I often tell my team, particularly newer members, how important it is to follow up new clients after an enquiry has been made. Often the clients are either in overwhelm mode: too much to do, or panic mode: the work needed to be done yesterday. Consequently when a message is left on their voicemail, or an email sent, the client might not see it, or might get distracted by something else, and good intentions have gone by the wayside. They know they need help, but they're so stuck in the middle … [Read more...]
What would I do if I were a new VA today?
Exactly the question asked on a VA forum sometime ago and here is my answer: Find an accountant to get the advice that is needed regarding legal requirements for your business. Apply for whatever licenses or register whatever you need to do legally regarding the tax dept for your region. A business name can wait till you've gotten started - it's not necessary and you can legally operate under your own name if you wish. Get business cards made up - doesn't have to be a real lot, even … [Read more...]
As a new VA, I can’t afford a website
I've been corresponding with a couple of new Virtual Assistants over the past couple of weeks. They found me via different VA forums and started emailing me for advice. One said she couldn't afford a website yet and was asking me what she could do to promote her business online. This is my response to her: "What makes you think you can't afford a website? The reality is you could get webhosting and a domain for a year for a very minimal amount of money (I provide this service and I know that … [Read more...]
Just getting started – what’s the best way to find clients?
This is a comment/question I see regularly via forums, and particularly at LinkedIn. People just starting out in the Virtual Assistant industry but not sure how to source clients and build their client base. This question can actually apply to anyone in business - not just the Virtual Assistant industry. But since I write for the industry, I'll focus on VAs for now. I began my business in March 1994, pre-internet. The way I found clients back then is still very much relevant today. The … [Read more...]
Starting off the new year
If you're like me, you may have been spending the past week still on a holiday break, knowing full well that work was just around the corner. So, now it's time to really take stock of what is ahead, or perhaps outstanding, to get the year started off right. Here are a few hints and tips on things that VAs, clients and other business owners can do, to start the new year off right. Your Outlook file. How big is it? Mine was nearly 2.5gb in size - too big! At the beginning of each year, I … [Read more...]
Punctuation and transcriptions
Do you have challenges with working out the punctuation in a transcription you're doing for a client? It's not always easy to know when you should be putting a semi-colon or a colon, a fullstop (period) or a comma and so on. I've heard the occasional person actually dictate when a fullstop should be used or comma, but not often. I guess if you're under 40 you might not have heard of the name Victor Borge but my husband and I were lying in bed this morning and something just got us thinking … [Read more...]
Become a Virtual Assistant
It's getting that time of year when many start looking at what they will do in the New Year. One of those things often means planning a change in jobs, or even branching out to run your own business. If you have good computer skills, with a background in admin or office support based work, then you could well become a Virtual Assistant. How do you get started? Well, you can simply set up at home and start to promote that's what you are doing, but chances are you're going to feel you're not … [Read more...]
Being a VA does not mean working home alone
I saw an interesting 'side' comment from a VA at one of the VA networks this morning. She'd commented about how unselfish and sharing the VA community has been to her and that although she works at home alone, as we all do, she felt she had a number of allies to call upon. And she is right about that. Working at home alone day in and day out does require commitment and a resolve to manage on your own. Many don't succeed at this. They end up suffering from feelings of isolation and depression … [Read more...]
More on finding clients for Virtual Assistants
I thought I would share more on finding clients as a Virtual Assistant. We've touched on all the regular things and most of all networking - I believe that many don't fully understand the value and importance of real time face-to-face networking. Why ignore a good percentage of your potential client audience that is close by - just because you work virtually? Local face-to-face networking has always been effective and still is. I was doing that before the Internet and still do it today. I … [Read more...]
