VA Business Coaching Blog » Business owner

Are Your Business and Marketing Plans in Place for 2012 – Do Your Contracts Protect Your Business?

Jeannine Clontz — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 19:29:47 +0000

One of the most significant commonalities among my coaching clients is that most of them do not have a real, live, business and marketing plan in writing to make themselves accountable to growing a profitable Virtual Assistant practice. Not to mention that many either don’t use, or don’t have enough to protect themselves in a contract or agreement with their current clients.

I know, it seems like it’s just too much work to do something formal, or maybe you just don’t know where to start. Won’t your clients have a contract for you to sign if you needed to worry about one?

That’s what I used to think, too. But I found out the hard way, after three to four years in business, that not having these plans in place simply meant I was inconsistent with my marketing and the way I ran my business. I had no goals, so no way to determine whether or not I was creating a profitable business, and I lost a whole lot of money because I didn’t have a contact in place that protected me from non-payment, client project copy errors, and a whole lot more.

What I’ve learned over the past 14-years is that you don’t really need to have this long, drawn out business or marketing plan; that it needed to be updated at least once a year; and I spent the time and money in having an attorney help me create a contract that protected me, and the client, while allowing me not to have to be too concerned with additional E&O insurance, that can be extremely costly.

Want to find out how you can have these documents in place for your business? No matter if you work with hourly rates, retainers, or packages, you still need to have this vital information available to yourself, and your clients, to help grow a more profitable and stable business.

Mark your calendars now for my new Virtual Assistant Inner Track Program teleseminar on Thursday, January 19th, and join me for a special session about Contracts – Forms – Business & Marketing Plans!

Sounds like just the basics, but this information will help you to re-invent your business and set yourself up to grow in 2012 and beyond. Here’s some of what I will be sharing:

Determine what contracts and forms will work best for your type of VA practice, and where you can find information to help kick-start yours.
Why you even need a business plan, and how simple and easy it can be.
What a marketing plan should include and how you can easily establish one with much of the information you are probably already using like your ideal client profile, mission statement, niche, and specific products/services (or use this time to establish those, too!).
How to create the ‘call to action’ necessary to make your marketing efforts trackable and provide the biggest return on investment.
The reality about how often and how many times you need to reach your target market before a sale can happen.
How and when to update your business and marketing plans.
And much more!

Plan to be on the call in January to ask me any questions you have about how to set your business up for success in 2012 with the use of contracts, forms, and your business and marketing plans.

And in February, join me for an in-depth look at Pricing/Rates, Retainers, Packages and Projects! Packages are the latest rage in the VA industry – have you taken the plunge? Find out how to create the rates that you’ll need in order to establish your packages, when you might need to quote rates, are retainers obsolete, and so much more in this interactive session coming on February 16, 2012!

Mark your calendars now and join me on Thursday, January 19th, beginning at 3:00 PM Eastern.

You’ll also be able to ask me all those burning questions about what challenges you’re facing in your business and client relationships during this 90-minute session, as well as whatever you need to know to effectively use contracts, forms, and a business and marketing plan in your business, to organize and grow your VA practice!

Submit your application for the 1-month trial and enjoy this session, at no cost to you…visit: http://www.VAbizcoach.com now to find out more and register to participate.

I hope you will register now and mark your calendars to participate LIVE!

You will not want to miss this session, so register TODAY for your 1-month trial membership in Jeannine’s Virtual Assistance Inner Track group coaching program. Go here for more details and to apply for this program: http://vabizcoach.com/inner-track.html

The industry is booming right now, you need to differentiate yourself from the thousands of other VAs who may be vying for the same piece of business you are…now is the BEST time for you to make an investment in yourself, and your business to stay current with marketing trends, and be accountable to yourself for building the business you’ve always dreamed of.

Mark your calendars now for this interactive session, Thursday, January 19th 2011 beginning at 3:00 p.m. EASTERN. To find out more about our upcoming monthly schedule go to http://vabizcoach.com/teleseminars.html

You also get a recording of the session – so you can check back anytime you need a refresher. But there’s more… here’s what you’ll receive during the trial program:

One month’s direct access to my monthly teleseminar sessions for VAs discussing in detail the topics as outlined above;
One month of direct access to ask me any question you want on how to successfully take your business to the next level. This Q&A session will take place at the end of each month’s teleconference call and questions are not limited to the monthly topic;
An audio recording of each month’s teleconference sent to you by email;
A highlight of each month’s teleconference sent to you via email;
Direct access to call me during my special monthly call-in times. I’ve set aside two hours each month for my Inner Track members to reserve telephone coaching appointments with me. If you reserve an appointment with me, we’ll work together on your business for 10-minutes. This is on a first-come first-served basis for Inner Track members who take action every month and reserve appointments with me immediately. Members who wait may find that they’ve all previously been taken by other members.

After your first teleseminar you can call or E-mail me at anytime (at least 10-days before the next call) if you no longer want to continue your membership in the program. And, if you continue in the program after your first month, your credit card will be billed just $47 monthly, for each month you remain in the program. There’s no long-term contractual agreement to stay in the program for any amount of time, but I know you’ll want to if you’re really ready to focus on improving and helping you be accountable to growing your business.

And there’s still more! Once you are a paying member of Jeannine’s Virtual Assistance Inner Track, you will also receive access to these additional bonuses to create explosive business results:

Access to our Online Community which includes coaching lessons, resources/information about growing your practice, audios/videos, a discussion group listserve, and fresh information every month (Priceless)
Two free reports to continue to expand your business knowledge ($75 value)
30-minute one-on-one coaching session ($75 value)
And more…

The information contained in this program is so powerful that I’m totally confident of how completely you can transform your business if you use this detailed information. That’s why I’m letting you test drive the program for FREE, so you’ll be completely convinced of what the program will do to transform your business.

Don’t miss it! Registration is required – go to: http://vabizcoach.com/inner-track.html

The VA Inside Track is a group coaching concept like no other. It’s a fresh perspective on how to positively grow the business you’ve always wanted to have. We inspire and motivate you to do what’s needed to stay accountable to yourself and to the growth and profitability of your business. It’s like business know-how on steroids!

This group coaching program is for Virtual Assistants (VAs) who are ready to take action in their business and have a desire to move their business forward and be more profitable and successful. Our teleseminars do not include any sales pitches nor do they encourage you to purchase an upgrade, participate in any other cost-based program, or just give you vague and incomplete information like so many of those FREE teleseminars do.

Isn’t it time you made an investment in making your business more profitable? Take the plunge, give us a try: http://vabizcoach.com/

You may have even attended online or local business training classes but left feeling like something was missing, like no one else was developing a business quite like yours.

I believe a Virtual Assistant’s business is not like a traditional small or medium-sized business and so many of those classes are geared towards businesses with employees or those not run from a home-base, as many Virtual Assistance practices are.

The Virtual Assistance Inner Track is designed specifically for a VA practice from someone who has been in the trenches for more than 14-years.

I’m extremely confident you’ll realize that through applying just one or two of the many new ideas you’ll be learning in this program, you’ll begin making a lot more money as a Virtual Assistant. Just one additional client or transaction with a current client over the next 12 months because of your membership in the program will pay for your membership many times over. It’s a valuable investment in your future and your business.

Don’t wait, dip your toes in the water and try us on for size! Register TODAY!!! (http://vabizcoach.com/inner-track.html) so you won’t miss our exciting January session to kick-start your business in 2012!

Now is the BEST time to get the knowledge and resources you need to propel your business and become more profitable. Make this important investment in yourself and the well-being of your business. You’ll be glad you did.

Hope you can join us!

Sign up NOW so you won’t miss that ah-ha moment that could make 2012 your best year ever. http://vabizcoach.com/inner-track.html.

Are Your Business and Marketing Plans in Place for 2012 – Do Your Contracts Protect Your Business? is a post from: VA Business Coaching Blog

Beyond Due Diligence…Listen to Those Gut Feelings

Jeannine Clontz — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 17:09:36 +0000

Beyond Due Diligence…Listen to Those Gut Feelings

I should have been immediately suspicious when I received a voicemail message from a gentlemen who said he ‘really’ needed my help, when he indicated he found me in the Yellow Pages, a free listing under Secretarial Services where I’ve never once received any business.

I always feel that if I can’t help someone, I sure would know of someone who could, or would be in a position to suggest other options. It’s served me well for many years.

When I returned the call, I got voicemail, but he called me right back. He spoke very quickly and told me he’d purchased a business 11 years earlier, kept the name and had been very successful. They were celebrating 35-years in 2012, so he was putting together a major push to grow his business.

He kept telling me how busy he was, he was going to school for his masters, running this very busy and successful business, and needed someone to manage things for him. His most immediate need was to provide me with a list of college newspaper contacts, this is where he hired help, in five states, where we would call and place ads. Then we would filter out the best candidates and interview/hire them for his seasonal work.

He asked me for a quote for a certain number of hours a week, and I told him that would be about $400-500 per week. He didn’t challenge that cost at all. He was anxious for me to forward my contract because he needed me to start right away. Several times he reminded me to call him at a particular number, but not the number he was calling from, since he was not in the office much. He reiterated again and again how busy he was, how he was going to school, etc.

I told him after the contract was signed I would probably need a credit card to pay for the ads, but he said that these college papers would give him credit since he’d been in business so long. I reiterated that we would not be in a position to take on any of that expense for him, if they would not extend him credit, it would simply hold up the process. He said we’d have no problem.

He asked me to overnight him the contract, via UPS, and send him some overnight UPS envelopes as well as several labels so he could start sending me information to move forward. He indicated there was no UPS store in his small town, but he could call them in for pickups. I asked for his UPS account number, which he didn’t have, but said I could put mine on it – the red flag was beginning to rise.

Meanwhile, after we got off the phone, I googled his name and company name as I prepared the contract and initial letter. I found nothing under his company name, but did find some derogatory law suits from back in 2007 under his name. The company name was not only different, but it was a corporation out of Nevada, with these complaints coming out of another state. I went to that state’s Better Business Bureau and it showed past complaints that had been rectified and no current complaints (since 2009) filed against him.

In the letter I indicated that UPS would not provide me with labels without an account number and I didn’t feel comfortable at this point in providing him with blank labels with my account number on them. If he wanted me to ship something under my account, we’d need to think of another way. I also indicated that once he returned the signed contract, he would get his first hour of services FREE – something I offer all new clients.

I also called him again, and left a voicemail telling him that I was only sending the UPS envelopes and that the cost was $30, which he said he would cover, but I would not mind handling. Heck, this could potentially be a $2,000/month client!

He called the next day and left a rather nasty voicemail. He said he really needed someone with attention to detail and that I’d spelled his company name wrong (I put an “S” on the end of it )– not like he spelled it out for me or anything, it’s what I thought he said, and he was upset that the UPS labels were not there – even though I’d already explained that in a voicemail to him.

He said that maybe it would be better if we worked it out that we made the calls and for every person we interviewed and hired, he’d pay us commission….red flag flying a bit higher now! He reminded me again, probably 3 times in this particular call, to call him on the 630 number, and not on the one he was calling from.

I went back to Google and tried finding him under the new company name, nada! I then returned his call and indicated that we might not be the right fit for each other, and that my VA team was in no way interested in working on commission. I didn’t even mention that I wasn’t going to send him blank UPS labels with my account number on them again, or that I expected he’d reimburse me for the overnight UPS charges – small price to pay, I thought!

I really thought that would be the end of it…You guessed it, he called again, and this time I was in the office. He started off by saying he thought I was probably right, that we weren’t going to be a good fit (so why did he call?), but he continued to try and talk me into giving him that one hour free and make a few calls for him (is he kidding me?), and even though I clearly said we were not interested, he said that I should think about it and call him back. Of course, remembering not to call him on the number he was calling me from.

I told him that I probably would not be calling back and thanked him for considering me. I just had this feeling in the pit of my stomach that I should run as fast as I could from this guy.

When I got off the phone, I finally decided to see what I could find out about the number he was calling me from – it just seemed like he was making far too big a deal of it every time I spoke to him. First I looked at the caller ID on my phone – it said, “State of Indiana” (not really his state), which could have made sense, he said he was calling from school several times, and the numbers were very close, although each time he called the last four digits were slightly different.

So, I decided to pick up the phone and call the number….”Department of Corrections” is how the phone was answered….Sheesh, this guy’s in prison! I guess those law suits didn’t work out so well, and the reason he hadn’t had any complaints filed against him since 2009 was probably because he was serving time. Phew, disaster averted.

I was reminded that sometimes you have to go beyond just doing your due diligence, sometimes you have to go with those gut feelings that tell you something just isn’t right here….and it certainly wasn’t!

Jeannine Clontz, provides professional business coaching to established and start-up virtual assistants (VA’s). Learn more about Time Management for Virtual Assistants by downloading her FREE report “A Fresh Look at Time Management for Virtual Assistants”, or request her FREE audio CD “What’s Holding Back my Business Success?”, and more by visiting: http://www.VAbizcoach.com ; or contact her at: coach@VAbizcoach.com.

Beyond Due Diligence…Listen to Those Gut Feelings is a post from: VA Business Coaching Blog

Second Edition of Entrepreneurial Freedom: How to Start and Grow A Profitable Virtual Assistance Practice RELEASED in Kindle and eBook formats!

Jeannine Clontz — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 17:54:56 +0000

We are pleased to announce that the Second Edition of Entrepreneurial Freedom: How to Start and Grow a Profitable Virtual Assistance Practice – in Kindle and eBook versions has been released.

“We had to make several adjustments and offer the contracts and forms as a separately requested download, to successfully offer a Kindle version that we’re sure will be a welcome addition,” said Co-Author, Jeannine Clontz, “But the eBook was a natural offering for our tech-savvy readers!”

The eBook version is available only at the Entrepreneurial Freedom website, at: http://entrepreneurialfreedom.com/order/, and there is also a link to the Kindle version (only $9.99) on the same page. Purchases of all versions, except the eBook are also available at Amazon.com.

For a limited time (through December 31, 2011) the print version of the Second Edition, book and companion workbook are being offered at a 20% discount. This discount is not available on Amazon.com purchases.

Get your copies here:

Entrepreneurial Freedom – Paperback – https://www.createspace.com/3614006

Discount code: J7S85URA

Entrepreneurial Freedom – Companion Workbook – https://www.createspace.com/3656289

Discount Code: J7S85URA

Whether you’re just getting started or ready to take the next steps to grow your practice; this book will help you decide whether or not you have what it takes, and give step-by-step details, information and resources to building a successful and ethical business. This book teaches you to:

Use business plans; contracts; and record keeping
Develop your Brand
Network
Handle difficult clients
Collect from non-paying clients
Develop a ‘professional’ YOU
Create a marketing plan
Use social media to expand and grow
Grow your business with employees or independent contractors
Shorten your learning curve by reading the real-life experiences of 21 established, professional entrepreneurs
And much, much more!

The print book and companion workbook are also used for an online 10-week teleclass offered by co-author, Jeannine Clontz. Our next class starts in January 2012 – for more information visit: http://vabizcoach.com/starters.html

Now is a great time to start a Virtual Assistance practice, or take your business to the next level. Find out what our readers have to say about Entrepreneurial Freedom: http://entrepreneurialfreedom.com/comments and then order your copy TODAY!

Second Edition of Entrepreneurial Freedom: How to Start and Grow A Profitable Virtual Assistance Practice RELEASED in Kindle and eBook formats! is a post from: VA Business Coaching Blog

What’s Holding Back Virtual Assistants? Have Great Expectations

Jeannine Clontz — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 00:13:04 +0000

As we have touched on previously, you are totally in charge of, and responsible for, everything that happens in your business. So what are your expectations? What do you hope to achieve? What do you do to stay current with the industry? Do you know or understand where the industry is headed?

In order for us to have great expectations for our business, we have to know where we are going? If it’s only about making a buck, you have to think bigger.

It’s about leaving your mark not only as an entrepreneur, but as a VA and a part of the Virtual Assistance industry. It’s also about having an exit strategy.

I know, that sounds silly. Why would you need an exit strategy? Well, unless you plan to work your practice until the day you die, you will need to have an exit strategy. A part of that exit strategy will be a plan for either closing, or selling your business.

If your expectations are low, if you’ve never really planned for your retirement, or the sale of your business, what happens to your clientele? Do you think you’ll just work for them until they retire and then close your doors?

Even if that’s the plan, you need to create and develop that plan in order for you to meet the expectations your clients will come to demand. If you don’t take the business seriously, or create a plan and strategy for growing and exiting your business, you will be doing yourself, and your clients, a huge disservice.

Some of this has to do with time, and time management. Surveys with top executives and CEOs of Fortune 500 companies indicate that the average corporate CEO actually logs less than 90-minutes a day of genuinely productive time. And I would suggest that entrepreneurs have even bigger problems with managing time than do those in the corporate world. Clearly, you will need to find ways to make your time more productive than you have in the past, and doing all the work yourself may be a big part of the problem.

I’m not necessarily talking about the client work; that is most likely what you enjoy doing the most, and where you most often attach your expectations. But truth be told, it’s the business expectations that will make or break you over the long haul. So delegate your workload, too.

Do you have a business plan? How about a marketing plan? You need to.

Neither needs to be long and involved. It should be something that identifies why you’re in business, and what you want that business to look like and how you’ll market it to get it where you wanted it to go. This exercise will help you to focus on what you really want and need in your business to continue to grow that business in a way that fits your current and future needs.

And it’s not just something that you put in writing and file away never again to see the light of day. It should be a living, breathing forecast that you update and change once or twice a year as the industry and your business continue to evolve.

So realize that you must change your mindset and be willing to do things differently in order to move your business forward.

Remember if you keep doing what you’re doing, you can only expect more of the same. However, if you be authentic , if you try and make a difference, and know that doing small changes can make a BIG difference, you will be well on your way to claiming the life you want and deserve.

Jeannine Clontz, provides professional business coaching to established and start-up virtual assistants (VA’s). Learn more about Time Management for Virtual Assistants by downloading her FREE report “A Fresh Look at Time Management for Virtual Assistants”, or request her FREE audio CD “What’s Holding Back my Business Success?”, and more by visiting: http://www.VAbizcoach.com; or contact her at: coach@VAbizcoach.com.

What’s Holding Back Virtual Assistants? Have Great Expectations is a post from: VA Business Coaching Blog

What’s Holding Back Virtual Assistants? – Make Lots of Lemonade!

Jeannine Clontz — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 12:48:08 +0000

Life on both a personal and professional level is going to throw you plenty of lemons. How you handle those situations will make or break your business. As we discussed earlier, if you look at each challenge you are faced with, in both your personal and professional lives, as an opportunity to grow and learn, all your lemons will become lemonade in a very short time.

Don’t give in to those challenges that can’t be solved. What does that mean? Well, have you ever heard the saying, “the customer is always right”? Do you believe that statement?

Most people who have worked in their own business, or in the corporate world would probably tell you that isn’t a very accurate statement, the customer is many times, ‘not right’, but, ethically speaking, there are those people whom you will never satisfy, who will never find pleasure, and will never be convinced that they haven’t been wronged in some way.

Yes, there are unethical people out there, but what I believe is this – if they are unethical, then no matter what you say or do to try and fairly resolve a situation, they will most assuredly only see it their way, and only be satisfied with a total refund of anything they paid, but with the ability to keep the product or result of the service, too.

It happens, and one of the hardest things to do is to, listen, let them vent, and walk away. Give them the refund, don’t charge them for anything. Complete the service you promised, even though they don’t deserve it.

Because if they are unethical, then they’re going to bad mouth you all over town, or the Internet, or in as many ways as they can think of, and believe me when I say, unethical people know many ways to be evil, it’s simply their nature.

So take the high road, don’t lower yourself to their level, let them rant, let them lie and deceive and put a spin on things so they seem to be in the right, and give them what they want, even if it means you refund all of their money and let them have what they don’t deserve.

Then sit back, and enjoy the lemonade, knowing that you saved yourself from having to continue to deal with someone who is unethical and could ultimately damage your reputation, should you try to make them do what’s right.

It’s not about what’s right or wrong, it’s about their perception of what’s right or wrong, and you’re much better served to take the hit and sever the relationship so that you know you won’t be associated with them in any way in the future.

Jeannine Clontz, provides professional business coaching to established and start-up virtual assistants (VA’s). Learn more about Time Management for Virtual Assistants by downloading her FREE report “A Fresh Look at Time Management for Virtual Assistants”, or request her FREE audio CD “What’s Holding Back my Business Success?”, and more by visiting: http://www.VAbizcoach.com; or contact her at: coach@VAbizcoach.com.

What’s Holding Back Virtual Assistants? – Make Lots of Lemonade! is a post from: VA Business Coaching Blog

What’s Holding Back Virtual Assistants? Put A Professional Foot Forward

Jeannine Clontz — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 15:40:52 +0000

I know some of you are not going to believe this, but for the first seven years I was in business, I got up every morning and put on business attire whether I had a meeting outside the office, or not. This may seem silly, but I believe it allowed me to walk the walk. If I wanted to be a business owner, an entrepreneur, I needed to look like one.

Don’t get me wrong, I love the fact that I work from home and many times am in my jammies or just jeans and a t-shirt, but that’s only since I can honestly say I have strong enough self-esteem to be able to project a positive professional persona without actually wearing the business attire.

To this day, my family always teases me because even at family functions, I’m very smartly dressed. Not a business suit, obviously, but clean, pressed, and well-dressed. No more jeans, cut-offs, and very seldom do I wear shorts, because I never know who I’m going to meet where, and how much of a business woman would I appear to be with no make-up, tattered jeans, and a halter top?

It really is about projecting a professional persona at all times. I even go so far as to smile before I pick up the phone – you’d be amazed at how many people compliment me on my telephone voicemail message. They tell me I ALWAYS sound so happy – who wouldn’t be, I’m a successful entrepreneur.

I met one of my best clients standing in line at the supermarket. I happened to still be wearing a name badge from an earlier event (I wear them sometimes even if I don’t have an event- because it’s a great way to open a dialog), and she asked me what a Virtual Assistant was. You just never know who you’re going to meet where, and you want to look the part of a successful business owner, even if you’re barely making ends meet.

Give it a try for the next 30-days. Get up every morning and dress as if you were heading out to meet the perfect prospect, and put a smile on your face and keep it there when you answer and converse on the phone. I even do that with my family – and my negative friends. It makes it very difficult for them to not think more positively.

I think you’ll find that you feel much more professional and successful ; if you dress for the part.

Jeannine Clontz, provides professional business coaching to established and start-up virtual assistants (VA’s). Learn more about Time Management for Virtual Assistants by downloading her FREE report “A Fresh Look at Time Management for Virtual Assistants”, or request her FREE audio CD “What’s Holding Back my Business Success?”, and more by visiting: http://www.VAbizcoach.com; or contact her at: coach@VAbizcoach.com.

What’s Holding Back Virtual Assistants? Put A Professional Foot Forward is a post from: VA Business Coaching Blog

What’s Holding Back Virtual Assistants? – Attitude and Self-Esteem!

Jeannine Clontz — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 22:47:31 +0000

This to me is HUGE. So many of the VAs I work with who don’t stay in business, or whose business stagnates, are those with low self-esteem, or negative attitudes. Remember earlier when we discussed surrounding yourself with positive and supportive people? You have to be positive and supportive, too.

When I started, I didn’t have extremely low self-esteem, but I still had some issues that I needed to work on. In many ways I believe some of this is unique to women. Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of men with low self-esteem, but many women, at least until the 80’s, were brought up to believe that they were second class citizens.

When I got my first taste of outside sales in the corporate world, I really had no sales skills at all. I was also in an industry where there were very few women in sales. Since I was on commission, I had to learn really quickly to find some way to differentiate myself from my male counterparts.

I had a very strong service-oriented background, so I developed my sales by providing something the men in the industry weren’t – service. It was what made enough of a difference for me to control their businesses, and develop a really successful sales career, even though I had no formal sales training.

This certainly helped boost my self-esteem, too. But attitude has played a big role in my life, as well. In many situations, attitude is EVERYTHING!

Having a positive attitude about my skills, being a resource, and not giving them a hard sell, is really what allowed me to be successful in those first two to three years.

If you have low self-esteem, or you struggle with having a positive attitude, consider taking some classes on self-esteem, or get involved online in forums and seminars where they help improve your self-esteem and help you project a more positive attitude.

And when you feel yourself slipping into something negative, take a deep breath, and rework your thoughts to finding a more positive way to communicate it, even if it’s just self-talk.

Start off very simply by always putting a smile on your face when you encounter or meet someone. It’s very difficult for someone to be negative when someone presents them with a smile. And always, no matter how your day is going, answer your phone with a smile on your face, you’d be surprised how that smile is easily received on the other end.

Jeannine Clontz, provides professional business coaching to established and start-up virtual assistants (VA’s). Learn more about Time Management for Virtual Assistants by downloading her FREE report “A Fresh Look at Time Management for Virtual Assistants”, or request her FREE audio CD “What’s Holding Back my Business Success?”, and more by visiting: http://www.VAbizcoach.com; or contact her at: coach@VAbizcoach.com.

What’s Holding Back Virtual Assistants? – Attitude and Self-Esteem! is a post from: VA Business Coaching Blog

What’s Holding Back Virtual Assistants? Entrepreneurial Mindset

Jeannine Clontz — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 17:57:57 +0000

This is a biggie! The definition of entrepreneur is: “One who organizes and assumes the risk of a business or enterprise.” – and the buck stops there. You are totally responsible for every facet of your business. It’s all on your shoulders. Any mistakes that are made – your mistakes. Any successes or achievement, yours. But having a true entrepreneur’s mindset is something you will be developing over the life of your business.

I think having a constant and consistent thirst for knowledge is a great benefit to creating the entrepreneurial mindset.

Take classes, read books, look for certifications that will help communicate your seriousness in contributing to the welfare of your company and your industry. Let me say that again, you want to communicate your seriousness in contributing to the welfare of your company AND your industry. This industry cannot grow in a positive direction without the support of its members.

Being an entrepreneur is about being a part of something bigger than yourself, or your business. It’s about giving back, about remembering who helped you along this journey and paying it forward as you grow.

In my opinion, if you want to succeed in any business model, you have to have an entrepreneur’s mindset- it’s takes you out of ‘me’ and into ‘we’ in everything that you do.

Take time to develop your entrepreneurial self. Learn, listen, grow, get involved, be a resource, and create someone who is looked upon as a leader, whether you lead a large corporation or just have a solo business, having an entrepreneurial mindset will advance your journey and help you create the business of your dreams.

Jeannine Clontz, provides professional business coaching to established and start-up virtual assistants (VA’s). Learn more about Time Management for Virtual Assistants by downloading her FREE report “A Fresh Look at Time Management for Virtual Assistants”, or request her FREE audio CD “What’s Holding Back my Business Success?”, and more by visiting: http://www.VAbizcoach.com; or contact her at: coach@VAbizcoach.com.

What’s Holding Back Virtual Assistants? Entrepreneurial Mindset is a post from: VA Business Coaching Blog

What’s Holding Back Virtual Assistants? – A Price-based Business Model

Jeannine Clontz — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 12:52:02 +0000

Many small businesses start by offering to be the ‘lowest priced’ service provider. What could possibly be wrong with this thinking? Won’t you get all the clients you ever want or need? Won’t they be loyal to you as long as you keep your prices low?

This methodology can be extremely damaging to the long-term health and wealth of any business. This positions your business to attract only those people who aren’t looking for what you really want them to be looking for – quality, value, service, and benefits.

There will always be someone willing to offer a cheaper price, so you’ve created a clientele based solely on price that you will continually need to compete with in order to maintain any on-going business. And if you ever raise your prices, plan on having most of your client base looking for someone else offering the same services for less.

I have always believed that offering the highest quality service positions me to attract a more loyal clientele and helps create a more solid relationship based on mutual respect and value.

Don’t sell yourself short, create exclusivity instead.

Be more selective about the clients you work with and the projects you accept. You’ll be surprised to find that you are able to command a higher price, without much resistance from your current clients, and leave clients with a feeling of exclusivity that they’re fortunate enough to be on your client list. This allows you to have a much more loyal and supportive client base that will want to refer new business to you and will help keep your business growing and on track to succeed.

Pricing is a HUGE issue for most business owners. Make sure your pricing allows you to have a strong and viable business for many years to come. If you don’t see a way to build a business on anything more than being the lowest priced provider, this may not be the best opportunity for you.

Jeannine Clontz, provides professional business coaching to established and start-up virtual assistants (VA’s). Learn more about Time Management for Virtual Assistants by downloading her FREE report “A Fresh Look at Time Management for Virtual Assistants”, or request her FREE audio CD “What’s Holding Back my Business Success?”, and more by visiting: http://www.VAbizcoach.com; or contact her at: coach@VAbizcoach.com.

What’s Holding Back Virtual Assistants? – A Price-based Business Model is a post from: VA Business Coaching Blog

What’s Holding Back Virtual Assistants? Be a Problem Solver!

Jeannine Clontz — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 17:00:11 +0000

The most successful entrepreneurs know that their success is in no small way a result of being able to solve the problems of their clientele. I remember a sales manager a long ago telling me that every discontented client created two opportunities for me. It created an opportunity for me to solve a problem that could benefit countless others, and it created an opportunity for me to develop a deeper relationship with the client.

Those words have been extremely helpful to me in my entrepreneurial career. Even solving the problems I face in managing my own business can create opportunities for me to solve similar problems with other clients. Sometimes opening the door to a new client is as easy as sharing a successful resolution to a basic business issue we faced in our business.

It goes back to the features and benefits profile. Remember that the features of your product or service are not what clients are looking for – it’s the benefits. The ‘what’s in it for me’ question will be the one that hits home for the client or prospect. So imagine how your product or service benefits the client. What will it do to solve their problem, lower their stress, or allow them to focus their energies on tasks they enjoy or that produce them real profits?

We learn by doing; we expand our knowledge by doing; and we differentiate ourselves with the way we address problems and solutions.

Make note of your problem solving talents; share them on your blog, monthly newsletter or eZine and help others understand your level of commitment and value in solving business problems.

Jeannine Clontz, provides professional business coaching to established and start-up virtual assistants (VA’s). Learn more about Time Management for Virtual Assistants by downloading her FREE report “A Fresh Look at Time Management for Virtual Assistants”, or request her FREE audio CD “What’s Holding Back my Business Success?”, and more by visiting: http://www.VAbizcoach.com; or contact her at: coach@VAbizcoach.com.

What’s Holding Back Virtual Assistants? Be a Problem Solver! is a post from: VA Business Coaching Blog