The Gritty Virtual Assistant

Guarantee My Services?

Dear Gritty VA:

It seems like all the internet marketers tell business owners they should offer a guarantee, and I've seen lots of Virtual Assistants with guarantee offers on their websites. I'm toying with the idea, but I don't know how it works. What do you think? --MJ

I think it's a really dumb idea, to be quite frank. (And never take anyone's advice without putting your own critical thought processes to work first.)

Guarantees are for commodities--not professional services, which is what Virtual Assistance is.

And think about it--how would you offer a guarantee? First of all, there are theories of law in play. If someone engages you to perform a service, you are legally entitled to be paid for the expenditure of your time and labor as long as you fulfilled your contractual obligations and regardless of whether the client later decides they want their money back or not.

Second of all, what if you did have a money-back guarantee and a client actually took you up on it. Would you have enough money set aside to do that? If you keep a balance in reserve for such an event, that's cashflow you are depriving yourself and your business of.

Look, the folks telling you to offer a money-back guarantee don't know our business, and it's certainly not good advice for any professional services firm. Plus, typically the businesses who deal with "seductive" advertising are those in low-credibility, high volume markets. That's NOT you.

Our profession is based on personal relationships. Being genuine, authentic, principled and ethical is the very best sales tool you have at your disposal. When your business is based on that platform, you aren't going to attract people will be prone to thinking of you as a commodity, and you certainly won't need any tricks or gimmicks to bribe people into working with you.

If an occasion does arise in your business where a client isn't happy, talk it out and do what you think is fair. But do it on a case-by-case basis--not a blanket policy that demeans and devalues you and the work.

Grateful Mondays: I'm Thankful for Getting an Early Start

This Monday, I'm grateful for getting an early start on my Christmas shopping.

I know, I know... I feel the same way about all the icky holiday commercialism that seems to start earlier and earlier in the year. And I don't participate in all that. I'm a conscious consumer. I don't buy stuff just to be buying it, and I'm not manipulated by advertising and marketing. We live a very simple, unmaterialistic lifestyle by choice.

But for the people I care about in my life, I absolutely love to shop! And the realm of those folks who have a special place in my heart has grown so much that I just knew I had to get an early start so that I could still enjoy the true wonder and delight of the season without all the hurry and stress.

I started my holiday cards and gift shopping back in October. By November, I had all my Christmas cards signed, sealed, stamped and addressed. And in November, I've been able to get pretty much all of my gift shopping done, with a few exceptions (darn if you don't get an idea in your head for something, and the minute you start looking for it, all of a sudden it's nowhere to be found, LOL).

So with most of the practical "work" done, I've been able to enjoy some more casual, leisurely searching for those special gifts. My daugher and I have had some really fun shopping days in downtown Seattle, and at the independent markets in Freemont and Olympia.

Next on our agenda is shopping some of the fabulous artists markets in the Pacific Northwest, and a trip to Portland. We're also planning to make it to San Francisco for a weekend if time and my daughter's work schedule permits.

It's been a wonderful, delicious holiday season so far, and there's still the whole month of December's holiday experiences to look forward to!

So how's your holiday season going so far?

Happy Thanksgiving, Everyone!

I want to wish all my online friends and colleagues a very wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. May you all be blessed with loving family, good friends and abundant happiness and success!

Grateful Mondays: Today I'm Grateful to Be a Provider

With Thanksgiving in the U.S. this week on Thursday, thoughts of gratitude are even more on my mind (although I do give thanks each and every day for all my blessings).

I started my business while my daughter was in middle school, and she got put to work helping me with odds and ends things in my business. She was never afraid of a bit of work, and I thought this was a great way for her to see the entrepreneurial spirit in action, and how business and operations work. She also got to see how her help was instrumental to me and the smooth operations of my business, and how every job was important, no matter how seemingly menial or insignificant.

I'm very grateful for being a business owner and in the position to have taught her these lessons and values.

As she got older, I was able to give her more and more responsible duties and teach her how to do more complex work. Of course, schools these days are really great for teaching and utilizing technology with our kids so she was ahead of the game, there.

After she graduated and went out on her own, and had her own life and work and going to college to take up her time, she couldn't help me out as much as before.

But now, after a few more twists and turns of life, things are coming together again to a point where she is in a position to get back into working with me, even more than before. This is so exciting to me! Of course, she still has her own dreams and aspirations (to be an interior designer), but I am so loving that she wants to come back and take a bigger role in things here in my business.

I so grateful for this turn of events and being in the position to provide my daughter with a flexible, viable employment alternative as she continues with her college education.

I'm Stuck on a Name for my Business

Dear Gritty VA:

I have just made the decision to start my own Virtual Assistant business. I've been researching lots of sites for helpful info. I've started a business plan. I've researched software and equipment upgrades I need to make. Right now, I'm really stuck on finding a name for my business. Maybe I'm making a big deal out of nothing but I can't seem to come up with something catchy. Any tips? MG

Naming a business is an important decision, so I'm glad you're taking the time to think it through. You're not making a big deal out of it at all--it IS a big deal. Good for you.

There are a few things to think about in naming your business.

First, you do want something unique. You want to differentiate your business and stand out from the crowd. And you definitely don't want to be confused with any other existing Virtual Assistant business.

Which bring us to the second point--steer clear from infringing on the rights of another Virtual Assistant's existing business name use. That will get you into hot water with your colleagues--not a great way to introduce yourself to the community, and trust me--you will need them.

There are no geographical boundaries in the Virtual Assistant world. We all operate in the same virtual marketplace so it doesn't matter if Jane Virtual Assistant is in another state. If you use her existing business name or something derivative of it, she's not gonna be very happy with you, and may seek legal recourse. That could be very costly to you, and she'll probably tell all her Virtual Assistant buddies about your infringement while she's at it.

So once you start to come up with some names, due your due diligence: make several Internet searches, look through all the various Virtual Assistant directories, and double check with folks in your Virtual Assistant communities.

In naming your business, it really requires you to go back a few steps and think about your target market. You need get clear about what you do, who you do it for and what results you achieve for them. Formalizing that thought process is going to help you establish your branding.

Once you know those things, you then have a better idea of who your business name is really for. What do most of their websites look like? Are they a serious or fun-loving group? Do they sell products or services? Are they in an industry or a skilled/degreed profession? Are they going to appreciate cleverness or inventiveness, or is traditional formality going to better appeal to their sensibilities? What kind of name will instill trust and credibility in them? What brand aspects can your name convey to them?

These are the kinds of questions that should come to mind once you decide who your business is speaking to, and will help you decide what sort of business name will best suit their tastes while conveying your brand position.

Be an UN-Cola

As the founder of a Virtual Assistant association, the Virtual Assistance Chamber of Commerce, I'm in a position to see lots of new Virtual Assistant websites.

In the last year, I've been noticing Virtual Assistant website after website using the new, and apparently free, Microsoft Live templates.

Having a website is better than having no website at all. But folks, I gotta tell ya, y'all are nothing but a drop in a bland sea of colorless water.

If you want to do yourself and your business a favor, at your first opportunity, hire a professional to design a business website for you that has some personality and your own unique branding. A custom-designed (read non-template) website is one of the easiest ways to differentiate your business. If you are serious about your business, it's one of the smartest investments you can make.

And while we're at it, stop plagiarizing each other, for gosh sakes! Not only will you find yourself in hot water with your colleagues, but I can't tell you how many clients have complained to me that "Virtual Assistant websites all look the same, and they all say the same thing."

Stop being a lemming and start actually thinking about your own brand, and putting your own unique personality and twist on what you do. Be an UN-cola!

Grateful Mondays: Thank You to Our Service Men and Women

Today is Veteran's Day in the U.S., and regardless of your position on war, you have to appreciate the men and women who have served our country.

I am grateful for their service, and feel awe, respect, gratitude, and sorrow for their courage, suffering and sacrifice.

Thank you, and bless you, each and every one.

How NOT to Promote Your Services by Cold-Call Emails

I received an email from someone today wanting to sell me on her transcription services. Nothing wrong with that in and of itself. However, this person's delivery was such a turn-off and showed such a lack of business polish that it will get immediately deleted. But first there are some excellent lessons I thought I would share with you first...

Mistake #1 - Nonprofessional Email Address:  The first mistake is that she emailed me from an AOL address. I don't know you from Adam, (therefore, the trust factor will be zero) and you expect me to think you are a competent, reputable, trustworthy professional when you don't use a professional email address from your own business domain?

Mistake #2 - No Signature Line or Other Identifying Information:  There was no signature line or any other kind of identifying information anywhere in her email. No business name. No contact info. No website address. No tagline. Nothing! How on earth is anyone supposed to determine this person's credibility and legitimacy? And I'm supposed to want to do business with you?

Mistake #3 - Trying to Negotiate the Whole Deal Right Then and There: To her credit, this person did relate some important facts and information about her services and qualifications. Good, this is stuff I would be interested in. But, instead of leaving things there--giving just enough to pique my interest--she goes on to tell me her rates and terms, what file formats she will and won't accept, yada yada yada. Talk about a turn-off.

Your first contact, especially a cold one, should never include discussion of costs and terms and all the other minute business details. It's not appropriate at that stage (some would even say it's vulgar and unpolished), and you kill any possibility of a sale.

People don't want to be "sold" to. Everyone likes to learn of a new resource, but don't be presumptuous, and don't club them over the head with something they never asked for or you will be viewed as an intrusion. The goal is to invite further conversation. Give folks just enough (not everything) that they may be intrigued enough to contact you, or at least save your message for future reference.

Mistake #4 - No Website:  There just is no excuse in this day and age for any business not to have a website. This just cannot be stressed enough. And if you want to argue or debate that, well, all I can say is, good luck to you. It's gonna be a long, hard haul.

Mistake #5 - Desperation:  Neediness is so unattractive. This person gave a whole paragraph about how she would do a trial run (the way it was worded, that sounded to me like "free"), and would go to great lengths to keep an accurate record of every minute of her time on tasks.

Ew. When I hire someone, I want a confident, competent professional, not an obsequious lapdog. Geez, you might as well stick a sign on your back that says, "use me and abuse me."

Have some dignity. Respect your work and your business, and others will, too. If you're as great as you say you are, your skills will stand on their own merits. Show some class and business polish, and you will engender trust and rapport in those you wish to work with. You don't have to beg and bribe people to work with you.

Break Out of Employee Mindset!

(Feel free to copy and paste this information to your blogs, and any business listservs and forums you participate in--everyone is welcome to attend)

If you're a new business owner, it's a safe bet that you suffer from "employee mindset." That's the condition where you go about your business as if you were still an employee, thinking clients are your bosses and call all the shots in your business--completely ignoring your own needs and abdicating leadership in your own business. Not a happy or successful professional does that make.

If you want to break out of this defeating trap, you'll definitely want to attend this month's free teleseminar that my Virtual Assistant association is hosting. Read on for details...

Break Out of the Employee Mindset

DATE: Thursday, November 15, 2007
TIME: 5pm PST / 6pm MST / 7pm CST / 8pm EST
DURATION: 60 minutes (please call in 10 min. early)
COST: FREE!

This teleseminar is open to all Virtual Assistants and business owners.

"The mindset is everything; if an entrepreneur thinks wrongs, the business won't succeed," says Suzanne Mulvehill, founder of the Emotional Endurance® Institute and author of "Employee to Entrepreneur: A Mind, Body and Spirit Transition."

If you find yourself still thinking and acting like an employee, even though you are running your own business, you don't want to miss this event. "Thoughts like 'Am I going to make it?' and 'I don't think I can do this anymore,' have to go," says Mulvehill.

New thoughts like "I'm giving it my all, no matter what," and "If I'm making mistakes, I'm making progress" need to be come automatic and be programmed into the entrepreneurial mind so success can flow.

Break out of your employee mindset, and increase your business success rate immediately! This will teleseminar will help you:

• Learn the secrets to change your employee thoughts into entrepreneurial thoughts;
• Learn strategies for having your thoughts work for you vs. against you;
• Understand the 7 employee mindset shifts that must take place in order to embrace entrepreneurial success.

And much more!

Get more info and register at:  http://www.virtualassistantnetworking.com/teleclass-registration.htm

Grateful Mondays: I Love Where I Live

Today I had a beautiful walk. Instead of my usual beach or forest hike, I decided to walk into town, pick up my mail from the post office, have some breakfast at our favorite greasy spoon, and then grab a mocha from the gourmet/organic grocery store, which I sipped in the outside cafe area while feeding the little sparrows coffeecake crumbs.

Such a delicious day!

As I walked back home, I was thinking about how grateful I am about where we live. We've got the best of all worlds. Lots of beautiful outdoors and nature, but then also a wonderful, thriving arts and cultural community. We can hide away in our secluded waterfront home, and "civilization" is only a five minute drive away when we crave a bit of socializing. Our area is perfect for bicycle adventures with trails and bike routes in any direction.

I've been feeling a bit of wanderlust for some time now, and my boyfriend entertains this idea of someday living on our remote property in Alaska (you know, that you have to take a boat and plane to get to! I don't think so!). But I just can't imagine any place as perfect as where we live now. For that I'm really grateful.

What are you grateful for today?