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Why social media is such an important part service to have

July 19, 2012 By Leave a Comment

I am sure that will all have already been using social media to promote and engage with current and prospective clients, but have you thought about how you could use these areas to add new services to your current list?

You may already know your way around Facebook and Twitter, these are areas that you could develop and then offer your existing clients support to extend their reach through social media.

It is always great to learn new skills and especially skills that clients are actively looking for and can help you extend your services reach to overseas too. By learning new skills you will be able to offer more than most other VA’s are and be able to charge more money as well as cater for a larger circle of clients.

Social media that sells is a great ecourse that will give you the skills to stand out from the crowd and offer services such as social media management, email marketing, blog content creati0n and analysing statistics. All of these services are sought after by clients around the world and are looking to pay someone to do for them.

If you want to earn more money for less time then this is what you need to be doing.

Filed Under: Biz Booster Tips, VA Training 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: , , , , , ,

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: , , , , , , , , , , ,

The art to speed networking

October 26, 2011 By Leave a Comment

If you’ve ever been to a speed networking event, you may have experienced the conveyor belt of businesses trying desperately to tell you about their business and vice versa, whilst getting tongue-tied in the meantime. 

It is highly intensive, taking its spin from speed dating (not that I’ve experienced that), with a mix of people from different industries.  One or two minutes, sometimes three if you’re lucky, to promote what you do.  When the whistle blows you move on to the next person.

One of the features I love about 4Networking, is the three ten-minute 1-2-1 meetings you have.  Five minutes each just to create awareness of what you do, so if there is a connection there, you’ve established that, in just ten minutes, whether this is someone you can do business with r provide a possible referral in the future, you’ve had just enough time to plant the seed.

Having attended the amazing 4N in Banbury this week, I had three wonderful 1-2-1 meetings with people who, whilst they were giving their 40-second pitch, made an impact on me (“they are someone I must get to know” I thought).  Therefore, when it came to the 10-minute meetings, my gut feeling was right.  In fact they will be mentioned in my Follow Friday next week.

So whether it is one minute or five…what is the art of networking with speed?

  • PREPARE! PREPARE! PREPARE!

You can never be too prepared.  When you know that the clock is ticking, if you don’t know what you want to say, you won’t make the impact you want and this can also affect your confidence.  If you know you’ll feel apprehensive about doing this, then you’ll make the experience 100% more effective if you are prepared with what to say.

Being prepared also creates a great impression and helps you to get the most out of your time there.   Practise what you want to say so that you come across as confident – this creates a great first impression.

Ensure you have plenty of business cards to give out, it’s rather embarrassing when you run out!

  • What to say?

You’ll need to be pitch perfect being able to describe your business in such a short time.   Prepare the main key points your business delivers, identify the reasons why people come to your VA business (i.e. identifying what your clients struggle with), as well as a focus on results you help people to achieve with your VA business. 

If you make it sound complicated and use jargon, they may not understand.  What you have to bear in mind is that they may not need your service but they could come across someone else who does.  If they get what you do then the referral will be a good quality one.

Be concise and to the point about the main features of your business, what you offer and what makes you unique…avoid waffling!

Speak clearly and raise your voice, with many people in the room all talking at once, it can be rather loud in the room!

  • Follow-up afterwards

If people don’t contact you straight away, it could be because they are very busy, therefore, take the initiative and be pro-active…follow-up.  If you’ve promised information or contacts, ensure you take the action you promised.  It shows you are reliable and a genuine contact to have.

Connect with them on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter ( of course ensuring you don’t stalk them).

If you leave the follow-up, then ultimately you’ve made your networking a very expensive excercise.

  • Where to go for speednetworking?

You will often find that the Chamber of Commerce arrange these, quite often it is a lunch time event where you speednetwork with up to 10 people on your table whilst eating your starter.  Then you chat amongst yourselves.  When it is time for the main meal, you’ll hop onto another table and repeat your pitch with 9 other people.  Again, you will change tables for the dessert.

  • Resources

A great place to meet new people and speed network is at The Business Growth Show.  For details of shows in the Oxfordshire region, you can contact john@thebusinessgrowthshow.co.uk (a great gentleman I met at the 4N Banbury yesterday!).

For the 4N meetings, please go to 4Networking.biz for details.  Meetings take place once a fortnight, 8am to 10am.  Membership offers £200 for 200 days which permits you to attend any group as often as you like.   Great 4Ners to follow on Twitter @noredbraces (Stefan Thomas who is Area Leader) and @BradBurton (Founder of 4N and author of “Get Off Your Arse” #GOYA1 or #GOYA2 on Twitter)

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

Beware what you say on websites, facebook and twitter!

October 25, 2011 By Leave a Comment

On 1 March 2011, advertising regulation extended its remit to websites, facebook and twitter (and any other non-paid-for online space under your control such as other social networking sites).

The CAP Code says, amongst other things, that advertising should:

  • be legal, decent, honest and truthful.
  • be prepared with a sense of responsibility to consumers and society.
  • respect the principles of fair competition generally accepted in business.
  • not mislead by inaccuracy, ambiguity, exaggeration or otherwise

This means that not only must business owners check their own website to ensure that it complies with the CAP Code, but that anyone contributing to your Facebook page, blog or twitter will need to be aware of, and comply with, the Code.

The Advertising Standards Authority is generally reactive in that it tends to deal with complaints received rather than actively reviewing marketing communications. This may influence the approach to compliance. However it is worth noting that the ASA’s sanctions are also being increased so that it can:

  • Name and shame offenders, both on the ASA’s website and on paid-for advertisements on internet search engines which highlight continued non-compliance.
  • Remove paid-for search advertisements that link directly to the non-compliant marketing communication on the advertiser’s own website or other non-paid-for space online under its control.

 

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: Legal Matters Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,