I’ve been waiting and waiting to tell you about this … but I had to keep it a secret!!

I’m absolutely ecstatic about this event because I’m one of the trainers at this event!  Yes, it’s my first time I have officially trained in person!  Plus alongside me are seven other stellar trainers who have been handpicked to give you the tools to transform your business.

You need to be there … it’s simply going to change the way you do business this year and beyond. 

Hosts Pam Ivey and Kristi Pavlik are holding a preview call this Thursday … it’s fr-ee and will answer all your questions about the live event and much more.

Check it out!

Tomorrow afternoon I'm going to be speaking on this topic with members of the Delaware Valley Virtual Assistants Association. (DVVAA).  DVVAA is a local organization of Virtual Professionals (VAs and VPs) offering membership to all VAs in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. 

If you'd like to join us tomorrow, Wednesday, April 27th at 7pm Eastern / 4pm Pacific for this info-packed call, you're welcome to do so.  And if you're one of the areas this association serves, I suggest you connect and join them!

Visit the website to claim your spot. 

Looking forward to having you join me!

I'm beyond thrilled to be included in this book! 

It can be more than difficult to be an entrepreneur and a Mom --- owning and running a business while raising a family.  These Entrepreneur Moms, leaders in their industry who have been there, done that,  will more than inspire you as you read their story. 

Co-Authors include Cathy Alessandra, Gina Bell, Lesley Bohm, Jennifer Bourn, DeAnn Flores Chase, Joy Chudacoff, Linda Cotter, Lucinda Cross, Michele DeKinder-Smith, Marla Dennis, Tina Forsyth, Erin Kurt, Therese Kelly and ME! 

The book has just been launched today and available on Amazon for only $12.00.  When you purchase TODAY, you will also receive hundreds of dollars in gifts, offered by the co-authors themselves.    Simply visit www.MillionaireMomsInTheMaking.com to purchase your book then go back to the bonus page to claim your gifts.

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!

We need to work on our next step which is how do you provide a solution to your target market’s challenges.

Knowing your target market’s challenges is great …. But being able to express to your target market how you offer a solution to their challenges is really what gets them hooked ….. it’s the bait.

Let’s visualize for a second. Let’s say you attend a networking event. Many of the participants at this event are within your target market. You introduce yourself and start a discussion …. You demonstrate to them that you have done your research …. You know what they do, how they help people, what they may be struggling with, common trends etc. It’s a nice conversation but really it gets you nowhere.

Not let’s visualize a second scenario. Same as above – but you take it 1 step further. You TELL them exactly how you and your services can help eliminate very specific challenges they are faced with in their business. You show confidence in your delivery and you use key words and examples that relate specifically to them ….. so they feel you know and understand them… but better yet, are THE person to help them with their business.

THAT’S how you get the attention of a potential client. And that’s how you build a relationship to later bring them on as a client.

We’ll talk about additional ways to introduce yourself and build a relationship with a prospect later but for now, here’s what I’d like you to do:

Action Tip #4
Review your notes about your target market. Take a close look at the top 5-10 challenges that they are faced with and note how you can provide support and ultimately a solution to the challenge. It may be a big solution, but it may even be a very small one …. One that you may not even realize at first.

Here’s a few examples:

CHALLENGE:

• A client wants to distribute a monthly ezine but just doesn’t make the time to do it – it never gets done.

SOLUTION:

• You work with your client to create a schedule of when they will provide the content, you set up the template, you provide drafts for approval, you have a specific day/deadline that the ezine WILL go out and you keep your client accountable. Super simple.

CHALLENGE:

• A client has an ebook they’ve been wanting to finish up for a long time. It’s almost done but they’re stuck on the formatting and a few details.

SOLUTION:

• You and your client work on a deadline together. They must give you the ebook copy by this time and you will review, proofread and format. You may provide feedback to your client about what else they may want to consider adding. You may connect with a graphic designer to get a cover made up and you’ll set up the shopping cart so it can easily be added to the website to sell.

These are 2 very simple examples of how you can provide a solution to your client. Remember, they are the expert in what they do … and although these kinds of tasks may seem simple to us, they can be very stressful and overwhelming for others.

So …..what solutions do you offer?

This is one of my most favorite things to talk about …. I can go on and on and on on this topic!

Marketing Mindset …. What is this??

Marketing Mindset is defined as the ability to look ahead and understand a task so you can apply the appropriate technology or initiative, ask the appropriate questions, tell your client how you can help and take care of the rest. This is probably the #1 quality business owners look for in a Virtual Assistant.

“I want a Virtual Assistant who will understand my business, think ahead of me and who applies their initiative to take care of things so I don’t have to.”   This is one of the most common request we have heard from business owners.

Applying the Marketing Mindset is what has built my business. I had no idea what it was … I couldn’t figure out why my client’s kept telling me I was different …… I honestly thought EVERYONE was doing exactly the same as I.

But they were not!

Now there are some things that YOU must do in order to appropriately apply your Marketing Mindset. You need to take inventory – that’s what we’re going to talk about tomorrow. But essentially if you listen and gather details, you can turn around, apply your mindsets, understand the various pieces to a task and tell your client how you can support them and what pieces you need them to do themselves.

Consider these two scenarios:

(1) You’re working with a client. They tell you they want to finish an ebook and start selling it on their website within the next month. You say “Great!”, make a note of it in your own notes and promise to check in a few weeks to see how close they are to completion.

(2) You’re working with a client. They tell you they want to finish an ebook and start selling it on their website within the next month. You say “Great!” … do you have a shopping cart in place at this time or a Merchant account? You know that in order for your client to sell items on their website, they do need to have some form or accepting payment … perhaps they’ll use PayPal. You ask questions in order to determine what exactly you need to think about in order to help them achieve their goal of selling this ebook. You create a plan to keep them accountable and finish the ebook on time. You ask questions such as:

- Is someone assisting you already with the graphic designed of the ebook cover?

- Do you have someone in place to review/proofread and format the ebook? (many VAs can offer this service)

- Do you have a payment processing service in place?

- We should consider using autoresponders – here’s why (list reasons).

- I’ll check in with you every 4-5 days to see how you’re doing on getting the ebook done sound good? Or I’ll book time out of your schedule so you can work on your ebook and get it done.

- Let’s talk about how we’re going to promote the ebook …..

So you can see what I mean about applying Marketing Mindset in example #2. You ask questions, think about what you can do, confirm what they have in place and then you’re going to TELL them what needs to be put in to place.

Do you apply your Marketing Mindset?

Think about how you can apply your Marketing Mindset with your current clients and any potential ones.

Virtually Successful:  8 Simple Ways for Virtual Assistants to Find (and Keep) Clients was written for one reason:  to help Virtual Assistants across the globe easily attract clients, build the VA business they wanted and to make great money doing so.

If you're looking for a resource on how to name your business or how to set up your home office - this isn't it.

BUT if you're looking for very specific strategies that every Virtual Assistant must implement in order to find clients PLUS real life examples of situations you've likely been through or will go through ... this is the book for you.

As a professional Virtual Assistant, you are a business owner.  You're not a secretary, an office assistant or an executive assistant.

You are an entrepreneur who offers support to business owners who seek your expertise.  It's time you represent yourself as   this professional.  This book will tell you exactly how to do this.

Ready to get serious about finding great clients?  Get your copy of Virtually Successful:  8 Simple Ways for Virtual Assistants to Find (and Keep) Clients

I'm on a mission this year ... a mission to help Virtual Assistants easily find clients, build  fantastic businesses and generate serious monthly revenue.

We are beyond excited to introduce to you the Get Clients Club.

The Get Clients Club is a place for Virtual Assistants to get the support from someone who's been through it all.  Gain more  confidence, connect and attract with more potential clients, retain better clients and generate serious revenue --- that's what it is all about.

The Get Clients Club is edgy, to the point and will empower you to act and succeed in your business.

Are you ready?

As a member of the Get Clients Club, you'll work with me, Cindy Greenway, and take on a very specific topic each and every month.

For an easy-on-the-wallet investment, you will learn how to:

• gain confidence in yourself and your expertise
• stand out from other Virtual Assistants out there
• identify your target market (and feel comfortable with it)
• easily attract attention and make solid connections
• find great clients that respect you and that you enjoy working with
• demonstrate why YOU are the best VA to be considered
• build long-term positive relationships with the clients you love to work with
• retain your preferred clients and discontinue with the non-ideal ones
• generate serious monthly revenue and celebrate your success

Is it time to take action and get the help you need to move forward and really make a go of this business?

I'm here and waiting .. I know you can get your business where you want it to be. Check out the details at www.GetClientsClub.com.

The first call is coming up soon ... check out www.GetClientsClub.com to sign up.

Why the Get Clients Club?  I'll tell you personally .. check out the video below.

The new year is quickly approaching and so a great time to review what we did well in 2010 and what we'd like to do differently in 2011.

Would you like to share --- what will you do differently in 2011 to support your goals and build your business?

Often when we publicly proclaim our goals, it strengthens our sense of accountability. The Virtually Successful community would love to support you in achieving your goals for 2011 therefore, may I encourage you to post your comments below.

Thanks!