Tips

The Virtual Business Show is the brain child of Lynn Prowse-Bishop, owner of executive stress office support (eSos).

The Virtual Business Show is a great resource for new Virtual Assistants who are exploring the option of becoming a VA, as well as for those VAs who are already established.

Her first 4 podcasts deal with the topics of:-

* The Importance of Continuing Education

* VA Coaching Club & OIVAC

* Doing Business the Feminine Way

* 5 Tips for Getting Started

Why not pop over to her site and have a listen?  It’s well worth the time spent, and you are getting great advice from an industry Guru!

Fiona

We have had two huge electrical storms where I live over the past week or so.

The latest was on Wednesday night, and when I turned my computer on yesterday – I had no internet connection.  Oh no!  Running a virtual business without being connected to the internet is a bit like trying to bake scones in an oven with no electricity.

I rang my service provider, who is always very helpful (thanks Westnet), and it seemed my modem was malfunctioning.  We tried turning it off and on again.  Then we tried plugging it into a different phone jack in the house.  Still no joy.  The technician suggested I take it to a friend’s place to see if it would work on their phone line (otherwise to call Telstra out would cost $105 if it was found that the modem was faulty, not the phone line).

I left it for a while, then decided to try the modem again in its second location later in the day.  It worked perfectly?!  So I plugged everything back in, rang my provider and got it all reconfigured and up and running again.  Phew!

However, this morning my modem was fine, but I had no internet access again.  I went back to the service provider and we did a few things differently, and hopefully we have fixed the problem for good now.

It brought up a few issues for me though.  I don’t know if it was a coincidence that my modem went out the night after some very big lightning strikes nearby?  I was speaking to a computer friend and he said it’s generally busy for him after an electrical storm with people’s computers being fried because they’ve been left plugged in and turned on.

I have a heavy-duty surge protector board which I plug my computer in to, and I turn everything off at the wall whenever I’m not using my computer.  However, my friend pointed out that I should really unplug the board from the wall as if you get a massive lightning strike on your house and all that voltage surging through your electrics – one small switch turned off might not be enough to stop the damage.

So I’m now unplugging the surge protector from the wall each time I turn the computer off.

How about you?  Do you have systems in place for protecting your computer and electrical goods?  It’s definitely worth thinking about… better to be safe than sorry!

Fiona

I have started working with a new client these past few weeks and I find it takes time to build a good working relationship.

Here are a few tips which might help other VAs to work with new clients:-

• Have a contract which sets out exactly what you will be doing for your client.  Be especially clear regarding time constraints for particular tasks, the business hours you are available and contactable, your rate of pay and preference/s for payment.
• Ask lots of questions.  Be clear about what the client expects from you.  If you are unsure – ask for further detail or explanation.  There is nothing worse than starting a job and getting half way through, then realising you are on the wrong track and need to pull back to start again.  It’s much better to ask questions in the beginning to ensure you understand the task/s you need to perform.
• Be honest.  If a client is overstepping the boundaries  – particularly regarding the time you are available – tell them;  “I am available between 9am and 5pm each day.  Please don’t call me outside of those hours.  You are welcome to email me, but understand that I won’t be checking my emails outside of my business hours”.

• Cut Ties if you need to.  Sometimes the VA/client relationship just does not work.  There can be many reasons for this; personality differences, work ethic differences or unrealistic expectations.  If you are not enjoying your role with a particular client, tell them that you are sorry but it’s just not working for you.  Be honest, and gently let them go.  This will free you up to find a more suitable client.  Your “gut feeling” is often spot-on, so be aware of it and take action when required.

How about you?  If you are a VA, perhaps you might like to leave a comment with a tip for building relationships with new clients.

Fiona

Time Tracking Software is a topic which frequently gets raised by Virtual Assistants on forums I frequent.

Some VAs favour on-line software – and there are quite a few free options available.

One system I trialled was myHours.com.  This was a very user-friendly application with great reporting facilities – but they often seemed to be off-line for maintenance which was very frustrating if you were working for a client and needed to keep track of time.  It’s hardly worthwhile if you have to resort to pen and paper to keep track of tasks then enter them into the software later!

Now my preferred Time Tracking Software is Time Stamp.  It’s rather basic compared to the bells and whistles you get with myHours, but the thing I like about it is that the programme is downloaded straight to your computer, so there are no problems with the software being “unavailable”.  You can print basic reports to keep for your records, or to give to clients should you need to.  I do legal transcription and find Time Stamp is excellent to keep track of the amount of time I spend typing for my clients.  Once the transcription is completed, I produce an Invoice relating to the time spent for each particular job.  It’s great.

If you use different, free Time Tracking Software in your business, I would love to hear about it – please leave me a comment.

Fiona

Shorthand for Windows software was recently recommended to me by another Virtual Assistant.

I had previously used the Auto Correct options in Word for saving shortcuts when I was typing. The only problem I had with this was finding and backing up the file where the shortcuts were saved to – and a few times I had problems with my computer and ended up losing all my data.

I purchased Shorthand for Windows about a month ago and absolutely love it. It saves me heaps of time in typing repetitive phrases when working for my clients, and the data file is easy to find and back up.

At US$30 per year I think it’s money well spent in the time I save using shortcuts when typing.

Fiona

My blog has been very neglected in recent months.  I was never very happy with the way the blog looked on my previous website – so I’ve done a complete overhaul.  Many thanks to Susan and John from Kerugma Designs for the new look.

You may remember last year that I wrote about advertising.  I started my business in June 2008 and decided that I needed to get my business name out in the market place.

Here is what I learnt from that experience:

• Think about the type of business you have, and put yourself in the shoes of your potential clients/customers.  If you were a customer, where would YOU go looking for information regarding your service?  Or perhaps ask friends for their opinion on where they might seek information if they wanted to use a service like yours.
• I took out a 3 month package in the “Trades and Services” section of my local newspaper which was a mistake.  I would have been better putting that money into 2 or 3 advertisements in the main section of the newspaper.  From those 3 months of advertising – I didn’t receive a single call.  Mostly this section is used by Tradesmen and obviously it works well for them – but not for someone offering secretarial services.
• I invested in Yellow Pages advertising.  I have had several clients this year who have told me they found my number in the Yellow Pages.  For several hundred dollars I have an advertisement in the paper Yellow Pages Directory and also Online.
• Join your local Chamber of Commerce (or whatever Business Groups are available in your area).  Personal networking is excellent advertising.  You get to hand your business card out to plenty of people, make business contacts who might be useful to you in your own business, and generally get a few drinks/nibbles along the way too.
• Invest in a professional logo and good business cards.  If I had my time over again, I would definitely spend the money to get a logo/business cards/stationery designed.  I recently used Aussie Logos and their Gold Package is excellent value.

I hope this information might be helpful to anyone who is either starting up a new business, or thinking about advertising/marketing their existing business.

Please leave a comment if you have other good tips regarding advertising and/or marketing for small businesses.

Fiona

When I started this blog for my business, I wasn’t exactly sure how the blog would work, or what I would blog about. If I’m really honest I wasn’t very “up” with blogging, and all the technical things you can do with it.

Today I’m going to share something I’ve learnt this week ~ how to link to another blog. You can check out these very simple instructions, and create links in your own blog. Just click on the highlighted text in this paragraph which will take you straight to LoriJo’s blog.

Perhaps link back to this post if you figure out how to do it, or leave me a comment. Now I’m giving homework!

I hope you are having a great week.

Fiona