The Ridiculously Good Virtual Assistant Show – Détails, épisodes et analyse

Like anywhere you are trying to go, you need to know the way to go.

You can call it a roadmap, a plan, a pathway, whatever you want - but basically it means you need step by step knowledge of the way from here to there, clearly mapped out, before you start.

When I tell you that you need to set your VA service rates, there is a process to do that the right way. You can’t just pick a number out of thin air.

When I tell you that you need a target market, it’s because you need to know who you are talking to and where you need to go to find them and talk to them.

When I tell you that you need to know how long everything takes you to do in your VA business, you need to actually do it and time it and set parameters about how you will do it again moving forward.

Before I did any of these things in my business, I did the wrong things.

I picked a number out of thin air. My business made no money for years.

I marketed to everyone. I had all kinds of different clients and did whatever they asked, and I never knew how to get a new client when I needed one.

I worked with open ended times for tasks. I wasted so much time doing things, and without processes I always had to try to remember to do something when I went to do it again a few months later.

Managing your time is so important as a VA, but being able to follow proven ways of getting things done matters too.

Not only do you work happier, you avoid burnout, you get more done, you make more money, and you deal with much less anxiety in your VA business when you have a roadmap.

It’s not about getting somewhere quickly. It’s about having the right plan, with the right steps - and moving towards it every day.

One step at a time will get you there faster than you even realize.

I’d love to help you get there.

It’s time. I’m here to help. It’s the only reason I’m here at all, is to help you become a ridiculously good VA. But it’s you who has to take that first step.

I have helped hundreds of VAs who are stuck get moving through private coaching, my monthly mastermind group The Virtual Circle, my group coaching program 50K Bootcamp, and my self study trainings like my Getting Started program, my monthly email membership The Virtual Toolkit, and more. If you are ready to get my help, let’s connect on a Cut to the Chase call. You can book yours at YourVAMentor.com/chase

Thanks for tuning in this week! I’ll see you next time!

PRIVATE COACHING: Let’s work together privately to get you to your really big goal. It’s the fastest way to get results and we can start right away. Learn more about private coaching here.

GROUP COACHING MASTERMIND: The Virtual Circle is a group coaching mastermind option that costs less than private coaching, and can help you achieve the goals you set for yourself. . Check it out here: The Virtual Circle Group Coaching Mastermind for Virtual Assistants. We’d love to have you join us!

50K VA GROUP COACHING PROGRAM: If you have been struggling to build your VA business, get in on this live coaching program where we will help you create the framework for a business that can earn you 50K a year and beyond. Register here now: 50K Bootcamp for VAs

MONTHLY EMAIL MEMBERSHIP: I also have a brand new low-cost monthly membership program that will help you build your VA business – and it doesn’t require you to be on social media! It’s an email membership that I call The Virtual Toolkit! Every Monday morning you’ll receive a lesson and a downloadable resource in your inbox, that you can use to take a step further in your VA business. Get more details and sign up here now!

SELF STUDY PROGRAM: My self study program Getting Started as a VA can help you get your VA business started easily and quickly too. You can sign up right away and be on your way to getting clients by the end of the program, with all the right foundations in place. Check out the program here.

COMPLIMENTARY CONSULT: Reach out to me if you need to talk about where you are stuck and what the right option might be to get you moving. It’s literally all I’m here to do is help you get to where you want to go. Book a complimentary Cut to the Chase call with me here.

Today I want to talk about marketing - but not just advertising your business, or getting visibility - I want to talk about why you need to do things a certain way to get better results.

It's easy to do marketing. But to do it well? You need to understand why certain things work.

If you tuned in to my interview with Alicia Croci of Wildly Creative Studio, you will know that she mentioned the psychology of sales. That’s the reason that people say yes, or say no, or engage or don’t engage with you.

There are certain things that you need to realize about sales, about marketing, and about business - that will help you get better results from everything that you do.

I’m going to talk about 10 of them in today’s episode.

Marketing is an essential part of getting clients for your VA business. You have to do it or you won’t have a VA business soon.

So take some of these tips and implement them today. Or better yet, let me help you build your system and help you get clients.

Let’s circle back to today’s quote: Marketing’s job is never done. It’s about perpetual motion. We must continue to innovate every day. Remember this, and remember that taking just one step every day is perpetual motion. You can do it!

It’s time. I’m here to help. It’s the only reason I’m here at all, is to help you become a ridiculously good VA. But it’s you who has to take that first step.

I have helped hundreds of VAs who are stuck get moving through private coaching, my monthly mastermind group, my group coaching program and my self study trainings. If you are ready to get my help, let’s connect on a Cut to the Chase call. You can book yours at YourVAMentor.com/chase

Here's how I can help you:

PRIVATE COACHING: Let’s work together privately to get you to your really big goal. It’s the fastest way to get results and we can start right away. Learn more about private coaching here.

GROUP COACHING MASTERMIND: The Virtual Circle is a group coaching mastermind option that costs less than private coaching, and can help you achieve the goals you set for yourself. . Check it out here: The Virtual Circle Group Coaching Mastermind for Virtual Assistants. We’d love to have you join us!

50K VA GROUP COACHING PROGRAM: If you have been struggling to build your VA business, get in on this live coaching program where we will help you create the framework for a business that can earn you 50K a year and beyond. Register here now: 50K Bootcamp for VAs

MONTHLY EMAIL MEMBERSHIP: I also have a brand new low-cost monthly membership program that will help you build your VA business – and it doesn’t require you to be on social media! It’s an email membership that I call The Virtual Toolkit! Every Monday morning you’ll receive a lesson and a downloadable resource in your inbox, that you can use to take a step further in your VA business. Get more details and sign up here now!

SELF STUDY PROGRAM: My self study program Getting Started as a VA can help you get your VA business started easily and quickly too. You can sign up right away and be on your way to getting clients by the end of the program, with all the right foundations in place. Check out the program here.

COMPLIMENTARY CONSULT: Reach out to me if you need to talk about where you are stuck and what the right option might be to get you moving. It’s literally all I’m here to do is help you get to where you want to go. Book a complimentary Cut to the Chase call with me here.

Thanks for tuning in this week! I’ll see you next time!

This episode is the third in a series of four episodes that I want to share with you as a lead up to my 50K VA Group Coaching program that is launching next month.

High-Value Clients – we are talking about this because it’s your missing link.

It’s the thing you don’t have right now, that you want. That you need.

It’s the whole basis for my 50K VA program that is launching soon.

You are struggling right now because you are not in contact with the right people.

It’s really as simple as that.

If you were networking or in a community with a whole bunch on entrepreneurs who had money, who were doing the stuff to grow their business, who were successful, but who didn’t have any VAs, would you be able to help them?

Yes you could! You can. And you will.

Instead you are eking through on social media with people who are starting their business, who are feeling the challenge of doing their admin while serving their clients too – and not doing it well.

So they hire you because they can’t afford an in house admin, and then they nickel and dime and micromanage everything you do because they are struggling to afford your services anyway.

Sound familiar?

Well maybe it’s not all that bad, but it goes down that path really quickly if you’re not paying attention.

If your clients are choosing your lowest package, or asking you what you charge to do this or that (okay then we’ll just do this), then you are going to struggle to build the business YOU want. That will help you live the lifestyle that YOU want.

And your business …. Quite frankly, it’s about you. It’s for you.

If you just wanted a paycheque, you could go and get a job.

You started your business because you want freedom, flexibility, and all that good stuff that goes with being a business owner.

So it’s time for you to find the clients that really need you – the ones that value you – high-value clients will help you build a high-value VA business.

And that’s what we are going to talk about on today’s episode.

If you are looking to build the kind of business I’m talking about - a 50K and beyond VA business, that’s where I can help. I am here to help you become a ridiculously good VA.

I have helped hundreds of VAs who are stuck get moving through private coaching, my monthly mastermind group, my group coaching program and my self study trainings. If you are ready to get my help, let’s connect on a Cut to the Chase call. You can book yours at YourVAMentor.com/chase

Thanks for tuning in this week! I’ll see you next time!

What's Next for You?

PRIVATE COACHING: Let’s work together privately to get you to your really big goal. It’s the fastest way to get results and we can start right away. Learn more about private coaching here.

GROUP COACHING MASTERMIND: The Virtual Circle is a group coaching mastermind option that costs less than private coaching, and can help you achieve the goals you set for yourself. . Check it out here: The Virtual Circle Group Coaching Mastermind for Virtual Assistants. We’d love to have you join us!

50K VA GROUP COACHING PROGRAM: If you have been struggling to build your VA business, get in on this live coaching program where we will help you create the framework for a business that can earn you 50K a year and beyond. STARTS SEPTEMBER 2024!

MONTHLY EMAIL MEMBERSHIP: I also have a brand new low-cost monthly membership program that will help you build your VA business – and it doesn’t require you to be on social media! It’s an email membership that I call The Virtual Toolkit! Every Monday morning you’ll receive a lesson and a downloadable resource in your inbox, that you can use to take a step further in your VA business. Get more details and sign up here now!

SELF STUDY PROGRAM: My self study program Getting Started as a VA can help you get your VA business started easily and quickly too. You can sign up right away and be on your way to getting clients by the end of the program, with all the right foundations in place. Check out the program here.

COMPLIMENTARY CONSULT: Reach out to me if you need to talk about where you are stuck and what the right option might be to get you moving. It’s literally all I’m here to do is help you get to where you want to go. Book a complimentary Cut to the Chase call with me here.

Is it time for you to bring subcontractors in to your VA business?

There is a right time , and there is a wrong time.

And there is a right way to set yourself up for them, and a wrong way.

Let's get started by talking about what leads up to you bringing in subcontractors.

It's about your work load of course.

the best time to bring in subs is when your business has gotten so busy that you need help. That's the simple answer.

As you bring in more and more clients, your attention will get divided - and you will have to work more.

Getting more clients is always good for business. You make more money, and you can help more people.

But being a very busy VA is not always great though. Sometimes our response times suffer, sometimes our turnaround times suffer, and sometimes we can get burned out because we have so many things to do.

That's when getting help to get your client work done makes good sense.

Of course if you know your VA business is going to grow, that's the best time to plan to bring in subcontractors.
The setup time for subs depends on what you are going to outsource to someone else. Getting a couple of things in place is easy - like a sub agreement, but getting your systems set up and raising your rates for your clients can take more time. So if you know that you want to run your business with subs, make sure you are doing that set up long before you need it and things will work out much better for you.

But most of the time we realize that we are working too much and need help - and that's when we decide it's time. And that's okay too - like I said it's the far more common way to do it, but you still want to prepare your business well.

Just quickly, when is the wrong time to bring in subs? Well, there are a few:

If you are not booked out, it's not the right time.
If you haven't set rates that allow you to pay out subs, it's not the right time.
If you don't know how to do the things your subs do, it's not the right time.

I'll elaborate on all of these as we talk about the right way - but these are really important, and worth mentioning.

So let's talk about what you need to have in place before your bring in subs.

1. You need to know exactly what you need help with. You can train subs but you need to define the tasks you need help with so you can get the best support. You don't always want to train VAs with every little thing, so decide how much experience someone needs or how challenging the tasks are to figure out the skill level your subs need. I have worked as a sub with my expertise, and as an absolute newbie. What helped me be a good sub in both of those roles? The lead VA, their processes, and their ability to help me, their sub, get the work done as efficiently as possible. Also, decide how many subs you need. Sometimes it depends on what the tasks are - it also depends on the timing of those tasks, and the skill level too. You don't always have to have just one sub doing everything.

2. You need to set your sub payment rate, or the rate you are willing to pay to hire a sub. When you are paying out someone else, you need to retain both administrative money and profit from the money the client pays you. It makes no sense to pay a sub all of what your client pays you. You have to be sure that your rates are set up to retain profit and make your VA business money. When you are growing your team you need to also grow your business, don't forget that. A lot of VAs will pay out 75% of their billable rate to their subcontractors. So for a $30 sub, you need to be charging your clients at least $40. Sometimes VAs will tell you how much their sub rate is - meaning they will work for you as a sub for X rate. I prefer to tell them what being on my team pays, but as long as the rates work out so that you are profitable, you can do whichever you like. Work within your budget, like we tell our clients to, and you will be fine.

3. Track all time and tasks. Project management excellence is essential when you are working with subs. You need to make sure that you know what they are doing, and how much time that is taking. You will set a budget for each client and the sub VA needs to work within that. And of course since you are doing the admin, you want this info to be as easy to check in on as possible. Use a project management system - whatever works for you is terrific - and make sure your team members all use it. Be sure that your VAs are keeping their time spent up to date so you can monitor your client budgets.

4. Communicate very clearly. When I work with a client, we have regular check in calls - weekly production calls I always called them - to quickly connect and talk about priorities for the week. I do recommend doing a team meeting once a week, they are very effective, and then the rest of the communication can and should take place in your project management system the remainder of each week. Your subs also need to communicate very well, no matter what they are doing for you. A lot of time can get wasted in the communication process if you aren't doing it well. Setting a system for communication and making sure everyone uses it can really help the work between more seamless.

5. Create and use procedures and checklists. If there is one thing I can tell you will help your subs do the work you need done in the way you need it done, it is procedures and checklists. You can either create the procedures, or have your subs create them when they come on your team. And then all you have to do it walk through the procedure to ensure that the work is being done to your expectations. It doesn't matter how they think it should be done- you are the one who dictates it all for your business. And in terms of checklists, these will always ensure that no steps are missed, and that you can see that the VA is verifying they have done every step in a checklist when you look in on their work. Remember when you are working with team members, your rates will be higher - and that means your clients are paying you a premium to have high quality work done. In my experience, VAs who use checklists do a better job than those who don't. Make your subs use them, or they don't get to work on your team.

6. Pay your subs the same amount you would charge your clients. This is something that some VAs don't do, so I need to mention it. When you are working with your clients, you have some idea how long a task should take. You need to tell your VAs how long any task should take, and they need to work within that billable time. For example, if you were doing the work for a client newsletter and it was taking you 2 hours every time, then the sub needs to do the work in 2 hours as well. You can't let your VAs chip away at your time because you are eating into your profit. So even though you are paying them less than you charge, you can't let someone take 3 hours (or longer) to do the same work you would do in 2. Tell them how long they have to complete a task - give them the written procedures - and if they can't do the work in the time, assess why (are you just really fast? or are they really slow?). Match up their time with your billable time to the client. I once had a sub who spent 6 hours on a research project that I was only charging the client 2 hours for. You can't have that happen. If I know the estimate is 2 hours I have to tell the sub it needs to get done in 2 hours.

7. Know how to do what your subs will do. I know many VAs who think they can get people in do tasks that they don't know how to do - these are not subs. These are associates -and unless you have a lot of experience as a VA, I don't recommend starting this way. Use your subs to do your work - to take over for you - so that you can keep an eye on their work and deliver the same quality to your clients. Later you can think about being an agency, but when you are building a team, and you are the one responsible to the client, you need to be able to cover for everyone on the team. And if you don't know how to do something and your sub flakes out, your clients will lose confidence in your ability. Your business is always the most important part of the people you have doing the work for you. Prioritize it and you will build an amazing team.

8. Use a contract and even an application process if possible. You need to let your subs know that the work they do is really important and a contract helps them do that. They aren't just helping you or doing things that are not that important. They are producing their best work for you - their client, essentially - and it needs to be top notch. If you use an application process you can make a better decision about who can join your team. I have seen many people have a quick Facebook group interaction with someone saying 'PM me, I need someone'. I am sincerely hoping they go through a vetting process after that so they can make sure the sub they are choosing is the right one. I always looked for long term subs - just like long term clients.

These are all pretty simple things but they are very often not taken into consideration by VAs who want to work with subs.

Properly planned and managed, working with subcontractors is an excellent way to scale your business growth.

By planning your communication, project management and making sure your rates are maintaining your profit level, you can build a much bigger business than just you!

And when you are organized and can manage both your client's and your sub's expectations, you can keep everyone happy.

Oh yes speaking of those clients, it's essential that you let them know that your business has grown to use others to do their work. You may even need to update your own contract with them. Never let someone else access your client files and systems without advising your client beforehand.

And know that your business insurance won't cover your subs - they need to have their own insurance for their own business, that covers them.

If you need some help with setting your VA business up for subcontractors, reach out to me at tracey@yourvamentor.com

I've helped hundreds of VAs through their challenges and got them on their way to the next thing. I'd love to do the same for you. I do private coaching, and my new mastermind The Virtual Circle registration is open now. Maybe one of those options is right for you.

That's all I've got for you this week, thanks for tuning in to learn to become a ridiculously good Virtual Assistant.

Today we are going to talk about overthinking.  While thinking as a business owner is a good skill, doing too much of it can keep you stuck.

Quote: Overthinking is like a rocking chair. It gives you something to do, but doesn't get you anywhere. - Erma Bombeck

Erma Bombeck always gave such solid advice, and I think this is an excellent analogy. It's time to go places!

If you are someone who overthinks stuff, this episode is for you.

It's for us. I do it too - I would be willing to bet that everyone has done it at one time or another.

Why is overthinking such a big deal?

There are a lot of reasons why it's bad (but the good news is that we can fix it)

Here are some reasons why it's not good to overthink:

• it keeps us stuck where we are
• it keeps us from making decisions
• it makes things seem bigger than they probably are
• it keeps you in the past, reflecting on what you could have done better
• it helps you make excuses about why you didn't do or say something
• it makes you worry about things that haven't even happened yet

Staying stuck is a common issue for Virtual Assistants anyway, so it really is not good to let overthinking take over on top of that.

The more you think about something, the more you train your brain to think about it.

It's just a bad habit. But it may be one you have had for many years.

Let me ask you a question right out the gate. Are you aware that you are overthinking when it happens?

If you aren't, then that has to be the first thing to think about.

Awareness is important, and even that isn't easy.

I suggest putting a system in place to help yourself - and that might take some practice too, but you have to start somewhere!

Write your system down = and make changes to it each time you use it, as necessary, so that you get better at handling it.

If you have had this habit for a really long time, it will take time to change that habit. Give yourself a break, and give yourself the tools you need to make the change.

So you need a system to get out of the overthinking valley when you are there - and never beat yourself up for going back there. Just plan to move back out as quickly as you can.

So, first things first - you do need to keep an eye out for it. Look for the signs so you can identify when it's happening, and then consult your system.

Look for the solution to the problem. Always focus on fixing the issue. Look at it as objectively as you can, even though sometimes that can be hard when it's your situation.

Step out of your own situation so you can look objectively at what is going on. Try not to get carried away by your own emotions.

I always suggest treating yourself like a client when you are having trouble doing something. Do the same here.

What if your client (or a loved one) presented an issue as overthinking? What would you tell them? How would you help them? How would you be objective about it?

Write all of those things down. You need to do the same things for yourself.

And it is hard to do it when it's for yourself, I get it, but you can do it.

Get help with this in the beginning if you find it difficult, Practice makes perfect, and I promise you will get better at it the more you practice your system.

When you have worked through something, take a moment to write that down too - so you can refer to it next time. Celebrate that success, you just proved to yourself that you can do it.

Never beat yourself up when you realize you are holding yourself back because of overthinking.

Always honour your thoughts, and your feelings, but still know that you need to change them if you are going to move forward.

Remember that you can't control everything. When things are rough, focus on the things that you can control. Change the things you can change. Move past the things that you can't change.

And definitely focus on what can go right. There is always a good side! And you deserve to be there. And you will get there if you let yourself.

Actually handling the overthinking will do wonders for you:

• you will start to move forward, even if it's just in baby steps
• you will be able to make the decisions you need so you aren't spinning your wheels
• you will see things for what they really are, and not the huge issues that you are presenting yourself now
• you will focus on the future, and learn from what has happened - so you can pay much more attention to the stuff that you did right
• you will stop making excuses because you will be saying and doing the right things
• and you will worry a lot less because you will focus on the future and all the positive stuff that you now see for yourself

When things start to pop up, grab that system.
Remember that you worked your way through something last time, and you can do it again.

And final advice: a lot of people suggested giving yourself time to overthink - like set a timer, and then when the timer goes off, stop. I don't see the value in that myself, but I would be remiss if I didn't bow to the experts here.

For myself, I understand the idea of identifying it, but I can't quite see how you can let yourself be upset and then just shut it off.

I prefer to identify it and then go to my system. You can do whichever works for you. As I always tell you, I can't teach you something that I don't have experience with so there's my caveat for you ha ha

I hope I was able to give you some practical tips today on how to handle your habit of overthinking.

If you need some help with getting your system in place to fix your overthinking, reach out to me at tracey@yourvamentor.com

I've helped hundreds of VAs through their challenges and got them on their way to the next thing. I'd love to do the same for you. I do private coaching, and my new mastermind The Virtual Circle registration is open now. Maybe one of those options is right for you.

That's all I've got for you this week, thanks for tuning in to learn to become a ridiculously good Virtual Assistant.

Do you get really stuck when it comes to marketing your Virtual Assistant business? If you do, it's perfectly normal.

As admin professionals, most of us were never taught about marketing. So we kind of make things up as we go, or throw spaghetti at the wall and hope something sticks.

I've been there, and I've done it all wrong. I still get it wrong sometimes!

Let's talk about why that is.

When we are looking for clients, we can't help but think about making a sale.

I mean, if we don't make a sale, we don't have a client. And we don't get any money.

So when someone, maybe a coach like me, tells you to focus on helping people instead of selling, it sounds good ... but it still doesn't solve your issue of not having clients.

We like to think there's a magic switch that we can flip from no clients, to lots of clients. And there can be, but there are a lot of things you have to have in place for that switch to start working.

And if you are still struggling to get clients, then you probably just don't have all of the things in place that need to be there.

One of those things is a simple and effective way to promote your service to the clients who need them.

What is the goal of our marketing?

Not to make a sale, believe it or not!

But it's to showcase our expertise to our clients - in terms of how we can help THEM.

Let me repeat that.

It's to showcase our expertise to our clients - in terms of how we can help THEM.

Yes it's about us ... but only in relation to how we can help our clients.

Marketing and promotion must satisfy the attention of the person who is going to be making the purchase, or spending the money. And that's your clients.

So ... lots of VAs get marketing wrong. We talk about what we do, we tell people that we are VAs, and that we help our clients with everything under the sun, and that we have a special on now, and that we have a client opening next month, and that we save them time and money.

But none of that messaging lands with most clients.

What do they want to know? They want to know how you can help them fix something in their business. Simple.

If they are overwhelmed by all of their daily tasks, maybe you can help them with project management.

If they are too busy handling their customers requests and communication, maybe you can help with with client care or customer service.

If they are behind in their books, maybe you can help them with bookkeeping.

If they are not posting anything on social media, maybe you can help them get more eyes on their business.

You get the idea.

So these are real problems that your clients have - and ones they need solutions to.

It's a very simple issue, and they need to understand easily that you can help them with it.

If they believe you can help them do that, you could have a new client.

So how does that come through in our marketing?

We need to create simple messaging that clearly talks about how you are aware of their issues and that's how you help your clients - and how you can help them.

We need to become memorable - so they see us often and we begin to become top of mind when they are thinking about their problems and looking for a solution.

In terms of your content - this means consistent posting, and solid content topics that your clients relate to.

Make it inviting to look at (so it looks good), and don't forget to also make it fun (or interesting) to read.

Content isn't just your website copy or your blog posts either - content is all the words and the images that you are putting out there in the business world. Including the words coming out of your mouth.

So choosing the words and the images that you use in your marketing is important. And it can help you stand out because you will be recognizable.

Consistent posting or connecting will help you to become part of a community and part of your client's feed.

Sharing a consistent message in your copy and images also needs to flow over into your conversations.

So when you are networking, you want to talk to people about the same types of things that you are posting in your content. What is the theme of those things? How you can help them.

And when you are having conversations with people - at events, or in groups, same.

In networking situations, you are marketing your business. Yes, you are getting to know people, but it's still about moving relationships further when you connect.

Ask questions, answer questions. And always be sure you are keeping things simple and light.

So update your website copy, your social media bios, and your content so that it is all consistent and conveys the message of how you help your clients.

Share information, resources and tips that showcase your client's problems and how you solve them.

So let's get back to the idea of helping people over sales. The sales will come when the messaging doesn't scream 'sale'.

Those posts about being a VA, helping clients with whatever they need, a special on now, a client opening next month, and saving them time and money ... they are falling on deaf ears. So you are spending time creating and posting things that aren't doing anything for your business.

Get your messaging right and focus on your clients and what they need, and you'll see a lot better results. It gets easy once you get started. So let's get you started!

If you need some help with creating content that works for you, reach out to me at tracey@yourvamentor.com

I've helped hundreds of VAs through their challenges and got them on their way to the next thing. I'd love to do the same for you. I do private coaching, and my new mastermind The Virtual Circle registration is open now. Maybe one of those options is right for you.

That's all I've got for you this week, thanks for tuning in to learn to become a ridiculously good Virtual Assistant.

Today we are going to talk about your mindset. It's important to keep checking in on that all the time! Business is hard, and we need to master our mindset to go where we want to go.

What you think you become. Buddha

Buddha is smart. Buddha knows that you are responsible for your own happiness, success, and thoughts.

Mindset is incredibly important to keep tabs on when you are a business owner. 

There are hard things, and if you let them get the better of you, you will not survive.

What are you thinking of every day that is shaping the way your days go?

If you think you are struggling, you will focus on the struggles.
If you think you are busy, you will find the busy everywhere and feel overwhelmed and behind.
If you think you are great, you will find the greatness in everything you do.

It sounds simple, and it really is.

The more positive you can be - the more positive things you will focus on. And the more positive things will come your way.

If you have ever seen someone on a roll, you can watch how it snowballs.

The same is said for failure. Spirally downward is much easier when it's all you are thinking about.

So let's focus on the positive.

Your mind is such a powerful thing. Your brain is. And it will help you as much as you let it. It doesn't make decisions for you or tell you who to feel, it just naturally leads you in the direction of your thoughts.

So how can we fix a crappy mindset?

First things first - say it out loud!

How many of you spend some days in total silence?
I do - there are days when I realize I haven't spoken out loud for hours.
We live in our heads, and like I said our brains are powerful things. We don't even realize how many thoughts we are capable of processing in a second, a minute, an hour.

If we are dreading doing a task or taking a meeting or making a connection or creating a piece of content, we'll probably put it off and do something that is more fun. But it's still there in your mind.

Getting things done is much easier when you want to to do it.

So we need to keep ourselves in that frame of mind as much as possible.

Like the golfer or the musician who is on a roll and cranking out the wins, we need to do the same.

Also, it's more fun!

So what can you do to help your mindset?

Keep it positive. Do whatever you can to help yourself stay in a positive frame of mind. Success journals work - if you are down, you can make a point of remembering things that you have done that went well. Then find the opportunity to do more of those. I know it sounds crazy but talk out loud to yourself. The silence is deafening sometimes. Talk to yourself - read things out loud. It really will help redirect your inner thoughts when you hear and outside voice.

Read every day - reading a business book or blog can really help you find inspiration for your business - whether it's new strategies to implement, new content to create, new people to connect with ... bringing in new stuff every day can be exciting.

Take action every day - sitting around doing the same old same old is going to yield you lousy results. If you are looking for clients, get out there and do it. Make connections. Help people. Talk to people. Every single day. It's easy to develop a habit of staying behind our computer screen and not actually talking to people but you will be amazed by the growth you can do as a business owner by having real conversations with people (phone, Zoom, in person or in social media groups).

Work in your purpose. VAs love to help others. That's why a lot of us love what we do and want to help as many people as possible. If you want to stay positive, focus on that. Always think about your purpose and how you are doing so much good for others. Valuing yourself is a really good way to keep your mindset strong and positive.

Do what you do best - nothing makes us negative like when we struggle. Struggling to figure something out, or doing something you don't like or aren't good at can really add to the negative attitude. Things take longer, People aren't the right fit. You find yourself stuck on support chats most of the day. Become a master at what you do and you will have smoother days too.

Be proactive. Don't let your clients dictate the workload. Be in charge and keep them on their toes to be sending you the pieces you need to get their work done. If you sit around and wait for them it's very easy to start feeling down. If your client isn't busy enough, find one that is. A busy and productive VA is a happy one!

One small positive thought in the morning can change your whole day.

This is so true. I am not a big fan of affirmations or intentions of stuff like that but they do work.

Stick up positive messages in your office and work space everywhere. Read them out loud to yourself each morning and any time you need a boost.

And finally, find and rely on your community. A business buddy, an accountability partner, a mastermind group, a trusted group of colleagues. Whatever you can, find people you can talk to - and be sure to focus on positive communication with them. You can talk about your struggles, but always try to find the positives and the way through - don't just bellyache to each other.

Some days will be hard but setting yourself up to be the best that you can be starts with your mindset. 

And the more you can help yourself develop a positive one - and create steps for yourself to shift back into a positive one when you are struggling, the better you will be.

Ridiculously good, in fact!

You're it, baby. You have to figure it out or it will cut you down. Let's do it!

If you need some help with fixing your mindset or developing your process to stay in a better frame of mind as a business owner, reach out to me at tracey@yourvamentor.com

I've helped hundreds of VAs through their challenges and got them on their way to the next thing. I'd love to do the same for you. I do private coaching, and my new mastermind The Virtual Circle registration is open now. Maybe one of those options is right for you.

That's all I've got for you this week, thanks for tuning in to learn to become a ridiculously good Virtual Assistant

Today we are going to talk about productivity - how to get more done without sacrificing quality work or  excellence

As virtual assistants, we talk a lot about productivity.

Time is money when you provide a service like we do, and every minute counts.

That doesn't mean that you have to work fast, or charge by the minute. What I'm talking about is increasing productivity - and that's different.

We want to be ridiculously good - right? - and so we never want to sacrifice excellence.

We just want to make the best of our time.

That means we need to identify what needs to be done , prioritize it well, and make sure it gets done.

The system that you use to manage your work has everything to do with works best for you.

I can't tell you what to use - pen and paper, a project management system, Google, Outlook, time tracking.

What works for me may not work for you. But what I want to share with you today will let you know how to manage your time better, no matter what system or process you use.

1. You must eliminate distractions when you are trying to get things done. Yes I know, lots of people tell you this. But I'm going to explain distractions a bit differently for you in this episode. Many virtual assistants I talk to have no idea where their time goes during the day. But then they tell me that they check a client's email all day long, or leave it open so they can manage whatever comes in as soon as it comes in. I will say that if a client requires that you do that for them every day, I hope you are getting paid for 8 hours a day from that client. Email is a means of communication but it does not need to be answered immediately. Instead, plan to check in hourly or less - I used to do client care for 6 and 7 figure business coaches, and I checked their email 3x a day. That's it. It helped me manage my time better, and the clients still got responded to three times every single day. Eliminating distractions extends far past closing social media - we need to work smarter and not make excuses for why the way we do things might not be the most efficient way to do it.

2. Learn to focus better. The more time you give yourself to get something done, the longer you will take to do it. When you focus on what you are trying to do, you can work much more efficiently and you can get it done in less time. Look at everything you do - are you repeating things, or taking longer to do something than necessary? Think about what you could do differently - or ask a colleague to give you some input. A business coach of mine once ran us through an exercise at a live event. We paired up with another attendee and the exercise was to tell the other person 5 things that we did to help our clients. We each had 5 minutes to explain what we did, and then the other person helped us write down our 5 things, as they understood them. Once we finished that exercise, she tasked us with another exercise - create a piece of content in 15 minutes. She suggested a blog post. Everyone panicked - 15 minutes - but she said to use one of the ideas we just came up with, and get it done. There were 24 of us in the room and nearly all of us got the piece of content made in time. Why? Because she gave us the tools we needed first - and then we worked to complete the task in the time that was allotted. That's focus.

3. Create buckets of time - I often talk about this, and it will definitely make my productivity podcast! Part of the reason that we lose time is that we give ourselves a start time, but we then don't stop. I've seen it happen with things like research projects, social media, and more. Going down a rabbit hole - and letting yourself do it - can rob us of valuable time every single day. If you tell yourself that you will start at x time, and then stop at x time, you give yourself a reasonable bucket of time to complete the task. It is important to manage your time, not just spend it. So if you give yourself a stop time, that's managing it. And if you need more time you are aware that you need more time, and you can assign yourself more time to complete it. But you're not losing track of time.

4. Use tools - checklists, procedures, automation tools. Whatever you need - and whatever you will use. I use a bullet journal, Trello and my Google calendar. So that is a combination of paper, my phone, and a project management system. It works for me. With my bullet journal, I keep lists. When I want to get something done, then I can use the bullet journal list to create checklists, processes, procedures, Trello boards and set deadlines. The bullet journal is my master list. The Trello board is where I manage the tasks or action steps. The calendar I use to book my time - but I don't book all of my time like many others. I know when I have hard stops for meetings or other commitments by my calendar. And it helps me decide when I can fit in the things that I need to do. You need to use the same process. Keep a master to-do list, use a system or process to manage your daily and weekly tasks, and work within your calendar. Again here you are managing your workload in the time that you have available in a day or week. It's a great habit to begin using and you get better at it the more you do it. Practice makes perfect!

5. Stay on track. Whatever you plan, do your best to keep yourself on track. If you haven't scheduled your time and really managed it before, you may get it wrong sometimes. Cut yourself some slack. and keep at it. Block in a bit of empty time every day to use to catch up that way you don't get used to bumping tasks. And keep honing your managing skills. You can do it! Create a distractions list so you don't get derailed by distractions too. All that is, is a list beside your work station of things that you think of - that you may feel like you need to do now. But you don't. The task you are working on is the priority, keep it that way. Write the new thing on the list, and then decide when you will work on that when you next do your calendar management.

Remember lost time is never found again. When you start to change the habits you have around your time, and start to manage it better, you will get more done in less time -and won't lose any excellence. In fact, you'll become even more excellent!

If you need some help with getting more productive and managing your time better, reach out to me at tracey@yourvamentor.com

I've helped hundreds of VAs through their challenges and got them on their way to the next thing. I'd love to do the same for you. I do private coaching, and my new mastermind The Virtual Circle registration is open now. Maybe one of those options is right for you.

That's all I've got for you this week, thanks for tuning in to learn to become a ridiculously good Virtual Assistant.

Today we are going to talk about marketing - in particular, inbound marketing - and how to do it well to get clients.

Last episode we talked about outbound marketing (or reaching out to clients), so this week we will cover the other half of the essentials of marketing.

First a quick recap:
What is marketing?
The act of putting your VA business in front of people
Instead of thinking of it as advertising and publicity, think more of it as visibility and sales/getting clients
Focus on increasing your visibility so your clients can decide on their own to buy

Why do we need to do marketing?
Learning how to market is the best thing you can do to guarantee the longevity of your VA business
because it brings in revenue and that keeps you in business

The more marketing tasks you do right, or well, the less you actually have to do.

What are the essentials?

What is your offer? What do you want people to buy?

How much will it cost them?

Who is going to buy it?

Where are they - where will they see you, or where can you see them?

What will you say to them? before, during and after

ONLY when you know the answers to these questions, you can doing some marketing to connect with your clients.

Inbound Marketing
Content that helps people see you and connect with you or reach out to you (attracting them IN to you)

Outbound Marketing
Actions and content that help you reach out to others to connect with them (reaching OUT to them)

Today we are going to talk about inbound marketing.

Inbound: freebies, list building, emailing, posting to social media, videos, blogging and your website (all good).

These things are probably the things you think of when we say marketing. It's about all of the things that we put out there so that people can learn about our business.

VAs don't necessarily need a huge email list, but having people find YOU makes sales conversations easier to get. We don't own social media - so attracting people to our website, blog and email list though - so that it is ours. And no matter which type of marketing you are doing, you need leads - everything you do should lead to sales conversations so you can get clients.

Social Media:
Social media posting is great – with the right plan.
VAs often do it wrong.
Be really clear on what you should be putting out there.
Don't talk about being a VA and how great it is. It's all about your clients.
Create content that are relevant to what they want to learn about - not just sales posts about your services.
For instance, if you offer course creator support, write about that kind of thing - what platforms that you use, updates to platforms or trends, and how you help your clients with them. Show that you are the expert. Become their information source.
You don’t need to be on social media all day long to do your marketing. Focus on the things that are interesting to your clients, that will help you get better quality content out there.

Messaging is Important:
When your messaging is on point, you can do less and have it work harder for you.
Get really clear on what you help your clients with - use the concise marketing message.
I help (who) with (what) so that they can (what), because I (why).
It's not an elevator pitch but this information helps you get really clear on what kind of content you should be putting out there.
Anything you put out there should work hard for you, it’s never one and done.
Set up a system for your digital marketing tasks that plays one off the other to get the best results.

Search Engine Optimization:
SEO also is key for any online content
The words you use are important to help the search engines put your content in front of the right people.
Hashtags, keywords
Make your content work harder for you.
You don’t have to be an SEO specialist, but use words that help people find you when they are looking (what do they type into a search engine)
My story - I never ranked in search engines because I didn't use the right words in my titles or articles. I thought I was talking to my audience, but I needed to be speaking to the search engines.

Blogging:
Writing blogs is great because you own your website and the content
You can guide people to where you want on your own site
You can repurpose it easily into more content
Creating regular content is good for search engines too - website updates are good!
Endeavour to write 400 to 600 words and you will get more content that is still really valuable.
Your goal is to have people know, like and trust you: more of the same content does that

Your content:
Write for your clients, not for you.
Stand out by posting different content than most VAs post.
What do they want to know about?
Always base content on the services you offer
For example, a bookkeeper writes about tax and expense tips & resources, organization tips, industry info – and references the things she does for clients. (not about being a VA)
What works for you? Anything related to the services that you offer.

Creating Content:
When you write your concise marketing message, you can then begin to create content around that message.
Decide on 4 main topics to write about
Rotate them weekly. Repeat each month.
Repurpose from a large piece of content
This creates consistency and cohesiveness, which showcases your expertise

Get Inspired:
When you have 4 main content topics, it’s easier to collect great info to support them
Swipe file is a place to collect stuff to use in your content - bookmark, Google Drive file, digital file.
Stats, quotes
Curated content
Makes creation process faster to collect this all month long

Get Going!
Focus on 2 or 3 main things to do in terms of posting content
Don’t try to be everywhere
Work smart!

What will you do to market your VA business? whatever works for you - whatever is comfortable for you - whatever produces results for you.

That's all I've got for you this week.

If you need some help with nailing down your marketing essentials, or creating great content, or doing your inbound marketing better, reach out to me at tracey@yourvamentor.com

I've helped hundreds of VAs through their challenges and got them on their way to the next thing. I'd love to do the same for you. I do private coaching, and my new mastermind The Virtual Circle registration is open now. Maybe one of those options is right for you.

That's all I've got for you this week, thanks for tuning in to learn to become a ridiculously good Virtual Assistant.

The Essentials of Outbound Marketing: Reaching Out

Today we are going to talk about marketing - in particular, outbound marketing - and how to do it well to get clients.

What is marketing?
The act of putting your VA business in front of people
Instead of thinking of it as advertising and publicity, think more of it as visibility and sales/getting clients
Focus on increasing your visibility so your clients can decide on their own to buy

Why do we need to do marketing?
Learning how to market is the best thing you can do to guarantee the longevity of your VA business
because it brings in revenue and that keeps you in business
the second thing to do is get good at conversations - which is just an extension of the marketing

The more you do right, or well, the less you actually have to do

If you have 10 sales conversations and you get one client, that means your conversion rate is 10%. We want to strive for better than that. So we don't make 20 conversations to get 2 clients - instead we improve our conversion rate, or the sales conversations that go right (and we sign the client).

We look for 7 sales from 10 conversations by doing better at them.

Market your business in 20 minutes a day - but you first have to have the essentials in place first

What are the essentials?

What is your offer? What do you want people to buy?

How much will it cost them?

Who is going to buy it?

Where are they - where will they see you, or where can you see them?

What will you say to them? before, during and after

ONLY when you know the answers to these questions, you can doing some marketing to connect with your clients.

Inbound Marketing
Content that helps people see you and connect with you or reach out to you (attracting them IN to you)

Outbound Marketing
Actions and content that help you reach out to others to connect with them (reaching OUT to them)

Today we are going to talk about outbound marketing.

Outbound: Networking, cold calling - just conversations with people. Let's park the sales talk and just talk about conversations.

Conversations - talk to someone, ask them questions, see if they need your services, if not - move along, if yes, keep talking.

That's why it's essential that you know the services you are going to offer.

Your BEST services
Do what you know best
Don't do things you don't do well, or don't like doing - that's not a service I offer

You can charge more, you can confidently talk about it
You can enjoy your work - and be the client's expert

They will work with you, trust you, and refer you

Ask questions wait for answers
Listen to them
What does the client need?
What do they want to get help with?
What is their budget?
When do they want to start?

Really easy to sell a client when you can do what they need.

Other Outbound ways to get clients:

Sponsorships at events - vendor table or sponsor (you often get to speak or get extra mentions in front of the whole event crowd)
Sponsorship in publications - could be helpful
Business groups BNI Chamber - weekly commitment/referrals but often a great way to get clients - you will be the only VA
Attending events - ask questions at the mic and never forget to introduce yourself, your company, and tell people who you help and with what
Email marketing - mailing out to your list
Guesting on a seminar - showcase your expertise
Teaching a lunch n learn - usually the whole group will need your services (if you speak at the right places)
Social media ads - can be pricey but are very targeted

Anything where the service provider initiates the conversation is outbound marketing

What will you do to market your VA business? whatever works for you - whatever is comfortable for you - whatever produces results for you.

That's all I've got for you this week.

If you need some help with nailing down your marketing essentials, or having conversations with clients, or doing outbound marketing better, reach out to me at tracey@yourvamentor.com

I've helped hundreds of VAs through their challenges and got them on their way to the next thing. I'd love to do the same for you. I do private coaching, and my new mastermind The Virtual Circle registration is open now. Maybe one of those options is right for you.

That's all I've got for you this week, thanks for tuning in to learn to become a ridiculously good Virtual Assistant.