|
Viewing 1 - 4 out of 4 Blogs.
Marketing and Branding your VA Business Marketing and Branding is all about getting you and your business known to the World. It is your Business’ image and what customers & clients will see and think about when they see your Business around. Will they be thinking “oh I need that for my businesses” or will they be screwing up their lip at the thought of your Business? So how important is it? Branding increases public awareness. A Business needs to create a brand that people trust and are familiar with. It is about the reputation behind your Business name and logo. When you see the Big Gold M, what do you think of? When you see a Letter “F” that is surrounded by Blue, what do you think of? (Facebook). This is exactly what successful Branding is. How do these people market to you and others? You already know the answer to that. So how exactly do you start Marketing and Branding YOUR Business? Have a Business logo. I am at fault here myself and did not have a logo for quite some time. At first I used a Banner for my Business. It was a GREAT Banner (thanks to Anne at Banner Bitz), but it wasn’t a logo. Consistency is important as well. Use the same colours and themes on all your Business Stationary and website. I have always had purple on my website and in my banners so this has been consistent, but my look hadn’t been. Big Mistake. People like constancy and once they get used to something, it sticks in their heads. When they think of your Business, you want that thought to relate to thoughts of success, reliability, efficiency and most of all a Business they can count on. So, start with getting your Business a Logo. I have recently had my Logo completed by NattyJane Designs. (www.nattyjanedesigns.com.au)Fantastic outcome and a great Business all round. Make sure your logo represents what you do. With my logo, which you can be viewed on my website, you can see that there is a @ symbol as the “a” in my name D@wson, which makes you think about computers. There is also an image of a mouse, not the squeak kind, but the kind you use with your computer. These are 2 images that I wanted in my logo as it represented what I predominately did in Business. You need to think about who you are trying to target most importantly. Is it mums, business owners, males, females or even a certain age? Marketing I will start by saying that Marketing is such an enormous subject, that it would take a long time to write about everything to do with Marketing. I will cover what will assist you in starting your new Business. Marketing is everything that you do to put your product or service in front of clients and customers. It includes all your public relations and how you put yourself and your product out there. Marketing your Virtual Assistant business could include web development and your website, Blogging, Social Media Marketing such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, Branding (as mentioned above), Affiliate and SEO Online marketing and of course in person marketing. You could use all or just one of these. I would recommend implementing a couple of marketing strategies. Marketing is an ongoing process that needs updating all the time. The way you market to your customers and clients will depend on what is happening in the Business world at that time. For example, right now Facebook is the ‘in thing’ and one massive contribution to marketing at the moment. Facebook recently implemented changes that in turn will benefit every Business who uses it. I can safely say that 70% of my clientele are from Facebook. Any small business would be potentially losing, or not gaining the same amount of business than a competitor on Facebook. Of course, Facebook is defintely not the only way to market your Business. I am sure you would love to advertise on the TV or Radio or Magazines, but to most of us this is not an option. We have to start small and build our Business from the ground. Networking is another great way of marketing you business. I am not saying to go to these events and try to hand out your business cards and info to anyone that will listen (and don’t want to listen). You need to build relationships with these people and build up trust (going back to branding). Become known to people and the marketing of your business will come naturally. There are many small business groups in your area; I’m sure ones you didn’t even know about. Start with your local Chamber, perhaps become a member and attend a few events. I myself have also attended a few Women in Business events, and of course being a Work at Home Mum (WAHM), I have attended many networking events with other WAHM’s. This is a great opportunity to meet others in a similar situation. Advertising Materials are important. As mentioned above, get yourself a great logo that represents you and your business, then get some Business Cards and perhaps some Flyers or Brochures designed. Hand them out to your friends and family, even ex colleagues and let them work their magic. Always have these on hand. You just never know who you could offer your services to. Check out www.vistaprint.com.au for some great deals on printing materials. As I said, these are just a few small ways to help start your marketing and branding in your Business. Remember to start small and build your way up. Remember, by 2015 people will be asking not ‘What is a Virtual Assistant’ but ‘Who is your Virtual Assistant. Erin Dawson
Dawson Documents- Virtual Assistant
www.dawsondocuments.com.au
erin@dawsondocuments.com
www.facebook.com/dawsondocumentsva Erin Dawson runs Dawson Documents- Virtual Assistant as a home based Business. She has 2 children that take priority over her work (and a husband to look after as well), though her Clients are always not far behind. She assists Businesses with their Administration needs and works until the Client's tasks are fulfilled. To have a look at what Erin offers her clients, feel free to che
Tags: VA Virtual Assistant Marketing Branding
Now What? Where are the Clients? Ok so you are over the overwhelming feeling of starting out in your Business, but where are the clients? It will take some time to build up a relationship with customers and clients, but start small and work your way up. When I first started in my Business, I asked Family and Friends. Yes I said start small. You never know who they may know and knowing a friend of a friend could work in your favour. I suggest writing a template that introduces you and your services remembering to put in WHY people should use a Virtual Assistant, but more importantly, why they should use YOU. This can be something you keep for new clients or even when replying to adverts of jobs that may be advertised. You will need to Market yourself. This may be hard, as I still find it hard to write about myself, but it is something you will have to overcome if you want to be successful in your Business. Press Release
A press release is a great way and huge opportunity to get your Business out there. You can have a go yourself, but as I mentioned before, I am not great writing about me, so when I first started out, I went to a PR Specialist and had a Press Release written for me. If you want to view an example of mine, please let me know and I can email that through to you. Once you have your press release, release it. Send it on to all your local newspapers and printed sources relating to your field of Business. When I did this, I was featured in WA Business News, had numerous calls and jobs booked in. I gained a long term client out of this who I am still working with to this day, so it does work. You can also pay a professional service to distribute your Press Release. Networking
Networking- is the process of establishing a mutually beneficial relationship with other business people and potential clients and/or customers. I would have to say that Networking is the BIGGEST way to get you and your business out there. It is so successful that around 80% of my clientele comes from networking. This can be online or in person. The purpose of networking is to basically increase your Business. I have found that people like to get to know who they are working with before they use me as their Virtual Assistant. This is fine by me as I love to know my clients and what they do for their Business, before assisting them with it. Here is a list of some great networking websites: http://www.facebook.com/
www.linkedin.com/
www.twitter.com/
Forums
http://www.hiremymum.com.au/
http://www.wahmnetwork.com.au/forum/
http://www.homebasedbusiness.sbdc.com.au/forum/default.asp/
http://connect2mums.com.au/
http://www.virtualassistantforums.com/
http://businesswomenunite.net/forums/
http://www.youngbusinessnetwork.sbdc.com.au/
http://ygenclub.com/ Of course not all of these websites may be of interest or relevance to you, but these are the websites that I use and have been beneficial to my Business. It is easy enough to find websites to network on that are for you and your business; it is just about taking the time to look for the ones that work for you. You can also join Business groups in your area and attend get togethers, courses and events with these groups. Most allow you to attend without being a member, so try before you buy and experiment with the groups. Here are a couple that could interest you. http://www.womensnetwork.com.au/
http://www.businesswomenconnect.com.au/ Remember with Business you also need to find time for YOU. So a great site and club to be a part of is www.thepinkbookclub.com.au/ . This is networking on a different level. This is a group dedicated to woman finding time for themselves and although it is not business related, always remember where ever you are; you are always representing your Business. You will always have your ‘Business cap’ on, even when you do not realise it. Never miss an opportunity to let people know what you do, of course within reason. You just never know where people you meet can lead you. Newsletters
Newsletters are also a great way to tell people what you do and what you can do for them and more importantly, why they should use or buy your product. I have to admit; I did stop doing a Newsletter for a few months and recently started this back up again and I am so glad that I did. I list New Services that I have recently added to my website, news and information about the Industry and I also feature non related information to keep the newsletter interesting. Here are some websites that I would recommend for Newsletters www.mailchimp.com.au/
www.constantcontact.com.au/ Something NEW and Different
Another great way of marketing yourself is in Video. Why not use video when talking about your business or what you can do? A business friend of mine recently launched her new Business, Zigma Web Design. One of her Services that I think will take the Industry by storm is Video Business Cards. It is still very new , but will soon catch on and when something like this does come up and presents itself as a great way to promote you, jump on and take the ride. You can view examples of what Mary-Lou can do on her website http://www.zigma-web-design.com/ Advertising
Advertising your business is yet another way to get your Business out there. Instead of placing an advert for a job, place an advert for potential clients. Julie from Arrowood Agency advertises on Gumtree, an online advertising Directory and says “I get quite a few responses allowing me to choose from a couple of different projects , fortunately I haven’t had to advertise for awhile now as I was able to get a couple of good contracts to keep me going”. If you take the time to add your Business to online directory’s and advertising websites, it will pay off. You can also team up with Businesses in your industry and do link exchanges on websites and even Newsletter swaps. My Opinion
My opinion is that at the moment, online Networking is so huge, that if you are not doing it, then you are crazy and seriously missing out on many potential leads.
Facebook is at the top of online marketing tools. Business Pages are so popular, that many Businesses are finding that this is where many of their new clients are coming from. I recently read an article on WAHM Biz Success called ‘Facebook? You’re Mad If You Don’t’ and everything in here is so true, you are mad if you don’t. Facebook is a powerful marketing tool, and many people are still unaware of this. So if you have a Business, jump onboard and begin by making a Facebook Business Page. There are many other ways of gaining clients and I think the one thing that you must remember is, you are your Business, and no other person is better at representing it that the person that knows the most about it, You. Remember, by 2015 people will be asking not ‘What is a Virtual Assistant’ but ‘Who is your Virtual Assistant. Erin Dawson
Dawson Documents- Virtual Assistant
www.dawsondocuments.com.au
erin@dawsondocuments.com
www.facebook.com/dawsondocumentsva Erin Dawson runs Dawson Documents- Virtual Assistant as a home based Business. She has 2 children that take priority over her work (and a husband to look after as well), though her Clients are always not far behind. She assists Businesses with their Administration needs and works until the Client's tasks are fulfilled. To have a look at what Erin offers her clients, feel free to check out the links below.
What you Need and Getting Started Ok, so you want to be a Virtual Assistant (VA) but that’s as far as you have gotten so far? Read on and this may assist you in starting your business and completing those next couple of vital steps. When I started out with Dawson Documents, I was so overwhelmed with what I needed to do, to actually start working. Before I even thought about a client or completing work, there was so much more I had to do. Research plays an important part in starting any Business. You need to be aware of what else is out there, exactly what they are offering, why they are offering it and what they are doing to get themselves known. You will need to know all of this and be clear with what YOU want to offer and what YOU want to achieve from your own Business. Google (www.google.com.au) of course is the number 1 search engine, so start searching. After doing your research you will find that some say the Virtual Assistant industry has become so popular because it helps women become entrepreneurs yet also achieves a work/life balance. This is just one reason I became a VA. You have completed your research and you have your Business name, now what? As mentioned in the First Article ‘I Want to Be a VA’, start by getting an ABN. It is a great idea to get your Business Name registered for Tax Reasons and to ensure the Business name you want is available. As much as no one likes to admit, there are people out there that will copy what you are doing. You will experience this some way or another in Business. You can register your ABN here www.abr.business.gov.au So you have your Business name, your ABN, do you know what you want to offer? Another option you have is to consult a Business Coach. There are many around and they all offer different services. A Business Coach Company I am working with at the moment is Enever Consulting (www.eneverconsulting.com.au), and this is just one from many available to you. Websites- the World Wide Web is a most important part of your Business. Your website will convey what you do and what you can offer your clients. You can build a website, or get one made for you. My opinion would be to give it a go, especially if funds are an issue to start with. A great option is webs.com. You can utilise and build on the free option and once you are ready to go live with your Website, pay the monthly membership to get the bonus features and to also eliminate other advertising banners on your page. Please feel free to ask questions regarding this. Two others great website builders are www.webcitypro.com (there is a fee for this though check out for free with the trial period) and www.wordpress.org. You then also need to purchase a domain name to match your Business name. You have the option to purchase a.com or a .com.au name. Being in Australia I decided with the .com.au (www.dawsondocuments.com.au) Looking back now I should have purchased both as recently after completing a Google search, I had seen that someone has brought and is now using the .com option, so my advice would be to purchase both. You can get a domain name for as little as $12 per year. Again, you can shop around. A couple of websites for domain names are www.crazydomains.com.au, www.cheapdomains.com.au, www.godaddy.com and www.webcity.com.au. So what is everyone else doing? There are many Resources out there for VA’s. A good place to start is by checking out the Virtual Assistant Forums located on the Internet. Become a member, ask questions and familiarise yourself with what other VA’s are doing. Here are a couple of my recommendations: www.virtualassistantforums.com/
www.vanetworking.com
www.virtualassistantnetworking.com Set Your Prices What are you going to offer your clients? You need to be very clear about this. What will you offer and how much will you charge. When I first started my prices were lower compared to now- though I have kept them quite low as I know how hard it can be in Business and if a business needs to outsource, I love nothing more than for them to turn to me (outsource) and I like to keep things affordable for others in similar situations. Make a list of what you can offer your clients and a price for your Services. You can charge by the hour, use retainer packages or charge by the task completed; this is purely your choice. Most clients are likely to hire Virtual Assistants because 1) they can save money by hiring a VA for a task rather than paying for a full time staff member 2) The job can be completed more quickly than if they were to complete it themselves and 3) they simply do not have the time, resources or knowledge to complete the task at hand. A Virtual Assistant pays for their own equipment, utilities, superannuation and joke or not, coffee so it is a far more economical solution for a Business to hire a VA. Again, remember to start small and work your way up. How much time are you going to spend on your new Business? All people who work from home in their own Business decide to do so for their own reasons. One big reason being that they want to be at home with their children so deciding how much time you are going to spend on your Business is important, not only for you, but for your family. My priority is my family (I have 2 children and a Husband that I could sometimes call my third child) and they always come first, before my Business. I work around them, which means scheduling my work time around mostly my 3 year old Social life. Sometimes I think he has a better Social life than me. Setting a routine and sticking to it is important, if you don’t, you may find yourself drowning before you have even started, so make it simple for yourself from the start. Do you have the right equipment?
When I started out I had just an old computer, and that was all I had. I now have a laptop so I can take my work away with me (yes I went to Bali last year and took my laptop). I have since upgraded the Computer and Laptop, have a Printer to keep up with paperwork and am now building a new house just to get my own home office. Ok so the new house just isn’t for me, but having your own workspace is important. When running a Virtual Assistant Business it is important to keep your organisation up to date and always practice what you preach. Now you have started, you are on your way to having your own Virtual Assistant business. Where are the clients you ask? Next article I will go through and suggest the best ways of getting your clients and marketing your Business. Remember, by 2015 people will be asking not ‘What is a Virtual Assistant’ but ‘Who is your Virtual Assistant.’ Erin Dawson
Dawson Documents- Virtual Assistant
www.dawsondocuments.com.au
erin@dawsondocuments.com
www.facebook.com/dawsondocumentsva Erin Dawson runs Dawson Documents- Virtual Assistant as a home based Business. She has 2 children that take priority over her work 9and a husband to look after as well), though her Clients are always not far behind. She assists Businesses with their Administration needs and works until the Client's tasks are fulfilled. To have a look at what Erin offers her clients, feel free to check out the links above.
Tags: Virtual Assistant Work From Home Wahm Dawson Documents
I want to be a VA! According to articles on msn.com, a Virtual Assistant (VA) business is one of the hottest home-based businesses going around. A Virtual Assistant can be something every business needs, the costs are low to start, and although some businesses need to be educated on how a Virtual Assistant works, and why they benefit their company, once they know how to use a VA- they would most likely never go back to hiring a Staff Member. There are many things to consider if you do decide to start your own Virtual Assistant business. This series of 5 Articles will help you understand just what it takes to be a VA. I will tell you what you need to get started, give you the resources that you need, what to do once you have started, how to get those clients, how to market and brand your Business and how to keep your business going. First of all, what is a Virtual Assistant? A Virtual Assistant is much like your office employee, though can be more beneficial to your company. The services provided by a Virtual Assistant are done so from their own office. Hiring a Virtual Assistant is an asset to any company. They can save time, stress and help build your company to where you want it to be. Virtual: pertaining to a conceptual, rather than physical presence. Assistant: a person who contributes to the fulfilment of a need or furtherance of an effort or purpose. I have been running my business as a Virtual Assistant (VA) for just under 2 years now. I have received many emails from ladies from all walks of life. Some are working and want a change but most are Mums who are at home with their Children, wanting something more than to just be at home looking after the children. The emails I have received all follow in the same direction- to one Question- ‘How do I become a VA?' Is it as simple as me saying 'you go- you can do it.' My answer is: Yes you can, BUT, do you have the skills, passion, patience and support to do so? First off, having the experience and knowledge of Administration is something you must have. My past employment included working in Administration and Human Resources, so I had the skills to be a VA. I also have completed several Certificates at TAFE including a Diploma in Business, which also teaches the relevant skills needed for on the job. If you have not completed courses this may be an option and you may like to visit: www.tafe.wa.edu.au, www.tafe.sa.edu.au, www.tafe.vic.gov.au, www.tafe.qld.gov.au, www.tafensw.edu.au, www.cdu.edu.au (NT). If you have the communication skills, experience and knowledge, then you are half way there. You then will have to decide if you just want to subcontract out to other Virtual Assistants or go with the option of starting your own business. Links to Sub Contract VA Work:
www.asecretary.com.au, www.indeed.com.au
To start your own business you will need to consider: Business Plan: www.business.gov Business Name: Something that relates to your Business and You. I chose Dawson Documents as Dawson is my Surname and Documents covers a very wide range of services I can provide. I also added ‘Virtual Assistant’ to the name so it really defines what I do. Website: There are many website builders and options out there. Finding the right one for you can take some time, but once you do, you will be grateful for the time spent looking for it. Of course you can always hire a VA to complete your website and of course there are many Web Designers out there. If you need some options, please let me know and I can assist with this though I will cover this Article ‘What You Need- Getting Started'. Email and Contact Number: It is so important to brand your business. A Business email shows professionalism and people are generally more trustworthy of a business email. For example dawsondocuments@bigpond.com is less professional than erin@dawsondocuments.com.au. Again, there are many options out there; you really can’t afford not to have your own business email. What services will you provide? You need to decide who your target market will be and what you can offer them. Be firm about what you offer. If you find you want to offer more to your clients, there are many courses out in the www that you can take-up. Many Virtual Assistants have a Niche: Real Estate, Legal. Accounting etc ABN: You can go here www.abr.business.gov.au and Register your Business Name and get an ABN for Free. Lastly there are some great VA Forums out there you can join to gain knowledge and get started if that is what you wish to do. So that is ‘Getting Started’. In this 5 Part Series I will go over what else you need to get started in your VA Business and Answer any questions that you may have which I will also incorporate into the Series. Remember, by 2015 people will be asking not ‘What is a Virtual Assistant’ but ‘Who is your Virtual Assistant.’ Erin Dawson runs Dawson Documents- Virtual Assistant as a home based Business. She has 2 children that take priority over her work 9and a husband to look after as well), though her Clients are always not far behind. She assists Businesses with their Administration needs and works until the Client's tasks are fulfilled. To have a look at what Erin offers her clients, feel free to check out the links below. Erin Dawson
Dawson Documents- Virtual Assistant
www.dawsondocuments.com.au
erin@dawsondocuments.com
www.facebook.com/dawsondocumentsva
Tags: Virtual Assistant Workfrom Home VA Dawson Documents
|
