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Why should VAs use video on their website?

April 17, 2012 By 1 Comment

Here are some facts about the monster site that we know as YouTube:

  • More content is uploaded to YouTube in 60 days than the three major U.S. television networks have created in the last 60 years
  • The average user spends between 15 – 25 minutes per day on the site
  • Over 2 Billion views per day
  • Nearly 2 hours of video are uploaded every second
  • The most popular YouTube video has now had over 505 million views
  • 10% of the internet traffic is through YouTube – that’s one out of every 10 internet users open YouTube

You have to admit that is an awful lot of ‘stuff’ going on with that website.

If it’s that popular then surely online video will work for us right?

Online video is so powerful and here’s why –

Gone are the days when a nice looking website will cut it. Your prospective customers want to know who you are and what you are like. They can’t really get that from a nice retouched photo or some well-written copy.

Video helps you get your energy and passion across, and passion is infectious. Who doesn’t want to buy from some who is passionate?

Here’s another fact. I launched my own online TV channel – simonjordan.tv in April of 2009 and within 7 months I had picked up clients from around the globe.

I was speaking in the U.S. and my business quadrupled. I put this all down to my videos and the fact that I was creating relevant content which people were enjoying watching.

So should you use it to grow your business – YES!

We buy from people we know, like and trust. So what better way to have your website working for you 24/7 by using video so your prospective customers can see who you are and what you are about.

With all those facts about YouTube and so many people online viewing – this is your chance to grab a slice of the pie.

Simon Jordan

Business Growth Coach, Author, Host and International Speaker

www.SimonJordan.tv

A Word From Carmen…

Still wondering if video could work for you?

Maybe you’re thinking that you don’t know what to say on camera?

Maybe you feel a little shy?

After Simon’s very well received workshop on using video to attract more clients to your business at the 6th National VA Conference and Awards last week, he is offering a very special offer of his “Quick Start Guide To Online Video” which comprises of 1 hour 26 minutes of video showing you everything you need to know in order to get started and make great videos that will attract your target market with ease PLUS some very special bonus offers too!

Simon took his business from local to global in just 7 months using online video and as he said in his workshop one of his videos that only took 45 minutes to create and upload has now brought in over £20k worth of business – not a bad investment of time!

Why you should use video:

  • Video on your website will help you engage with your prospective clients
  • A video on a website has a far higher conversion rate than just plain text and a photo of yourself
  • Video helps the prospective client see what you are like as a person
  • Video helps you get across your energy and passion for what you do and something that text on a website just wouldn’t do.

Case Study

When Simon did a study on sale conversions he created a sales page with just text and a photo. He only picked up 1 sale.

He then added audio which produced a further 4 sales. When adding video the sales went to over 80.

That is the power of video!

Your prospects are visiting your website 24/7 and using video will help them engage with you when you are not there.

So make your website work for you 24/7 by adding video.

Simon’s Quick Start Guide to Online Video will also show you how to overcome your nerves, what to say and how to look good on camera.

Cost of this course

The 3 online videos (total 1hr 26 minutes) is a small investment of just £47!

PLUS as a special bonus offer Simon is going to add a 1-2-1-strategy call with you to that so you can pick his brains on how to market your business (worth £497).

PLUS Simon is also going to add to the mix his “Confidence Building Audio” to help you feel confident on camera and other situations in your life.

OFFER FINISHES IN 48 HOURS

This special offer of the course, plus 1-2-1-strategy call and confidence building audio is only available until midnight on Wednesday18th April for VAs only.

Please note the 1-2-1-strategy call can be booked for any time so buy the course today and have your 1-2-1 call with Simon when you are ready but remember his offer closes on Wednesday at midnight and will not be available again at this price.

Click here to purchase and yours now >>http://www.gathermoreclients.com/online-video/

Once you have paid, Simon’s PA will send you details on how to book your call with him and again this can be saved for anytime in the future.

Many thanks

Carmen

P.S. This offer runs out in 48 hours. The cost of £47 is worth the 1-2-1 strategy call alone. I have used Simon’s services in the past and he is a marketing expert who will help you massively so book yours today.

Filed Under: Opportunity, VA Conference Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

LOW COST and EFFECTIVE Marketing Tools 9

April 2, 2012 By Leave a Comment

In the last post we where looking at marketing your VA business through articles and using Google Analytics. Today we are going to be looking at E-Zines and E-Newsletters and how these can help with marketing.

E-Zines and E-Newsletters

This is where you put together a short magazine (normally in PDF) or newsletter that is then distributed via email, normally using an email marketing platform.

These create a fantastic opportunity for keeping in touch with your mailing list, ensuring that you are keeping your business in the forefront of their minds, as well as building a relationship with your brand identity for instant recognition (as long as it remains positive of course!).

Some platforms you can use include Constantcontact.com, dotmailer.com, aweber.com or getresponse.com to name but a few.  You may even be introduced to a company that provides email marketing via your networking contacts.  There could be no cost at all if you have under a number of contacts on your mailing list, for example under 50, and thereafter you will pay a fee, for example between 51 and 100 contacts could be around £15 per month.  Do explore different sites and compare the current prices.

Within these platforms you open an account, many offer a free trial for around 30 days.  Once you open an account, you can create your email mailing lists.  You can create as many email mailing lists as you please.  As a suggestion, it is worth having one for enquiries and connectors (or non-clients) and one for clients only.  This allows you to send out email campaigns that are specifically aimed to those on the list.  For instance, I would not send an email campaign promoting my next group course to someone that has already attended the course.

You can brand the newsletter templates by choosing your brand’s colour scheme, uploading your logo and adding any other images that you use on your marketing material.  Therefore, when people receive it, they recognise you by your brand.

When people receive the mailer, it comes in the form of an html code, basically meaning, that instead of having to download a document, the mailer is received in the text of their email and looks similar to a page from your website.

If you have produced a magazine, such as our VA Times Magazine…people will receive a mailer from you in their email inbox, which may contain details of the contents page and then a link.  The link will be a page from your website from which they can download a PDF document which is the online magazine.  They can also access any previous issues with images of the front cover of each.  Your website designer can upload this onto your site’s filing system for you.

If it is a newsletter that they are receiving from you, the format normally appears like a one side A4 page, with a contents link top left corner under your main header or company logo and then either one main article or a few different short articles.  The contents link will detail the header/s of your article/s and act as a hyperlink to the related article.  Therefore, if you had a title called ‘how to manage your emails effectively’ and the reader likes the sound of that as opposed to the other titles, then by pressing on the link it will take them directly to the article.

It is worthwhile letting people know what the reading time is, at the top of the page, so that they can decide if they have the time to read it.

Filed Under: Biz Booster Tips Tagged With: , , , , , ,

What will you do differently in 2012?

December 21, 2011 By Leave a Comment


Perhaps you would love to start up as a VA but concerned about the news of the recession or you want to grow your VA business but hesitating about investing in your business development.

However, the VA industry has never seen more fantastic opportunities in the last few years, if anything, many VAs have followed a smart marketing strategy to increase their client base and boost their income. It’s certainly something I have noticed with many of the VAs whom I have been mentoring or training.

So where should you be focussing your energy on for 2012 to ensure you can grab those brilliant opportunities for your business? What do you need to start doing more of or doing differently to get the results you expect?

Become more marketing savvy

Become more savvy with your marketing both online and offline, have a sound strategy because with more and more people setting up as a VA, it’s even more important that you’re getting yourself noticed in the crowd. Plus you’ll need to become more savvy with social media whether using Facebook, writing blog posts, communicating on Twitter or online networking groups such as LinkedIn.

Marketing is about building relationships with an audience who are putting their hands up showing an interest in you and your business. Then, by using a unique marketing strategy, you can create awareness of what you do (educating people what a VA is and why using your services are invaluable to their business), who you are and how you, as a unique individual, can benefit the niche you support. By building a relationship with these people using distant and direct communication methods on a consistent basis, they will get to know you, like you and, importantly, trust you. This is not about selling and pushing for business.

Social Media

Social media is a great way of raising your profile online and reaching a wider audience. It is also an important tool to manage your reputation online and have an awareness of what is being said about you. Where people are raving about you is a great opportunity to encourage them tell their audience or followers. If a respected business owner is saying great things about you then their audience will place more trust in you and your business. This is a great marketing tool.

Here are some tips to get you started on the right track for 2012…

(And if you want more in-depth knowledge of the surefire way to getting more clients and increasing the amount you invoice each more, then listen in to a free teleseminar on Wednesday 4th January at 8.30pm on and a bonus teleseminar on Wednesday 11th January at 8.30pm on how to use video to market your VA business with Simon Jordan. Both sessions are one hour long. Just email va@vact.co.uk with the subject header only ‘Get More Clients’.)

1. Clarify what do you want? Create a clear, specific outcome you want to achieve in the next 90 days.

2. Identify where you are in your business right now. How many clients do you have? What is your income level? What is attracting people right now to your business?

3. Positioning: How do people see you? What problems do you solve? Do people see you as an expert?

4. Identify your niche. Describe them in a way they will be able to relate to.

5. Your packaging. How do you explain what you do so people understand.

6. Clarify the benefits of working with you.

7. Identify possible joint ventures. This is a wonderful opportunity to widen your audience.

8. The Marketing Mix. Ensure your clients are aware of all of your skills and that of the associates you have in your team so that you’re not losing out on any income opportunities.

Good luck for 2012 and ensure this is the year you take action!

If you really want to surge forward then have a look at this offer…

Please note copyright is to The VA Coaching and Training Company 2011-12. All rights reserved.

Filed Under: Becoming a VA, Biz Booster Tips Tagged With: , , , , , ,

How to stop feeling nervous about presenting

December 1, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Do you want advice on how to stop feeling nervous about presenting?

 

Let’s explore how to handle those nerves!

Do you notice that just before your turn to stand up and do your 40 or 60- second pitch or your ten minute presentation, your heart starts to beat faster, you feel a churning in your gut, you suddenly forget what you had planned to say. 

Then you stand up and notice how you are shaking, you feel conscious of everyone staring at you, you jumble up your words and mumble…oh damn you feel you’ve made a mess of it all and now have to wait until the next meeting to get it right …. but …. next time comes around and all you think about is the terrible experience of the last meeting …. oh what to do!!!!

Number 1 – let’s tackle those nerves of yours first

  • Actually being a little nervous is a GOOD thing believe it or not as having them allows a peak performance.  I speak at a lot of large conferences each year and I am always a little nervous beforehand, yet I find this helps me to give the best presentation.
  • However, the key is in the control of your nerves and feeling confident. How do you do that?  Visualisation.
  • If all you tell yourself is that you are nervous and then imagine yourself standing there a bag of nerves, then guess what…you will experience that…you are what you think.
  • By visualising yourself as a confident person, giving a sound presentation, imagining feeling calm and relaxed and even visualising people looking at you with keen interest whilst you are standing there thoroughly enjoying the presentation – then guess what again…you will experience that!! 
  • Remember that much of the nerves (controlled) will be on the inside.  I bet people have told you that you appeared very confident and you respond with surprise…well, if you take the first three letters of confidence you have ‘con’, it is easy to con your audience!  The visualisation is what will help con your subconscious mind.
  • Remember that whatever you tell yourself often enough you will become, change the way you think, act, behave as if you were the person you want to appear to be.

See things from your audience’s perspective

  • Have you ever sat in the audience whilst listening to someone’s ten minute presentation and lost interest or became confused with too much information?  Then learn from this…keep it simple.  It is very tempting to try and appear like the expert and talk in jargon but that really is not going to make the impact. 
  • What will make the impact is to think about what they want to hear…when you are in the audience do you want to know how the  speaker’s service could benefit you or have a positive impact on someone you know?  Of course you do, so this is what you should be aiming for…getting across how THEY, the audience can start to notice something positive by you working with them or those that they know. 
  • Imagine the type of problems you solve…mention some of these problems ‘Do you find that you come to the end of the day and notice you have achieved very little because you have been busy doing time consuming tasks?’, ‘Do you wish you could just focus on the key activities that will enable you to work on just the fee earning work and boost your income?’ etc 
  • Tell people the types of results you achieve and even give examples where you can. 
  • Be enthusiastic about your business, you will not make any impact on people’s memory of you if you speak with a monotone voice, with no lift.

Ensure you look the part – confidently!

  • When we are feeling a lack of confidence we tend to show this in the way we look – in our expression (not smiling and looking worried), in our posture (sloping shoulders and hunched over) – what do you notice about the way you look when you are not so confident? 
  • Aim to make a positive change…notice your posture and facial expression when you are feeling great about yourself, when you are feeling in a great mood – look at yourself in the mirror and notice what you notice.  People take more notice on how you sound and the way you look over what you say, so ensure the visual impression you give is positive.
  • Include eye contact in this too, as looking down at the floor will not help you.
  • You will find that when your body language, posture and facial expression is positive, it impacts on your feelings.  It’s hard to feel sad when you are smiling!!

Speaking with confidence

  • The way you sound and making the best use of your voice is just as important…although I appreciate that when you are feeling nervous this impacts on your voice…like someone has taken out your voice box, squeezed it and then put it back again.
  • Control your breathing – focus.  When you breathe at a slower rate, you start to feel calm and notice how relaxed you start to feel.
  • Avoid trying to say too much, by talking at a good, steady pace is going to allow you to feel much better about your presentation AND people are more likely to remember what you say. Less is more!
  • Speak with enthusiasm and emphasise key points.
  • Pause in between sections.  This ensures you keep the attention of your audience.

 Nervous about questions that will be asked after your presentation?

  • Remember – you know your business, nobody asks you a question to catch you out. 
  • Anticipate the typical questions that could be asked and prepare the answers.
  • Never guess an answer if you don’t know, tell them that is a great question and will come back to them.
  • Practice talking about fees confidently, ideally you should mention your fees in the presentation – never tell people that it depends on what they want – be clear.  If you practice talking about fees with confidence and you have put across the value then you will create a strong impression.

How to stop feeling nervous about presenting? Practice this all beforehand

  • If you prepare the night before then of course you will expect to be nervous. 
  • The more time you give yourself the more confident you will be and the stronger impression you will make as a proactive VA and business owner.
  • Give yourself two to three weeks to prepare and practice your ten minute presentation or 40/60 second pitch.
  • If you practice you will notice your confidence soar…and I am talking from experience!

 

What I can do to help: 

Having been a trainer, presenter and Master NLP confidence coach I have been mentoring and supporting people who want to become more confident and be able to influence through effective presentations.  Sessions for VAs only are £150 for a two hour coaching session via video Skype, plus supporting material.  We will work through your confidence barriers, then put together your actual presentation and practice.  To book please go to www.tungle.me/VACT to book your two hour session.  This includes a 30 minute follow up feedback session.

Suggested Reading:

Filed Under: Biz Booster Tips, Confidence Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Do you want more referrals?

November 29, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Do you want more referrals?

I recently attended a networking group where putting forward referrals is not something that is forced upon members.  What I found interesting was that, when it came to the 1-2-1 sessions, people were not forthright in telling me what type of referrals they wanted, in fact many a time I have found people almost embarrassed about asking.  I always ask “What type of contacts or referrals would suit your business?” as it’s always my aim to support others.

So what’s stopping you from getting more referrals?  Is it that you feel awkward about it or feel it’s wrong to ask?  Someone told me that if someone has a referral they’d pass it on, however, on the other hand some people have held back from sending referrals when they believe someone is too busy to take on more work!

Start with your clients

How often to you run a client review session.  Many have told me they don’t conduct one as they have been told by their client that they are more than happy with their VA services.  But that is not the point of a client review.   From the start of taking the client on board you are on a mission to add value to your client’s business and by conducting a client review means that you are ensuring that your services are helping your clients to keep on track with their important goals.

Imagine now that you are helping your clients in such a way that they are now able to focus on the key activities they must focus on in order to start achieving their monthly and quarterly goals.  Imagine the scenario that with your support they have surpassed what their expectations were and much of that is down to you taking away the burden from the running of their business.

Just from the fact that you have been offering great customer service, conducting great client reviews to ensure that they are on track and great ongoing client management…they are going to be a happy client, aren’t they.

Therefore, when it comes to a client review and you have outlined the areas you have supported them on, this would be a great time to ask for a referral.  And if you have sustained a great relationship, of course they will want to support you.

Asking your clients for a referral is the most cost-effective marketing you can do.  Let your clients do the talking. 

Do you want more referrals?  Then you must get over your feelings of awkwardness and get into the habit of asking for a referral from any of your satisfied clients. 

How to Ask for Referrals

  • Remember that most people like to help other people (if there is no negative cost to them).
  • Remind yourself that the worst that can happen is that the client says, “No”. We can handle that!
  • Make asking for a referral part of your routine. With most work you do, there’s a last encounter with the client, a perfect time to ask for a referral.

What to say when asking for a referral?

Be sincere and direct and you can say something along the lines of…

“I’m really glad that you’re pleased with the support I have provided you. Who can you think of now that you would be interest in (what you do), I would very much appreciate if you could pass on my details.  Would you need some more of my business cards?

Ensuring they have some of your business cards makes it easier for them to pass your name and contact details on to someone else.

Another variation on this script is to be even more direct and ask for names when you’re asking for referrals. For instance, you might say:

“I’m really glad that you’re pleased with my services. I have capacity for additional business of around 10 hours per week and wonder who you know who would be interested in speaking to me about how I can support them also.”

Pause and see what they say. Some people will offer some names. Some will say, “Yes, maybe,” and not offer any further information. Some will say, “No”, but at least you tried.

If they do offer names, take them down and ask the person if they mind if you contact the people directly or if they would prefer to pass your information along to them yourself.

Tips for Asking for Referrals

  • Referrals ideally should be asked for face-to-face. It’s more effective. People will always be more likely to do something for someone else if the person is standing right in front of them. It is acceptable to ask for referrals by email or phone if you work on a more virtual basis.
  • Avoid asking for a referral when issuing an invoice!
  • When asking for a referral you can also ask for an endorsement or testimonial and offer to promote their business alongside the testimonial with their website links or contact information.  Give them time to put this together or you could do this and then pass it to them for approval to help save them time.

The More You Ask The More You’ll Get

Make the effort to get into the behavioural habit of asking for referrals and then you will start to notice a positive impact on your business with less cost to you for marketing!  As a little touch, why not have a branded thank you card from your company so that you can send this, hand written, to your client when a referral is made, even if that person doesn’t become a client, it is the act of kindness and thoughtfulness that your client made for you.

If you liked this article please tweet about it and also let me know your comments…what’s been the most effective way of getting referrals for your business?

Sign up to our webinar on how to conduct a great client review for Tuesday 13th December!

Filed Under: Becoming a VA, Biz Booster Tips Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Do you need to make a data protection notification?

November 21, 2011 By Leave a Comment

If you collect and process personal data, you must (unless exempt) notify certain details (such as your name and address, a description of personal data being processed and a description of the purpose for which the data is being processed) to the Information Commissioner.

If you process personal data without notification (or outside the scope of your notification) you are committing a criminal offence. This offence carries a maximum penalty of a £5,000 fine in the magistrates’ court and an unlimited fine in the Crown Court. Failure to notify is a strict liability offence which means that notifying is mandatory (if you don’t fall within an exemption) and being unaware of the law is not an excuse. 

The main exemption for a small private business is the ‘core business purpose’ exemption, that is, you are exempt if the only reasons you are processing personal data are for:

  • Staff administration; and/or
  • Advertising, marketing and public relations; and/or
  • Accounts and records.

The period of notification is one year. There is an annual fee of £35. Changes to a notification entry must be made within 28 days. Changes are made free of charge.

Beware of bogus agencies sending out official looking warning letters about notification and charging inflated fees to notify on your behalf. Always deal directly with the Information Commissioner’s Office – it is cheaper and better to do so. You can notify on the ICO website (https://www.ico.gov.uk/cgi-bin//dprproc?page=7.html) or by phone on 01625 545740.        

Even if you are exempt from notification you must still comply with other provisions in the Data Protection Act 1998, including the eight data protection principles.

Lawyers4mumpreneurs is the only business law practice in the UK that focuses exclusively on mumpreneur businesses. We cover the full range of business law services and have over 14 years’ experience at the highest level in providing such services. We provide mumpreneurs with a friendly, cost-effective and flexible service. See our many testimonials from delighted clients at http://www.lawyers4mumpreneurs.com/testimonials-2

Filed Under: Becoming a VA, Legal Matters Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

How to Become a Virtual Assistant

November 17, 2011 By Leave a Comment

 I am often asked by people how to become a Virtual Assistant.  Other questions that come up include…How do I get clients? Is the industry saturated as there seems to be so many VAs?, Can I earn a good income from being a Virtual Assistant?

I have been in the industry myself for over 11 years and during two economic downturns and especially at a time when people never heard of a VA, I was still able to become a Virtual Assistant and a profitable one at that.  I have in my time set up and run two successful VA businesses, I recently passed on my VA business, partly for personal reasons, in order to focus more time on my VA training delegates.

I have seen many changes in the VA industry over the years, and one thing is for sure, if you want to know how to become a virtual assistant, first think about your experience.  I tend to stipulate before I accept anyone onto the VA Mastery Course, that one has at least 6 years experience in a secretarial or PA environment.  This means you will have a greater level of understanding of providing a service and support to one or more managers.

Some ladies whom I have met have been concerned that they have nothing much to offer, but it is reassuring for them to know that actually their experience is invaluable.  If you are worried about what you have to offer, just remind yourself of how far you’ve come in your journey and the amazing skills you’ve development.  Give yourself more credit.

What services to offer when you become a Virtual Assistant?

When I set up, I had over 15 years experience as a PA and Marketing Assistant, and I was stuck what I could offer and to whom.  However, it soon came to light that a new industry was growing in the UK, the coaching industry, and so I focussed my services around supporting coaches.  This meant that within three months I was working full time as a VA.

PAs and secretaries will come from different industry backgrounds, the public or private sector, some with additional skills.  What you offer often depends on who your clients will be…your niche market.  A Virtual Assistant, in the traditional sense, will offer the type of services you would expect a PA or secretary to offer in the office environment.  However, if you are very creative or great at anything operational, then you can focus on developing skills or services based on your strengths.  Anything which you are unable to carry out yourself or dislike doing such as minute taking (this comes up quite a bit), then this is where you would sub-contract to other VAs who are specialists in these tasks.

One must be very cautious about listing everything as a service for fear of being perceived as a ‘Jack of all Trades’…many people who have come to me asking for a VA have noted that seeing a long list is very off putting.

The Technology

This is nothing to be afraid of.  Much of the technology and software used in the VA world is not always used in the employed world, therefore, have faith that this is something that is something you can adapt to and learn.  When I started as a VA there was no such thing as broadband for goodness sake, let alone file sharing sites.  Now it is all second nature to me.  Some VAs will let others know about what they have discovered and give reviews, some will come from introductions via social media i.e. Facebook or Twitter, as well as hearing from IT specialists what’s on the market.  Indeed some of my clients have used technology which I have not been aware of and so I have learnt from them.

How do you get clients?

This comes from having a solid marketing strategy which has arisen from a strong focus on your business strategy.  Without a focus and vision how can you possibly create a marketing strategy?  Where you get your clients will be dependent on who you want to work with and of course how they will find out about you or you find them. 

When I started out, I knew that I wanted to match my corporate salary; I charged £15 an hour and was told I was expensive!!  However, I still managed to get a full time business onboard and train up two associate VAs.  How was this achieved?  Well I just ensured that I got to know people and built up relationships as well as the fact that I clearly educated people about using a VA and the outcomes they could achieve.  I got many referrals also which already built up my reputation in the prospects mind.

The first important lesson is to ensure that you have the ability to stand out from the crowd and walk away from being like everyone else.  People like unique VAs.  If your website starts of telling people what a Virtual Assistant is, it’s not going to have the same impact as someone that has focussed and powerful content on their front page aimed at their prospective clients.  Being a generalist is not going to have the same impact as being a specialist.

I help VAs focus on their niche market and to know the message (powerful content) to attract people to their site and keep them interested.  People will only stay on a site for 3-6 seconds unless something grabs their attention.

Marketing is about building a relationship through direct and distant communication.  Why would you want to do business with someone you don’t know, like or trust? 

Marketing is also about educating people and ensuring that they understand the real benefits of using a VA for their own business and what YOU individually can support them with.  The feature benefits are the fact that clients will only pay for the time you do the work, no salary or overheads etc…but as this comes as standard with every VA it’s not the ultimate benefit.  The ultimate benefit is about the changes that are made in the way your clients work, what they focus on and the results they achieve.

When you’ve hurt you back, you’re not going to be thinking ‘I need a Pilates Instructor’, but what you are thinking is that you need someone to sort out your back pain so you can walk straight again and sit without agony.  So when you see a leaflet or hear someone tell you that you can help them to walk and sit pain free, you’re going to take notice.

Marketing is also about the different online and offline forms of communication, which all work in conjunction with one another.  You wouldn’t just read a business card and then sign a contract.  You’d want to speak to the business person first and build the relationship further.

Is the industry saturated?

John Palmer of bemyva.com (an online directory for VAs), stated that there are only £3000 VAs in the UK which are running a serious VA business and 12,000 globally.  Therefore, I do believe there is plenty of room for more professional and serious VAs.

I do also believe very strongly that, if you are going to stand out, you need to ensure your whole marketing and branding strategy enables you to do just that.

What had becoming a Virtual Assistant meant to me?

Well a culmination of things really.  To be honest I never really thought I could do this and I was so scared that I was making the right decision.  I had so many doubts and concerns mostly around paying the mortgage and, as I was pregnant, how I was going to earn an income with a small baby.

But you know what?  With my support and focus and a great strategy, I did it.  Now, OK, I have had many a time when I wanted to throw the towel in and had some challenging times with associates or clients…BUT…it has all been a great learning tool and I have developed amazing friendships with many of my clients and networking colleagues too.  I have developed a certain insight as well which only really comes from experience.

Since my first daughter I have had two more children, the youngest is 10.5 months and I have had to care for a husband with a brain tumour, but I have still done it…how…because I have a passion for what I do, I have great support, I have a model that I use and know that works and I have faith and focus.

Nobody can set up a business all alone; you need support around you…if anything to keep you sane.  But the benefits far outweigh being employed in my book.

Is this for you…well if you want to be independent, reach your full potential, earn a good income even with family, be in control of who you work with, develop a large network of likeminded individuals, and have a profitable enterprise that is in demand…ten yes.

Are you scared?

Yes…that’s normal of course as you now know what you want to do but also aware that you need to have the knowledge to get the clients, get the business up and running, get your website etc etc…

Confidence and knowledge comes from experience and just getting on with it as well as having the mentoring support from someone who has achieved what you want to achieve.

Food for thought!

  • If the VA Mastery Course does not fit in with your needs and budget, then we offer a One Day Live Event which includes 11 modules for home study.  This is a great event which will give you a perfect insight into how to get clients!
  • However, if you want to have a TASTE of the VA industry…then why not attend our half day Taster Day in Leeds or London…click here for details…
Filed Under: Becoming a VA, Biz Booster Tips, Opportunity Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,