I don't know about you, but when I started my business almost 25 years ago, I expected to have to pay out for things to get started. Things such as: equipment, furniture, software, business registration, business name registration, printed business cards and stationery, industry association memberships, advertising and so the list goes on. The old saying 'you have to spend money to make money' rang very true back then. Additional but hidden costs were taxes, insurances, superannuation, … [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...]
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...]
VA Certified – or Certificate?
There's a discussion going on amongst the 'senior' VA members of our industry currently. We're concerned about the number of new VA courses popping up claiming to be 'certified'. It's important for you all to know that there is no industry standard (as yet) and therefore there is no industry certification. Some of the VA Associations in different countries have talked about it from time to time, and I believe the time is coming when these associations will do something about 'industry … [Read more...]
Creating a website
I see so many discussions on different VA and other business forums about how to create a website, what program or service to use, etc, etc. I've put together my own thoughts on this, based on my own personal experience of having worked with websites for many years. To give you my background - I built my very first website with MS Publisher in 1996. It was just a simple one page site with Microsoft clipart, a list of services and my contact details. I then learnt MS FrontPage and built … [Read more...]
Is self dialogue holding you back?
Chatting with a new VA on a forum this week she expressed the need to find a mentor to help her with her business. When I asked her why she felt this need, she said she needed to get over her self-dialogue - presumably this dialogue was undermining her self-esteem. I suggested that there might be other things that could help her also. And this will also help you, if you're new to the industry too. Such as reading books and listening to podcasts. We all have self dialogue - it's about … [Read more...]
Struggling to find clients?
This post applies to anyone in business, not just Virtual Assistants. But it is advice that I give to new VAs who are seeking to grow their client base for their businesses. One such VA posted recently on a Facebook group that she was struggling to find clients who were as serious about business as she is for hers. Another VA suggested she look locally to see who there is and the response was she didn't know how to start. That's when I came in with some advice. Have a read and if this is … [Read more...]
Are you earning less than the average wage?
As a VA you should have some idea of what your minimum base rate should be per hour. Whether you're doing retainers, packages, or just hourly, it all boils down to working out what the hourly figure would be to get started in your work. Remember that although you don't have to commute to work, buy lunches, uniforms, pay for travel, etc, you do have other overheads an employee doesn't have. For example, you are responsible for your own taxes, insurances (Superannuation, equipment, income … [Read more...]
