The Ridiculously Good Virtual Assistant Show

You probably hear it all the time. As a Virtual Assistant, you should be blogging.

You need to be posting on social media every day.

Your clients need to see you to know about you, and know that you can help them.

Many VAs struggle with creating content that helps to get their VA business in front of their audience.

I bet if you added up all the time you spend 'marketing', it's more than 5 or 10 hours a week.

Are you getting clients from what you are doing?

If not then you need to make some changes to your strategy.

If you aren't blogging, I'm going tonfirst suggest that you start ... even thkugh it isn't the only way you can create content.

There is really one main skill you need to develop to get lots of content created for your marketing.

It's called repurposing content. Repurposing content quite simply means to reuse something you have already created in a slightly different way. I'll explain how to do that.

First things first, usually the thing that stops you from creating content is not knowing what to write about.

VAs who say they hate to blog probably don't hate to write – they just don't know what to write about.

What To Write

To figure out what you need to write, you first need to know what your audience wants to read about, or learn.

If you are a bookkeeper, your audience wants to know how to do their part better. So you can write about tax tips, organizing paperwork better, software to use, apps that are new, actual methods to categorize or post expenses, and so on. You are not trying to teach them to do their own bookkeeping. That's what you want them to hire you to do. You are trying to showcase your knowledge and expertise so that they might want to hire you.

All VAs can write about online tools to use to build or grow your business, or work/life balance, or organization and productivity, and so on.

You need to figure out what it is that your audience wants to read about, that supports the services that you offer.

Choose two or three categories of topics to start with and then you can grow from there. Start simple and develop good content creation habits.

Repurpose

Ah here we are!

Repurposing content means to reuse it in other ways, so you don't have to create something new every day.

For example, if you write one blog post, you can turn that into a number of pieces of other content. Here are 10!

1. Put it in your newsletter and send it to your email list.
2. Post it to your blog.
3. Post it as an article on Linked In .
4. Turn it into a Facebook Live
5. Upload the Facebook live video to your Youtube channel.
6. Transcribe your video, or take notes from it as you talked
7. Go through the blog post and transcript to pull out short social media postings for whichever platforms you are on.
8. Pull out advice from your videos or blog post that can be used to create custom images
9. Post your custom images to Instagram (or any of your social media platforms).
10. Look in the transcript for opportunities to expand on any areas – thus creating another blog post that you can link back to.

Do you get the idea?

One article gives you at least 10 other ways to use one blog post to create more content. And everything is about things your audience wants to read about.

Or Don't Write

When creating content, it's important to choose a delivery method that you enjoy. If you like to write, then blog. If you don't like to write, try doing video.

Facebook Lives are easy. video in general is easy when you get started.

If you prefer doing video, then start there and use the transcript to create a blog post.

Look at your blog posts or videos so far. Have you written something once, posted it, and thought that was enough? It's not.

I challenge you to take an existing blog post and repurpose it using the steps above.

One thing it will do is show you how much of your efforts you are missing out on.

The other thing it will do is let you figure out your favourite way to create content – so you can do more of what you like!

We all have the same amount of time to market our business. Wouldn't it make sense for you to make the most of your time to do yours?

Daily content

Everything is content. This is truly great advice- and so true.

When you struggle to create content, you have to look at things differently. And when you do, you need to find the business lessons or the common thread to advice that you can use as a comparison to your business.

People can relate to daily activities and interactions – and while I don't suggest you write all your content this way, it can be a great boost to adding your personality and some much needed relatability to your content.

Here's what I mean.

I told a story recently of how I went to Costco and had a crappy customer service experience. Long story short, they told me the debit machines were down as I entered the store, but said they took cash and credit. So I went ahead in, did my shopping, and tried to pay with my Visa or Amex. Nope. They actually only take Mastercard, which the girl at the front didn't tell me. So I had to find a bank machine and get cash to pay for my stuff. This is relatable, and you can link it directly to how you would have handled the customer service, if that's a service you offer (even if it's not – I always give my customers the right information).

When you go to the bank, they spin their monitor around and show you all your stuff and they tell you about the options they have for you – and they recommend what they feel is the best one for you. That's how you can help your clients decide the best option to with you.

Laundry – we sort it to wash it, and we adjust the water temperature and spin force for different clothing. I also sort it to fold it. This shows people how you organize yourself – how your mind works, and how you use processes.

Client stories are great things to use in content. Tell people what the client was experiencing before they started working with you and how you helped them. The more clients you have, the more you can use this kind of content. You can even inject your humour into these, as a show of how you build relationships and get along with your clients.

I was recently talking with a client about repackaging and repurposing content. I had suggested that it would be a good idea to take an audio from a teleclass and repackage it into several other pieces that the client could use in her marketing.

She didn't understand why I would suggest doing that – the audio itself was content so why didn't we we just blast the link out for everywhere so people could opt in to it and therefore get the material – no extra work required.

It's important to realize that people take in their information in all different kinds of ways. In order to reach them you need to find the way that speaks directly to them.

I love chocolate. But I'm not like most people. I like milk chocolate the best. You can give me the best Belgian chocolate you can find on this earth, and I will just think 'meh' … and still prefer a Mars Bar. I actually don't like dark chocolate at all. Even though they are all types of chocolate, I prefer the more common kind versus the higher end, better quality, more expensive type.

I do not like cinnamon. I don't like cinnamon buns, I don't like it in apple pie, and I don't like it any other way most people use cinnamon (I really can't comprehend enjoying cinnamon hearts, cinnamon gum OR cinnamon toothpaste, but I digress … !). Having said that, I always put a pinch of cinnamon in my turkey gravy when I am cooking, and I do really like the Cinnabon cereal bar. (I don't know why I like that and not cinnamon buns, but I do – it doesn't seem to burn like the other things do). So again … repackage your cinnamon and I can actually say I like it.

These are silly (but true!) examples of how to look at something from another angle to see it through someone else's eyes.

In the quest for our ideal client's attention, we have to be aware that not everyone is looking for the same thing, but if you package it differently they might hear what you are saying and like it.

So it you take that audio and break it down into 6 blog posts, or 1 article, or 3 videos … it's still the same content, but it's a different way for someone to find it.

My client's thought of sending the audio out more places was a smart idea – but by putting it into 3 or 4 new formats, we could reach people in different ways, and that could just make them jump up and pay attention. Try it yourself – and be sure to measure your results so you know what your audience is responding to (don't just do things for the sake of doing them!)

Chocolate, cinnamon or marketing materials – they are all the same thing – give your audience something that appeals to them and you may just open a door that one of them has been looking for and make a sale.

Let's circle back to today's quote from Rebekah Radice. You get a higher impact and more bang for your marketing dollar. Make your marketing time work better for you.

And you won't have the same content everywhere. You can use your categories and have the same theme across your platforms.

You don't even need to do 10 things. Gary Vee's staff creates 100 pieces of content from one video every day.

Bring your personality in to your marketing too. Be personable and relatable. Create regularly and work with a strategy.

I don't know everything - and I get help in my business all the time with the things I don't know.

You can too.

I want you to know that I can help you do this stuff in your business. That's literally the reason I am here. To help you become a ridiculously good VA.

I've helped hundreds of VAs through challenges just like yours, and got them on their way to growing their business and the lifestyle that they dream of. That you dream of.

I'd love to do the same for you.

Reach out to me if you need to talk about it. It's literally all I'm here to do is help you get there.

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.

The Virtual Circle (TVC) is a monthly mastermind group for Virtual Assistants just like you. We get together 3 times a month for group Zoom sessions to talk about what you are struggling with, working on, or celebrating. It's a close knit community of your VA colleagues that provides the best kind of support for your VA business. Learn more about TVC here.

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.

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 your energy attracting VA clients or chasing them away?

What you put out there is what comes back to you.

When you are in business, your energy is an important thing to focus on.

It's not a woo woo type of thing, your energy. And I'm not here to tell you that having a positive attitude will get you VA clients.

Negative energy will chase them away.

Your energy is truly one of the most important things that drives your VA business.

Your clients will be attracted to you when they feel good about who they will be doing business with.

If you give them the sense that things are not so great, they will not have the confidence to decide to work with you.

Even more than that, keeping clients that you are already working with also depends on your energy.

If you are struggling in your VA business, you might think that no one notices.

You probably think you are doing a great job of covering it up.

Or maybe you just aren't putting yourself out there are all so that people won't notice.

You might think that it's just the way business is supposed to be. I mean everyone knows business is hard, right?

But it's not supposed to be THAT hard!

If you are having a tough time, don't just accept it as the way it's supposed to be.

Figure out what the plan is to make things better.

That starts with the energy you are putting in to the GOOD things.

Let's talk first about how negative energy affects everything you do in your VA business:

You second guess your pricing You let clients cross your boundaries You misunderstand clients or take what they say personally You take longer to do things because you just aren't feeling it You rush through tasks just to get them done You lack creativity because you are in a fog You feel exhausted

Those are the obvious ones … but how about these …

You keep to yourself and hope no one notices you are failing You create content that talks about all the wrong things You abandon your target market and start trying to find any clients at all You agree to do work that you don't love You let your client set your rate or tasks you do because you don't want to turn down money

If you are feeling any of these, you need to get your energy in check.

Let's do it together!

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Business is hard, yes. But it doesn't ALL have to be hard.

And you don't just need to fake energy to make things look good. We need to really find them.

Today I'm going to help you find the things you need to focus on. Trust me, they are there!

You are amazing. You are ridiculously good. And your clients (and potential clients) need to know it.

Let's start by talking about four reasons that positive energy in your business is so important:

1 Client attraction

So I don't believe that clients will flock to you if you put on a happy face, but client attraction is a real thing.

When you are in the right frame of mind, you show up every day and exude confidence. You freely share advice and opinions. You invite and participate in conversations. You actually show up and are part of the communities where your clients are.

The client attraction part happens because people see you, and they hear you, and they trust you. They see your confidence and they believe that you can help them. You know the words to tell them to help them believe that.

They might not even be feeling very positive themselves, and you can help them to see that there is a light at the end of their dark tunnel. We help people, it's what we do. So how do you help them? Talk about it!

Confidence is one of the most important qualities you can showcase to your audience, and it starts with feeling positive about your abilities.

When you believe it, and share it with others, they will see it and want to work with you.

And that obviously will boost your energy too!

Getting clients means putting yourself out there and confidently describing how you can help your clients.

I had a private client once who really struggled with getting clients, well I've actually had a lot of those, it's one of the things that VAs come to me with all the time, but this one in particular really had trouble with understanding who they could help.

So they spent all day online, job sites, rfp boards, in VA groups, just waiting for clients to say yes. It was exhausting. And it brought down their energy if they didn't get the client.

We worked together and got really clear on what they could do and who need those services. We developed a plan for them to connect with those people and guess what? Within 3 months they were hiring a subcontractor because they had too much work.

Client attraction exists because when you put the right energy out there, you find the right people. And you have conversations that lead to people saying yes.

I can help you to put together the plan you need to use every day to find great clients.

2 Confidence

If you don't believe that you are the best person to help your clients, they won't believe it either.

It's kind of a catch-22 though. If you are struggling to get clients, then you might feel like you aren't the best VA for them.

So measuring our confidence is a really important thing to do.

A lack of confidence in your abilities to either find the people you can help, or charge them accordingly, or do the things they need, is really common when things aren't going so well.

The funny thing is that you might not even realize that you are putting it out there. But I can assure you that you are.

Take some time and look in the VA groups for the conversations that are happening in them.

When we are struggling, the language we use to describe our situation proves that we have a lack of confidence.

And you know I have told you before that the brain needs to hear 5 positive things to counteract just one negative thing. So even if you aren't saying things out loud, you are dragging your confidence down by thinking these things.

You need to believe in yourself before your clients will believe in you.

When I work with you privately, we record your sessions. We talk. And this really cool thing happens when you get to your sweet spot.

If you have done private coaching with me you will know what I'm talking about.

When you start to talk about something with confidence, your whole demeanor changes.

When we dive into what you do for your clients and I ask you about something that you know really well, that confidence comes out. Your voice changes. I hear it and I love it!

I tell you after the call to 'go back to the 3 minute mark and listen to the change in your voice'. It's something we never do, get a do over, so the session recordings are really useful.

You settle in, you start to use all the right words, no tripping over words, you add all the right details … the confidence just comes shining through.

That's good energy - and that's what your clients need to hear!

If you aren't sure how to change the language you use - and find your confidence, I can help you with that.

I have so much confidence in your ability to be great, and I'd love to help.

3 Communication

Did you know that one of the most common problems that VAs and their clients have is a communication problem?

We work virtually, of course, and so we rely on online methods of communication - and there are so many opportunities for us to have misunderstandings, or leave too much to the imagination.

In fact, the majority of the complaints that I see VAs making about their clients is due to a lack of communication.

It starts because we are not used to being on equal ground with our clients. We still think the clients get to call the shots. Newsflash, they don't.

And so we do whatever they say, and sit back feeling more like an employee than a business owner in our own right.

Your clients can crush your energy like no one else, and it happens all the time.

I could spend all day giving VAs advice who have let their clients treat them badly.

It's not always the client's fault - they have probably never worked with a VA as a partner or an equal before either - and truly, if you are acting like their employee, then that's how they will treat you.

But getting a handle on your communication is something that can turn your energy like nothing else.

It's not personal, it's business.

Get GREAT at business communication - leave emotions out of it, and your energy will sky rocket!

I am pretty active in VA groups, and of course I work with my own VAs who are clients in my monthly mastermind group or through private coaching. But you will see my comments in many VA groups, and a lot of them are giving examples of how to change the words you use when you communicate with clients.

Business is business and it's so important to articulate what you want to say in business words.

You don't have to be someone you aren't, you can totally be yourself - but just state the facts in your communication.

Instead of explaining things with a million words and apologizing and asking if that's okay … stand behind what your boundaries and rates and things are, and create a way to describe those to people. Use those words all the time to be clear and concise, and in charge. That's great communication.

I can help you with this. It's something I have always done exceptionally well, and it's my pleasure to help you gain the confidence that you need to keep your energy high.

4 Credibility

Before we get a full roster of amazing clients, we have to build up credibility as an amazing VA.

To do that, you need to put yourself out there, and the energy you project is what will affect your results.

Like I've said, your audience needs to believe that you are the best one to help them - that's the point that they will make that buying decision, and say yes to working with you.

Credibility comes from what you put out there, and what others say about you too.

You know your expertise, but are you confidently sharing that with people? In your social media posts and your networking conversations?

You are probably the best kept secret - even though you don't think you are.

We have this notion that when we go into business - when we publish our website, or post on social media - that the entire world sees it.

But they don't. We have to work strategically to put ourselves in front of the people who will potentially be our clients.

That's not 'everywhere'.

If you don't have the right energy in your content or your networking, it's going to come across super obviously to your clients.

How many times have you posted 'I have a special on, I have an opening for a client, I am looking for someone to barter with.' Or even just discounting your rates in general.

Dropping your price for any reason screams desperate. Well maybe not screams, maybe states is a better word.

And guess what? It's not just you! If your clients respond to the word 'discount', then they are probably putting out the same energy that you are.

That's probably going to be a recipe for disaster at some point. Starting a relationship with a client for less than what you want to earn is a serious issue.

Don't sacrifice the money now for the money you WILL earn when you do things right.

Find your best clients, do amazing work with them, earn what you know you are worth (and need to earn) and your credibility will speak for itself.

I tell you all the time that my clients were 6 and 7 figure business coaches. That was a conscious decision. They also had to be working with a coach of their own for me to work with them. You can define these things!

Don't work with just anyone. That is one of the things that can really mess with our credibility. What if you say yes to a client that can not afford you, and then you don't get them the results they want? Or you end up fighting with them about money? That will be a client relationship that ends badly … doesn't really matter which way you look at it.

I advise VAs to find the clients that can afford them, that need them, that value them, and do great work with them. Those clients will praise you from the rooftops.

VAs who are earning what they want to earn and working with clients that they love (or at least doing work they love for great clients) … that's who we want to be!

That's how you build up your credibility. And obviously it's amazing for your energy levels too!

So there are four reasons that positive energy is so impactful in your business.

Now how do we get there … and stay there?

You have to give yourself all the help you can get.

1 Define what success means to you

When you have a clear understanding of what you need to feel successful, you can help yourself confidently get there.

I did a vision board a long time ago, my first one. I didn't know what a vision board was and mine sucked compared to everyone else's, but I stuck on pictures of things I wanted and places I wanted to go, that kind of thing. I stuck on words that I wanted to feel in my business and my life.

And I recently did a big office cleanup and I found it. At first I laughed, it was totally falling apart, but then I noticed something really cool. I had achieved a lot of the things on that board. I didn't realize it. I didn't use the board, like at all. But I did put the right things on it.

Success to me meant going those places and getting those things. And I have. I didn't need a vision board to follow. They really were the things I wanted. And I have built my business to get them. You need to define what it means to you, and start to help yourself get them.

2 Success routines

Set yourself up with routines that will instill success in your business. Figure out how you get clients, and do it every day. It's not luck, you can't leave it up to luck. You have to decide what your system is, and buy into it. Following a strategy that you know will work 4 out of 5 times is the surest way to be confident and to stay positive.

If you don't know how to do it, it's time to work with someone who can help you map out that plan. You don't need to follow someone else's plan or path. you need to follow yours. Ask for help. Invest in help. And then you do the work. You will get to where you want, I promise!

I would be nowhere if I didn't work with a business coach. Many of the VAs who have taken my Getting Started as a VA self study program say they would not be where they are without that program. You invest what you can afford and you DO THE WORK. Every day.

3 Seek out positivity

Don't do it alone. I've said it before. Business is hard. But you know what? Other VAs have had the same thoughts as you - probably right at the same time as you. Your problems are yours, yes, but you are not alone in having them. Find your people. Let them help you.

Surround yourself with people who lift you up - and who you lift up too. Did you know that when you are helping others, that gives off SO much positive energy?

I have an accountability partner and we talk every second week. Without even realizing it, we lift each other up. We also hold each other accountable for what our results are, but we do it in a positive manner - like if I share something that did not go well, my partner will honestly tell me why - what I didn't do, or should have done differently - but then just naturally she will tell me why I CAN do it. And both of our energy levels go up.

Like instantly. I know the same things about her. Find your partners, your people, and ask them for help, and give them help.

4 Banish negativity

Be really aware of what you are saying to yourself, and where you are spending your time. I know I talk often about what you say to yourself in your head, but another place that I see so much negativity is in the VA groups. We wallow in our pity when others agree with us. If we tell them that a client was mean to us, and we get all of our colleagues patting us on the back telling us, 'yes they are mean!' then we buy into it. But it's negative and it's not good for you. Get yourself out of there and go and network with the entrepreneurs who need you to be THEIR support.

And lend positivity wherever you can. Every single day. Look for it, sow it yourself.

5 When you're in it, get out of it

Am I telling you that you need to walk around in a good mood every day?

Hardly.

If I knew how to do that, I'd bottle it!

But you need to be able to identify when you are in it, and get out of it.

So to do that you need strategies that will help you.

I follow an ADHD coach of sorts on Instagram and she has put some really cool stuff into perspective for me that I think is relevant to so many of us.

She talks about energy levels as being sort of the bar for our output.

What I mean by that is that we can have habits and routines that we intend to follow every day (I encourage it!) … but what if we are having a low energy day?

We can't just toss what we need to do aside. We need to adjust it.

And that's what Melanie teaches - to have processes for both scenarios. If we are suffering from low energy, we still need to do stuff - but what is the bare minimum that we need to do to be effective?

That's what I love! On a low energy day you 'just' need to do x of xyz.

Let's circle back quickly to Willie: once you replace negative thoughts with positive ones, you'll start having positive results. Happy people seek out happy people. Your clients will seek you out when you are positive.

Assessment time.

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Let's take stock right now.

How are you feeling? Are you struggling? Are you feeling down? Are you stuck?

It's time to get out of your head and write this down these 3 things:

What do I want?

Why do I want it?

How can I get it?

We all know what we want. That's the easy one.

But why do you want it?

If you want clients, it's probably so you can make money. So you can pay for stuff. But really why do you want it? So you don't have to go back to a job? So you can work part time? So you can be more present for your family?

It's really important to attach the WHY to what you want. It helps you to remember why it's so important to get what you want.

And of course the last part of that is how to get it.

And I'm guessing that if you are struggling - and if you made it this far in this episode, that you don't know how.

That's okay, that's what I'm here for!

I don't know everything - and I get help in my business all the time with the things I don't know.

You can too.

I want you to know that I can help you do this stuff in your business. That's literally the reason I am here. To help you become a ridiculously good VA.

I've helped hundreds of VAs through challenges just like yours, and got them on their way to growing their business and the lifestyle that they dream of. That you dream of.

I'd love to do the same for you.

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.

The Virtual Circle (TVC) is a monthly mastermind group for Virtual Assistants just like you. We get together 3 times a month for group Zoom sessions to talk about what you are struggling with, working on, or celebrating. It's a close knit community of your VA colleagues that provides the best kind of support for your VA business. Learn more about TVC here.

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.

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.

It's not what you are that holds you back, it's what you think you are not. - Denis Waitley

We are back with part two of Kick Imposter Syndrome to the Curb.

Last episode we talked about what imposter syndrome is and how it can show up for us. How is does show up for us. And how it shows up for 82% of other people too - what a crazy stat was that! I think I'd love to be in the 18% (but I'm not ha ha).

We also talked about adjusting your inner monologue, focusing on the value you bring to your clients and their businesses, and knowing your stuff.

This week I want to go a little deeper into it. Let's go.

Talk About What You Can Do

We talked about creating content in the last episode, and how your brain seeing valuable content on a daily basis is a good thing.

Your valuable content, of course. Sometimes we get stuck in the scroll, and we read other people's words, see their images, their videos, and we don't think to create our own stuff.

And we also talked about saying positive things out loud. That's what this tip is about.

Talk with people. Every day.

I always encourage you to have real conversations with business owners every day. Not to sell them something they don't want or need, but to make those connections.

When you talk about what you can do what happens? You get better at talking about it for sure. I remember going to a business breakfast meeting every week and practicing my elevator pitch in the car on the way there. I would record it on my phone and then play it back to hear if it sounded okay. I would re-record if it didn't. It often didn't.

You may know that I hate elevator pitches. But they are good for forcing you talk out loud!

What I want you to do is to talk to real people. Have conversations. Ask them what they need help with in their business. Tell them how you can help, if you can.

Talking about what YOU can do builds up that positivity and value muscle that you need to keep imposter syndrome at bay.

If you hear yourself saying 'I can help you with that. That's exactly how I help my clients.', that's the serotonin you need to stay positive.

And of course, the more conversations you have, the more clients you will get. It's just a matter of numbers.

Find your people, talk to them. get clients. I assure you, imposter syndrome doesn't stand a chance when you are not struggling to find clients!

Oh and just a final note on this, I see it in the VA groups too - when someone asks a question, do you feel like you don't have the experience to answer their question? You do! Maybe that's the challenge you set for yourself this week - speak up. Contribute! It really helps those positive brain thoughts!

Share Your Feelings

Okay are we getting back into the woowoo here? not really.

BUT once of the most valuable things you can do for yourself and your business is to not try to go it alone.

Get help from someone you trust. Maybe lots of someones.

An accountability partner is one of the best things you can have to walk through new processes, talk through issues.

Getting someone else's perspective that you trust - and that understands your VA business - especially when you are struggling, can be really helpful.

And in terms of imposter syndrome, it doesn't even let you go there. If you are having a tough time, jump on the phone with someone and talk it through.

You will soon realize that others have many of the same problems as you - VAs or otherwise. And that definitely helps you realize that not everyone is way better off than you.

Again, on the flip side, can you be that person for someone? For many people? Maybe you join TVC like I always tell you. You will learn in a supportive group like that, that you have really valuable contributions.

Putting yourself into a situation (regularly) where you can give and get advice automatically helps you shed imposter syndrome because you get the support you need and you also give back. I highly recomnend it!

Learn to Like Yourself

Well, this one might be a little harder to do - especially if you are having a tough time.

But if you learn to like yourself, then you will want to help yourself. We tend to help people we like!

I use this exercise all the time when my VAs are struggling to figure things out in their business.

Do it for someone else. Pretend you are doing that research for someone else. Pretend you are trying to find a solution for a client or a friiend. How would you talk to that other person if they were going through what you are going through? Or if they were hearing what you are saying to yourself?

You have to trust yourself to be in business. You have to believe in yourself. You have to be confident in your abilities and your expertise.

And yes, you have to like yourself.

I know that if I told you to do that exercise for someone else, you would pull out all the stops without hesitation.

You would say 'oh yes, I can do that' and jump into action. But trying to do the same thing for ourselves isn't as easy sometimes.

It should be - and you have to treat yourself the same way - that's why having a support network is so important. You're not alone in having trouble with this one!

Realize No One is Perfect

We all look at other people and think they have it all together. Social media can be such a bad thing, because everyone only posts the good stuff on it and that's the stuff we see every day. Most people never post the negative stuff that we all go through.

No one is perfect. And you don't have to be either.

We think we are an imposter because we measure ourself against someone else - or against many others. But measuring properly isn't possible when you don't have all the facts. You aren't comparing apples to apples.

Recognizing that everyone else has their own 'stuff' too is a good start to helping you simply not be so hard on yourself.

In my research for this podcast topic, I saw some detailed kinds of imposters. I won't detail them in here for you because, well, it's not my content - but also because I want to get you OUT of yours, not help you identify with it further haha.

But just know that no one is perfect, everyone is fighting some kind of battle, even if they don't show it on social media.

Stick to your issues and figure out how to work through them so that you are done, but don't aim for perfectionism. It's exhausting, it can keep you stuck, and no one really ever expects it anyway!

Celebrate Your Successes

You guys laugh when I tell you to start a success journal.

It seems silly to write down things that went well today. I get it, it seems trivial.

But how do we remind ourselves of all of the good things that we do every day, especially when we are having a bad day - or even just a bad hour?

We need a reminder, and we don't always have someone sitting beside us to do it for us. Your success journal is the tool to help remind you of all of the GOOD you are doing every day.

What should you put into it? Things your clients say (use their words), things that helped someone else be better or do better, things that you finally did right, things that you always do right, anything that you consider a success. Some will be big, many will be small.

But it's all about YOU and how you helped other people - or how you helped yourself. Give yourself the tools you need to keep that top of mind.

And don't forget to own your accomplishments. Have you won an award, been invited to speak somewhere, been asked for advice from someone?

All of those things are successes. And again, writing them down helps you

Articulate Your Strengths

If your client or your partner asked you to make a list of things that they were amazing at, you would sharpen your pencil and get to work on that list.

It would probably even come easily to you, just like I mentioned earlier.

I tell the story often of a client of mine who was working with me on her marketing message. She was struggling to talk about herself and how amazing she was at the services she offered. So I flipped the conversation and asked her instead to tell me why someone should work with her husband, who was a tradesman with a business of his own. She could easily tell me exactly why clients should hire him. And then I told her that she could do the same for herself. You know your own strengths. Get out of your own head -- and way -- and write them down so you can share them too.

Not sure what your strengths are? Get someone help you with the list. When we are struggling with self-esteem or self-confidence issues, we sometimes need help to see our value. So ask someone. I bet you'll be pleasantly surprised at what they say. Maybe ask them anyway!

So that's it, like 10 things maybe that can help you kick your imposter syndrome to the curb.

Get rid of it.

Let's circle back to today's quote: It's not what you are that holds you back, it's what you think you are not. - Denis Waitley

We have proven with every tip in this two part podcast that you are in total control of moving yourself and your business forward. You can change the way you think (easily, I might add).

It's not what you are. It's NOT what you are.

You are a smart, capable, skilled, educated, experienced professional.

I feel like I am reciting the line from that movie The Help - You is smart. You is kind. You is important. You is!

No, really, though, you are.

You deserve success, you deserve happiness, you deserve the recognition of others. Go get after it!

I want you to know that I can help you do this stuff in your business. That's literally the reason I am here. To help you become a ridiculously good VA.

This is what I help VAs do. As a VA coach and trainer, I help you create success, teaching you how to fix what isn't going right in your VA business. When we work together either privately or in a group we talk specifically about your business and you - every service business is unique. Your VA business is unique.

I will help you clearly understand what your biggest issues are, and help you walk through the strategy and plan to fix them.

I've helped hundreds of VAs through challenges just like yours, and got them on their way to growing their business and the lifestyle that they dream of. That you dream of.

I'd love to do the same for you.

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.

The Virtual Circle (TVC) is a monthly mastermind group for Virtual Assistants just like you. We get together 3 times a month for group Zoom sessions to talk about what you are struggling with, working on, or celebrating. It's a close knit community of your VA colleagues that provides the best kind of support for your VA business. Learn more about TVC here.

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.

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.

Have you ever said these things to yourself - or out loud?

I'm a fraud Who am I to be doing this What if I get found out I don't know what I'm doing I just got lucky I'm not an expert, I'm not even good at this I have no idea what I'm doing I'm not good enough Everyone else knows what they are doing, except me I can't do this Why does anyone want to hear my opinion on this? Is today the day someone finds me out? This won't last, I better enjoy it now I can't charge someone for this I just want to help people

These are all statements that get dumped into the idea of Imposter Syndrome.

We feel like we are not good enough to do what we are doing, to charge what we charge, to work with who we work with, to speak out loud about how good we are.

It's a real and very common feeling. As a Virtual Assistant, many of us are women who came from secretary-ish roles where someone else was the boss.

Someone else got paid more than we did to do the important stuff, and we just looked after their back end stuff.

There was always someone higher up than us in every company.

So now as a business owner it can be a hard transition to see our own value and to showcase it to others.

We are the highest up in our own company and it is a new place for us to be!

And we can have feelings of inadequacy - maybe just sometimes, maybe often.

Make no mistake, we are qualified to do what we are doing.

You are a smart, capable, skilled, educated, experienced professional.

So why does it feel like everyone is going to 'find you out' one day and it will all be over?

Why is it that you look at others and think 'they have it, they know what they are doing, they are smarter than me'.

They aren't any smarter than you. They might look like it on the outside, but how do you know that they aren't feeling the same thing as you?

I'm here to tell you that it's not just you.

Imposter syndrome is CRAZY common. I found a study on Hubspot that says 82% of people have suffered from it at one point or another. 82%!!!

It doesn't discern - women, men, young, old, experienced, brand new.

And it even affects people at different stages of their business. If you are growing, you might feel it. If you are struggling, you might feel it.

It can cause fear, anxiety, depression, self-sabotage, self-doubt, and a whole host of other icky feelings.

It's exactly as Dr. Chan puts it. I'm so aware of all the things I don't know. We focus on what other people know that clients seem to want or need. I am so aware of what some other people know that I don't know - as I'm sure you are too - but that doesn't mean that we need to learn that thing.

She also says that there are an awful lot of people out there that think I'm an expert - that think YOU are an expert. And you know what? They are right!

So how then, do we kick imposter syndrome to the curb?

Well it starts by not being the only person that you talk to every day.

For some reason, we seem to think that being a one-woman show means doing everything ourselves.

Even though we teach our clients that they need help, we somehow don't think we are supposed to get help.

And flying solo definitely impacts how we think of ourselves.

As a matter of fact, I found so many ways to help banish imposter syndrome that I am actually going to do this in two part.

So here we got with the first few tips!

Adjust Your Inner Monologue

I came across this quote and I loved it so much I knew it was how I wanted to start off.

I wish someone would invent a tape recorder that we could attach to our brains to record everything we tell ourselves. We would realize how important it is to stop this negative self-talk. Ariana Huffington

What you say to yourself matters. Keeping an eye on what you are saying out loud is easy - but you also need to be mindful of what you are saying in your head.

If you are anything like me, I can look at the clock at 2 pm on any given day and realize I haven't said a word out loud.

Just working. No meetings. No words spoken aloud.

But boy, let me tell you about the hundreds of conversations I have had in my head!

All damn day I talk to myself. And some of it is not kind.

We don't do it on purpose, it just happens.

I remember reading that it takes the brain hearing 5 positive thoughts to crush a negative one. Five!

Our brains are one of the most powerful instruments on earth. If the brain can not think positive on default, how do you suppose you can?

It's why the positive thinkers of the world tell you to speak affirmations, or stick up positive post it notes where you can see them daily.

Your brain will react to the positivity, but being able to help it along makes a huge difference.

It's manifesting without the woowoo!

Focus On Your Value

What we do comes easily to us, right?

I know what I do does.

You have heard me say that a business coach of mine used to say what comes easiest to you is what you should be charging the most for.

An awesome idea. It is your expertise that you should be selling.

But so often we don't recognize the true value of what we are doing for our clients.

We think everyone knows how to do what we do.

They don't.

Not our clients, not even other Virtual Assistants.

We are unique, and we know what we are doing. You know what you are doing.

If I asked you right not what value your clients get from hiring you, what would you say?

So many VAs struggle with this whole concept. They simply can't articulate it.

Did you know that if you were creating regular marketing content, the words would come much more easily to you?

Think about it. What do you write in your content? How you specifically help your clients. Why it is important for them to get support. How they can work with you and how you make it easy for them to do that.

All value! And remember your brain will also hear it when you are creating content like that every day.

A super easy way to focus on your value. Create great content!

Know Your Stuff

That goes hand in hand with the next thing .

What do you know how to do? What can you do for your VA clients?

Document your expertise. Write it down.

Seeing, concretely seeing, what you are capable of in writing helps to reinforce it for you.

You can see your skill sets, your expertise, your value.

You can't showcase it to others if you don't truly know it yourself.

If you have done my skills inventory, you will have done this. Think about every job you have had, every training you have taken, every volunteer opportunity.

What have you learned? You know much more than you talk about every day, that I can guarantee you.

A lot of VAs think only about their last job or role when coming up with their services. But the list goes way beyond that.

Write it down, reinforce for yourself and then tell others about it.

Writing it down will also show you the gaps. What don't you know? Learn it.

Now that doesn't mean learn social media if you don't have clients yet, it means learn how to se a CRM that your audience is using if you offer executive admin services.

Remember we are talking about Imposter syndrome here. Nothing robs your self- confidence more than trying to learn social media, not being totally sure what you are doing, and charging clients for it.

Work with what you know already. Your Stuff. Do the best you can at it and shine!!

Now, I'm going to leave it here for this week but I have so much more to share with you on this topic of Imposter Syndrome.

And I want you to know that I can help you do this stuff in your business. That's literally the reason I am here. To help you become a ridiculously good VA.

This is exactly what I help VAs do. As a VA coach and trainer, I help you set yourself up for success, helping you fix the specific things that are going wrong in your business. When we work together either privately or in a group we talk specifically about your business and you - there is no one stop solution for everyone when it comes to service businesses like VA businesses.

I'll help you get clarity around your issues, and cheer you on as you walk through the steps to fix them.

I've helped hundreds of VAs through their challenges and got them on their way to growing their business and the lifestyle that they dream of.

I'd love to do the same for you.

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.

The Virtual Circle (TVC) is a monthly mastermind group for Virtual Assistants just like you. We get together 3 times a month for group Zoom sessions to talk about what you are struggling with, working on, or celebrating. It's a close knit community of your VA colleagues that provides the best kind of support for your VA business. Learn more about TVC here.

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.

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.

Time is what we want most, but what we use worst. - William Penn

This quote seems mean but it's not. None of use every moment of our time wisely. But if you are strategic with some thing in your VA business, you can use that time very wisely. And by doing so, you actually get more done. And make more money.

I am going to talk today about how you can save time while you do VA work.

Now, I am not talking about speed. I never tell you to work faster.

Well that's not entirely true.

I do talk about keeping a good work pace. I'll get to that later.

But there are 4 simple things you can implement in your business that can help you work more efficiently. And working efficiently helps you save time.

Efficiency helps you use the time you have as wisely as possible.

Productivity means getting things done. Efficiency means working smart.

Like William Penn says, we all want more time. Why is that? Because we are spending too much on things and we are running out of it when we don't need to.

For a VA, time is literally money. Your clients pay you to do work, often by the hour.

But you physically take the time to do the client work, and that is how you charge them. So your time is their money.

And in order to earn as much money as you can, you need to be productive and efficient.

Here are some things you can do to help you do that:

1 Checklists

I am a huge advocate of using checklists. You can set them up in Google Sheets or Trello or a project management t system or even printed on paper.

Where they are doesn't matter, as long as they detail the steps that you need to take to complete any task.

And they need to be checkable. Like I mean you can check off the tasks as you go.

I have done this a number of ways.

Some things I printed on paper and put in a transparency sleeve. I would check things off with a dry erase marker. Wipe it clean and reuse it next time. Really, I did! Simple is always best and at the time I used several checklists that way.

I have also made simple shareable spreadsheets. When I needed to share with client, it made it easy to detail all of the steps to do a project, and we could also add in deadline dates and who was responsible. It was easy to see the project status at a glance and what was coming up next.

Now I use Trello but I have also used many other project management systems. Online checklists are great, as long as everyone uses them.

But Tracey I hear you ask ... why do I need a checklist for things only I do? I know the steps. I don't need a checklist.

Well, yeah you do.

The brain saves soooo much time when you don't have to think about where you stopped and where you need to begin again.

You can also look at a checklist and do just a couple of things on it if you have some time now. You don't have to sit down and do a 2 hour task all at once.

I love it for my podcasts. I have 20 steps on my podcast creation checklist. I do a podcast every week .. of course I know how to do it. From doing my research to creating images, writing my script, recording it, editing it, many steps.

But every week I use the checklist. Because it means I don't need to do it all in one sitting. I can do my images one day if I have some time, or just feel like it. I can look for quotes for 10 upcoming episodes if that' what I feel like doing. By checking it off the checklist I know what needs to be done for each episode at a glance. Efficient!

I can help you design checklists for everything you do in your business. If you don't already have procedures for everything you do, we can start with those. Get more time back in your schedule!

2 Templates

The next thing that will help you with efficiency is templates.

Newsletter templates, email templates invoice templates, image templates, onboarding templates, rfp response templates, task and project templates.

You name it, you can probably create a time saving template for it. And if you can, you should.

Creating templates for your client work helps you churn out more stuff for them.

You can do a month's worth of newsletters faster. You can create eye catching and branded social media graphics with templates.

It is about more than efficiency and speed.

I love templates. I think everyone should use them.

Why do you want to recreate the wheel every time you sit down to create a social media post?

Now again I'm not talking about speed. At least not directly.

I'm going to back up just a bit here to talk about task pricing. Deliverable pricing. It's how I teach you to bill your clients. Why? Because when you bill your client for the deliverable, it doesn't matter how fast you do it. The faster you do it, the more you get paid.

I have an episode about billing by deliverable, so I'll tag that in the show notes below, but suffice it to say I teach you to bill that way because then you are billing for your expertise, and you don't lose money by being more efficient.

It helps you FIND ways to do things more efficiently because you can do more in less time (but the client pays the same).

Anyway I digress...

By creating templates you can get more done in less time. But still get paid for your expertise.

I don't teach skill stuff like Canva, but I sure can help you define where you can implement templates in your business to increase your work flow probably tenfold.

3 Habits and Routines

Next comes how you work every day. Your habits and routines.

Oh yes, you guys know I love to talk about this stuff!

Why? Because it works!

If you have ever read the book Atomic Habits, you will know about habit stacking which I think is really cool.

It means stacking a new habit on top of an existing one, and it's a great way to create an efficient routine.

My husband takes his daily medication after he brushes his teeth, and he never forget to take it. I should take a page out of his book actually ha ha.

But the point is that is a great example of habit stacking.

If you have trouble forming new habits, try doing it that way. Add on one thing at a time to something else that you always do anyway.

How many days do they say it takes to create a new habit? 21? So do it for 3 weeks and then it should become a habit. You can move it to anywhere you want then. And maybe stack other stuff on top of it too!

A great example of creating a new habit is taking 20 minute every morning to do your social median check ins. I actually challenge you to start this today.

I firmly believe that a lot of VAs spend wayyyy too much time on social media, and they don't have specific objectives for what they are trying to achieve with it.

What are you trying to do? Get clients. How do you get clients? Daily business conversations. That should be your daily objective on social media, so make it a habit, part of your morning routine.

Take 20 minutes and decide which groups you will go to, or which platforms. Connect with how many people. How many likes, shares, comments? Be strategic. Do it daily. Stop after 20 minutes.

I promise you, you will get better at it with practice, and you WILL get clients from it. In 20 mins a day. Yes, 20 strategic minutes.

I can teach you what to do and say in those 20 minutes that will get you the clients.

And the last thing you can do to save time in your VA business is

4 Regular Cost Benefit Analysis

This is a tricky one. How much automation do you bring into your business? What about subcontractors? Getting help to do what you do is the last time saver for today's episode.

Doing a cost benefit analysis is easy. Basically you are looking to see if paying for a person or service to help you with your work makes sense.

You compare the cost to the benefit.

Here's an example

1. You manually create social media post captions for your clients every week. It takes you 3 hours each week to create the captions, and then to repurpose some of it for social media images.
2. You then use Canva to create images with that content. Another 90 minutes.
3. You then download each image from Canva, name it and store it in your shared folders. That takes another hour.
4. Then you post the content to your planner and schedule each post to go out. That takes another 90 minutes.

So we are looking at 7 hours to do that task. If you are billing the client at 40/hr, that is $280 a week.

What could help you do it more efficiently? Post planners that can pull in csv files of content with image urls, for one. A sub to help with the Canva part maybe, for another. Templates for Canva images, definitely.

Weigh out what these things might cost versus how you are doing it now. Sub doing Canva work means you can pay out 2.5 hours at say 25/hr $63.50, and you can then take on more clients to do the other steps. Would that make sense for you?

Bringing on more clients brings you in more top line revenue and helps you get more work done.

Anyway that's just one example, you see how cost benefit works to help you make decisions.

Analyzing your revenue and workflows regularly is an excellent way to save you time as you get busier.

How does that all sound??

Time Saving? I promise you it will be, give some of it a try.

Especially that 20 minutes a day connection time. It truly is a game changer!

I'm going to leave it here for today, so I save us both time ha ha!

But I want you to know that I can help you do this stuff in your business. That's literally the reason I am here. To help you become a ridiculously good VA.

This is exactly the kind of stuff I help VAs do. As a VA coach and trainer, I help you set yourself up for success, helping you fix the specific things that are going wrong in your business. When we work together either privately or in a group we talk specifically about your business and you - there is no one stop solution for everyone when it comes to service businesses like VA businesses.

I'll help you get clarity around your issues, and cheer you on as you walk through the steps to fix them.

I've helped hundreds of VAs through their challenges and got them on their way to growing their business and the lifestyle that they dream of.

I'd love to do the same for you.

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.

The Virtual Circle (TVC) is a monthly mastermind group for Virtual Assistants just like you. We get together 3 times a month for group Zoom sessions to talk about what you are struggling with, working on, or celebrating. It's a close knit community of your VA colleagues that provides the best kind of support for your VA business. Learn more about TVC here.

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.

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.

Welcome to another episode of the podcast that teaches you how to be a ridiculously good virtual assistant.

Today we are going to talk about why you should consider having your clients prepay for your VA services.

Quote: A budget is telling your money where to go instead of wondering where it went. - Dave Ramsey

Now this episode is not about budgeting of course but fyi when you google prepayment services you basically get a bunch of funeral ads. Of course you do! So instead I went for prepay quotes and Dave Ramsey cane up. And it is an important factor in today's episode, budgeting. So I'm using it! Let's go!

To prepay or not to prepay?

It is a very common question in Virtual Assistant circles.

Some VAs start off getting their clients to pay up front. Some VAs make the switch at some point. Some VAs always get paid after work is done.

What you will do is up to you. It's your VA business. I can't tell you what you should be doing.

But I will tell you today why in my opinion it is better to get payment up front.

There are a lot of good things that can come out of getting paid for your services ahead of time.

I am only going to cover three today, but I bet they will help you decide that it's right for you.

1 Assurance of Payment

The first reason that it is a good idea to collect payment ahead of providing services is, well, so you will be sure to get paid.

One of the reasons that some VAs move to prepayment is because they got burned. It is part of the reason the I moved to it, I have no problem admitting that.

We often introduce policies and boundaries to our business as a result of things going wrong.

Chasing money is wrong. When your clients work, they get paid. You need to have that same expectation. You have plans for the money you earn.

When you get prepaid, the client pays you before services are rendered.

It's not unusual, especially these days. You have to pay ahead before you get a lot of stuff. Amazon, Ticketmaster, and even McDonalds.

Not all service providers require prepayment, but think of it as the client reserving time in your schedule for the coming month, and they need to lay to reserve it.

I can tell you a lot of sob stories about VAs doing work and then not getting paid for it. Way too many as a matter of fact.

There might be a lot of reasons why that happens but make no mistake, it sucks. It has happened to me more than once, and it could happen to you.

Protecting yourself is one of the best things you can learn to do as a business owner.

Making sure you are going to get paid is really is what I consider to be the main reason for you to change your policy around billing today.

2 Set Expectations

You are a business owner. You are not someone's assistant. Well you are their Virtual Assistant, but you are not their employee.

When you set the terms for payment, especially prepayment, you are asserting your position as the client's equal.

You get to tell them when to pay you. They don't get to decide that for you. They get to do that for their own business.

Imagine if you had a client whose customers prepaid them, and one of those customers tried to tell them they would pay afterward. Red flag! Your client would never say yes to that, and you don't have to either.

Setting expectations is important is everything you do in your VA business, but when it comes to money, it is even more important.

Your client will know that you are a business operator and that you are in charge of what happens with your policies and terms.

The one thing you have to do is be confident in your decision to collect payment in advance. If you are wishy washy about it the client will not have those expectations set.

Just like setting your rates, providing task estimates, and setting and holding all of your business policies, terms and boundaries, it's up to you! You set your rates and decide which clients to work with based on what they are going to pay you.

I can help you with setting your rates properly and setting your business policies, and even help you with what language to use to communicate money stuff with your clients.

3 Getting the Work

The last reason I'll cover today is simply a workflow reason.

When a client pays you in advance there is a better chance of them sending you the work you need to do.

How many times have you heard that a client needs so much help, and then it is like pulling teeth for then to send you anything?

Always remember that when our clients hire us they are usually overwhelmed, and we might be adding to that overwhelm as we try to get started.

It's another reason that I suggest getting ongoing important work tasks to do from the start.

When you are doing ongoing admin or marketing, you will need to communicate with them at least a few times a week. With projects, a week or more can go by and you don't create any kind of work flow that way.

Getting the work can be helped by them already having paid for it.

And on that note, don't roll over time. Don't let clients use hours over more than a month. If they don't need 20 hours a month yet, don't bill them that.

Start with 10 and then increase it. Only bill what you know you will use for their work. Use their budget wisely and in the best way possible for them.

All right. Are we getting it? Understanding it? Ready to do it??

Okay... so, prepayment. How does it work?

Your client can purchase a block of hours (that will be used in the coming month!) or they can buy a package of services that will be delivered in the coming month, or they can buy a project which starts this month.

They pay, you get to work.

You keep track of time or tasks and you give them weekly updates to let them know how you are managing their time. Not detailed time reports, just a summary update.

All clients want to know that you are managing their money well, keep them informed.

If you start running short tell them immediately. Turn down work or defer it till the next month instead of billing them a second time in the same month. If you are doing what you both agreed to at the frequency you both agreed to, you should be able to complete it on budget.

I will talk in another episode about what to do if things go off the rails, but I think you get the gist!

I also talk in another episode about how to estimate a client's service needs and how to bill properly for them. I'll tag that episode in the show notes. Be sure to check it out.

I'm going to leave this episode right here for you but I want to circle back to today' quote from Dave Ramsey.

A budget is telling your money where to go instead of wondering where it went.

When you ask for prepayment, your client is budgeting their work with you. You agree that xyz needs to be done this month. You agree that will cost the client this much. That becomes the budget for both of you to work with.

It makes things so clear for both of you. I highly recommend doing it.

And I can help you get it detailed out for your VA business. Services, rates, packages, client estimates, time management ... It's all part of doing this well.

This is exactly what I help VAs do. As a VA coach and trainer, I help you set yourself up for success, helping you fix the specific things that are going wrong in your business. When we work together either privately or in a group we talk specifically about your business and you - there is no one stop solution for everyone when it comes to service businesses like VA businesses.

I'll help you get clarity around your issues, and cheer you on as you walk through the steps to fix them.

I've helped hundreds of VAs through their challenges and got them on their way to growing their business and the lifestyle that they dream of.

I'd love to do the same for you.

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.

The Virtual Circle (TVC) is a monthly mastermind group for Virtual Assistants just like you. We get together 3 times a month for group Zoom sessions to talk about what you are struggling with, working on, or celebrating. It's a close knit community of your VA colleagues that provides the best kind of support for your VA business. Learn more about TVC here.

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.

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 we are going to talk about what it takes for you to build a referral VA business.

Quote: People influence people. Nothing influences people more than a recommendation from a trusted friend. A trusted referral influences people more than the best broadcast message. A trusted referral is the Holy Grail of advertising. - Mark Zuckerberg

This quote is great for today's topic because not only is it true, but it is easy to understand by anyone who hears it. Trust is something we talk about a lot in business and marketing, but in terms of getting referrals it is one of the most important things for you to build. Let's go!

When you first start your VA business, the dream is to work with amazing clients and get people referring business to you all over the place.

It can't be that hard, can it?

I'm sure there are very few VAs who ever give marketing a second thought.

I know when I started my VA business I did not know how to get clients. But that didn't stop me from starting.

And I bet it didn't stop you either.

There are two ways to find clients … well, maybe three actually.

One … job boards, postings, VA groups, jumping on every potential posting that you see and hoping that you are the first past the post. These methods of getting clients are all very competitive. They can be lucrative, of course, but many jobs that get posted online are looking for the cheapest VA they can find, or like I said, the first one to respond. I don't recommend growing your dream VA business using job boards. I don't discourage you from using them - just not as your only source of finding clients. It can be really depressing to waste so much time just hoping.

Two … marketing. I teach marketing, so I know it works. When you find the right people that you can help and you become a part of the community with them online or offline, you can get lots of great clients. But of course it takes the proper strategy and plan, and takes work too. I can help you with your strategy and plan of course .. and I do highly recommend learning to market your VA business well. It is worth the work, and when you find your people you can get lots of GREAT clients this way (not just any old client).

And that brings me to Three, which is what I want to talk about on today's episode. Referrals. One very underused way to get GREAT clients is to find some great people to refer business to you. Having a great source of referrals is one of the best things you can do for your VA business.

Let's talk about what you need to do that.

1 - Choose a Target Market

Tracey you always tell us to choose a target market! For everything! Yeah, I do. Because it is one of the most important things you can to grow a ridiculously good VA business.

Choosing a target market when you are looking for referrals is even more important. How can people send you referrals if they don't know who you can help?

You have to be able to tell them who would be the best clients for you. Not all referrals are good ones. And just because someone sends you a referral doesn't mean they will be a a good fit for you.

So think about who the people are that you can help best. Whether that is because of the industry they are in, or the area they live in, or the services they need, pick one. amd stick with it!

2 - Define What You Do Clearly

The other piece of getting a good referral is making sure that the people you are communicating with (and looking for referrals from) understand what you do.

You can say general admin, or social media, or event planning. And you may have a clear understanding of what that entails. But unless your referrer is a VA, they may not understand what it means exactly.

So it's important to be able to define it well. totally about who you help, how you help them. For general admin that could be saying helping them get organized or sending their emails out or managing their schedule. For social media that could be saying you help them get their business in front of more people using Facebook or LinkedIn. That type of thing.

Clearly defining what you do is not just important when seeking referrals. It's important for your own marketing too. So it's hugely beneficial to figure it out. and yes, I can definitely help you do that.

3 - Find Your Community

One big part of getting one or more referrals sources is becoming a part of a community with them.

You don't want to just ask people for referrals and that's the end of it. You want to connect with them regularly.

Staying top of mind is important to get people to think of you when the opportunity arises.

Finding a community that you can spend time with on a regular basis is a genuine and fun way to keep in touch with people who can help you grow your business.

That could be an online group, it might be an in person group, or it might be a regular event that you attend.

And keep in mind that it might not be the same place that you are networking with your potential clients. There is an important distinction. Find the best communities you can for your business.

4 - Give Referrals

I always say it... the best way to get a referral is to give one first.

Becoming an active part of your community means that you will learn about the other business owners in it too.

Be genuine, always, don't force referrals (or requests for referrals), it never works well that way.

Also, just because someone sends you referrals does not mean that it has to be a two way street. I learned that a long time ago that people can be a one way referral.

How does that work?

Simple ... there are people that need you after they have worked with someone else ... say a business coach who has taught them strategy to implement. They then need you to implement that strategy.

And there are people that need someone else after they are working with or have worked with you. Say those same clients need a website developer or a branding expert, or a social media expert.

In both cases, you can get referrals too. The business coach can refer their clients to you, and so can the web developer. Make sense?

5 - Do Great Work

And the last part is so easy. Do great work.

The best way for people to want to send others your way is to do a good job. A ridiculously good job, as a matter of fact.

Just do what you are great at, and this part will be the easiest!

Do what you love, what you are great at, network with awesome people, be honest if someone comes along who is not a good fit for you. Everyone learns that way.

‌Building a referral VA business just takes making a few decisions, making the right connections, and doing good work. How simple is that!?

And it really is that simple. I did it, so I know it works... and how easy it is.

I built my referral only VA business exactly this way.

I worked with a business coach to clearly define who I helped, what I did, and how I helped them. We created simple packages that helped me showcase that.

Then I connected with those people and their colleagues every day. Online. In person. At events. I became known for what I did.

And I got referrals. I was highly referred and on a waiting list all the time. I grew my business with 4 subcontractors who helped me provide amazing services to my clients. And their clients!

A little bit of trust goes a long way with referrals, just like Mark Zuckerberg says in today's quote. Be genuine, be helpful, do good work. That builds trust in business!

I did it. I honestly did it really easily.

And you can do it too. Start building a referral VA business today.

This is exactly what I help VAs do. As a VA coach and trainer, I help you set yourself up for success, helping you fix the specific things that are going wrong in your business. When we work together either privately or in a group we talk specifically about your business and you - there is no one stop solution for everyone when it comes to service businesses like VA businesses.

I'll help you get clarity around your issues, and cheer you on as you walk through the steps to fix them.

I've helped hundreds of VAs through their challenges and got them on their way to growing their business and the lifestyle that they dream of.

I'd love to do the same for you.

You can work with me privately, or you can join The Virtual Circle, my mastermind group for Virtual Assistants. Check it out at [www.YourVAMentor.com/TVC] (the virtual circle) - I bet it's exactly what you need to start running the VA business you dreamed of.

Reach out to me if you are interested.

That's all I've got for you this week, see you next time!

Today we are going to talk about what you should put in your Virtual Assistant contract.

It is important for you to get your clients to sign a contract prior to working with you.

Having a contract sets you apart from other VAs, it details what you are going to do for your clients, and how much it is going to cost them, tells them how to work with you and how to stop working with you.

Professional VAs ... yes, ridiculously good VAs, use contracts.

They should include the standard stuff, client contact info, yours, but there are a few other things you should make sure to include as well. I will share those things in this episode.

But first, I want to quickly talk about putting dates on a contract. Some VAs feel the need to lock the client in to a contract with dates on it. I never did this. I actually don't recommend it unless you are working on a project.

It may feel like security for you but it really just locks both of you into something and it can be scary for the client to commit.

Some VAs do it without issue, but I prefer an open ongoing contract that you can update at a specific time (ie annually).

So let's go. What should you include in your contract?

‌Scope of Work

This is where you tell the client what you will do for them. Don't just put general admin. You want to describe in detail what you will do.

Name the tasks, describe the frequency you will do them.

This is one of the most important parts of your contract. Set the client's expectations by being as specific as you can. If you write down client care or customer service, what does that entail? You don't have to write a paragraph, but a few words to describe the task.

Include every task or deliverable you will provide.

And add in one last point that indicates you will also do other tasks as agreed upon by both of you. So you can expand or change what you do. And keeping an eye on this part is what can help you to know when yo revise your contract with that client.

Communication

You will want to set boundaries for communication with your clients. You have to, or they could start treating you like their employee.

How do they communicate with you? How do you coordinate work to be done? How often do you respond? How much lead time do you need for things?

I used to communicate with weekly production meetings and then via email the remainder of the week, so that went into my contract.

The clearer you can define your communication boundaries from the start, the better for both of you.

Schedule

When will your contract begin?

How much time are they getting from you, or what are their expectations around that? Weekly ongoing work is best!

What are your business hours, and when will you be off or away? How muchbnotice do you give before taking time off?

These are all important considerations for your contract as well.

You can have more detailed conversations with your clients about turnaround times and lead times once you start working together but schedule stuff is important to include in your contract.

Payment Terms

This is probably the next most important part of your contract.

I always say your clients want to know what you can donfornthem and how much it will cost them.

So in your contract, that refers to your scope of work and your payment terms.

How and when do your clients need to pay you? I highly suggest getting paid in advance, or taking prepayment for your services.

It makes lots of things easier, but certainly it protects you from doing work and then maybe not getting paid.

What happens if a client pays late? You should indicate that in the payment terms as well. Be clear from the start. Then if the client doesn't hold up their end of the bargain, you can handle it quickly.

Also indicate what happens if they go over budget or finish a month under budget. Do you roll hours over? Do you have a use it or lose it policy? Put it all in here.

Confidentiality

A confidentiality clause helps you let the client know that you will protect their stuff.

Tell them that you won't disclose or discuss their company info and data with anyone. Let them know how you manage secure things like their passwords or shared access files and programs.

This is called nondisclosure. It takes the place of an NDA, that's what you are covering by detailing this in your contract. Sometimes clients also ask you to sign their NDA which is also fine in my opinion.

The other thing your clients might ask of you is something called a non compete. This often means that you agree not to work with similar businesses. You do not have to agree to this and you definitely do not need to have it in your contract. Your VA business is your business. If you have a client who is worried that you will work with their competition, they might not be a good client. Some businesses need noncompetes, there are places for them. But as a service business operator an NDA is all you need.

And the last thing you need to out in your contract is

Dissolution clause.

What does that mean? It just means how you dissolve the contract, or end the relationship with that client. I include two things in this part. First is how to end it in the first 30 days. Sometimes things just aren't a fit. So give yourself and the client an immediate out. What happens if either of you want out after you have just begun? And second, how do either of you out after that? My contracts always indicated that with 30 days written notice, either party could end the agreement.

Don't be scared that a client will leave you. If you are working well together, they won't. Do your best and you will enjoy longterm relationships with your clients.

The dissolution clause is there to help you both.

And 30 days is enough time to find a new client to replace them if you break up!

Of course, have a lawyer look over your contract to make sure it protects you and reads correctly. But you don't have to give your clients legalspeak. You can use normal business language and still have it legally sound.

That's it! That's all you really need in your contract.

I hope I have helped you see that it's not crazy technical, amd why each of these sections are so important.

Your contract is an essential document in your business. Do not do business without it.

And do be sure to review the contract at least annually with your client, or when your work scope changes significantly.

This is exactly what I help VAs do. As a VA coach and trainer, I help you set yourself up for success, helping you fix the specific things that are going wrong in your business. When we work together either privately or in a group we talk specifically about your business and you - there is no one stop solution for everyone when it comes to service businesses like VA businesses.

I'll help you get clarity around your issues, and cheer you on as you walk through the steps to fix them.

I've helped hundreds of VAs through their challenges and got them on their way to growing their business and the lifestyle that they dream of.

I'd love to do the same for you.

You can work with me privately, or you can join The Virtual Circle, my mastermind group for Virtual Assistants. Check it out at [www.YourVAMentor.com/TVC] (the virtual circle) - I bet it's exactly what you need to start running the VA business you dreamed of.

Reach out to me if you are interested.

That's all I've got for you this week, see you next time!

Welcome to another episode of the podcast that teaches you how to be a ridiculously good virtual assistant.

Today we are going to talk about how I became a fully booked out VA - and how you can too. It's really not as hard as you think!

Quote: In the business of referrals, trust is the most important reason a recommendation is made and, conversely, lack of trust the single greatest reason referrals don't happen. - John Jantsch

Now of course we aren't operating an MLM here, but a service business grows easily when others send you more clients. And that's what we will talk about in today's episode. Let's go!

Building an amazing Virtual Assistant business is not a difficult thing to do. You find a client, you do great work, they tell their friends about you, and you get more clients. Right?

Becoming a booked out VA is something that we all dream of - and strive for - when we start our VA business.

The most difficult thing you will do in your business is find great clients.

I talk often about finding great clients because running the business you love is all about the quality of clients you work with.

When we start our VA business, we will work with anyone who asks us to. And that's not a bad thing. We need money to run a business, and when we are starting out it is totally okay to work with anyone.

But … as we build our business, we want it to be sustainable … profitable … fun … and fulfilling.

And that means finding the best clients we can.

It means finding a lot of them. And it means finding their colleagues, and getting referrals.

Today's quote tells us that trust is one of the deciding factors of whether to pass along someone's name or not. You know it yourself, you give a referral for someone when you think they can take care of your friend. Our clients are no different.

Becoming booked out is a term that a lot of VAs are jealous of - especially if they aren't booked out.

But it's what we all work towards. So let's talk about how you can do it.

I'll set the stage a little for you, about how it all happened for me.

I started working for myself in 1998 just before I had my son. I was 7 months pregnant and I was leaving my job at the head office of a hospitality company. I didn't intend to go back to that job, and I wasn't really sure what I was going to do, but for a few reasons I knew I wasn't going to be going back there.

First, I didn't like the job. I liked parts of it, but some of what I was doing was kinda dull.

I definitely didn't like the office life. Commuting, rush hour, figuring out what to eat for lunch every day, constant interruptions in my office … it just wasn't my vibe.

I loved my coworkers, but I found corporate life to be really a bore.

Oh, I suppose I should mention that I had only worked at that position in the company for a couple of years. Prior to that I had been a kitchen manager in the company. So definitely not an office job!

Some quick background: I never really knew what I wanted to do. I started working in high school in hospitality and then quickly moved on to several different admin jobs. I worked in the government, private sector, community newspaper, as a courier, a sales rep, and many other jobs until I realized I didn't love any of them. I thought about what I wanted to do and it was hospitality - so I went back to school for my catering management diploma and stumbled into the company I ended up working 8 years for. When I was in the kitchen there was a lot of admin, and I naturally gravitated to that. I loved cooking but I was really good at the admin, so I moved to corporate office. There now you're caught up ha ha.

Anyway, I met my husband at restaurant (he is still a chef) and we got married and have a 25 year old son now (who is also a chef). When I was leaving on mat leave I knew I wasn't going back, that's where we were.

I again thought about what it was I wanted to do, and actually my boss answered that question for me.

He asked me if I could contract to do the important work he still needed (the stuff I loved) after the baby arrived. I told him I didn't know how, and he said 'We'll communicate by email, meeting if necessary. You do the work, count your hours and send me a bill at the end of the month.' Voila, I was a freelancer.

Why was I a freelancer? Because my boss trusted me with the work he needed done. In fact he had done the work before me. So he knew it was valuable, and he knew he wasn't doing it anymore, so he had to suggest a ways for me to do it.

And so we began. That was great, and I did it for a lonnnnng time!

The problem was, it wasn't a lot of money to start, just working for one client … and I had no idea how to get other clients.

So the second part or the story is my struggle.

I did everything I could think of to find clients. Fiverr, Upwork (they were called other things back when I was there), classifieds, local bulletin boards, yellow pages, cold calls, direct mail, job boards ,… who knows what else I tried.

I worked my butt off trying to find clients. Did I find some? Sure I did. But I heard a whole lot more NOs than Yesses. I heard them every day.

I thought that's the way business was supposed to be.

But it's not.

If that's what you are going through right now, I want you to pay really close attention to the next part of this episode.

Business doesn't have to be hard. At least the getting great clients part doesn't.

I tell you every day. Find your people. Connect with them. Get great clients.

Why do I tell you that? Because it's the key to having a thriving business that you love - with more clients than you know what to do with.

I did it. And you can do it too.

It's not hard. I tell you that all the time. And I'm not lying.

Did I struggle? Oh yeah.

Did I fail? You bet!

Did I learn? Yep … and that's the key right there.

To find the best clients for you … you need to learn how!

I use the term 'great clients' all the time. You probably have noticed that. Because not all clients are equal.

Are they all great people? Probably! But they are not all great clients.

A great client is someone that needs the services you love to provide. They have a growing business that depends on your support to make it fantastic. They value you and your business. And you work well together. And they want you to succeed as much as you want them to succeed.

Great clients need us, appreciate us, value us, and PAY us.

Those are the clients I want you to work with. The clients I want you get BOOKED OUT supporting.

Don't fill your VA business for the sake of filling up your week.

Set your rates where they need to be for you to earn good money. Work only with the clients you want to work with (no more micromanagers!). And do only the things you love to do every day.

How did I get there?

Easy. I worked with my first business coach in 2008. Now if you're paying attention to the years in my story, that's a full 10 years after I started working for myself.

TEN. YEARS.

I didn't struggle the whole time but I sure wasn't flying for a long time.

And then when I got introduced to my business coach (through one of my clients), I learned how to find clients.

I actually joined their high-level mastermind group (which cost me $750 at the time … probably at least 30% of what I was billing at the time)

I learned a strategy, and system that worked for me.

I found the people that I could help.

I hung out with them.

I talked to them and their colleagues every day.

And … I doubled my rates overnight.

My business coach looked at what I was doing, asked me what my revenue goal was (I didn't even know!) and we made the necessary changes to put a plan in place to get me there. Within months I was booked out and on a waiting list.

I raised my rates and I focused on the services that I loved to do - that I was terrific at - and that my clients really needed. I started offering packages and prepaid retainers. No more hourly billing, no more unused hours to roll over. No more waiting on clients to send me stuff to do.

I became proactive and talked to them about ongoing work. Things they needed to have done regularly - weekly if possible. I held weekly meetings to keep us on track. I was no longer a task doer, I was a required part of their business and I kept all of their balls in the air.

I also created a high ticket service that I was able to offer my clients on a project basis, and that was a great thing for my business too. My clients referred their colleagues to me, and I was able to attend networking events and live events where all of their colleagues were.

Getting known in the community of people that I knew I could best support, that could allow me to build the business I wanted, was the key to being booked out.

And it happened fast! Once I knew what I was doing.

But the bottom line was that before that, for 10 years! I had nothing in place to build my own success. Nothing.

I was flying by the seat of my pants every day and just hoping something would stick.

I needed a plan and I got the help I needed. I learned what I didn't know, and I got to where I wanted to go. FAST.

I didn't do it alone, and you don't have to either.

I can help.

I've been helping VAs for 13 years. Two years after I made all my changes, I started teaching VAs how to do the same. It was at that time I launched my Getting Started as a VA program that continues to help VAs today.

When people trust you, they love to do business with you. That's also part of the reason I do so much free training - including this podcast. I want you to trust me to help you with your business. I have been where you are. It's not a fun place to be. I don't like to struggle and I don't want you to either.

You don't have to. I can help you get out of where you are and create a plan that will work for you.

I'm going to leave it here for you today after this quick recap:

How do you become a booked out Virtual Assistant?

• work with a coach
• set realistic rates (do the math)
• create packages
• find your people
• network every day, attend events
• ask for referrals

And of course the most important (and easiest!) part - do a great job for them!

Gathering testimonials is secondary to people talking to their colleagues about you. When you are a ridiculously good VA, your clients' colleagues will ask how they are doing so well - and they will mention you!

Becoming booked out means you being an important part of many clients' businesses. An indispensable part. The need you, They value you. They will pay you what you are worth, because they are confident that you are worth it.

Don't wait 10 years like I did. You don't have to. I can help you TODAY.

‌

This is exactly what I help VAs do. As a VA coach and trainer, I help you set yourself up for success, helping you fix the specific things that are going wrong in your business. When we work together either privately or in a group we talk specifically about your business and you - there is no one stop solution for everyone when it comes to service businesses like VA businesses.

I'll help you get clarity around your issues, and cheer you on as you walk through the steps to fix them.

I've helped hundreds of VAs through their challenges and got them on their way to growing their business and the lifestyle that they dream of.

I'd love to do the same for you.

You can work with me privately, or you can join The Virtual Circle, my mastermind group for Virtual Assistants. Check it out at [www.YourVAMentor.com/TVC] (the virtual circle) - I bet it's exactly what you need to start running the VA business you dreamed of. And I promise you, it won't cost you $750 a month! It's only $129.

If you want even faster results, private coaching could be the option for you.

Let's talk about it. I'm here to help you. If you're stuck, reach out.

That's all I've got for you this week, see you next time!

Hey there, welcome to another episode of the podcast that teaches you how to be a ridiculously good virtual assistant.

Today we are going to talk about what you should be sharing with your VA clients and what you don't have to share. Now I don't mean personal stuff or what you talk to them about - I'm talking about how you actually do the work you do for them. You'll see what I mean.

Quote: It doesn't make sense to hire smart people and tell them what to do; we hire smart people so they can tell us what to do. Steve Jobs

This quote is for our clients again. Hire smart people. That's us, the VAs. Then let us do what you hired us to do. Micromanagers need not listen to this episode (or maybe they should!) Let's go!

This will be a short episode today because it's pretty much to the point!

I want to talk about what you be sharing with your clients versus what you shouldn't be sharing, or what you don't need to share with them.

Because we work virtually, there are certain things that our clients need access to.

But sometimes the lines get blurred, especially when the client requests something from us, and we aren't quite sure what the right thing to do is.

So let's start with what you need to share with them.

Their files. Any of their own files you should be sharing with them. They need access, and you do too, but anything that is theirs should be theirs.

Set up a Google folder or a Dropbox folder or whatever you use, and create a simple filing system so they can find what they need when they need it.

If you do use Google, make sure to make the client the owner of the folders and files even if you create them. It makes it easier at the end of your relationship if you do that as you go along.

Their CRM. The information that comes in through a client's CRM is theirs, and you should have their own account set up for it. Same with e-commerce stuff. You should never be setting up CRM, email or bookkeeping systems and then adding your client and their info to yours.

Anything they require to run their business should be paid for by them and updated in their own systems. Then you get access, preferably with your own login and password.

There are liability issues if you don't, of course, but it is also simpler when you stop working with them to extract yourself from their stuff rather than move it all somewhere else for them.

Their passwords. This is important as well. Anything you use to help them should have a password for each of you if possible. But they definitely need password access for whatever you do for them. Using a password manager like Roboform or LastPass can help you keep all of that stuff safe and secure.

Pretty standard stuff. There are probably other things that you need to share with them, but you get the point I think.

So let's move to the other list!

What do we not have to share with them?

Step by step instructions on how to do everything.

This is the big one, and the basis of this episode.

Your clients are paying you for your expertise. You do not have to teach them how to do what you do.

Some will ask. You can say no.

In fact you may find yourself replaced with someone cheaper if a client has step by step instructions to do the things you do.

Now ... if they have provided you with those instructions then it's fine to update them when necessary. But if you have created them, you don't have to ever give them access.

If you do have a client who insists on you creating videos or writing down all the steps, you can decline. politely if you like.

To me that client is a micro manager and I would let them go.

They don't need to know how you do it, or be able invite anyone off the street to do it. They are paying you to make sure it gets done.

And they might also be able to tell you what steps not to miss(ie SEO in a blog post) but if they want to do your tasks they can learn how to on their own.

And if they want to hire someone else they need to find someone qualified.

What I have done for clients in the past is to give an overview of the task (ie create newsletter, update subject line, update content, images are found or created here, links are found here, send a test email to check all, schedule to send) etc.

This is not a process that someone off the street could complete (like click file, click open, click on subject line, update it, etc)

The person taking over had to know what they are doing. I think those processes are okay to share.

But not writing down everything you know for them.

So that is step by step stuff.

You also don't have to share your processes with them. Like how you do things or create them or research them.

Again, they are paying you for the deliverable - to get something done. So that's what they get.

Collaboration is essential so you need to define everyone's roles. What do they have to do, and when, and how does that fit in with or affect timelines, deadlines, and other people's work progress and pace?

Processes are important from a team standpoint, but not for the work you do on your own.

Content creation does not have to be shared. They may have their own Canva account, and that's fine, but it is not necessarily something they need layered access to.

That might surprise you but again they are paying for a deliverable, the completed image presumably, so draft stuff doesn't matter..You can do their work in your Canva account (though I still prefer for them to pay for their own).

Use their brand colors and fonts and create templates to make it easy to create their stuff, but still only deliver the final images unless they pay you for some templates.

And finally strategy.

This is a touchy subject for some VAs because they feel like they should be charging more for giving a client advice or strategy around the work they do.

You don't have to share anything with them unless you want to.

And it should be billable (I won't talk about you having just one billable rate today but you should only have one).

Just because you work with clients who do podcasts, doesn't mean you should be giving your client advice about where to market theirs. Doesn't mean you can't, just saying podcast support does not have to include strategy. It's one of the 'you don't have to do this just because a client asks' tasks.

There you have it.

What do you need to share with a client? Their stuff.

What don't you have to share? Your stuff. Your intellectual property, your processes, your training and expertise, your advice or strategy.

Clients will ask. You can refuse. Remind them that they are paying you for the deliverable ... to get the stuff done ... and that's what you will deliver for them.

Our clients need to remember what Steve Jobs says! Hire smart people (VAs) so they can tell you what to do. They don't need to learn what we know. They don't need to teach others what we know.

They need to stay in their lane and work in their brilliance.

Anything less, to me, screams cheap. They are looking to stop spending the money they knownthey need to spend to have you help them.

So if you think a conversation about NO will be uncomfortable, think about giving it all away and then losing that client anyway.

I choose NO every time!

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This is exactly what I help VAs do. As a VA coach and trainer, I help you set yourself up for success, helping you fix the specific things that are going wrong in your business. When we work together either privately or in a group we talk specifically about your business and you - there is no one stop solution for everyone when it comes to service businesses like VA businesses.

I'll help you get clarity around your issues, and cheer you on as you walk through the steps to fix them.

I've helped hundreds of VAs through their challenges and got them on their way to growing their business and the lifestyle that they dream of.

I'd love to do the same for you.

You can work with me privately, or you can join The Virtual Circle, my mastermind group for Virtual Assistants. Check it out at [www.YourVAMentor.com/TVC] (the virtual circle) - I bet it's exactly what you need to start running the VA business you dreamed of.

Reach out to me if you are interested.

That's all I've got for you this week, see you next time!