If you’re a new or potential Virtual Assistant it can be really difficult to imagine what types of business owners would hire you and how that relationship would begin. I already have a blog post on how VAs landed their first client, but I was interested in finding out whether the same methods applied when it came to signing up subsequent clients.
Knowing what to charge and then asking for it is one of the hardest aspects of freelancing. Not only is the subject of pricing unfamiliar to new business owners, but the whole idea of talking about money seems to make most women uncomfortable. But in order to become a successful (i.e. wealthy) VA, you will need to nail your pricing strategy otherwise you will end up with a hobby and not a business.
This is a Virtual Assistant case study and interview with Mum of three, Shirley Cottam. Based in Milton Keynes in Buckinghamshire, Shirley set up her business, Virtual Office Box after being made redundant whilst on maternity leave so she could spend more time with her ten-year-old daughter and seven-year-old twins.
One of the reasons people become Virtual Assistants is so they can fit work around their family life. Because I don’t have any children I asked my VA Handbookers Facebook group how they handle childcare whilst running their business so you could gain an idea of how they manage their day and see how freelancing would fit your current situation.
Early in 2017, I decided to ‘properly’ invest in my business. I wanted to up my game and to do that I knew I needed to learn from people who were better than me. So I bought a 2-day ticket to the Expert Empires event in London. I wanted to see Gary Vee and Ryan Deiss and didn’t spend that much time researching the other speakers… big mistake.
Recently I spent the day watching remarkable people give remarkable presentations at TEDx Brighton. I always make time for events like this because I love exposing myself to new ideas, they make a huge difference to my life and business, and I always come away from them enlightened and full of inspiration. And this one was no different.
Like a handshake, a business card can say a lot about you as well as the type of business you operate. Because it’s often the first point of contact for potential clients and therefore needs to create the right impression, I’ve put together a list of the most common mistakes I’ve seen when creating cards so you don’t unwittingly make them.
Unless you live on the moon, I’m sure you’ve heard of the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation. Commonly known as the GDPR, these regulations affect every business whether it is based in the EU or not – so you AND your clients need to comply with it. Here’s what you need to know about global data protection and how to stay compliant.
Picture the scene. I’m 17 years old, it’s around 8.45 in the morning and I’m on a bus on my way to work. It’s one of my very first jobs out of school, I work from 9 to 5.30 every day in a huge airless room at a faceless call centre in a massive building with hundreds of other people. As I look out of the window, the bus passes a tree in the park… and it suddenly hits me.
As you don’t need any formal qualifications to become a Virtual Assistant, there’s often confusion and misunderstanding in the VA Handbookers Facebook group around what being one entails. Because I sometimes see it described as an “easy side hustle”, I want to explain what it actually means to be a Virtual Assistant.
