Virtual Assistant Virtual Office

A common question that I receive from small business owners is “how can I market my business the most the effectively?” The answer to that question, is that unfortunately there is no standard answer.  Instead, you must learn what will work for your business & industry, and what your target audience responds to.  Although there is not set formula, here are a few tips to help you along your journey.

• Know your audience.  This may seem like a no-brainer, but you will be surprised home many of my clients think they know their customers, only to find out they were wrong.  Knowing your audience means more than knowing what target demographic you are going after.  It means understanding who your market is, how they work, why they purchase, etc. 

• Don’t underestimate the power of the barter.  Partnering with the small business bureau in your area could open up a whole range of opportunities for your business, including a barter system, where you exchange services with other members of the organization.  This is a great way to spread the word about your business.

• Don’t be afraid to try some unusual marketing techniques.  Trying to understand what marketing techniques will work for your business means that you should be open to new methods.  Don’t be afraid of expanding your business to the web, or turning to social media.  It’s using unconventional techniques that  will get you noticed by consumers.

As you begin to incorporate these tips into your strategy, think about some other lessons you have learned, and tell me what worked (or didn’t work) for you!

Choosing a virtual office partner can be tricky, there is a plethora of companies to choose from, and each company has different options for their clients. There is a lot to be said about choosing a virtual office that isn’t right for you and this could cause a lot of stress and undue problems. So with all of the different options, how do you know which company to choose?  Here are some tips in finding the right fit.

First, find companies that offer virtual offices in your area, and see if you can set up a tour.  It is critical that you understand what you will be getting, in terms of quality and appearance. The key to choosing the right virtual office is ease of operations and a smooth flow of daily activities.  Make sure you see everything running smoothly.

Next, determine whether you would like to use an automated system, or whether you would like to have “real” people answering your phones and working your office.  Personally, I think that automated systems are cold and impersonal, and could really hurt your branding in the long run if customers begin to feel this way as well.

Once you have determined what type of company you would like to work with, make sure that the company will let you choose the type of secretary or call assistant that suits you. Just like hiring an employee, hiring a virtual partner that matches your needs is critical.

Next, look at the services the company provides. Things like a centralised fax number, providing a physical mailing address as well as other services like being able to acquire ‘virtual meeting’ software as well as the option to rent a physical boardroom for those all important meetings and presentations that demand the physical presence can really clinch the deal.
Lastly, analyze the cost per partner, and compare services to find the most cost appropriate client.  I am not stating that the cheapest company is the best option, but make sure you will be getting your money’s worth.

Budgets are tight right now, that’s a fact.  Companies are looking to save money any way they can, and often that means cutting the number of employees they have.  Well, here is a neat way to save some money by adding a member to your team.  A “virtual” member, anyway.  Adding a virtual assistant to your team is a great way to get more done in less time, by delegating tasks to him/her.  As a business professional, your time needs to be spent out on the streets or on the phones and in front of clients, not with your head tucked in a filing cabinet or researching.

Here are some ideas for tasks you can have your virtual assistant complete that could save you money in the end:

• Telemarketing
• Filtering in-bound lead calls
• Follow up calls
• Outbound cold calling - This is a great task for a virtual assistant, just make sure they can handle the communication aspects of the job.  If you are confident in his/her skills, give them a simple script, tell them what you want done with the good leads, and unleash him/her on your prospect list.

Along with business help, there are also several money saving benefits of a virtual assistant, including:

• Renting desk space/office space for him/her
• Technology costs.  My virtual assistant doesn’t need a laptop or computer, or other technological devices, because he/she will already have his/her own.
• Benefits, health insurance, and vacation time.  I don’t pay for any of it anymore!

All in all, there are a lot of great money saving benefits to hiring a virtual assistant.  Weigh the benefits for your business, and you might decide you need one too!

As I begin the process of working with a Virtual Assistant, I am now embarking on the journey of picking out the right one.  Like real-world assistants, virtual assistants all have their own areas of expertise, and/or specialty, and it is important that you choose the right person for the job.  Moreover, because this will be a virtual relationship, hiring a virtual assistant can be harder than hiring a real-world assistant, after all you may never meet this person face to face, or even have a phone conversation with them.  The right virtual assistant should be a person whose skills and personality are a fit with yours, not just whoever has an opening or charges the least.

Here are some tips in choosing the right virtual assistant for your job:

• Find the right person.  One of the most important parts in finding a virtual assistant is finding someone you “click” with personally.  Look for someone who is friendly, enthusiastic, and enjoys your industry/line of work.
• Make sure you know exactly what you want your virtual assistant to do.  By setting up an action plan, you can look for assistants that have skills or qualifications to match your needs.
• Make sure your virtual assistant candidates carry themselves with professionalism and courtesy. Does the candidate answer her voicemails and emails from you in a timely manner? Does he/she answer the phone professionally? Does the candidate put you on hold to take another call?  These are all things to look at in determining the right person for the job.
• What type of technology skills do the candidates hold?  Idealy, you want to work with someone who is proficient in all Microsoft office applications (mac applications if you own a mac), Quickbooks, website content management systems, etc.  Most small businesses rely on technology to survive, so you want your assistant to have excellent technological skills.
• Lastly, make sure you review your candidates’ references.  Talk to as many as you can to determine which candidate will be the best fit for you.

A  (VA) can be a big help for a small business…if you plan properly.  One of the most important things to remember about utilizing a virtual assistant, is just like a normal employee, you must set aside work for them, and plan their tasks properly.  There are several things you can do to make sure that your working relationship runs smoothly, and the assistant is aware of your expectations.  When setting you your task list for your VA, it is important to discuss the following:

• Detailed description of the task, as well as what the final output should look like.
• How long the task should take, and the maximum amount of time you want the assistant spending on it.
• Why you want the task completed.  More often than not, virtual assistants can help with business problem solving, not just the research needed to solve the problem.
• Other tasks that this will affect.  Does this new tasks take a higher priority than all of the others?

Remember, a virtual assistant’s job is to help you run your business more smoothly, whether that is by transcribing notes from a call, setting travel appointments, or making airline reservations.  To utilize your skilled assistant properly, you must be prepared, and have a set action plan in place for them to work off of.  Your virtual assistant will only be as good as the leadership and guidance you give them!

I have given a lot of though to the possibility of hiring a Virtual Assistant to help me out next year in my business.  In have been told by friends and colleagues that hiring a virtual assistant could help me streamline my business, and help me stay organized.  Goodness knows I could use the help!

In order to make a well-thought out decision, I decided to make a list of all of the things my virtual assistant could help me with. Here is what I came up with:

• Transcribing - I could really use some help transcribing my interview notes, and phone call conversations.  A lot of times I will use these conversations as jumping off points for white-papers, or presentations, so to have all of the information spelled out could really help
• Researching key new technologies - In my industry, new technologies and platforms are constantly popping up all over.  I would use my virtual assistant to help research all of the new technologies and platforms, so I can have a quick overview of the market at my disposal whenever needed.
• Organize and manage all of my upcoming speaking engagements and conference travel arrangements.
• Research on industry trends
• Research on competitors

All in all, not a bad list of ideas.  I think that hiring a virtual assistant to help with my work load could be an interesting and productive option for me.  Check in with me next week, as I begin to share my experiences on interviewing for the right virtual assistant, and starting off our relationship on the right track.

I went to the dentist yesterday, and let me say right now that I hate going to the dentist.  It all goes back to when I was a little girl.  I used to have this horrible dentist - a big mean man who had the worst breath ever - talk about poor advertising!  Anyway, I went to this new dentist today, and (big surprise) I actually had an enjoyable time. Not only was my dentist extremely gentle and friendly, but he went out of the way to actually educate me about what he was doing, and why things were happening in my mouth.  The entire staff was friendly and accommodating, and once I actually relaxed, I found myself enjoying their company.

The lesson to take away from this? The customer service this dental group provided in one visit, completely changed my outlook about their services.  Now I am actually looking forward to my next appointment, and I will be much more likely to recommend my friends and family to them.  To apply this lesson to your business, look at the services you provide to your customers, and ask yourself, how can I make their experience better?

All to often businesses focus on just getting the job done, instead of helping the customer become comfortable or enjoy their time spent with your brand.  Always remember, in times of hardship, great customer service is one of the best ways to maintain your current clients and grow your customer base.  So smile, and ask your customers “what can I do for you!”

As the end of the year draws closer, I find myself preparing for 2009 (getting organized, cleaning up my files, setting all my travel dates and accommodations for the first quarter of next year, etc.)  What I am realizing, is that I am going to be on the road quite a bit from January to March, visiting clients and speaking at various conferences and events.  I am going to running non-stop for three months, and one of the problems this causes is I will be struggling to not fall behind in my basic business admin duties (i.e. payroll, taxes, benefits or insurance, paying bills, etc).

To solve this problem, I am contemplating hiring on a “Virtual” Assistant to help manage my administrative load.  A Virtual assistant is just what the name applies, they assist small businesses by offering many of the administrative services of a larger company, including:

• Creative services
• Managerial services
• Technical services
• Business services
• Office/Administrative services
• Personal support services

One of the things that I find the most helpful, is that by using a virtual assistant, I can provide their services to my clients anywhere in the world.  It can really come in handy!

Have you ever used a virtual assistant?  Share your success stories by sending me a comment!

One of the best methods to gain visibility and recognition in your particular market or industry is to become a “thought leader,” described by Wikipedia as: “A futurist or person who is recognized among their peers and mentors for innovative ideas and demonstrates the confidence to promote or share those ideas as actionable distilled insights.”  Becoming a thought leader is not easy, despite the term being used so openly nowadays.  Here are a few pointers to help get you started…

The first step in this process, is develop a method of communicating with your public.  Blogs and Microblogs (i.e. twitter) are great mediums to spark communication, but be careful, you must be 100% transparent in your messaging, or you will push readers away.

Once you have a communication medium set up, your next step is to begin writing.  Write about what inspires you.  Write about new, innovative technologies in your market.  Develop white papers, or guides, to pass along to your audience.

Spread the word about your writing.  One of the great things about social media is the abundance of tolls at your disposal.  Push your content out to Social Networks, Bookmarking Sites, and even other bloggers by commenting on their posts.

Now that you have been writing for a few months (that’s right, this will not happen overnight), begin applying for speaking engagements to get your name out there.  Start small (local) and work up to the big leagues (national).

Lastly, remember, this will take significant time and effort.  You won’t see an overnight shift.  You must be willing to work hard to achieve the results you want to see.

Many successful people in business share similar traits, such as organizational skills, that help them succeed and grow their business, but what really sets these people apart from everyone else?  I am about to tell you!  Here are my thoughts on what makes successful people successful.

1. Networking capabilities.  Successful people understand the importance of networking, and while not everyone may enjoy it, they understand it is a necessary evil, and have made a significant effort to constantly improve their skills in this arena.
2.  Adaptability. Being able to find creative and innovative ways to grow your business is critical if you want to succeed in today’s world.
3. Acceptance of Change.  Those who are afraid of change, or fight it, never see the other side of the door.  You have to be willing to embrace change, and learn to grow from it to succeed.
4. Hunger for Knowledge.  Innovators are always educating themselves on the latest trends, applications, or strategies out in today’s world.  Stay on top of your game!
5. Lastly, Enjoy Life (outside of work).  In my experience, those who love life away from their jobs, are usually much more driven and productive in their work.  Having something you love at home to return to at the end of the day will help motivate you to improve and grow, and growth is the key to your success!