VA Secrets Revealed! The Blog

Top 5 Lessons I’ve Learned in 5 Years of Working from Home

This November marks the 5th anniversary of my virtual assistant company, avertua. I have learned many things over the past five years about business, marketing and working with clients. But perhaps some of the most important lessons I've learned are those that keep things moving behind the scenes when you work from home.

In honor of my anniversary, I have compiled the top five lessons I've learned while working from home. If you are a seasoned home-worker, you may nod in agreement as you read through my list. If you're a new business owner or soon to be taking the plunge to work from home, hopefully you will get some ideas you can implement, and maybe even avoid some common mistakes many people who work from home make.

Here are my top lessons learned...

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I wrote this post for Home Office Warrior as a guest blogger. Thanks to Grant Griffiths for the invitation! Be sure to check out his blog for an immense amount of information about working from home.

Technology Primer: Using Technology to Reduce Business Expenses

It's a scary time with everything that's going on with the economy. This downturn is affecting everyone, even those of us that work from home. Home-based business owners want to spend less, make more and find a way to keep our businesses thriving during very uncertain times. One of the most logical ways to do this is by cutting expenses. This article provides some ideas for using technology to reduce the everyday cost of running your business.

Traditional Phone/Fax Lines
Replace with: VoIP, mobile phone, virtual PBX, and/or electronic fax service

If you use a dedicated landline for your business, consider switching your service to save money on your monthly fees. Here are some alternatives...

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Secret #3: One Fish, Two Fish, Three Fish

Some virtual assistants land one client and stop there. They may do enough work for that client to make their desired income and thus stop looking for more work. But what happens if the client closes his business, finds someone else or scales back for some other reason? You're basically out of work and your income is going to take a drastic plunge.

That's why I always recommend building a client base with multiple customers and projects that can vary in quantity over time, but eventually even out into a steady flow. Multiple small- to medium-sized client contracts can add up to the same amount of work and the same income or more, but you are fairly secure. If one or even two clients cut back, you have the others to keep your business going. And having more than one client also reinforces the business owner vs. employee difference. You have more control and security, which is a very good place to be as a VA.

There are also many business owners who only look to virtual assistants for help that they may need on a short-term basis or for a specific project. You may also want to consider doing this type of project-based work to supplement your regular workload.

Click here for about finding and keeping clients.

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This post is expanded from Chapter 6: My Top 20 Secrets to Success in the book, VA Secrets Revealed! An Insider's Guide to Being a Successful Virtual Assistant. Grab a copy and follow along as I blog!

Challenges of Working from Home: Dealing with Misconceptions

As work at home moms, we are very fortunate to be able to make a living while being at home with our children. But this doesn't mean we have unlimited time to spend with our kids in a relaxed and calm environment. Actually, working from home when you have kids usually means the exact opposite! Unfortunately, in many cases, the only people that really understand our unique set of challenges are other parents who work from home.

So what should you do when you face family and friends who have a lack of understanding and a set of tough-to-crack preconceived ideas about what it really means to work from home? Not every work-at-home parent has to deal with this, but for those that do, it can be a daily struggle on top of an already over-packed schedule. And very frustrating, to say the least!

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Mistake #3: Avoiding the Web

Every business needs a professional website, especially virtual businesses. Perhaps I am a bit biased since my background is in Web design, but I really feel (and have seen proof) that a Web presence is vital for EVERY business, virtual assistance included. Why? Here are the biggest reasons you need to get your business on the Web:

• Promote Your Business: A website is critical for marketing and promoting your business, both online and off and should be a key part of your marketing plan.
  
• Be Credible: A well-developed website gives your business a certain level of credibility and legitimacy. This is especially true when you offer information about yourself and provide ways for prospective clients to contact you.
  
• Get Found: If you don't have a website you are losing every potential customer who jumps on Google and does a search for the exact service you offer.
  
• Answer Questions: A website tells people what you do, how you do it and who you do it for. In many cases, it's your first opportunity to answer questions of prospective clients and win their business.
  
• Compete with the Big Guys: Find me a successful company that doesn't have a website. I am willing to bet there are very few, if any, out there. If you don't have one, you will find it very hard to compete with the top performers in your industry.
  
• Be Open Around the Clock: Your site is online 24/7, so it's working (whether by selling, providing information, or sharing resources) even when you are not.

Creating an online presence doesn't have to be a complex endeavor and can be very affordable -- if you know what you need and where to go for it. Here are two must-haves, even before you take the step to create a website:

1. A Domain Name: A domain is the Internet address prospective clients will type into their browser to access your website. For example, my business domain is www.avertua.com. Your domain should be your business name or something that represents your business. You can see what's available by going to a registration service, such as Go Daddy or Register.com and typing in the domain you are considering.
   
2. A Business E-mail Address: Even before you have a website up and running, having a domain will allow you to set up a business e-mail account. Free e-mail services are great for personal correspondence, but they undermine your credibility as a professional when used for business purposes. While there are many providers offering free e-mail accounts, I strongly advise against using these accounts for your business. You need a business-only e-mail based on your domain name.

Registering a domain name and setting up a business e-mail account is one of the best actions and most affordable investments you can make for your business, and it will be invaluable. Stay tuned for more information on ways to create a website and, most importantly, how to market it.

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This post is expanded from Chapter 2: The Biggest Mistakes VAs Make in the book, VA Secrets Revealed! An Insider's Guide to Being a Successful Virtual Assistant. Grab a copy and follow along as I blog!

How to Approach Your Boss about Telecommuting

So you're not a work from home mom, but you would sure like to be! Let's say you have no interest in starting and running a business. You love your job, you just want to do it from home to cut down on your commuting time and expense, to be available to take care of a sick family member, or to be able to spend more time with your kids. How can you approach your boss with the notion of telecommuting and make an argument that will really get her to consider it?

The idea of telecommuting is not new. In 2006, more than 12 million Americans were telecommuting full-time, according to the Dieringer Research Group, which surveyed the trend for the International Telework Association and Council. Another 10 million were estimated to be telecommuting at least one day a week. Telework has been proven to work, it's a benefit to employers and employees alike, and it is becoming much more attractive for corporations as they look to reduce their cost of doing business during these strained economic times.

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Secret #6: Be a Bookworm

Read, read, read! Books, newspapers, online news, blogs, magazines, and newsletters can provide you with a wealth of information on starting and growing a business. You may find that gem of advice, resulting in doubling your income from one of the least expected places. The more you read, the more exposure you have to new ideas, tools and practices that you may benefit from in your business.

Not to mention there is tremendous value in staying current on news and technology so you can talk to your clients about events that may have an impact on them and their businesses. Knowing what's going on will also help you tailor your service offerings to address a new need that current and future clients are looking for help with.

Here is a collection of some of my favorite online reading material:

• AllBusiness
• Bizwomen
• Duct Tape Marketing
• Fast Company
• IVAACast (PDF), Publication of the International Virtual Assistants Association
• MarketingSherpa
• Mashable
• The Wall Street Journal

And if you're ready to do some serious reading, here are some of the best business books available as recommended in VA Secrets Revealed! An Insider's Guide to Being a Successful Virtual Assistant:

• The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich, Timothy Ferriss 
• The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen R. Covey
• The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It, Michael E. Gerber
• Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity, David Allen
• Gravitational Marketing: The Science of Attracting Customers, Jimmy Vee, Travis Miller and Joel Bauer
• How to Succeed as a Small Business Owner...and Still Have a Life, Bill Collier
• Off The Wall Marketing Ideas: Jumpstart Your Sales without Busting Your Budget, Nancy Michaels and Debbi J. Karpowicz
• The Savvy Gal's Guide to Online Networking (Or What Would Jane Austen Do?), Diane K. Danielson with Lindsey Pollak

Have any favorites to add to the list? Share in the comments below!

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This post is expanded from Chapter 6: My Top 20 Secrets to Success in the book, VA Secrets Revealed! An Insider's Guide to Being a Successful Virtual Assistant. Grab a copy and follow along as I blog chapter-by-chapter!

Mistake #6: Losing the Internal Struggle

Here's a Truth

Having a successful business is not easy. It takes a lot of dedication, hard work and foresight to build a business and create sustainability. And no matter how much work you put in, there are many things about business ownership that you won't be able to prepare yourself for. Things like not getting paid on time or at all when you have done the work, being asked to justify your rates to prospective clients, or losing a client. If you're not mentally prepared for these and other challenges, you may question yourself and your decision to start a business.

Confidence is Key

Throughout the process, it is so important to believe in yourself and have confidence. You've put in the time developing your business; you've researched the market, your competition and the cost of doing business; you've established your rates; you are marketing yourself; and you're feeling good about your new company.

Then, maybe something negative happens or work is slow and you feel like you need to take a step back and reevaluate. Are you charging too much? Are you taking too long to turn work around? Should you be working more hours? Should you think about going back to the corporate world?

Don't Second-Guess Yourself!

No, business ownership is not for everyone and not every business will succeed. But you don't stand a chance if you don't think you can do it. Give it a chance, do your best and believe in yourself…and the rest will fall into place.

Inspiration

Here are some of my favorite quotes that keep me going when I hit a bump in the road:

They can because they think they can.
Virgil

Determination gives you the resolve to keep going in spite of the roadblocks that lay before you.
Denis Waitley

The surest way not to fail is to determine to succeed.
Richard B. Sheridan

If you really want something, you can figure out how to make it happen.
Cher

A man can be as great as he wants to be. If you believe in yourself and have the courage, the determination, the dedication, the competitive drive and if you are willing to sacrifice the little things in life and pay the price for the things that are worthwhile, it can be done.
Vince Lombardi

Our greatest battles are that with our own minds.
Jameson Frank

In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.
Albert Einstein

Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.
John Wooden

Success usuallly comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it.
Henry David Thoreau 

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This post is expanded from Chapter 2: The Biggest Mistakes VAs Make in the book, VA Secrets Revealed! An Insider's Guide to Being a Successful Virtual Assistant. Grab a copy and follow along as I blog chapter-by-chapter!

Technology Primer: Data Backup Options

As a work from home mom -- whether you have your own business, telecommute, or freelance -- you have a lot of important data on your computer. As scary as it is, imagine if your system crashed and you lost everything. Would you be able to rebuild? How much time and money would be lost?

Unfortunately, we all know that system crashes are fairly common, and sometimes not preventable. So what can you do? The answer is to take measures to backup and secure your data so you can be up and running as quickly as possible if you have a crash.

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Secret #15: It's All In the Numbers

So what do you charge for the services you provide? Not sure you have it all figured correctly? How can you be sure you're charging the right rate?

This can be a difficult process. You want to make sure you are earning enough money to cover your business expenses, and, of course, earning a profit. However, you don't want to charge more than the market can bear. Unfortunately, there isn't a universal formula to help you do this; factors such as experience, where you live, who your target clients are and the services you provide all play a part in setting your rates.

As a starting point, use this calculator to get an idea of what you will need to make to cover your expenses.

The most important thing to remember is that once you set your rates, don't fluctuate! If you start changing your rates for different clients or projects, you will likely end up short-changing yourself and making less than you should be.  Not to mention you may be making a big mess in terms of bookkeeping which can be a nightmare -- and very costly -- to resolve.

Of course, your rates will not stay static for the life of your business. As you get more experienced and as the cost of doing business increases, so will your rates. Let your clients know well in advance so they can plan their budgets...and so no one gets an unexpected surprise.

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This post is expanded from Chapter 6: My Top 20 Secrets to Success in the book, VA Secrets Revealed! An Insider's Guide to Being a Successful Virtual Assistant. Grab a copy and follow along as I blog chapter-by-chapter!