Loading ...I have never really been happy with the term “Virtual Assistant,” but what to do when so much equity has been invested in it?
It’s too bad there wasn’t any better foresight when the term was adopted to give a name to our industry. However, from what I see, many of the pioneers in the field were actually working with clients as if they were still employees sitting outside the boss’ door–only virtually.
Since then, it seems many of them never grew in their thinking or operating beyond that. That was the end of their evolution of growth when it comes to being a business owner and not someone’s personal, but virtual, secretary.
And now they can’t see anything beyond their own indoctrination and limiting beliefs. Hey, you can stand in the corner and call yourself a business owner, but that isn’t going to make you one if you are operating like that.
The term “Virtual Assistant” itself is at the root of many of the wrong perceptions and misunderstandings we are constantly having to disabuse clients of. Because the term is vague and ambiguous, it creates confusion and leaves it open to anyone’s interpretation. And because it wasn’t well thought out and the branding not managed well or at all, it’s been coopted by anyone and everyone who thinks doing anything and everything virtually is Virtual Assistance.
It’s no wonder that so many clients these days assume we are employees they don’t pay taxes on who are supposed to be at their daily beck and call in the same manner as an employee, only virtual.
So let’s dissect this…
For me, the term has always been nothing more than a verbal/mental coat hook. It’s just a phrase whose definition is not the literal sum of the two words themselves, but rather a term I can tell people to use when they are seeking folks who are in the business of providing ongoing, right-hand administrative support.
The problem is that having no advance knowledge of the concept behind the term “Virtual Assistant,” clients and those who are new or outside the industry can only assume it’s most literal translation. By sheer virtue of the words, they automatically come to the table with wrong perceptions and preconceived notions already fixed in their heads–what I refer to as a misalignment of expectations and understandings.
Overwhelmingly (and more and more because of the miseducation the coopters are putting out there), they don’t understand the relationship, and a big part of the problem is the term itself. Our current title doesn’t help us distinguish and in a better way denote our status as business owners, not assistants who are going to work with them or be available to them in the same way as an employee.
We have to constantly work (too hard) anymore at educating clients that we aren’t lackeys, we aren’t telecommuters, we aren’t their personal servants, we aren’t their do-everything-and-anything-under-the-sun. We are administrative experts, business owners who provide ongoing administrative support and consult wth them on administrative strategies and issues.
I think the term “assistant” inherently connotates a secondary, subservient role and is cause for the whole host of issues we are constantly dealing with in properly educating clients and helping them understand what we do and the nature of our relationship to them.
For me personally, I’m not anyone’s assistant. I’m an expert in my own right–an administrative expert. Clients don’t boss me around and I don’t work with them in any on-demand capacity. I’m also not anyone’s personal valet. I don’t deal with their yacht brokers or buy their wives gifts. They consult with me on things that are strictly related to their business that are specifically administrative support in nature.
I also think the word “virtual” is superfluous and puts an inane, unnecessary focus on something that is really only incidental to our work and what we are.
The Internet, which is what allows us to be virtual, is simply another tool that gives us an additional means of conducting business and working with clients. It doesn’t change the fact that a bookkeeper is a bookkeeper or a web designer is a web designer. Or an administrative expert (VA) is an administrative expert.
Looking at it from that perspective, it’s completely ridiculous to be putting “virtual” in front of anything. Idiotic, really.
(By the way, this discussion is an example of why words and semantics are so very important to branding and conveying precise ideas. If not done right, they convey the wrong ideas and perceptions which means expectations have not been set correctly in the first place. That equals very poor branding and ineffectual marketing.)
So what’s the solution? Do we adopt another name, one that more accurately represents what we *really* are and does a better job of pre-educating clients and sets more accurate expectations and perceptions? But what name?
I have struggled with the term “Virtual Assistant” over and over many times over the years. It wasn’t a ball of wax I wanted to deal with at the time. But as time goes on, more and more, I see that the term Virtual Assistant just does not serve us well any longer, if it ever did.
I think it’s a worthwhile effort to at least attempt to see if we can come up with a distinguishing term all our own that can’t be so easily coopted from us. I definitely think in that respect that “administrative” needs to be in there as that is integral and at the root of what we are in business to do.
Other Terms I’ve Been Reluctant to Use
I been somewhat hesitant to use “consultant” (even though I have here and there in our Client’s Guide to Virtual Assistants and other educational materials) because a consultant is generally an idea and advice person hired to solve broader business issues, whereas we administrative experts are doers. We “do” administrative support and functions.
I don’t want anyone foisting the responsibility for the success or failure of their business on me as that’s not what I am in business to do. We Virtual Assistants often brainstrom with clients and offer our own considered experience and knowledge, but responsibility for results and deciding on strategies in their business still lays with them.
I worry that the term “consultant” may give some clients the wrong idea about that. However, so far it is one of the only alternatives out there that I think better serves our interests.
For similar reasons, I personally don’t think “business consultant” would serve us. We aren’t business consultants, not in the true sense of that word or the responsiblities that come with that definition. It’s also too general and doesn’t adequately or specifically convey what we are in the business of.
I don’t like the term “business manager” because that’s also not the business I am in. I don’t manage clients’ staff or other resources; nor do I want that responsibility. Using that term, there’s an implication of a much bigger role that I personally am not interested in, and I wouldn’t want clients to think I am there for them to abdicate ownership and responsibility of their own business.
I am there to provide one specific service and that is to perform certain administative functions and otherwise help them streamline that work and get whatever can be, systemized and automated. I think it’s a great term for someone who actually is in business to take on that role, but I think it’s definitely something different and separate from what Virtual Assistants are in business to do.
I do like “administrative expert” which I use all the time, but it still leaves me wanting something more… ? Not sure what word I’m looking for; something that might better convey the idea that we are independent business owners and not employees for hire.
I haven’t used ”administrative professional” or “virtual professional” or “virtual associate” for the same reasons; those terms are vague, unspecific and don’t really distinguish us from the administrative workforce and convey that we are biz owners.
I always come back round to “Administrative Consultant” but then I’m back to square one, LOL.
So what are your thoughts? Do you have ideas for a name that better serves us and more clearly describes what we do? Let’s brainstorm and discuss!
Let me...
32 Comments
Hi Danielle,
I totally agree with you. I’m just starting my business and in doing research I’ve come across websites that post jobs for “virtual assistants” paying as low as $2.50/hr. Others view their postings as offers of employment and even require a resume.
We need to differentiate ourselves from the college/high school/desperate people who are willing to apply for and accept such offers.
I chose to name my business Jones Executive Management Support (JEMS) just because of that. I’ve been in the corporate world now for over 30 years and worked mostly for large companies. I came to the decision to include the label Executive Management in my business title because even for a small business, the owner is an executive in my view.
I have to say this is something that has concerned me since starting my business too. I chose not to even use the term virtual in my business name and received some advice that I should have. I don’t like the impression so many people have of a “virtual assistant” – especially with books like 4 Hour Week advocating for use of super-cheap VA’s. But I think it’s helpful to be part of a recognizable industry – and all the organizations use the virtual assistant terminology. I prefer Administrative Consultant or simply Administrative Specialist, but am well aware of how difficult it could be to abandon the current usage. Would one almost have to “start” a new industry?! Leave the VA industry to the people who are fine with using a vague term and move on to being something else altogether?
I agree with you 100%….I’m not sure how the phrase was coined but I see several different things to the term Virtual Assistant, in addition to what you mentioned:
1. Partner is probably a better word
2. Depending on where you live, the VA term is so new and not easily understood
3. There are a lot of people out there that are looking for a WAH opportunity that seems to think they can hang out a shingle and say they are a VA….hence the super low rates that are being offered
4. We are business owners…not available 24/7…as other business owners…we want to and try to balance our life/work priorities
5. Each VA probably has strong points and expertise and the term VA is too broad.
I am looking forward to seeing how this “progresses” in the future months & years…it has a lot of potential, certainly!
Michelle Mangen
Owner, Your Virtual Assitant
http://www.TheVirtualAsst.com
Neenah, WI
Hello and Happy Monday,
I do think the title Virtual Assistant is fine. I don’t we need to re-invent the wheel. I think the term VA allows for greater flexibility and room to grow.
I am still trying to find my niche services and what my strongest points are as a VA, so yes, I am one of those who – as she is testing the waters – thinks its smart to use a universally understood choice of words to define my business.
I believe any industry has a general term to define what they do – doctor, lawyer, teacher. Their area of expertise or specialization is not readily apparent.
Also, I feel having to repeatedly define the term Virtual Assistant is a good opener into selling my services and introducing people to the field, who don’t know how it works or how beneficial contracting a VA can be.
When I chose (what became a super-long) business name, I did so thinking it would appeal to my target market of small business owners and entreprenuers, since my service is essentially administrative.
Sure, in house administrative assistants or secretaries are sometimes expected to run errands like picking up dry cleaning – I have never had to do such things. But, I chose to work for those who didn’t expect me to do that stuff. I was able to choose jobs I wanted. And so the same it will be with my clients. I will decide what my parameters are and who I will or will not work for. That is a lucky choice for us business owners.
I believe VA’s who work with the same degree of professionalism they applied while working as employees will garner the same respect -if not more – as business owners.
Thanks for letting me share.
Debrah
P.S.
I though I should tell you my tagline on my business cards reads: Independent Administrative Services
Debrah
http://www.allbusinessvirtualassistance.com
I experienced a huge case of ‘deja vu’ reading this article. I just took a four day weekend to attend a wedding and during some down time, I discussed my concerns about the direction the ‘Virtual Assistant’ designation was heading with one of my current clients. I actually mentioned to them that I felt VA’s with true professional background might find themselves needing to find another term to describe themselves. Yet, the clients I’m signing are initially brought to me by looking for a ‘virtual assistant’. Right now it seems to be a catch-22 for us. I’m very interested in seeing how others feel about this subject.
I have a client who refers to me a consultant. I do like the sound of Virtual Consultant. Most of the clients I have are all doing some form of Internet Marketing. The new term now is Inbound Marketing, so since most of what I do is help my clients market their blogs and products, I like to refer to myself as a Virtual Marketing Consultant
Another excellent and thought-provoking article, with which I agree whole-heartedly. I’ve been a ‘VA’ for 6 years, and for some time I’ve been trying not to put emphasis on the term ‘virtual’ because it’s really just describes use of the internet for conducting business, the same way that many micro-businesses do.
The flip side is that the term ‘virtual assistant’ always gets a reaction along the lines of ‘What’s that?’, and provides an opportunity to explain more about what I do.
I’ve also considered ‘consultant’ but it doesn’t give the right connotation. I like your suggestions of ‘administrative expert’ and also ’specialist’ which someone else suggested.
Thanks for raising this important issue; it really is time now for the discussion.
Excellent article, on a subject I’ve been thinking about for sometime now too.
To me there are several types of Virtual Assistant; Virtual Business Assistants, Virtual Personal Assistants, Virtual Lifestyle Assistants and Virtual Executive Assistants, all of whom do different things. Of course this list could go on and on.
I too don’t particularly like the term assistant, but haven’t really got an alternative. Perhaps Manager as you described, as although we are not usually managing staff for our clients we are managing a function. I had been coming round to the idea of using Remote or Outsourced instead of Virtual, but even then they don’t always give the right impression. I’m beginning to think there isn’t a need for any word, and we should just say what we are; Executive Assistant is someone who works at board level, Business Assistant is someone who works at a more general level for businesses, Lifestyle Assistant is for those who do organise your cleaning, catering, presents and cards (my, I could sure do with one of those right now!), etc. The thing is that the term Virtual Assistant is now being recognised, but mainly by Virtual Assistants!
I too have had a perception of virtual assistant equating the clerk in the office. I have been using the terms, “virtual professional” and “professional virtual assistant” in my writing.
I think it is important not to say we are a consultant if we aren’t. From another view, partner could represent a lot of input in someone’s business.
I crave the respect (like don’t haggle over my invoices) that would be accorded a professional.
Hi, JudyAnn,
Thanks for your adding your thoughts.
My problem with “virtual professional” is that it doesn’t clearly indicate what we do. One of the first laws of good branding is that it should clearly convey what you are in business to do. Anyone in business who uses a computer could literally be a “virtual professional.” So for me, that term would provide even less clarity about those of us who are specifically in the business of providing ongoing administrative support.
I do agree that partner is a good term in our vocabulary to use in our marketing and in our conversations and consultations with clients. I’m not convinced that it’s necessarily something that should be in any new title we come up with, though. But let’s keep exploring the ideas!
Hi, Kerry
You bring up an excellent point… there are many different types of “assistants” out there. In this discussion, we are specifically talking about those of us who are in the business of providing ongoing, across-the-board, right-hand administrative support.
The problem is how do we come up with a distinct term that not only more clearly conveys what we are in business to do, but also helps get across the idea that we aren’t virtual employees?
If we use the same titles as those who are actual employees, clients simply think we are the same thing, only virtual. When they think we are the same thing, they automatically think that we are going to work with them in the same way and be available to them in the same way as employees, and that’s just not the case.
So, you see, the issue is one of better setting and managing expectations and understandings at the front-end, before we even talk to clients. A better branded term will help us do that, which in turn will make our marketing and our conversations much easier.
Thanks for participating in the conversation, Lisa.
“Virtual Assistant? What’s that?”
This is exactly one of the things a better-crafted, more thought-out term could help eliminate. Right now, “Virtual Assistant” is just industry jargon. It’s why we get those blank stares. It’s why I always advise Virtual Assistants to never lead with the term. Explain what you do and who you do it for and how you help them and then give them the “coat-hook” later.
But maybe it’s possible to come up with a better term if we all keep putting our heads together.
You hit it on the head, Tina… it is somewhat of a Catch-22, which is one of the reasons I just didn’t have the interest in the past to deal with it.
But, then I thought, if the term itself is only attracting those who think they’re getting an employee they don’t pay taxes on, who are looking for transactional, not continuous support, who don’t understand that we are in the primary business of ongoing administrative support, and/or who we have to work harder or too hard to re-educate because they come to the table with wrong expectations and misunderstandings, what good is the term then anyway?
Ultimately, excellent branding helps facilitate magnetic marketing that will draw to you the right kind of clients whose expectations and understandings are set correctly and appropriately in exactly the way you would have them set.
So, I thought, if our term isn’t helping us do that (because at this point, it now means pretty much anything to anyone), and, in fact, is hindering those efforts, then what do we have to lose by exploring some ideas for a better branded term?
Thanks for adding to the conversation. Let’s keep the discussion going!
But see, that’s the point, Deborah… Virtual Assistance is already a specialty. It’s the specialty of ongoing administrative support (not transactional project work).
For now, the term has come to mean anything to anyone and that’s just not good branding. Those of us who have been in business at least some amount of time and have had to deal with properly educating clients about what they do will attest to that.
What this discussion is about is trying to come up with a better term for someone who is in the business of doing that work, one that will help us better pre-educate clients in advance what we are and faciliate a better understanding about the relationship and what we are in business to do.
Thanks for adding to the conversation, Michelle.
For background on the history of the term, we have several pages on our site:
http://www.virtualassistantnetworking.com/history.htm
http://www.virtualassistantnetworking.com/glossary.htm
Hi, Laurie
Oh, I loathe that book! LOL Not because there isn’t some great advice about getting more efficient… I’ve been doing many of the things Tim advises long before he ever thought about writing about them (in actuality, probably before he was even out of grade school, LOL).
But I absolutely detest the disrespect and cheapskate mentality he promotes. He sure didn’t do us Virtual Assistants any favors. Truthfully, I would prefer he wouldn’t have mentioned our industry at all if he wasn’t going to cast it in as respectful and accurate a light as he would his own or any other profession.
He thinks admin work isn’t that important and that any ol’ dummy can do it. He doesn’t understand the attendant business skills, experience and sensibilities that are found in a top-notch Virtual Assistant (nor what those things can bring to a business).
But then again… his lack of understanding about what we do could actually be a good example of the shortcomings of our current term. He thinks a Virtual Assistant is a cheap flunky who you work with in a transactional basis instead of an ongoing, collaborative relationship with an administrative expert.
But I digress, LOL.
Yeah, I don’t know what the solution is. But I think it doesn’t hurt to explore the possibilies (exercise our brilliance, as Jim Canterucci would say), especially if/when we feel the current term isn’t serving us any longer. Let’s keep talking!
Danielle,
There are days when I swear you’re residing in my head
. I, too, have been thinking about the term, Virtual Assistant, for at least a year now. You’re right; it no longer serves as a useful description of who I am and what I do. As I’ve said before, the usurpers of the moniker have twisted and bent it so much that even VAs don’t know what a VA is anymore.
I think that what to call ourselves is only part of the problem. The remainder of the problem is making sure the term is used only by those who adhere to the definition we come up with for the term.
I suggest we form an organization (non-profit?) to copyright and license the term and its usage. Any licensee not adhering to the terms of usage gets their license yanked and is threatened with a copyright lawsuit. Anyone using the term without a license gets threatened with a copyright lawsuit. I really think that we need to do everything we can to protect the brand this time around.
=>Donna Caissie, Owner, VA & CV
ExtraOrdinary Assistance
I am always searching for ways to describe what a virtual assistant is. However, I also cannot find a substitute for the term. However, the good news is that the last local Chamber of Commerce meeting I attended, two people actually knew what a virtual assistant was and what they day. I see that as progress.
I, like many of you, would like to use another term for my profession, but until we all come up with an idea, I think Virtual Assistant will do. I believe that it sometakes takes years for an idea to catch on, and I think virtual assistant is slowly making its mark in the business world.
I am not 100% on board with the term VA, however I do use this term with my clients. Since I am Six Sigma Black Belt certified and was a Project Analyst in my Corp days, my business card title is: Project Administrator. This gives my clients the opportunity to provide me their desired title for their business. I have three long-term contracts and for each I have a different title. Administrative Coordinator, Executive Director and Executive Administrator. Each client recognizes me as their VA, my title serves their purpose professionally. I believe business is about building relationships and I have established a level of comfort that my clients know I am not their employee, but a VA, which they just consider as contracted services. Businesses contract with other business that they have a good relationship with, I sell myself as a project deliverable business owner. Every job I receive, rather small or large is a project as far as I am concerned. The term “Project” always leave the client with the question, “what other services can I contract with her.” I am not sure if any of my clients remember the term Virtual Assistance once the work begins. I am always referred to by the respective title they have given me.
Hi, Gisele.
Do you work on a project basis? Because that is something different than Virtual Assistance. Virtual Assistance is about ongoing work in long-term, ongoing partnership with clients and being a sort of right-hand to them. It’s a much different kind of relationship than simply outsourced contract services. I’m not knocking what you do, if I am understanding you correctly, but it’s not the same thing as what we are talking about in this discussion.
Danielle,
You raise an interesting point about the term virtual assistant. While more business owners are familiar with the term, I also find that a great deal of time is spent reminding some (not all) clients/potential clients that we provide administrative support to them from our offices and not by traveling to their office, and that we are independent business owners, not employees.
One of my clients refers to me as an administrative support manager. The term covers the scope of work they retained me to perform, but doesn’t speak to the fact that I do work virtually or remotely.
The fact that we are no longer referred to as “secretaries” came about through discussions similar to this one and because the business community realized that the wide range of duties performed and contributions made within the workplace far exceed secretarial tasks.
I’m not sure there if a quick or easy answer to the questions raised, but this is definitely something that requires ongoing discussion.
Rosalind Harris CPS
Fabulous, thoughtful response, Rosalind!
You state exactly the problem–while more and more people might becoming familiar with the term, that doesn’t necessarily mean they are getting the right picture or accurate information. Trying to pretend that clients aren’t confusing us with employees and then abjectly refusing to acknowledge that fact or even discuss the issue is choosing inaction and to tolerate things that aren’t ideal to us.
The fact is our marketplace is getting a million completely different messages and signals from literally everyone in the industry. It’s no wonder so many business owners don’t “get it.”
Which is exactly why bringing more clarity to our term for those of us who are in the business of being administrative experts and working in ongoing, continuous partnership with clients is going to help reduce the confusion out there.
I really like the term Virtual Assistant and proudly will be using that term when telling people about my business. I think it does correctly reflect the work we do. I really think it’s a GREAT term! What, IMO, think is happening is that we (VAs) are letting ourselves be bullied by these lower grade so-called VA companies selling cheap services on a secretarial basis who (it appears) are somehow making us feel like we need to re-name ourselves. WE are Virtual Assistants and yes there may be a bit of education needed along the way but the Virtual Assistant term is OURS and we should not be bullied out of using it by these lesser grade so-called VAs. I think we should hold fast to our term VIRTUAL ASSISTANT – own it – and be proud of it and REALLY make it what it should be. Companies using the VA term for low pay secretrial services will be known for just that, regardless what they call themselves. I think the differences are already becoming widely known and what a ‘real’ Virtual Assistant is and what sets us apart from the ’secretaries’. I’m not ready to let some two-bit firm steal our industry term while I quietly skulk away to find a new one. ‘Virtual Assistant’ has caught hold around the world and I think we should embrace it, own it, and promote it proudly! Virtual Assistant is our term. Hi, my name is Wendy and I’m a VIRTUAL ASSISTANT!
Appreciate the opportunity to comment. Thank you.
I love your fire, Wendy!
So, I’m wondering, are passionate Virtual Assistants like you willing to fight for our term? Are we willing to set the record straight in our marketplace and to those who are calling themselves Virtual Assistants who are not really Virtual Assistants? Are we willing to take a stand and not hide in the corners, never saying anything?
Because inaction and choosing not to declare our stance loud and clear no matter who it alienates is what has allowed the coopters to take over our term. THEY are the ones educating our industry now, whether we like it or not, because Virtual Assistants have cowered in the corners, fearfully choosing to never say anything, to never speak up and courageously stand behind their beliefs.
We’ve got entire “industry” organizations who are running our PR now that are NOT EVEN VAs and that are training the world to view VAs as secretarial services or virtual staffing agencies or that even anyone doing anything is a Virtual Assistant. THIS is who is educating our marketplace. And many passionate VAs like yourself BELONG to these organizations. By simple virtue of their membership, those VAs themselves are contributing to the miseducation and perpetuating it. Their membership gives credence and legitimizes the miseducation those organizations put out.
Because I think anyone who doesn’t speak what they truly believe, who hides behind word games and tries to play both sides of the fence or otherwise talk out of both sides of their mouth, or chooses to say nothing (and thereby allows others to think they believe something they don’t) is not walking in true integrity and authenticity.
Wendy,
I loved your response and will proudly stand with you, Danielle, and everyone else who wants to proudly own and promote the Virtual Assistant title.
As someone who has turned down a number of requests for my services from individuals who wish (or can only afford) to pay less than my very reasonable rates, your point is well taken.
Don’t get me wrong. I am very respectful of budgetary constraints, but to your point, the needs of those individuals are better served by someone other than me.
I choose to align myself with relationship-minded clients looking for a long term partnership.
Thanks for not letting us wiggle off the hook quite so easily!
Rosalind Harris CPS
Stacy Brice of AssistU has raised the same issue; however, I’m not sure that anyone has thought of a viable substitute. The word “Assistant” especially has connotations to it that places limitations on how our profession is perceived. (Not that there is anything wrong w/being an assistant; many of us have been. However, our profession has developed into so much more.
I have been pondering this same question lately. I have joined a BNI Networking Group(I highly recommend it and they have a online networking group in the works, so you can converse w/BNI Members all over). Because people can’t understand what I do (the title, VA is too broad and vague), I have changed my BNI category, now three times. First, it was Virtual Assistant and I started feeling it was sounding “cheesy”, mostly because of the WAH ads all over the job boards. Then I changed to Administrative Services and have found that it is still too vague. I changed my category today as simply, Bookkeeper. I can get my foot in the door and then market my other talents. I don’t think the timing of this article is coincidence. Thanks Danielle!
P.S. I have tried to find a way to work in the word “Collaborative” and I like the term mentioned here, “Administrative Specialist.”
I originally brought this topic up last July, but didn’t get much input at that time. I know Stacy reads my blog, which is perhaps why she brought it up. I’m glad the conversation is getting around.
You can read the original conversation here: http://www.grittyva.com/2008/07/02/aligning-the-misaligned/
I am a writer, editor, proofreader that was thinking he was or would be a VA.
A VA sent me to this post to get smartened up and I appreciate the solid conversation.
I wanted to toss an idea out here that occurred as a result of the comments.
Keep VA but change the A to Administrator or Administrative as the occasion warrants.
Just another idea.
~ David
Hi, David,
That’s not a bad idea, one a few others have suggested as well.
I’m thinking at this point, just about anything would be better than “assistant.” Too many people have been miseducated as to what it means and it’s almost impossible anymore to get them re-educated once they come in with their grossly inaccurate preconceived ideas and expectations.
I’m so glad you are a guy… I feel like I can ask you this honest question without getting a bunch of ridiculous female drama about it: Since you are a writer, why did you consider calling yourself a Virtual Assistant instead of a writer?
This is the thing that most perplexes me about those who aren’t VAs… why do they want to call themselves something that they aren’t when there are already clear and established terms for what they do? (e.g., if you are a writer or copywriter and deal with all things related to writing/editing/proofing, why not call yourself a writer/copywriter?)
I’m really interested in knowing what goes on in that thought-process. I’m looking forward to your response.
Danielle,
Thanks for your thoughtful comments.
I had never considered calling myself a VA.
I’ve been pretty much a non-group kind of guy.
And copywriters, at least those I’ve known, are
generally not really joiners either. Herding cats
is used to describe attempts at forming groups.
When I became aware of the VA industry/paradigm
it looked to me like it was a natural fit. I do some web
work, some layout/design, can handle some database
and spreadsheet, but I wanted to lead with the written word.
Just another biz person that worked virtually. BUT ….
Thanks to a very kind couple of VA’s I’ve met and many of
the folks commenting on your piece, I have a much better
definition now. Ongoing versus project is how I tell it to myself.
And, this new information helps define future marketing moves. Thank you.
I am glad I found you, your writing and your followers.
David L. White
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