Change for the Better

Since I’ve changed the focus of my business and narrowed my target market, things have changed.

I recently changed my company name, my logo, my niche, and my focus. This is definitely not something I would recommend to everyone. Changing your company name is a major ordeal. People have come to know you, they associate your name with you, they know your website and your logo. So you take a big risk by moving all of that to something new.

But in my case, I knew it was time. My company was not producing the results I hoped for. Nor was it giving out the message that felt authentic to me and my goals. I was at a crossroads. I did a lot of research, asked a lot of experts, talked to a lot of colleagues, and felt the risk was worth it. It was time to change everything.

What a difference a change can make! I just got my website up recently, and already I am seeing results. By redoing my entire site and having it focus on my goal of providing uplifting administrative support, I feel the real “me” is shining through. I have a new attitude about the work I do. I have a new excitement about the people I will be supporting. It is authentic and I believe that shows to the people out there looking for solutions.

Coaches and consultants surround themselves with people who need help. That’s what they do, they help. My goal is to provide that same level of commitment and support to them. I think they give so much that there are times they have nothing left to give. I hope to be able to support them by being more than a virtual assistant – I hope to be their friend, their confidante, their sounding board. That’s what I’m about.

And that’s what A Balanced Alternative is about. It’s about helping. It’s about being supportive. It’s about passion in what you do. If you are a coach or consultant who wants to more efficiently use their time to grow their business, get in touch with me. I’d love to talk with you about the possibilities.

It’s Time for a New Direction and Focus

Well, it’s finally time to announce my big news that I alluded to some time back.

I have decided to change my company name and logo. Yes, this is a major decision; yes, it’s a scary decision; and yes, I know it’s the right decision.

A few months ago, my partner and I decided to dissolve our partnership. She was ready to spend more time with her family and thankfully was able to financially do that. So she has stopped working for a while. I was so happy for her and wished her the best. Someday I’ll get to retire. HA!

I felt it was a perfect time for me to start thinking very seriously about where I wanted my business to go, how I wanted to conduct my business, and who I wanted to do business with. I was in a coaching class at the time (thank you to my Blueprint Life Coaching group – you know who you are!) and realized that I wasn’t fully embracing my dream and doing all I could do with it. So I decided to make a change.

I figured out what my unique talent is, what makes me stand out from the crowd, what makes me unique and different, and knew I had to use that in my business if I wanted to be truly successful. So I spent countless hours trying to come up with a name and tagline that would reflect me, who I really am, and reflect what I want others to know.

Elite VAs is now A Balanced Alternative. I want my clients to know that I can provide balance to their businesses and to their personal lives. I want to be able to support and uplift them, to encourage them through their tough times. My tagline is, Uplifting Administrative Support for Coaches and Consultants. I chose coaches and consultants because I feel they give and give and give, and sometimes they don’t have anyone to give to them, to encourage and uplift them. That will be my job.

I hope you like my new direction. I am so excited about the changes already coming my way. I feel good about the direction of my business. I feel confident that I will be successful. I feel I’ve picked the perfect target market to which to display my unique talents. And I am happy, happier than I’ve been in a long time.

So the next time you are feeling down, or feel you just can’t continue working the way you’ve been working, and you feel you need someone to partner with you to take some of the burden so you can concentrate on your clients, think of a virtual assistant; think of me, Vickie Turley, A Balanced Alternative. My website is in the process of being built, but you can still find out about my services at www.elitevas.com.

Referrals – Key to your Business Growth

Where have your clients come from?

I’ve found that the best source for new clients is from referrals – word-of-mouth. There is nothing like a glowing report from someone you’ve worked with and who are happy with your services. Referrals are the key to your business growth and that should not surprise us.

Look at how we live our daily lives. How do we find accountants, bankers, car dealers? Most of the time it’s through someone we know who have used their services. And we decide to try them out because we trust our colleague or friend or family member. We want to get the same service they received.

Referring should be a two-way street. If there is someone you deal with, or have dealt with, and they were professional, accurate, quick, thorough, tell your friends and business associates about them. They will be excited that their services are sought after – but they will also think of you the next time someone needs what you provide. It’s a win-win situation.

So the next time you talk to someone and it sounds as if they’re searching for a service provider, maybe a life coach, maybe a marketing coach, maybe a consultant, or maybe a virtual assistant (that’s me!), be sure to spread the word about those you’ve come in contact with, those who made your life easier, those who helped your business grow. You’ll see that it will come back to you!

That old saying, “What goes around, comes around,” is true. Try it out!

And one last thing – be very careful about referring people or services you haven’t tried. How can you make a referral when you don’t know how their service is? Your name is the one they will remember, so make sure you know what you’re talking about.

Vickie

Listen and Watch for your Ah-Ha Moments

There is some exciting news coming for me and I can’t wait to unveil it.

Certain circumstances made it possible for me to begin implementing ideas and visions I had into my business. It was one of those ah-ha moments where you can’t believe you didn’t think of it before. I found a way to incorporate my special gift of being encouraging and uplifting into my business areas.

Think about how much more successful your business could be if you took the time to study it from all angles, personal as well as professional. What could be incorporated into your business that would make it stronger, more appealing, more YOU? That’s what I did. I realized I could take my uplifting spirit and use it with my business clients.

I think particularly of life coaches, consultants and motivational speakers. They are constantly connecting with people who they are pushing, showing them a different way of looking at things, teaching them to go inside and find the deeper self. But sometimes they don’t get that themselves. They spend all that time on business, helping their clients, and yet don’t have that for them.

That’s where I will come in. I can provide an uplifting administrative touch both personally and professionally. I can provide an all-around administrative solution that will not only help them continue the course, but will help them grow (at least I hope that’s what gets accomplished).

So think about yourself. Where is your Ah-Ha moment? What can you provide to help the all-around client? How can you support them in their growth? What plans can you initiate that will deepen the relationship between you and your client?

As for me, keep a lookout on my web site and this blog for the exciting changes. Then let me know what you think.

What is (and Isn’t) a Virtual Assistant?

I wrote this a couple of months ago when I first started blogging. I thought with Spring coming in, it might be a good time to bring it back up.

Spring is the time when people start planning how to revitalize their business, cleaning out the old to make room for the new. It’s a great time to start thinking about letting go of those administrative tasks that are holding you back from adding to your client base. That’s where a virtual assistant comes in. Although the term “VA” is getting much more popular and known, I thought it’d be appropriate to talk about what is (and isn’t) a virtual assistant.

Here is my understanding of what is and isn’t a virtual assistant.

The term “virtual assistant” was coined by life coach, Thomas Leonard, during a conversation he was having with Stacy Brice, founder of AssistU, the first organized training and coaching organization for virtual assistants. The AssistU definition says, “VAs are micro business owners who provide administrative and possibly personal support while working in long-term collaborative relationships with only a handful of terrific clients. Using phone, fax, email, as well as other emerging technologies, VAs support their clients’ needs across the board, without having to ever step foot inside the clients’ offices.”

One of my favorite VA forums, the Virtual Assistance Chamber of Commerce (VACOC) has this definition (which I’ve espoused to fit my unique business): “A virtual assistant (or VA) is a professional service provider who specializes in providing remote administrative office support services as an independent contractor who works with clients in an ongoing, collaborative professional relationship.”

Now here’s where the waters start to get muddied some. VAs do not work from your office, we do not use your equipment, we do not work piece-meal projects. We are there to be an integral part of your business, providing you the time to add to your client base while having professionally skilled people taking care of your back-end office needs.

Some VAs can also provide additional, specialty services. But that’s exactly what they are, additional and specialty. Services such as bookkeeping, consulting, marketing. These are skills that some VAs choose to provide, but those skills are not the heart and soul of the VA business. The heart and soul of the VA business is administrative support.

If you feel you’re at a point where you have to turn over some of the administrative duties in order to take your business to the next level, I invite you to visit my web site at Elite VAs. I’m looking to add to my client base of coaches, consultants and speakers and would love the opportunity to speak with you.

Vickie

I Have a Secret

I have a secret. A while back, I realized I was short-changing myself by not incorporating my unique gift into my business. At that time, I started thinking about how I could change that situation.

I have decided to change my focus to a more specific target market. This will allow me to add my uplifting and supportive spirit into all facets of my life. I will be providing uplifting administrative solutions to coaches, consultants and speakers (to be more specific – life coaches and motivational speakers). These industries spend a lot of time helping others in their life journey and I wondered, “Who’s there to help them?” That’s my goal, to be able to provide not only the administrative support they need, but the personal support also.

Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve had some consults with prospective clients and I already see a huge difference this is going to make. There is a connection between me and the target market audiences that make us a perfect fit. The consults have been wonderful; there is an immediate connection; and I feel this is the way I should be heading. They will not only be great clients – I’m hoping to develop great friendships.

If you are not using all of your gifts (whether they be professional or personal) in your business, you are not going to be the success you could be. Think outside the “normal” business box – what can you add that will make you unique in your field? Then take the steps necessary to start making that a part of your business. You’ll be surprised how right it feels!

Keep an eye out over the next month to see my big “reveal!” I look forward to sharing it with you.

Vickie

What a Day!

Wow, what a day yesterday!

For one, it was very busy, with two client consults scheduled, work with my existing client, a call from my brand-new client, etc., etc.

My morning consult got rescheduled to today so that was a change. Then my afternoon consult – let’s just say it wasn’t what I expected! At least I didn’t go through my whole process, thank goodness.

Then I got a phone call late afternoon from my son’s father. My son is 18 and a senior in high school. He’s a straight A (most of the time) student, a wonderful kid, and just an all-around easy boy. I’ve rarely had any problems out of him. Well, it seems he and his girlfriend were supposed to ride the bus to Lexington this afternoon for a state high school basketball game. But they got caught by my son’s stepmother on the way to Lexington – they were driving! The worst part of this is that no one knew it (well, at least me nor Ryan’s dad) and they won’t be home until around 3am (by the time you read this they will be back in town safe and sound). But this scared the dickens out of me. My youngest stepson had a wreck in 2005 driving home from somewhere and almost died so I’m a little freaky about this. Anyway, my son’s dad was so mad, then I got mad, then I got upset and almost sick over worrying!

Then I got a phone call from my brand-new client so that made me brighten a little. Later still, I received an email from an ex-client who would like to start using my services again! So that brightened me up even more.

Needless to say, yesterday was way, way up and it was way, way down.

I guess I say all this just to remind each and every one of us that this is life. It is filled with great moments and not so great moments. But that’s what makes it life. We go from one moment to the next, never knowing what’s coming around the corner.

I think it’s so important for us to grab the good events, celebrate them, be happy and count our blessings. And I think it’s so important for us to take the not-so-good events and put them in perspective. They all go together to make up this thing we call life. We can’t have the good without the bad because we wouldn’t know it was good if there was no bad. Does that make sense?

Anyway, that’s my philosophy for the day. Just be thankful – be places like the VACOC, where I can come and vent, or rage, or celebrate or just talk. Be thankful for people like my fellow VACOC members. Be thankful we have the opportunity to be business owners, making our own decisions. Be thankful we live in a country that embraces women business owners and VAs and coaches and speakers and consultants. Be thankful for our families who drive us nuts sometimes. Be thankful for life!

Vickie

Grow Your Business With Seminars – by John Jantsch

One of the ways I try to stay educated in this ever-changing virtual world is by receiving eZines and newsletters through email from several experts in their respective fields. One such example is Duct Tape Marketing with John Jantsch. He presents great information in an easy-to-read format. I think you’ll find the below article quite informative.

Holding educational workshops has always been a very good way to build business. The problem with this strategy though is that it has become increasingly difficult to get prospects to come to workshop type events. In addition, the cost of holding a physical event involving a room, refreshments and audio visual equipment, makes this type of event a sometimes risky venture.

Recently, businesses of all shapes and sizes are turning to seminars conducted by phone, or teleseminars, to easily present information to groups of prospects.

The teleseminar format, in which attendees simply dial in to a conference line to listen to a presentation, has much to offer the small business presenter and the attendee.

The cost to put on such an event can be fairly small and, for the attendee, the ability to dial in from anywhere, without the need to travel, can be very appealing. Many organizations find these benefits so appealing that they have come up with many uses for the teleseminar that reach beyond traditional sales efforts.

For example, use teleseminars to:

Present an ongoing series of topics

Demonstrate how to use a product

Conduct a training program

Hold group coaching sessions

Offer service tips to get more from a product

Conduct focus groups and research

Answer questions

Recruit employees

Have a plan

Like all marketing tactics the best way to employ a teleseminar component is to approach it systematically. The first step is to determine how you plan to use teleseminars in your business. It is best to take a bit of a long term approach as this tactic may take some time to build the momentum you need. If you want to use teleseminars as a way to promote your business and enhance your reputation as an expert, plan to stick with it for a period of at least six months, holding a new teleseminar each month.

Teleseminar system

Decide what technology platform you plan to use. You can find free and very low cost conference lines but, I would suggest that you look at one of the following options. If your teleseminar is an extension of your business then you need reliable, service oriented conferencing with features like automatic recording. You can conduct phone only conferences or phone and web demonstrations. Web demonstrations from services such as WebEx can add some very powerful presenting capabilities but do present some potential technology roadblocks for your users. The costs of these types of services vary depending upon your number of attendees.

Telephone based
Conference Calls Unlimited
Great Teleseminars

Web based
GoToMeeting andGoToWebinar
WebEx

Attendees

So, where do you go to get attendees? If you have your own mailing or email lists then start with this group. They know you and will be a good source to tap as you are getting your feet wet.

Without such a list you may need to look to industry lists, chamber lists or other purchased type list to run a direct mail campaign. Remember, the low cost feature of a teleseminar means you don’t really need many attendees to make it work.

Partners

Strategic partners can also be a great place to go to acquire attendees. An accountant might go to a law firm, or several law firms, and offer to conduct a free teleseminar for their clients. A construction attorney could go to a construction related trade group and offer to conduct a free teleseminar for their members.

Invite a potential referral partner to be a guest on your teleseminar and you can create a powerful promoter for your business.

Collect sign-ups

When you promote your teleseminar it’s best to require your attendees to sign-up. This way you have the data for future sessions and you can contact the attendee with reminders and follow-ups.

Encourage tell-a-friend

As you begin to promote your teleseminar make it easy for prospects to tell others about your session. Add a script to you web sign-up page and automate this process
JavaScript Example
PHP Script Example

Remind

Make sure that you use an autoresponder like AWeber to automatically send a sign-up confirmation and “day of event” reminders with the conference call-in information and access codes. GoToWebinar handles this for you.

Invite participation

One tactic that works very well and will help you when it comes time to create the content for your teleseminar is to encourage your attendees to ask a question about the topic prior to the event. You can do this in your confirmation email.

Don’t sell

When you present a teleseminar you must present good content. If you simply treat it as a sales pitch your attendees will be turned off. Even free sessions must be valuable if you expect people to take the time to listen.

Have a call to action

Even though you shouldn’t sell throughout your presentation, you should have an offer at the end. This can take the form of some other, more advanced, free information or evaluation or simply a special deal to act today. Don’t just hang up without a next step.

Get testimonials

One tactic that you may also wish to add is a call for testimonials. This can be very important as you start your teleseminar series and help build credible proof for future events. One thing you might do is offer a written transcript of the call to anyone who sends in their (glowing) feedback.

Archive the content

One of the biggest benefits of holding teleseminars is that they present a great platform for creating permanent content. You should record each session and create a method to archive and promote this content on an ongoing basis. You might want to consider turning the content into a podcast or create an entire CD collection. Transcribing your audio sessions through a service such as Cyberdictate – is another way to extend the content.

Get my teleseminar checklist

I have produced a mini teleseminar checklist that you may find useful in you planning. Get the checklist here

Related article – Podcasts Demystified

. ~ ~ ~

John Jantsch is a veteran marketing coach, award winning blogger and author of Duct Tape Marketing: The World’s Most Practical Small Business Marketing Guide published by Thomas Nelson.

He is the creator of the Duct Tape Marketing small business marketing system. You can find more information by visiting http://www.ducttapemarketing.com

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Making Connections

Hi Everyone! As I’ll be out of town Thursday through Saturday, I wanted to post one more time on my blog. I’d like to say I’ll do it while I’m gone, but you know how that goes!

I’ll be at a State Speech Tournament with my son’s high school group. They’ve made it to the state finals and we’re really excited. It’s a good group and we expect to come home with some trophies. But no matter the outcome, I will be spending the time making connections – with my son (who is graduating high school and getting ready for college), with my son’s friends (who are such a wonderful, eclectic bunch), with the volunteer who leads this speech team (thank you so much for all the hard work), and with some parents who are spending a few days helping out with this event. These people have opened up a world I didn’t know existed, the world of forensics (no, not dead bodies – speech!). I’ve met people I would never have met without my son being such a friend of all and joining as many organizations as possible.
It started me thinking about our connections. Connections are so important. They help you expand your horizons, they get you to thinking outside the box, they open up new worlds for you. And this is not only true in your personal life – it’s also true in your business life.

I have the wonderful privilege of being a part of a group of VAs who are dedicated to educating the public about virtual assistance and who truly want to see each other succeed. This group has taught me so much, but I guess the biggest thing I’ve learned from them is there truly are enough clients in this massive world to go around. We don’t have to fight and scratch over the same clients. As we are all unique individuals, we have unique talents, and these talents pull us to our unique clients. I’m talking about the VACOC and I’d love you to check them out and see what’s up.

I also belong to a group of ladies who are dedicated to supporting each other in our quest for being fit – from exercising to lifestyle changes. They are a wonderfully dedicated group and are so encouraging to each other, celebrating each other’s triumphs and holding their hands when they have a setback. These are the Virtual DiVAs and you can find out more about them at their website.

Another group who have truly helped me grow as a business and as an individual is my life coaching group. I had the privilege of “meeting” my life coach, Suzanne Evans, through another networking group I belong to. She has been such a huge factor in my decision to basically start fresh by narrowing my target market, finding out what I love to do, and using that talent in my business. We’ve recently start a group session and the ladies in my group are wonderfully diverse and full of ideas. Check out Suzanne’s website at Blueprint Life Coaching. Trust me, you won’t regret it.

These are the connections you’ll remember forever. These are the times you think back on fondly. These are the ties that bind. Make every effort to step outside your comfort zone, put yourself out there in a way you’re not used to, and start meeting people. You’ll be amazed at the person you’ll find yourself to be!

Vickie

Happy St. Patrick’s Day

As I’ll be out of town Thursday through Saturday, I thought I’d use today to wish everyone a Happy St. Patrick’s Day. What types of things do you do for “luck?” Do you believe in luck? Let’s find out a little bit about St. Patrick’s Day and how it came to be in the United States.

According to Wilkipedia, Irish American immigrants brought Saint Patrick’s Day to the United States. The first celebration of St. Patrick’s Day took place in Boston, Massachusetts in 1737. The first celebration of St. Patrick’s Day in New York City was held at the Crown and Thistle Tavern in 1756. In 1780, General George Washington allowed his troops a holiday on March 17. This event became known as The St. Patrick’s Day Encampment of 1780. Today, St. Patrick’s Day is widely celebrated in the United States by Irish and non-Irish alike.

Americans celebrate the holiday by wearing green. Many people, regardless of ethnic background, wear green-colored clothing and items. Traditionally, those who are caught not wearing green are pinched. Wow, doesn’t that bring back memories of school days – dreading the day because you forgot it was St. Patrick’s Day and you didn’t wear green – or trying to tie a piece of cloth or ribbon around your wrist and telling people that’s your green!

They say some of the best fun can be had in cities such as New York (which has the largest parade outside of Ireland), Chicago (they dye their rivers green), New Orleans (they do the whole Mardi-Gras theme), and Savannah, Georgia. There’s also a place called Maryville, MO that boasts the shortest parade, each year trying to shorten from the previous year. In 2006, it was approximately 86 feet long!

So if you’re feeling the blues from the early “daylight savings time” switch this year, think about taking a little trip and have yourself a bit of Irish fun this weekend. Who knows, maybe your luck will change!

One way to help your business has nothing to do with luck – but business smarts. If you coaches, speakers, and consultants are looking for that extra edge this year, consider partnering with a virtual assistant. When you choose the right one, you’ll suddenly find yourself with the time needed to spend on truly growing your business. Check out my services at Elite VAs. I look forward to hearing from you and showing you ways that together we can build both our businesses into the success of the future!

Now wouldn’t that be lucky??

Vickie