>photo © 2008 Andres Rueda | more info (via: Wylio)As a VA your time is money. Do you charge for all of your time spent with a client? How much time are you spending on emails for clients and not including that towards charged hours? I hear from some VA’s that aren’t charging for phone calls with clients and that is a definite no-no.
I lowered my hourly fee a few months ago and I was immediately disappointed. I started losing money even though I was busier. …

As a service provider, online marketing is a necessary part of your business. Without it, you risk running out of customers and will lack the ability to grow your business. Unfortunately, many service providers are so busy providing their services that they overlook the crucial step of marketing.
While it’s understandable that it’s difficult to put the time in to market your business when you’re already so busy, it’s important to keep in mind that it is exactly this marketing that will help you stay in business.
Here are a …

Telecommuting, mobile offices or virtual work offers a host of advantages to both employees and businesses. Employees can set their own schedule and pace, work when they are most productive, and enjoy independence and autonomy. For businesses, mobile offices cut costs and broaden the potential labor pool exponentially and can subcontract the work instead of having as many employees.
But virtual workers can encounter a number of pitfalls as well. Some common mistakes include:
1) Infrequent communication and socializing. The mobile office employee misses out on the camaraderie fostered by daily interactions …

Most business owners experience a creative block at one time or another.  Um most?  Yes, I’ll let you know, it’s going to happen some time down the road. It’s not uncommon, but it can be very damaging to your business if it lasts for too long. Whether you’re a writer, virtual assistant, or marketer, creative blocks quickly turn into stumbling blocks and stop you from doing your best.
Here are a few tips to help you eliminate creative blocks from your business:
#1 – Take a break. It may seem counter-productive, but …

Guilty, I’ll own it. I even have part of my business as a totally local biz, but I still don’t remember to convert all my advertising to being local.
Sometimes being online keeps my head thinking only online. I am a VA, but why does that have to be strictly virtual? Why wouldn’t some local small businesses want a contractor to help them get a newsletter out, manage a mailing list, set up their website, or any number of details that a small business can’t get …

Marketing is something many virtual workers struggle with. They know that they can do the job at hand but often face difficulty in passing on the message that they are available, ready and willing to do the task.
If you’re a virtual assistant, writer, web designer or other virtual worker, these marketing tactics will help you find and keep clients.
#1 – Work on what you have. If you currently have a client (or more), maximize what you currently have before looking for new clients. Let your clients know that you’re …

The more I VA the more I learn. Isn’t that the way with every job/profession though? I have learned a lot in the last 4 months and not all of it has been good. But, I am bound and determined to learn from the experiences no matter what.
At this time I have learned that I need to stick more heavily to my niche. I want to work exclusively with the wahmcart shopping cart for product management and doing blog management and promotion in wordpress. Yes, …

Tips for Starting your Home-Based Service Business
The current trend is towards more home-based businesses. They require lower overhead and startup money making them easier for entrepreneurs with limited fund. If you are thinking about starting a home-based service business, here are a few tips for getting started on the right foot.
What is a service business?
Service businesses are those that provide help to others. This can be anything from mowing the lawn to managing business accounts. The basis of a successful service business is one that supplies a need. In your …