5 Secrets to a Successful Virtual Assistant Career
April 5, 2006
In this Issue
- Personal Note From India: Updated job leads
- Featured Article: 5 Secrets to a Successful Virtual Assistant Career
- Virtual Assistant Industry News: Huge Opportunity for the Very Best Virtual Assistants Worldwide!
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===>Personal Note from India
Hi there,
I hope you’re doing well I hope you’re doing well, and enjoying some beautiful spring weather like myself. This week I wanted to share with you five secrets that I live by to have success with my Virtual Assistant business. Be sure to read this week’s featured article to find out what these five secrets are.
New job leads are up for grabs. You can view the latest job leads at: Free Virtual Assistant Jobs
Until next time…have a wonderful week and weekend.
Wishing you all the best,
India Jordan
Your Fellow Virtual Assistant
Virtual Assistant Business
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===>Featured Article
5 Secrets to a Successful Virtual Assistant Career
Defining success is different things for different people. Whether you’re looking to work full-time or part-time, set up a company or just freelance for a few clients around your hectic schedule, a few things should be established in your practice in order to achieve the level of success you desire:
Secret #1: Be honest with your clients from the get-go.
Don’t ever try to be something you’re not… All that makes you is a liar. If you don’t offer a service, don’t like doing it or don’t know how to do something, don’t represent yourself as someone who can and would like to do this. Sooner or later, the truth will come out. Also, don’t say you can do a project within a certain time when you know you won’t be able to finish it within that time. When taking on a new project or a new client, be completely upfront about what you offer, what you charge, how you bill and what your timeline is for projects.
Secret #2: Treat your clients with respect & “above-common” courtesy.
Each and every one of your clients should be treated as if they are your only client. It’s okay to let them know that you maintain your schedule with other clients, just make them feel as if they are your only one. Treat them with respect, give them the best customer service imaginable and make sure to note special dates in their lives with a hand-written note. You want to go above and beyond just common courtesy to make them feel like queens and kings.
Secret #3: Complete all work on time and to the absolute best of your ability.
Set reachable deadlines with your clients for projects. Always give the best work you can for each task in order to deliver to them the best finished product. Try to give yourself a little extra time on each contract in order to deliver it to them before the deadline.
Secret #4: Establish yourself as a professional.
This is not to say that you need to dress as a “professional” every day. It’s only to say that you should conduct yourself as a professional. Set up your working/office hours, conduct all correspondence (email or “snail-mail”) as a professional, and speak in an appropriate telephone voice when you’re on with your clients.
Secret #5: Add everything you can to your arsenal.
Read everything you can about your industry, marketing ideas, business expansion areas and anything else you can think of. Excuse the cliché, but knowledge is power. Having trouble with marketing? Get new ideas from marketing websites. Have trouble retaining clients? Learn how to improve your customer service skills. New technology coming out? Learn all about it. Take advantage of free courses, continuing education courses and your local community college. Don’t date yourself by limiting your knowledge base.
These five secrets are the most important when it comes to building and maintaining a successful Virtual Assistant career. There are other things that may contribute to your success, such as hiring a mommy’s helper or maid, keeping on top of your filing and using subcontractors, but these five that I’ve shared here, when used together, will help you become a success quickly and without fail.
Recommended Resource
The Five Key Steps to Your Successful Virtual Assistant Business - This book covers everything from what are virtual assistants to services you can offer as a VA. It also goes into detail about starting, operating, and growing a profitable and successful virtual assistant business, pricing your services and more.
India Jordan is the owner and editor of Virtual Assistant Business, a one stop resource for aspiring and current Virtual Assistants. She’s a Virtual Assistant with a passion for helping other Virtual Assistants succeed in business.
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===>Virtual Assistant Industry News
From: Rebecca Trelfa
Subject: Huge Opportunity for the Very Best Virtual Assistants Worldwide!
Hello Webbers!
For a limited time, I am offering the www.top100virtualassistants.com application fee at a greatly reduced rate–only $12 US. This is not only a huge opportunity for you to get yourself in front of a large audience of prospective clientele–but to be recognized as a top VA worldwide!
I am currently in the process of negotiating several joint ventures with other coaches that will allow me to introduce virtual assistance to a large number of prospective clients (primarily authors, speakers, and coaches). I will be directing them to www.top100virtualassistants.com so that they can interview top VAs on their own. I am also in the midst of a huge publicity campaign that could finaly make “Virtual Assistant” a household name!
However, I can’t refer them to site–and you–unless you apply! :) $12 is an INCREDIBLE value. You DISC Assessment alone is valued at over $50 and you will receive a full copy of your comprehensive report to use as you like even if you don’t make the Top 100 list.
Please take some time to apply and help me propel these opportunities for our industry. Together we can reach a tremendous audience of prospective clients. My efforts are worthless without the ability to promote you.
Rebecca Trelfa, Virtual Assistance Coach
www.virtualdynamos.com
www.top100virtualassistants.com
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