Value is about providing your expertise in a way and at a level that supports the big picture goals, objectives and needs of the client and his/her business.

Client’s don’t hire Virtual Assistants/Administrative Consultants for the fun of it or because they have money burning a hole in their pockets. They also don’t hire them simply for tasks.

Our work is our expertise, and we should quite rightly have great pride and respect for it–those who do are MUCH better service providers.

But our value is never about our work.  Clients hire us because our work and expertise helps them accomplish something or get somewhere they are striving for.

Always get to the “why.” Why do they need the work or support? What goal, objective, ideal or aspiration is it in support of? THAT’S where your value is and what your work and expertise is all about.

It never ceases to amaze me how Virtual Assistants and other small business owners will waste hours and hours of time (how much is an hour of your time worth in your business?) just to save a few measly bucks or pennies.

I mean, I have seen people mulishly refuse to part with $30, $15 even $10 a month on something that could literally end up saving them thousands upon thousands of dollars in time, energy, labor, you name it.

That’s just being plain dumb. God gave you a brain; use it. And don’t give me any excuses about not having any money. First of all, being in business costs money (at least in some amount); get used to it. Only idiots and morons will tell you any differently.

Second of all, when there is a tool or solution you can invest in that will elevate your business image, improve your operations and profitability, and free up more of your time to work with clients (and make more money), come hell or high water, you find the money somehow, some way to get that thing. Complaining about money is for victims and people who shouldn’t be in business.

This is why I’m always preaching to never be a cheapskate.  If you are a cheapskate in your business, you can expect to always attract cheapskates as clients as well. You’ll also deliver a cheapskate service. If you don’t understand value in the same way that quality clients do, you’ll never be able to sell it to them.

If a solution allows you to automate, operate more efficiently and profitably, get in front of more clients or make more moolah than it costs, THAT’S value. And value doesn’t require that it necessarily be instant or on-demand.

Plus, something that is of value is an investment, not an expense (not to mention a tax write-off). An investment is something that adds to or enhances your business and service, not takes away from it.

Not only do Virtual Assistants need to be looking at the tools they review for use in their businesses in this way, it’s also how they should be talking to clients about Virtual Assistance.

Quality, Price and Value

It is unwise to pay too much, but it is more unwise to pay too little.

When you pay too much you lose a little money, that’s all. When you pay too little you sometimes lose everything, because the thing you bought was incapable of doing the thing you bought it to do.

The common law of business balance prohibits paying a little and getting a lot–it can’t be done. If you deal with the lowest bidder, it’s well to add something for the risk you take. And if you do that, you will have enough to pay for something better.

There is hardly anything in the world that some men cannot make a little worse and sell a little cheaper, and the people who consider price only are this man’s lawful prey.

–John Ruskin (1819-1900)