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| www.itsvirtuallydone.com |
An ezine of invaluable business tips for independent business professionals.
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In
This Issue: Welcome
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As I write this, I'm preparing to leave for my first business trip as a virtual assistant. I decided in July to attend an International Virtual Assistant convention in Chicago. It was a tough decision to incur the airfare and registration expense: I'm a new business having just completed my first year. I decided, though, to give myself a reward with this trip. It'll be a chance to mingle among other successful VAs from around the nation and to share ideas and experiences. Have you rewarded yourself for all of your hard work lately? |
"By
working faithfully eight hours a day, you may eventually get to
be boss and work twelve." |
Form your own virtual networking group
Those of us who operate a virtual business out of our homes can sometimes feel isolated. These feelings of isolation can be independent of how well our business is doing. Many of us need that sense of camaraderie and support, that safe place to speak freely about our successes and struggles. When I felt that my business needed a marketing jump start, I decided to form a virtual marketing networking group.
I began by asking one friend to join me once a week on the phone to discuss our marketing plans. She said "yes" and so did three others who I approached from all over the country. Finding a mutually acceptable day and time to "meet" was probably the hardest part.
To provide structure to our group, we worked our way through the marketing workbook "Get Clients Now." To create momentum, I created a syllabus with reading "homework" and marketing opportunities for volunteers to share their collateral materials for group review.
We set aside program goals such as the number and type of clients we wanted to add to our practice for our 6-week time period. We tackled objectives such as making strides on our brochures and Web sites as a means to attracting more clients.
What I liked most about our group was the connection with peers in my same situation. Knowing that we were going to meet each week made us all accountable to the group--a powerful motivator. We didn't all make every one of our goals, but we definitely made some progress and gained a network of colleagues to call and bounce ideas off of for months and years to come.
One more thing: We had two business coaches offer to donate their time and expertise on our calls. What an added bonus for us! So if you decide to form a virtual networking group, think of ways to enrich the experience by having guest speakers.
Bottom line: If a supportive network of colleagues is something you could benefit from, and you don't know of one in your area, create your own. What are you waiting for?
What can a VA do for me? Part II
Last month we talked about the VA Challenge in which a client reviews the administrative tasks she performs and then analyzes which of those tasks a VA could do. Continuing with that topic, ask yourself how easy it would be for someone else to do what you do. Do you keep all your procedures in your head or do you document them? Do you set up processes so that you're the only one who can do them or so that they can one day be delegated?
I started with a
client recently who asked me to take over her invoicing. All she had to
do was send me her invoice form (in Excel) and a list of her clients'
contact information. Just like that she was freed of the onerous task
of doing her own invoicing. It can be as simple as that.
Contact me at: kristy@itsvirtuallydone.com
Quick tip: Book Recommendation for small businesses
Streamlining and documenting your processes may take time initially, but in the end will save you time. For ideas, I recommend the book: The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It by Michael Gerber. Also, see his Web site: E-Myth.
What I got out of this book is that small businesses, even sole-proprietorships, need to be run like corporations if you want them to grow. Writing procedures, even just for yourself, can transform your business from being and staying small, to thinking big.
My hope is that most of you are receiving this ezine as HTML, which looks like a Web page in your email. If you have Windows XP and have installed Service Pack 2, your may not get the HTML version of this ezine because of your settings. Any time the look of this ezine changes for the bad, I'd sure appreciate hearing from you. I do testing each month, but I can't replicate everyone's unique computer scenario. Much thanks. Email Kristy
Next month look for
the following topics:
--How to make
virtual friends
--Quick tip: Printing several documents at once.
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Kristy
Schnabel, |
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