With the economic downturn I've noticed of late more and more discussion on various networks about worry about work dropping off, finding part time jobs and so on.
I think it's important to remember this: as virtual assistants we are in business. We are business owners. This means we are responsible for our work/cash flow and that can be hard to get your head around if you've only ever been an employee in the past when work was simply handed to you and you were paid whether you were working or chatting in the tea room.
Once you make that distinction, you then need to do something about it - that means actually getting out and networking. You can't hang a shingle, place an ad in the Yellow Pages or local paper and expect the phone to start ringing. You need to get out and talk to people. So joining a local Chamber of Commerce is one place to start - also the various business and women's networks and BNIs that are out there. If you have a niche - like legal transcription - target just that niche.
Then don't underestimate the power of online networks. If you speak to many of the long-established VAs they will tell you they are members of at least three online networks - here and overseas. You can't join one and expect it will do everything for you. Getting your online presence established is just as important as your 'traditional' business presence.
Business ebbs and flows. You will experience peaks and troughs where things are sailing along nicely and then all of a sudden a client will drop off and you're left wondering what to do now? So your networking and marketing never stops. This is where online is particularly useful.
Running my own network (AVBN) I see all the time members who stay for a year and then leave because they either aren't getting job leads or they can't afford the membership. Whilst I completely understand the latter, it's important to remember how effective membership of these networks is. You get a directory listing - which directly impacts your SEO, meaning you can more easily be found online - and other virtual businesses get to know you. It gets your name and business name out there. You are "riding on the back of" any print and online advertising/marketing the network is doing. Naturally, actually participating in them is also important - you don't just join and then sit there mute. Participating in discussions is how the other members get a feel for you, your business and what you're trying to achieve. This then leads to referrals and potential leads because you may be able to help out a client who contacted the other VA.
But a note on leads - it's important not to join networks just for the job leads. This goes back to that employee mentality: as a business owner you cannot expect jobs to be handed to you. You need to take the initiative and go out there sourcing the work yourself.
Also, don't underestimate pro bono (or free) work. This year I've done a bit of pro bono work for contacts I've made through various networks - including Facebook and Twitter. In exchange I was given an interview on an internet radio show and the other is helping me break into author assistance.
I appreciate that it's important to have cash flow - which is why I always say keep (or get) a part time job for as long as possible but don't neglect building your business.
And if you are struggling and you get referrals from other VAs it is SO important to follow through with these. I know it sounds pretty straightforward but I can tell you from experience that it seems these days business owners aren't prepared to take "just anything". I've had a few leads knocked back because "They're not my sort of client" or "I don't really want to do that kind of work" or "I'm too busy right now" (see above: 'right now' doesn't last that long and you need to look to building a relationship for the future). When you're starting out ANY work is good work. I won't do on site work for clients, but in the early days I was working 3 days a week in a client's office just to get by. That kept me going for 12 months and I made contacts there who became clients when I left.
ALWAYS, always look for the bigger picture in things. It may not be what you want right now but invariably leads on to other things if you remain open to the possibility. We all have a vision for how we want our business to be. Don't lose sight of that vision but for heaven's sake don't be so proud as to knock back work that will keep you afloat while you work towards your goal!
And remember - your marketing efforts should never cease. Just because you have a full workload doesn't mean you always will. And business is always in a state of constant fluid motion. Be prepared to be flexible and flow with it. I started out offering executive VA services to non-exec directors. Within 12 months of targeting that market I was working full time and gave up my part time job. Four years later my business morphed into a medico-legal transcription practice - because THAT'S what the market wanted and my directors all went in different directions. If you don't evolve and change with the flow of the market then yes, you will be looking for a job elsewhere in a very short time.
Remain positive, flexible and available - the three most important things to keep you going through the natural peaks and troughs of being in business.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Commentary on the Passing of a Legend
This is primarily a business blog so I'm not going to post a huge opinion piece on the recent passing of Michael Jackson - but it is a 21st Century event that cannot go unnoticed.
Even though his music was not the MAIN music played in our house, it certainly played a part in both my and my husband's growing up, and our daughter - now 10 - knows the words to Billie Jean and can dance Thriller and Smooth Criminal even though she was born 17 years AFTER the first two were released!
There is no doubt his art had an impact not only on music but also dance. Overlooking his eccentricities was hard given the instant nature of today's global media - every century has had eccentric artists, but the digital nature of the 21st Century means his was in our face every moment something new happened. We may have opinions, but none of us can judge a person we really know nothing about. His adult life reflects the dangers of a lost childhood.
Let's not forget his three children - who, regardless of what you may think of Michael and his eccentricity, have lost their father at a very young age. That is heart-wrenchingly sad.
I wanted to share this commentary on Michael's passing from Gene Seymour on the CNN site. It is one of the best, most 'level', I've read.
Commentary: Michael Jackson's Enemy Was Time.
Finally, as one 4 year old said (as shared on Twitter): "Don't worry. He's still alive on YouTube". Bless the children!
Peace.
Even though his music was not the MAIN music played in our house, it certainly played a part in both my and my husband's growing up, and our daughter - now 10 - knows the words to Billie Jean and can dance Thriller and Smooth Criminal even though she was born 17 years AFTER the first two were released!
There is no doubt his art had an impact not only on music but also dance. Overlooking his eccentricities was hard given the instant nature of today's global media - every century has had eccentric artists, but the digital nature of the 21st Century means his was in our face every moment something new happened. We may have opinions, but none of us can judge a person we really know nothing about. His adult life reflects the dangers of a lost childhood.
Let's not forget his three children - who, regardless of what you may think of Michael and his eccentricity, have lost their father at a very young age. That is heart-wrenchingly sad.
I wanted to share this commentary on Michael's passing from Gene Seymour on the CNN site. It is one of the best, most 'level', I've read.
Commentary: Michael Jackson's Enemy Was Time.
Finally, as one 4 year old said (as shared on Twitter): "Don't worry. He's still alive on YouTube". Bless the children!
Peace.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
What's in a name?
There has been lots of discussion of late on various VA lists around the world about what VAs should be calling themselves.
Basically, the problem appears to be that after the term 'virtual assistant' was hijacked by outsourcing companies from cheap labour countries like China and India after the publication of Tim Ferris' The 4 Hour Work Week, and the apparently wanton bandying about of the term on freelancing sites like Elance and Guru.com, a kind of confusion seems to have descended - apparently - amongst the ranks of potential clients so that when a professional VA answers the question "What do you do?" with "I'm a VA/virtual assistant", s/he is being lumped in so to speak with the cheaper operators. This can lead to difficulties when the time comes to negotiate a contract with the client, who supposedly is operating under the misconception from what they may or may not have heard/read about what a virtual assistant actually is.
It has gotten to the point where many professional virtual assistants are beginning to despair that they will ever be able to grow their businesses when faced with cheaper operators offering their services for a fraction of the VA's charge out rate.
So the question has arisen, should we call ourselves something else? My answer is most definitely no. A quack is a quack not a medical practitioner, and the medical profession didn't stop calling themselves doctors just because someone started selling snake oil.
My belief has always been that education is the key. The onus rest most decidedly on professional virtual assistants themselves to educate clients, potential clients and others about the industry and what it is we do - and more importantly what differentiates them from their cheaper counterparts.
Note my continued use of the word 'professional'. I am not meaning to imply that off-shore providers are not professionals, but a virtual assistant - a professional virtual assistant - is not someone who can type, has access to an internet-connected computer, and the gift of the gab. A professional virtual assistant has usually transitioned years of employment in office administration and specialisation, working in a particular industry or field in a corporate setting, they have honed their computer skills, been involved in advanced training courses, managing large offices, and often supervising junior staff - all whilst acting as assistant to the business owner. They could also have had responsibility for local area networks, created and maintained corporate websites, or been responsible for planning major events.
THIS is what sets a professional virtual assistant apart.
It irks me no end when I hear business people say they are 'doing a favour' for the people they are outsourcing to at $2/hour because "otherwise they wouldn't be working at all", or "I'm helping their economy", or some other misplaced philanthropic notion of superiority. (Incidentally, our own economy could use some help right about now!) Call a spade a spade - these businesses outsource to cheaper providers because they want to save money. They're not after quality relationships - sometimes not even quality work product. They just want the job done and done cheaply to keep overheads down.
I even heard one successful businessman say that he would keep the call centre side of the business in Australia because of the negative perception Australians have about calling an Australian company and speaking to someone in Bangladesh, but would outsource the IT or back office aspects of the business because it would save the business money and help out those poor souls who would otherwise be living in the gutter. (Australia's gutters are getting fuller every day.)
Cheaper providers definitely have a place in the market - and frankly they service an end of the market I don't particularly want or need to partner with.
If you're a VA - a professional VA - even one with a multi-VA practice, it is your responsibility to continually educate potential clients about what it is that sets you apart. There will always be competition. You need to decide what your target market is and go for that. If all you want is volume of work, then reduce your rate and compete directly in that market. But if you want quality work, with quality clients, who value what you bring to the partnership, then work towards setting yourself apart. Educate your potential clients on your value to them, and show them you're different with continuing education and certification. And put this on your site. If you get certified be proud of your achievement and make sure it's on your site for all to see.
If you're a business looking at your options and are considering utilising a virtual assistant, please do your homework. If you're after cheap, then the off-shore companies are probably your best bet - and you get to feel good about yourself at the same time! But if you're after quality, getting the job done correctly the first time, a real partnership with a professional service provider who is keen to see you succeed and takes a vested interest in your business and its success, then look for a virtual business service provider who fits what you need. Start with their website, check references, testimonials, whether they have industry certification, TALK to them on the phone so you can ask questions and get a feel for the VA and the way they work. You'll definitely pay more than $2/hour for their services but you were after quality from the get go, right? After all, you wouldn't want to drink a vintage red out of a cask would you?
Anyone can type these days - not everyone can bring the value to a business that partnering with a professional virtual assistant can.
Basically, the problem appears to be that after the term 'virtual assistant' was hijacked by outsourcing companies from cheap labour countries like China and India after the publication of Tim Ferris' The 4 Hour Work Week, and the apparently wanton bandying about of the term on freelancing sites like Elance and Guru.com, a kind of confusion seems to have descended - apparently - amongst the ranks of potential clients so that when a professional VA answers the question "What do you do?" with "I'm a VA/virtual assistant", s/he is being lumped in so to speak with the cheaper operators. This can lead to difficulties when the time comes to negotiate a contract with the client, who supposedly is operating under the misconception from what they may or may not have heard/read about what a virtual assistant actually is.
It has gotten to the point where many professional virtual assistants are beginning to despair that they will ever be able to grow their businesses when faced with cheaper operators offering their services for a fraction of the VA's charge out rate.
So the question has arisen, should we call ourselves something else? My answer is most definitely no. A quack is a quack not a medical practitioner, and the medical profession didn't stop calling themselves doctors just because someone started selling snake oil.
My belief has always been that education is the key. The onus rest most decidedly on professional virtual assistants themselves to educate clients, potential clients and others about the industry and what it is we do - and more importantly what differentiates them from their cheaper counterparts.
Note my continued use of the word 'professional'. I am not meaning to imply that off-shore providers are not professionals, but a virtual assistant - a professional virtual assistant - is not someone who can type, has access to an internet-connected computer, and the gift of the gab. A professional virtual assistant has usually transitioned years of employment in office administration and specialisation, working in a particular industry or field in a corporate setting, they have honed their computer skills, been involved in advanced training courses, managing large offices, and often supervising junior staff - all whilst acting as assistant to the business owner. They could also have had responsibility for local area networks, created and maintained corporate websites, or been responsible for planning major events.
THIS is what sets a professional virtual assistant apart.
It irks me no end when I hear business people say they are 'doing a favour' for the people they are outsourcing to at $2/hour because "otherwise they wouldn't be working at all", or "I'm helping their economy", or some other misplaced philanthropic notion of superiority. (Incidentally, our own economy could use some help right about now!) Call a spade a spade - these businesses outsource to cheaper providers because they want to save money. They're not after quality relationships - sometimes not even quality work product. They just want the job done and done cheaply to keep overheads down.
I even heard one successful businessman say that he would keep the call centre side of the business in Australia because of the negative perception Australians have about calling an Australian company and speaking to someone in Bangladesh, but would outsource the IT or back office aspects of the business because it would save the business money and help out those poor souls who would otherwise be living in the gutter. (Australia's gutters are getting fuller every day.)
Cheaper providers definitely have a place in the market - and frankly they service an end of the market I don't particularly want or need to partner with.
If you're a VA - a professional VA - even one with a multi-VA practice, it is your responsibility to continually educate potential clients about what it is that sets you apart. There will always be competition. You need to decide what your target market is and go for that. If all you want is volume of work, then reduce your rate and compete directly in that market. But if you want quality work, with quality clients, who value what you bring to the partnership, then work towards setting yourself apart. Educate your potential clients on your value to them, and show them you're different with continuing education and certification. And put this on your site. If you get certified be proud of your achievement and make sure it's on your site for all to see.
If you're a business looking at your options and are considering utilising a virtual assistant, please do your homework. If you're after cheap, then the off-shore companies are probably your best bet - and you get to feel good about yourself at the same time! But if you're after quality, getting the job done correctly the first time, a real partnership with a professional service provider who is keen to see you succeed and takes a vested interest in your business and its success, then look for a virtual business service provider who fits what you need. Start with their website, check references, testimonials, whether they have industry certification, TALK to them on the phone so you can ask questions and get a feel for the VA and the way they work. You'll definitely pay more than $2/hour for their services but you were after quality from the get go, right? After all, you wouldn't want to drink a vintage red out of a cask would you?
Anyone can type these days - not everyone can bring the value to a business that partnering with a professional virtual assistant can.
(For permission to reprint this article please contact us.)
Friday, June 05, 2009
Dictation Guidelines (tongue in cheek!)
(These dictation guidelines are reprinted from an article that ran in my September 2007 newsletter. They are a reprint of an old article I found somewhere in my travels so apologies for not referencing the original author.)
If you're new to dictation, these (tongue in cheek) guidelines (reprinted) will help you become a master dictator!
Adherence to these guidelines will assure the highest quality transcribed letters in the shortest amount of time:
If you're new to dictation, these (tongue in cheek) guidelines (reprinted) will help you become a master dictator!
Adherence to these guidelines will assure the highest quality transcribed letters in the shortest amount of time:
- At the beginning of the dictation, take as deep a breath as you possibly can. Now, try to dictate the entire tape before you have to inhale again.
- When dictating a particularly difficult word or phrase, please turn your head and speak directly into your armpit.
- We charge per character, including periods. An effective way to cut your cost is to dictate your entire letter as one sentence.
- It is not necessary to repeat the same sentence multiple times in the same dictation.
- If you sneeze or cough suddenly, please remove your head from your armpit and sneeze or cough directly into the microphone.
- If you must eat while you dictate, please stay away from foods such as marshmallows, bananas, and pudding. Apples, pretzels, and celery are much better choices. And please ensure you ALWAYS speak with your mouth full. In case you are not able to get any of the aforementioned foods, please ensure you have a stick of chewing gum or boiled lollies handy for each dictation.
- Please do not stop dictating when you yawn, it throws off our rhythm.
- If the client's name is Alan Ratzlaffenhasenphepherzinsky, please have the courtesy to spell "Alan" - there are several possible spellings you know. For the last name, simply state "the usual spelling".
- It is not necessary to repeat the same sentence multiple times in the same dictation.
- Do not stop dictating in the event of minor background noise such as an office party, the janitor's vacuum cleaner, a screaming infant etc. Again, it throws off our rhythm.
- Be sure to place the emphasis on the CORrect syllable, especially if enGLISH is your SECond lanGUAGE.
- Talk as fast as you can. Fair's fair; after all we type as fast as we can.
- It is not necessary to repeat the same sentence multiple times in the same dictation.
- Please speak as quietly as you can ... we want to be able to hear what's going on around you.
- If you need to pause for 5 or 10 minutes between words or phrases, pounding the receiver on the desk or repeatedly saying, "still dictating ... still dictating ... still dictating ... still dictating ... " reminds us that indeed, you are still dictating.
- Just because you need to use the restroom is no reason to stop dictating. Time is money.
- Do not dictate so loudly that you disrupt your fellow lawyers' football game in the Barrister's Lounge. In fact, you really should whisper all of your dictation since the information is confidential.
- Similarly, if you are going to watch TV while dictating at home, please watch a war movie with lots of bombing, and be sure to have the volume high enough so everybody in your living room can hear above your talking.
- If you need to correct yourself - sorry, correct an error, please do not rewind the tape - sorry, do not back up and record over the error - sorry, wait, the mistake - just continue with the sentence - wait - go back with the paragraph and fix the error - er, the mistake. Please go back and just delete that last guideline.
- When dictating on your cell phone from your car, be sure to go through as many tunnels as possible. This will ensure confidentiality of the information.
- You (y-o-u) do not need (n-e-e-d) to spell (s-p-e-l-l) obvious words (w-o-r-d-s) for us (u-s). It is our job (j-o-b) to know (k-n-o-w) how to (t-o) spell words that (t-h-a-t) we learned (l-e-a-r-n-e-d) in the third (t-h-i-r-d) grade (g-r-a-d-e).
- One last thing, it is not necessary to repeat the same sentence multiple times in the same dictation.
(For permission to reprint this article please contact us.)
Friday, May 15, 2009
VAs Helping Clients with Social Networking
Since my previous post on how VAs can help clients with social networking like Twitter, there has been a lot of discussion on industry lists about whether VAs SHOULD provide this kind of support - or whether it defeats the purpose of the networking aspect of these sites.
There is no doubt a VA can save clients heaps of time by looking after things like setting up accounts, profiles, Facebook pages etc etc - and yes, I still maintain a VA can for example, Tweet for a client - BUT ONLY the client's actual words.
It is my belief that to use Twitter effectively you should have a combination of personal tweets and business-related tweets, together with retweets and responses. This would be broken up into say 35% business, 40% personal and 25% retweeting and response. Why this break up? Because people do business with people they know - therefore you need to let other Tweeps know about you personally. People don't want to be hammered with your offers of support or have you constantly selling your services. You should also be seen to be helpful.
I ask clients to provide me with a number of 140 character Tweets that can be used for the 35% business component. In their own time they can tweet the personal stuff. If there are tweets of interest to them or direct messages, then I advise them of this and they can either reply themselves or let me know what they'd like to say.
This is different from ghosting for the client - ie where the VA pretends to be the client.
I think a VA can very successfully manage a client's online networking until it actually gets to the 'nitty gritty' of networking - ie DMs from Tweeps, messages sent directly from Facebook and so on, in which case the client should be responding to these personally to build the relationship.
I view this in the same was as being a PA or Executive Assistant. When I worked in these roles I often opened the executive's mail (including private and confidential items) and only took to him those items that REALLY needed his attention, responding on his behalf to the others. As an executive VA who specialises in supporting execs and directors, I don't really see a difference now that communication like this has moved electronic.
Let's face it, MOST of the heavy hitters on Twitter with 75,000 followers aren't interested in networking anyway and are there purely for the 'glory' of being the 'top tweep'. No client wants to waste their time going through all the tweets these people put out - even WITH TweetDeck and other apps, or searches set up. Getting a VA to do that kind of thing who then alerts them to anything interesting/applicable/relevant is, to my way of thinking, a more useful application of their time resources - which is fundamentally what having a VA is all about.
Cheers
Lyn
There is no doubt a VA can save clients heaps of time by looking after things like setting up accounts, profiles, Facebook pages etc etc - and yes, I still maintain a VA can for example, Tweet for a client - BUT ONLY the client's actual words.
It is my belief that to use Twitter effectively you should have a combination of personal tweets and business-related tweets, together with retweets and responses. This would be broken up into say 35% business, 40% personal and 25% retweeting and response. Why this break up? Because people do business with people they know - therefore you need to let other Tweeps know about you personally. People don't want to be hammered with your offers of support or have you constantly selling your services. You should also be seen to be helpful.
I ask clients to provide me with a number of 140 character Tweets that can be used for the 35% business component. In their own time they can tweet the personal stuff. If there are tweets of interest to them or direct messages, then I advise them of this and they can either reply themselves or let me know what they'd like to say.
This is different from ghosting for the client - ie where the VA pretends to be the client.
I think a VA can very successfully manage a client's online networking until it actually gets to the 'nitty gritty' of networking - ie DMs from Tweeps, messages sent directly from Facebook and so on, in which case the client should be responding to these personally to build the relationship.
I view this in the same was as being a PA or Executive Assistant. When I worked in these roles I often opened the executive's mail (including private and confidential items) and only took to him those items that REALLY needed his attention, responding on his behalf to the others. As an executive VA who specialises in supporting execs and directors, I don't really see a difference now that communication like this has moved electronic.
Let's face it, MOST of the heavy hitters on Twitter with 75,000 followers aren't interested in networking anyway and are there purely for the 'glory' of being the 'top tweep'. No client wants to waste their time going through all the tweets these people put out - even WITH TweetDeck and other apps, or searches set up. Getting a VA to do that kind of thing who then alerts them to anything interesting/applicable/relevant is, to my way of thinking, a more useful application of their time resources - which is fundamentally what having a VA is all about.
Cheers
Lyn
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
OIVAC 2009 Postponed
Sad but true - the OIVAC for 2009 has been postponed. New dates are October 1-3, 2009 (US Eastern). I'll still be presenting my 5 Tips for Starting Your VA Practice and will let you know when over the October period it will be.
Cheers
Lyn
Cheers
Lyn
Sunday, May 03, 2009
OIVAC 2009 - 5 Tips for Newbie VAs
Virtual Assistants and business owners from around the globe participate in the upcoming 4th Annual International Virtual Assistants Convention (OIVAC), May 14-16, 2009; and it’s a completely online event. The three day, 100% virtual meet-up perfectly blends industry leading educational sessions with open to the public networking and exhibitor halls through easy to access and use web-based conferencing technology.
Join us for 37 seminars covering must-know-for-business success and technology topics: social networking, fundamentals of copywriting, 1ShoppingCart, QuickBooks, Google Analytics and WordPress. OIVAC attendees will also have access to training on W3C Validation, comparative analysis and CSS. Also scheduled are product demonstrations, seminars on business planning and marketing and other informative and business enhancing subjects.
Check out the OIVAC schedule for additional details and our 5 by 5 p.m. on 5/5 promo. By registering NOW, you can treat yourself (or your friend, family member or coworker) to 2 additional seminars. Go to OIVAC.com to register today!
I'll be speaking on Friday 15 May at 7.00pm USEST (which is Saturday 16 May at 9.00am Australian Eastern time straight after the International VA Day celebrations) for those newbies to the industry with 5 Tips for getting started in your practice. I like to run my sessions as more of an open forum with plenty of opportunity for Q&A so hope you can come along!
Cheers
Lyn
Lyn
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