Finding A Great Fit: Virtual Assistance in 2016

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We are already in the second week of the new year. Time flies very fast. Are you on track with your goals?

• New Business Cards Ordered: Check

• Networking Events to Attend for 2016: Check

• Help With Monthly Projects & Tasks: NOT CHECKED!

Why are you still struggling to do everything in your business as if it was the year 2000? The Virtual Assistant Industry is on the rise and partnering up with a VA is the 21st century way of getting things accomplished in your business. 

How Do I Find A Top-Notch VA Professional?

Be Professional, Kind & Make Sure It Is The Right Fit For Your Business

Be Professional & Kind- Do not write this in your Ad:  Hi, I am Joe Blow from XYZ company and I am paying $15 an hour to hire a VA to do a long list of stuff. Please don't reply if you expect a pay rate of $X amount of dollars or have any requirements to work with me.

WOW!

This will surely leave you without the excellent world class service you deserve.

The previous statements are geared towards an employee/employer type relationship. These do exist in the VA world, think Craigslist or Elance. Even if this is the type of relationship you desire this type of ad doesn't leave the reader excited to work with you. Additionally, many virtual assistants work for a firm and are independent contractors. So be careful how you craft your ad unless you are really seeking to hiring an individual as an employee to join your company.

Most often if you are seeking someone who will go beyond being a taskmaster and deliver feedback and brainstorming strategies on the strategic view of your company you will be dealing with a business owner. I am unsure how you would feel if a potential client approached you about gaining help from you for their business and they wrote the above statements. Bad Business Communication 101. 

So to answer the question of "How Do I Find A Top-Notch VA Professional"?

• Make a list of what type of non-revenue generating tasks/projects you do daily.

• Figure out if you are ready to partner up with a VA. If you aren't ready to let go and trust someone with your baby, then you are not ready to work with a VA Professional

• Determine what frequency you will need help. Most VA's charge a monthly retainer just like attorneys to do business with them.

• Figure out your budget before you seek out a VA

• Write an interesting RFP that showcases your personality and business in the best light.

• Check out the potential VA's FAQ list on their site to determine if they are a good fit for you.

Finding the right VA Professional fit for you and your business may take a bit of patience. The end result will be that you will gain your time back and have your very own business partner, cheerleader to help you conquer your strategic goals in 2016.

KEEP IT SUNNY!

3 Easy Tips to be More Productive in Your Small Business

I am sure we have heard the famous statement by Benjamin Franklin: "Time Is Money" but what does it really mean? According to a survey found on The Huffington Post by Mavenlink, "One in four small business owners believe each productive hour in a day is worth upwards of $500."

That sure is a lot of money.

 If you're a small business owner it can make or break your business, especially if you're a one woman/man operation. In order to accomplish important business goals such as gaining more clients, increasing marketing efforts or creating new products and services you must first honor your own time.

What do I mean exactly?

For example, if you are setting goals to do more competitive market research and the goal was for last year and you still haven't done the research then you aren't honoring your own time. You are disrespecting your own business goals and blocking your success. What's the answer? Here are 3 Easy Tips to be More Productive in Your Small Business:

1. Get clear on "why" you are in business? What are the 3 most important reasons you started your business? autonomy, money, more time with family. Write them down and stick them somewhere that is visible to you on a daily basis.  

2. Make sure your goals are S.M.A.R.T. According to Entrepreneur.com, goals should be: specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely.

3. Plan a reward for small goals achieved. It just makes it more fun to know after you have completed a goal that there is fun times on the horizon.

These are starting points to enable you to refocus on why you are doing all this and to get excited again about your business. Yes, time is money and if you are not maximizing your time to produce revenue generating opportunities then you are truly wasting money.

What is the one thing you keep procrastinating to do in your business? Tell me about it in the comments below. Don't be ashamed. We are all in this small business world together. Want more tips? Check out this article by Shanna Lebowitz at the Business Insider for more productivity ideas.

Keep It Sunny!
 

Are You A Problem Solver?

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Hi to everyone out there. How is your business doing these days? Is it too slow? Or are you on fire? Well, in my opinion the difference between the two extremes could be how your customers view your problem solving ability. According to a book excerpt from James A. DeSena, Solving Your Customers Problems, “You must describe the problem clearly, and do it from the customer's point of view. The problem should be one the customer sees value in solving.” Does your product or service solve your customers' problems in the most efficient manner possible? If not, then it may be time to dig a bit deeper to find out what pressure points or roadblocks your customers are facing and be the superior resource for that problem. Having great insight into what challenges your customers need resolved is extremely important. The difference between being profitable or closing your doors is what is at stake. Just a bit of food for thought. Next week we will take a look at a few ways we as business owners can get to the root cause of what our customers are facing so that we can be THE resource they think of to provide resolutions.

 

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Is It Time To Take A Pivot In Your Business?

Picture this: You had a vision for your business that would solve a pressing issue and allow you to deliver the type of results you desire. You have the skills, temperament and knowledge. Time has passed and your dream business is starting not to look so dreamy.

You have fussy clients, the tools you are using to deliver the service aren't really working that well. And you are wondering what in the world happened to "The Dream"?  It might be time to take a different look at your business and pivot in a different direction. It is your business and if you are unhappy with any facet of it the beauty of it all is that you can change it.

No questions asked.

Life is based on the decisions that you make. Are you making the right decisions for your business?  Are you making decisions that will help you to better serve your customers and bring fulfillment to your life? Is it time to take your vision in a different direction? Only you know the true answer.

 

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I love free stuff

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Do you love free stuff? Well I am pretty sure the answer is yes. What about free stuff that you can use in your business to stay organized and keep your focus on delivering great value to your customers? Well, starting today I am going to share tools that are free or very low cost that you can use in your business. As small business owners every penny counts and any penny not spent can add up to a huge chunk of money. O.k. so the first tool is Insightly. I listened to John Lee Duma's Entrepreneur On Fire podcast today and heard him mention it and decided to check it out.  Here are some of the key features:

• Free for up to 2 users

• Integrates your contact management, project management and social media management within one platform

• Has a mobile feature

• Integrates with many other applications such as Evernote and Google Apps

I haven't signed up yet, or played around with it yet, but I shall do that over the weekend. So go check it out and let me know what you think

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Are You Hitting Those Goals?

It is April which means it is tax month but it is also a good time to pay attention to your business. How is your business doing? Check out this previous post to get some ideas on how to stay on track.

 

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How Do You Handle A Difficult Client?

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We have all had a chance encounter with a difficult client. You know what I mean. A client that seems to thrive on making your life not so happy. Fussy, Trite & Demanding. 

But the real question is how do you handle a difficult client?

First, start with defining the real issue by listening. Rhett Power writes on Inc.com that "A good listener also engages his heart and mind. He does not allow himself to become distracted, but focuses on the speaker. He doesn't formulate answers before the speaker completes a statement. He doesn't give the appearance of being defensive."

Does The Shoe Fit

Try placing yourself in the other person's shoes. I don't know about you, but when I have received poor customer service from another business I often feel ignored. I think to myself they wouldn't want someone to treat them this way so why are they doing this to me. Well, this is how your client feels when they are frustrated with something that is not going smoothly. They are relying on you to make their lives easier is some shape or form so when we fall short they often feel ignored.

Confess & Correct

O.k. I am sure you are thinking this sounds a bit much. But we should be humble enough to admit when we fall short of a promise and what we are going to do to make it right. When you open your mind and your heart to your clients and show them that you are a real person that bleeds just like they do then real rapport building can happen.

Handling a so called difficult client can be stressful. But it can also be a learning opportunity for you to see what products, skills or services you can improve upon. Make no mistake that having good communication skills coupled with taking action is the only real cure for this ailment. So how do you handle difficult situations with your client? Tell me what is one good tip to use to make the relationship better.

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I Am Not Making Money

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Does this sound like you? "If I had more time to market I know I could increase my bottom-line. I am so frustrated that my business isn't making more money and I feel like throwing in the towel. This isn't the dream I had in mind when I started my business and it is turning into a nightmare". These are the thoughts of a very unhappy entrepreneur.

As a small business owner I understand that trying to do everything all at the same time AND take care of your marketing efforts to win new clients is a lot of work. I am exhausted just thinking about it. 

But there is a way to make your dreams a reality.

The first order of business is to recognize that you are having a problem. The second order of business is to get some help. Let other professionals such as a bookkeeper or a virtual assistant into your business life.

Do not be fooled into thinking you can do everything that you need to do to keep your business afloat. Start making money by making an investment in a business partnership today. So are you drowning? Tell me what is keeping you from making money in the comments below.

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Are You Staying On Track?

Well, it is March and we are 3 months into 2015. How is your business really doing? Are you staying on track and hitting your goals? Did your business planning work out so far? If not, then check out this blog post to get back on track and cross some important to do's off your list.

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I Don't Have Time To Volunteer!

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What are your thoughts on volunteerism? I will guess that most people think it is a good thing and that it is awesome when other people do it. But I know as a busy entrepreneur time is not in abundance. So volunteering may seem to be unimportant.

Time Well Spent

I have volunteered in the past at women shelter's and at the Boys & Girls club. I found it to be very rewarding. You're probably thinking what does this have to do with business and being a small business owner?

 Social Goodwill vs. Your Bottom-line

According to a survey shared in the Huffington Post "40% of a company's reputation is determined by volunteering and corporate social responsibility." Moreover, customers come to expect that company's have some sort of social impact on their community. Finally, corporate finance experts agree that "maintaining a good corporate reputation or brand equity is the most important way [volunteering programs] create value." 

Making time to volunteer can give you a more tangible footprint in the community that you serve. It helps out your fellow citizen who is in need and in return it can help you to see that some things in life are truly priceless. As a fellow small business owner, I think we can have a social impact on our community in many ways that go beyond the bottom-line. We may not have the resources of large corporations, but we can still make an impact. Next week I will go over a few tips that can help us achieve this goal.

What about you? What are your thoughts on volunteerism and corporate social responsibility? Share with me in the comments below.

Keep It Sunny!

 

Living La Vida Loca...Well not quite!

Being an entrepreneur is great. You get to set your own hours, work without limitations and serve your customers to the best of your ability. It really can feel like you're living the ultimate dream. But what if it doesn't and it feels like a nightmare because you are drained, stressed out and energy depleted? Then it is time to take some time for yourself and try some of these things that I do:

Wake up Early To Meditate

Do Yoga on a regular basis to stay balanced

Listen to podcasts or read motivational books

Take a midweek staycation to your nearest park

Do aerobics or go to the gym

Being a business owner is awesome and requires a lot of energy and enthusiasm. In the quest to be at the top of your game and take care of your clients/customers don't forget to take care of yourself. What are some of your ideas for self-care? Share with me in the comments below.

Keep It Sunny!

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It's Time To Stop & Take Action!

I am very ambitious. As a fellow business owner I am sure you share the same trait. But.....sometimes we can find ourselves spinning our wheels and not going anywhere fast. I wrote last week about having an action plan. Do you have one yet? If not, then stop and take a look at ideas on how to put one together.

We are all in this together as entrepreneurs working to make our dreams shine far brighter than we could have ever imagined!

Keep it Sunny!!

Do You Have An Action Plan?

Last week we talked about being on track to hit your goals for your business in 2015 but we didn't say how to do that. So here are a few tips on how to create an easy action plan to get those successes for your business.

Tip #1

Start with the end in mind: Your Mission Statement. Do you have one? If not then check out this article on how to create or fine tune your mission statement so that you know clearly why you are in business.

Tip #2

Do a brain dump of ideas and thoughts on what type of goals you would like to achieve this year. Try using Evernote to capture your ideas.

Tip #3

Get Inspired! Check out how other entrepreneurs are making their dreams a reality. A great place to do that is on 48days.net or on EntrepreneurOnFire.com

So there you have it. A few tips to get you started on creating an action plan for your business that is practical and achievable. Tell me your thoughts on what other steps could be added to this plan in the comments below.

 

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New Year's Resolutions For Your Business

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Are you on track to hit your goals for your business for 2015? I understand it is tough to stay focused when you are a small business owner because we have so many balls to juggle.  But the key to ensuring that you get what you want for your business goals is to have a plan. I will be outlining an easy action plan to follow in the weeks to come on how to stay focused, productive so we can be successful entrepreneurs.

Check out my previous post on How to Hit the Ground Running for a few ideas. So what is the one goal you have for your business in 2015? Tell me in the comments below.

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Invest In Yourself!

Photo Credit by Stuart Miles|Freedigitalphotos.net

So how is business going for you these days? Are you hitting your goals, meeting your client demands, learning new skills and managing your day to day operations in a timely fashion? If the answer is "no" then it is time to stop and take stock of what is really going on in your business. Do you have a money set aside in your operational budget to invest in yourself? If the answer is no then this is probably one of the main reasons why you are not hitting the success metrics in your business.

Time For A Break

If you are thinking "I am too tired to take any type of training to learn new skills" then maybe you need to enlist the services of a virtual assistance company to take some of the daily operational items off your list. If you are thinking " I can't afford to invest in myself right now, but maybe in the future". This is great that it is on your "someday bucket list" for your business, but professional development is an investment in the future of your business success. You should be investing at minimum 3% or more in yourself says entrepreneur.com.  

The return on your investment will be much more than you pay in dollars. If you are losing traction with achieving your business goals tell me about in the comments below. Next week we will look at different ways you can "invest in yourself".

Be Do Have!

The Art Of Collaboration In Your Business

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What are the common themes that popular companies like Google, Zappos & Apple possess? Innovation and a company culture that supports collaboration amongst team members. When talented professionals come together and are given permission to use out-of-the-box thinking then magic can happen. 

Are You Blocking Success?

If you want your business to soar higher than you ever imagined then think about how you can use collaboration to achieve innovative results. Working with freelancers, virtual assistant professionals and other consultants may give you the competitive edge you need. When you allow yourself to brainstorm, share ideas and see a different perspective, you move one step closer to reaching success in your business. Are you ready to delegate & collaborate? Share your thoughts with me below.

How To Hit The Ground Running In Your Business In 2015

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Happy 2015 Everyone! 

It is a new year and time to get recharged to meet our business goals. There are many tools & tips that are available to help you reach the success levels you desire for your business. But let's face it. We are busy small business owners & entrepreneurs. So we need fast and convenient resources to help stay on track without taking our focus off course. Well throughout the year I will share practical tips that fit our busy lifestyle.

A Quick Tip

The first tool you can use to start your year off right is to select an audiobook to listen to that will help set the motivational tone for your year. I selected Act Like A Success-Think Like a Success by Steve Harvey. This book has supercharged my year already and it is only 8 days into the new year. What audiobook are you listening to that has you revved up for 2015? Share it with me in the comments below.

Keep It Sunny!

Business Planning Checklist For 2015

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Merry Xmas Everyone! Santa has his list for getting the goodies for the kids, but do you have a business plan checklist for 2015? If not, here are 4 areas to take a look at to get you started:

• Tax Planning: Now is a good time to meet with your CPA to chart out next year's financial goals & to ensure that you are not due for overpayment come tax time.

• Expiring & Renewals of Subscriptions or Lease Agreements: Do you have a list of all the online tools, trade publications or rent lease agreements that you have? Now would be a good time to gather all those items and go through them with a fine tooth comb to make sure you still want them in place, dump them or renegotiate new terms.

• Annual filings: Take time to peruse your state, local and federal requirements for your business. This will ensure that you are in complete compliance with all applicable laws.

• Marketing Goals & Outcomes: If you are using social media, blog post, SEO or traditional marketing to reach your clients or customers, now is a good time to do a once over to make sure that you have the proper monthly goals in place that will drive traffic to your business so that you can make sales.

Taking an hour or two to brainstorm on these topics will go a long way to ensuring that you are on the right track for 2015. What are some of your business planning checklist ideas? Share them with me in the comments below!

Do You Have A "Just In Case" Plan For Your Business?

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As business owners, we get so busy in doing the daily tasks that are required to keep business running smoothly and our customers happy that we forget to plan for emergencies. Do you have a business continuity plan in place to take care of your business for the "what if's" moments that could arise? According to essentialink.com, "Business Continuity is about preventing problems before they happen and ensuring that in the case that they do, there are tools and protocols in place to minimize the damage". 

 For more information on how to set one up check out the SBA.gov site here. As hard as we work as small business owners to grow our business it is equally important to prepare for an emergency if it should happen. Let me know what you currently have in place to take care of your business in case disaster strikes.

Keep It Sunny!