What kind of investment should I expect to make to be a successful VA in 6 months? I know it is important to get business cards, get a domain, create a website, join online industry organizations and memberships. But what are the other considerable costs one should make?

Answer:
I think the answer to this question is a bit subjective. First you need to define what success means to you. Some only want to work part-time while others hope to make it a full-time business and earn six figures.

More important than a monetary investment is the investment in your time and energy. Before we get into that though I will cover some basics you need.

In my book, The Commonsense Virtual Assistant - Becoming an Entrepreneur, Not an Employee , the introduction lists some skills and tools you'll need such as:

• Business Plan
• License
• Contract
• Reliable computer
• Internet access
• Phone service
• Time tracking tool
• Project management tool

There are other investments you can make to get training and certification. These are not necessary. If you do choose some training or classes to get certified, make sure to check them out thoroughly so you are getting the value you need for the investment you make.

Now to the important investments: your time and energy. Your success will depend largely on the time and energy you are willing to spend to build your business. The number one investment in your time and energy should be to attend in-person networking events. I've written numerous times  about how important it is to do this if you intend to build trusting relationships with prospects and clients and gain referrals. The Commonsense Virtual Assistant book has an entire chapter dedicated to marketing and specifically covers networking.

So the real question you need to ask yourself is, "Am I willing to attend four networking events every month for the next six months and build relationships?" When I was growing my business I attended a different networking event every week of the month and did that consistently for six months. By the end of that time I had built trusting relationships with people who I was able to refer work to. That in turn led to my gaining new clients and referrals.

Let's ask other successful virtual assistants: what did you do to succeed?

Now neither I nor the accountant worked for this client any longer. However, the accountant connected with me on LinkedIn. I accepted the invitation to connect. We both thought, "you never know when we'll need the other's services". It's been nearly four years and I was just contacted by this accountant. She needs some work done and thought a virtual assistant could do this work. Who did she think of first? Someone she already had a relationship and connection with - me.

This reiterates the fact that building trusting relationships takes time. Don't be in a hurry to sell your services to total strangers. Take time to get to know people, Connect on LinkedIn, ask some questions, comment on their blog. Once they get to know you, like you and trust you, you'll have something to build a working relationship on.

When did you choose to become a virtual assistant?
I can't say there was a definiing moment for me - it just grew from a combination of being sick to death of the corporate world and a need to put my skills to better use. I was sick of butting up against the income ceiling in the corporate world and after 15 years, I realized the only route for me to go was self-employment. I simply wasn't getting anywhere in the traditional way.

What advice would you give new and aspiring VAs?
Read everything you can, join a solid network of VAs, and make sure you take a hard look at your rates. I spent far too much time not making money in my business because I wasn't charging enough. Have confidence that your skills are needed and charge for them. But don't go crazy with it either. Make sure you have a legitimate basis for your fees.

What resources have helped you in your business?
Linked in, VirtualAssistants.com, and surprisingly enough, fellow virtual assistants. I have a colleague of mine who suggested resources to me when I was first starting out, even though we were both virtual assistants. That is practically unheard of in the cut-throat corporate world. I can't tell you how refreshing it is to not have that pressure of competition. Also, I cannot emphasize the value of networking and building a name in your local community. Those referrals are some of the best opportunities for your business.

Share something about yourself.
I'm a single mother to a beautiful daughter named Liberty. She is the reason behind so much of what I do and has given me the courage, motivation, and strength to become self-employed.

Charity's Contact Information:

Charity Van Vleet,  Eagle Eye Web Services

Website: http://www.eagleeyewebservices.com
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/cmvanvleet

When did you start your business?
Oct 2008

Why did you choose to become a Virtual Assistant?
When I started thinking about an online-based business I stumbled upon social media for businesses. It then became my passion, and along with the strong heartfelt desire to help people, I felt that becoming a virtual assistant was a great fit for me. With everything that social media encompasses, it became apparent that managing social media would be time consuming. Therefore, if I was going to offer social media services to the fullest, then I needed to focus my training on social media. Makes sense, right? Does that mean I can’t type a word document, of course I can. However, it simply means that I’m not going to stay on top of each and every version of MS Office or QuickBooks, especially since it is not my niche. What is does mean is that I will stay on top of what the social networks are doing and how they are changing our marketing and the way we run and manage our businesses so that I can help you stay on top of everything social media.

What advice would you give new and aspiring VAs?
The best advice I would give any aspiring VA is to make a niche out of what you love doing and stick with it.

What resources have helped you in your business?
IVAA, VA Networking and Beryl Powell of Operate it Right

Share something about yourself such as a hobby.
I love to read, I have a backlog of about 4 business books right now, plus one fun book that I am working on. I also have 2 cats, 1 bird and now 1 dog on top of my two boys at home.

Additional comments you’d like to share.
Always make sure to have a balance between work, family and fun. It is so tempting for me to work all day and all night and if I do that I know burn out is coming.

Dawn's Contact Information:
Dawn Pigoni, Be Social Worldwide
Website: http://besocialworldwide.com
Blog: http://besocialworldwide.com/blog
Twitter: http://twitter.com/dawntrenee
Facebook: http://facebook.com/SocialMediaMarketingVirtualAssistant
LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/dawntrenee

When did you start your business? Jan 2010

Why did you choose to become a Virtual Assistant? I lost 3 jobs in a year due to the economy. I've always wanted to be my own boss so I thought it would be a good time to give it my best shot!

What advice would you give new and aspiring VAs? It's so easy to become overwhelmed learning everything. I started and then had to back up. I took a coaching course which helped me define my niche, target market, catch phrase, some marketing ideas... it gave me a better place to start.

What resources have helped you in your business? Networking online & offline. I use different social media sites for building online connections. Meeting other VA's through VAnetworking.com & keeping in contact with them also keeps me focussed and encouraged. Offline networking includes events through BNI and Chamber of Commerce. I use AWeber for my newsletters and I can't live without my iphone or ical. I've also joined the Women's Enterprise Centre and have connected with a mentor through them.  I take a lot of webinars through BizLaunch (they are free and very informative).

Share something about yourself such as a hobby. I just moved onto 2 acres and have 98 chickens, 5 pigs, 4 sheep, 2 bunnies, 2 canaries & lots of wild birds and deer. Whenever I need a quick break, I step outside & say hello to them. They help me regroup, de-stress & I love it! And yes, we sell fresh eggs everyday!

Additional comments you’d like to share. Owning your own business is great, but a lot of work. It is imperative to keep a cheering squad close to you because there are days you wonder what you were thinking! Then you have days that you realize you wouldn't change it for the world!

Maureen's Contact Information:
Maureen Floris, Kairos Business Solutions
Website: www.kairosbusiness.com
Twitter: @kairosbusiness
Facebook Page: facebook/Kairosbusiness

Special Note

This is an information packed workshop. We're aware that you can't possibly absorb it all in a single sitting. That's why the cost of the workshop includes a 2-CD set containing 5 hours of audio and over 50 pages of reference materials and notes for you to review at your own pace as often as you like.

Topics:

Marketing Your Services 101

• Basic concepts of permission marketing; Dos and Dont's

Defining Your Ideal Client

• How to identify your target market, clearly define your ideal client, and questions to ask yourself to determine if a prospect is your ideal client

Networking Creates Word of Mouth Referrals

• The importance of networking in person, how to effective network, role playing

Converting Prospects to Clients

• How to prepare to interview a prospect, questions a prospect may ask and how you can answer them, questions you should ask your prospect, questions to determine if the prospect is your ideal client

Effectively Marketing With Your Newsletter

• Various newsletter tools available and basic information about them, where to find content, what the reports mean and how you can use them

All attendees will receive these free reports:

• Identifying Your Ideal Client and Target Market
• Networking Creates Word of Mouth Referrals
• Converting Prospects to Clients
• Effectively Marketing With Your Newsletter
• Bonus Tips: Grow Your Business as a Chief Virtual Officer
• John Jantsch's 17-page report 7 Steps to Small Business Marketing Success

Bonus #1: All attendees will receive access to the Members Only Forum at no additional charge!

Bonus #2: Every attendee will receive a copy of the 72-page workbook Building Blocks: Succeed as a Chief Virtual Officer.

Cost: Early Bird Special (Register before noon June 30, 2010) $75

Regular Price (After Noon June 30, 2010) $100

Register Here: http://sacramentovaworkshop.eventbrite.com/

1. When did you start your business?

Well, I started putting things in motion August 2009, officially opened for business February 1, 2010, and dove in full-time (leaving a corporate job of 7 years) on April 1, 2010.

2. Why did you choose to become a Virtual Assistant?

I was finished with being undervalued and underpaid by my employer. Owning my own business had been a dream of mine for a long time and after facing several disappointments at my corporate job that culminated in utter frustration last July (2009), I started researching my options. I knew I wanted to work from a home office, I knew what I was good at and I knew what I enjoyed doing … when I discovered the VA industry, it just clicked. I’m a helper by nature, and I love being in a support role and seeing those I support succeed. Being a Virtual Assistant would bring all the things I needed and wanted together into my dream career! I knew that I would work harder than I ever had, but I’ve always felt that I would be better off working 12 hours a day for myself than 8 for someone else in an unfulfilling, boring job.

I’ve only been out on my own for a few months, but I can already tell you that I feel like I have the best job in the world. Even on the difficult days, I would not trade it for anything. My goal is to be a VA until I retire at 55 and to never again be anyone’s employee.

3. What advice would you give new and aspiring VAs?

Network, network, and network some more! Join Virtual Assistant Networking Association (VANA), FindVirtual, VA Forums, IVAA, and any other VA networking sites that work for you and get active on their forums. The VA industry is the most supportive, friendly industry I’ve ever had the pleasure to be a part of and you can learn so much from your fellow VAs who have been around the block a time or two. I started hanging out at VANetworking in August 2009 and I can honestly say that if has been like going to school to be a VA. I’ve made some great online friends, met VAs who live in my area, found a local VA group to provide friendship and support, and got connected with my first 3 clients from networking with other VAs.

Face-to-face networking at live networking events is also very important. The majority of your business will come from networking (online and off) and word of mouth/referrals. I highly recommend joining local small business and entrepreneur-focused networking groups. A great place to find networking groups in your area is www.meetup.com. Its free and easy to use.

Mentoring and coaching is also critical to a VA’s success. You need to have the support of someone who has been there, someone who will help you identify your strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities that you may not be aware of. A good coach and mentor will also give advice and criticism in an honest, helpful and friendly way, and be there when you need to vent.

4. What resources have helped you in your business? Forums, blogs, coaching, books?

Like I said, the VANA forums have been an amazing resource and I follow several VA and VA Coach blogs (Virtual Moxie, The Gritty VA, Chief Virtual Officer’s Blog to name a few). I also get a lot out of the group coaching calls that you and Joel host. I’ve been able to apply things I’ve learned on those calls right away with my prospects and clients and, because funds and time are tight for me right now (that’s how it is when you’re a start-up!) the calls are ideal for me. Eventually, I’ll have the resources to spend more time with a coach (I’ll probably be hitting you up for that when the time comes, Sue!) but until then, the coaching calls are a perfect fit!

5. Share a success story or something about yourself.

Well, I consider my journey in getting my VA business started to be my biggest success story so far, so I’ll leave it at that. A few things about me that not many people know are that I was once in an improv comedy group, I had another small business on the side a few years ago in which I designed and sewed one of a kind clothing and accessory items on eBay, and once upon a time I was a social work major at CSULB!

6. Additional comments you'd like to share.

I truly enjoy knowing you, Sue, and I love your coaching group!

Marie's contact information:
Marie Fitzgibbons, Deadline Met Virtual Assistant Services
Website: http://www.deadlinemet.com
Blog: Do not have one yet … soon!
Twitter: http://twitter.com/DeadlineMetVA
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/deadline.met
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/deadlinemet

• Marketing Your Services
• Defining Your Ideal Client
• Networking Creates Word of Mouth Referrals

The next call will be on June 1, 2010 and the topic is Converting Prospects to Clients.

Today I'm announcing a special promotion. Anyone who provides a meaningful comment on any one of our blog posts here at Chief Virtual Officer between now and May 30, 2010 will be entered into a random drawing to win the next coaching call on June 1, 2010 free!

Learn more here about the call on June 1 on Converting Prospects to Clients.

You want to be a proactive marketer. That does not mean you want to become a pushy sales person. You do want to really connect with people with a specific purpose in mind. Don't just aimlessly market to everyone.

Proactive marketing includes effective follow up. Instead of waiting for your prospects to call you after they've downloaded your free report or attended your teleclass, send a follow up message by email or even pick up the phone and give them a call. Set up a time to discuss your services with them now that they've had a chance to review your free report or attend your teleclass.

When you follow up you need to do so in a focused, organized manner. To do that you need to take these steps:

1. Assess the current challenges of your prospect
2. Ask your prospect what their desired outcome is if they use your services
3. Present a solution that fits your prospects needs and will give them that desired outcome
4. Provide a clear call to action

Another important way to proactively market your business is to get out there. We often get so busy we never seem to leave our office. There's always just one more thing to do, one more Facebook post to reply to, another Tweet to send out, another email to respond to. When's the last time you got out of the office and attended a live, in-person networking event, meeting, seminar or conference?

Though social media is a lot of fun and can be a great way to network, nothing replaces the face-to-face connections you make when attending networking events. So get out there and network in person!

Once you've connected with someone in person, take time to follow up and stay in touch. Call someone you met to meet for coffee. It's a great way to get ideas and information from your new contact, find out who their ideal client is so you know who to refer to them and then allow them to ask you about your business.

What will you do this week to be proactive (not pushy) in your marketing efforts?

We sure had a great brainstorming session. Kari uses the term 'mind splats'. To quote her, "There is nothing like brainstorming with people you trust to listen to your mind splats and help you form them into something coherent." Kari takes a piece of paper and a pen and just starts jotting down all these words that come to mind and then we start piecing them together to form ideas for business names, tag lines and marketing messages. Each and every time we've done this with Kari we've all come out with great new ideas.

Pick a trusted friend or colleague and get together for your 'mind splat' or brainstorming session.

Comments?