Proactive VAs are VAs that strategically seek ways to help their client’s business grow because of an invested interest in their business.
~ Tawnya Sutherland, VAnetworking.com ~

Monday Morning MotiVAtor – Motivating Proactive VAs to Success!

Every act of conscious learning requires the willingness to suffer injury to our self-esteem. That is why young children, before they are aware of their self-importance, learn so easily; and why older people, especially if vain or arrogant, cannot learn at all.
~Thomas Szasz~

Learning is such an important part of the success of your business. Each day you should be learning “something” no matter how big or small. If you complete your day and can’t think of one piece of knowledge you have today you didn’t have earlier then take the time to learn something new. It is so important to open yourself to learning opportunities. Take the time to invest in yourself and your business by opening yourself (and sometimes your budget) to new learning opportunities.

VAinsider tips!!

There are so many resources out there available to us as VAs to use in our business each day, that I would like to start telling you about some of those resources. Today I would like to talk about myhours.com. If you are looking for an easy tool for keeping track of your time this is an awesome tool that I use in my business. I can access reports from anywhere and I can integrate my team members into my account so that their time is easily added to my client’s files. It is a free on-line tool and one that I highly recommend if you don’t already have a great tool for tracking time and most importantly because it is on-line you never have to worry about losing data with respect to billing. As a matter of fact I love looking back to the same timeframe last year at this time and seeing how my billable hours have changed.

Are you a ProActive VA? Choose to be one starting today!!

Proactive VAs 

always follow up.

It is so important to the growth of your business that you learn the act of follow up. This is a world where we can easily become distracted because there are so many things to distract us (facebook, twitter, online resources, etc.). So many times we can easily “forget” promises we have made and things that we were willing to do for others. Proactive VAs never forget the follow up … they have systems in place to ensure that when they make a promise to someone it is written down and followed through. Establishing systems when you are not busy are key to your success. There have been so many times that I have found a “lost email” in my files or a note that I have written where I should have done something or followed up on something, but those “distractions” kept me from doing it. We are only human and things will get forgotten from time to time, but whatever you can put into place to ensure this is a rarity will protect you, your reputation and your business.

Accountability – Something to do for your VA Business this week

Last week I had the misfortune of my computer dying … it really didn’t owe me much because I had it for 5 great years and I knew it was on its last legs. I had told my husband that I would transfer all my files to another computer in September once the kids returned to school, however this never quite happened. Thank goodness I had Carbonite in place and didn’t lose anything (except the time to set it up). I had heard horror stories of people not being able to obtain things they “thought were backed up” but weren’t. I encourage you each as your accountability to take a moment this week to check your backup system. For those of you that don’t have one yet … what are you waiting for?

Mastermind Discussions – What you Missed at the Forum

Your VAinsider Membership – Updates and Feedback Request

Backup Plans – Do you have one?

To get in on the conversation

Upcoming Seminars – VAinsiders only

Tuesday, August 31, 2010 – 7pm EDT – ProActive VA Series – Internet Marketing
Topic to be determined
with Craig Cannings and Tawnya Sutherland

Friday, September 10, 2010 – 2pm EDT – ProActive VA Series – Thriving Business Accountability
Goal Setting
with Yvonne Weld

Tuesday, September 14, 2010 – 2pm EDT – ProActive VA Series – Advanced Getting Clients
Effective Sales Letters
with Tawnya Sutherland and Yvonne Weld

http://www.vainsiders.com/proactive-vas/

For Supercharge members (and Getting Clients for Getting Clients series), please use your full name [first and last name] as username and the password which you can find by clicking on the links on the same page above. Please note that if you do not use your full name we will have no choice, but to boot you as we need to make sure that only VAinsiders can access these seminars.

RFPs Submitted this past week

Login to Forum to view

RFP – Submitted August 23, 2010 – Microsoft Expressions Assistance
RFP – Submitted August 23, 2010 – Real Estate Assistance
RFP – Submitted August 23, 2010 – Various Admin Assistance
RFP – Submitted August 23, 2010 – Website Setup
RFP – Submitted August 26, 2010 – 1Shopping Cart Assistance
RFP – Submitted August 28, 2010 – Admin Assistance
RFP – Submitted August 30, 2010 – Real Estate Assistance

Be sure to follow us on Twitter #VAinsider as we tweet these RFPs immediately after they are posted.

Make sure that you are putting your best foot forward when responding to RFPs. A quick email with “I am interested in your RFP” just won’t cut it in today’s competitive market. Make sure your response lets the potential client know exactly what you can do for them and why you are the best person for the contract!!

Here are some great references from our own VAnetworking forum on answering RFPs:

Inspirational

How to get email from RFP

How to respond to RFPs

Also, remember that we have a resource book on responding to RFPs available for free in the NEW VAinsider area.

Finally, for a daily listing, be sure to subscribe to this link.

To your success,

Yvonne Weld
VAinsider President

Proactive VAs are VAs that strategically seek ways to help their client’s business grow because of an invested interest in their business.
~ Tawnya Sutherland, VAnetworking.com ~

Monday Morning MotiVAtor – Motivating Proactive VAs to Success!

God, grant me serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.
~Reinhold Niebuhr~

So many of us as Virtual Assistants are born “fixers” … when we see things that we feel are not quite right we try to change them. The biggest problem is that not everyone shares our “definition” of “not quite right”. Some people are simply happy with the way things are and others are open to change. A key to finding the success you desire is learning to read people and know whether they are open to change or not. Don’t ever be afraid to make suggestions to your clients, but also know when to back off and finally (and perhaps most importantly) learn this one fact … some people will take credit for your suggestions and that’s okay too. Become an observer and know what changes will help and what changes will hinder and then act accordingly.

VAinsider tips!!

This summer we have taken a “hiatus” from our usual Wednesday night seminars … they usually happen weekly, but with vacations it has been hard to find speakers to fill the time slots that weren’t already committed to family vacations and other things. Until we get back to our usual schedule in the fall don’t be afraid to listen to the archives. As a VAinsider member you have access to so many recorded seminars that you could literally spend hours (or even days) listening to the wealth of knowledge that is available to you. Also, if you have a client or acquaintance that you know would be a fantastic speaker for our members to hear, let us know as we are always open to new speakers. Feel free to send us an email to president@vainsiders.com

Are you a ProActive VA? Choose to be one starting today!!

Proactive VAs practice patience

If you are at all like me when an idea is put into your head you won’t stop until it comes to fruition. What a fantastic way to suffer burnout!! It is so important to our clients to be healthy and have a healthy business as it allows us to be our most productive for them. As long as you are moving forward towards your goals … fantastic!! Don’t expect to do everything overnight, but rather see your goals through to completion at a reasonable place. Just as Rome wasn’t built in a day your dream business will too take time!!

Accountability – Something to do for your VA Business this week

Have you reviewed your marketing plan lately? When our businesses get busy we tend to forget about marketing, but marketing should be an on-going thing. Your website is perhaps your biggest on-going marketing tool, but when was the last time you looked at your website? Does it still reflect your business as it is today or do you need to make some changes. What about your elevator speech … have you listened to it lately and is it the same old boring speech or are you working to keep it up to date with your business? Business cards are another thing that are often forgotten as well as signature lines. Take some time over the next few weeks to have a look at all your marketing tools and determine if they are still portraying your business as you wish it to be portrayed.

Mastermind Discussions – What you Missed at the Forum

Training – Do you build time in your schedule

Investing in your business – what important investments should we make?

To get in on the conversation

Upcoming Seminars – VAinsiders only

Tuesday, August 31, 2010 – 7pm EDT – ProActive VA Series – Internet Marketing
Topic to be determined
with Craig Cannings and Tawnya Sutherland

Friday, September 10, 2010 – 2pm EDT – ProActive VA Series – Thriving Business Accountability
Goal Setting
with Yvonne Weld

Tuesday, September 14, 2010 – 2pm EDT – ProActive VA Series – Advanced Getting Clients
Effective Sales Letters
with Tawnya Sutherland and Yvonne Weld

http://www.vainsiders.com/proactive-vas/

For Supercharge members (and Getting Clients for Getting Clients series), please use your full name [first and last name] as username and the password which you can find by clicking on the links on the same page above. Please note that if you do not use your full name we will have no choice, but to boot you as we need to make sure that only VAinsiders can access these seminars.

RFPs Submitted this past week

Login to Forum to view

RFP – Submitted August 17, 2010 – Various Admin Assistance
RFP – Submitted August 17, 2010 – Online Business Manager
RFP – Submitted August 23, 2010 – Microsoft Expresssions Updates
RFP – Submitted August 23, 2010 – Real Estate Assistance
RFP – Submitted August 23, 2010- Various Admin Assistance

Be sure to follow us on Twitter #VAinsider as we tweet these RFPs immediately after they are posted.

Make sure that you are putting your best foot forward when responding to RFPs. A quick email with “I am interested in your RFP” just won’t cut it in today’s competitive market. Make sure your response lets the potential client know exactly what you can do for them and why you are the best person for the contract!!

Here are some great references from our own VAnetworking forum on answering RFPs:

Inspirational

How to get email from RFP

How to respond to RFPs

Also, remember that we have a resource book on responding to RFPs available for free in the NEW VAinsider area.

Finally, for a daily listing, be sure to subscribe to this link.

To your success,

Yvonne Weld
VAinsider President

Proactive VAs are VAs that strategically seek ways to help their client’s business grow because of an invested interest in their business.
~ Tawnya Sutherland, VAnetworking.com ~

Monday Morning MotiVAtor – Motivating Proactive VAs to Success!

Achievement seems to be connected with action. Successful men and women keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don’t quit.
~Conrad Hilton

It can be quite easy to give up when things aren’t going your way. In the quest for your success many mistakes are going to be made along the way, but what will separate you from the unsuccessful is what you do with those mistakes. The most successful people stop, understand there is a lesson to be learned and take what they can from the mistake. Then they continue moving forward towards their goals.

Make sure you never stop … don’t allow mistakes to hold you back or stop you from achieving what it is you desire most.

VAinsider tips!!

Each month we provide you with three teleseminars, however we have noticed a severe decline in attendance. It has made us wonder if this is something you don’t want in your membership. I know trying to find a time to suit everyone is next to impossible so possibly you are listening to the recordings. Perhaps you would prefer this information be provided to you in a different manner … we would love to hear your feedback on this topic anytime at president@vainsiders.com

Are you a ProActive VA? Choose to be one starting today!!

Proactive VAs are responders not reactors.

In each situation you have two choices – react or respond … and most people choose to react. The truly successful have chosen not to react and respond. Responding simply means you take the time to observe the situation, address the choices and make the choice that is best in the situation. You truly think of every angle first before making a choice. Anyone can react and in most situations (when you take the time to stop and think about it) a reaction can have a very negative impact. When you start choosing to respond and think it through clearly your choices will be better for you, your business and your success.

Accountability – Something to do for your VA Business this week

This week I encourage you to take a step back and observe … are you truly happy with your business … have you made choices based on what you think you should do or others have told you to do or are you following your passions? Have you reacted to your business success or failure or have you responded?

Mastermind Discussions – What you Missed at the Forum

What next … How do you handle those blah days?

Are you a reactor or a responder?

To get in on the conversation

Upcoming Seminars – VAinsiders only

Tuesday, August 17, 2010 – 2pm EDT – ProActive VA Series – Advanced Getting Clients
Newsletters
with Tawnya Sutherland and Yvonne Weld

Tuesday, August 31, 2010 – 7pm EDT – ProActive VA Series – Internet Marketing
Topic to be determined
with Craig Cannings and Tawnya Sutherland

Friday, September 10, 2010 – 2pm EDT – ProActive VA Series – Thriving Business Accountability
Goal Setting
with Yvonne Weld

http://www.vainsiders.com/proactive-vas/

For Supercharge members (and Getting Clients for Getting Clients series), please use your full name [first and last name] as username and the password which you can find by clicking on the links on the same page above. Please note that if you do not use your full name we will have no choice, but to boot you as we need to make sure that only VAinsiders can access these seminars.

RFPs Submitted this past week

Login to Forum to view

RFP – Submitted August 9, 2010 – Blogging and Social Media Marketing

Be sure to follow us on Twitter #VAinsider as we tweet these RFPs immediately after they are posted.

Make sure that you are putting your best foot forward when responding to RFPs. A quick email with “I am interested in your RFP” just won’t cut it in today’s competitive market. Make sure your response lets the potential client know exactly what you can do for them and why you are the best person for the contract!!

Here are some great references from our own VAnetworking forum on answering RFPs:

Inspirational

How to get email from RFP

How to respond to RFPs

Also, remember that we have a resource book on responding to RFPs available for free in the NEW VAinsider area.

Finally, for a daily listing, be sure to subscribe to this link.

To your success,

Yvonne Weld
VAinsider President

Proactive VAs are VAs that strategically seek ways to help their client’s business grow because of an invested interest in their business.
~ Tawnya Sutherland, VAnetworking.com ~

Monday Morning MotiVAtor – Motivating Proactive VAs to Success!

Obstacles are what we see when we take our eyes off of the goal.
Crossman

Did you know that if you work with a goal in mind chances are that you will succeed. Many of us just go through the motions not really knowing what our end goal is. Many of us are ready to run the other direction the minute an obstacle is thrown in our direction. Instead you need to see these obstacles as one more challenge towards meeting your goal. Rather than saying I have no clients … set a goal … then set a plan. I want to have 3 clients by the end of the month. In order to obtain those clients I am going to do x, y and z. Realize that many doors need to be closed in your face before one will be opened. Take it as a challenge and work hard with the end goal in mind. If you allow obstacles to stop you then you will surely never reach your goals.

Are you a ProActive VA? Choose to be one starting today!!

Proactive VAs are never afraid to suggest.

As business owners the biggest advantage we give our clients is just that; we totally understand their needs as a business owner. When you take your own business experiences and share your knowledge with your clients they will be truly appreciative. Don’t ever, ever be afraid to suggest a better or faster way to do things. Remember – YOU ARE THE EXPERT!! You know the best ways to get the jobs done.

Accountability – Something to do for your VA Business this week

This week I challenge you to put a plan in action. Choose one of your goals and set out a step by step process to meeting that goal. Once you have a plan in mind achieving that goal will seem much easier.

Mastermind Discussions – What you Missed at the Forum

If money was not an issue what would you do for your business?

Business books – suggestions for good reads?

To get in on the conversation visit, http://www.vanetworking.com/forum/VAinsider-Club-Mastermind-f124.html

To get in on the conversation

Upcoming Seminars – VAinsiders only

Friday, August 13, 2010 – 2pm EDT – ProActive VA Series – Thriving Business Accountability
Business Support Systems
with Yvonne Weld

Tuesday, August 17, 2010 – 2pm EDT – ProActive VA Series – Advanced Getting Clients
Newsletters
with Tawnya Sutherland and Yvonne Weld

Tuesday, August 31, 2010 – 7pm EDT – ProActive VA Series – Internet Marketing
Topic to be determined
with Craig Cannings and Tawnya Sutherland

http://www.vainsiders.com/proactive-vas/

For Supercharge members (and Getting Clients for Getting Clients series), please use your full name [first and last name] as username and the password which you can find by clicking on the links on the same page above. Please note that if you do not use your full name we will have no choice, but to boot you as we need to make sure that only VAinsiders can access these seminars.

RFPs Submitted this past week

Login to Forum to view

RFP – Submitted July 26, 2010 – Various Admin Assistance
RFP – Submitted August 3, 2010 – Onsite Conference Assistance – Vancouver, BC
RFP – Submitted August 5, 2010 – Internet and Social Media Marketing
RFP – Submitted August 9, 2010 – Blogging and Social Media Marketing

Be sure to follow us on Twitter #VAinsider as we tweet these RFPs immediately after they are posted.

Make sure that you are putting your best foot forward when responding to RFPs. A quick email with “I am interested in your RFP” just won’t cut it in today’s competitive market. Make sure your response lets the potential client know exactly what you can do for them and why you are the best person for the contract!!

Here are some great references from our own VAnetworking forum on answering RFPs:

Inspirational

How to get email from RFP

How to respond to RFPs

Also, remember that we have a resource book on responding to RFPs available for free in the NEW VAinsider area.

Finally, for a daily listing, be sure to subscribe to this link.

To your success,

Yvonne Weld
VAinsider President

Proactive VAs are VAs that strategically seek ways to help their client’s business grow because of an invested interest in their business.
~ Tawnya Sutherland, VAnetworking.com ~

Monday Morning MotiVAtor – Motivating Proactive VAs to Success!

In prosperity our friends know us; in adversity we know our friends.
~John Churton Collins 1848-1908~

Did you know that because we are virtual we can be anything we want to be. I could tell you I had a 6 figure VA business and I had 5 people subcontracting for me and how do you know whether I am telling the truth or not? It is quite possible I could be sitting doing nothing hoping for clients just the same as many other VAs. I can tell you one thing, as Virtual Assistants we always share the good, but rarely share the bad; the true struggles. One thing is for sure … the Virtual Assistant industry is a very caring and supportive network. Don’t be afraid to share your struggles because I guarantee someone else has had the same struggle – they just weren’t as brave to admit it.

When you begin to share your struggles and open yourself to the help that others are willing to provide you will also open your business to growth.

VAinsider tips!!

So many of you are not using the tools that are open to you. Very few of you are posting in the forum. Last week I told you that it was a secure site so please don’t be afraid to post anything. We are here to help you and as I said above, someone else is just as likely to be going through (or have gone through) the same situation and appreciate your braveness.

Are you a ProActive VA? Choose to be one starting today!!

Proactive VAs never stop learning.

It should be your goal to learn something new each day. Even if it is something small. A great place to learn these things is on the internet (and in particular on our forum). There is a wealth of information out there for the taking. Make sure to set aside time each day to do a little “browsing”. You may just find a new innovation for a client or you may find an answer to a question you have been afraid to ask. When you begin to make learning a part of each and every day you will open yourself to truly becoming a Proactive VA for both your own business and your clients businesses.

Accountability – Something to do for your VA Business this week

This week in my Proactive VA series we talked about the importance of creating a manual for your business, but more importantly at the minimum having a list of your clients contact information that is available to someone you trust. If something happened to you tomorrow would someone know how to contact your clients and let them know you won’t be available? I urge each of you to create a contact list and post it somewhere in your “office” that someone is able to easily find it … it is that one thing each business owner should do to prepare for an “emergency”. One hopes it is never needed, but you will be glad you did it if it is needed.

Mastermind Discussions – What you Missed at the Forum

In the Face of Adversity – What do you do?

To get in on the conversation

Upcoming Seminars – VAinsiders only

Tuesday, July 27, 2010 – 7pm EDT – ProActive VA Series – Internet Marketing
Topic to be determined
with Craig Cannings and Tawnya Sutherland

Tuesday, August 10, 2010 – 2pm EDT – ProActive VA Series – Advanced Getting Clients
Newsletters
with Tawnya Sutherland and Yvonne Weld

Friday, August 13, 2010 – 2pm EDT – ProActive VA Series – Thriving Business Accountability
Business Support Systems
with Yvonne Weld

http://www.vainsiders.com/proactive-vas/

For Supercharge members (and Getting Clients for Getting Clients series), please use your full name [first and last name] as username and the password which you can find by clicking on the links on the same page above. Please note that if you do not use your full name we will have no choice, but to boot you as we need to make sure that only VAinsiders can access these seminars.

RFPs Submitted this past week

Login to Forum to view

RFP – Submitted July 19, 2010 – Various Admin Assistance
RFP – Submitted July 23, 2010 – Info Product Creation and Marketing
RFP – Submitted July 26, 2010 – Various Admin Assistance
RFP – Submitted July 26, 2010 – Call Centre Assistance

Be sure to follow us on Twitter #VAinsider as we tweet these RFPs immediately after they are posted.

Make sure that you are putting your best foot forward when responding to RFPs. A quick email with “I am interested in your RFP” just won’t cut it in today’s competitive market. Make sure your response lets the potential client know exactly what you can do for them and why you are the best person for the contract!!

Here are some great references from our own VAnetworking forum on answering RFPs:

Inspirational

How to get email from RFP

How to respond to RFPs

Also, remember that we have a resource book on responding to RFPs available for free in the NEW VAinsider area.

Finally, for a daily listing, be sure to subscribe to this link.

To your success,

Yvonne Weld
VAinsider President