VA Matchmaker | Virtual Assistant Match Making by a Veteran VA & VA Coach

Virtual Assistants Help Entrepreneurs Grow Sales

VA Matchmaker — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 13:51:35 +0000

By Deborah Brown

Use a virtual assistant to free you up to grow salesI’ve heard it said “do what you love and delegate the rest.”

For small business owners, one of the biggest challenges is wearing all the hats. We originally went into business because we had a passion and skill for a certain service or product. However, our skills may not include the operational, marketing or financial end of the business. (more…)

How do I delegate better?

VA Matchmaker — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 03:50:33 +0000

Delegating is just one way to give an assignment to the people who work for you. To be a great manager, you need to master the art of determining just how much control to allow someone who works for you. That way you’ll understand when and how to delegate, and when and how to assign work in another way.

Lots of bosses are good at dumping, but not at delegating. They’re great at off-loading the things they don’t like to do and dropping assignments on their subordinates with little or no guidance.

Other bosses think that delegating is always the best way to assign work. That’s not right either. When you’ve got a competent and willing worker, delegation is the right way to go, but it’s not a good choice for workers who aren’t as competent or committed. (more…)

Announcing the New Group Coaching Program from the VA Coach: How to Build and Grow a Multi-VA Practice 4-Week Group Coaching Program

VA Matchmaker — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 18:44:15 +0000

Have you been giving some thought to the multi-VA practice?

Do you want to be involved in your VA business but work a little bit less?

Would you like to earn extra money for every hour that someone else is working?

Say hello to the multi-VA practice. This business model allows us as virtual assistants to expand our businesses, service more clients, work less and earn more. Working less and earning more is something I think we’re all after!

This four-week group coaching program is designed to give you all of the tools, knowledge and support to grow your business and expand into a multi-VA practice. Delivered in the evening, you can easily make this program a part of your weekly routine.

Take me to the information and registration page!

All calls are one hour in length and there are two calls per week. The calls are recorded and each of the calls are part content (aka The VA Coach talking “at” you) and part mastermind (aka you being involved and the call being interactive).

You’ll also receive action items around building your team, resources to make this process easier and quicker and access to an interactive learning environment so you can make your experience that much better!

Plus (if what we’ve discussed isn’t good enough!) you’ll have lifetime access to this program so if we change it or modify it in any way, you can come back and take it again!

Take me to the information and registration page!

Here’s what this course includes:

The steps to take to begin the process of building your team
How to talk to your existing and potential clients about having a team
Documentation you need to have in place to protect you and your business
How to find your VA sub-contractors
Warning signs and red flags when hiring team members
Systems to use to effectively manage your team
Client and sub-contractor relationship systems
Ways to profit from this business model

Take me to the information and registration page!

Here are just some of the bonus items you’ll receive:

Resources and documentation examples that you can use and implement in your business immediately.
Access to the information collected on VA sub-contractors during the “So You Think You Can Sub?” auditions and access to future auditions.
Audio downloads that feature even more content around building a team and growing your multi-VA practice.
One hour coaching session with The VA Coach to make sure you get your team built.

You can receive all of the above for only $199!

Take me to the information and registration page!

Join today and start the process of building a multi-VA practice. It’s rewarding, enriching and will allow you to work on other projects to diversify your business portfolio.

I hope to see you there!

Technorati Tags: Erin Blaskie, BSETC, The VA Coach, virtual assistant, virtual assistance, virtual assistants, multi-virtual assistant, multi-VA, multi-VA firm, multi-VA practice, team of virtual assistants, VA, VAs, group coaching program

What Should I Look For In A Virtual Assistant?

VA Matchmaker — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 04:40:09 +0000

Every Virtual Assistant should present at least 3 professional references and 1 Character reference. The references should contain a name, phone number and/or an email address and the Virtual Assistant should confirm she has asked for permission of each reference.
The V irtual Assistantshould have a skill set matching your business requirements and needs. If you need support in a variety of areas, make sure you are partnering with a Virtual Assistant who comes with a wide range of experience in business and business operations.
Communication is vital in any business relationship. Choose a Virtual Assistant who understands and is comfortable with your communication needs. It is important for you to indicate if you require frequent contact or if you prefer minimal interaction. If you like minimal interaction then it is best to find a VA who is a self starter and knowledgeable. If you require frequent contact, you’ll want a Virtual Assistant whose client base allows plenty of time for you, and has a low amount of clients. Being clear about this from the start will prevent misunderstandings. Communication is always a two-way street.
Finding a Virtual Assistant “fit” is crucial when hiring a Virtual Assistant. Look for a Virtual Assistant with personality and level of professionalism. How easily conversation flows in your initial phone interaction usually indicates if the fit is good. If your business requires a high level of professionalism, you will want a Virtual Assistant who projects herself this way to you. If your business is not so formal, you can select a Virtual Assistant with a casual manner.
Verify the Virtual Assistant’s computer platform is the same as yours, and the skills set is the same or advanced.
Be sure the Virtual Assistant is available during the same hours you need assistance. If you need access to your Virtual Assistant during normal business hours and the time zone.
There should be a business agreement clearly defining the role of your Virtual Assistant for tax purposes and the contract should be simple yet cover all areas that are important to your business requirements.

Please click here for more great articles.

Technorati Tags: what should I look for in a virtual assistant, virtual assistant, va, virtual assistance

Don’t Go Crazy - Hire A Virtual Assistant by Bonnie Jo Davis

VA Matchmaker — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 06:05:24 +0000

Susan Holmes is an author and professional speaker. She travels frequently and hates coming home to piles of bills, unheard telephone messages and thousands of e-mail. Susan works harder and harder spending most evenings and weekends doing administrative chores and spends the workday servicing clients. No matter how hard she works Susan cannot get ahead. She begins to suffer from the symptoms of stress. She can’t sleep, doesn’t bother to eat regularly, suffers from anxiety to the point of feeling paralyzed when confronting the mess on her desk.Susan wishes Superman really exists so that he can swoop into her home office and rescue her from the foot high stacks of paper on her desk that are threatening to topple over. Susan tries to keep up as best as she can but soon she is so overwhelmed that she turns away paid speaking engagements in order to do administrative work.

Can you identify with Susan? Do you dread opening your office door because it isn’t a pretty sight? Hopefully you have a friend like Michelle. After months of trying Michelle finally talks Susan into having lunch. Michelle is taken aback at how tired Susan is and how unhappy she seems. After Susan confides in Michelle she gets silent and stares at the table. Michelle jumps in an offers Susan a solution that will both relieve her of her stress and allow her to pick up more speaking engagements.

What is this magical solution? It is a Virtual Assistant (VA). Michelle has been using a VA for several years because she once was in Susan’s position. Michelle explains to Susan that her VA handles all of her administrative and marketing tasks in addition to answering the phones from a remote location. The benefits of working with a VA becomes clear for Susan as Michelle tells her that she only pays for the time her VA works for her and that benefits and taxes are not an issue. Susan begins to think about all of her tasks she can outsource to a VA that would allow her to take on more speaking engagements. Susan also realizes that a VA can market her book and her articles and search for more lucrative speaking engagements. Michelle then explains that a Virtual Assistant handle a multitude of tasks including:

Answer phones
Business correspondence
Article Submission
Paperwork
Design marketing materials
Typing
Document formatting and clean up
Proofreading and editing
Marketing
Direct mail
Voice and e-mail monitoring
Research
Select and ship gifts
Travel arrangements

Lunch is soon finished and Michelle is suprised to see that Susan looks more alert and happy. Michelle offers to search for and screen VA’s while Susan organizes the work that needs to be turned over when someone is hired. Finally, Susan tackles those stacks of paper on her desk and the dust bunnies with gusto. Within just a few hours she is ready to delegate work and a few days later, thanks to Michelle, she begins working with Alice. Susan and Alice create a set of tasks that Alice will handle daily and then Susan packages up all the paperwork from her desk and sends it to Alice. In addition to the daily work Alice does she also motivates and supports Susan in her business goals.

Several months down the line Susan shares the secret of her success with her other friends and one by one they seek out and hire a Virtual Assistant. Lives are improved and businesses grow at a fast pace.

If you can identify with Susan then you need a VA. Don’t let money issues hold you back. A VA can be suprisingly affordable when you calculate how much more billable work you can accomplish instead of handling daily tedious tasks. Go through that messy pile of papers on your desk and organize them with an eye towards delegating everything that you can. Seek out and hire a VA that will help you avoid going crazy and you will be glad you did!

****

Bonnie Jo Davis is a Virtual Assistant who helps small businesses succeed by taking over those daily tasks that can drive even the most level headed entrepreneur crazy. For more information about Bonnie visit Davis Virtual Assistance.

FREE Ask Erin Live Q & A Session Every Friday

VA Matchmaker — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 15:50:45 +0000

An exciting new way to interact with me!

(FYI: This will be my only blog post on this subject unless you decide you want regular updates! :))

I’m going to be hosting an absolutely free, live Internet TV streaming Q&A Session every Friday from 1-2PM Eastern.

You can come and ask me questions about:

Internet Marketing
Virtual Assistance
Blogging
Social Networking
Building Your Virtual Business
Passive Revenue
Affiliate Marketing
And More!

You simply type your question to me and I answer it live. You’ll see and hear me give you my response. To get full details on how to get setup and to get reminders about the sessions, please send a blank e-mail to: info2071-339224@autocontactor.com. That will also automatically sign you up to get the updates.

Now, I won’t be using this time to talk about regular client work so clients… if you’re at all tempted to come and hog the floor asking questions about your projects, I won’t have it!

I really want this to be a place where you can get advice on many areas of business from me as I do have a lot to share and I love to connect with people regularly.

So, join in on the fun. You’ll get full setup details by sending a blank e-mail to info2071-339224@autocontactor.com.

See you soon!

Erin Blaskie

Technorati Tags: Erin Blaskie, BSETC, virtual assistant, virtual assistance, virtual assistants, VA, Ask Erin Live, UStream, live streaming video, live question and answer, live Q&A, virtual assistant video, virtual assistance video

A Must Do! The Free SHIFT-IT Now! Webinar with Christina Merkley

VA Matchmaker — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 20:33:10 +0000

Discover Strategic Tips to SHIFT Your Life For the Better!

Are You At a Personal or Professional Crossroads?

Are You Craving More Creativity, Authenticity and Personal Fulfillment?

Are You Ready to Bust Through Your Limiting Barriers and Self-Sabotage to Finally Create a Life You Love?

If you answered ‘yes’ to any of the questions above, join Christina Merkley, The SHIFT-IT Coach for a FREE 75-minute webinar on Monday, June 9 @ 7PM Eastern (6PM Central, 5PM Mountain, 4PM Pacific) as she shares her best SHIFT-IT tips!

Register immediately for this information-packed 75-minute long webinar where you will learn:

Lessons from Christina’s own successful SHIFT-IT journey from tired, depressed corporate consultant to creative, soul-satisfying livelihood as The SHIFT-IT Coach (based on a lovely island in the Pacific Northwest);

How to appreciate yet move beyond your own personal history and life story (stop defining yourself via your past and drop old, worn out thinking, assumptions and programming);

Tips (and a free graphic coaching tool called The Magnetism Map) for getting clear about what you really, really want in life (how to create a compelling, good-feeling Personal Vision that ignites new energy within you);

Hints about what naturally happens when you start to focus on what do want as opposed to what you don’t (the power of carefully applied Law of Attraction knowledge);

How to deal with the inner and outer ‘Peanut Gallery’ in your life (the resistant naysayers, critics and other saboteurs who can wreck havoc with your confidence, chutzpah, and momentum);

The very important role that aligned and ‘feeling good’ action plays in your SHIFT-IT Process;

The most important relationship of all in your life and how it impacts every other single thing in your experience (why you will want to cultivate this relationship before taking any other action).

Register Today: http://shift-it-coach.com/free-webinar.php

Can’t make the time of the live call? No problem! This webinar will be fully recorded. Receive the follow-up link to the video and watch as soon as its ready (but you’ll need to register in order to receive the follow up link). Plus get the complimentary 30+ page Magnetism Map booklet, so you can create your own Personal Vision!

‘See’ you on the call.

Erin

Technorati Tags: Christina Merkley, SHIFT-IT Coach, The SHIFT-IT Coach, www.shift-it-coach.com, SHIFT-IT Webinar, law of attraction, Erin Blaskie, virtual assistant, virtual assistance, virtual assistants, BSETC, www.bsetc.ca, Magnetism Map

Why RSS May Be The Big New Way To Communicate Online by Andrea Lee

VA Matchmaker — Thu, 29 May 2008 11:53:13 +0000

I’m excited this week to bring you a special content on the topic of RSS. When I received the following email from a Biz Whiz Member, I asked coach and web designer Andy Wibbels to answer a few questions and write out some ‘How-To’ steps. Our virtual conversation is below.

And here’s the question that started it all:

“Hey Andrea, I’m enjoying the lessons on how to maximize existing technology. But I’ve been hearing stuff about RSS lately, and totally can’t make sense of it. I get the feeling it’s a big deal and for once I’d like to be ahead of the game, instead of catching up (I finally have a blog.) Can you lay it all out? Who, what, where, when and HOW, please! Thanks.” (more…)

The Virtual Assistant Spa & Business Building Retreat

VA Matchmaker — Tue, 27 May 2008 15:58:27 +0000

Calling All Virtual Assistants Who Need a Business Boost & A Totally Relaxing Spa Retreat Weekend With Erin Blaskie, The VA Coach, and Ten Other Brilliant Virtual Assistants

On September 19, 20 and 21 of 2008, ten lucky virtual assistants will get to spend the weekend with Erin Blaskie, The VA Coach, and ten other participants to mastermind, relax at the spa and build great things for their businesses.

We’re going to cover topics such as:

Enhancing our websites for maximum appeal and sales conversion
Turning our businesses into six-figure businesses
Building a multi-VA practice
Creating passive revenue streams
Organizing your business to run without you
Client management and long-term satisfaction from your clients
Partnerships that will help increase your business portfolio
And SO much more…

We’re also going to do website and business hotseats which will:

Force you to run through your business (the good, bad and ugly) with the group so that we can pick up on your problem areas
Teach you tips and tools you can use for the long-term as it relates to both YOUR business and YOUR website specifically
Allow you to ask questions of The VA Coach and the other participants with regards to the way your business is currently run
Let you see your business in a new light and through a different set of eyes. It’s amazing what a bit of perspective can do!

Where is the Retreat?

This is my favorite part… The retreat is being held at a Nature Spa located in picturesque Old Chelsea, Quebec, Canada. The nature spa borders beautiful Gatineau Park where you can see the beautiful Canadian autumn in all of its glory.

The nature spa is unique in that it is completely dedicated to the practice of Scandinavian relaxation techniques such as Nordic baths. However, it is not the techniques that is the site’s major asset. The location and natural scenery you will take in here rivals any nature spa you will find.

What is the Cost of This Amazing Retreat?

Yes, this is an important part of telling you all about this retreat. We’ve priced it out so that it is affordable and worth every penny. You’ll get:

Two nights, three days deluxe accomodation in a private lodge with the other retreat participants. (Airfare is not included and is the responsibility of each participant.)
All meals paid - meals are gourmet and completely healthy… The spa is all about indulgence in a good way.
Spa services included.
Business masterminding sessions throughout the weekend.
Access to the Nordic baths and other facilities on site.
Three one-hour coaching sessions with The VA Coach after the retreat for accountability.
A copy of The VA Coach’s ‘Skyrocket Your VA Business to Six-Figure Success’ print product (huge binder and CDs) which is not yet available to the public
And much, much more…

Click through to learn more about this retreat, see additional photos and register your seat!

Technorati Tags: Virtual assistant, virtual assistance, VA, virtual assistant retreat, virtual assistance retreat, VA retreat, The VA Coach, virtual assistant coach, BSETC, Erin Blaskie, Business Services ETC, virtual assistant mastermind, spa retreat, business retreat, Old Chelsea, Quebec, Canada

The VA Coach 8-Week Program - Starts June 17 & $200 Discount!

VA Matchmaker — Fri, 23 May 2008 18:09:44 +0000

Good Morning!

This June, we begin one of our LAST 8-Week VA Coach Group Coaching Programs, ‘Build Your VA Business’ and I am SO excited (and a little sad that it’s almost over)!

** FOR A LIMITED TIME… UNTIL MONDAY, MAY 26 **

This program is regularly $398 and from the past participants, I am charging too little for the OVERLOAD of info! So, this June I am going even lower… Seriously.

This will also be one of the last group coaching programs I run live. So, get in now while you can.

What’s the discount? A whopping $198 which means you can get into this program and receive 8 weeks of training and coaching for only TWO HUNDRED BUCKS! (That’s $200!)

Grab a seat now!

http://thevacoach.com/blog/group-coaching-programs/8-week-group-coaching-program/

The registrants are already getting setup and the feedback I am receiving already about the learning environment and networking opportunities is astounding!

I wanted to write to you to extend the invitation to join us for our program which starts on Tuesday, June 17, 2008.

Join now here:

http://thevacoach.com/blog/group-coaching-programs/8-week-group-coaching-program/

This program is perfect for those who are:

(1) Looking to start their virtual, home-based business career.

(2) Looking to speed up the success of their virtual assistance start-up.

http://thevacoach.com/blog/group-coaching-programs/8-week-group-coaching-program/

We’re going to cover:

(1) How to set the foundation of your business
(2) How to put a good structure in place
(3) How to build an online presence
(4) How to market your business for ultimate success
(5) How to find and get clients
(6) How to manage your client relationships for long-term success
(7) How to navigate the world of online marketing

All of this (eight full weeks of coaching, two calls per week and many, many other opportunities) is being offered to you for only $200.00!

http://thevacoach.com/blog/group-coaching-programs/8-week-group-coaching-program/

This program generally runs for over $500 dollars but I want your feedback and I want to be able to offer you the chance of a lifetime - the ability to start your own business (in your pyjamas if you wish!) with a low, low cost.

So, will you join me and the other people already registered? You don’t have much longer to join and this may very well be my VERY LAST ONE.

http://thevacoach.com/blog/group-coaching-programs/8-week-group-coaching-program/

See you soon!

To your virtual success,

Erin Blaskie
The VA Coach
http://www.thevacoach.com