Tag: virtual assistant services

VA Interview: Marie Fitzgibbons – Deadline Met Virtual Assistant Services

Posted on by Sue L Canfield

I first met Marie online just before she left her corporate job to launch her virtual assistant business full time. From the moment we connected I was impressed with Marie’s spirit and obvious passion to help other people.

Marie Fitzgibbons - Deadline Met VA

1. When did you start your business?

Well, I started putting things in motion August 2009, officially opened for business February 1, 2010, and dove in full-time (leaving a corporate job of 7 years) on April 1, 2010.

2. Why did you choose to become a Virtual Assistant?

I was finished with being undervalued and underpaid by my employer. Owning my own business had been a dream of mine for a long time and after facing several disappointments at my corporate job that culminated in utter frustration last July (2009), I started researching my options. I knew I wanted to work from a home office, I knew what I was good at and I knew what I enjoyed doing … when I discovered the VA industry, it just clicked. I’m a helper by nature, and I love being in a support role and seeing those I support succeed. Being a Virtual Assistant would bring all the things I needed and wanted together into my dream career! I knew that I would work harder than I ever had, but I’ve always felt that I would be better off working 12 hours a day for myself than 8 for someone else in an unfulfilling, boring job.

I’ve only been out on my own for a few months, but I can already tell you that I feel like I have the best job in the world. Even on the difficult days, I would not trade it for anything. My goal is to be a VA until I retire at 55 and to never again be anyone’s employee.

3. What advice would you give new and aspiring VAs?

Network, network, and network some more! Join Virtual Assistant Networking Association (VANA), FindVirtual, VA Forums, IVAA, and any other VA networking sites that work for you and get active on their forums. The VA industry is the most supportive, friendly industry I’ve ever had the pleasure to be a part of and you can learn so much from your fellow VAs who have been around the block a time or two. I started hanging out at VANetworking in August 2009 and I can honestly say that if has been like going to school to be a VA. I’ve made some great online friends, met VAs who live in my area, found a local VA group to provide friendship and support, and got connected with my first 3 clients from networking with other VAs.

Face-to-face networking at live networking events is also very important. The majority of your business will come from networking (online and off) and word of mouth/referrals. I highly recommend joining local small business and entrepreneur-focused networking groups. A great place to find networking groups in your area is www.meetup.com. Its free and easy to use.

Mentoring and coaching is also critical to a VA’s success. You need to have the support of someone who has been there, someone who will help you identify your strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities that you may not be aware of. A good coach and mentor will also give advice and criticism in an honest, helpful and friendly way, and be there when you need to vent.

4. What resources have helped you in your business? Forums, blogs, coaching, books?

Like I said, the VANA forums have been an amazing resource and I follow several VA and VA Coach blogs (Virtual Moxie, The Gritty VA, Chief Virtual Officer’s Blog to name a few). I also get a lot out of the group coaching calls that you and Joel host. I’ve been able to apply things I’ve learned on those calls right away with my prospects and clients and, because funds and time are tight for me right now (that’s how it is when you’re a start-up!) the calls are ideal for me. Eventually, I’ll have the resources to spend more time with a coach (I’ll probably be hitting you up for that when the time comes, Sue!) but until then, the coaching calls are a perfect fit!

5. Share a success story or something about yourself.

Well, I consider my journey in getting my VA business started to be my biggest success story so far, so I’ll leave it at that. A few things about me that not many people know are that I was once in an improv comedy group, I had another small business on the side a few years ago in which I designed and sewed one of a kind clothing and accessory items on eBay, and once upon a time I was a social work major at CSULB!

6. Additional comments you’d like to share.

I truly enjoy knowing you, Sue, and I love your coaching group!

Marie’s contact information:
Marie Fitzgibbons, Deadline Met Virtual Assistant Services
Website: http://www.deadlinemet.com
Blog: Do not have one yet … soon!
Twitter: http://twitter.com/DeadlineMetVA
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/deadline.met
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/deadlinemet

Group Coaching Preview Call Recording

Posted on by Joel D Canfield

We are launching group coaching calls and had a preview call to discuss the details on April 6th. We discussed the benefits of group coaching, the topics we would discuss in upcoming calls, when the calls will take place and how to get questions answered if you can’t make the live calls.

You can listen to the 40-minute call right here.

Our next call is April 20 and the topic is Marketing Your Virtual Assistant Services. Register for the call and be entered into the drawing to win a free copy of John Jantsch’s book, Duct Tape Marketing.

Cheap Versus Quality and Consistency

Posted on by Sue L Canfield
You’ve set your rates as a virtual assistant and then are contacted by a prospect who wonders if you’ll work for $4-$10 per hour. You know there is no way you can cover your costs for such a low hourly rate. But how can you explain to a prospect why your rate is so much more and why they still may want to use your services?
I’ve talked with quite a few clients and prospects who tried the $4-$10 per hour services and then decided to use a professional virtual assistant instead. The two main reasons they chose to use a professional virtual assistant instead are quality and consistency.
The cheaper service providers don’t usually offer the same quality of service that a professional virtual assistant can provide. Small business people are looking for someone who not only can do the tasks assigned, but that can also add value. A professional virtual assistant can do this by doing additional research and making recommendations.
One client said, “My only previous experience is with assistants that just did what I told them to, but contributed very little input and really didn’t add any value.”
That client needed an email marketing tool and had just signed up with one of the email management services. Before we got started on the project I spoke with the client and asked enough questions to find out that the particular service he had signed up for was not going to meet his needs. I offered to do some research and make recommendations on what would work best for his needs.
After we found the right service for his business, this same client said, “I just love having an assistant that is knowledgeable and gives thoughtful consideration to our projects.”
The other complaint business people had about the cheaper services was consistency. They didn’t feel they always were working with the same person or getting the same level of service from each person. The availability of the service was inconsistent.
Now there may be times when using the cheaper services is right. Each person will need to make their own determination on that. I thought of something in my life to use as an example. Have you ever been to one of those stores where everything is only $1? I have too. In fact, there are many times when buying something there really cheap is just what I need. For example, I homeschool my five-year old. At these stores I can buy all kinds of workbooks, stickers, pencils, glue, etc. for my five-year old to use in school projects. These projects aren’t going to be saved in the Smithsonian. It also doesn’t really matter if one week I go there and buy a pack of consruction paper but the next week they don’t have any. It seems that these stores are cheap but they don’t necessarily have a consistent stock of items.
But let’s say I need a quality gift. I could spend $5 at the cheap store and pick up several little gifts that might be fun to give to my five-year old. But would I buy a quality gift there to give to my friend as a going away present? No! I would go to a store where I could find something of quality, though I would expect to pay more, of course.
Then there’s the inconsistency at these cheaper stores. I may be able to find the construction paper I want for a school project one week and then it’s not there the next week. So if I really needed construction paper on a weekly basis, I’d be less inclined to go to the cheaper store because I wouldn’t be sure I could always find it. I’d be more inclined to go to the local office supply store where they always have the paper I need.
So perhaps there is a time where using a cheaper service is the right choice. For the most part, though, business persons have found that paying a higher rate for a professional virtual assistant is the right choice because they get the quality and consistency they need.

You’ve set your rates as a virtual assistant and then are contacted by a prospect who wonders if you’ll work for $4-$10 per hour. You know there is no way you can cover your costs for such a low hourly rate. But how can you explain to a prospect why your rate is so much more and why they still may want to use your services?

I’ve talked with quite a few clients and prospects who tried the $4-$10 per hour services and then decided to use a professional virtual assistant instead. The two main reasons they chose to use a professional virtual assistant instead are quality and consistency.

The cheaper service providers don’t usually offer the same quality of service that a professional virtual assistant can provide. Small business people are looking for someone who not only can do the tasks assigned, but that can also add value. A professional virtual assistant can do this by doing additional research and making recommendations.

One client said, “My only previous experience is with assistants that just did what I told them to, but contributed very little input and really didn’t add any value.”

That client needed an email marketing tool and had just signed up with one of the email management services. Before we got started on the project I spoke with the client and asked enough questions to find out that the particular service he had signed up for was not going to meet his needs. I offered to do some research and make recommendations on what would work best for his needs.

After we found the right service for his business, this same client said, “I just love having an assistant that is knowledgeable and gives thoughtful consideration to our projects.”

The other complaint business people had about the cheaper services was consistency. They didn’t feel they always were working with the same person or getting the same level of service from each person. The availability of the service was inconsistent.

Now there may be times when using the cheaper services is right. Each person will need to make their own determination on that. I thought of something in my life to use as an example. Have you ever been to one of those stores where everything is only $1? I have too. In fact, there are many times when buying something there really cheap is just what I need. For example, I homeschool my five-year old. At these stores I can buy all kinds of workbooks, stickers, pencils, glue, etc. for my five-year old to use in school projects. These projects aren’t going to be saved in the Smithsonian. It also doesn’t really matter if one week I go there and buy a pack of consruction paper but the next week they don’t have any. It seems that these stores are cheap but they don’t necessarily have a consistent stock of items.

But let’s say I need a quality gift. I could spend $5 at the cheap store and pick up several little gifts that might be fun to give to my five-year old. But would I buy a quality gift there to give to my friend as a going away present? No! I would go to a store where I could find something of quality, though I would expect to pay more, of course.

Then there’s the inconsistency at these cheaper stores. I may be able to find the construction paper I want for a school project one week and then it’s not there the next week. So if I really needed construction paper on a weekly basis, I’d be less inclined to go to the cheaper store because I wouldn’t be sure I could always find it. I’d be more inclined to go to the local office supply store where they always have the paper I need.

So perhaps there is a time where using a cheaper service is the right choice. For the most part, though, business persons have found that paying a higher rate for a professional virtual assistant is the right choice because they get the quality and consistency they need.