Thursday, October 5, 2006

What is a Virtual Assistant and Why Do You Need One?

I thought this articles was a great one and wanted to share it with you ...

Virtual Assistants (also known as VAs) are home-based entrepreneurs who take pride in providing fellow small business professionals with a wide range of office tasks, from administrative support to web design & maintenance. VAs are able to provide professional, creative assistance without ever having to go into the client’s office.

Being small business owners themselves, VAs understand that success comes to entrepreneurs when they provide the best possible customer service. But, great customer service can sometimes be hard to upkeep when you are spending valuable time trying to stay on top of the non-core tasks that are a part of running a business.

A VA works WITH their clients to help alleviate some of these tasks, allowing them to free up some of their time to concentrate on generating revenue and building their businesses.

But, how do you know when you really need the services of a Virtual Assistant?

  1. Your inbox pile just seems to be getting higher, and each day you fall farther behind.
  2. Your day timer just doesn’t seem to be able to keep you organized.
  3. The important tasks are getting lost in amongst everything else and, when you do locate them, you find yourself rushing to meet a deadline.
  4. You don’t feel comfortable taking on an administrative task that requires a specific professional appearance.
  5. You find you aren’t delivering to your clients as fast as you would like to as you have too many other ‘things’ on the go.
  6. You have a project that you need to get done but you aren’t sure how to accomplish it.
  7. Your administrative tasks have you so overwhelmed that you just don’t seem to have time for anything else.
  8. You spend so much time working that your family says it’s like living with a stranger.
  9. Your business is booming by you have no one to share it with or draw on for support.
  10. Your website looks the same as it did two years ago, or
  11. Your website is just a figment of your imagination.
  12. You dread looking at the piles on your desk and wondering when you will get everything accomplished.
  13. Running your business just doesn’t have that same fulfillment as it used to because you’re spending too much time doing the non-core tasks and not doing what you love the most.
  14. You wonder where your ‘life’ has gone.
  15. FREE TIME? … WHAT’S THAT?

Operating a business should not have you stressed out and wondering how you are going to make it a success when you are so busy doing everything yourself. You started your business because it involves what you love to do. But, the non-core tasks that are involved with running a small business should not be a discouragement.

Virtual Assistants are in business to help you alleviate some of that added pressure by taking some of it off of your shoulders. They want you to succeed and will do everything possible to see that happen.

From general word processing to graphic design to website design. A VA’s specialties can be just what you need to allow you to get back to running your business instead of it running you.

About the Author
Janice Byer, owner of Docu-Type Administrative & Web Design Services provides professional, creative and affordable virtual office assistance and small business website design. She is a Certified Canadian Virtual Assistant (CCVA), certified Master Virtual Assistant (MVA) and co-founder of the Canadian Virtual Assistant Connection (www.cvac.ca). She is also the author of Surfin’ The Net - Docu-Type’s Virtual Collection of Links, as well a number of business building ebooklets. Visit her website (http://www.docutype.net) for more information.

Saturday, March 18, 2006

Getting Involved

I cannot believe it's already half way through March! I decided to get writing on something that is very close to my heart and that's getting involved ...

Starting out as a VA, the best way to get your business name "out there" is to get involved - whether it be at networking functions, committees, volunteering etc. Sometimes I tend to spread myself a bit thin, even after nearly 5 years in the business, you'd think I'd know better!

Some areas that I have been involved with include:
  • The Australian Institute of Office Professionals (AIOP) where I was Finance Officer for 3 years, successfully convened 3 Secretary's Day breakfasts and currently am Newsletter editor and Webmaster
  • Newsletter Editor for Neighbourhood Watch
  • Am a member of various networking groups such as ABN, WNA, Business Chicks, as well as quite a few 'free' networks both online and overseas
  • Currently on a Steering Committee which is developing an Online International Virtual Assistants Convention.
When starting out in any small business, whether it be virtual, retail or real, it is very important to get yourself known becuase people like to do business with someone they know or have been referred to.

Anita

Friday, January 6, 2006

New Year, New Blog...

I've never thought I'd do this kind of thing - I don't even like the word 'blog' - but here I am writing my very first one. Thanks to Kathie Thomas from A Clayton's Secretary (of which I am a member), she has inspired me to create my own blog.

I am looking forward to developing this site into something that everyone can get something out of and contribute to and I think getting fingers to keys is a great start.

Have a great New Year and all the success you deserve for 2006.

Anita