Spring Cleaning for Your VA Business

Spring is just around the corner (I am pretty sure it’s in sight, anyway), and many of us engage in our “spring cleaning” rituals around the house. It’s such a good feeling to have everything in order and to check those elusive tasks off your list that you hadn’t found time to do in the weeks (okay, let’s be realistic- months) past.

While you are enjoying the fresh start at home, why not carry that same mindset into your VA business? Plan to set aside a block of time in the next 30 days to improve your organization as well as tackle some of those tasks that you haven’t been able to get to recently.

Backup your computer files (but PLEASE don’t let that be a once-a-year event!)

Update your website.

Launch a new client referral program.

Evaluate your marketing plan. Find a creative way to advertise your services that you haven’t tried before.

Reorganize your filing system.

Send out thank you notes to all of the clients you have worked with in the past year.

Create a PowerPoint presentation for your VA business.

Identify one area of your business that you would like to improve on in the months ahead, map out your strategy for success and implement your plan.

Rearrange your workspace for better efficiency.

Whatever it is that you have had on your list or in the back of your mind, now is the time to invest in your Virtual Assistant business and plan to do a little “spring cleaning”. Chances are you will stumble upon some great ideas in the process!

Creating a Client Referral Program That Really Builds Business

It is quite possible that there is no better, more effective method of advertising than referrals from your clients. They have experienced firsthand the value of teaming with a Virtual Assistant, and their respected word and opinion almost instantly propels you into a “trusted agent” status with the associate whom they are sharing the benefits of a VA with.

Think about it. Others see your clients’ success and satisfaction, and they naturally start to want that for themselves. Once they hear about your services, they are many times more likely to sign on with you than the average prospect who just happened upon one of your advertisements. They have already been sold on your service. They just need a place to sign.

Referrals are tremendously powerful and offer your business a chance to grow like no other, but there is one significant caveat. If you don’t ask for them (and do so properly), you are never going to be able harness their full potential. Creating a referral program is a great way to do that. By incentivizing your clients to provide their glowing testimonials of your services to others, they will actually seek opportunities to spread the word about you!

Here are three tips for developing a business building referral program:

The incentive should have real value to your clients. Now, this doesn’t mean that you have to break the bank, but you should offer something that is substantial enough to sincerely reflect your appreciation for new business directly resulting from their referral. My experience is that a discount or credit to their account works best.

Make sure your program results in new business from both the referred party and the existing client. It is quite obvious to focus on the first part, but if you leave out the latter, you are missing out on half of the benefits of the referral process. A good way to do this is to offer a discount that will be credited towards the referring party’s next invoice. This encourages your referring client to continue to find new ways that their business can benefit from your expert service.

Announce your referral program in a variety of ways. Telling your clients about your it is not a one-time event. Send them postcards periodically to remind them of it (Personally, I favor VerticalResponse to do this). Post it on your website. Mention it in your email newsletters. Include a brief reminder about it on your email signature with a link to your website where they can get full details.

Starting a referral program was by far the most effective business building strategy for my business. I was amazed at the response and the enthusiasm of my clients to refer their friends, family and associates to me. The benefits have greatly outweighed the costs, and I couldn’t have gotten the same results from spending the same amount on other forms of advertising. Of course, other methods of advertising have their place, but a referral program is at the top of the list for me.

The Best Marketing Tips of Top Virtual Assistants

New Virtual Assistants often ask how they can effectively market their businesses. Afterall, what would a VA be without clients? I am always happy to share the way I do things, but I know that marketing a business has endless possibilites in the methods that are used. So I decided to ask some other VAs what their best marketing tips are.

If you are looking to get the word out about your business, here are some great ideas for you:

My favorite marketing strategy is what I call ‘internal marketing.’ Letting your current clientele know that you’re graciously accepting their generous referrals is a great way to bring in new, ideal clients. And, referral clients have already been ‘educated’ as to what it is you do as a VA so all you have to do is WOW them!
- Tess at the Virtual Assistant Forums

When you decide you are serious about becoming a VA, tell everyone you know. It seems like such a little thing to do, but it can make a huge difference. Think about how many people you know and how many people they know and so on and so on and so on (like the Pert commercial). It is a huge market, so be sure you don’t miss out on a free opportunity to land that valuable first client.
- Kate at Kerans Virtual Assistance

When sending out a postcard mailing, I print my business card on the back of the postcard as my return address with a dashed outline and a note underneath it “please cut out and keep my business card for future use.”
- Lily at The Virtual Office Goddess, LLC

Let’s not forget networking forums! Industry related forums are a great way to let your target market know you’re there. Go to where your target market hangs out. Trade shows, conferences and other industry events are also a good way to mix with your target market. Just be careful not to be a *schmaltzy* salesperson. Make friends first. Strike up a conversation and ask *tell me about your business*. People love to talk about themselves.
- Shari at Modern Marketing Support

Having an online presence, getting your name out there is big. I think having a website, blog and belonging to social networking sites helps tremendously.
- Dawn at A Virtual Assistant in Paradise

Networking in person and online is very important. I have met a lot of good contacts who love to recommend and refer! This can be done by joining VA forums, industry forums that your target market belongs to along with your local organizations such as your Chamber of Commerce!
- Doreen at Virtual Business Partners

I always like to remember that my next client could be standing in front of me. Maintaining a professional demeanor and appearance is one key to gaining new business and preserving a good reputation. Also, carry business cards with you and give them to everyone you meet.
- Jenifer at Administrative Support Group

There you have it- great marketing advice from experienced Virtual Assistants. Please feel free to add your own favorite marketing strategies in the comments.

My Favorite Five Online Tools for Virtual Assistants

There are a lot of web-based programs that can help Virtual Assistants make the most of their workday and provide over-the-top service to their clients . You probably have your own list of favorites, so let’s compare notes. (Please feel free to post your top favorites in the comments.)

Okay… drum roll, please….

5. InstantConference.com
This is a great application that allows you to host conference calls. Their basic plan is FREE. Unlike many of their competitors, they allow you to record your conference calls without charge- even on their free plan. Stay connected with your clients and show them how effectively an office can be run virtually. InstantConference.com also has a handy Outlook plugin available for download.

4. Stamps.com
Stamps.com can help you to save time and make your mail look more professional. In case you missed my recent post about this handy service that allows you to print your postage at home, you can read it by clicking here. Give them a try- you’ll be glad you did.

3. Support.com
Imagine this. You are up against a big deadline and your computer has chosen this precise moment to revolt against you. Even been there? It’s not the most comfortable feeling, but the tech savvy folks at support.comare ready 24/7 to provide troubleshooting and tech support at a moment’s notice. They can log into your computer, diagnose the issue and fix many problems right on the spot!

2. MyFax
Every business should have a fax number, and your VA service is no exception. MyFax offers a better solution than using a traditional fax machine. You get your own fax number and your faxes are delivered to your email inbox. You can print them if you like or save them to your hard drive. And yes, you can send outgoing faxes as well. If you are new to internet faxing, you will wonder how you ever lived without it. Visit MyFax.com for a full listing of service features!
Special Offer: Buy 2 Months Get the 3rd FREE

1. Mozy.com
If you have less than ten dollars this month to invest in your business, this is where I would tell you to put it. There is nothing more critical to the success of a Virtual Assistant service than the security of your files. Backing up regularly is the single most important thing that you can do for your business. Mozy makes it automatic, so you can set it up once (in under 5 minutes) and then never have to think of it again. There is no reason to ever tell a client that you have lost your files (or worse yet, their files) as a result of a computer crash or virus- because you have your hard drive backed up by Mozy! For more information, click here:
Mozy.com

So there you have it, my top five list of online tools that can help you run a great VA business, provide exceptional value to your clients and maintain your reputation for reliability.

Stay Virtual With Stamps.com and Get Free Postage

As Virtual Assistants, we make our livings on the computer, so time out of the office to do things like run to the post office translates directly to money out of our pockets- and not just for the postage we purchased! That’s why I use Stamps.com for all of my postage needs.

When I signed up for their free trial which included free postage, I admit that I was waiting for the catch. (You know me, I am a skeptic when it comes to unbelievably good “free” offers.)

I was pleasantly suprised that Stamps.com did everything they said they would. Their service was so reliable and easy to use that I am still with them, long after my free trial period. In fact, on my list of “must have” tools for Virtual Assistants, this ranks in the top five.

After the free trial period, their services are very affordable and they offer fantastic value for your membership. I have even received a free scale to weigh my mail and additional free postage. I couldn’t be happier with their service because it saves me time and money- both of which are important to the success of my VA business.

The Stamps.com software is very simple to use, and it also integrates seamlessly with Word so you can print your envelopes and your postage at the same time. You can also print postage stamps separately or mailing labels for larger packages with postage included.

You can try it for yourself risk free. Sign up for Stamps.com and learn for yourself why it made it to my top five list of “must haves” for a Virtual Assistant. (If you would enter code C-73CV-DND when it asks for who referred you, I would greatly appreciate it.)

Five Reasons to Always Use a Contract When Providing Virtual Assistant Services

A contract is an essential tool for any Virtual Assistant is a contract. If I had a nickel for every new VA who has asked me if it is really necessary to use a contract with every client, I would probably be on a sunny beach in Hawaii right now instead of writing this. The short answer is yes, it really is necessary.

If you remain unconvinced, please read on. There are many, many reasons why you should have a written agreement with every client, no matter what the size of the project is. Here are just the top five on my list of why a contract is so important:

1. It helps you to be perceived as the professional you are. Chances are that you may never actually meet many of your clients. Having a professional-looking contract adds to your credibility as a professional. Real businesses use contracts, and you are running a real business.

2. It defines your responsibilities to your client as a Virtual Assistant. This helps to foster a strong business relationship because at a glance, they can see the plan you have set forth to support and benefit their business. It gives your client a sense of security in knowing what to expect from you. A secure client is a happy client, so this benefit of a contract is priceless.

3. It defines your client’s responsibilities to you as a VA. This is very important, and many VAs who neglect to use a contract fail to see the importance of this aspect in how it can help protect them as service providers. Both parties in any relationship bear responsibility in its success. The same applies to a VA-client relationship. By setting the expectations for the client in writing, they will know better how to help you to help them, so to speak.

4. It sets forth the terms of payment. This can include fees, payment schedule, methods of accepted payment, etc. Ultimately, this is why you provide the services that you do, so it is best that you have all payment matters addressed and agreed to in writing in advance of the project. Your client won’t be surprised by your fees, and you won’t be caught off guard that they have tried to pay you in pesos. (Go ahead and laugh at me, but stranger things have happened!)

5. Without a contract, you may be unwittingly donating your time and services. Fortunately, most of your clients will probably be professionals who hold up their end of the bargain, but sooner or later, you can almost bet that you will have an unfortunate experience. All you need is one non-paying customer without a contract to learn this painful lesson. When it is your word against theirs, how hard will it be to prove exactly what the fees and terms for the project were? A well-written contract signed by both parties can help establish that for you, should you be forced to turn the account over to collections or seek other legal recourse.

Hopefully, if you thought that a contract for Virtual Assistant services wasn’t necessary, you are starting to see the light now. If you aren’t sure of exactly what should go into a contract, this is one area where it will certainly be worth it to enlist the services of an attorney who can draft a basic template for you. In my opinion, it’s money well-spent.

As I mentioned, there are many reasons to use a contract. What are your top reasons?

Want to Easily Add Forms to Your Website? Jot This Down

You don’t have to be some HTML guru to create great forms for your Virtual Assistant website. (Although I strongly recommend that you take the FREE HTML e-course for basic understanding that I mentioned in a previous post.) Enter JotForm, the answer to your free form needs.

JotForm is a web-based application that makes creating forms and inserting them into your site a real piece of cake. They offer a variety of impressive features and allow an unlimited number of forms that you can create under their free version. Of course, a Premium package is available if you need it for less than $10 per month.

Unlike a lot of their competitors, you won’t find any third party advertising on the forms that you create with JotForm. So go ahead and create some forms to bolster your marketing list, connect to prospective clients, and get helpful feedback from your website visitors. The possibilities are endless, and so are the rewards for implementing well-designed forms into your website!

Free Accounting Software From QuickBooks

I don’t need to tell you how important it is to keep accurate accounting records for your Virtual Assistant business, but if you have ever been shocked at the price of some accounting software packages out there, you are not alone.

If you have a VA business and are looking for a simple and cost-effective solution for your accounting needs, you may want to take a look at a free accounting software package offered by QuickBooks.

If you are reading this right now and wondering if you can actually believe your eyes, you certainly can. QuickBooks Simple Start 2008 is completely free. It’s not a trial version, and there are no hidden fees looming in the future.

They pledge that you can use it as long as you’d like. Of course, if you want to upgrade in the future, you can certainly do so, and your data from QuickBooks Simple Start 2008 can be imported into the upgrade.

I have to admit that when I first saw this, I thought, what is the catch? I am happy to report that there really doesn’t seem to be one. Of course, QuickBooks Simple Start 2008 doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of QuickBooks Pro, but it does offer some real functionality that is certainly adequate for many small businesses.

If you are not currently using accounting software, I strongly recommend that you check this out for yourself. Simply click here to be taken to the QuickBooks Simple Start 2008 informational page.

Gliffy Helps You Go With the Flow

A Virtual Assistant can be instrumental in helping a client create clearly defined processes and procedures for their businesses. Creating flow charts is an ideal (not to mention impressive) way to get a clear visual of the steps entailed.

It’s also not a bad idea to chart your own business processes in the interest of thoroughness and efficiency with each client.

Gliffy is a tool that can help you fill this order. It is a web based program that allows you to easily create professional looking flow charts and diagrams.

Their basic service is free, which allows you to create flow charts that are publicly shared. However, if you are going to use this for your clients, you will need to be able to create private documents (it’s always best to keep all client info confidential, you know) and will need their premium service. You can subscribe to that for an entire year for a mere $30 per year or $45 for two years. (Under $3 a month, what a DEAL!)

There are many programs that you can use to make flow charts, but if you feel you may routinely need to create them for your clients, Gliffy Premium is a pretty hard deal to beat for the convenience it offers.

Make PayPal Your Business Partner

These days, being able to accept credit card payment is important to almost any business (except somehow for Teriyaki Chicken Bowl, which I will never understand…). As a Virtual Assistant, it is critical. You want to make it as easy as possible for your clients to transact business with you because it will help keep the workflow coming.

Yet, getting your own point of sale terminal can really break the bank- not to mention it borders on overkill considering the number of transactions a VA is likely to have in one day. So what now? Enter PayPal. No, it is not just for ebay or online shopping- it can be your best business “friend”.

A PayPal business account is simple to set up and allows you to accept major credit cards such as Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover. In addition to that, with your PayPal business account, you can also accept e-checks and payments from your client’s own PayPal account. The best part of it all, is the recipient of your invoice does NOT have to have a PayPal account in order to pay you.

There are fees per transaction, but personally, I find them nominal. It’s just the cost of doing business in my opinion.

One of the most convenient aspects of invoicing your clients through PayPal is that they receive the invoice by email and then have the option to pay you immediately by clicking a link that takes them to the payment screen. There are also lots of features and add-ins that they make available to you, such as integration with Outlook and QuickBooks. If you want, you can even integrate a shopping cart and sell gift certificates for your business!

Get Your FREE Business Marketing Identity Kit From HP

Let me ask a quick question.

How do you feel about your marketing material?

Is it well put-together? Do you have a good variety of materials that you can give to prospective clients such as brochures, busines cards, flyers, etc.? Equally importantly, do they look like they go together? Do they portray the professionalism that you have as a VA?

Admittedly, that was more than just one question, but I hit you with this barrage for good reason. If you can’t answer with an enthusiastic “YES!” to all of the above, have I got some good news for you!

Having great marketing material doesn’t have to cost a lot. In fact, HP offers a FREE downloadable Business Marketing Identity Kit. They have several great designs to choose from, and with just a few clicks of the mouse, you can download one that suits your business best.

If your marketing materials aren’t the best they can be, I encourage you to get on this one post-haste. As a VA, chances are good that you may never meet your prospects face-to-face, so everything that you send them to promote your business has to exude competence and professionalism.

Even if you do happen to meet them in person, they still have to feel confident in handing over work to be done offsite. It is important to put your best foot forward in all aspects and show that you are a business-minded individual who can help them take their business to the next level.

A good marketing packet can help you attract new clients, solidify your relationship with existing clients, and can help you get new business and referrals from prior clients.

To download your free HP Business Marketing Identity kit, please click here.

Want to Fix Your PDF? Get the FREE PDF Hammer

Now you can edit a PDF without buying expensive software that you won’t use everyday. Introducing the free PDF Hammer, a free online web application that will enable you to do the following:

append two PDFs together

reorder the pages of a PDF

delete a page from a PDF

Its simple to use interface will save you time and works like a charm. With new features soon to be added, its value to you as a VA will only increase. Try it today!