The Benefits of Hiring a Tech Virtual Assistant
Hiring a tech virtual assistant (VA) can offer numerous benefits for businesses and individuals looking to streamline their operations and boost productivity. Here are the top 10 benefits of hiring a tech virtual assistant: Cost Savings: VAs are typically more...
Unlocking the Power of a Tech Virtual Assistant: Your Ultimate Business Partner
In today's fast-paced digital world, staying ahead of the competition and efficiently managing your technology needs can be a daunting task. As a business owner or a busy professional, you know the importance of keeping up with the latest tech trends and ensuring that...
Client Case Study – Online Course
The Client I've been working with this client for 18 months. She had been running a series of live webinars and wanted to start selling the recordings for these to generate a passive income. From the success of these, she started developing an online course....
Client Case Study – Retreat Leader Consultancy
The Client This client has been around for a very long time, both in running their own retreat experiences, but also teaching others who to run their own retreats. They came to me because they were stuck after launching an online course. They'd had a couple of...
Client Case Study – Health & Nutrition Expert
The Client I started working with a health expert and nutritionist last summer. She had been running live monthly webinars for a while and was looking to create a passive income by selling the recordings for the webinars, but equally wanted to create a more automated...
What platform should I be using for my business?
“My business coach told me I should be using xxxxxx [Mailchimp, Mailerlite, Active Campaign, Convertkit, Flodesk, Kajabi, Thinkific, Teachable, Kartra - to name a few] and I need help setting it up.” This is how I start working with a lot of my clients. They’ve been...
Why you should be building an engaged list instead of a big one
As a small business, it can become easy to get caught up in the number of contacts on your list. The idea that the bigger the list, the more likely you are to get a sale amongst the thousands of subscribers. But actually, businesses should be striving towards...
Why you should pay ‘more’ and hire an expert
Very recently I collaborated on a Mailchimp project where the client needed a 5 email nurture sequence creating and linking to their Calendly account. The lead VA reached out to me for support but initially I turned the project down because the rate she was offering was too low for me. However, she agreed to increase the rate and commented that I’d probably complete it quicker anyway with being one of my speciality areas.
When the lead VA received my invoice through, she was surprised…
Client Case Study – Michelle Lucherini
Michelle Lucherini is a plug-in Operations Manager who has extensive experience managing large-scale projects and teams. Her aim is all about making sure the right things get done, in the right way and at the right time. I asked Michelle about what life was like and what problems she was encountering before starting to work with a Virtual Assistant, and then I asked her what life has been like since working with me.
I’m Mailchimp certified!
I’ve been using Mailchimp now for the last 4 years and have loved learning more and more about the features and things that I can do in Mailchimp. I also starting offering training sessions and troubleshooting sessions to help clients, as well as Power Hour sessions to make sure clients were getting the most they can out of using Mailchimp.
Well I’m delighted to say that I am now officially Mailchimp certified and have my own badge to go with it…
Winner of PA Life’s Star Award for VA of the Year 2020
What better way to end a strange year than to celebrate winning PA Life’s Star Award for VA of the Year 2020!
I was absolutely delighted to learn that I had won the award.
How to write an SEO ready blog to help your website performance
Blogging for your business is a great way of demonstrating the knowledge and experience you have with potential clients. But it also plays a vital part in the performance and ranking of your website. Using the right keywords and appropriate tags will help increase...
How to create and run your own free email challenge
Email challenges are a great way to quickly grow your email list. In my last blog I shared why you should be running a free challenge for your business. Now I’m going to share how to create your free email challenge… Setting up and running a free challenge does take...
Why you should be running a free email challenge
Free email challenges are popping up everywhere across social media. And there’s a good reason for it. Running a free challenge on a hot topic your audience will love is a great way to grow your email list quickly. If you’re not familiar on the concept of running a...
6 reasons why you should be using email marketing
Think email marketing is dead? Think again. Email marketing is still popular and one of the best ways for building deeper and more meaningful relationships with potential customers and clients. Statista predicts that within 2019, nearly 300 billion emails will...
How to beat procrastination and become productive
Coming from a corporate PA background, productivity and time management was something I had down to a t. So, what better way to celebrate World Productivity Day than write a blog with some of my best tips. BUT, I’ve put a spin on this one and focussing on...
How to save a shed load of time creating your marketing content
Marketing is one of the most time-consuming tasks when it comes to running a business, but it’s necessary for visibility and growth. But it’s also often the first thing that slips when you start to get busy. Even when you have a steady flow of work coming through,...
5 top tips for marketing your small business
Marketing campaigns are vital to the success of your business, no matter whether you’re a one-man band or a large international organisation. But it’s important to have a clear strategy for your marketing campaigns before getting started. Here are my 5 top tips to...
7 ways to market your small business
Marketing is often undervalued when it comes to running a small business. When costs are tight, or you’re lacking in time, it’s the one thing that is pushed back or put off. But the key to running a successful business depends on the marketing. But why is marketing...
GDPR: Why it’s Good for your Mailing List
The majority of small business owners I have spoken to about GDPR are concerned about the impact it will have on marketing their small businesses. Their biggest concern is losing subscribers from their mailing lists if they ask their subscribers to refresh their...
How to deal with mummy guilt
Mummy guilt. Mother’s guilt. At some point we all suffer with it. The overwhelming feeling of guilt. We make a choice that makes us feel we are being selfish. It feels like it’s the best decision, but instantly think of the impact it will have on our children. ...
Mum on a Mission
I’m fast approaching nearly 18 months in business and have been reflecting on my journey so far. So much has changed in such a short space of time. In my blog on my journey to becoming a VA I talk about my motivator for starting my business following the birth of my...
How do I share log in details and passwords with my Virtual Assistant?
Something I am asked a lot by prospective clients is “How do I share log in details and passwords with my Virtual Assistant?”. I don’t work the same as every VA out there, but I know a lot of VAs use, and I personally recommend LastPass to my clients. What is...
How to run your small business around a toddler
I started my business whilst on maternity leave so to me I don’t know any differently. My daughter has grown up around me working and I’ve learnt to adapt as she grows and develops. It often comes as a surprise when others in business compliment me on how well I...
5 reasons you shouldn’t hire a virtual assistant
There are hundreds of reasons why you should be using a virtual assistant. But hiring a VA isn’t for everyone and its important to make sure you and your business are both ready. Here are 5 reasons you shouldn’t hire a virtual assistant. When you don’t want to grow...
Why you should be working with your competition
It may seem a little counterproductive, but there is a lot of value that can come from working with your competition. In the very early days of business I didn’t see a lot of this. Even in some of the specific VA groups, it felt as though everyone was looking out for...
Too busy to outsource?
Are you so busy that you’re feeling a little stressed and wondering how to keep up with demand? Not knowing how you are going to get everything done and keep your customers and clients happy? Do you wish you could outsource some of the work but are so busy you can’t...
Don’t wait until you’re feeling overwhelmed to outsource
Deciding when is the best time to outsource can be difficult. When we are super busy and desperate for some support, we don’t have the time to spend sorting through what we can pass on and giving some initial guidance on what needs doing. But when things are ticking...
New Year Business Planning
Now that we are in the last quarter of the calendar year, it is a good time to start your business planning and thinking about the forthcoming new year. Periodically reviewing your goals and objectives helps to keep your business ticking over, and a chance to take...
Something’s gotta give
Something's gotta give. For mums in business, it is very easy to keep going and pushing, taking more and more on. But the time will come when something’s gotta give. There is only so much we can take on board before something’s gotta give. This happened to me very...
Why are UK virtual assistants so expensive?
Why are UK virtual assistants so expensive? This is a hot topic within the VA community. Even in the UK there is a big difference in what a VA will charge per hour. I’ve lost out of a few clients purely down to costs. They have seen they can get the work done...
How to work with a virtual assistant
How to work with a virtual assistant. When speaking with potential clients, one of the first things they ask is how I operate. How does it work when I’m not based in their office, or even locally to them? Exactly how will they give the work to me? How will I...
How long will it take? 30 Tasks a VA can complete in an hour
How long will it take? This is probably the most frequently asked question when speaking to potential clients. It’s not always easy to determine and there are a lot of factors to consider such as the quality of the brief given, accessibility to resources and...
How to create a suitable home office
Sitting for long periods of time behind a computer can take its toll on your body. Not having the correct posture can result in back pain, knee pain, neck pain, and tingling in your hands and fingers. If you spend a lot of time sitting behind a computer screen, have...
How to fight the loneliness of working from home
During my PA days, I worked in an open plan office where we had over 700 people on site. Being the go to person for our department also meant that I was always on the phone talking to someone or had people approaching me that I would often sit there and wish I had my...
The real life of a mumpreneur – running a business around a toddler
I’ve had mixed views on writing this blog down to the opinion of one; one person who told me I shouldn’t emphasise or mention the fact that I’m working around my 16 month old daughter because it will “put clients off of working with me”. It finally dawned on me a few...
How to effectively prioritise your workload
Prioritising your workload is important to all businesses, no matter the size or industry you are in. It is very easy to become snowed under with the amount of work you need to complete. Having a well-structured approach is key to good time management, will allow...
The basics for optimising your SEO
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) - the process of maximising the number of visitors to a particular website by ensuring that the site appears high on the list of results returned by a search engine. (Source Wikipedia) I am far from an expert when it comes to SEO,...
How to survive the school holidays
For mums who are self employed, the school holidays result in even more juggling around family life, whilst still trying to run a business. As a business owner it’s hard to take time out when your business needs to still be up and running throughout the year. If you...
How to create a website that rocks
With technology being a big part of our everyday lives and having the internet at our finger tips, it’s important not only to have a business website, but to also ensure that it is doing exactly what you need it to. It’s your opportunity to show off your products and...
Can using a virtual assistant really save time and save money?
If you have ever considered using a Virtual Assistant, you have likely come across the claim that using their services will save time and save money. But is it actually true? It’s a big statement to be making when one hand is saying use my services to save money, but...
How to be a Social Media Pro
Social Media has become an integral part of our day to day lives and has fast become part of growing and managing our businesses. It’s a great way to get to know your audience, interact with them, keep customers up to date, as well as an easy way to market your...
How to stop your inbox from managing you
So how do you manage your emails? Are you one of these people who puts off managing their emails until their storage pings up saying there is no space available? Or are you aiming for a zero inbox and making sure your messages are clear by the end of the day? The...
How to be a whizz at filing
Filing is not a fun topic and it is something the majority of people will cringe at the thought of doing. We all put it off until either your paper pile is ready to come tumbling down, or your electronic documents are impossible to find. So how can we reduce the...
5 Tips for staying on top and submitting your tax return
For many people the thought of filling in their tax return will bring them out into a cold sweat. But it doesn’t have to be a tedious time consuming task. Keeping on top of your finances and knowing where you are at with your business is very important. Here are my...
How to cope when you’re feeling overwhelmed
Whether it's personal or work related, we all at some point will be faced with a sense of feeling overwhelmed with too much on our plates and not knowing where to go, what to do and panicking there is too much to do. I luckily tend to deal with stress and a heavy...
9 ways to increase your productivity
If you have ever looked online for ways to improve your productivity, it’s likely you have come across the saying of “work smarter, not harder” but it’s not often you actually find a definition by what the writer means. At the end of the day you are still going to...
So you think I’m expensive?
If you have started looking into hiring a virtual assistant and thinking "why are they so expensive" then read on! You may think my rate is high in comparison to the cost of employing an administrator or even outsourcing to another country for some typing, but my...
What’s stopping you from using a Virtual Assistant?
Deciding whether you want to use a Virtual Assistant can be a big scary thing for you and your business. It is important to find the right one for you - see my blog on Finding the right VA for you and your business, but there are a number of other feelings and issues...
Excel Tips
Knowing tips, tricks and shortcuts in business is a great way to save yourself a bit of time and help you to work smarter. I love using shortcuts and finding out new ways to save time when using Microsoft Office, so I've included a few quick tips to use when in...
Finding the right Virtual Assistant for you and your business
It can be a daunting prospect looking for a Virtual Assistant to support you and your business and it is very important to you and your business by finding the right Virtual Assistant that will help you to achieve your business objectives, but is also someone you can...
My journey to become a Virtual Assistant
My story of how I came to become a Virtual Assistant actually starts back in 2010 when I realised that my entire Secretarial and PA career had been working with remote users – so why couldn’t I do this myself from home?! 2010 was definitely not the time for me to...
30 things to outsource to a Virtual Assistant
You've made the decision you want to outsource but you're now going through the minefield of "ok what can I actually outsource to a virtual assistant?!" It really does depend on what you are planning to outsource as to finding the right virtual assistant for you....
So what is a Virtual Assistant?
What is a Virtual Assistant? To put it simply, a VA is typically a self-employed individual who works remotely on tasks that small businesses and entrepreneurs are either too busy to do, don't know how to do or don't enjoy doing. This allows them time to focus on...
Organisation Tips and Tricks
Running a business results in juggling multiple things at a time and needs for us to be organised. But we don't all know the best way to manage our time effectively to ensure we stay on top of everything that needs doing. If you are looking for some tips and tools...
How to be a pro at managing your time
"Time Management - the ability to manage your time more effectively and productively." Managing your time is very important when it comes to running a business. It is something that a lot of people don't think about and can result in unnecessary stress hen things get...
Proofreading Tips and Tricks
Proofreading is important to any business, no matter how big or small they may be. The communications and documentation you are creating are a reflection on the type of company you are and the service you offer. If you want to be seen as professional who can deliver...
Recent Comments