Over the last few weeks we’ve focused a lot on the topic of the bursting point  — we didn’t really plan it this way to be honest, but the response from so many of you has proven that it was something we needed to help you with little more.

We originally started with describing the bursting point and then continued on to how to turn the experience into a positive.  We even hosted a Future of Virtual Assistance call specifically on this topic just last week.  What we haven’t  covered so far is how to navigate through the bursting point — how to get through it without actually suffering a breakdown and closing down the business, but instead coming away actually appreciating the experience.

So how do you do it?  How do you make the time to deal with the things — your clients, too much work,  etc. — while figuring out how you’re going to get through this situation at the same time?  How do you ensure that you come out in a better situation at the end?

There are seven steps that I recommend when it comes to navigating through the bursting point. They’re simple, yet effective.  And they can mean the difference between  breaking down, continuing to work in misery, or a fantastic learning lesson that you look back  and appreciate because you’re in a much better place now.

Here’s a brief summary of the seven steps you need to work through.

1. Identify why you started this business in the first place. (i.e. more flexibility in   your work, allow yourself to work from home while raising the kids, simply wanted to ‘be your own boss’)

2. Identify your situation.
   How many clients are you working with?  How many hours are you working each day?  each week?  each  month?  Is there really enough hours in a day to meet the commitments?

3. Identify your revenue.
   How much are you bringing in each month?  When you break this down based on the number of hours you are  working - how much are you REALLY working?

4. Identify your wants and needs. What do you want more of?  What do you want less of?  If you could design  the perfect business — with the kind of people you want and the kind of work you love to do - what would it look  like?

5. Identify what needs to change. Will you ‘remove’ some clients to make room for people you really want to work with?  Will you increase your rates?  Is it time to specialize?

6. Identify your action plan. Now that you’ve gone through the steps above, what action steps will you take to  make the changes you want and need to make?

7. Identify how you will continue to grow. Once you get rid of the ‘clutter’ and have made it to the other  side of the bursting point - what will you do?  How will you continue to grow?

Each of these steps above is absolutely critical to get through to the ‘other side’.  Don’t rush through or attempt to skip  a step … it really won’t benefit you in the long term.

To help you with navigating through the bursting point, I created a short assessment to help you  confirm where you are currently. Are you far from hitting the bursting point, are you nearing it or are you already in it?  Take a few minutes to take this assessment and you check out the special offer you can also take advantage of.

Take me to the ‘Navigating the Bursting Point’ Assessment

We know so many of you are dealing with the bursting point OR you’re getting close to reaching it.

To help you we decided to set up a way to help YOU:

1. prepare for this challenging situation

2. get through the stress, frustration and more, and

3. understand the opps and growth you will experience on ‘the other side’ of the bursting point.

You might ask yourself WHY we’re so focused on this topic and offering various kinds of  support.  It’s an easy question to answer really — we’re tired of hearing VAs struggle with this situation, we’ve been there and we want nothing more than to share our  experiences and stories, to help you feel that you are not alone and that, if dealt  with properly, can lead to an extraordinary business for yourself.

So here’s what we’re going to do:

Over the course of four sessions (within two weeks), we’re going to take you through the exact steps that you MUST take to navigate through the bursting point and get to the other side reaping the rewards of the business you want, filled with the people, work and revenue that you want.

We’ve priced this program so low that it really would be quite ridiculous to not consider joining us.  For less than 2-3 hours of billable time, you can join us and learn specific steps and strategies that you really won’t find anywhere else. These exact steps will get you from point A to Z.  If you ever encounter what may feel like the bursting again later on  in your business, you just simply follow the steps all over again and voila — you’re ready to continuing growing some more.

The “Navigating the Bursting Point” program starts Tuesday, June 22nd at 1pm Pacific / 4pm Eastern.

Over these 4 sessions, we will support YOU to:

• clarify exactly what you want to achieve for your business

• take inventory of your current business

• develop a plan to support client changes, restructuring and more

• implement very specific strategies to allow for future business growth

• mentor you to create the business you want, with the clients you deserve

Will you join us?

>>> I want to learn more about the ‘Bursting Point’ program

Remember just a few years ago when Facebook was just for ‘those crazy college kids’?

Remember when Twitter was barely a blip on the horizon?

And what are they now?

They are both key business building tools that so many online based business owners use on a daily  basis.

It’s the same with Infusionsoft.

Lucky for us, Tina has recognized this and is taking the lead on telling you more … will you listen and participate?

** Infusionsoft: What Is It and Why Should I Care? **
Tuesday, May 11th, 2010
11am pacific / 2pm eastern

Will you join the call? >>> http://tinyurl.com/2wrkza3

Here’s just a glimpse of what Tina will be sharing:

• What is Infusionsoft? (hint … it’s more than a shopping cart!)

• Why is it so popular with biz owners (there is a reason so many are making the switch)

• How does it compare to other shopping cart, broadcasting and autoresponder systems out there? (there are some key benefits to Infusionsoft vs. other tools)

• Is this a worthwhile skill set to add to your business (it’s not for everyone, but if your role involves supporting clients’ business efficiency and growth, you MUST consider learning Infusionsoft)

Invest just one our to learn about Infusionsoft and you’ll be moving forward as a virtual support  professional with the current tools our clients need support with.

Choose to not participate and you’ll find yourself behind … running to catch up with the others who are ahead of the  ‘game’.

As always, I know Tina will be recording the call and sending out the mp3 shortly after the live call.

>>> I Want to Learn More About Infusionsoft!

Your clients are asking for it …

Your competitors are charging handsomely it …

You never thought YOU could do it …

UNTIL NOW …

One of the things we LOVE to do is to help Virtual Assistants with learning new skills, finding new clients and building their business.

When it comes right down to it, we’re pretty lucky ladies.  See, while we connect with Virtual Assistants all over every day, we also are fortunate enough to connect with business owners on a daily basis.

Why is this beneficial?  Because we hear first hand what they LOVE about their Virtual Assistants … but also what they DO NOT love so much.

One of the things we hear over and over again, is that business owners wish that their Virtual Assistants could help with writing and editing on their behalf.

We’re not talking about writing information that is related to the client’s expertise.  And we’re not talking about full-out copywriting.

What we are talking about are the day-to-day writing tasks that a Virtual Assistant could easily take over … with the right training.

We know that in most cases, Virtual Assistants are insecure about their writing skills.  There’s really nothing worse than struggling over what to write, then having your client rewrite the entire item from scratch - right?

But what if I told it’s easier than you think and that your clients would be more than grateful to have you take over the writing and editing of:

• Welcome messages

• Short webpages

• Brief product/service descriptions

• Ongoing reminder and follow-up messages

• Testimonials

• Customer service emails and general correspondence

• Social media updates and blog posts

On Monday, April 26th (yes, this coming up Monday), we’ll be starting a 5 session “Writing and Editing Basics for Virtual Assistants” program with writing and expert Linda Dessau.  Linda’s no stranger to the online world … she’s
helped people you know with writing and editing their book … namely Tina Forsyth.

If you’d like to

• raise your confidence in writing and editing …

• be very comfortable with applying your mindset and initiative and telling
  your client you will take over the writing of the items above and

• experience a whole new level of appreciation from your client for you
  skill and
  your support,

then join us starting on Monday, April 26th for this 5 session (over 3 weeks) program.

>>> I want to learn more about the ‘Writing & Editing Basics’ training program

This article was written by Linda Dessau, an editor, ghostwriter and writing coa’ch.
Linda is the lead trainer for the HotSkillsVATraining ‘Writing & Editing Basics for Virtual
Assistants‘ training program.

In the last V-Scoop, Linda talked about how writing issues like grammar errors, misused words, typos or readability problems could be affecting your credibility, your clients’ success and the growth of your business.

Today she’d like to turn the tables and look at what is possible when you write well and use writing effectively in your business. Here are examples that apply equally to the writing you do for yourself and the writing or editing you may do for your clients:

1. When you write about what you know best and help other people understand it better, you build your status as an expert in that area.

2. When you write all of your marketing messages about that same topic, you strengthen the unity (and results) of your message.

3. When you write about the answers to your readers’ questions, they will think of you first when they need more help.

4. When you write about solving these problems, you awaken your creativity for other new ideas.

5. When you write for the way people read on the web, they will keep reading.

6. When you write a clear set of instructions, people will follow them.

7. When you write each email as a precious conversation, people will always be glad to hear from you.

8. When you write out the details instead of assuming someone knows what you mean, you minimize the risk of false assumptions or misunderstandings.

9. When you write with a unified voice, you and your client are a powerful force.

10. When you edit with an eye for professionalism and readability, you and your client both look better!

We’ll be covering all of these points and more in the upcoming Hot Skills VA class – Writing and Editing Basics for VAs, with Class 1, Claim Your Expertise (points 1-2), Class 2, Writing for the Web (points 3-5), Class 3, The Basics of Clear Communication (points 6-7) and Class 4, Basic Editing. I hope you can join us!

Linda Dessau, CPCC, is an editor, ghostwriter and writing coach. She is the author of The Customizable Style Guide for Coaches Who Write, and the editor of VOICE, the newsletter of the International Association of Coaching. Linda has been writing for the web since 2003, and created “You Talk, I’ll Write” in July 2005 to combine her passion for coaching with her gift for writing.

You don’t need to be an expert writer to be able to help your clients.  By just understanding the basics, and understanding your client, you can support them with all kinds of day-to-day writing tasks ranging from autoresponders, to blog posts to ezine content.

This article was written by Linda Dessau, an editor, ghostwriter and writing coa’ch. Linda is one of our experts in the Virtually Successful Telesummit.

You may not think a lot about it, but writing is a part of your work life as a VA or OBM. Writing issues like grammar errors, procrastination, misused words, typos or readability problems can have a detrimental effect on the success and growth of your business.

Writing is so intertwined with your daily tasks that the work you’ve been so passionate about is turning into an ornery chore.

If that weren’t serious enough, consider this: You are often the last stop between your client’s words and their audience. Are those words put together in
a way that will achieve their intended result?

Here are five signs that your writing skills are limiting your success:

1. You spend a lot of time emailing back and forth with clients and prospective clients.

Whether it’s to hash out times for a meeting, clarify project details or re-explain your terms of service, you could be sending the wrong message—that working with you will be time-consuming or frustrating. People may wonder if you really do know your stuff.

2. When you (or your client) send an offer to your mailing list you get no replies.

A mailing list won’t do you any good if you don’t reach out and offer your help. But if your writing is bland or confusing, your offer won’t do you any good, either. And even a well-worded offer could flop if it’s diluted or masked by competing content.

3. Your mailing list (or your client’s mailing list) is shrinking.

Everyone loses the occasional subscriber, but if new people aren’t discovering you there is no place for your list to go but down. Great written content gets passed around because it is so valuable. Without new content, there are no new reasons for someone to get in touch or stay in touch with you.

4. You spend so much time perfecting your writing that your other work is falling behind.

Whether writing is a struggle or you actually really enjoy it, it’s taking up too much of your precious time. You’re constantly running up against phrases that just don’t look right, but you’re not sure how to fix them.

5. You’re embarrassed to send people to your website because it doesn’t reflect the quality of your work.

Maybe you’d rather talk than write, so your website features audio, video, presentations, you name it! But there are still some basic details that people want to read on your website. Beyond the basics, you’re missing countless opportunities to draw your reader in and encourage them to take action.

If you see any of these signs in your business life, take the steps now to address your writing skills. You can take a class or check online for resources—and don’t forget about the library or bookstore. If you’re willing, you will find lots of help out there. Your clients will thank you, your business will thank you, and your old English teacher will finally stop haunting you.

Linda Dessau, CPCC, is an editor, ghostwriter and writing coach. She is the author of The Customizable Style Guide for Coaches Who Write, and the editor of VOICE, the newsletter of the International Association of Coaching. Linda has been writing for the web since 2003, and created “You Talk, I’ll Write” in July 2005 to combine her passion for coaching with her gift for writing.

As you may already know, the HotSkillsVATraining.com “Ecommerce Specialty” training program is coming up soon.  Starting on Monday, March 23rd, we’ll be connecting with a select group of Virtual Assistants who have invested in themselves to learn and become experts in the area of ecommerce.

I’ve been thinking a lot about ecommerce lately and how it affects both the VA community as well as the business community.

Here’s the reality:

Online based businesses can’t not thrive (or survive) without ecommerce.

And traditional businesses that will be moving to the online world in the future, will require ecommerce.

So … as a Virtual Assistant … you’re kidding yourself if you don’t think you need to know about ecommerce. 

There’s still room to join us for this training.  Over the course of 12 sessions (over 6 weeks), you’ll learn everything you need to educate, implement and manage the ecommerce side of a client’s business.

Will you join us?

>>YES I want to learn more about the ‘Ecommerce Specialty” Training Program!

It was a couple of years ago that Tina and Andrea emailed me saying “Cindy, we need something from you that business owners can use to help identify how they can build their business with the help of a Virtual Assistant.  And by the way … we need it tomorrow because we’re leaving for the live conference in the evening.”

Anyone that knows me even just a little bit knows that I work best (unfortunately) under a little bit of pressure.

Off I went … within 3 hours, I had a list of just over 100 ways business owners could boost business with a Virtual Assistant.

The report was a huge success … both business owners and Virtual Assistants requested to use it in their own work.

Well guess what … it’s been updated and now includes 200+ ways that Virtual Assistants can help business owners.  Remember, business owners, really can’t make it all happen and achieve success without all of us and our expertise!

Curious what’s in there?  Take a second to fill out the form below and download it immediately.

Now there’s a cautionary note I’d like to add.  While these are all ways Virtual Assistants CAN help clients, in no way is it to set the expectation that as a Virtual Assistant you need to know how to do ALL these things.  Don’t let yourself get overwhelmed with feeling you need to do it all.

While I love to share this with you … there are two things I’d like to have you share with me in the comments section of this blog post:

1. Your feedback on the updated report “200+ Ways to Boost Business With a Virtual Assistant” and
2. Your thoughts on additional tasks that can be added to this document. 

Can we get it to 500+ ways or even 1000+ ways?  I’d love and could use your help.  I’ll take care of updating the document, if you provide me with your insight.

Just post your comments/additions at the bottom of this blog post … can’t wait to hear from you!

>>> Download the newly revised “200+ Ways to Boost Business With a Virtual Assistant” by completing the form below:

Tina Forsyth and I have had the priveledge of speaking to hundreds of business owners over the last several years. These discussions have lead to critical points of informaton we’ve shared with virtual support professionals to help them provide exactly the kind of support business owners are really looking for from them.  

One of the most critical components of an online based business is ECOMMERCE and it’s one of the areas that many business owners have shared concern about.   It’s absolutely essential that Virtual Assistants who work with online businesses fully understand and can implement various strategies and technology to support the ecommerce side of the business.

Unfortunately there are several key areas in the ecommerce area that are being done incorrectly and serious mistakes are being made. As a result, business owners are missing out on potential revenue, clients and overall business growth. 

How do you avoid this?  How do you know if you’re making these mistakes?

Join us on Tuesday, March 2nd at 12pm Pacific (3pm Eastern) for a FREE call and learn whether you’re making the top “7 Mistakes Virtual Assistants Make In Ecommerce”.   We’re going to share what business owners are telling us, as well as other mistakes we see are being made over and over again.

The time or date not work for you?  No problem, register anyways as we’ll be sending the mp3recording link out after the live call. 

Topic:  7 Mistakes Virtual Assistant Make in Ecommerce
Date:  Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010
Time:  12pm Pacific / 3pm Eastern

Register below to save your spot!

As you know, one of our favourite things to do is hop on a call with all of you and share/discuss all the great things about working virtually.   In turn, we hope a few things will impact you significantly enough to where you’ll implement and make positive changes for you and your business.

So for January, we’re hosting not one, but TWO fr’ee calls that I’m pretty sure you’ll be interested in:

It’s not enough to dabble in a few pieces here and there that you get from the experts out there … generating publicity requires a strategy and realistically, a VA who has received the right kind of training, CAN help their client implement the pieces to create a great plan and therefore  generate publicity.

Now, none of us at VirtuallySuccessful.com are publicity specialists, and so we’ve asked Diana Ennen, Publicity Expert, to join us for a f’ree call on Tuesday, January 19th  at 1pm Eastern / 10am Pacific to share the 7 Mistakes Virtual Assistants are Making when it comes to building publicity.  This information is relevant to your own business as well as your clients so please do make a point to attend. 

To make this even more fun, we encourage you to share your own questions or strategies you have used to support your clients in generating publicity. 

Register for your spot in the form below and please do post your comments in the section at the bottom of the page.

Call #2 - Future of Virtual Assistance Call
What Every Online Business Manager Needs to Know This Year - Top Trends for 2010
Wednesday, January 20th at 3pm Eastern / 12pm Pacific  

The role of Online Business Manager (OBM) is a natural one for many Virtual Assistants and so  that’s why we decided to focus January’s Future of Virtual Assistance call on the top 2010 trends for OBMs.

On Wednesday, January 20th, yours truly, Tina Forsyth, founder of OnlineBusinessManager.com will lead this discussion on:

• How the economy is affecting our clients and what to watch out for

• The best clients who really need your help (and there will be more of them in 2010)

• What is really important to clients right now, and what will make you stand out from the crowd

and much, much more.

>>Sign Up For Your Spot