder just how much do Virtual Assistants (and other self-employed) value the importance of their own self education. It is oh-so-easy just to quit and give up and move on to something else if it doesn't work out. When in reality, if people were just prepared to take the time to learn and listen from others who are more experienced, they may well succeed. To quote one long-term VA from the forum: A lot of VAs have started and quit early because they … [Read more...]
New look newsletter
Each year I like to start off fresh with new ideas, new plans and often new looks. The website I'm thinking about changing but haven't yet fully decided on that. It's a big job. But I have updated my newsletter and had some great feedback on the new look. Why not pop in to see my latest issue and see for yourself? And if you're not subscribed, then feel free to do so - I'd love to see you on the list! http://www.vadirectory.net/acsnewsjan10.htm … [Read more...]
Update on Australian VA Conference
Update on AVAC - VA Conference As you know the inaugural Australian VA Conference (AVAC) will be held in Melbourne, Australia on Friday 12 and Saturday 13 March 2010. This conference is open to all VAs in any location. We hope you're planning to join us and meet your fellow VAs face-to-face at this great event. Have you visited our sponsors yet? They are listed on the website but let me introduce some of them to you here: Major sponsors: Anyone who's been in the VA industry for a period … [Read more...]
VAProject 52
Well, how is your project progressing? Would love to hear about it. The person I helped this week isn't in the VA industry but is a budding photographer. She was seeking advice on a photographer's forum about a business card she was designing and asked for input. I and others did just that but what surprised and pleased me was that one of the other members suggested she take my advice as I showed good business sense. She and I have since been corresponding and she's been very grateful for … [Read more...]
Email – it is an advert for your business
Email, for Virtual Assistants, is often our first point of contact with potential clients. It works like an amabassador for our businesses. Many experienced VAs, like myself, get a lot of emails from would-be VAs wanting to get work outsourced to them, or wanting to find out if they can work with us as a sub-contractor or similar. We are, in effect, a potential client for them. So it concerns me considerably when they don't take care to read their emails properly before hitting send, … [Read more...]
When should you stop?
I had a client of one of my VA team members contact me recently. He wanted to know how much contact I had with them and if I could check into something for him. A VA had been providing him with phone services and he said he'd emailed, SMS'd and left a phone message for her and she'd not responded. He was concerned as he'd had reports his phone calls weren't being answered - a job that she was doing for him. I immediately looked up her phone number and called her to find out what was … [Read more...]
