3 Reasons for Repotting your Business

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5 Reasons Some Small Businesses are Online Reluctant and Why It May Spell Their Demise.

As a virtual assistant I enjoy business relationships with my clients, most of whom are highly Internet savvy. But as I’ve stated here in the past, I have come across many small business owners in my career who show a great deal of reluctance to put any effort at all into building an on-line presence. I’ve actually had discussions with small business owners about the subject and always walk away shocked at how little respect some of them have for doing business on-line. True, many of these business people are a generation older than I am, and for many of them the idea of an on-line community is as foreign as setting up shop on Mars is to us. But in today’s economy, lack of familiarity with the Internet is a pretty poor excuse for business owners not to be using it to grow and possibly keep their business alive. Below are five excuses I’ve encountered from small business owners, particularly service business owners and why it’s hurting their business.

1. They think that having a website, any website, is having an on-line presence. To them a website is simply an electronic version of a print advertisement. They totally miss out on the fact that Internet users today are looking for more than just an advertisement. They want to experience just what that business does and who is behind doing it. They want information that will help them answer their questions. The Internet is not going away people, it’s not even the wave of the future, it’s the here and now. This is how people get their information now and if you’re not giving them what they want, they’ll find it somewhere else.
2. They fail to see a market on-line. Incredibly, there are individuals out there that don’t understand the sheer numbers of people they can reach on-line. They are dyed in the wool, old fashioned marketing people who don’t feel that you can market to someone unless you’re face to face. Granted, there are instances when it doesn’t hurt to provide face to face, hand shaking contact. But it’s not the most successful means of marketing anymore. In fact, the time and energy it requires provides very little Return On Investment. Which would you rather have, two or three clients you landed through that Chamber event who require you to bend over backward to keep them as clients or hundreds of clients who seek you out because they are specifically looking for what you’re offering? Don’t believe me on the sheer volume of people seeking information on-line? In July 2008 Google hit 235 million searches a day. Trust me, your area of business has plenty of people searching for information and if you’re not doing something actively to be found in those searches, shame on you.
3. They don’t understand it, don’t feel they can do it, so write it off. The fear of the unknown has kept many people with great ideas frozen while someone else overcomes the fear and becomes successful. The secret is, you don’t have to do it all yourself. If you don’t know how to build a website, write a blog, tweet on twitter or create a Wiki there are people like me out here who do. I can hear you whining now. “But that costs money!” I bet it’s less than the cost of that newspaper or magazine ad, or the radio spot you purchased. And just how many clients did you gain from those advertisements? Did it cover the cost? Exceed it? The money you invest in making your business known on-line will be worth every penny. The more well known you become, the more people will begin seeking you out. Besides, it’s not as expensive as you think it is. Honest. I know about these things.
4. They really haven’t heard of, or seen the results of, on-line marketing. Many small business owners and marketers tend to run in circles. Social circles that is. They go to the same events with the same people and businesses over and over again. This is probably why they aren’t hearing about all the businesses that have become hugely successful by marketing on-line. Because lets be honest, the people that making money by marketing on-line probably don’t go to those events very often…if at all. They probably don’t have time with all the on-line marketing and new business they are having to take care of. Take the blinders off. Have you opened an issue of Entrepreneur magazine lately? Or better yet gone to their website? Stop judging all business by your small circle of marketing contacts.
5. They lack the time to devote to an on-line presence. Between keeping website content up to date, blogging, twittering, etc, how are you going to have time to actually do business for your clients? I have one word for you. Outsource. You probably can’t do it all, especially once the clients start rolling in. So get someone to help. And that person doesn’t have to be an employee. Yes, I’m singing the praises of virtual assistance again. After all, that’s what I do. But it really is an excellent way to get expert help while saving yourself the additional costs and concerns that come along with employees. You can outsource the on-line marketing tasks, or if you’d prefer, you can get someone to help you provide service to your clients. Lack of time is no excuse.

In this recession atmosphere, allowing these five excuses to keep you from getting your business on-line could very well spell the end of your business. The good news is, if you’re willing to learn and do what needs to be done to provide your business with an on-line presence, all of that old fashioned hand shaking and bending over backward to get business will be a thing of the past. Give your market what they want on-line and they’ll be beating a path to your door.

A Discussion on the Term ‘Virtual Assistant’

The Gritty Virtual Assistant has quite the discussion going on a recent blog post that explores the possibility that the term ‘virtual assistant’ is no longer working for us. In the post Danielle states;

The term “Virtual Assistant” itself is at the root of many of the wrong perceptions and misunderstandings we are constantly having to disabuse clients of. Because the term is vauge and ambiguous, it creates confusion and leaves it open to anyone’s interpretation. And because it wasn’t well thought out and the branding not managed well or at all, it’s been coopted by anyone and everyone who thinks doing anything and everything virtually is Virtual Assistance.

If you’re a virtual assistant or someone who uses a VA, add your voice to the discussion!

An Answer for a New Virtual Assistant

This one’s for Marcia. Marcia left a comment on my last post which linked to a post I wrote for Home Office Warrior last week. She asked a question that made me stop and consider just how I should answer it. Believe it or not, I felt it was so relevant that it morphed into my latest post over at Home Office Warrior. So Marcia…This one’s for you. 1 Do and 1 Don’t to Getting Clients in the Door.

Setting Virtual Assistant Rates

After recently posting to Home Office Warrior regarding why I don’t underbid my current rates to gain clients on freelancing sites, I came across an excellent post on The Gritty Virtual Assistant entitled ” Hello, please take advantage of me”. The subject of this one concerned new virtual assistants who advertise their rates as far lower than the average.  I think you’ll find great points in both posts as to why you shouldn’t undercut pricing.  What do you think?

Slimming Down the Smart Way…Virtually.

Welcome to 2009.  Have you noticed how many diet and exercise commercials are on TV and the radio?  It’s a proven fact that the #1 New Year’s Resolution is to slim down.  And in today’s economy, this goes for businesses too.

Many businesses are going to look at their expenses and decide to simply cut out certain things.  Maybe it will be an administrative employee; after all do they really need two?  Perhaps their marketing director can go if someone else multi-tasks? And maybe they should rethink the marketing budget while they’re at it? Oh, and while we’re cutting costs, how about that costly web development service that keeps the website updated?  Sure, all of these things can save a business money, but just like the dieter who eats only grapefruit and water, it comes with a price.  Eventually the health of the business is going to fail.
So what exactly is the smart way to slim down a business?  The same way you lose weight wisely…not by cutting things out, but by making wiser choices.  The same way you might choose popcorn over potato chips or wheat bread over white, you can choose healthy alternatives that allow you to cut costs while sustaining the same or higher quality of business.  And what are some of those healthier business choices?
1.  Substitute costly advertisements in local media with a great blog and social media.  It’s time to embrace the Internet as a business tool.  Turn your static website into a blog site where you connect with your target market.  Industry news, question and answer and news about your business are all great content for blogs. Best of all, it’s low cost marketing.
2. Substitute local computer/web development company with a freelancer.   You had the only web development/computer company in town set up your network and  you’ve been paying them to maintain that website they set up for you.   It would be wiser to find a freelancer to maintain and/or redesign your website and use the local company for computer/networking issues that need in-person assistance.
3. Substitute a traditional employee with telecommuting or a virtual assistant.  Perhaps that employee would take a bit of a cut in pay if they could work from home?  And if not, there is always the option of hiring a virtual assistant.  The virtual assistant option relieves your business of paying employee taxes and expenses while giving you a seasoned professional to attend to business. ( If you would like to learn more about hiring a virtual assistant, check out this e-book )
So go ahead, keep that resolution to slim down your business in 2009.  Just remember to do it the smart way.
If you have more ideas for how to ‘slim down your business’ the smart way, please share in a comment.

A Virtual Assistant’s Reflection on 2008

Have you ever noticed that the New Year seems to sneak up on us? I don’t know about you, but I tend to get so caught up in preparing for the holidays and gift giving that December 26th, when all the buzz begins to be about New Year’s, it almost feels like being hit over the head with a calendar. Hard.
I realized this weekend that I needed to pause in the post Christmas craziness and truly think about what the past year meant to my business and where I want it to go in 2009. Being a true girly geek, I immediately searched for some goal setting help. On AllBusiness.com, Denise O’Berry offers her Free Goal Setting Guide to help us all define our personal and business goals for the coming year. As I began using this tool, true to form, I became sidetracked. I began to reminisce a bit, after all, isn’t that what Auld Lang Syne is all about?
I thought about the wonderful clients that I’ve been able to work with and the varied projects and tasks that I’ve completed successfully. I reflected on what I’ve been able to bring to those clients, both on a professional and personal level, peace of mind knowing that a capable professional is handling their projects as well as giving them additional hours to do the things they love.
I then reflected on the new things that I’ve learned in the past year. Using social media beyond my own blog like Twitter, Linked In and Facebook has been an ongoing learning experience. Working with WordPress and blogsites has been a joy and discovering ‘new to me’ tools like my NeatReceipts scanner and Adobe Acrobat Pro has not only added value to my services, but been downright fun.
I’ve been lucky enough to do something that I love each and every day. I no longer dread Mondays, or any other day for that matter. And I’ve been a poster child for true virtual assistance as I’ve worked from hotel rooms in North Carolina, moved from Maine to a temporary home in Virginia, returned to Maine for the holidays and been able to not only successfully complete my client work throughout it all, but publish an eBook and be a regular contributor at Home Office Warrior.
With all of these wonderful accomplishments in 2008, how can I not look forward to 2009?

Freelance Site Red Flags

When I first realized there were freelance sites out there like Guru and Elance it seemed like such a great idea. As a new virtual assistant, I was struggling to build a client base and having a site where I could bid on projects and build my reputation seemed ideal. From the other end of things, I’m sure plenty of businesses have been thrilled to find a place where they can have freelancers from all over the world bid on their projects. The concept is good, but the actual execution is flawed.

I never did find any clients on the sites. My rates were too high to compete with other bidders. I know many others who have lowered their rates to try to compete. I refused. I felt, and still feel that my services were worth the higher rate. After all, what do you really get for $4 or $5 an hour?

I revisited these freelance sites recently when my daughter asked me to help find her some work. I was amazed at the Requests for Proposals that business people had posted. If I thought $4 an hour was low, now many were asking for bids in the $1 and $2 hr. range. One hundred original articles at .50 cents an article. All I can say is that you get what you pay for.

I know there are exceptions. I’ve heard of both business people and freelancers who have found ideal situations on these sites. If you’re willing to be patient and wait for the right one, you can still make these sites work for you. There are however a couple of things I’d like to bring to your attention. For me these two items are immediate ‘red flags’ when I see them.

The following is a major red flag : We will agree on hours when you will be working for solely me. This availability must be unconditional. He/she will act as a virtual personal assistant and be available 8:00a.m.

This wording should immediately tell you that the person/business is describing an employee, not a freelancer (independent contractor). This is trouble both for a virtual assistant and/or for the business person, trouble in the form of the IRS. The description of an independent contractor, according to the IRS is as follows: “The general rule is that an individual is an independent contractor if you, the person for whom the services are performed, have the right to control or direct only the result of the work and not the means and methods of accomplishing the result.” The fact that the ad above asks for you to be exclusive, availability unconditional and sets the hours worked makes this position a employee. You can find out more about the difference between independent contractors and employees on the IRS website. There’s even a Worker Classification webcast you can take listed at the bottom of the page.

The second red flag? Will only entertain low bids.

The person posting an ad with this wording or something similar is not looking for quality services. I would stay away from bidding on this for two reasons. One, because I definitely wouldn’t be considered a low bid and two, because I don’t think I would want a client who was looking for the cheapest way to do things. I’ve worked hard to try to make Clerical Advantage synonymous with quality service. And part of that is looking for clients who have the same type of commitment to quality that I do. Virtual Assistance requires a true business relationship and like any relationship requires that those involved share the same values. In this instance, the poster obviously does not care about quality. As a business person you should determine if this is the image you want to project when you post that RFP.

The decision as to whether using a freelance job site is a personal one. As with anything, it’s a matter of personal preference. Hopefully you can avoid pitfalls by recognizing the red flags.

The 12 Hours of Virtual Assistance

I thought I’d have a little fun with today’s blog post. We all know that old holiday carol, The Twelve Days of Christmas. What if you purchased your true love (or friend, boss, teacher, etc.) a 12 Hour Gift Certificate for Virtual Assistance Services? Just think of the happy song your gift recipient would be singing…

(to the tune of The Twelve Days of Christmas)

• With my First Hour of Virtual Assistance that my loved one (or whatever) gave to me, I got the transcription of my latest meeting.
• With the Second Hour of Virtual Assistance my loved one gave to me, – I got 2 blog post entries and the transcription of my latest meeting.
• With the Third Hour of Virtual Assistance my loved one gave to me I got 3 press releases, 2 blog post entries and the transcription of my latest meeting.
• With the Fourth Hour of Virtual Assistance my loved one gave to me I got 4 documents converted, 3 press releases, 2 blog post entries and the transcription of my latest meeting
• With the Fifth Hour of Virtual Assistance my loved one gave to me I got my own group sight on Ning. (Sung Niiiiiinnnnnngggg), 4 documents converted, 3 press releases, 2 blog post entries and the transcription of my latest meeting.
• With the Sixth Hour of Virtual Assistance my loved one gave to me I got 6 e-Book templates, my own group sight on Niiinnggg, 4 documents converted, 3 press releases 2 blog post entries and the transcription of my latest meeting.
• With the Seventh Hour of Virtual Assistance my loved one gave to me I got 7 website updates, 6 e-Book templates, my own group site on Niiinnnggg, 4 documents converted, 3 press releases, 2 blog post entries and the transcription of my latest meeting.
• With the Eighth Hour of Virtual Assistance my loved one gave to me I got 8 article submissions, 7 website updates, 6 e-Book templates, my own group site on Ningggggg, 4 documents converted, 3 press releases, 2 blog post entries and the transcription of my latest meeting.
• With the Ninth Hour of Virtual Assistance my loved one gave to me I got 9 items researched, 8 article submissions, 7 website updates, 6 e-Book templates, my own group site on Ningggggg, 4 documents converted, 3 press releases, 2 blog post entries and the transcription of my latest meeting.
• With the Tenth Hour of Virtual Assistance my loved one gave to me I got 10 tweets on Twitter,9 items researched, 8 article submissions, 7 website updates, 6 e-Book templates, my own group site on Ningggggg, 4 documents converted, 3 press releases, 2 blog post entries and the transcription of my latest meeting.
• With the Eleventh Hour of Virtual Assistance my loved one gave to me I got 11 calendar updates, 10 tweets on Twitter,9 items researched, 8 article submissions, 7 website updates, 6 e-Book templates, my own group site on Ningggggg, 4 documents converted, 3 press releases, 2 blog post entries and the transcription of my latest meeting.
• With the Twelfth Hour of Virtual Assistance my loved one gave to me I got 12-seconds videos, 11 calendar updates, 10 tweets on Twitter,9 items researched, 8 article submissions, 7 website updates, 6 e-Book templates, my own group site on Ningggggg, 4 documents converted, 3 press releases, 2 blog post entries and the transcription of my latest meeting.

Please note that this list is creative in nature and does not truly reflect the number of hours it might take to do the actual items listed. For instance, 6 e-Book templates require more than one hour of service. But the services themselves are all things that a recipient of a virtual assistance gift certificate could choose to have done for them.