New VAs – to have a plan or not to have a plan

This blog is geared more towards those who are thinking about starting a VA business or the VA who has just begun her VA business. What we are discussing is whether having a plan hurts or hinders your business and creativity; or can it actually be a path to success by opening up doors never thought possible before.

Plans, in my opinion, are very important. It shows professionalism to the prospective client, it shows that you, as the expert in the field, know how to take the prospective client from prospect all the way to signed client with just a couple of emails and phone calls. Using a plan can save the prospect and you time, as each conversation is geared toward a certain part of the plan. You stay on track when you have a plan, instead of wandering off which is what happens most of the time when a set plan is not in action. A plan also seems to level the playing field, as the client realizes the VA is a professional who owns their own business, just as he/she does. Many times, the prospect doesn’t know what he needs from a VA. But again, a VA who has that in her plan can help guide the prospect in the types of questions to ask.

I think sometimes we feel a plan will stifle our creativity because we tend to think of a plan in a box. But I believe the opposite is true. When you have a plan, which is made so that each person’s uniqueness gets to shine through, that’s when the creativity really comes out. So you make your plan flexible to accommodate many different styles and tastes. You begin to ask each other key questions about their styles and values, their passions, and then you begin to see where they are going with this business and is this something you want to be along for the ride?

When a prospect and VA have gotten to this part of the conversation and are feeling good about what’s been said, it’s such an easy transition then to test the waters. What questions does the prospect have at this point that hasn’t been answered? What questions does the VA have for the client? Once this has all been answered, it’s time for the money talk. This is where the VA must be open and upfront about his/her rates. I have an amazing friend who has a great saying, “Your rates are a statement to the world of your worth.” So if you believe that to be true, and that your rates should be a reflection to the world of your worth, what are you worth? When you can find that figure and be happy with that figure, you know you’ve found the right rate for you. You are confident when you say it, you hold your head high and you feel a sense of empowerment. This is your rate! Own it!

At the end of it all, there are 3 options, a Yes, a No, or a Maybe. If it’s a Yes, you like what you’ve seen, the prospect likes what he’s seen, and he’s talked with other VAs, then it’s quite possibly the time to sign a contract. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of speaking to someone for the first time and ending that conversation with a signed, retainer, long-term contract! If it’s a No, once again, this is a celebration. You are determined you are not right for each other and that another VA or another client would be a better fit. This is a win/win for the both of you. Hopefully you can direct that prospect to a VA who serves his specific needs better. He still gets a great VA and is telling others about you because you left him in good hands and didn’t seem threatened by doing that. Again, it shows you are a professional and that you know what you are doing. If it is a maybe, set a date and time and come back to each other with any questions answered so that by the time the conversation is ended, you both are at a spot to make a decision.

Having a plan that works along these lines can guarantee you a conversation rate of prospect to client at approximately 90-95% according to how you word your consult. The reason it works and the conversion rate is so high is because from the start, you have had a plan. You have been open and honest about what you want to see happen, the people you want to surround yourself with each day and the type of work that brings you joy. When that matches with an ideal client, you both have been blessed. You are about to embark on a wonderful new journey that will last a long time. The other thing that will happen is that you and this new client will soon move from just being VA/client to being good friends. And trust me, that can be done. I’ll blog about that relationship at another time.

So take some time to make sure you have a plan and that it’s working. Redo and refresh it at times. Keep it contemporary with the times. Be sure you are asking the right questions to the right prospects. Be open and honest about who you are, what you do, and what type of client you are searching for. Then be ready for your vision of success to become a reality.

I’d love to hear your stories of how a plan turned into a success story! Remember, you can be whatever you want to be and your success can be your vision – not someone else’s. Being authentic will bring you the success.

Wishing you much success in the next 30 days! Write and tell me about it!

Vickie, Your VA Business Mentor


I Love Hearing About the Success of my Colleagues

I really love hearing about the success of my colleagues.

As most of you know, I am a mentor and a virtual assistant. I have to say that I am so blessed to be part of the VA industry. It’s been amazing to be able to do what I love to do – and make money at it. Most of the time, I don’t feel like I’m even working because my days are filled with ideal clients and work that I love. And the VA industry has been very good to me. My colleagues are very professional and love learning new things. Because of their thirst for knowledge, I too have been able to learn. Not only is there a vast array of education for virtual assistants available, but my peers love to share their knowledge. So things that my fellow VAs learn is being passed on to me. Because of this, I feel a deep gratitude for my colleagues. And I try to return the favor by sharing as much information as I can – and in giving plugs for them as often as I can.

That’s one way that blogs come into play. I love writing and it’s great to be able to write about the accomplishments of those I admire. I not only (hopefully) gain a larger following, but I am able to introduce my followers to new people they may not know.

Today I want to talk about some really exciting news from one of my newest VA friends, Alyssa Gregory. Her company is Avertua, LLC and she is an amazing VA. She does a lot of training and has real passion for other virtual assistants and how they can be their best. So I was really happy when Alyssa told us she had been chosen as the Small Business Information Guide on About.com.

About.com is one of the largest producers of original content on the Web. This will be a great opportunity for Alyssa to continue her passions of writing, sharing and learning about small business. She will also use it to plug virtual assistance whenever appropriate. And trust me, when an expert like Alyssa uses the opportunity to discuss our industry, it’s a great opportunity for all virtual assistants.

So – to Alyssa – congratulations! You are going to be great as a new addition to About.com. You are an amazing writer and they will be happy they chose you. I am proud to call you friend! For those of you who don’t know Alyssa, take some time to read about her and stop at her website to say hello. You will be glad you did.

Vickie


Are You Ready for Success? Sign up by Friday!

I spoke to a group of VAs last night (The Virtual Assistants Networking Group) about How to Fire a Client, or in better terms, Knowing When It’s Time to Move On. This is an amazing group that I joined recently. They are really fired up about the virtual assistance industry and are so eager to learn and soak up any knowledge that they can. That makes them amazing to work with – and to teach.

We discussed different aspects of moving on from a client who is no longer your “ideal.” We talked about the benefits, both to the VA and to the client, in being open and honest in communicating to the client that their needs would be better served by a different VA. Being able to be open and honest with a client, and having the courage to do what’s in their best interest, is sometimes difficult. But it’s one of the ways to true success.

If you are a VA who is looking for more ways to success, and you understand the importance of a team support system, I invite you to join my next mentoring group. This group will begin in July and we will meet for three months. Each month will include two private sessions with me and one group session with your colleagues. These months will be dedicated to planning your path to success, each path being unique and individual.

Mentoring is a passion of mine and the program is unique in that it combines private and group mentoring. Unlimited email support will also be included. Part of the success of my mentoring programs comes from the fact that each VA’s program will be tailored specifically to them. Having that combination of private mentoring and group mentoring makes this program beyond the normal coaching or mentoring programs on the market.

If you are ready for success, and you are ready to realize your vision, now is the time to act. There is a limited amount of spaces and you don’t want to miss out. Go to the Mentoring Matters website and click on, How Can I Help. There you will find the Gold program which will explain in detail how our time together will work. If you decide you are ready to join, and make that decision by tomorrow, Friday, 6/4 by COB, I have a special discount for you. Trust me, you don’t want to miss out on this special. Prices will never be lower than this and you will be amazed at the amount of information you will receive. Just email me at vickie@myvamentor.com and let me know you want to be part of the July mentoring group! I will get your information to you right away.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at vickie@myvamentor.com or call 800-431-1365. I look forward to being a part of your future success!

Vickie



Using Self-Publishing to Get Your Book Out There!

As you know by now, my book was finally published (”What’s Love Got To Do With It: How to Have the Perfect VA-Client Relationship” – check it out at www.createspace.com/3448474). I started this process about a year ago – and finally am seeing the results. And I have realized something – starting the book isn’t the end; writing the book isn’t the end; editing and formatting the book isn’t the end. You have to get it out there to see the results of your labor. There are several options to get it published and I’d like to talk about the one I chose – self-publishing.

There are several factors to consider when deciding how to get your book out to the masses. They could include: what is your goal? Do you want to use your book as a form of passive income? Do you want your book to become your “signature?” Do you want it to be seen by as many people as possible? Or do you have a specific target market you are looking at? The answers to these questions can help you decide whether to self-publish or not.

I decided what I wanted to do was to get some new information out to my industry and my clients. I also decided that because it was a specific niche, I didn’t need to spend a ton of money getting it out to the people who would benefit most. One of the great things about self-publishing is that you don’t have to choose to have a specific amount of books printed. Each book is printed on demand.

I decided on a company called CreateSpace. One of the reasons I chose them was that my dear friend, Andrea Howe, used them to publish her book. As we all know, there is nothing better than a referral from a friend. So that went a long way toward my decision. Another reason was that they are very user-friendly. It was so easy to go to their website and create an account. Once I did that, it was just a matter of uploading the PDF files to my account.

They did a good job of explaining their process. They also had an extensive Help section, with different categories according to the type of media you are using. Some of the benefits of their site include a Preview Gallery, where you upload portions of your product to be reviewed by members of the community; a Community which is basically a forum to ask questions, make comments, and get general help; and they provide as much (or as little) help in getting the actual book done as possible. You can choose templates for your book design and they also provide editing and marketing services. You also have the choice to have the book populated on just a few sites (such as the CreateSpace site and amazon.com) or through many additional distribution channels.

Basically, here are the steps toward self-publishing. First, get yourself an ISBN. Because I had 3 colleagues who were also interested in writing books, we went in together and bought 10 for a really good price. If you don’t have that option, you can also have CreateSpace get your ISBN for you (another nice benefit of theirs). Once I finished writing my book, using a template from Donna Kozik’s Write a Book in a Weekend course (check it out at https://donnakozik.infusionsoft.com/go/wab-writewithdonna/vturley), I had a colleague who specializes in assisting authors do the editing. I then used another colleague who specializes in graphics to create my graphics and do the actual formatting. Once I reviewed the book for a final time, all that was left to do was create the title in CreateSpace, answer a few questions that tells them where to populate the book (category, etc), then upload the files to my account. The company then reviews the files and sends messages as to any changes that may need to be made. If there aren’t any, you are ready to order a proof.

Obviously, self-publishing is only one option and may not be the best for you. But if you decide it is the way to go, I highly recommend using CreateSpace. Not only are they user-friendly and have many benefits, their royalties are very high. Once you have approved the Proof copy, your book is given a link for people to order directly from CreateSpace (which provides the highest royalty) and is then populated to amazon.com. All you have to do is sit back and enjoy watching your sales multiply.

Good luck – and let me know how it goes!

Vickie


A Dream Has Just Become Reality!

I am reminded over and over – dreams DO come true. No matter your age, it’s never too late to make your dreams become reality.

My first book, What’s Love Got To Do With It – How to Have the Perfect VA-Client Relationship, has just been published. To read more about it and order your copy – here’s the link – https://www.createspace.com/3448474

I am so excited to see something that was a jumbled mesh of brain matter become a published work. I have so many people to thank – for their support, encouragement and belief in me even when I didn’t believe in myself.

Don’t ever stop dreaming – and then work to make those dreams become realities. If I can do this – trust me, you can do!

Vickie


Mentoring is Ready for You – Are You Ready?

The past two weeks have been very difficult for me. Because of a family emergency, I was unable to attend the IVAA 2010 Phoenix Summit. This Summit is one of the highlights of my professional year as you cannot help but come back energized and ready for positive changes in your business. So needless to say, I was very disappointed not to be able to attend. But one thing I have learned in life – when a door closes, a window opens! And I found this to be true even in this instance.

I spent this past week doing a lot of soul-searching and I’ve made some decisions about my mentoring business that I believe will propel my business beyond my wildest expectations. I have decided that a top priority for Mentoring Matters is to make it affordable to any and all virtual assistants. So I have lowered my package prices. Yes, you read that right – my mentoring packages are now at price points that will interest all who are ready for mentoring. Mentoring is ready for you – are you ready?

My next classes will begin in May. So now is the time to read about all the mentoring options, decide which program fits your needs best, and send me an email at vickie@myvamentor.com. I can’t wait to help you build your steps to success!

Again, if you are ready to move your VA business from dreams of success to the realities of success, go to my mentoring website, pick out your program, and email me with your choice. I look forward to hearing from you. I make a commitment to you – my soul-searching will lead to your gain! Get ready for an amazing time!

Vickie


Who is Your Saboteur?

What is a saboteur? The dictionary defines it as “one that practices sabotage.” Sabotage is defined as, a) “an act or process tending to hamper or hurt” b) “deliberate subversion.” So what the heck does this have to do with being a virtual assistant? Everything!

Many times in our continuing education, we are taught to watch for those outward influences that may tend to hurt our business. These may include friends who are always negative; or colleagues who drain all your time, never giving anything back; or even family who are moving from catastrophe to catastrophe. But we sometimes forget the greatest enemy of all – ourselves. Many times, we are the worst about slowing our own progress – and that’s because of our internal saboteur.

In working with my coach recently, I was given an exercise that was tough, but very helpful to me. She asked me to actually name and describe my greatest saboteur. In doing this, it made it very real and therefore very present in my life. And because it was present, I can now be very aware of it. By the way, I’ve named my saboteur Melba. Long story – no time!

Melba is my greatest critic. She constantly criticizes me. She can’t stand anything other than perfection. And she has the hardest time relaxing. Now that I am very present to her, I can quickly see when she’s raising her ugly head. And being able to see that allows me to stop her negative talk – and continue forward on my path to success.

So the next time you tell yourself, “Who am I to …”, remember your saboteur. Allow yourself to see her (or him or it) for what it is and then move on. Don’t let negative self-doubt slow or stop your path to where you want to be. Who are you not to be successful? Why can’t you make a million dollars this year? When will you take that dream vacation? Whatever your goals are for this year, keep your eye on them. If you can quiet your saboteur, you can hear those dreams becoming reality!

Here’s to reality!

Vickie

P.S. Would you like to be a part of a group of peers who are looking for their path to success? Are you ready to take your business to the next level? Join a mentoring package and see where the future leads! I look forward to being part of that future.


The Consultation Process – FREE Teleconference Wed, 3/3/10

Are you a virtual assistant who is having trouble filling your business? Do you wonder why you can get prospective clients to the consultation process, but not beyond?

Let’s face it – we have so much to do and spending a lot of time with the consultation process doesn’t seem that important. But that’s where most VAs go wrong.

Join me tonight for a free teleconference call on The Consultation Process: How to work Before, During and After the Consultation to get that ideal client. This teleconference is being held by The Virtual Assistants Networking Group, a group of national VAs sharing ideas and getting tips from the experts. Please plan to join us at 8pm Eastern for this informative topic.

Due to this being a “join-only” group, the call-in information will be given only to those who email me to express interest. I do apologize for doing it this way but I want their confidentiality kept intact. If you would like to attend this teleconference, email me at Vickie Turley.

I look forward to having you on the call!

Vickie