Is The “Virtual Assistant” Title Really That Important Anyways?
In a “reflective moment”, I was recently processing much of the dialogue spurred on by Erin Blaske’s thought provoking post last week:
The Future of the Virtual Assistance Industry - An Open Conversation
I think these kind of discussions are great for helping you to further evaluate how you want to be known in your business. Here are a few final thoughts for what it is worth….
I know there is much discussion pertaining to the “true” definition of a Virtual Assistant. But, is the Virtual Assistant title or ANY title for that matter really important to the overall success of your business - I would say NO!
I remember attending my Grad Reunion a number of years ago and fielding the common question, “What do you do?” The natural inclination for most of us might be to give your title: “I am the CEO of VAClassroom.com (Well my wife is actually:)) or I am an Internet Marketing Specialist. I think as humans, we feel the need to label ourselves as if it gives us a higher level of recognition or something. What I have come to realize on a personal level is that is does not matter what title I have in my career, but MORE importantly, what I accomplish, the integrity by which I run my business and ultimately how I positively impact others!
So, if you were to ask me what I do right now, I would not say I am the CEO of VAClassroom…. I would say that I help Virtual Assistants develop new skills to grow successful VA businesses. You see, I would rather not be known for the title or position I have held but rather for what I have done or accomplished that has helped or impacted others!
So my point here is that you may want to be known by your clients, not as a “Virtual Assistant”, but rather as:
“That person that helped them skillfully set-up and manage all their webinar and teleclasses”
“That person that coordinated all their business travel plans”
“That person that effectively managed all their outsourced projects.”
“That Person that helped them expand their business presence in the Social Networks”
The list goes on….
It is the skills that you bring to the table that will be mentioned and referred on by your clients to others. “Hey, I know a great person that can set-up and manage all your email auto-responder campaigns”. The important thing here is the excellence you bring to the services you provide and the integrity by which you do it! That is the hallmark of a successful “Virtual Assistant” or whatever you want to call yourself - it really doesn’t matter!
I also really like this “Personal Branding” expert`s commentary on the topic of a job title here:
Your Personal Brand Statement is NOT a Job Title.
Just a few random thoughts percolating in my brain today:)
The Olympics and your Virtual Assistance Business
Okay, I have been glued to the Olympics over the last week and it is pouring over into my blog:) I have to say that the Olympics and watching the many amazing athletes have really fired me up about my business and maximizing the potential of what I am doing with VAClassroom.
To close off the week, I want to leave you with a great post from a Small Biz Trends titled:
Olympics for Small Business Owners
In the post, Dr. Susan Reid outlines 15 Ways the Olympics exemplify success for small business owners like yourself. I am a BIG FAN of #7: “Stay the Course”. When I started my first Internet Business, these three words were SO important in the early start-up days. My wife and I would constantly say to each “Just, Stay the Course”, everytime we faced adversity or challenge in our business pursuits.
The Olympic Athletes have really inspired me to achieve excellence in EVERYTHING I do including parenting, marriage and of course my Virtual Business.
Enjoy the closing ceremonies tomorrow everyone!
50 Twitter ideas for your Business
Over the past week, I have had a number of interesting conversations on the “business value” of Twitter. Again, I was probably one of those “Twitter” naysayers initially as I truly thought it was quite trivial and a total time drag! I am now happy to say I am a Twitter convert and see the huge business and networking potential with this fast growing social media channel.
In dialoguing with my VAClassroom members and other colleagues, there are certainly a whole variety of opinions and thoughts on Twitter such as:
“Twitter is a waste of time - who wants to hear what someone else is having for lunch?”
“Twitter is a place for me to dialogue and share ideas with my VA peers”
“Do I really want to tell people “What I am doing”?”
“Twitter is a fabulous to tool for strategically building rapport and relationship with prospective clients”.
“Twitter and my incessant beeps via my Tweetdeck app are driving me crazy”
“Twitter is a place where I can be real with my peers and clients - it is authentic and casual”
“I find Twitter a great “seed planter” for my business as it quickly connects me with potential JV partners and clients..”
Those are just of the few of the comments I have received….
Now, Twitter like Facebook is one of those tools that can seriously hinder your productivity and focus if you allow it too! While some people prefer to just share random thoughts and dialogue back and forth with their twitter pals throughout the day, I personally find that it can become a distraction. If was a betting man, I would say that Social media apps like “Twitter and Facebook” have likely affected employee productivity:)
But in saying all that, I believe Twitter is a serious force to be reckon with when it comes to building authentic relationships with key business contacts and clients and is dynamite for networking yourself and your business!
I came across a very worthwhile list of Twitter Ideas for your business at Chris Brogan’s Blog titled:
50 Ideas on Using Twitter for your Business
Some of his ideas I really like such as:
“Instead of answering the question, “What are you doing”, answer the question “What has your attention” - that seems to lend himself to more business-oriented approach to Twitter.
“Ask Questions - Twitter is great for getting opinions” - I have already found this useful in doing quick surveys and gather pertinent data for projects I am working on.
“Twitter brings great minds together and gives you daily opportunities to learn” - great point.
Chris also says to “Talk about Non-Business topics as well” - While I agree with him, I think this (like Facebook Fun Walls) can be a slippery slope! It is easy to lose an hour quickly by chatting on Facebook or tweeting back and forth. You just need to weigh out the time cost that this might have towards your work priorities. Again, this is fine balance that is not always easy to strike!
Is Your Virtual Assistant Glass Half Empty or Half Full?
Now, I am not looking to start a “Fire Storm” in the VA industry, but more to stimulate some productive discussion - there is my disclaimer:)
I recently reviewed a Press Release from a Virtual Assistant Association (I will not mention names) that was promoting a 2008 survey for the Virtual Assistant Industry. Here is an excerpt from the first part of the Press Release:
“Virtual Assistants are fed up. They’ve had it with inaccurate media portrayals and reporters who don’t get the facts right. They’re sick of exploitive industry outsiders who don’t understand the Virtual Assistance business misinforming their marketplace. They’re tired of constantly having to explain the difference between an employee and an independent service provider. And they’re having their say about it all by participating in this year’s third annual Virtual Assistant Industry Survey.”
Since many of you are Professional Virtual Assistants, I would be interested to hear if you share the above sentiment as this particular industry leader. Please send me all your comments and feedback!
Let me give you my own 2 cents for what it is worth:)
While I can appreciate the frustrations that some VAs may feel at the media’s misrepresentation or misunderstanding of the VA industry, I am not sure if this kind of negative undertone is the most productive way of positively educating media reps and the business world. While the survey is very well done, I think the promotion of the survey through this Press Release presents a somewhat hostile perspective, which I don’t believe is necessary.
Yes, the media needs to be more educated on the varied roles and responsibilties of today’s Virtual Assistants, but I believe the growing publicity of the Virtual Assistant industry is a great thing! Sometimes even less than accurate publicity can bode well for an relatively new industry as it will bring further awareness and expand the dialogue and interest.
I know some VAs have felt cheapened by Tim Ferriss’ portrayal of the VA in The Four Hour Work Week, but let me tell you…. this book has been HUGE in bringing further light and attention to the VA industry. It has awakened many island enterpreneurs who now realize their business and life could be that much more successful if they were to hire VAs…
The bottom line is that the concept of a Virtual Assistant is still a new thing to a lot of people and it is our job to properly educate them on indisputable benefits of hiring specialist VAs to perform a whole variety of pertinent tasks.
On a personal level, when I decided to leave my corporate job and jump into the Internet realm many moons ago, I received a lot of “interesting looks” and misunderstanding about what I would be doing working on the Internet:) You might laugh at this now but it shows how far we have come in 6-7 years. During the early years, I constantly found myself having to explain and educate people on what I do!
Anyways, I am absolutely convinced there has never been a better time to be a Professional Virtual Assistant then right now as more businesses are outsourcing, more people are becoming familiarized with the VA industry and the Internet Biz continues to grow at a rapid pace. These are great days, so I think we need to keep a positive perspective even when misunderstandings or misrepresentations come our way!
I would love to hear your thoughts and comments - agree with me, disagree? Please share.
Going For Gold in your Virtual Assistant Business
I don’t know about you, but I have been engrossed in the Olympics over the past few days and have just been awestruck by the amazing displays of athleticism, perseverance and drive!
Now, since I am likely not going to be training for a Olympic Triathalon or the 200 Butterfly any time soon, I started thinking about what I can learn from these amazing athletes that translates to my Internet Business. Well, a lot actually…..
In listening to many interviews with the Gold Medal Olympians, there were four common reasons they cited that they believed helped them to achieve their Olympic Dreams. Here are four essential elements you will need to consistently “Win Gold” in your Virtual Assistant Business:
1. Set Clear and Measurable Goals for Your Virtual Business
These Gold Medalists were CERTAIN about their goals - they knew what specific time they would need to achieve in order to break a record and ultimately secure themselves at the top of the podium!
How clear and measurable are your goals for your Virtual Assistant Business right now? Are they realistic? Do they help you to stay focussed on the priorities and tasks you need to accomplish on a day to day basis. Are they measurable? This last one is key. One of your goals might be to “Increase Your Client Base This Year”. This is a great goal, but it is not specific or measurable. A specific goal might look like this:
“Increase My Client Base to 10 new clients and $25000 more billable hours in 2008″
That is a measurable goal! I know for myself that I have four specific goals for my business that shape and define my priorities and tasks each and every day. Without those goals, I would be like a “Ship without a Rudder”, with no clear sense of where I am going.
A “Gold Medal” Virtual Assistants sets clear, specific and measurable goals!
2. Establish Consistent Training Patterns.
The Gold Medalists interviewed all spoke to the rigourous training regimes they endured over the past four years to help prepare them for this Olympic Event. You think of a swimmer like Michael Phelps. Sure, he is sheer Genetic Perfection for swimming with his Long Torso, flexible body, huge flipper-like feet and 6′7 wing span - But, that is not the sole reason he consistently finishes first. It is direct result of a systematic and consistent training program over the last four years that has prepared him for greatness!
Similarly with your business, it is imperative to build in regular training/learning times in your daily, weekly and monthly schedules. One of the traps of running your own Virtual Business is that you get so consumed with the day to day tasks of the biz, that you fail to spend any quality time on learning new skills and technology, investing in professional development and trying to stay current in your industry. If you don’t discipline yourself to learning new things, you will be left behind!
In order to ensure that you remain as current and equipped as possible, you need to create a block of time possibly each week where you shut off all your work and you simply read ebooks, articles or blog posts, listen to webinars and take online courses. As a Virtual Assistant, I would recommend taking a look at our training programs at VAClassroom as this will keep you that much more current and competitive in a fast-growing Virtual Assistance Industry!
I normally will take a 3 hour block each week to catch up on my reading, learning new skills and listening to podcasts and webinars. I try to do whatever it takes to ensure that I am using the most current tools to build my business to the next level!
A Gold Medal Virtual Assistant is a relentless and consistent learner!
3. Persevere, Persevere and then Persevere some more!
The successful Olympians adopt a “No Quit” attitude and persevere through the good times and trials of their Olympic career. All successful Olympians at one point in their career had to overcome some obstacles that blocked their way to Olympic stardom.
Now I have discussed this topic before, but I cannot stress enough the important role that perseverence and endurance play in building a successful business. Many of you have been through those times where there are virtually no clients and little revenues coming through the door and it is so easy to just pack in the business. It is during these times when you need to take stock of why your started this business in the first place and what are those goals you are trying to accomplish. This will motivate you and help you to exhaust all avenues to building your client base and income opportunities.
It is important to recognize that obstacles, challenges and adversity are a natural part of the journey towards Gold Medal Winning Performances! Don’t give up! Be sure to not miss the “little successes” that are happening in your business during those difficult days. Today, you might have met two new prospective clients in a Facebook group - that is a small victory as this could ultimately lead to two new clients!
A Gold Medal Virtual Assistant has an extraordinary level of sticktuitiveness!
4. Find a Mentor, Coach or Friend that will Support You In Your Business Endeavors.
In all the interviews I watch with these Gold Medal Winning Athletes, the common thread was having a supportive family, coach, friend or mentor that was “in their corner” and encouraging them to achieve their dreams at against all odds! I listened to the Gold Medal Winning Gymnast from the United States today talk about the pivotal role her Dad and coach played in helping her to achieve her Olympic dreams!
We ALL need find someone that will be a consistent source of encouragement and wisdom for our businesses. It can be a lonely place working in a Virtual Business to start with, but not having any mentor or major supporter can make it that much more difficult!
So, there you have it, four elements to achieving Gold Medal Success in your business!
Recording of VAClassroom Webinar with Freshbooks CEO
Hey, I hope everyone had a fabulous weekend!
If you didn’t have an opportunity to listen “live” to last week’s VAClassroom Webinar event with Freshbooks CEO, Mike McDerment, I have included the 77 minute MP3 recording below. Mike provided some excellent insights into overcoming many of the obstacles and challenges we face as solopreneurs or Virual business owners who work alone.
Virtual Nivana: How To Remain Inspired and Productive When You Work Alone
Enjoy!
Obstacles Virtual Assistants Face While Working Alone
As many of you know, we are running a “much anticipated” webinar event tomorrow (Thursday, August 7th at 2pm EST) with Freshbooks CEO, Mike McDerment titled:
“Virtual Nirvana: How to remain inspired and productive when you work alone.”
Over the past week or so, we have been asking Virtual Assistants about the obstacles they are currently facing as Solopreneurs and have received some very interesting responses such as…..
- Concerns over getting new clients (a very common one).
- Learning to put plans on paper rather than “Flying by the seat of my pants”.
- Time Management issues – when I am “at home” , I am not at the office and feel like I need to be always working (Common work/life balance issue)
- Challenges getting my name out there.
- Challenges deciding where to focus my marketing efforts and sticking to it.
- Struggles in filtering the noise with all the things I need to do for the business.
- Confidence in abilities (new Virtual Assistant).
- Isolation, distractions within my home office.
- Feeling that my virtual work intrudes on my spouse, my home – hard to get away from work, spend more time working than enjoying life.
- Challenge keeping track of “To dos” and priorities.
- Worry too much about client work (Should I have done this , Are they going to be happy with this etc – mind never slows down…).
- Take on too much and then get overwhelmed.
- Keeping motivated
Can you relate to any of these obstacles? I sure can! I have been working as a Virtual Business Owner and have had to certainly overcome a few of these obstacles in the past few years.
We have taken all the feedback we have received and have incorporated it into tomorrow’s webinar to make it as relevant as possible. We also want to make the event as interactive as possible, so bring your questions!
Oh, one last thing… Freshbooks will be providing a $25 discount coupon code to all participants on the call towards one of their small business billing software packages. PLUS, we will be giving away one “Pure Digital Flip” camcorder sometime during the call.
Here is the link to our webinar page - hope to see you there!
VAClassroom Teleseminar for Virtual Assistants, Solopreneurs and Small Business Owners
I just wanted to let you know of an exciting free webinar event we are hosting at VAClassroom on Thursday August 7th at 2pm (EST) of this week.
I have to say that I am unusually excited about this event! Let me tell you why…
My friends at Freshbooks have graciously loaned their CEO Mike McDerment to us for an hour so he can share some powerful insights on:
“Virtual Nirvana: How to Remain Productive and Inspired When You Work Alone.”
You see, Mike is a serial Entrepreneur who has already led two successful Internet start-ups before his roaring success with Freshbooks.com. When he first started out he was not as fortunate to have the talented staff he now has with Freshbooks - he was a “Lone Ranger.” Mike has experienced firsthand the “Good, Bad, and Ugly” of working as a Virtual Solopreneur, like many of you!
Our intent with this webinar is to help re-charge your Virtual Business batteries and keep you engaged and passionate about the work you do!
Now, Mike and his Team at Freshbooks.com have graciously offered a $25 discount coupon on their small business billing packages for every participant on the call, which is awesome.
Also, our team at VAClassroom will be giving away a “Pure Digital Flip Camcorder” to one of the webinar participants on the call, so be sure to stick around until the end! I own The Flip and have used it for all my videos on YouTube - excellent tool!
To claim one of the 300 spots for this webinar event, just sign-up at the below link:
http://www.vaclassroom.com/teleseminar.aspx
Also, you will be able to access this event via the web at:
http://www.vaclassroom.com/instantteleseminar.com
This is going to be a great event and we look forward to seeing you there!
