5 Ways a Virtual Assistant can Increase your Revenue

Okay, so you know you’ve got the best darn designer tap shoes and weather resistant tutus around, but you’re still falling short of the first million. Well, here are just five of the countless ways a VA can increase your revenue.

1. Constant Cash Flow
Rev up your Receivables.
Do you invoice your clients promptly? If money isn’t coming in as quickly as you’d like, and your deposit slips are gathering dust, it’s time to turn over your billing to a Virtual Assistant.  A VA will invoice your clients as frequently as you like, provide your customers a gentle reminder if something becomes overdue, or if you like, give them an assertive nudge when necessary. 

2. Word of Mouth
Happy customers keep coming back, see the value in your service, and quickly spread the word of their happiness.  Cha-Ching. Are your current customers and prospective clients provided the luxury of hearing a human voice when they call your place of business? Think about your personal preferences.  Don’t you experience a certain level of satisfaction when leaving your message with a real person? Compare that to the vacant, impersonal feeling you’re left with after entrusting a machine to hold and deliver your communiqué.  Give your customers good feelings! Forward your calls to your own personal Virtual Assistant who will professionally answer your phone calls and assure all of those who call that your business is indeed run by people who care about its customers. 
3. Perception is Key.

The one vital factor, that’s critical for your success, is how people perceive your operation. Did you know that the actual size of your company isn’t important? Do you realize it doesn’t matter how smoothly things genuinely run? Honestly! If your office is a closet, your files are stored in a shoebox and your desk is a cardboard box, it’s okay.. A Virtual Assistant can help ensure that true professionalism is evident throughout your company.  Quality correspondence, frequent and friendly follow-up, and first rate customer service are a few of the ways a VA can secure a professional presence for your organization, hence keeping the money coming.
4. Do the Right Thing!
If you want what they’ve got; do what they do!
You’re a successful entrepreneur, right? I bet your business card says something impressive like President, CEO, or Owner. Great! Do you work smart? Have you created a vision for your business? Do you have a Plan B prepared for the next time a potential client tells you why he doesn’t need your product or service?  You can’t be too busy to plan. Spending your time fumbling around a keyboard, hunting and pecking your way out of a “beginning dump of physical memory” error won’t bring money in the door.  If you’re going to call yourself a CEO, act like one! Delegate! Find yourself a Virtual Assistant, spell out your short comings, and stand back.  You’ll be rubbing elbows with the bigwigs in no time.

5. Customer Satisfaction.
The best way to grow is to keep your current client’s happy!

Have you got a great client you haven’t heard from in a while? Would you like to give them a little reminder that you’re available? Have your Virtual Assistant give them a call. This can pay off in several ways. First, your client will see you’re not such a little guy after all.  You’ve actually got someone working with you.  Hmmm. Interesting.Second, you took the time to have someone follow-up. You do care! Let’s see.  With one phone call, you’ve told your client you’re growing, you’re professional, customer service is important to you, and you want their business.

With service like this, clients will keep coming back!

 

Stop Pushing Delete

Stop pushing delete-simply unsubscribe.  Although a topic may have been of interest to you four years ago, when you were snowed in with nothing more to do but surf the web for tips on knitting your dog a tail warmer, you may have since grown as a person, and evolved.  Maybe you moved on to Paper Mache, or thumb wrestling. You complain each time you open your email box and there are 23 emails filled with information on where to buy yarn by the pallet, and links to patterns for doggie mittens.  Habitually, you grumble under your breath something about spam, and hit delete, delete, delete.  If you know you subscribed to the site, and no longer require the information, simply open the email and unsubscribe.  Granted, this isn’t always easy.  Sometimes the site owner of that knitting circle will harass you with a pop up or two, trying to lure you back.  Sure, they’ll tempt you. They’ll remind you that by leaving the group, you’re going to miss out on their list of nifty new uses for knitting needles (kind of interesting, I must admit) but be strong.  They may even try to sweeten the deal by offering you helpful hints on creating potholders for all occasions.  Unless you truly see yourself breaking out your dusty old knitting needles to create the next fad in leg warmers, just click unsubscribe.  It will make your life much easier.  (Send me that link for the knitting needles uses, would ya?)

Save My Business and My Marriage?

Okay, so you’re starting to see how a Virtual Assistant can help you keep your business on track.
Did you know they can help you maintain your personal relationships as well?
There are Virtual Assistants who specialize in personal support for their clients.
Yep! Now you can forget your significant other’s birthday and stay out of the Doghouse!  Hire your VA to manage your personal relationships. 
They’ll track your important dates, send you reminders, provide you suggestions for unique and special items or you can leave things in their capable and experienced hands.  They’ll even purchase and ship each gift on your behalf.
They can send out cards to your Mother in Topeka and your Sister in Toledo, or make sure you receive a card in plenty of time to sign it and hand it over to that certain someone when the time is right.
They can even send you subtle hints on how to help your family feel like you’re always on their mind, even when you think about work just a little more!
These VA’s shop for a living, so they’ll know where to find everything from the average and unspectacular, to the most unique and rare treats around.
The next time you find yourself in a pickle for a present, contact a VA specializing in Gift Services.

Tax Time’s a Breeze with a Virtual Assistant

In a few short weeks, you’re going to find yourself becoming a little more stressed
Sure, right now tax time seems like it’s ages away, but don’t fool yourself my friend. 
April 15^th will be breathing down your neck quicker than you can ask “What’s the current mileage deduction?”
The tension may build slowly. You’ll jot down notes about getting receipts together.
You’ll stick a post it on your computer to call your tax guy, or, perhaps, find a tax guy.
If you’re feeling proactive, you may actually go through the trouble of grabbing the fast food bag out of the trashcan next to your desk and saving it for the honorary title of “Receipt Repository.”
Consider making this tax year a mere inconvenience, as opposed to the excruciating trauma it’s been in years past.
Instead of thinking you can do it all, and interrupting your schedule, putting off clients, or more importantly, sleep, how does this sound?
Let a VA who specializes in Financial Support help you out.
What you have to do:
1.)    Find the right VA.
2.)    Gather all of your important receipts. (Unfortunately, that dirty work is still up to you.)
3.)    GET THEM TO YOUR VA
4.)    Your Virtual Assistant will organize those receipts, categorize them, enter them in to accounting software and before you know it you’ll be holding a summary of your 2005 business expenses.  You may actually file early!
5.)    Your VA will provide you a file of your expenditures, categorized by expense code, and the next think you know, you’re strutting in to your tax guy’s office with a CD and a few sheets of paper, instead of an old greasy fast food bag.
Get your self together.  Admit you can’t do it all. With the help of your Virtual Assistant, you’ll be focusing your energy on growing your business, and not tossing and turning sweating those first two weeks of April.
Oh, and starting this year, get those receipts to your VA once a quarter.  By next April, Tax Time will be No Sweat!
Happy Returns!
Angie Hodges, GVA
Angie Assist Purchasing and Business Support
www.angieassist.net