by WP-Dev | Aug 1, 2018 | Entrepreneur, Virtual Assistant
Why dressing for Success can create the right mindset
I’m sure almost everyone would agree that one of the big perks of working from home is that no specific dress code applies. If you feel like working in your pyjamas all day, no one is stopping you. It’s your choice, but does it have an impact on your productivity? Sorry guys and gals, but research has shown that it actually does. The author of The Golden Apple: Redefining Work-Life Balance for a Diverse Workforce says that work clothes do impact you on a business and a personal level. It is also important to set boundaries between working hours and personal time. When the official work day is over, it’s best to change out of the business attire otherwise you could feel like work never ends.
Self discipline and how you dress does pay off
A few years back I worked half day for an elderly man who was a magazine publisher and worked from home. Every morning when I arrived at his home office, he was dressed in formal office wear. I asked him why he bothered. His answer was that if he were to dress casually, he would be more inclined to first wander around his garden and play with his dog than get to the office and before he’d realise it, most of the morning would have gone by and he’d have achieved very little. He only worked mornings, accomplishing what he had set out to do and then changed into casual wear and spent the afternoons playing golf, meeting up with other retired friends or pottering around in his garden.
I had a mentor once that set her goal to be a millionaire before she turned thirty, which she did achieve. She started out working from home in her garage. Every morning she would get dressed up in her working attire complete with heels and handbag and be in her garage office by 9am sharp.
Gaining respect and being taken seriously
What impression do you give those around you? Do you look like you take your business seriously? I experienced this first hand with family members. When you look like a frumpy mum, that is pretty much how everyone is going to treat you. Step up your game by dressing to match your business and see the difference in the attitude of those around you.
Dress up to resist multi-tasking
When working from home it is easy to get caught up in exhausting multi-tasking. When wearing your sweats it’s easy to dash from your desk to the washing machine, desk to the wash line… and so on. If you were dressed for work, you would be less inclined to do some of these things. Agreeably, there are the benefits to multi-tasking, but it can also affect your overall performance.
Casual days
If dressing up every day really doesn’t appeal to you, throw in a casual day or two into your week. You are the boss after all so you get to choose. 😉
by Lynda Wessels | Jul 19, 2018 | Entrepreneur, Virtual Assistant
You Teach People How To Treat You
This is so true and it took me a while to realise this, many years in fact. It is important to set healthy boundaries.
Very wise words from Dr Phil : “I’m not saying that you’re responsible for another person’s behavior. This is not about blame. But I am saying that you have power over your reactions. So if there is a person in your life who isn’t treating you with the respect and consideration you deserve, you have a couple of decisions to make. Are you willing to accept accountability, and do you really want to make a change? If the answer is yes, then you should ask yourself: “What am I doing to elicit this person’s behavior or to allow it to continue?” Even if you think you aren’t doing a thing, your inaction is speaking for you.”
Learn to speak up
We should not silently resent and not speak up. I have certainly been guilty of this. If we want a different result then we should speak up and make it known if we want a different result. Yes initially it will be difficult to do this but practice makes perfect!
Speak your truth
When we are asked as to what is wrong, do not answer nothing when there is in fact plenty wrong! I have said this many times that there is nothing wrong when in actual fact I have felt most uncomfortable. We have to actually teach that person or persons how to treat us and believe me they will take their cue from there!
Personal boundaries are of importance
Teaching others to respect your personal boundaries is healthy. It does not mean controlling or punishing others but rather are guidelines as to what is acceptable in your life and what is not.
I have for many years thought that always making myself available is a way to win the love and respect of others but it certainly does not work this way.
It will of course take time to differentiate between a genuine request and some taking advantage, therefore we have to learn the difference between being firm and inflexible.
I have had to learn that I am entitled to my own thoughts, opinions and feelings.
It certainly does not come easy to set your boundaries in the workplace or on a personal level. Knowing them and actually setting them are two different things but it can be done.
Setting the above in motion will certainly enhance our self-esteem and self-worth.
Acting assertively takes practice. Know your limits. Remember too that teaching people how to treat us is a process that involves teaching them.
Love and respect yourself first
Look at how others that act with self-confidence and demand respect are treated well. Follow their example. This will not happen overnight, I know, but others will start to treat you differently. Do not allow certain behaviours from others that make you feel uncomfortable.
I love this quote by Anna Taylor :
“Love yourself enough to set boundaries. Your time and energy are precious. You get to choose how you use it. You teach people how to treat you by deciding what you will and won’t accept.”
To sum up, good advice from Morgan & Wiseheart:
- Start with yourself
- Talk about your “rules of engagement”
- Communicate your needs clearly and compassionately
- Model how you’d like to be treated
- Reinforce behaviors you like
- Pick a role model to emulate
- Have realistic expectations
by WP-Dev | Jul 15, 2018 | Entrepreneur, Virtual Assistant
What is your “what if” plan?
Now, what if is a very common and also important question in our industry. We should always assure that we have a
contingency plan in place for the majority of “What if?” moments in our day to day lives. This question could be interpreted in many circumstances in your daily lives as a virtual assistant. Today I will be discussing a few of these what if questions.
Scenario #1
For my first example, I would go with one of our latest and greatest fears that we currently have in South Africa and that fear is named “Load Shedding”. Hopefully, according to Eskom, this will not affect us much but if or when it actually happens that you mid-sentence loose power, all your unsaved work will be gone and your internet router will be of meaning that your internet access will also be gone for the +- 2 hours that the load shedding is going on. For you to be prepared for this “what if” moment, you should in case that you are using a laptop ensure that the laptop is constantly charged up fully so that you do not lose any mission-critical information. The full battery should allow you to save the essential files and also maybe finish the project that you urgently need to finish. If you are using a desktop pc my suggestion will be to invest in a good quality UPS of at least 1000KVA to allow you to save your work and safely shut down the computer. Some models actually have space for you to plug in your power supply for your internet router so that you can still have a few more minutes of internet.
For those of us that do not have the luxury of owning a UPS but are working on a laptop witch, I strongly suggest the internet router going down can be bypassed at least for a short while. You can invest in a small internet modem/router that works off a battery and a sim card and can also be charged on using the USB port of your computer. It works by creating a small range wifi network that allows you to still access the internet.
Scenario #2
Another “what if” moment is when you have to work away from home due to any reason. It could be that your child/spouse is sick or that you go out for an afternoon lunch with an old friend or whatever the reason may be. For situations like this, I will suggest a few things. Firstly as before I would suggest that you rather do your work from a laptop or notebook computer. Also as suggested before invest in the wifi modem that runs of a battery that you can quickly and easily charge from your computer.
Also what I suggest is that you and your client keep in continuous contact with each other and explain to him if you have to leave your house for any reason you can inform him/her that you will be working from a different location but you will still have your computer as well as internet access so that you can continue doing the work from a different location.
Now, “what if” this is not possible? Then it would be in your as well as your clients best interests to say to your client I will not be available during this time but will be back, however as soon as I am back again I will carry on with the work required of you.
A MAJOR “What if” moment and also very important is What if I lose all my data? I know it is a horrible feeling and inconvenience not only to you but also your client if something is to happen with your data. In this case, it is my recommendation, out of a personal experience, that you have the following in place: firstly do a regular backup of your most important documents and information to an external drive. Preferably not a flash drive as they tend to get corrupted, go missing or most often the capacity is not big enough. There is also another option that I suggest you have in place in addition to the external drive for backups and that is to have a cloud service in place. There are several ones available. Some are free like Google cloud, Dropbox and also mega.com and some paid cloud services like box.com.
Final thoughts
Lastly my final “What If” moment is what if you do not have enough time to finish your work or do not understand what exactly it is that your client wants you to do, then feel free to ask your client. Rather ask and make sure before you start than starting with something you do not understand and having to do double work. Remember, your client is also a person just like you and would be able to assist you with any queries that you may have regarding the assignments given to you.
by VA Connect | Jul 11, 2018 | Entrepreneurs, Virtual Assistant
Continual learning as a Virtual Assistant
The world is always changing. New technologies offer new challenges and new methods. Clients have different needs as their business changes and grows. A Virtual Assistant must keep up with all these changes to deliver the best service to their clients. Apart from this working for a variety of businesses also exposes the Virtual Assistant to new industries and markets.
Doing research is a great part of learning
My first assignment with VA Connect was research on Smart Home products. I was amazed at how a Smart Home works. There is a huge range of products available which makes life easier and safer and they are integrated to varying degrees. In many cases the system is controlled by a smart speaker which is voice integrated systems from e-commerce providers. The irony is that such a system is also known as a Virtual Assistant. Many people already rely on artificial intelligence systems which remind them of appointments, book a restaurant or orders food based on what stock there is, or isn’t, in the smart fridge. I could give many more examples but cannot list them all. The most interesting product I learnt about is a device which releases a scent upon request. Various aromas are available which create the mood required. Because this costs around US $400 I am not interested in buying one, but it would be nice.
Being a Virtual Assistant also teaches me life skills such as managing my time and prioritising. On a typical day I have a routine so that I can do the necessary chores and fit in my client’s work as planned. Of course, there are days when my plans don’t work out and I need to get up early and put in a few hours before breakfast. At other times I work late into the night, but the work gets done and I meet my deadlines.
Learning new life skills
What I have also learnt is that I can be disciplined as well as flexible. I perform better when I don’t allow myself to feel stressed. There is no manager or colleague anxiously hovering over my desk, breaking my concentration and slowing my down. I have also learnt how to manage my family’s needs and we are all more organised as a result.
The new technology I have been exposed has opened my eyes to the wealth of products which I would never have known about. My confidence has grown as a result.
Because clients rely on their assistant for help it is also important that I acquire skills and learn how to use new technology. There are many, many options for learning on the internet – YouTube, online courses and help forums are some examples. If I cannot manage, there is always the team at VA Connect who can point me in the right direction.
by Karen Wessels | Jun 29, 2018 | Entrepreneur, Virtual Assistant
What You Can Expect When Joining The Virtual Assistant World
Back in 2008 the world of Virtual Assistance looked very different to what it does today. Being in the thick of things in the VA industry in South Africa, I’ve had the privilege of witnessing first-hand how this industry has matured and evolved over time.
It’s taken the South African market a very long time to warm up to the idea of hiring someone outside of the office to do their admin for them. Yet, over the last year and a bit the Virtual Assistant market has exploded! South African businesspeople cannot get enough of the VA industry and international business people are seeking the services of SA Virtual Assistants. It’s beautiful to see!
Thanks to this growth I’ve been able to establish Africa’s largest and most successful managed Virtual Assistant Agency. It’s my absolute pleasure to work with such amazing clients and VA’s alike! My passion is to help others and through our agency we are able to connect people from all over the globe. Our clients love us, and well, yes our VA’s love us too!
So, if you are new to the VA world, either starting out on your own or wanting to join an established outfit, you probably have a few questions around what to expect.
In this post I’m going to take you, the potential VA (whether independent or not), through what it’s like to join a Virtual Assistant Agency from the Agency Owner’s perspective.
Here’s what to expect when joining my team
Expectation Management
It is important that you note : This is not a salaried job. As a Virtual Assistant in South Africa you are seen as an independent contractor. Because you are not employed you are solely responsible for your own taxes, medical aid, insurance, office equipment, and so forth. If you’re going at this alone, know that you are an entrepreneur, running your own business, managing your business finances, strategising your marketing, filling your own sales funnel.
Should you join a VA Agency you can expect to receive agency rates. Many prospective VA’s approach me for work whilst they are working full-time, and they expect that their salary be replaced by VA work. You and I know that it does not work this way. Virtual Assistant rates, whether you are working for us or for yourself, is calculated very differently to a salaried job.
You are expected to hustle daily, to find clients, and keep your sales funnel filled at all times. As a VA Agency owner it is my job to do that, taking this part of the responsibility off your shoulders.
The marketing of the agency and doing international outreach falls under my watch. You in turn are expected to treat each client with the utmost respect, offering them invaluable support and ensuring that they thrive within their environment with the help of your savvy admin support.
Have the right attitude
Skills can be taught, attitude cannot. I’m a firm believer in this, which is why I think CV’s aren’t a true reflection of one’s capabilities. You can have the right attitude and not at all the skills required to do the task. However, because your attitude is right you will be willing to learn and upskill yourself.
Tools of the trade
Every job comes with certain skills requirement and being a Virtual Assistant is no different. There are a myriad of online tools and apps that will help you do your work better. Not only that, your client may request of you to use a certain CRM software or project management system. Do the research on the most popular types of apps for CRM, lead pages, project management, communication, email marketing, social media scheduling and so forth, and get yourself acquainted as far as you can. It will look good and certainly count in your favour when you are being interviewed as a prospective VA.
What are some of the tools we like to use?
- Slack : communications tool
- Trello : project / task management software
- Toggl : time recording software
- Zoom : conference calls / video calls / webinars
- Xero : online invoicing system
- Vtiger : CRM (Customer Relationship Management software)
- Social Pilot : social scheduling and analytics
- Google Analytics : social media and website analytics
Interview like a pro
It’s one thing to be presentable on paper, quite another in an interview. I’ve had the privilege this past week of conducting many prospective client / prospective VA interviews and the one thing that is pertinent – I need to help you improve your interview skills! This is your opportunity to “sell” yourself, give the client a reason to work with you, and not a reason to not choose you.
I can only do so much selling over the initial sales period with the client, punting our services, and truly bringing across how amazing my team is (you have been hand picked after all!), however, if you don’t come across as being strong or assertive or sure of your trade in the interview, well, then my pre-sales work becomes null and void.
Let’s get ourselves upskilled in presenting our brands better, whether online, on paper or in person!
Excuses are not allowed
#noexcuses I think that says it all. To clarify, I don’t accept excuses, not from myself, not from team. Either you can or you cannot. Both are choices. It’s my job to push you out of your comfort zone. And I shall do so daily. Why? Because I want to see you succeed. I want every person I’m surrounded by to be successful and to be the best that they can be.
Bringing it together
Love what you do, do what you love. I certainly do! I’m loving this entrepreneurial journey and my Virtual Assistant Agency truly brings me joy and fulfillment. I want you to experience the same thing. I want you to be excited to “come to work” every day.
We have crafted this business over 10 years. We have aligned ourselves with the right energies when it comes to both clients and our Virtual Assistants. When this is aligned it means one thing : that together we can be great. It means that we’re not working against each other, that we want to share our knowledge and see every team member be successful.
Here’s to you, our fabulous Virtual Assistants in South Africa!
by VA Connect | Jun 28, 2018 | Entrepreneur, Virtual Assistant
How to pick your perfect Virtual Assistant
Picking the perfect VA for you is a stressful process, as it is not the same as choosing your “in-house” Assistant. You basically, most probably won’t ever “meet” your VA.
Here are a few tips to help you through the process.
Before you can start with “advertising” the position, you need to have the following information ready – maybe write it down.
1. First things first, what do you want your VA to do?
What tasks do you need the VA to do? In this list include everything, from sending emails to bigger projects such as bookkeeping.
Also prioritise the tasks. Number these projects, what is most important to less important.
Are these tasks time sensitive? Are they ongoing or once-off projects?
2. How many hours are you looking for?
This can depend on your budget, so make sure you know what that is. Does the VA work full-time or part-time? Is he available evenings and weekends (if that’s when you work)? What time zone is the VA located in? While I have nothing against part-time VAs, I found I needed someone who was available during my full-time working hours.
What type of person should the Virtual Assistant be? This is something big to think about. Do you want the VA to be organized, should the VA be super friendly…al these things will influence your decision. If you are not sure, think about the type of work the VA will be doing for you. If the VA is going to call your clients the VA needs to be super friendly. If the VA has to do some bookkeeping, being thorough would be important.
3. What kind of experience does the Virtual Assistant need?
Experience… one of the GREAT thing about VA’s are that they usually a lot of experience. VA’s mostly have more than one client and does various things for these clients. So when thinking of experience, you need to determine how long the VA has been doing this type of work. While it’s helpful to know how long she has been a VA or an administrative assistant, it’s more important to learn how long she has done the tasks that you want her to do. She may have done them for a previous employer for many years. There’s always a bit of a learning curve as a VA learns your particular business, but you shouldn’t be paying for her to learn new skills unless they’re unique to you and your business.
4. Tech skills required
A very important thing to think about is Tech skills because you are hiring a VA – everything is Virtual. The VA you are looking for will either know the software you are working on OR be a quick learner on tech.
Once you have figured out,
What the VA will be doing
What the required skills are
How many hours the VA will be working
…you then can start searching for the perfect VA. Virtual Assistant Companies are perfect, absolutely perfect.
WHY? They have Virtual Assistant lined up for you and they usually have a full list of what their VA’s can do, what skills they currently have. SO you will have a variety to choose from, and they will speed up the process.
