Use JumpUp to Boost Your Business

I was really excited earlier this month when JumpUp asked if they could spotlight my business on their website. My feature just went live today and can be viewed at http://www.jumpup.com/spotlights/rosanna.

More importantly, though, is that JumpUp is a free small business resource that can provide you with invaluable information, resources and advice on some of the toughest aspects of running a business. It also allows you to network with other small business owners who have been through a lot of the same things that may be going on in your business today.

Whatever stage your business is in, whether you have questions about funding, marketing, choosing a name, creating a business plan, or any one of the myriad of issues that they cover, you can find a ton of information and ideas on just the topic you’re looking for.

Will Work for Money

There is a myth out there that in order to grow your business, your services have to be cheaper than your competitors. If you want out from under the pressure of this untruth, read on.

I was talking just the other day to a prospect. He said he was very impressed during our initial consultation but that he was also considering another VA whom he had been speaking with whose rates were lower than mine. He said he’d let me know in the next few days whom he had chosen.

When I had first gone into business years ago, hearing this would have prompted me to immediately try to beat her rates. Instead, I followed up with an email thanking him for the opportunity to discuss his administrative support needs. I acknowledged that I am not the cheapest VA out there but that my focus is on providing exemplary quality and service to my clients. I take a personal stake in their success and if he chose me to provide VA services, he would receive that same treatment. I attached a copy of my contract for his consideration and two days later, he returned it to me signed.

I am not saying that it’s always wrong to compete on your rates. But the sooner you realize that there will ALWAYS be someone who is cheaper than you are, the better off you and your business will be. So if there will always be someone who is willing to do what you do for less, you can’t compete on that level unless you are looking to become an administrative support charity instead of a business. And what would the point be then?

What you must do is compete on a different level- one that should matter to your client even more than price. Quality and value. Start selling your prospects on that notion and you’ll become an indispensable part of their businesses. Instead of providing cut rate services, you will be offering your clients a true partner in their success — someone they can depend on to get the job done correctly and on time every time.

The services of a competent Virtual Assistant will often pay for themselves in terms of increased opportunities created for their clients by allowing them to effectively leverage their time and focus on growing their businesses. Believe me, once they experience working with a professional VA who can make their administrative headaches a thing of the past, they’ll be happy that they decided to pay a little more to get an experienced Virtual Assistant.

Set your rates honestly and stick to them. If you have a prospect who seems disproportionately focused on price, chances are they will become a Pandora’s Box of constant complaints, issues and conflict as a client.

Virtual Assistants Can Manage Their Workloads Better With ClientSpot

Virtual Assistant project management has just soared to a new height with the web-based application, ClientSpot. It’s designed to help Virtual Assistants track projects, files, deadlines and time. If you have ever tried to manage all of your pans in the fire with a generic project management program, you may have been left with a number of work-arounds that you had to create in order to make it work for you. Not very efficient, is it? Especially when efficiency is the name of the game when it comes to being a successful VA.

ClientSpot is different because it was developed specifically with Virtual Assistants and freelancers in mind. It allows you to handle multiple remote clients effectively, not to mention almost effortlessly. In addition, it provides great value to your clients by providing them with a single place to assign tasks, upload and download files, discuss projects, and monitor progress.

“I think what makes ClientSpot unique is that it’s really focused on the needs of virtual assistants. For example, a major focus has been making sure the system is easy enough for clients to use without getting overwhelmed. We’ve also added features like tracking retainer hours based on feedback from VAs,” says Dave Churchville of ClientSpot.

If storage or security is a concern to you — as it is to all VAs — you will be thrilled to know that they have generous file storage allotments included in their cost-effective plans as well as the option to enable SSL for all communications. It’s one way that they enable you to further safeguard your clients’ sensitive information.

Another impressive thing about ClientSpot is that they really listen to the feedback they get. They are always in search of ways to make their application even more indispensable to busy Virtual Assistants and their clients. In fact, when you email them, someone actually gets back to you promptly- and not by generic form emails. Yes, real professional contact from a software development company that really cares about its customers!

Now you are probably wishing I would hurry up with the rest of this post so you can try it out for yourself. Oh, did I mention that you can set up a free account to see why I am raving over this software? Simply go to http://www.myclientspot.com.

You can also see a short demo video (with sound) at http://www.myclientspot.com/tour/.

Are You LinkedIn?

As you know, I am big on networking — and for good reason. It works. When it comes to online networking, there are a lot of great options available. From time to time in the weeks ahead, I will be filling you in on some of my favorite online business networking sites.

LinkedIn is a very popular site that is powerful yet easy to use. You will find some of the most respected names in business networking there- a testimony to the value of LinkedIn.

Start with a free membership that has plenty of functionality. Connect with your existing clients and contacts — and develop new ones as well. LinkedIn allows you to search your existing Outlook contacts to identify people you aready know who are also members of LinkedIn. With just a couple clicks of the mouse you can invite them to join your LinkedIn network. You can also invite people who aren’t yet members to join and link up with you.

LinkedIn also allows you to ask questions to your network, fostering a collaborative environment that can be so beneficial to your business. On the flipside, who knows, you just may have an idea that can help one of your contacts or a member of their network. LinkedIn offers you a place to really shine and show that you know your stuff!

As you know, it is all about visibility when it comes to running a VA business. The more places you can be found online, the more avenues you have to finding new clients.

Get Out to That Next Business Mixer

I love networking mixers. Almost enough to order a bumpersticker that says so. If it has been a while since you have been to your last business networking mixer, now is the time to plan for the next one that you’ll attend. If you have never been to one, you’re really missing out on some phenomenal opportunities for your VA business.

Networking is important. Virtual Assistants are often good at networking online, but face-to-face networking should be equally important to you. Business networking mixers are great because you get to meet other professionals in a relaxed and casual environment. You will be amazed at the phenomenal contacts you will make at a mixer.

A lot of overstressed business owners and professionals have never heard of a Virtual Assistant, much less considered the benefits of teaming with one. It’s a great opportunity to introduce an option to them that can have an exponential impact on their success and dave their sanity at the same time. And by building a professional relationship with the businesses and people in your area, they develop a favorable impression of the VA industry.

If you are looking to get all you can out of the next business networking mixer that you attend, you may want to try the following:

Offer your hand. Not sure how to start up a conversation with the person next to you? It’s simple. Initiate a handshake, smile, look them in the eye, say hello and introduce yourself. It really is that easy. Be happy. Be enthusiastic. Be yourself (unless you happen to be neither happy nor enthusiastic, in which case you should be anyone but yourself.)

Bring plenty of business cards. Pass them out to everyone you meet. Don’t be shy. Going without business cards is like going without pants — and every bit as bad. When you hand someone your card, ask for theirs if they don’t immediately present it.

Dress conservatively. Many mixers are casual, but you still want to appear professional. This is not the time to show up in cut offs and flip flops. My advice is to dress in “business” or “business casual” attire. People will make judgements about you before you ever meet them, so make sure that you appear to be someone that they can benefit by knowing.

Engage the other person in conversation about their business. It’s easy to keep the conversation going when you ask someone to talk about themselves or their business. What do they do? What do they love most about it? What are their challenges? How is business currently? What is the next step that they plan to take? Pay special attention to everything they say because you will learn specifically how they could best benefit from your services.

Share what you do. Chances are, when you say that you are a Virtual Assistant, a lot of people will ask, “What is that?” What a great opportunity to share how you partner with other business owners and busy professionals to help them leverage their time and increase their productivity! Open their eyes to the possibility of what a VA can do for them. If they seem interested in working with you, schedule a time for an initial consultation.

Follow up with the new contacts that you made afterwards. Now that you have a stack of business cards from all of the people that you met, don’t just let them sit in a drawer collecting dust. Give them a phone call, send them an email, or mail them a card and let them know that you enjoyed the opportunity to talk to them at the mixer. They will be impressed with your initiative and will be reminded of the services that you provide.

So look in your local paper, call your chamber of commerce, read your local business publications and find out when the next business mixer is being held and make plans to attend. You will be glad that you did.

Real Business Insight From a Monkey

Do you ever wonder what your clients really think about your services? Maybe you should enlist the help of a monkey – SurveyMonkey, that is. It may have a cute little name, but rest assured, the folks here don’t “monkey” around when it comes to providing priceless insight into what your clients are thinking about your services.

SurveyMonkey allows you to create and distribute dynamic surveys that get to the heart of what is really important to your clients. Clients receive their survey via email and follow the simple instructions to access their secure questionnaire online where the results are collected and stored.

This clever little monkey then compiles the survey data and helps you analyze your results far more in-depth than if you set out to do this on your own with a paper survey. From collective graphs and charts to individual responses, SurveyMonkey provides the results in every format you could dream of and even allows you to download the full report in just seconds.

Just imagine what you could do with all this information! Perhaps the best part is that they offer an extremely functional FREE package. It’s a great reason to visit SurveyMonkey today!

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.

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!

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.

Get Vertical Results with VerticalResponse

Here’s a little bit of marketing heaven for Virtual Assistants and other small business owners! VerticalResponse is a web-based application that delivers high-quality email and direct mail marketing options.

Best of all, VerticalResponse is more affordable than you ever dreamed. You pay no monthly fees, setup costs, or hidden charges. You pay only for what you send out. For email campaigns, it could be 1.5 cents per recipient or less. For direct mail 4×6 postcards, it’s under a dollar per recipient. The more you send, the better your price, but even for a small campaign, you surely can’t beat the price- and you don’t have to sacrifice quality.

If you are looking to create an email newsletter, you have 4 great options that will easily match up to any experience level with the super-easy to use (and no experience required) Email Wizard, a slightly more involved but more flexible grahpical HTML Email Canvas, the more advanced Freeform HTML or Text Only options. No matter which option you choose, you can create a great email marketing campaign.

Have you ever thought of mailing out a custom designed postcard campaign but shuddered at the thought of the expense? Well, fear no more! Now you can design your own professional looking postcards and have them mailed out for a surprisingly economical price. With a great selection of graphics, fonts and solid color options, you can create a postcard just as unique as your business is.

A great benefit is that you can manage both your email and direct mail postcard campaigns using the same lists. Once you import your contact list with email and mailing information, you will be ready to go!

On top of the fantastic marketing materials that they provide, VerticalResponse also has a host of other FREE resources designed to help you make the very most of your campaigns and market like the pros! Here are just a few of the handy tools they provide to help you improve your marketing success:

The VR Blog

The VR Podcast

Video Demos

Webinar Archives

Marketing Articles and Reports

Marketing Terms Glossary

VerticalResponse is so sure that you will love marketing with their products that they’ll even let you try them for FREE! So sign on today and send 25 free emails. While you are there, take them up on their offer to send out a free postcard to sample their quality. I think you’ll love their service and the value they provide!

Accurate Time Tracking Is a Breeze

Two of the most important tools for a Virtual Assistant is time and project tracking software. It helps keep you organized and makes invoicing a breeze. Having been in the business for awhile, I have run across some great programs that are available for free or very low cost. Some even combine both the timesheet and project management features. Here are a few to look into:

Timesheets Lite
Time Stamp
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JS Portal
AceProject

Backup or Back Out




Does anyone really jump for joy at the thought of their next scheduled backup of their computer files? Virtual Assistants should. In fact, as a VA, you have a professional responsibility to yourself AND your clients to keep your electronic files intact and easily accessible. Hard drive failures and information loss (not to mention other unforseen computer catastrophies) are inherent risks in the Virtual Assistant profession. In fact, it is not a matter of if you will experience massive computer misfortune- it’s a matter of when.

Really, when it happens (and I hope it never does, although logic and common sense seem to dictate otherwise), it will be a stressful enough time as you try to determine what on earth happened and how long it will take to fix. Don’t add to that the terrifying realization that you haven’t backed up your files in months!

Clients trust Virtual Assistants tremendously with many crucial aspects of their businesses, and losing information and assignments that we have worked on for them would harm them, too. Because it’s entirely preventable, there is just no excuse for losing our clients’ files. Simply backup regularly.

How often should one backup their files? The answer lies in how much work you would be willing to redo in the event of information loss or corruption. Obviously, monthly is better than never. Weekly would be a big improvement to monthly. But since we are truly dedicated to providing exceptional service, how about daily?

Oh the hassle of it all, you think. Not so! One of my favorite backup services is Mozy.com. It is absolutely fantastic and about as hassle free as it gets. It takes less than ten minutes to set up. After you set it up initially, it is on autopilot and you don’t need to give it another thought! It will backup for you automatically. No hassle there!

So backup often, and don’t fear what may happen to that hard drive of yours down the road. You’ll have all your files- and your clients’ confidence- intact.

Finding New Clients

Most aspiring VAs have a common question. “How do I find clients?”

Fortunately, it isn’t as difficult as it seems. However, it does take work and time. Here are a few strategies to help get you started:

Set up a website. Make sure that it is easy to contact you through your website, too.

Network, network, network. Tell everyone you meet about what you do.

Start a pay per click advertising campaign.

Try websites like www.guru.com, www.elance.com, www.genuinejobs.com, www.ifreelance.com, etc. to help get you started.

Ask professional contacts for referrals. A referral from a trusted peer is the best type of advertising!

While building a clientele base doesn’t happen overnight, you can grow your business effectively by being proactive. It’s all about finding new ways to promote yourself.

Trillian Is Instant Messenger Heaven

If this posting doesn’t just make you jump for joy, I’m not sure what will. It’s no secret that instant messenger applications are incredible tools for Virtual Assistants. Often more efficient and convenient than a phone call or an email message, they really are handy applications- all one million of them.

That’s the problem. There are many different IM programs, and it seems that each client prefers a different one. Rather than do something as unprofessional as attempt to dictate what our clients use, we begin to “collect” IM accounts from different applications and diligently log into each one every day. Hey, it comes with the territory, right?

To add to it all, you have to remember who uses which IM application. In the interest of efficiency, it’s best not to have a 5 minute search, hopping from application to application, preceding each IM session that you need to initiate.

That must be why the great folks at Cerulean Studios have developed Trillian, a wonderful program that offers full feature support for all of your favorite IM applications.

Yahoo? You bet.
MSN? Most definitely.
AIM? Absolutely.
ICQ? I’ll say!

And then some.

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Unethical Requests for Service

As a Virtual Assistant, if it hasn’t happened to you yet, it probably will. At some point, you will be confronted by a request to do something unethical- perhaps not illegal, but something that really goes against your values. Because these situations can often catch you off guard, it might be helpful to develop a strategy for handling them before you find yourself in an uncomfortable situation.

Here are a few tips:

Choose your clients carefully. If a potential client seems “shady”, choose to protect your reputation and gracefully decline to provide your services. Choose clients that have a similar sense of business ethics to your own.

Share your business values with potential clients. If you let them know right away that you are an “above board” type of person, chances are that you will attract like-minded clients while warding off those whose practices could really hurt your reputation.

If you are asked to do something that appears to be questionable, ask questions until you can determine whether it is legitimate. If you need to, consult with an experienced industry professional.

If you are asked to do something that is obviously unethical, refuse to take the assignment. Be firm and direct. (i.e., ” I am declining this assignment because I feel it is an unethical request.”)

Effectively dealing with unethical requests doesn’t have to be difficult or intimidating. By choosing to stand firm, you not only protect your own reputation but the entire VA industry as well.