Author Archives: Assistant Match

Albert Einstein  once said, “life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving”.  The key to keeping your business growing and prospering is forward motion. This is not always easy to do when there is so much going on in your day, week or month, but there are ways to overcome this challenge.

1. Set goals that are achievable. 

I suggest daily goals first, so that you feel a sense of accomplishment every day, and then set the goals that are more long term.  According to Thought Leader, Jesse Torres, entrepreneurs who know what they want and have set a course are more likely to accomplish their objectives.

2. Take the leap of faith

The saying “nothing ventured nothing gained” speaks volumes in the world of entrepreneurship.  Success is never guaranteed, but without leaping and trying new things, success will be very hard to achieve.

3. Never settle

If your business is doing well, great, but always ask yourself, “can it do better?”.  You should re-evaluate how your business is performing and make necessary adjustments based on feedback and results.

4. Improve your online presence and invest in visual marketing

Today it’s not enough to have an attractive and impressive website.  According to Business Consultant Sam Makad, creating appropriate marketing content involves a lot of creativity and it is necessary to rely on visual content to attract more visitors. Continually working on visual content is a very demanding task. It is important to change your mindset about spending money on visual designs and see it as a long term investment, as it is much more engaging and will attract a much higher number of visitors to your website.  You will also want to have a plan in place to share your visual content on multiple marketing channels as you never know where your customer may be searching.

5. Decide what you are willing to do

You need to be all in or all out as an entrepreneur. So take the time to figure out how much you can do alone, with help, or with a strategic partner.  If there is change to be made you have to be willing to make it, invest in it, and follow through on it.

 

 

 

 

While a lot of businesses are going ‘green’ and paperless, we still live in a world where paper exists, especially in business. And the problem with paper, is it tends to multiply. Or, at least it feels that way.
If you are a completely paperless business than bravo to you! It is not easy to become 100% paperless and you probably won’t need this advice, however, if you do still have paper piles taking over your desk, then keep reading.
Taking care of the paper piles, will require a mindset shift and daily discipline, as remember, paper tends to keep coming in even after you set yourself up with a organization system. Here are three steps to start the process of managing your paper piles.
Examine the piles:
Before you can organize paper you’ve have to narrow down what needs to be organized. That’s because a lot of the paper you have in your office right now doesn’t need to be there. It’s simple just clutter. When going through your paperwork, think about the following questions:
Will you refer to it again?
Is it available somewhere electronically?
Do you need to keep it for tax purposes?
Will it be worth your time and energy to file?

Organize :
Once you have eliminated the clutter, you will need to organize what is left into a system that works for you.
File boxes, tabbed folders and/or file cabinets are all good solutions. Get yourself a label maker and start creating clearly labeled folders. But again, only keep those papers that have been determined to be essential or necessary to store. Shred and recycle the rest.
Set up a daily routine
The key to organization is consistency. Every day that you receive mail or if other paper finds its way into your office, you need to deal with it. You need to make a decision of where it will go in your new organization system, or if it needs to be tossed, passed onto someone else or if you need to take action with it.
So much of the paper you receive is probably useless. You’ll never look at it again, you’ll never need to reference it, it doesn’t bring you joy, and it takes up a lot of room. So strive to go paperless as much as you possibly can, and then declutter and organize the rest. It will free you from the piles of paper that can overtake your workspace and distract you from other more important tasks in your day.

Are you paralyzed in the ‘what if’ syndrome of being a small business owner?

Are these questions constantly finding their way into your thoughts and conversations?

  • What if I can’t do everything myself?
  • What if I disappoint my clients?
  • What if I get in over my head?
  • What if I don’t make enough money to support this business?

These are all real feelings that every entrepreneur and small business owner has had at one or more points in their journey.  Without  fear, you would not be driven to overcome these “what if” senarios, however, getting paralyzed by these kinds of thoughts could easily derail your success.

To get passed these fear based thoughts, without paralysis, you have to turn the negatives into positives, the CAN’TS into CANS!

  • What can I do by myself?

This is where you should look at your daily workload realistically, and decide what tasks have to be done by you, and what can be outsourced to an assistant.  Don’t ever be afraid to delegate.  Without delegation, you will limit your power for growth and success.

  • How can I delight my clients?

What extra steps can you do to impress your clients?  Some of these can be simple, effective communication, or sending a hand written thank you note to them for trusting you with their business needs, remembering their birthdays, providing quality work with no errors, and obviously staying within their target budget.

  • What if getting in over my head is a good thing?

Having too much work will only be stressful, if you don’t have a plan in place to outsource some of your workload.  The administrative tasks that bog down your day, need to be done by someone who can focus on just those tasks and has the expertise to make you shine. Get a team in place  that can handle the areas of your business that you are not skilled in.  Your virtual team can be utilized on an as-needed basis, or, better yet, delegate weekly assignments that help take work off your plate.  Just be sure to have them in place when you need them.

  • What if I make so much money that my business is able to fully support me and my family?

This is really where you need to focus your time.  Securing the clients that will ultimately bring in the cash flow.  You started your business because it was your passion and/or your expertise.  You are the face, the voice and the driver of how successful it can become.  Staying focused on why you started your business will help you to not get paralyzed by fear of failure.

Turn the negative “what ifs” around and let them work for you.  What if staying positive and asking for help was the ultimate solution to getting your business to the point where you ultimately want it to be?  What if…?

 

 

 

 

 

 

You know your stuff, you have a comprehensive website, marketing materials and customers who depend on your services, but can you do more to earn money by sharing your expertise? Absolutely!
A targeted or niche business retreat may be the missing link in your business plan. Hosting a business retreat can not only help your current customers get to know you in a different genre, it may open the door to new customers who are looking for a more intimate approach to learning about your expertise and what services you can offer them.
When creating a plan for your retreat, there are many elements to think about and execute to make the experience enjoyable for both you and your participants.
As with all events, the success of the retreat largely depends on the preparation. Get this right and the retreat will not only give amazing value, but it will be an unforgettable experience for all involved.  Working with someone familiar with retreat planning is always advisable to help ensure success.  Many virtual assistants are skilled in planning, executing and providing follow-up assistance at the end of the retreat

Here are 5 important starter steps when planning a business retreat.

  1. When should you hold the retreat?
    Take into consideration holidays, and give yourself plenty of time to market your retreat.  Decide what months make the most sense for not only you, but your customer base.  There is no magic solution to picking the date, and it may take some trial and error, but think about if a weekend retreat would work better, or if doing it during the week will get better traction.
  2. How long will the retreat last?
    This is where preparation is key.  Think about your ability to sustain your energy level throughout the day, and ensure that the retreat duration is enough for the material you plan to teach.  You may also want to make sure your retreat location has other activities your guests can enjoy during any downtime.  This could include quiet sitting areas, hiking trails, a health and wellness spa, or workout room.
  3. Where will it be held?
    What ever location you choose, be sure to visit  it in person. Decide if you want a formal or informal setting.  A retreat is usually meant to generate ideas and mastermind discussions, so make sure the environment is appropriate.  Talk to the event coordinator and be sure you get everything in writing.  Be clear on lodging expectations, pricing, and food accommodations.  Nothing is worse than having unexpected surprises when your retreat customers arrive.
  4. How will you market your retreat?
    This is where a virtual assistant can be a huge asset to you.  Have them place Facebook ads, create email marketing campaigns, tweet about it using an appropriate #hashtag.  Advertise the retreat in popular online retreat directories such as http://www.retreatfinder.com and http://www.retreatsonline.com, create a video series that can be shared on social media, offer partial scholarship opportunities.
  5. Create a retreat program
    Determine your daily objective. Use graphics, charts and graphs if appropriate.  Be sure your branding and contact information is clear and included on the program.  Have this printed program available to all guests.  Make sure your powerpoint presentation (if you are using one) matches this program so that your presentation is cohesive.

Working with a virtual assistant is a great option for a busy entrepreneur. Working with anyone – real or virtual – is a dynamic situation where adjustments need to be made as the working relationship evolves.

We have worked with hundreds of VA and clients, and find that the key to success with any working relationship is having good communication and setting realistic goals.

Today, interacting with your virtual assistant is done using various electronic technologies. Setting up a virtual workspace for communicating with your VA is essential.

These technologies should include the following:
Email – let your VA know if you will be setting them up with a specific email address for your business, or if they will use their own email address to communicate with you. Determine a response time that is acceptable to you and your VA.
Live Chat– Skype or Facetime once a week or once a month if that will help you stay connected.
Document Sharing –Dropbox, Basecamp, and Trello are some options where you can share work and give instructions that can be accessed remotely.

Your VA’s output is greatly dependent on your initial orientation, and the systems that you have already set up, along with some training provided by you.

As your working relationship develops with your VA, you may need to be tolerant and allow for a learning curve. If you remember to communicate, give appropriate feedback, and provide the tools and the training necessary for the job, your VA should become a great asset to your team.

The month of November is always a time when we remind ourselves what we are thankful for. In business it may be a strong loyal client base, an awesome team of people who support us, a contract win, or even the fact that we enjoy doing what we do. For personal gratitude, it may be our family, our friends, or even the barista who makes our morning coffee exactly to our liking every time we stop in.

The thing about gratitude that is important to remember, is that it really should be something to think about and demonstrate all year long, and not just when the calendar reaches the month of November.

It is easy for all of us to get wrapped up in our daily lives. With the stress of deadlines, bills that need to be paid, phone calls or emails that need to be returned, and demands on our time, it is easy to forget about being grateful.

Expressing gratitude can be super powerful for a business. According to Randy Raggio, a marketing professor at the University of Richmond, in an article published in Fortune magazine in November 2011, “Gratitude motivates positive reciprocal behavior,” If a customer believes that a business has his best interests at heart, that customer is more inclined to develop a long-term relationship with the business.

The article also mentions that gratitude is an effective tool largely because “it is a precursor to developing trust,” and trust itself is an extremely powerful driver for loyalty, no matter the type of relationship. Just the same, gratitude is only valuable when it comes across as genuine.

So, as we move through this month, and towards 2016 , make it a New Year resolutions to add daily gratitude into your life, and let us know what happens.

The idea of working with someone that is not physically by your side can be challenging. Just like any business, you must have a structured business plan that keeps your daily operations running smoothly. When hiring a virtual assistant, the same thought process applies.

Here are some important factor to consider when you are interviewing potential virtual assistants (VA) to work with.

Hourly Expectations: Your business may have specific hours of operation, so it is important that the VA you work with is available when you need them to be. If time-zone compatibility is important to you, then be sure to communicate that when you are looking for someone. Don’t bother interviewing a VA on the East Coast if you really need them to work during West Coast hours.

Response Notifications:  If you are the type of business owner that wants immediate email response to your requests, or will require fast turn around times on the work being assigned to your VA, then make sure the VA you work with is fully aware and agreeable to those expectations. A virtual assistant who will only commit to giving you a 24-48 hour response time may not be the right fit for your personality, and would probably not be the right VA choice for you to work with. Be sure to be direct and honest about what kind of response time you will require, so that expectations are clear at the beginning of your working relationship. This will help avoid confusion or frustration for both you and your VA as you start working together.

Knowledge Expectations: When selecting your virtual assistant, be clear about  what programs and software you need your VA to use. Let them know if you are an expert on these programs or if you are looking to the VA to take the lead on working with them.

By having a structured plan in place, you can eliminate the problem of hiring the wrong virtual assistants. Being very clear about your expectations and what you need your VA to do, is very important when forming a trusted and successful virtual business relationship.

Many people think that sending business related emails may not be an effective way to reach their customers, since many of our in-boxes are over-flowing with daily,weekly and even monthly messages.
Shockingly, trends and statistics are showing the complete opposite. People are reading and still opening their emails every day.

That being said, let’s look at a couple of tips from Huff Post – What’s Working With Small Businesses that will help you take advantage of using email to convert sales.

1. Communication – Think about it. You talk to customers daily. You, or your team, interact with customers and prospects (and multiple people within a customer) daily. Much of this interaction occurs through email. Be sure that you are using some type of email marketing platform that allows you to track your emails – when your contacts open and/or click through to certain links. Platforms such as Mailchimp, Constant Contact or iContact are just a few to name.
2. Offer an incentive – Name one person that doesn’t like free stuff. Offering a free gift or providing a special time sensitive discount is a great way to push leads to convert. The discount doesn’t have to be something outrageous and the free gift doesn’t have to have a high monetary value. The average consumer simply can’t pass up a free offer or a limited-time discount.
3. Ask for the sale – How is asking for the sale ground breaking marketing advice? It’s not — it’s actually common sense, but something that many businesses just don’t do. Ask your leads if they are ready to purchase and watch how many reply “yes.” They became a lead because they were interested in what your business offers. Food for thought: if your business doesn’t ask for the sale your competitor will.
4. Develop a great FAQ page on your website – Many leads won’t convert because they have questions that they need answered before they pull the trigger. Answer common questions that your leads might have and make it prominent on your website. Talk to your sales team and customer service reps to put together a list of common frequently asked questions. Take a look at this excellent FAQ page from Webdesigner, to learn how to create the perfect FAQ!

Virtual assistants (VAs) continue to be in-demand and the role of a VA is varied depending on a business owner’s business needs and budget.

Below are 3 in-demand services a virtual assistant can help you with that you may not have considered .

Blog Services has been a popular VA niche for the past few years. We do not see a decline occurring soon. Not only are more businesses coming online and looking at blogs for marketing their products or services, but blog posts come up in Google search results and can help you attract new customers, just by having a blog.

Blog services can include:

  • WordPress installation and set-up
  • Blog marketing
  • Writing and scheduling content
  • Guest posting services (content creation, submission, engagement with readers)
  • Commenting services

Social Media Marketing is another in-demand service that VA’s offer. Social networking continues to grow, and new social platforms are introduced every year. It is no longer just about Twitter and Facebook. You also have to worry about updating LinkedIn, Pinterest and Instagram..

Social Media Marketing services can include:

  • Business page or profile set-up
  • Updates and engagement
  • Creating private groups
  • Researching content
  • Video marketing
  • Forum marketing
  • Local social engagement (Yelp, Foursquare, Meetup)

Author/Publishing Services are also quite popular. More and more authors are turning to self-publishing, which puts many of the details that would otherwise be handled by a publishing company in the hands of the author.

Author/publishing services may include:

  • Landing page or website setup
  • Social Media set-up, updates and engagement for book launch
  • Editing, formatting and submission of e- Book versions to online selling platforms such as Amazon, e-Bay or other appropriate websites
  • Assisting with virtual book tours
  • Preparing marketing materials

The possibilities are endless when it comes to the services a Virtual Assistant can offer to a business owner.  To see even more services offered, click here.

 

 

According to USA Today, it is estimated that 222 million travelers are expected to fly from June 1 through August 31 this summer.  Will you be one of those 222 million?

Traveling can be done out of necessity for your business needs, or to broaden your horizons by seeing the world. Either reason can require a lot of research and planning for both a short business trip or a long family vacation.  If you are lucky enough to have a virtual assistant who is well versed in making travel arrangements, then you probably find preparing for your trip to be a fun and stress-free experience.  Your mind can stay focused on your business while your VA deals with the details of researching pricing, flight schedules, hotel accommodations, rental cars, daily excursions and much more.

In today’s world, technology makes booking travel more accessible to everyone too.  Gone are the days where you  had to work with a travel agent to get your travel arrangements booked. The internet has a plethora of information on everything to do with travel, but there are also many great FREE mobile applications that can be downloaded directly to your phone or tablet that give you access to everything at the touch of an icon. A mobile travel app means information is accessible to you no matter where you are. The Travel Channel recently released their 2015 Top Mobile Apps for Travel.  One of our favorites is Tripit.  It would allow your VA to forward confirmation emails from airlines, hotels, bus companies and more to TripIt, and the app will instantly organize it all into a single trip itinerary that you can view on your phone (or on your computer). The service also makes it easy to share itineraries with friends, family members and co-workers.

Be sure to click the Travel Channel link to see more travel related mobile apps that they recommend.

Have you used any particular mobile app to help you when you travel?  Tell us in the comments what your favorite travel app is and why you love using it.