My new blog is up and you can subscribe over there: http://www.administrativeconsultantsassoc.com/blog/
I won’t be publishing here on Gritty VA any longer so you’ll want to update your RSS feed and Networked Blogs subscriptions accordingly.
See ya over on the new blog!
Man, how time flies. I’ve been so focused on getting the new Administrative Consultants Association site done that I had to completely abandon the ol’ blog here (which will undergo its own metamorphosis soon as well). I have a zillion draft posts, too, that I could have been posting, but I just couldn’t spare the attention span needed to clean them up and get them posted. But you know, I just don’t sweat that kind of stuff.
I’m so excited about finally moving forward on the new direction. It’s been a long time coming. I actually started the site design last year, but got mentally blocked and had to put it on ice until I got some clarity again. And one I did, it started moving like gangbusters!
I’ve still got a few loose ends to take care so the site isn’t officially done, but do take a look and let me know whatcha think: Administrative Consultants Association.
I also want to ask for your help. I’d like to spotlight a few stories from those of you who have embraced the new Administrative Consultant term and how it has helped you in your business.
For example, I recently received a note from a member who related how much easier it’s been for her in talking with potential clients and in networking situations since she began using the term Administrative Consultant. She said she doesn’t get any more of the eyes-glazing-over/deer-in-the-headlights thing that she would always get when she called herself a Virtual Assistant.
And I know of several people(myself included) who have experienced a dramatic shift in how clients and business people at networking events treat them… getting rid of the word “assistant” from the equation makes all the difference in the world.
So if you have converted over or are still trying out the term Administrative Consultant, please email me your positive anecdotes and experience in using the term. My goal is to share these on our home page or a dedicated pate on the new site and will include your name and backlink to your site.
Looking forward to hearing from you!
Biznik selected my recent article, “10 Tips to Harness the Power of Referrals” as their feature article today. Yay! I don’t know why this tickles me so, but it does!
If you all could check it out and then rate it and/or comment, you would make me so happy! Here’s the link:
http://biznik.com/articles/10-tips-for-harnessing-the-power-of-referrals
Many thanks! xoxo
I know buying business products can be tough. The really good stuff does cost money. There’s just no way around it. But it’s an investment in your growth and success. And those of us with the really good stuff to offer can’t devalue ourselves and the knowledge we share. That’s a really poor business example, and none of us should help others at the expense of our own interests. Right?
I also know that cost can sometimes make great tools and training inaccessible for a lot of people. Which is why I price my products at a range I feel honors the value and expertise I offer while still being accessible to a large number of people. Internet marketers charge literally thousands of dollars for the kind of learning, knowledge and guidance I offer in my products.
That’s why occasionally I offer a sale to make it a little easier for those who are still struggling financially. I really want to help this profession grow and succeed to the next level. I have heard from many of you who would really love to get my new Value-Based Pricing & Packaging Toolkit, but the regular $147 price tag was still a bit out of reach. Sooooo, I’m going to open a window here to give you a really great savings…
From now until September 25, I’ve reduced the price of the Value-Based Pricing & Packaging Toolkit to $97 (a savings of $50). What’s also cool is that I’ve added a ton of new information to the product so you’re getting the benefit of all the added resources I’ve realized people need in implementing this new methodology in their business.
You’ll get:
I’m probably leaving something out. The product page will give you the full low-down. There’s just so much I’ve included that you will get with this product. And be sure to read the reviews on the product page from folks who attended my original clinic and purchased the product. I’m telling you, this is REALLY good stuff and I hope this price break will help give you access to it.
Virtual Assistants and Administrative Support Consultants: get ready to toss those timesheets out the window once and for all!
If you have any questions at all, please do email me. I’m always happy to help. 
As mentioned in this and last week’s newsletters, I’m offering my second clinic on Value-Based Pricing & Packaging. (If you’re on my mailing lists, you’ll also get a more official notice shortly). With other things that came up on my plate last week, I didn’t have a chance to really let folks know about the early bird pricing that was supposed to end July 4. For that reason, I’m extending the offer until July 10. You can get more info on the class and register here: http://www.virtualassistantnetworking.com/bizintensive.htm
The 2009 Virtual Assistant Industry Survey is finally done!
As usual, those administrative support providers who met the qualifying criteria and completed the survey get a free copy and will have already received a message in their IN box over the weekend.
For everyone else, you can purchase a copy at the online store (in fact, you can get all four years’ worth of surveys—2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009—for the price of one if you order before May 31!). And, of course, those administrative consultants who missed taking part in the survey will have an opportunity to participate the 2010 survey and thereby get a free copy of next year’s report. Happy reading!
I’m working on putting together a special learning module that expands on the concepts for conducting consultations that I share in my guide, “Breaking the Ice: A Step by Step System for Confidently Navigating the Consultation Conversation and Converting Prospects into Retained Clients.” Right now, I’m a bit stuck trying to figure out what should be included, how many sessions are needed to cover all the material and how to organize the outline, and I thought you all could really help me out.
If you are a Virtual Assistant/Administrative Support Consultant still growing in your consultation skills and would welcome some additional hands-on help, I need to get a gauge about where you are specifically getting stuck. Do you feel like you’re doing well in consultations, but then not getting the clients? Are there particular parts or topics in the consultation that you struggle with? Is lack of confidence your stumbling block?
Please email me at [danielle at virtualassistantnetworking dot com] with any of your stumbling blocks and where you’d love to get help. I’m working on something really great for you!
One of the biggest complaints I hear from clients is that all the Virtual Assistant sites they visit say the same thing. There are a number of reasons for this.
For one thing, it seems to me that many people attracted to this industry somehow get the idea that it’s a sort of club to belong to instead of a business or profession. They see that the majority of other sites are all saying the same thing, which leads them to think that’s what they are supposed to be saying as well to show that they belong to the “tribe.” So they simply parrot what they see on every other site or, worse, copy and paste it verbatim. Which, in turn, continues the cycle of miseducation for the next wave of new VAs.
Then there are those who do get that this is a business, not a club, but they just don’t know how to even begin coming up with their own message. They write about what they do in only the most general sense, and because they don’t want to miss out on any opportunity, they write to an audience of anyone and everyone. Which gives their message no real clarity or compelling resonance–to anyone.
The problem with this is none of this differentiates them in any distinguishable way from their competition. They don’t give clients any reason to choose them over anyone else because they all sound the same. They become just another invisible, unmemorable drop in a sea of generic blandness.
The trick is to 1) get a different perspective about what you are really in business to do, 2) stop talking about yourself, and 3) figure out who you are talking to and then start talking about them.
It is absolutely possible to craft a unique marketing message all your own! Every single Virtual Assistant, including new VAs, can do this. It’s not difficult once you are shown the keys. In fact, once you know the keys, it becomes incredibly simple and easy to come up with your own unique value proposition. You’ll wonder why on earth you struggled so much with your message before. With the keys, you’ll never need to parrot or mimick or copy or use anyone else’s sample marketing language again because you’ll know how to think for yourself.
This is exactly what I’ve done with my guide, “Understanding Your Value: How to Craft Your Unique Marketing Message and Make More Money with Alternative Billing Strategies.” You really get several guides in one. In it, I take you through the Fit – Focus – Value process with exercises for identifying your target market, profiling your ideal client and then identifying your true value proposition. But we don’t stop there. I also give you a primer on alternative billing methodologies and give you ideas for packaging up your support in innovative ways that will not only appeal more to clients, but also help you make more money by trading value–not hours–for money.
I would really love to see you take your practice to an entirely different level in 2010 so you can earn better and stop struggling to find clients. As my gift to you this holiday season, from now until Sunday, Dec. 13, you can get this guide for $47 (a $20 savings).
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Danielle Keister, Founder & Virtual Assistant Expert
Email: thevacoc@hotmail.com
Phone: 888.648.0566
TACOMA WA, September 1, 2009–The month of September 2009 marks year four of the annual Virtual Assistant Industry Survey, conducted by the Virtual Assistance Chamber of Commerce (VACOC). Over 10,000 Virtual Assistants from around the world have been invited to participate. Participants receive the compiled results report at the end of the survey period.
The goal of the annual Virtual Assistant Industry Survey is to take a representative, group snap-shot of those who are in the business of providing ongoing administrative support, how they’re operating, earning, marketing and where gaps in training and support might show up. The in-depth survey leaves no stone unturned, covering the categories of:
Each year the survey has a different focus. This year’s theme focuses on social networking. Past years’ have focused on Virtual Assistant training and ethics and standards in the industry.
“Our annual survey lets Virtual Assistant see what others are doing, compare results and, hopefully, see where they might make changes in their own practice to improve profitability, make more money and better serve clients,” says VACOC founder, Danielle Keister.
There are 100 questions on the online survey with two additional free-form responses at the end. Questions are multiple-choice, making participation quick and easy. According to the software used in the survey, it is taking respondents on average only 14.23 minutes to complete the survey in full.
“Participation and support in the Virtual Assistant Industry Survey in past years’ has been tremendous. This year we’re shooting for 1,000 participants!” adds Keister.
Virtual Assistants are invited to spread the word and take the survey at http://www.virtualassistantnetworking.com/survey.htm. Survey period ends September 30.
ABOUT THE VACOC: The Virtual Assistance Chamber of Commerce is a professional association dedicated to helping Virtual Assistants and their clients grow smarter, more financially successful practices. Anyone interested in learning more about Virtual Assistants is encouraged to visit the VACOC at http://www.virtualassistantnetworking.com
Hey, Virtual Assistants! It’s that time of year again!
Each year, the VACOC conducts an industry-wide survey with the purpose of taking a representative, group snap-shot of those who are in the business of providing ongoing administrative support. Virtual Assistants who participate get the survey results report absolutely free!
The theme for this year’s survey is social networking. Our goal is to have 1,000 participants by September 30. If we haven’t met our target by that date, we plan on leaving the survey open a bit longer. We’ll need all the help you can give in getting the word out and encouraging all the VAs you know to participate. This survey is for you guys after all! And the sooner we meet our goal, the sooner YOU get your report.
Once the official survey period has closed and the report has been compiled, we’ll email you a link to download your complimentary copy of the survey results. Judging from past years, we expect the report to be around 75 to 100 pages. It will definitely be chock-full of helpful, fascinating, eye-opening data. If you’ve participated before, I’m sure you’ll find it really interesting to compare with previous years’ results.
Here’s the skinny: This is an online survey (you take it right on your computer screen). There are 100 questions with two additional, optional questions at the end. But not to worry… everything is multiple-choice and it’s a total breeze running through it. In fact, in testing the survey, we show that for the average person participating, it will only take about 14 minutes, 52 seconds to complete. How’s that for being exact? LOL
Now here’s the caveat: Due to the in-depth nature of our survey, we use a special survey provider (not one of those free sites). The thing is, you must complete the survey in one sitting. You can’t start it and then come back later as it will think that you’ve already completed it. This is to help prevent duplicate submissions. No survey is 100% fool-proof, but we do our best to provide you with the most accurate results we can. Using this special provider is key in accomplishing that. So before you take survey, just make sure you can sit down and complete it all in one shot.
SUPER-DUPER IMPORTANT STUFF: You MUST follow the link provided at the end of the survey and sign up to the list in order to get your FREE copy of the results report. The survey itself is completely confidential because we want you to be totally candid in your responses. Since we don’t collect any identifying information in the survey, this is the only way we have to get the report to just those who participate and manage the huge task of disseminating the reports once they’ve been compiled. We really, really want you to get your copy so don’t forget that last step.
Be sure and blog, Twitter, Facebook and whatever else to encourage all your Virtual Assistant buddies to participate as well: http://www.virtualassistantnetworking.com/survey.htm
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NOTE: The terms "Gritty VA," "Gritty Virtual Assistant," and "Saucy business savvy for clients and colleagues from a Virtual Assistant industry veteran" did not exist in the public domain when this blog was launched August 2005. The author claims exclusive right to use those terms as identifying marks for this weblog and other written, digitized or electronic use, pursuant to U.S. and International copyright and trademark laws.
This weblog is published by Danielle Keister, The Relief Virtual Assistance and Virtual Assistance Chamber of Commerce. If you would like permission to reprint any of my published columns, please contact me at word@grittyva.com. At all times you may provide the link to these copyrighted columns when referencing them in any form.
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