Are you going to stop in at the Small BIZ VT Summit this week and have a meet & greet with some of Vermont’s small business assets? Held at Burlington’s Sheraton Hotel and Conference Center, this first time event is going to be great, so come on down!
People too frequently confuse affordable with cheap; I see the two as being very different from each other. Cheap is exactly that, it costs very little and has no value. Affordable on the other hand is measured not just in how much it cost, but in how much value that cost returned. Help your clients to see and identify the value in your service, what obstacles and challenges you will be able to help them overcome, how you will be able to help them move themselves and their business forward, and how much time you will be giving back to them.
Before you switch from working in a traditional office to working from a home office you will need to set a few rules. These are rules for both your family and for yourself and help keep you focused, and distractions to a minimum. If you have already made the switch, then hopefully you have already worked through these, but if not, read on to discover what you can do to regain some sanity, and get some work done. After all, this is why you became a virtual professional, right?
We aren’t all Project Managers by nature, but the role of a virtual assistant in business is evolving and suggests we will all need to acquire basic skills in project management. A large portion of the workforce already consists of people who grew up using social media and other social communication tools, giving rise to a work environment that is driven more by collaboration. How can you enhance your project management skills without additional training? By developing and adapting the following skills that you already have.
Using a Virtual Assistant is an important step towards focusing on your core functions within your workplace. It is not an admission of defeat, nor is it a sign of weakness. This may be in the form of relieving you of non-essential tasks, or even allowing you to take a much needed break from work, even if it is only for a day or two. Naturally, you need to approach this correctly, putting a few measures in place, while also understanding how a virtual assistant can help.
Are you buckling under stress and a demanding workload? Are you constantly in a hurry and worried about not having enough time? Are you trying to do everything yourself?
Why?
You may think that doing everything yourself ensures that it is done on time, and done well, but you are mistaken. The truth is that by trying to do it all yourself you are not only burning yourself out, but you are also more likely to make mistakes, because of stress.
As the end of the year rolls around, I have the tendency to smirk at those who profess their New Year’s Resolutions. While I applaud your efforts for thinking about what goal you want to accomplish, why wait until January 1st, or why not put off things until February 1st? I know, I’m not a lover of procrastination, but hear me out..
When you are looking to hire a virtual assistant, the most common question haunting your mind is why to pay $40, $45, $50 or more per hour when you got quotes for $15 per hour. As a result of the tough competition from the foreign markets, new VAs are flooding the scene offering lower and lower and lower quotes. This is not unique but, rather, quite common. Prospective clients feel they got a big deal by having to pay only $15 per hour.
But is it really a big bargain? What are you getting when hiring an inexpensive virtual assistant?
Remember the early days in your career when a simple to-do list was enough to keep your virtual assistance business on track? Over time business picked up until you soon found yourself juggling several clients’ tasks. Business is booming! Great news right? Not always.
Using a virtual assistant for certain tasks and projects is a practical and cost-effective solution for many small businesses, but connecting with the right candidate can be difficult at times. The proper candidate would not only have the necessary skills, they should also be easily contactable and dependable. Virtual assistants work remotely, making it possible for you to easily use someone who is based in another country, though caution should be applied, especially when your work is time-sensitive. What methods can you use to find potential candidates?