Are You Worth $20?

I hope your first thought when reading this is yes I am!

And I am talking especially to you moms out there!!! (myself included)

Recently I saw an article shared over and over on Facebook. It was about buying kids’ clothes, spending quite a bit of money but not even wanting to spend $20 on themselves for a pair of yoga pants.

And there were so many comments from moms agreeing. Many joked and thought it was funny.

This made me SO sad! I mean, if you aren’t even ok spending $20 on yourself, I can only imagine how you devalue yourself in other areas of life.

I say this because I was once that woman who always put herself last.

Saying yes to everyone and everything.

Always explaining and justifying my choices.

And so much more….

Long story short, it sucked! I wasn’t happy, but it was my own fault. If you are struggling in any area of your life (this includes business), take a look at where you are putting yourself last, AKA saying you aren’t worthy.

I’d love for you to comment below and tell me one thing you’ll do today to show yourself you are worthy!

And if you need a little help, I’d love to hear from you; click here to send me a message about what you need help with. The life and business you want can be yours, but not until you believe you are worthy!

Helpful Links

I have some helpful information if you have enjoyed this article and want more. If you are a mom wanting to work from home but have no idea how to get started, grab my free getting started guide, “10 Easy Steps to Get Started as a Virtual Assistant.” And if you are lacking confidence and wondering if you really can do it, If I can do it, living in a small rural town in Missouri with no formal business education or entrepreneurial background, so can you!

Go here to grab the free guide!

You’ll also be added to my email list, where I’ll send tips about working as a Virtual Assistant and more time-saving tips for busy moms.

And feel free to comment here with a tip of your own. The more we support each other, the better!

Easy Steps to Get Started as a Virtual Assistant

Have you been wanting to transition to work from home but aren’t sure what to do to get started? Are you worried that the startup costs will be prohibitive? Do you feel overwhelmed by the idea of looking for clients?

Don’t worry! If I can do it, living in a small rural town in Missouri, with no formal business education or entrepreneurial background, so can you! (Learn more about my stor here!)

Before I jump into the steps of becoming a Virtual Assistant, I want to briefly explain what software and training programs you’ll need to get started. High-speed internet and a computer are all you really need to begin as a Virtual Assistant. Good news, right?

Having Skype, or Zoom, installed will be very handy for calls with potential clients. It’s also great if you have MS Word and Excel, or Google Drive, but is not required. Other than these items, you really don’t need anything else. Once you have been working for a while as a Virtual Assistant, you will learn what additional supplies and programs will be helpful, but there is no need to spend the money as you are getting started.

Now, let’s jump into the first two steps on how to get started as a VA!

Step 1 – Decide if you will choose a business name or wait and operate under your own name for the time being.

This step is important; you need to find out what the requirements are for doing business in your state. In Missouri, when I worked as a sole proprietor,  all I had to do was file with the state’s fictitious names, it was inexpensive and I did it all online. I’m now an LLC, but it was still quick and easy to file. A little bit of internet research can tell you what you need to know. You may also want to check with your city and county to see if they have any requirements.

Actions To Take

• Research your state, city, and county requirements.
• Decide if you will use your name, or come up with a business name.
• File with your state and pay for your license.

Step 2 – Create a business email.

Don’t worry about using your business name for email just yet. Having an official business email means buying the domain, and that may not be necessary if you operate under your name for the time being and decide on a business name later. I started with my full name @gmail.com and it worked just fine. What’s important is that if you have a silly email, you may consider changing it to something more professional. That allows you to keep business email separate from shopping, Facebook, and all the other distracting emails.

Actions To Take

• Determine if you need to create a new email.
• If you do, search to ensure the email you want is available.
• Set up your free Gmail email account.

Want some more easy steps on how to get started? You can click here for my free 10 Easy Steps to Get Started as a Virtual Assistant.

If you want to start a work-at-home business and didn’t click on the link above, what are you waiting for? Start taking small steps today to make your dreams a reality!

You can also send me an email if you have any lingering questions on how to get started. I’m here to help!

Helpful Links

I have some helpful information if you have enjoyed this article and want more. If you are a mom wanting to work from home but have no idea how to get started, grab my free getting started guide, “10 Easy Steps to Get Started as a Virtual Assistant.” And if you are lacking confidence and wondering if you really can do it, If I can do it, living in a small rural town in Missouri with no formal business education or entrepreneurial background, so can you!

Go here to grab the free guide!

You’ll also be added to my email list, where I’ll send tips about working as a Virtual Assistant and more time-saving tips for busy moms.

And feel free to comment here with a tip of your own. The more we support each other, the better!

What Should You Delegate?

One of the top questions I am asked is “I need to delegate things, but I have no idea what. How do I figure that out so I can free up time?”

I get it! I’ve been there too!

Through my own business and working with my clients, I have developed a process that helps to develop a list of tasks you should hand off. The easiest way I help clients to do this is by using this spreadsheet.

First, think through the tasks you do, how long they take, and how often you do them. If you have a hard time doing this, track what you do in a day and how long it takes you.

We all know, though, it’s not just about how long a task takes you. There’s something about certain tasks that just make us all cringe and dread doing them. Look at your list of tasks and label those tasks “drains me.” Now, those tasks you look forward to and enjoy label “energizes me.” If you don’t have any strong feelings, label it “neutral.”

And this leads perfectly to the last step. Do you have this process written down?

If you have a process written out, it’ll be much easier to hand it off to someone else. If you don’t, maybe take a little extra time one week to write it out so you can hand it off, or train whoever you’re handing it off to and have them write out the process. (Double delegation!)

You can make a copy of this spreadsheet and use it in your own business!

If you are needing to delegate to your Virtual Assistant, this process will be a tremendous help in identifying what to give them!

And if you are a Virtual Assistant, feel free to use this with your clients if they have way too much on their plate but can’t figure out what to give you. Or if you have grown your business and need to get things off your plate!

Is there something you could use help with? If you need help, send me an email and let me know what you need and maybe I can help!

Or if you use it and are able to make some changes and delegate some things successfully, send me an email so I can celebrate with you. I love to hear success stories!

Helpful Links

I have some helpful information if you have enjoyed this article and want more. If you are a mom wanting to work from home but have no idea how to get started, grab my free getting started guide, “10 Easy Steps to Get Started as a Virtual Assistant.” And if you are lacking confidence and wondering if you really can do it, If I can do it, living in a small rural town in Missouri with no formal business education or entrepreneurial background, so can you!

Go here to grab the free guide!

You’ll also be added to my email list, where I’ll send tips about working as a Virtual Assistant and more time-saving tips for busy moms.

And feel free to comment here with a tip of your own. The more we support each other, the better!

I’ve been running my business full-time since January of 2013, and during that time, I’ve made a lot of mistakes as well as done a lot right! One thing I’ve always worked on is how can I work in a more productive way?

Most of you know that family life can keep a person busy, especially when you are a mom. Moms tend to get a lot thrown onto their plates. When I was married and running my business, we had 3 kids (my son and two stepdaughters), and it seems there was always a place to take a kid or something they needed for school. My husband at the time often worked in sales, so he would often have extra work obligations which left me tending to the kids alone.

Then fast-forward to getting divorced, I then only had one kid to care for full-time (my son), BUT I had him 24/7 with no family near. I now had less time to work (because now by default I had to do everything) and needed to make more money. My ex was out of the picture totally, both physically and financially.

This brings me to my topic, productivity!

I’m sure you’ve heard many different ideas on how to increase productivity. And I like to keep it simple. Today I want to share with you my top 5 apps I use daily to get more done aka increase productivity.

And quickly before I jump in, those of you that think you are expert multitaskers, you are actually cutting down your productivity. You may not realize it, but you are. Trying to do more than one thing at once depletes your mental energy quicker AND causes you to not focus on one thing as well because your attention is split multiple ways.

So, no, I do NOT multitask. Unless you consider washing a load of laundry while working multitasking. Then I always have to remember I’m doing it and to dry it, LOL. One day I did laundry and left 2 shirts in the washer to hang to dry. I then forgot, added the dirty load, and washed them again. Thank goodness I didn’t ruin them! It’s likely I was trying to do more than one thing then. See, you shouldn’t multitask. 🙂

Here are my top 5 apps for productivity:

App #1 – Wunderlist (free): This is a list app. I have lists for groceries, errands, appts to make. I keep my lists grouped by topic. I have maybe 8 lists total; I don’t go crazy. Then as I go about my day, if I think of the milk we ran out of, I just quickly add it to my list. No more random notes, trying to remember what you needed. Now it’s all in one place!

App #2 – Voxer (free): If you are like me, you really don’t need MORE emails. I have started using Voxer with my students in my VA training and mentoring so they can ask me questions and get quick feedback. I use it with my mentor, too, along with others in the business. It is SO much faster to record quick audio rather than type a long email.

App #3 – Slack (free): Over time, I’ve had clients communicate via email, texting, FB messenger, Skype and more. Trying to keep up with messages in ALL the places is confusing and draining. I now have ALL clients use Slack along with our project management tool. And I tell them all task/project-related communication takes place in the tool we use for that, but quick questions, check-ins, random messages, etc., are all to be sent via Slack. And it’s great! If I have to run an unplanned errand and a client or team member has a quick question, I can reply.

App #4 – Amazon (free): I can hear some of you thinking, wait, how does Amazon increase productivity? Well, nowadays, you can pretty much order ANYTHING from Amazon. And I am a Prime member and get free shipping. Oftentimes during the week, I think of an item I need, and I will pull up the app, place my order, and 5 min later, done. No more taking up mental space or time thinking about that thing I need or when I have time to go get it. Just this morning, I remembered a ring light I needed to order and Pill Pockets for my dog. I hopped on, and now it’ll all be here in 2 days! Basically, I use Amazon for those items I need quickly but can’t get here locally where I live or can get them fast enough and save me from a trip driving somewhere.

App #5 – MyFitnessPal (free): If you are not making your health a priority, you should be. And I am one to talk. In my toxic marriage, I gained about 40 lbs in the last few years. I was NOT taking care of myself. I am happy to say I am well on my way to becoming that healthy version of myself that I want to be. And using this app is a time-saver! I can scan barcodes on my food so I can make sure I am on track for my calorie or goals. Then I have a Fitbit and have it synced with this, and it imports my steps and activity. You can also add friends, read inspiring articles, find recipes, and so much more. For those of you thinking that using the MyFitnessPal app takes more time, it does take a little. BUT when you feel better and have more energy, this is shown in your productivity.

Bonus tip: turn off social media notifications on your phone. It’s amazing how this changes things when you don’t have those pesky numbers showing you how many FB messages you have or how many people are waiting for you to take your turn on Yahtzee (maybe that’s just me, LOL)!

What apps do you use? Send me an email and let me know what you find useful. I’d love to share them on social media so others can maybe discover a new one that might really help them! And if you start using any I suggest, I’d love to hear your thoughts and how it’s helped you become more productive in life and business. 🙂

Helpful Links

I have some helpful information if you have enjoyed this article and want more. If you are a mom wanting to work from home but have no idea how to get started, grab my free getting started guide, “10 Easy Steps to Get Started as a Virtual Assistant.” And if you are lacking confidence and wondering if you really can do it, If I can do it, living in a small rural town in Missouri with no formal business education or entrepreneurial background, so can you!

Go here to grab the free guide!

You’ll also be added to my email list, where I’ll send tips about working as a Virtual Assistant and more time-saving tips for busy moms.

And feel free to comment here with a tip of your own. The more we support each other, the better!

I am in a very interesting place in business and life right now. Lots of changes happening and the old Sara would have been freaking out!

But I am approaching things in a way I never have before. Rather than trying to figure out all the details to know exactly how things will work out (AKA control), I am letting go of it all and trusting I will get what I want and I don’t have to understand how it will happen.

Over the summer I had a vacation and it really helped me reset and refresh.

When is the last time you took a vacation or several days off just to have fun, relax and do what you want when you want?

For me it had been way too long, it had been 7 or 8 years since I took a real vacation. I’m talking about a vacation where you get away from home, don’t work at all, don’t respond to email – totally unplugged.

Why did it take me so long?

What it comes down to is I was letting life control me. Sure, there are many things I can’t control but there are many I can.

Life isn’t always easy and starting and running a business can be difficult if you let it.

Catch what I said there? If YOU let it.

Even though there are things in life out of my control that are difficult, I have the power to face changes and difficulty with a different attitude. Admittedly,  I didn’t know any better at the time.

Recently, one of the students in my Virtual Assistant Training reached out with some things in her life that were keeping her stuck. I offered to jump on the phone with her and talk her through it. What I realized after the call is that many want to work from home and build a business that works, but you get stuck somewhere in the process.

In fact, many of you haven’t even started your business because you got stuck before you even started!

With all the changes happening now, the old Sara would let herself become stuck, but thanks to two awesome mentors, I’ve learned so much in the last few months that things will now play out totally different for me. Really I’ve been learning for a few years but it’s the last few months that have made the impact I needed!

Based on what I’ve learned, I know it’s time for me to help those of you that have been where I was: letting life control you, feeling stuck, not knowing what to do but desperately wanting more.

My business has been transforming the last several months and it still is. I don’t know what all the changes will be but I am excited and embracing the change.

What I do know is I will be starting to talk to you more about my story and journey. The lessons I have learned and how they shape my life and business. The thing is, a lot of it has more to do with my beliefs, fears, attitude, balance, and boundaries than my business.

In building a successful business, if you can’t get a handle on what holds you back (which almost always comes back to your fears, beliefs, and attitude), you will never be able to create the business you want! You will always have some sort of struggle happening.

Sure, you may have great success at times but it will be short-lived. I want you to have this success and happiness long term!

When I think about the impact I want to make, it’s not about how many of you I can help to build a 5 or 6-figure VA business but about how I can support each of YOU to create a business that serves you and your family so you all can live a life that makes you happy and fulfilled!

I would love to have you in my community, and I would love to be in your corner. My Facebook page is a place to get connected to others, ask questions, learn something new, and offer a safe space to learn. Come on over, check it out and follow me so I can support you!

I don’t want to just change your business, I want to change your life!

If you need more tips, I love posting about different tips and resources that I find helpful. Come over and like my Facebook page! I try to post something helpful multiple times a week, and other times, we just have fun. And I think everyone needs a little fun sprinkled into their lives!

Helpful Links

I have some helpful information if you have enjoyed this article and want more. If you are a mom wanting to work from home but have no idea how to get started, grab my free getting started guide, “10 Easy Steps to Get Started as a Virtual Assistant.” And if you are lacking confidence and wondering if you really can do it, If I can do it, living in a small rural town in Missouri with no formal business education or entrepreneurial background, so can you!

Go here to grab the free guide!

You’ll also be added to my email list, where I’ll send tips about working as a Virtual Assistant and more time-saving tips for busy moms.

And feel free to comment here with a tip of your own. The more we support each other, the better!

“The only thing that is constant is change.” Heraclitus

Isn’t that the truth! Whether it’s a change in seasons, changes in schedules, big life-altering changes, or just changing your socks, something is always changing.

I am asked quite often what to do about time! For me, it’s more about a focus on the time I have.

Here are five things I do to keep me focused daily and make sure I get done what is needed:

#1 – Every Friday, I look at my week ahead. I check what meetings are scheduled, I look at daily tasks to see if I can do what is planned or if I need to rearrange them. I normally only plan for 3 tasks per day per client and for my business. Of course, I take into consideration how complex those tasks are.

#2 – I have a daily morning routine. This involves drinking a glass of water when I wake up. I do a bit of meditation and journaling about what I desire in life and business. Most days, I take a walk and do some stretching. Then I eat some breakfast. This routine sometimes varies a bit, but it starts me off feeling good and focused on what I want most. Since doing this, it has made a huge impact on my focus.

#3 – On my Google calendar, I have time blocked off for my business stuff and time blocked off for client stuff. I make sure to be realistic about how much time I have to work and this makes planning much easier! It also keeps me focused by having it scheduled on my calendar so I know what I need to do rather than just winging it as the day goes on.

#4 – I have set meeting days and I stick to them. I have two days a week for meetings, and it’s rare I have a meeting that isn’t on those two days. This is so I never have to worry about scheduling conflicts if we have a doctor appt to set or other errands. If we want to do something fun, I always know what days are open. This also helps with focus, so on my non-meeting days, I can do work where I need to focus rather than trying to do intense work between meetings.

#5 – I get an average of 8 hours of sleep a night. Sleep is so important and something everyone needs to make a habit. Go to bed earlier if needed. Don’t drink caffeine after noon. Get a bit of exercise daily. Don’t eat a big meal before bed. Many of us put our health last and healthy habits support you in sleeping better. If you rely on caffeine to keep you going, it’s going to be hard to focus and give the energy required to your business. Health is a whole other topic I could go on and on about. But for now, I will just say get your rest 🙂

Here’s a look at what is happening behind the scenes last week…

Last week flew by so quickly, I can barely remember what I did Monday. But here’s a look at what was happening.

Potential clients seem to be pouring in but this doesn’t mean I say yes to them all! I can only take on so many business management clients so I am having to decide if I want more clients right now. I also face decisions like whether I want to change up the services I provide, or if I need to say no. I find that when something starts suddenly happening in business, like having several people contact me within days, wanting to possibly work with me, I need to pay attention! It doesn’t mean I say yes, but when there is a shift I take notice and decide if my business needs to shift.

We recently moved and I’m still getting settled into a new routine, a new scene. I have more family nearby, so happily, there are more distractions. My clients understand the disruption of moving, but they still deserve my attention and need me to be focused. I’ve had to stay open minded, while still keeping myself grounded and learning about my new normal. I’m getting into a great new routine. It’s hard to have a lot of changes and get into a new routine, but sometimes you just have to buckle-down and do it.

If you need more tips, I love posting about different tips and resources that I find helpful. Come over and like my Facebook page! I try to post something helpful multiple times a week, and other times, we just have fun. And I think everyone needs a little fun sprinkled into their lives!

Helpful Links

I have some helpful information if you have enjoyed this article and want more. If you are a mom wanting to work from home but have no idea how to get started, grab my free getting started guide, “10 Easy Steps to Get Started as a Virtual Assistant.” And if you are lacking confidence and wondering if you really can do it, If I can do it, living in a small rural town in Missouri with no formal business education or entrepreneurial background, so can you!

Go here to grab the free guide!

You’ll also be added to my email list, where I’ll send tips about working as a Virtual Assistant and more time-saving tips for busy moms.

And feel free to comment here with a tip of your own. The more we support each other, the better!

As moms, we always have a long to-do list, don’t we? I know that most of the time, the LAST thing I need is to add something else to that list! It always seems to happen though, doesn’t it?

In a perfect world, we would be able to say yes to everything. A friend asks for help – sure, I can do that! Your kids ask to spend the day at the park – that sounds fun, let’s do it! Your mother in law wants to come to visit – sure, come on over!

But….after saying yes to everything, the stress and resentment start to set it. You may even start blaming yourself. You are left feeling frustrated, resentful, and exhausted.

You know what? You have nobody to blame but yourself!

Ouch.

There is something you can do though! You can learn how to say no. Saying no doesn’t have to be short and blunt (unless you want it to). Saying no can be super hard, but I want to help make it a little easier. Maybe some of these responses can help you!

• You’re so kind to think of me, but I can’t.
• I’m learning to limit my commitments.
• I’m booked into something else.
• Bandwidth is low, so I won’t be able to make it work.
• Sadly, I have something else.
• It just won’t fit right now.
• I’m really buckling down on my priorities right now, so I can’t.
• It’s a Wednesday, I have a “No on Wednesday Policy”
• My body double can.
• My advisors won’t agree to it.

See? Saying no doesn’t have to be harsh or negative! Setting your boundaries is a part of self-care. And if you need some more support, I would love to have you in my community, and I would love to be in your corner. My Facebook group is a place to get connected to others, ask questions, learn something new, and offers a safe space to learn. Come on over and check it out!

Helpful Links

I have some helpful information if you have enjoyed this article and want more. If you are a mom wanting to work from home but have no idea how to get started, grab my free getting started guide, “10 Easy Steps to Get Started as a Virtual Assistant.” And if you are lacking confidence and wondering if you really can do it, If I can do it, living in a small rural town in Missouri with no formal business education or entrepreneurial background, so can you!

Go here to grab the free guide!

You’ll also be added to my email list, where I’ll send tips about working as a Virtual Assistant and more time-saving tips for busy moms.

And feel free to comment here with a tip of your own. The more we support each other, the better!

For those that don’t know my personal story, click here to read it. I just recently rewrote it! Yes, the page needs to be made prettier graphically but it’s better done than perfect 🙂

Anyway, I am a single mom (I have been for 2 years now) and I have my 10-year-old son full-time. This comes with its challenges since I have less time to work but need to make more money now that I live on one income!

Ok, now that I’ve given you a bit of background, let’s move on…

My current focus in my business is my training program for moms that want to work from home. I could spend ALL day working on it! I help them do this by becoming a Virtual Assistant (how I started my biz).

But on the other side, I do have a couple of business management clients. I only have 2 to 3 of these at a time because of the level of work I do. To serve them at my best, it’s necessary to limit how many I work with. And I just love these clients! So much of the work involves strategy, which I am very good at! I do other things, too, but the strategy is the biggest piece.

Here’s a look at what was happening behind the scenes this week…

I’m doing a bit of extra work this week for a client because I had to fire a VA I JUST hired 2 weeks ago. Bummer when it doesn’t work out 🙁 This also means I am going through my hiring process again. For the record, when I hire, 9 out of 10 hires are great.

I worked late Tuesday night until about 7 pm, which I RARELY do, but I had an interview to write for a blog that I didn’t get to that morning and a podcast interview at 6:30 pm. This means my son had corn dogs zapped in the microwave and sun chips for dinner. But after I was done with the interview at 7 pm, we watched one of our favorite TV shows together and talked about our day.

Yesterday, my lunch was turkey sticks and Frosted Mini-Wheats because I only had a short time between 2 meetings. The first one went long and I didn’t have time to cook food before the next. I keep meetings to two days a week (normally) so that the other days I can really focus. And I no longer have meetings on Mondays. I used to, but I have found it hurt my productivity and starts the week off on a note I don’t like.

This morning was Muffins with Mom at school, so I did that with my son. And I JUST found out that Saturday is the first soccer practice (he only got signed up this week), so it looks like we have to make a trip into town (25 miles away) after school to buy soccer shoes. I’m just glad that my business gives me that flexibility. One thing I have done to allow for unexpected things like this is making sure I don’t have meetings once school is out, except on rare occasions. This way, if stuff comes up my son needs, I don’t have to worry about rescheduling client meetings or missing out on doing something for him. I didn’t always run my business this way, and it’s something I have learned over time.

What’s the point?

What I want you to understand by my sharing what has really happened this week is that things change, and you need to have some flexibility in your business (or life) for that. I do have a daily structure and have things planned out, but let’s face it, unexpected things will come up.

We need to have some flexibility so we don’t drive ourselves crazy!

Even with these unexpected things, I have still gotten done what was needed for this week. I have also learned there is ALWAYS going to be something I can work on, but the world will keep spinning if that thing has to wait another day to get done.

If you need more tips, I love posting about different tips and resources that I find helpful. Come over and like my Facebook page! I try to post something helpful multiple times a week, and other times, we just have fun. And I think everyone needs a little fun sprinkled into their lives!

Helpful Links

I have some helpful information if you have enjoyed this article and want more. If you are a mom wanting to work from home but have no idea how to get started, grab my free getting started guide, “10 Easy Steps to Get Started as a Virtual Assistant.” And if you are lacking confidence and wondering if you really can do it, If I can do it, living in a small rural town in Missouri with no formal business education or entrepreneurial background, so can you!

Go here to grab the free guide!

You’ll also be added to my email list, where I’ll send tips about working as a Virtual Assistant and more time-saving tips for busy moms.

And feel free to comment here with a tip of your own. The more we support each other, the better!

10 Tips for Finding Clients as a Virtual Assistant

You may have noticed that the blogs this month are focused on getting clients and increasing income. That’s because we start this work to make money and without clients, you can’t really make the income you desire. And I know it can be scary when starting out and if you lack confidence, it will be harder to get clients and increase your income. So the more information I can give you on these topics, the more likely you will succeed! So I’m sharing with you tips on finding clients as a virtual assistant.  

As a virtual assistant, landing clients is essential to growing your business and increasing your income. But how do you go about finding and securing new clients? Below are ten tips to help answer these questions. Some overlap with a previous blog on places to find clients, but it never hurts to hear something twice! And the ones that do overlap have additional info. 

Here are ten effective ways for finding clients as a virtual assistant:

Optimize Your Website

Don’t worry about this if you don’t have a website. If you do, your website is a powerful marketing tool. Optimize it for search engines, showcase your services, and provide testimonials from satisfied clients. You can easily Google how to optimize your website if you aren’t sure what to do. In my 6-month program, I teach you how to quickly and inexpensively create your own website so that when you are ready, you don’t waste money by spending thousands when you could have done it for a couple of hundred dollars. 

Leverage Social Media

Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook to network and connect with potential clients. Share your services, engage with your audience, and join groups related to your industry. This is a mix of having a professional business page or profile and sharing things on your personal profiles. You want to leverage both. Share information that your clients would find beneficial and leave them wanting more and wanting to work with you.

Attend Networking Events

Attend virtual or in-person networking events/conferences to connect with potential clients in your industry. Be sure to have an elevator pitch and business cards ready to hand out. You might think business cards are old school, BUT having something physical to hand out is necessary for people to remember you. I have business cards with my photo on one side since many people are visual, which helps them remember me. I also give a few cards so they can give them to friends and people in their network. Or I ask for their email, and if I can reach out to them later, then be sure to follow up. 

Reach Out to Your Network 

Contact your existing network of friends, family, and colleagues to inform them about your services and ask for referrals. I love to contact current or past clients and let them know what type of work I am open for. And to make it easy, I type up a little blurb they can share online and in Facebook groups. Be sure you always make it clear how to contact you too. I’ve said it before, but the easier you make it, the more likely they will refer people to you. 

Offer a Free Consultation

Offer a free consultation to potential clients to demonstrate your expertise and provide value. This can help you build trust and ultimately secure the client’s business. I’ve heard controversy on this one, but I have done this for many years! And it works for me. Usually, potential clients have questions, and going back and forth via email is time-consuming and makes it hard to explain things thoroughly. An alternative to this is some other free info or resource that would show yoru expertise and how you can help them. 

Utilize Freelance Websites

Platforms like Upwork, Freelancer, and Fiverr are great places to start. You can create a profile and bid on jobs that match your skills. It is a bit harder now than it used to be due to more competition, but it’s still worth trying. And again, it’s usually about how effectively you communicate, so that is the skill you need to improve for this to work. I’ve looked at numerous profiles that tell me little about how the person can help me, but it’s more about how great they are. Clients don’t care about things that don’t apply to them; keep that in mind when setting up profiles on these platforms. 

Cold Emailing

Reach out to potential clients via email with a personalized message that highlights your skills and how you can help them. We went over this in another blog, which comes down to communication. Almost all online business owners will have a virtual assistant at some point. Create a list of types of clients you want to work with, research them, find contact info, and reach out. Be sure to keep a list. And always note what the communication was. Maybe they don’t need a virtual assistant yet, but then make a note to follow up in 3 to 6 months. 

Participate in Industry Forums

Participate in online industry forums and discussions to establish yourself as an expert and connect with potential clients. Often forums have business owners asking questions. Find forums with the types of clients you want to work with. Many are now using Facebook groups rather than external forums. See if you can join that group, then answer questions and make yourself helpful. If you join forums only to sell your services, that will turn many off. They need to know, like, and trust you, which comes from being helpful. 

Submit Proposals

Respond to job postings with a professional and personalized proposal showcasing your skills and highlighting how you can help the client. There are some Facebook groups specifically for this. And some paid training programs will put you on an email list where you receive notifications of clients wanting proposals. I myself have business owners that fill out a Google form, and then I email my list of the job opening. With some research, you can find these places, and again it’s about how you communicate with the client. 

Attend Local Business Events

Attend local business events to network with potential clients in your community. Be sure to have business cards ready and be prepared to introduce yourself and your services. I mentioned business cards above, and it’s the best way for someone to remember you and how to contact you. I like our local Chamber of Commerce but I am also in a smaller town. Depending on where you live, you may have more options. Do a quick Google search to see what is around you that might have potential clients you want to work with. 

Remember, there are many ways to find clients as a virtual assistant, and this list is just to get you started. It’s essential to be persistent, professional and focused on providing value to your clients. If you have a tip not listed here, please leave it below in the comments. 

Action Step

If you are looking for more clients, pick 1 or 2 of the above tips to implement. Also, set a deadline so that you can evaluate how it’s working and what needs to be tweaked, if anything. 

And once you have a full client load, it’s a great time to have another virtual assistant you can refer potential clients to. Keep this in mind if you are nearing a full client load.

Helpful Links

If you know you are a mom wanting to work from home but have no idea how to get started, grab my free guide, “10 Easy Steps to Get Started as a Virtual Assistant.” And if you are lacking confidence and wondering if you really can do it, If I can do it, living in a small rural town in Missouri with no formal business education or entrepreneurial background, so can you!

Go here to grab the free guide! 

This guide also works for established virtual assistants looking to grow their businesses and bring in more income! 

You’ll also be added to my email list, where I’ll send tips about working as a Virtual Assistant and more business advice. 

Start Where You Are

Happy Tuesday! I hope your week is off to a great start.

I’m in my first month of exercising after major foot surgery. Nothing like having your tendon cut from a bone and anchored into another! I’ve never been more grateful to walk on two feet. Every day I make progress and am committed to getting back to where I used to be.

It’s been a long journey of figuring out what was wrong and now healing, but it’s also taught me many lessons.

Like I wrote about recently, we always have a choice on how we see situations! 

Second is this lesson:

Start Where You Are

We all start somewhere.

And there are two things I often hear when talking about what to do next in business:

• The first is that I have to be ready and have all the things in place!
• The second is that there is so much to do I end up stuck because I don’t know what to do first because I can never get it all done!

If you are telling yourself one of those two things above, you’re never going to reach what you are aiming for.

Forget about what happened in the past, the client you didn’t get, the failed launch, or maybe even the fight with your spouse that is keeping you distracted.

The list could go on and on…

But really that’s just you giving excuses.

Suck it up and start where you are!

You will NEVER really feel ready…

And you will ALWAYS have things that need to be done…

But if you don’t start now, you will never reach your dreams and goals!

Here’s what I want you to do:

• Think of one thing you want to accomplish this week, ONLY one! This could be to get a new client, to put together your service packages, outline a new program, anything.
• Now, take a piece of paper and write that one thing down. No matter how tempted, do NOT write down more.
• Next, make a list of the 10 actions you can take this week starting today to make it happen.
• Last, do at least 3 of those 10 items each day! Do these things first before all the other stuff. Yes, those emails sitting in your inbox CAN wait until this is done every day.

What I want you to realize is that things don’t happen by doing nothing. You must consistently work towards what you want if you are serious about seeing your dreams turn into reality.

If you are stuck on this exercise, send me an email, and let me know your one thing, and I will help you brainstorm the 10 items to make it happen 🙂

And if you rocked this exercise, I’d still love for you to send me an email and share what your one thing is! I want to support you in reaching your dreams.

Helpful Links

I have some helpful information if you have enjoyed this article and want more. If you are a mom wanting to work from home but have no idea how to get started, grab my free getting started guide, “10 Easy Steps to Get Started as a Virtual Assistant.” And if you are lacking confidence and wondering if you really can do it, If I can do it, living in a small rural town in Missouri with no formal business education or entrepreneurial background, so can you!

Go here to grab the free guide!

You’ll also be added to my email list, where I’ll send tips about working as a Virtual Assistant and more time-saving tips for busy moms.

And feel free to comment here with a tip of your own. The more we support each other, the better!