Online-based business owners know it’s important to connect with their database subscribers on a regular basis. However in many cases, it’s difficult for them to:

• find the time to write an article
• appropriately format the article and other details in the ezine template
• actually send out the ezine on a regular schedule

So, how can you, as a Virtual Assistant help your client (s) achieve their goal of sending out a regular newsletter?

It’s easy really …. just a few simple steps will make this a breeze.

Schedule a time to chat with your client and ask the following questions:

• How often do you want your ezine to be distributed?
• Is there a particular time of each month you would like it to go (3rd week of the month, the 15th of each month etc.)
• Other than the feature article, what else do you want included in the ezine?
• What is your main goal for the ezine?
• Do you have a current template for your ezine or do you need one? (If you can create one, great. If not, consider outsourcing this task.)
• Tell them - I’d like to block out time in your schedule to make sure you have time to write the feature article. How does 2 hours at the beginning of each month work?

There may be other items you will also discuss but by asking these questions above, you are not only applying your Marketing Mindset but also helping your client achieve a goal = you are providing a solution to one of their challenges.

A Virtual Assistant who provides appropriate solutions to their client’s challenges is a Virtual Assistant who builds a long-term relationship with her client.

Once you have these details from your client you can TELL them how you can help make sure an ezine will get out each month. Start by puting together a schedule and keep them accountable. Include the time where they will write the article. Tell them when you need the article by in order to format it in the template and provide to them for final review. Take care of any other pieces you agreed to.

It may seem simple but by successfully accomplishing this goal, your client will build more confidence in you and see you as an essential part of their business.

Discussions I’ve had recently with both clients and VAs of our Multiple Streams Team got me thinking about how Virtual Assistants are positioning themselves when it comes to building or eventually ending a relationship with a client.

Believe it or not, the question “How Can I Help You?”, is NOT one a client wants to hear from their Virtual Assistant. It may sound strange, but it’s the truth.

This is a true story. A client and VA met every week by phone. During their meeting they discussed upcoming priorities, tasks and deadlines. The client found it difficult to delegate (she didn’t how and what to pass on) and the VA would wait for work to be delegated to her.

The VA told me that at the end of every meeting, she would ask her client “How else can I help you?” The client would respond with “Let me think about it and I’ll get back to you.”

The client rarely followed up with the VA to provide her with addtional tasks.

A high percentage of clients who work with Virtual Assistants do not want to be asked “How Can I Help You?”. They want (and need in most cases) for the VA to TELL them how they can help.

So by discussing the upcoming priorities, tasks and deadlines, what the client really wants is for the VA to tell them what they can look after, research, arrange, or manage.

The disappointing piece is that a very small percentage of VAs are providing this information to their clients. Instead they’re waiting for their clients to tell them what they want them to do.

A Virtual Assistant who can think ahead and tell their client how they can support them with their goals and priorities will build their VA business. A VA who waits to be delegated to will take much longer to build their business.

Which are you?

The Virtual Assistant profession has come a long way in the last few years. More and more business owners are not only familiar with the term Virtual Assistant but they have a general idea of what we do. However, there seems to be a misconception that us VAs can do everything!

I was speaking with a business owners this week who was interested in hiring a Virtual Assistant. During our discussion, she indicated she wanted to hire only one person to join her team and they needed to have extensive experience in areas ranging from writing and editing, web design, bookkeeping, blog customization and managing the shopping cart. Wow!

I encouraged this business owner to consider hiring a Virtual Assistant to look after the ‘general’ tasks such as the shopping cart management, blog posting, broadcasting etc. and to have someone with specialized skills to come in and assist with specific projects. This way she would benefit from working with an expert in a particular area - therefore saving time, energy and money over all.

There are many skilled VAs out there, however I don’t know many that would consider themselves as “experts” in all areas indicated above. Many may consider themselves as ‘generalists’ where they offer a wide range of services. If you were an expert in web design, would you also be fully experienced and an ‘expert’ in bookkeeping - most likely not.

Virtual Assistants - don’t feel you need to know how to do anything and everything. You will do yourself (and your client) a favor by helping them find an expert to help with a specific project and manage the process then if you took the task on yourself with limited expertise. Consider the areas that you excel in and enjoy … specialize in those and you will attract those that require that speciality.