I’d like to chat about a VERY important topic.  It’s a little word but it’s one so many of us in the Virtual Assistant community have trouble with.
 
It’s the word NO.
 
When was the last time you said the word no …

• to an unrealistic deadline?
• to a client that you really weren’t that interested in working with?
• to a current client that you didn’t really want to continue working with?
• to just working way too much?
• to a project that you really didn’t have the skills to complete?

Let’s face it — it’s a common ‘issue’ amongst the Virtual Profession — we have a genuine interest in helping people – even if it means putting ourselves in a not-so-great situation.
 
The problem is, when we continue saying yes to everything and everyone, we’re really doing a disservice to them (and to ourselves also).
 
I’d like you to turn the negativeness of the word no into a positive.
 
How?
 
Think of it this way.
 
When you say yes to every request, every client, everything …. you end up working all the time, you disappoint yourself by not sticking to your boundaries, you overwork yourself, you get tired and eventually you start to question whether it’s all worth it.
 
Not to mention, you start to slip and your client’s notice this … they become less and less satisfied, think you’re not paying attention to detail and so on.
 
Eventually a bit of tension may result in your client relationships.
 
So what if you said ‘no’ instead of yes to everything? 
 
Let’s explore this ….
 
You say no to an unrealistic request or deadline >> you stick to your boundaries, your client starts to realize and understand they cannot make these kind of requests and they understand what you can and can’t do.
 
You say no a potential new client who you’re ‘pit of the stomach’ feeling says is not a good match >> you avoid any uncomfortable situations with them, and realistically, by saying no, you are really saying “I’m not the right person to assist you — you would be better off working with someone who can really benefit you.”
 
When you say no to a current client who you feel you can no longer (or don’t want to work with) >> you are allowing them to work with someone who can better support them.
 
So next time you feel ‘ick’ about a situation,  and before you say yes, listen to your gutt and really determine if this is a ‘yes’ or a ‘no’ situation.
 
It may be a bit challenging to say no at first, but over time it will get easier and easier and you will better for standing your ground and working within your own boundaries.
 
Remember, you are a professional and people come to you because of your expertise.  Stand up tall, be confident and be clear about what you want.

Thoughts?

I’m hopeful that this article will make you realize the importance of selecting your target market. Think about it this way… If you don’t have a target market … how can you possibly select a place to start and invest your time in to meet potential clients? What ends up happening is you attend networking event after networking event … meet great people but they are likely not going to contribute to building your business.

If you can find places where your target market meets in person …. consider attending the event also. If you find places online where your target market connects … why not join and participate? Through making yourself known, joining in on the conversation, possibly adding value – resources they may need etc., you start to build your profile and soon people will consider you as an expert in the area and come to you for more help.

Remember… you’re building relationships by networking and participating in the various groups. You should not expect to convert clients immediately because if you do have this expectation, you will be disappointed. It’s about building relationships, contributing, participating, listening to their needs and demonstrating your expertise.

So here’s what I’d like you to spend 45-60 minutes to do:

-Go back to your notes from earlier in the challenge and make a note of the organizations/associations you found in your research. If you need to, schedule some time in your calendar to research more.

-Make a list of 1-5 local organizations/associations that your target market participates in. Consider when and where they meet, fees, networking opportunities, number of members etc.

-Make a list of 5-10 online organizations, groups etc. that your target market participates in. Consider the number of members, activity, and make sure you pay attention to their guidelines.

-Now go back and pick 2 local organizations/associations that you would like to join. Confirm 5 online groups/organizations that you would like to join. Start here.

-Remember for the online networking – spruce up your signature block and use it each time you respond to a discussion. This is not seen as advertising and it’s a great way to get your website and details out there.

-Now PARTICIPATE! I usually take a day or two to review the discussions that are going on back and forth… then I slowly jump in and introduce myself and add the conversations as appropriate. Slowly you will start to build relationships with the others.

-For the live events, be prepared! Think about what you know about your target market. Demonstrate that you’ve done your research. People will be impressed with your knowledge and your interest in their profession. Don’t forget the business cards! And don’t forget the piece that you must do AFTER the event …….. FOLLOW-UP.

Go go go …… let’s start networking!

Communication .... the KEY To a Successful Virtual Relationship

We all know it - even subconsciously. Communication is the key to any relationship - virtual or not.

Ironically ... although we know the importance of communication, it's one of the main reasons behind a VA/Client break-up.

Why?

Because we often avoid discussing topics that we believe to be unimportant or slightly uncomfortable to discuss. Instead we literally wave our hand and say "it will all work out."

When it comes to a Client/VA relationship - it's really up to us Virtual Assistants to ensure great communication with our clients.

This goes beyond a phone discussion every once in a while or emails back and forth throughout the week or instant messages throughout the day. These forms of communication are great and convenient but when it comes to creating, building and solidifying relationships with our clients, we need more than the casual connection.

Perhaps you can relate to these scenarios:

• you receive an email from your client asking you to complete a task immediately ..... you were out of the office for a few hours and it's now 'too' late
• your client has expectations that are well beyond what was originally discussed..... you sense and feel frustration from the exchange of emails and feel irrate, annoyed and uneasy about the issue. How do you deal with it now?
• your client is busy and possibly difficult to connect with... in an attempt to 'not bother them' you don't connect at all or perhaps send the odd email to check in yet they seems annoyed or frustrated with you

Any of these ring a bell?

One of the practices that we all (Andrea, Tina and Cindy) firmly believe in is connecting with clients every week - even for just 20 minutes at a time. The voice-to-voice connection has proved to be invaluable. By coming prepared to the meeting, ready to discuss upcoming deadlines, priorities and goals, the time is well-spent and more efficient than sending countless emails (which may be intrepreted differently) on the same topics.

After seeing the struggles that VAs and clients have faced due to 'bad' communication, we came up with a checklist on "How to Communicate With Your Client". This was first written a couple of years ago and recently updated to include even more information. Let us know if you have anything we can add!

Use this tool to help you effectively communicate with your prospective and current clients. Will you make any changes on how connect? Enjoy! Click here for PDF.

Think back to growing your own business ... ever wish there was a tool or resource created to help you? Let us know ... we'll be happy to create something to help all Virtual Assistants. Just hit reply to put in your request.

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