By VAnetworking member Dawn Goldberg

You are highly skilled, multi-talented VA, and you have great ideas. As a VA, communication is key to building relationships with your clients. And you’ll probably be communicating with customers of your client. Actually, to the clients’ customers, you are the client.  E-mail is a vital tool in your business as a VA, increasing efficiency if it is used correctly.

As helpful as e-mail is, you want to make sure you are communicating with and representing your client in the best manner.  Here are ten rules that will help you do just that.

1. Know your client.  Does he want one e-mail a day with a summary of everything, or does he want one subject per e-mail?


2. Number the items you want your client to respond to.  That way nothing gets lost, either for your client or you.


3. If your e-mail asks for feedback, use Outlook tasks to set yourself a reminder.  It can be awfully easy to send off an e-mail, breathe a sigh of relief that it’s off YOUR plate, and then promptly forget about it.


4. Send messages to your client in plain text.  That way you don’t have to worry about her spam filters or funky formatting.  If you must send in html, find some way to differentiate your replies.  In an e-mail discussion where every reply is blue, it’s too difficult to see whose reply is whose.  Use purple (my favorite) or some other color for your replies.


5. If you’re sending an attachment, get in the habit of attaching the document first before you enter in the recipient’s name.  That way if you accidentally hit send before you attach the document, it won’t go anywhere.


6. Use signature lines. Create signature lines for each client.  Make your clients look bigger and better by having a company signature.  In addition, create a signature for all e-mails you send on your own behalf.  Using your name and company name will remind your clients and others of who you are, what you do, and what you stand for.


7. E-mail is not confidential.  Protect your client by using discretion when sending e-mails.


8. Don’t assume that your client got an important message from you just because you sent an e-mail.  E-mails do not always reach their destination.  If you don’t hear back, call to make sure he got the message.


9. Read your e-mail out loud before you send it.  Does it say what you want it to say?  Is there anything that could be misinterpreted?


10. Sometimes it is better to have a voice to voice conversation with your client than to send an e-mail.  This is especially true in awkward or stressful times.  When difficult situations arise, pick up the phone instead.

E-mail is an amazing technology:  quick and casual.  Just beware that very quickness and casualness when using e-mail.

Source: Virtual Assistant Networking Association
The ever popular, friendly, informative, educational & resourceful network for successful and aspiring “IN THE KNOW” Virtual Assistants and Achievers globally that everyone online is talking about.

By VAnetworking member Helen Byrne

The virtual assistant industry is a booming one. However, if you are just starting out, you might be experiencing some concerns. Perhaps you are having a hard time getting new clients or maybe the long hours were not something you bargained for. Has the start-up process been slower than you thought it might be? There are many concerns that anyone new to the virtual assistant industry might have.

However, making your business a success must involve some really hard work on your part. Below are the top ten tips to making your virtual assistant business a success.

1. Manage Your Time – If you find that you are working extremely long hours, you will want to take some time management steps. Set specific hours and stick to those hours, plan your day in advance with a planner, and know what you are doing from month to month with a calendar.


2. Have a Positive Outlook – Negative thinking can be one of the major factors in failure. When you want clients to partner with you as a virtual assistant, you need to have a positive outlook on your success. Actually see the success, and it will happen.


3. Network – There are numerous places that allow you to network with other VA’s. When you join a networking group, you will find support, knowledge, advice, and even recommendations for work.


4. Website – Your website is a crucial element to the success of your business. It should be attractive, informative, and functional. Without a well thought out and designed website, you will find that your business is lacking in perhaps its most crucial area.


5. Web Content – Articles can be your best friend in getting the traffic and the business you are looking for. A well-written article does many things for your business. It can instill trust in your clients, show expertise and knowledge, and with keywords, bring traffic and potential clients directly to your website.


6. Invest – No business can function without some sort of financial investment. You want to make sure that you have the right equipment for any service you offer.


7. Advertise – Advertisements are another form of financial investment. With a catchy and well designed advertisement, you will attract clients interested in partnering with a virtual assistant. Advertisements can be placed in a variety of ways including in local and national press, professional journals and on the internet.


8. Outsourcing – Even if you are not well equipped for a certain skill, you can outsource to provide your clients with the most extensive list of services. Many other VA’s may be willing to partner with you to provide services that you cannot, and vice versa.


9. Dedication – You have to have dedication to make any business work. Remember why you chose this business as your career and focus on your original goals. Your dedication will prove to clients that you are serious about succeeding.


10. Commitment – You have to make a commitment to both your business and your clients. Keep to the deadlines you have set with clients for returning their work, and most importantly, make sure you are available to your clients when you say you will be.

Knowing these ten top tips to making your virtual assistant business a success will help you understand the most crucial elements to your business.

Stop by the Virtual Assistant Networking Assocation (VAnetworking) today and find that VA you’ve been looking for. They are waiting, ready to assist you with all your business needs.

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*Source: Virtual Assistant Networking Association
The ever popular, friendly, informative, educational & resourceful network for successful and aspiring “IN THE KNOW” Virtual Assistants and Achievers globally that everyone online is talking about.

By VAnetworking member Kara Weirzbowski

Because the Virtual Assistance industry is growing so rapidly there are now thousands of VAs to choose from. And because clients work so closely with their VAs it is very important to find one that is a perfect fit for you. The task can be daunting. However, if you ask yourself the right questions and respect your answers you will be on the right path to choosing your perfect VA. Here are just a few questions to ask yourself when choosing a virtual assistant:

1. What is your personality type? Are you a Type A that works well with other Type A personalities or do you need a more laid back person to work with? Or are you relaxed and need a Type A personality to keep you on track, on time and organized? Think about what type of person energizes you and consider a VA that has a compliments that.


2. What is your communication style? Are you a quiet person who doesn’t like to talk every day? Or are you better served by a daily or weekly phone call to connect? If you are chatty, don’t partner with a VA that prefers to be less-than-chatty. Neither one of you will be happy.


3. How often do you like to communicate? Do you like to email 5 times a day, once a day, once a week? How much communication do you want from your VA? Do you like to chat on the phone? Do you hate the phone and prefer email? It’s important to find a VA that matches that style. Trust me; you don’t want to receive 20 emails a day from an “in touch” VA if you prefer less but more focused communication. It will drive you both crazy in no time.


4. What kind of commitment do you want? Do you have a ton of on-going projects and want a retainer agreement where you and your VA commit to a predetermined amount of hours per month? Or at this point in time do you have small projects that you need minimal help with? Save yourself time and determine this up front so you can skip the websites that claim they don’t offer project work or vice versa.


5. How involved do you want your VA to be in your business? Do you want her to brainstorm marketing ideas with you, rehash your business plan? Or do you have a preference for someone who will simply submit your work on time and keep your business admin tasks completed? Don’t partner with a VA that has involvement in mind or you’ll find yourself unhappy. Likewise, don’t ask a VA whose preference is to simply complete projects and email them to you to collaborate on an advertising campaign.


6. What kind of work style do you prefer? Do you prefer a more structured work style? Do you like pre-determined meeting times? Or can a spur-of-the moment phone call work for you? You’ll be much happier to partner with a VA that has the same work style as yourself.


7. How important it is for you “click” with your VA? Ideally, we all click to a degree with the professionals we hire, such as our accountant, lawyer, etc because we want to give our money to someone we trust and like. However, it’s crucial to really click and connect with your VA because she’ll become a partner in your business. Depending on your arrangement and needs, you could expect to talk with her daily. Some people prefer to have the expertise the VA offers and can manage without a personal connection and other business owners need the connection first and realize the VA can learn the skills necessary. Think about what would work best for you.


8. What kind of importance do you give certifications and associations? Do you want your VA to have a long list of official certifications or belong to a list of associations? If that’s important to you, there are many VAs who hold several certifications and belong to many associations. Not holding a certification doesn’t mean a VA isn’t qualified and professional but it might be something you want to consider.


9. Do you mind if your VA subcontracts to other virtual assistants? Many VAs make it a common practice to subcontract work out, but if she does, you should be ok with that. Do you prefer just one person to work on your projects? Do you care if other people manage your projects so long as your VA gives it the final approval before sending it on to you?


10. And last, but certainly not, least – do you trust your gut? Easier said than done when you start your VA search as there are now thousands of qualified, professional VAs running businesses. But once you talk to someone, communicate with them several times, get the responses you are looking for – then see what your gut tells you and go with it. You’ll be on your way to a successful relationship with your new virtual assistant.

Just a few simple questions can prevent a lot of misunderstanding and wasted time. Take your time with your VA search. If it works out perfectly, you’ll have a partnership that will benefit your business for years to come.

Stop by the Virtual Assistant Networking Assocation (VAnetworking) today and find that VA you’ve been looking for. They are waiting, ready to assist you with all your business needs.

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*Source: Virtual Assistant Networking Association
The ever popular, friendly, informative, educational & resourceful network for successful and aspiring “IN THE KNOW” Virtual Assistants and Achievers globally that everyone online is talking about.

By VANetworking member Kara Wierzbowski 

Running a business can get hectic. Being organized can help. Organization saves you time, saves you money, and saves your sanity. Whether responding to emails is taking several hours a day, your office is over-run with papers, you missed a press release deadline or your customer service is suffering a VA can help. Here are just a few ways:

1. Email management throughout the day– There are several ways that a VA can manage your email accounts. She can set it up to come directly to her, she can log on to your computer or you can forward emails so she can handle them. No matter how you set it up, this service can save you hours a day. Plus you won’t miss another important email.

2. Mail management when you are away – While a VA can easily manage your email every day there are still all those pesky envelopes that make their way to your mail box. If you are out of town, simply forward your mail to her business address, she can toss the junk and scan the important items and email them to you as an attachment. Never be late on a bill again!

3. Manage passwords – With nearly every website these days requiring you to register an account you can easily lose track of all those passwords. Simply email your VA the new user name and password for a site and she’ll keep it in a database and can easily pull it up should you need a helping hand with recalling a password.

4. Keep track of your clients and customers – A VA can easily create a database that logs all the information about your client or customer. She can easily update it to add or remove entries so you have the most up-to-date information ready for a mail out.

5. Maintain a birthday list for your clients or customers – Customer service goes a long ways these days. And what is better to keep in contact than slipping a birthday note, a business anniversary card or a “thank you” card in the mail to a client? Clients are thrilled to realize you are thinking of them and they appreciate the service. A VA can create and manage that list with daily reminders set so there is never another forgotten card.

6. Create holiday timelines – If part of your online marketing practices involve submitting articles, press releases or keeping up with a blog it can be very beneficial to write seasonally appropriate or holiday appropriate material. Yes, we all know when Christmas, New Years, Mothers Day is, but what about all the other lesser-known holidays or events that can be taken advantage of? A VA can also keep track of the deadlines for magazines, newspapers, etc and help you get your material in on time.

7. Appointment setting & reminder services – Seems simple enough. But the days can get very hectic very quickly as you run your business. A VA can easily place calls or accept calls and emails and schedule your calendar. Even better, she can email or call you to remind you what you have on said calendar.

8. Scan documents and put them on disks – If your office is overflowing with paper and you want to get control or go a little “green” then a VA can help. You can send her the papers and documents; she can scan them, save them to a CD and mail the CDs back to you to keep.

9. Manage your merchant account –A VA can easily log into your merchant account and see when someone needs to have a friendly reminder sent to them regarding a payment. You’ll no longer lose money over a time sensitive matter.

10. Set up color-coordinated filing system – Even though a VA could be miles away, she can set up a filing system for you. You send her your documents, papers, etc and she can create a color-coded system that works for you, file the papers appropriately and send the whole get-up back to you. You simply have to keep it up to day. Never lose another must-have piece of paper again.

These are just a few of the ways an organized VA can help keep you organized. When you are organized you save money, time and you can focus more on your business.

*Source: Virtual Assistant Networking Association
The ever popular, friendly, informative, educational & resourceful network for successful and aspiring “IN THE KNOW” Virtual Assistants and Achievers globally that everyone online is talking about.