{EAV_BLOG_VER:916705689ed31104} Recently, the Mogul Mom had this great post – Are You Getting The Best of You, that had hit close to home for me. As a busy work-at-home Mommy, there are times I am running myself ragged for my family, my clients, my business, and I tend to neglect myself in the process. But it also made me wonder, if ANYBODY is getting the best of ME?

I know in my own experience, if I am not taking care of myself as much, the rest of my world can tend to get neglected as well. I don’t feel so great and that can bleed into how I treat my young son or husband, it can zap my motivation to get things done around the house, and then my business gets neglected because I get bogged down with stress, lack of motivation, etc. It can be a vicious cycle. Like that Mogul Mom post says, “When your well is dry, you cannot give water to anyone.”

What it really comes down to is that if I treat myself well, if I get in tune with my needs, what I really want and want makes me happy, the things around me fall into place. Sometimes, all it takes is to give in to my my creative side making crafty things, other times just snuggling with my 2 yr old on a rainy day does it, kicking back and obsessing over Pinterest, or just listening to the Spa Channel on SiriusXM radio while I work. Some of these little things ease my restlessness, put me back in a good mood and motivate me to do better in all other facets of my busy life.

One other huge part of taking care of me us using the word “No”. In my adulthood, I became the type of woman who thinks she can “do it all”, and that became even stronger once I became a mother. I would hardly turn anything down, and would overload myself with volunteer positions and tasks that were not a priority. But in an effort to make sure I deserved my “Super Mom” cape, I would do it. But I have learned that I HAVE to say no sometimes, and let go of some things that just don’t serve me or my family as well. Doing so is a huge way of taking care of myself and saying “yes” to me. Plus it enables me to do things that are more important, like spending more time with my family.

The blog at Mogul Mom (you can tell I love that site) had a great follow up post on 25 Simple Ways to Nurture Yourself. I recommend trying each one of them at least once a week. I know I intend to.

So how are YOU taking care of you? I would love to know the ways you unwind and take care of yourself. Leave a comment and let me know!

The first question that pops out of Mr. VAMommy’s mouth when he comes home is, “What’s for dinner?” We really try not to eat out more than once or twice a month, and the Mr. doesn’t cook, so it was always on me to figure out what to fix for dinner. So that question used to give me fits of anxiety and despair as I was always running out of ideas of what to fix, and what to have on hand. Grocery shopping was awful as I was trying to come up with meal ideas on the fly as I wandered through the store. This made for lots of extra grocery trips (I would always forget something), and sometimes wasted food. And I was going through this was BEFORE I even had a kid. It got rougher after the baby came.

I needed a concrete answer to that question “What is for dinner?” I needed a meal planning intervention. Meal planning is nothing new. Millions of moms for generations have done it. But I needed an option that didn’t involve much of my time, where I didn’t have to search through recipes and write out the list each week. So I went on the search for different meal planning ideas and meal planning services online to see what could help my dinner dilemma. After looking around at different services for a few days, we settled on a site called Relish!.

I have been using it for a year now, and the more I have used Relish!, the more love it. At first, I really liked the flexibility of being able to choose from several recipes, and the nice interface. Some other services didn’t give you an option to choose recipes, and when you have a picky eater at home (and I’m not talking about my son), it would not be helpful to be stuck with recipes they don’t like. So Relish! gives you a selection of several different recipes each week, ranging from “kid-friendly” to vegetarian, crockpots to quick meals. And I so far the recipes have all been delicious and flavorful. You can also add your own recipes into the system.

Every week you select as many as you need for the week (including freezer options, and breakfast recipes), select for how many you are serving, and then it will spit out a shopping list for everything you will need. You do not knwo how much this has saved me in my sanity and my bank account. I am no longer wandering aimlessly through the grocery store grabbing what sounds good. And by sticking to my printed shopping list, it helps keep the grocery bill within budget. Relish! states that 5 dinners and sides keeps the grocery bill under $90 per week and I find that really rings true.

Plus, things are not going to waste, and that is HUGE in my house. Our shopping list is scaled down to just who we need to cook for, so I’m not having a problem with leftovers going to waste, or food going bad that I never got to cooking.

The subscription costs around $7 per month, and I find it is worth every penny!  It has saved this busy mom’s sanity, that’s for sure. To find out more about them, visit them on the web at www.RelishRelish.com.

Relish! might not be for everyone as there are dozens of other meal planning sites I ran across that might work better for other families. If you use some type of meal planning, or have meal planning tips and suggestions, I would love for you leave a comment here! I love to hear what other moms suggest.

*Disclaimer: Megan Barber and VAMommy is not an employee, not a representative, or in any way affiliated with Relish!. We did not receive any money or compensation for mentioning them in our blog. We just simply are a fan and love the service they provide.

Recently, Entrepreneur.com posted a fantastic article titled, “Should You Outsource Your Online Presence?“.  The article highlighted the value of outsourcing your social media marketing to Virtual Professionals.

Check out this quote from the beginning of the article..

“Between blogging, tweeting, Facebooking and updating a LinkedIn profile, it’s a wonder how a business owner has any time to answer e-mails and phone calls, much less run a company. But the time invested in social networking is well spent in this age where maintaining a social media presence can be a necessary piece of a successful marketing strategy.

Trouble is, as the number of platforms grows, so does the time it takes to feed and groom each account. Not to mention the front-end investment of setting everything up.

For those caught up in a social media blitz–and those contemplating taking the plunge–why not consider outsourcing? A virtual assistant can tackle those time-consuming tasks.”

Entrepreneur.com, July 7, 2009

With articles like these being posted, and the growing social medial landscape, Social Marketing VAs and Specialists are starting to be in high demand. It is fast becoming a popular and profitable niche among the VA community. Almost daily, VAClassroom.com is receiving new requests for Social Media VAs. In the last few days, they have received requests for as many as 10 Social Media VAs – amazing!

So now is a great time to consider taking the Social Marketing Specialist Program (if you haven’t already) at the VAClassroom.com. I am a soon-to-be grad myself, and could not speak more highly of the program.

VAClassroom is still running a $100 summer discount special for the training program for just a short time longer. Check out the link below and the coupon code to access this popular program today:

http://www.vaclassroom.com/socialmarketing/cmd.asp?af=986934

Coupon code: SUMMER09

As Virtual Assistants, a majority of us run our businesses out of our home, be it from a designated office, or a designated corner of the living room (hey, whatever works, right?). One major thing that may not be first mind is just how secure our office is. Working from home may give us a false sense of security, that a small home office network would hardly be a target for internet hackers, criminals, etc. Well you couldn’t be more wrong. Not only is your network security a factor, but is you office equipment and important files safe from the kids and critters in your household? And what about the case of a natural disaster? Would your business be able to survive a hit like that to your home office?

Well this fabulous article, Seven Deadly Sins of Home Office Security, was brought to my attention by my husband and I wanted to share. The article is geared towards anyone that works from a home office, and I think it gives us VA “old-timers” a great reminder, but also is a great resource for new and emerging VAs who are just setting up their home offices. So just how secure, accident proof, fireproof, or otherwise if your office files, equipment and network?

Marketing with little or no budget can be tough.

I get a lot of inquiries from new and aspiring Virtual Assistants asking about how they can get VA work, or if I know of any companies that will hire them and just give them VA work. My question for them is what are they doing to market themselves and their business? This is a new game for many of those that are new to the industry. Many have never run a business before and marketing doesn’t come easy to them.

Now, I know that many Virtual Assistants just starting out have little to no budget for marketing their services to start with. I sure didn’t.  So I brainstormed some of the things I did when I first started, and other free/low-cost tactics that have worked well for other successful VAs. So here is the list I compiled to get you going.

1. Join your local Chamber of Commerce – Joining your local chamber very affordable depending on where you are located. And you can get in on in-person networking events, get listed in their directories, plus many other benefits.
2. Network with your target market - By either online social networking, or in person events, network directly with the people you want to work with. Want to serve Realtors, blog actively on Active Rain, or join the local real estate board as an affiliate. Go where your target market is!

3. Network with those in your industry – Actively participate in some of the great Virtual Assistant boards and networking groups, and get yourself known in the industry. My favorites are VA Forums and VA Networking.

4. Business cards – Business cards are one of the cheapest marketing tools available. Print lots of them and leave them everywhere you go. Leave them at your gym, stores, doctor’s offices, dry cleaners, restaurants, etc.

5. Write Press Releases -Submit press releases locally or online to let everyone know you are in business, plus any news and announcements. Look for any opportunity to release some great buzz about your business.

6. Write Articles - Got a topic related to your that you are an absolute expert on? Write  about it! Write and submit articles to many of the available article submission sites. Write about what you know to help show you’re an expert in your field.

7. Word of Mouth – Make sure every friend and family member knows about your business and what you do. They are bound to have connections that need your help, and referral business is the best kind.

8. Offer a Discount or Special Deal – Create and print a coupon that offers a discount of 1 or 2 free hours to new clients. Leave along with your business cards at the business you wish to work with (careful not offer TOO much for free)

9. Volunteer in Your Community - Volunteer your administrative/marketing or other talents with local organizations you are passionate about. You have the opportunity to demonstrate your skills, and meet potential clients working side by side with you.
10. Online Social Networking - Many of the big social networking platforms are totally free. Get active and get known online.

11. Start a Blog - Just like submitting articles, starting a blog is a great way to get notice about you out into the world. Start a simple blog using one of the platforms are either free or cost little. (Blogger or WordPress are great choices) Write about what you know, demonstrate your expertise and write for your target market.

12. Online Classified Ads – Submit ads online to Craig’s List or other classified sites to promote your business (you can dress up your ads with html with a free account at www.vFlyer.com)

13. Ask Current Clients For Referrals or Testimonials – Get testimonials from your past and present clients when you’ve done a job well done. Testimony of your abilities from the people that you have worked with carries a lot of weight with new prospects.

14. Tap Your Former Employers – Been laid off, or decided to leave the corporate world for greener pastures? Don’t discount your former employer for business opportunities. Your former employer might be a great resource for new clients and prospects. Someone there may need you, or they know someone who does.

Hopefully you find the above helpful in getting your new VA business going in the right direction. There really are  many little or no cost ways to drive new business your way.

This  is first in a series that I want to do of Q&A interviews with experienced Virtual Assistants. The aim is to give new and aspiring VAs insight into how they started their businesses, how they run their businesses and how it fits into their lives. This will be the first in hopefully a long line of Q&A’s with inspiring VAs throughout the industry. And to kick it off, we’ll start with myself. So here’s my story.

Q&A with Megan Barber, Owner and CEO of Barber Virtual Assisting Solutions

How did you start your VA business?

Before I started my business, I worked in administrative positions in real estate offices, and as an in-house assistant for Realtors. When the agents I was working for couldn’t afford to use me full-time, I figured that I could do these things for many agents all at the same time. That is when my eyes were opened to Virtual Assistant industry. I found it to be a pretty natural transition from what I was already doing and was excited to be starting my very own business with much mentoring help from my business savvy father. I celebrated my 4 year anniversary in business this month.

How did you figure out what to charge for your services?

I did a lot of research and looking around at VA websites to see what other Virtual Assistants were charging. At first, because I didn’t have much experience, and I was afraid that people would think I was too expensive, I placed my fees on the low end of the spectrum. Even though I was low, I still thought my local prospects would balk at my rates. But I was surprised to find out that people were more than willing to hire me at my rates (especially since I emphasized the “no employee expenses”). I have raised my rates 3 times since  as my services became more in demand, and was confident in the value of my services.

How did you find your first clients?

I was lucky to draw my first clients from the people I already knew. My first 2 clients worked in the real estate office I used to manage and knew of my knowledge and my abilities. I was very fortunate to have signed them within the 1st month of being in business.

How long did it take you to build your clientele?

I must say that the first year in business was a little rough. I got my first to clients, and things stagnated for awhile. But then 6 months after I started, I finally got a website, started joining different networking groups and seriously upping my marketing efforts. Word of mouth from my own clients helped me gain new clients, and my online marketing efforts that reached my clients directly, helped me grow even more. Now I have 8-9 regular clients at a given time, and a few extra projects that come on occasionally.

How many hours per week do you usually work?

For straight client billable work, I have about 20-25 hours per week, sometimes more. But I do still seem to work 40+ hours a week when you add in my non-billable work. That includes my bookkeeping, marketing, blogging, networking, etc.

Do you find being a VA provides you flexibility when you need it, especially with family, hobbies, etc?

It does and it doesn’t. Even though I am running a business from home, it is still a business and I need to treat it as such. It is sometimes hard to keep the balance between business and home life, but I manage.

I am my own boss and I do get to set my own hours and work when I want to. But that also means I need to stay disciplined and make and stick to a regular schedule. I make sure my clients are clearly aware of my business hours so I am not getting calls at all hours of the night. But I also sometimes need to remind myself to turn off the business for the night and focus on my husband and house.  And now that I have a baby on the way, it is becoming more important than ever.

Do you have a specific niche or specialized target market you typically provide services for? If so, what is your niche and how did you choose it?

My particular niche is Real Estate and I only market to and work with those within the real estate industry. It was natural for me to choose this niche because of my past experience  doing admin work for real estate for many years previous. So I started my business and focused my marketing efforts that that target market.

What of your services do you find are most in demand?

In the real estate world, my services that seem to most in demand at the time is Listing Coordination or Listing Marketing. Right now that is probably due to the state of the economy and the real estate market, as some agents have a listing inventory that they need to get sold. But some of my services most in demand have varied over the years.

What do you like most about being a VA?

I love being my own boss and running my business the way I want to. I don’t think I will ever go back to a j-o-b. I like the flexibility that I have working from home, since those working in the corporate world aren’t so lucky. I also love the networking opportunities and the great connections I’ve made with other fabulous Virtual Assistants. Some have become close friends and tremendous resources for helping my business grow and change.

Do you have an advice for new VAs or those thinking about joining the VA world?

If you are thinking of starting a VA business, take it seriously. It is not a “get rich quick” type of thing, and takes some hard work to get started. So be prepared, make a business plan, and check out all the small business resources you can.

Make sure you also get a website started for your business quickly. I have witnessed other new VA’s and they really struggle to market their virtual business without a website. So make that a high priority if you can. And if you are not familiar or comfortable with web design yourself, hire someone to do it for you. It will save you loads of time and money in the long run.

And don’t get too discouraged if new clients and new business don’t start coming your way immediately. Just keep plugging along, marketing, networking, and demonstrating what you know. The opportunities will roll in.

Today, a brand new book for VAs was released from fellow VA Alyssa Gregory named, VA Secrets Revealed!. The book is an insiders guide to becoming a successful virtual assistant from one who knows.

What’s covered in the book includes:

• Common mistakes VAs make
• Whether the VA Business is right for you
• Finding & keeping clients
• Marketing on a budget
• Secrets to success

Plus, when you purchase the group she gives access to her Online VA Resource Toolkit.

Alyssa is an experienced home-based business owner since 2001 and a successful Virtual Assistant since 2003. From her experience in the VA industry, Alyssa has gone into public speaking, has become coach and mentor for aspiring VAs. Along with her great new book, she also is offering a coaching program for new and aspiring VAs.

Way to go Alyssa!

The importance of online social networking seems to be a subject I am preaching about a lot to my real estate clients. But it is also crucial to running a Virtual Assistant business.

By virtue of being “Virtual” the life blood of our business comes from online sources. So we must reach out and market ourselves online in any way possible. And the beauty is that online social networking is has very little to no cost involved with some of the top networking sites. (There are some that have fees, but I have personally found value in many of the free networks and have never had to pay and have had great results).

To start your social networking for you VA business, start with your peers. Join several of the VA networks available out there (many of them on my VA Resources page) and start conversing with other Virtual Assistants. It is a excellent place to get your questions answered about the industry, how to handle certain client situations, how to find more work. But don’t only glean information from them, contribute! Contribute to topics that you have interest in or extensive experience and knowledge in. Doing so will get you noticed, show what you know, and you may get thrown some subcontracting work from other VAs.

Other social networks you should consider joining if you haven’t already are Facebook, Myspace and LinkedIn. Before, may have felt that these first two of those sites had nothing to do with business and they were only for the kids. But as I posted in my other blog, I was definitely wrong.  In fact I have received many viable leads, and in fact I get more activity and leads, the more involved I am in the Facebook/Myspace/LinkedIn worlds.

And perhaps one of the most important places to venture into for social networking is exactly where your target market is.  Like mine, for example, is real estate. Real estate professionals are the “bread and butter” of my business. So I go to places like ActiveRain or Wanna Network, which are places geared specifically for the real estate community. I get to communicate and, in essence, market directly to my target. So find out where you niche or target market socializes, communicates and networks and go network where your money is made.

And if you want to find me and add me as a friend on various networks, find me here:

LinkedIn
Facebook
Myspace
MyBlogLog
Twitter

Happy Networking!

Every now and then I run across cool tools for my biz that I find so useful that I must share it.  Well today I would like to give some love to www.DocStoc.com.

Recently in one of my networking groups, someoneone turned my attention to DocStoc.com and when I went to visit, I saw what this site had to offer and immediately bookmarked it into my favorites.  I think docstoc.com is so incredibly valuable and should be in the arsenal of every VA out there. Why, you ask? This site contains numerous business, financial and legal documents & templates that can be used for many business and personal situations. And the best part about it is that is shared by it’s great users and it is all FREE!

No Virtual Assistant should start working with clients without a contract, and from experience I know how much hard work it takes to draw up a new contract to cover all my bases. Instead of making up your agreements and contracts from scratch or reinventing the wheel, you can find several documents and templates to get your contracts started, get your business going, add new services, and get your business organized. I wish I would have had known of something like this when I first started 3 years ago.  It would have saved me tons of time.

Have fun!

Warmest Regards,

Megan Barber
The Virtual Perception
Barber Virtual Assisting Solutions