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

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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.

OIVAC as a Huge Success

Finally, some time to sit down and write! May was a very busy month ...

The Online International VA Convention was a huge success. All went very smoothly and we had some fabulous speakers sharing their expertise with newbie VAs as well as seasoned VAs. Topics covered included, insurance, web conferencing, open source programs, search engine optimisation, marketing and branding just to name a few.

Apart from the speakers, there were opportunities to network with other VAs from around the world and to visit exhibiton booths to chat and see what was on offer. There was a brainstorming session about the future goals and growth of the industry and how we can build and strengthen it worldwide which produced a wide variety of responses.

Congratulations must go the following award winners:

Thomas Leonard International Virtual Assistant of Distinction
Sharon Williams
Also, recognition goes out to all nominees.

Janet Jordan Achievement Award
Heather Jacobson
Also, recognition goes to all nominees

International Virtual Assistants Day was celebrated on the Friday 19 May and will be celebrated from now on every third Friday of May, so mark that in your diary ready for next year and make sure you let your clients know too.

Being part of the steering committee was a fabulous experience and I have learnt a lot, especially the technology and how to use it. If you would like to volunteer for next year, please I encourage you to do so.

Look forward to seeing you there next year.
AKA

OIVAC Launch - Book Now!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Australians Help Launch First Online International VA Convention Celebration

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Virtual Assistants announce plans for first online, "live", interactive 3-day international convention. Representatives from across the globe will attend with just one click of a computer mouse.

ASPENDALE, Victoria – Ten years ago if any one had told Aspendale resident, Anita Kilkenny, that the nascent industry that she has been working so hard to promote would finally receive its own day or recognition, she probably would not have believed it. Anita is a Virtual Assistant (VA) and she, along with more than 5,000 other virtual professionals working worldwide will celebrate the first International Virtual Assistants Day (IVAD) on May 19, 2006.

Proposed by the online advocacy group, Alliance for Virtual Businesses (A4VB), IVAD is now officially registered with Chases Calendar of Events, the recognised authority of special days, weeks and months. IVAD will appear in the 2007 edition and will be held annually on the third Friday of May. The inaugural celebration of International Virtual Assistants Day coincides with a three-day assembly sponsored by the Online International Virtual Assistants Convention (OIVAC) running from May 18 – 20, 2006. Virtual Assistants worldwide will display the free IVAD logo and creed on their websites.

Three Australians are part of this advocacy group: Kathie Thomas and Anita Kilkenny from Victoria, and Lyn Prowse-Bishop from QLD and they have been involved in months of planning. All three are members of Australian VA Network, "A Clayton's Secretary"®. Of further interest is the company providing the online technology for this amazing convention: Co-Op World, based in Camberwell, Victoria.

“We’re inviting all VAs - every aspiring, emerging and veteran virtual professional, along with clients, small businesses, corporate supporters, associates and potential prospects to participate in our global VA celebration,” says Sharon Williams, Chairperson of the Steering Committee. “It will allow us to bring together all VA organisations and their memberships under one umbrella.”

Virtual Assistants or VAs are independent entrepreneurs who work remotely and use the latest technology to deliver professional administrative, creative, managerial, technical, business back-office and/or personal support services to busy clients. Clients only pay for the time actually spent working on projects and often retain a fixed amount of hours per month for service.

Typical services could include everything from general secretarial and word processing services to desktop publishing, website creation and marketing. Projects are often handled over the phone, by fax, e-mail and even instant messaging. Most attractive is the fact that VAs are also responsible for their own taxes, training, healthcare, insurance - overhead costs that make hiring an employee expensive.

About AKA Virtual PA

Anita Kilkenny founded AKA Virtual PA (then called THB Business Solutions) back in January 1994, however it wasn't until 2001 when Virtual Assisting became Anita's full-time business. In 2002, Anita was one of the first in Australia to be awarded the post nominal of AOP (Accredited Office Professional) in and 2003 was awarded with an MVA (Master Virtual Assistant). She also was winner of the AIOP Award of Excellence that same year. For more information, visit the website at www.akavirtualpa.com.au.

About Online International Virtual Assistants Convention

The OIVAC is an online, interactive, "live" yet virtual environment convention of Virtual Assistants, travelling Pathways to Successful VA Practices. Visit the website at www.oivac.com.

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Speak of Getting Involved... OIVAC

Late last year I was invited to participate on a Steering Committee of international VAs to organised an online convention for new and established VAs - online so that everyone can come along and particpate without leaving their office. Of course my response was "Yes please, count me in!".

Every week since, we have been meeting via web conferencing and today this exciting project of ours has finally been launched - Online International Virtual Assistants Convention or OIVAC.

I have had the honour of working together with some of the industry's best from Australia, the United States, Canada and the UK. It has been a wonderful experience and am so looking forward to the actual convention in May to see the result of our hard work, especially Sharon Williams, who's the brain-child.

No only did we use state-of-the-art technology at our meetings but delegates at the convention will also be able to use or witness this amazing technology. The funny is, the guy who has been training us to use this technology is located here in Victoria, Australia and and is a matter of fact the Acting CEO - they are an Australian Company.

This convention is the first of its kind and incorporated into the 3 day event is the inaugral International Virtual Assistant's Day (IVAD) celebration on Friday 19 May 2006 - a day for VAs to celebrate our industry and to acknowledge the work that we do.

Please take the time to have a look at the website (of which I assisted with) and come along to listen to some of the inspring and knowledgeable speakers we have banded together.

Anita

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

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