How to Choose a Virtual Assistant
April 25, 2008
By Karyn Greenstreet
copyright © 2007, by Karyn Greenstreet. All rights reserved.
For over 15 years I worked with an assistant who came to my home office and helped me with the administrative side of my business. When I moved away from the area 18 months ago, I lost her services.
I had two choices: look for another administrative assistant nearer to my new home office, or delve into the world of “virtual assistants.” A virtual assistant does not come to your office. Instead he or she works from their own office and assists you via phone, internet, fax, and email.
When I looked through the list of all the tasks I wanted an assistant to perform, there was no reason why this person couldn’t be located anywhere in the world. After careful research I hired an assistant who lives 2,500 miles away, and although we’ve never met in person, we’ve formed a strong foundation which helps my business run smoothly. Read more
VA Matchmaker: Virtual Assistant Profile #12
April 20, 2008
(1) What made you decide to become a virtual assistant?
When I first heard about the virtual assistant industry I was intrigued! This was a new concept for me and I was instantly drawn to the idea and concept. I was drawn not only by the challenges and opportunities this type of work presented but also the idea of being an entrepreneur. Starting and developing my own business is the fulfillment of a life long dream.
One other area that brought me to the VA industry was the opportunity to learn. Learn new skills, new technology and learn about my clients business and how to help them reach their own personal goals.
(2) What are the top three skills you have or that you love to do?
My top three skills are Project Management, Website Updates & Maintenance and Internet Research. All three present opportunities for my clients delegate out some of the day to day details of running their business and allow them to take back their time and focus on revenue generating activities
(3) What are three things you don’t like doing?
Customer Service, Accounting and Telemarketing.
(4) Describe your ideal client.
My ideal client is a dreamer, a go-getter and enjoys creative collaboration on business development projects. My client is comfortable working on the internet and through email as a means of communication and delegating work.
(5) What is your favorite thing about being a VA?
The people and the work are what I enjoy the most about being a virtual assistant. Through my work and education I have met some wonderful people and have made some friends along the journey. I also enjoy the work and the variety of what comes my way each day.
(6) What is the most important piece of advice you’ve received about running your own business?
To get out of my own way! Being an entrepreneur is about taking risks, some will pay off and some will not but take advantage of each step along the way and learn as much as you can. It is important to not allow yourself to stop moving forward, if you don’t know, ask for help there are many wonderful and generous people out there who are more than willing to help you out as they have been helped. Sometimes you have to get out of your own way in order to keep moving forward.
(7) Who are your business mentors?
Erin Blaskie - BSETC: Through her classes and through the example of her own business, Erin has completely changed how I view my business and has helped me create exciting new goals and ideas of where my business will take me.
Alexandra Brown - EzineQueen.com: I appreciate the passion she has for her work, her generosity in sharing information and the encouragement she gives her students and newsletter readers. She started with humble beginnings and has developed a successful business that has helped so many others.
Valerie Young - ChangingCourse.com: Valerie has developed a business and lifestyle of helping others. Through her business she has created a variety of income streams and continues to grow, develop new ideas and creates new opportunities for herself and her clients.
Technorati Tags: VA Matchmaker, virtual assistant, virtual assistance, VA, virtual assistants, outsourcing, delegating, delegation, outsource, virtual assistant profile, Erin Blaskie, Alexandria Brown, Ezine Queen, Valerie Young
VA Matchmaker: Virtual Assistant Profile #11
April 18, 2008
(1) What made you decide to become a virtual assistant?
Even before I knew what a VA was, I already had a realtor client that I did website design and marketing for. I had been looking for a way to be able to stay home with my son, and happened upon the term Virtual Assistant. I realized that I was already doing this, and could turn it into a full business by providing similar administrative and real estate type services to other business people. After a lot of reading and researching, I decided to launch my own VA business.
(2) What are the top three skills you have or that you love to do?
My top 3 skills would be:
Real Estate Support – especially related to marketing, internet branding, social networking, article marketing, etc.
Blog Site Design – this is probably one of my favorite projects, as it combines creative and technical skills
General Administrative work – Transcription, proofreading and editing, etc.
(3) What are three things you don’t like doing?
I’m not much for numbers, so bookkeeping is right at the top of my “don’t-like-to-do’s”. Two others would probably be telephone work and schedule/calendar management.
(4) Describe your ideal client.
My ideal client is a business owner that understands the value of working with a VA, not just as an assistant, but as a partner to their business. Someone that feels comfortable turning over a full project to me and letting me manage it for them, touching base occasionally. One that also feels comfortable bouncing ideas around with me, having full faith that I will use my knowledge and experience to find a way to make their projects and ideas as productive and profitable as possible.
(5) What is your favorite thing about being a VA?
My favorite part of being a VA? There are so many! I love the variety of projects I get to work on, and the fact that I am continually learning. I love being a business owner, and I love being able to work from home while giving my kids a ton of Mom-time.
(6) What is the most important piece of advice you’ve received about running your own business?
Probably the most important advice I’ve received on running my VA business is to remember that it is my business, and that I need to set policies and procedures that I am comfortable with, so that I can provide the highest level of service possible. After all, doing something I’m not comfortable with will rarely produce the best results.
(7) Who are your business mentors?
I think the biggest influences on me, professionally, have always come from successful small business owners that have taken what they loved doing, and become very successful doing it. It reminds me that drive and motivation are just as important as start-up capital or a business degree!
Technorati Tags: VA Matchmaker, virtual assistant, virtual assistance, VA, virtual assistants, outsourcing, delegating, delegation, outsource, virtual assistant profile
Do You Need a Virtual Assistant?
April 18, 2008
Written by OnDemandVA.com
Do you own a business? Do you have administrative duties that are eating up the time that could be better spent in developing and running your business? Do you want somebody to accomplish your administrative duties on an as necessity basis?
If the answer is yes to all of these questions, a Virtual Assistant is supply you need to consider.
Individuals and businesses outsource administrative duties to specialized VAs. There are a lot of benefits on outsourcing a VA rather than hiring an home based employee.
Consider the following when having to decide if a Virtual Assistant is just right for you. Read more
VA Matchmaker: Virtual Assistant Profile #10
April 16, 2008
(1) What made you decide to become a virtual assistant?
I became a VA because I needed a “portable” job. My husband’s career requires that we move- a lot (9 times in 8 years and counting). Sick of the constant job search, I got into copywriting and that evolved into virtual assistance services.
(2) What are the top three skills you have or that you love to do?
I am really, really organized. I love to write, do research and learn new things (which I guess explains the research!)
(3) What are three things you don’t like doing?
I don’t like dealing with cranky customers or negative people in general. People who don’t know what they want and expect me to know, then get upset because what I thought they wanted wasn’t it after all. And the number one thing I don’t like doing is: flying…
(4) Describe your ideal client.
My ideal client has a plan and knows the steps to execute it. Organized, family-oriented and knows what it means to delegate. She doesn’t work for the money, but because she enjoys it and knows the money will come by following her passion.
(5) What is your favorite thing about being a VA?
I have two favorites when it comes to being a VA. The first is for the reason I became one, the portability of it. The second is setting my own hours. With a young family and a spouse that is away at least a week every month, I can work without worrying about daycare, working late, or not getting to work on time. Actually, most of my work gets done between 4PM and midnight once the kids are in bed and my husband is home from work.
(6) What is the most important piece of advice you’ve received about running your own business?
I received many good pieces of advice. The best was probably to remember to take time out for myself. That’s been a really hard one, even though I know it’s important. It feels like there are so few hours in the day as it is, so to take the time out for myself feels like I’m not getting enough done elsewhere.
(7) Who are your business mentors?
I have been very lucky and have some excellent mentors. My dad, Dr. Evoy and of course, Erin Blaskie!
Technorati Tags: VA Matchmaker, virtual assistant, virtual assistance, VA, virtual assistants, outsourcing, delegating, delegation, outsource, virtual assistant profile, Erin Blaskie, Dr. Evoy
VA Matchmaker: Virtual Assistant Profile #9
April 14, 2008
(1) What made you decide to become a virtual assistant?
Because I want to work at home, but also to help others with their businesses. But most of all, I would like to enjoy life again, and not be stressed out with work, money, etc.
(2) What are the top three skills you have or that you love to do?
Right now I have bookkeeping, word processing, data entry skills. But I would like to learn and do: powerpoint, marketing research, among other tasks, get certified in Quickbooks, also become a certified virtual assistant. Once I do that, then I would be more available to get more clients and do more things.
(3) Describe your ideal client.
My ideal client? Hmmm. I guess that would be to use my services consistently. And not just a one time deal. In other words, not 1 day here, 1 day there. I need clients that will need my services weekly, monthly, bimonthly. Same amount of hrs each week, bimonthly, monthly.
(4) What is your favorite thing about being a VA?
I love being a VA because I can set my hrs as needed, but most of all, I can help others, with my expertise. And they appreciate my help. They appreciate my ideas, work ethics, etc. Knowing that they are using my comments, expertise for their businesses, ventures, and other tasks is all the appreciation I need.
(5) What is the most important piece of advice you’ve received about running your own business?
That it will take time to reach the level of financial security that I am aiming for. But also, that I will lose clients and win some clients. That there will be frustration, along with happiness.
(6) Who are your business mentors?
My mentors? #1–Erin Blaskie. She is enjoyable to work with, learn from, and talk to. Hopefully I will learn much from Erin and become just as good as she is. #2 would be Bill Gates. He has many hands in different projects. And because of that, he is a bultimillionaire. I would never be that rich, but I would like to be comfortable financially.
Technorati Tags: VA Matchmaker, virtual assistant, virtual assistance, VA, virtual assistants, outsourcing, delegating, delegation, outsource, virtual assistant profile, Erin Blaskie, Bill Gates
VA Matchmaker: Virtual Assistant Profile #8
April 12, 2008
(1) What made you decide to become a virtual assistant?
I wanted to learn new technology and be able to work any where, anytime, anyplace.
(2) What are the top three skills you have or that you love to do?
- 24/7 Phone-in dictation service. Call in from any phone, anywhere, anytime!
- Organizer/problem solver – what the clients needs done, I find a way to do it…from relocation to administration delegation.
- Research – from setting up an off-shore company to finding a specialist doctor or the perfect gift.
(3) What are three things you don’t like doing?
- Being with negative people.
- Having a day when I am not learning, contributing or enjoying.
- Going to the dentist.
(4) Describe your ideal client.
Someone who is interested in bettering their business with my services
(5) What is your favorite thing about being a VA?
Being able to work with people all over the world where we can both feel I make a meaningful contribution to their business.
(6) What is the most important piece of advice you’ve received about running your own business?
The customer always comes first.
(7) Who are your business mentors?
Napoleon Hill, Warren Buffet, Peter Drucker, Bill Gates and Annette Bachner, who was one of my first bosses.
Technorati Tags: VA Matchmaker, virtual assistant, virtual assistance, VA, virtual assistants, outsourcing, delegating, delegation, outsource, virtual assistant profile, Napoleon Hill, Warren Buffet, Peter Drucker, Bill Gates, Annette Bachner
The Best Thing you can do for your business….Build Relationships By Michelle Jamison
April 10, 2008
It can be said about most service professions that long-term clients are based more on the relationships you have with them then the services you are offering.
This is especially true for Virtual Assistants. The nature of our work…virtually that is, has ever so often been faced with some apprehension, when explaining what we do to prospective clients. Particularly those individuals who have not yet been a part of the virtual world, a world that VA’s know, have unlimited boundaries when doing business.
Building Relationships start from the moment we meet those individuals and it doesn’t stop there. Relationship building should be something that virtual assistants continue to do naturally with their clients on a regular on-going basis. Read more
VA Matchmaker: Virtual Assistant Profile #7
April 10, 2008
(1) What made you decide to become a virtual assistant?
What made me become an Virtual Assistant is that I first started in the Administration field back in May 1989, but because in 1997 I wasn’t bilingual and being in Ottawa 90% of the employment field you had to be bilingual to get employed in an office, so since I wasn’t I wanted to start my own business. I love my job it is what I thrive on.
(2) What are the top three skills you have or that you love to do?
My top three skills that I have and/or I love to do is working on big projects needing editing (ex: proposals), operation and maintenance manuals and other manuals.
(3) What are three things you don’t like doing?
I don’t like doing, math related issues… I don’t have any math software skills but it’s something I would like to take in the future (e.g. ACCPAC etc.),
(4) Describe your ideal client.
My ideal client is someone I can work well as a team with, constructively solve problems with when there is a need to solve problems together and being able to work our individual schedules around both of our schedules. Someone who I can get different opportunities from and learn as I work.
(5) What is your favorite thing about being a VA?
My favorite thing about being a VA is being able to work independently, owning my own business and being given the ability to do new and different types of challenging work.
(6) What is the most important piece of advice you’ve received about running your own business?
Advertise your business as much as possible, subscribe to newsletters, join as many VA groups as possible because the more you get your name out there the more chances of business survival. Join a lot of networking associations.
(7) Who are your business mentors?
Erin Blaskie, VATP and Virtual Assistant Network Associations. I have a lot of business mentors but these are the main ones that I deal with on the regular basis.
Technorati Tags: VA Matchmaker, virtual assistant, virtual assistance, VA, virtual assistants, outsourcing, delegating, delegation, outsource, virtual assistant profile, Erin Blaskie, VATP, Virtual Assistant Networking Association , VANA
VA Matchmaker: Virtual Assistant Profile #6
April 8, 2008
(1) What made you decide to become a virtual assistant?
My journey to becoming a virtual assistant began when I read Tim Ferris’s 4-hour Work Week. The chapter on outsourcing really intrigued me and I began to research everything I could on outsourcing and virtual assistants. Eventually, I came to realize that a lot of the freelance writing and web development I was doing fit into the “Web Savvy VA” category.
(2) What are the top three skills you have or that you love to do?
I am a programmer / analyst with over 15 years of IT experience. Most of that experience is internet related. I also teach Web Technologies at my local Community College so I really enjoy working on anything related to the internet. My top three skills are:
1) Wordpress. Installation, backup, maintenance, and theme modification.
2) 1ShoppingCart configuration. I certified through Practice Pay Solutions as a Shopping Cart Certified Strategist for the shopping cart software that runs 1Shoppingcart, Marketer’s Choice, Practice Pay Solutions, and Cartville.
3) Internet Marketing Sales Pages and Websites. Over the past year, I’ve studied everything I can find on information products and internet marketing. Currently I’m focusing on learning direct response copywriting.
(3) What are three things you don’t like doing?
I don’t enjoy managing clients e-mail, calendar scheduling, and customer support. I’m good at these tasks and got my start in customer support, but there’s plenty of work available doing the things that I love (and it doesn’t seem like work when you love doing it).
(4) Describe your ideal client.
My ideal client is someone who is either 1) someone who is tech savvy–they know what they want, and have a good idea how to do it, but their short on time. This type of client organizes their tasks in to do lists so that I can process them in batches as efficiently as possible, or 2) business owners who want to focus on their core competencies and leave the management of their web presence to me. For this type of client, I set up the to do list for their approval and act both as a coach and do the implementation.
(5) What is your favorite thing about being a VA?
Freedom. The freedom to work from where I want, when I want and to do the type of work that I enjoy doing.
(6) What is the most important piece of advice you’ve received about running your own business?
The most important advice I’ve received and taken to heart is that building a business is all about building relationships. I think this is especially important online.
(7) Who are your business mentors?
My business mentors in order of when I discovered them are: Tim Ferriss (scalable business models), Yaro Starak (blogging as a business), Erin Blaskie (the VA Coach), Mark Forster (UK’s premier productivity guru), Eugene Schwartz (through his classic books on copywriting and advertising), and Joe Karbo (through his classic book on self-improvement and direct marketing).
Technorati Tags: VA Matchmaker, virtual assistant, virtual assistance, VA, virtual assistants, outsourcing, delegating, delegation, outsource, virtual assistant profile, Timothy Ferriss, Four Hour Work Week, Yaro Starak, Erin Blaskie, Mark Forster, Eugene Schwartz, Joe Karbo
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