Another Method To Grow Your Virtual Assistant Business

January 5, 2010

We, as virtual assistants (VAs), generally attempt to grow our businesses by obtaining more clients.  Another strategy is to grow your business by subcontracting or outsourcing projects to a team of VAs.  These VAs’ services will complement your services rather than compete with them.

In an attempt to grow my virtual assistant business and deepen my service list, I organized a team of three VAs.  My core services are word processing services and Internet marketing, and my team services include bookkeeping, transcription, and ghost writing.  Their services complement my services.  Now I can offer these services in addition to my current offerings.  They are also my backup.

There are two different models of multi-virtual assistant (multi-VA) businesses, which outsource overflow of projects.  One model is team and the other is subcontracting.  The main difference is a team approach.

Multi-VA team businesses list the team members on their team web pages, but everything is under the umbrella of the multi-VA business owner.  Team members also have direct contact with the clients. Whereas, with multi-VA subcontracting businesses, the subcontractors don’t have contact with the clients; although, they may be listed on your website. You, as the multi-VA business owner manage the clients and projects.

In both cases, subcontractors and team members/associates are VAs themselves and are at the beginning stages of their businesses or have room for more projects.

Due to the current economic situation, there will be more entrepreneurs and small business owners, and they will need virtual assistance. We probably will see more multi-VA businesses, both team and subcontracting models.

If you are Virtual Assistant and you want to grow your business, consider organizing a team of virtual assistants whose service offerings complement your services.

By RitaJo | Posted in Bookkeeping, Business, Entrepreneur, Marketing, Multi-VA, Outsourcing, RJ's Word Processing Services, Rita J. Cartwright, Single-Person Business, Single-Person Business Owner, Small Business, Small Business Owners, Transcription, Virtual Assistant, Virtual Assistant Services, Virtual Assistants, Website Design, Word Processing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (7)

Entrepreneur’s Mindset

December 3, 2009

Rita2Working for someone else and working for yourself is as different as day and night.  I suddenly realized this having worked in the corporate world for over 25 years compared to now being an entrepreneur.

It is quite an adjustment to become accustomed to not having to answer to anyone or feeling inferior to a superior.  I call this conditioning yourself into a mindset of an entrepreneur.  It is not an easy transition, but well worth the transformation.

Your client is not your boss, but your equal.  This type of relationship fosters a mutual respect for each other to the point where you can even brainstorm on certain topics or issues.  Sure your boss in the workforce may have attempted to show you mutual respect, but there was always that element of inequality that existed.

Having an entrepreneur’s mindset gives you the freedom to express your ideas or creativity without being worried about being stifled or causing confusion in the office or the boardroom.  An entrepreneur’s mindset gives you more confidence in yourself and your capabilities.  It can also build your self-esteem, especially for female entrepreneurs.  Women in the workforce have come a long way, but there is work yet to be done.

In today’s economy, being an entrepreneur is rapidly becoming the norm.  According to Entrepreneur Magazine, self-employment rates have been growing at an average of 4.5 percent annually. With all the layoffs, especially among baby boomers, that percentage will increase.  Age discrimination still exists; therefore, it will be difficult for them to find employment, forcing them into becoming entrepreneurs.

Overall, thinking like an entrepreneur rather than an employee is a process, which takes time.  As I mentioned before, it is a conditioning that takes place.  It is not easy, especially for baby boomers after so many years in the workforce; however, it can be done.  Enjoy the ride!

From the mindset of an entrepreneur,

rjssig2

By RitaJo | Posted in Baby Boomers, Client, Clients, Entrepreneur, RJ's Word Processing Services, Rita Cartwright, Rita J. Cartwright, Single-Person Business, Single-Person Business Owner, Small Business, Small Business Owners, Solopreneur, home-based business | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (8)

Virtual Book Tour – Presented by CD&C Virtual Outsource Paralegal

November 18, 2009

Cordina BusIn just two days, Cordina Charvis will begin her worldwide virtual book tour.  She will make her first stop here on Friday, November 20th at 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. PST.  I will be interviewing her about her newly released eBook, The Ultimate Virtual Paralegal Guide.  Cordina’s eBook includes tips for starting a virtual paralegal business, as well as pitfalls she suffered when she first started her business and how to avoid them.

Cordina will also be giving away a fr^ee copy of eBook, valued at $18.99, to a randomly selected visitor.  All you need to do to qualify is post a comment or question for Cordina on Friday, November 20th, to be entered into the grand drawing.

So come on by on Friday to learn more about Cordina, as well as ask her any questions you may have about operating and starting a virtual paralegal business.  You can also be the lucky winner of her informative eBook, The Ultimate Virtual Paralegal Guide.  See you on Friday!

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By RitaJo | Posted in Business, Cordina Charvis, E-book, Entrepreneur, Online Business, Outsourcing, Paralegal, RJ's Word Processing Services, Rita Cartwright, Rita J. Cartwright, Single-Person Business, Single-Person Business Owner, Small Business, Small Business Owners, Solo Attorney, Solopreneur, Virtual Assistant, Virtual Assistant Services, Virtual Assistants, Virtual Book Tour, Virtual E-book Tour | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (2)

Outsource it To Your Virtual Assistant

October 29, 2009

ritajoblack1For those of you who are entrepreneurs and small business owners and are in need of a new website, consider creating it with WordPress software.

The software is free. The only costs to you are domain and hosting fees. There is no need for you to purchase website development software. The self-hosting version of WordPress allows you to create an entire website, manipulate the codes for customization, and has a lot of available plugins. Plugins are snippets of computer programming that can be added to WordPress, which gives it the ability to do almost anything you can think of. Click here for more information on the most popular plugins available and their capabilities.

You can also make edits, changes, and updates quickly and easily. However, it is very time-consuming to set up your site and there is a learning curve. There are business professionals who can teach you how to set up your site. However, if you are limited on time, this serves you no purpose. On the other hand, there are virtual assistants who have the skills and experience to create your site for you.

So, if you are limited on time or don’t want to be bothered with it, outsource this task to your Virtual Assistant. S/he can set up and maintain your site, which will save you time, as well as allow you to focus on your products and/or services.

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By RitaJo | Posted in Entrepreneur, Outsourcing, RJ's Word Processing Services, Rita Cartwright, Rita J. Cartwright, Single-Person Business, Single-Person Business Owner, Small Business, Small Business Owners, Solopreneur, Virtual Assistant, Virtual Assistant Services, Virtual Assistants, WordPress.org, home-based business | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (9)

RJ’s Word Processing Services Blog New Name

October 27, 2009

ritajoblack1Sometimes change is good, and this is one of those times. Out with the old, in with the new. So, I have decided to change the name of my blog to reflect the method of delivery of the content I provide to my readers. The new name is RJ’s Word of Mouth Weblog. Let me know what you think. I look forward to reading your comments.

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By RitaJo | Posted in Blog, Business, Entrepreneur, RJ's Word Processing Services, Rita J. Cartwright, Services, Single-Person Business, Single-Person Business Owner, Small Business, Small Business Owners, Solopreneur, Virtual Assistant, Virtual Assistant Services, Virtual Assistants | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (0)

Do You Want a Virtual Assistant or an Employee?

August 11, 2009

ritajoblack1As I mentioned in my previous post, virtual assistants (VAs) are professional administrative experts offering a service.  Yet, there are potential clients who ask for a cover letter and resume.

In the virtual assistant industry, providing a cover letter and resume is not the standard.  Generally, this is not the standard for any service provider.  Do you ask your accountant, lawyer, plumber, television repair person, dentist, doctor or any provider of the services you may require for a cover letter or resume?  Then why would you ask a Virtual Assistant for these documents.  We are service providers too.

It is the norm to ask VAs for references; even though, you wouldn’t ask any of the aforementioned service providers for that information.   However, we are more likely to use their services if they are referred to us.

Another point I mentioned in my previous post is the business world is conditioned to think of us virtual assistants as administrative assistants; as employees.  We are not employees.  We are independent contractors.

Do you want a Virtual Assistant or an employee?  If you want an employee, than a cover letter and resume are required.

rjssig2

By RitaJo | Posted in Clients, Entrepreneur, Outsourcing, Rita Cartwright, Rita J. Cartwright, Service Provider, Single-Person Business, Single-Person Business Owner, Small Business, Small Business Owners, Solopreneur, Virtual Assistant, Virtual Assistant Services, Virtual Assistants | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comment (1)

What is a Virtual Assistant?

July 28, 2009

ritajoblack1As an entrepreneur and small business owner, you’ve probably heard the term “Virtual Assistant (VA)” and know what it means.  However, there are still misconceptions that exist.  I’m going to attempt to clear that up in this blog post.

“A Virtual Assistant is a professional who specializes in providing administrative support and expertise,” says Danielle Keister of Virtual Assistant Chamber of Commerce in her blog post.  To read more of Danielle’s post, click here.  The business community is still conditioned to think of virtual assistants as administrative assistants.  This type of thinking can devalue the true worth of a Virtual Assistant; therefore, potential clients tend to focus on the cost of the services rather than the value a VA can bring to the table.

Since VAs are professional entrepreneurs, they are quite versed in business operations, marketing, bookkeeping, etc.  As Danielle points out in her blog post, a Virtual Assistant can help you move your business forward.  This is a very valuable skill to any entrepreneur and small business owner.

The qualifications and skills that virtual assistants possess as a professional enable them to be experts in their fields, as well as in their profession as an entrepreneur. You receive more than administrative support, you have someone you can consult with, bounce ideas off of, brainstorm with, as well as utilize some of their business practices.   If it works for your VA, it may work for you in your business.

These are just a few examples of the value your Virtual Assistant can bring to your business.  The benefits you reap as an entrepreneur from this type of business relationship outweighs any fees that you may perceive as being expensive.

If you choose to work with offshore virtual assistants to save a few bucks, you will not receive this type of  value-added service, mainly due to cultural differences.

I hope this helps clear up the misconceived notions that yet exist.  Feel free to post your thoughts and comments.

rjssig2

By RitaJo | Posted in Clients, Entrepreneur, Marketing, Offshore, Online Marketing, Outsourcing, Rita Cartwright, Rita J. Cartwright, Single-Person Business, Single-Person Business Owner, Small Business, Small Business Owners, Solopreneur, Virtual Assistant, Virtual Assistant Services, Virtual Assistants | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (3)

What's Next for Your Business?

July 20, 2009

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If you’re an entrepreneur or service professional, you may be wondering “what’s next” for your business.

I want to introduce you to Maria Simone, an amazing woman who over the years has launched several businesses and has helped countless others do the same.

She’s appeared in the media in publications like Success Magazine, Business Week and many others.

Thanks to the help of her husband Michael Murdock, a 30-year technology veteran, Maria has also become an internet marketing and social media marketing expert over the past few years.

Starting July 30th, Maria will be offering a FR^EE 4-part Passionate Business teleclass.

Click here for more details:

During the series, you’ll learn:

*Instant revenue and funding strategies.
*Zero to low-cost marketing techniques that will help attract customers 24/7.
*How to create a solid online presence.
*Abundance strategies including creating multiple revenue streams.

…and so much more. Just follow the link for details and to register.

By RitaJo | Posted in Entrepreneur, Online Business, Online Marketing, Rita Cartwright, Rita J. Cartwright, Single-Person Business, Single-Person Business Owner, Small Business, Small Business Owners, Social Networking, Solopreneur | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments (0)

Do You Want Value or to Save Money?

June 23, 2009

ritajoblack1

As a Virtual Assistant, I have discovered that some business owners rather save money when considering working with virtual assistants rather than reap the value. They even go as far as working with offshore virtual assistants as opposed to working with onshore virtual assistants in order to save money. I wrote a post explaining the disadvantages of working with offshore virtual assistants, as well as the advantages of working with onshore virtual assistants. Click here to read it.

Jennifer from Outright recently wrote a blog post, which gives examples of the type of tasks you can outsource to a Virtual Assistant and the value in doing so. Click here to read it.

When choosing to work with onshore virtual assistants, try focusing on the value you will receive as oppose to the actual cost. The energy and time you gain can be used to earn more revenue for your business. How valuable is that?

By RitaJo | Posted in Entrepreneur, Offshore, Onshore, Outsourcing, Rita J. Cartwright, Single-Person Business, Single-Person Business Owner, Small Business, Small Business Owners, Solopreneur, Virtual Assistant, Virtual Assistant Services, Virtual Assistants | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (2)

Another Term for Virtual Assistant

June 5, 2009

ritajoblack1So, you are still not quite sure exactly what a Virtual Assistant (VA) is or what they do. Think of a Virtual Assistant as your online administrative assistant. Your first thought may be, “Geez, they are expensive.” When you pencil out the benefits you reap from working with a Virtual Assistant, your thought will be, “Wow, they are not as expensive as I first thought.”

When you work with a Virtual Assistant, your business operations will run as smooth as silk. Your VA becomes familiar with how you operate your business and, as a result, are able to complete the tasks you hand over to them. Remember, virtual assistants are also business owners and have to deal with their own business operations. Therefore, are very versed in this area.

You won’t have to worry about time-consuming tasks, such as, your e-mail marketing campaigns, maintaining your website, following up with your clients, bookkeeping, creating a new blog, to name a few. Being able to take back your life is priceless, while at the same time, your business is booming.

Next time you hear the term Virtual Assistant and are not exactly sure what that means, just think of what an administrative assistant is and the tasks they complete; except, they are online.

By RitaJo | Posted in Bookkeeping, Entrepreneur, Online Business, Outsourcing, Rita Cartwright, Rita J. Cartwright, Single-Person Business, Single-Person Business Owner, Small Business, Small Business Owners, Solopreneur, Virtual Assistant, Virtual Assistant Services, Virtual Assistants | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comment (1)