The Virtual Wire

New Media Marketing Evolution

Marketing is a big deal. A really, really, really, big deal, and for small business owners it can be a mind-field. One of the most important things I think most business owners forget and I see this in many of my clients, is that marketing their business cannot be exactly the same as anyone else, because of their unique individuality and perspective.

This is even more apparent when it comes to internet marketing. It is so funny that so many “experts” say that you have to market in their way or you are really not on the ball, yet every single day a new tool, a new approach comes out that rocks, but is different to what everyone else was talking about, and then a “new” expert is born! You see my thing is that we must and should learn from what has been done already, and what works, but never, ever, ever forget that each one of us has a unique voice, an unusual perspective, and don’t be afraid to go against the status quo, because you know what? The status quo changes all the time. So today I was going to talk about doing things differently, or just adding a small twist to what is now the norm, and I came across this great YouTube video via New Media Mavens

They are going to be discussing the evolvement of new media for the month and I might just follow along with them and post my thoughts and comments here or just talk through my thoughts as I have them. I look forward to our future discussions on this and please comment below on the video if you resonates with you in any way.

Relationships in Business

Throughout the VTP we are always taught the value of the relationship in business and I recently read a great blog that Kevin Eikenberry wrote on the 7 Ways to Nurture Professional Relationships, and this had me thinking how I have been working to improve my relationships with my clients. Here are a few tips that I believe make a difference:

1. Always determine a deadline for projects. I have often heard Stacy say that this is essential to be able to work successfully with clients, and you will be amazed how true this is. Quite often my client will tell me that she wants a project completed, but does not tell me that this should come before other high priority projects already on my list. Or tell me that the deadline is Friday, which I interpret as Friday evening, and she meant as Friday morning. Part of my relationship skills is to be mindful of my client’s expectations and always qualify the exact time and day of the deadline. 

2. Respond to communications quickly. Now I did not specify a time here, because I really think that this depends on the individual, and I did not say all correspondences, because you are not a robot, but by typically responding to client communications quickly, even if it is just a holding email to confirm receipt and provide an initial thought really helps to build up the trust especially at first.

3. Communicate often. Communicating often creates trust and builds up the strong connection just like you would with any other colleague. Discuss projects, give updates, and also add a little bit about your life and what is happening with you. Although some clients may not be reciprocate, many people don’t mind because it allows them to understand you a bit better. On average though most clients will reciprocate information. 

4. Deal with issues, concerns quickly and clearly. Basically don’t be wishy, washy when there is a problem. Whether it is a communication issue, or a project not executed as your client expected. Issues need to tackled head on. Found out what went wrong, so that you know how to avoid this in the future, fix the problem or make changes for the future and move on. Issues will happen and speedy action and a willingness to find a solution and plan for the future helps your clients to feel safe in your hands. 

I do remember that Stacy eloquently deals with trust and safety in virtual relationships in a great post, and I would love to share this with you as extended reading. 

I wish I had the survey results

In September, I blogged here about the VACOC's annual survey, and encouraged those with VA businesses to take a few moments and complete the online survey.

Before releasing results to those who participate by completing the survey, it was decided that 1,000 participants would be needed for the endeavor to best represent the industry.  So, if you did take the survey and have wondered about the results, this may help:  according to last reports, there have been 771 respondents, which leaves 229 more needed to make its goal of 1,000 participants.  Once that goal is reached, results will be compiled and a free copy sent to all respondents. 

There's a great deal of good news impacting our industry these days, however, there's much misinformation about virtual assistance, too, as I'm sure you're aware.  That's part of the reason I'm curious about the results, and wish I could read them now (I'll certainly be pleased when they are compiled). 

If you haven't taken the time to participate and thought you may have missed your window of opportunity, I wanted to let you know you can still participate.  Simply follow the link and share with those you know who'd like to see the results, too.  

Collaboration creates delegation, or does it?

I was on a call this week where we were talking about how to offer a higher standard of VA service to our clients. Part of what we were talking about revolves around the ways we can encourage our clients to delegate better and delegate more. This made me realize that as VAs we can spend a lot of our time seeking or encouraging delegation, that we do not have the energy or time to develop the collaborative part of the relationship.

The kicker is that through a collaborative relationship, delegation is a natural result. When we are able to work together with our clients, brainstorm, research, and help them build their dream business, delegation becomes less of a hurdle.

But are my experiences indicative of what you experience. Are you a client who has tried to collaborate and then delegate but it all seems to fall down? Or are you a VA who collaborates very well with her clients, but still has to jump through hoops to get your clients to delegate?

I would love to know more from you – do you struggle with delegation? Do you have a collaborative relationship? I want to know if my analysis of this work scenario is correct, so please share times when it does work, and times when it doesn’t it is all good information.

No distance

For a few days between last week and yesterday, I was away on an annual trek (something like a mini-vacation). I was able to hold court with great, loving friends. You know the type: brilliant minds, compassionate, supportive. Like sisters and brothers. And very much like what I've always experienced in the virtual assistance field.

The idea for this post came from that trip, and the reason has to do with distance ... or lack of it.

While the formal, corporate business model has been somewhat successful in adapting to what is truly a wave of many magnitudes in terms of how we now communicate with everyone else, that world is still in many ways entrenched in distance and geography (oh yeah, and in no small amount of angst).

On the plane on the way down, two gentlemen came by where I was sitting. One asked me if I wouldn't mind switching seats, as he was with his business partner, and, of course, no more explanation was needed. Nothing wrong with that; at least not on the surface. And nothing wrong with having to travel a couple of thousand miles in order to 'do business'. Plus, there can't be anything wrong with spending gobs of money to travel on business. OK, sorry, I'll drop the sarcasm and get down to my point.

Our industry, and our dynamic minds, and the ways in which we've embraced technology in very passionate, user-friendly ways has done much to destroy distance. And when you destroy distance, you are 'this much' closer to truly understanding what a person--say a client of a virtual assistant, or another VA--is really all about. We know how to do this very well, whether or not we ever get on a plane and go somewhere else to have our business meetings.

So geography is an interesting metaphor to pick on (one of many) when describing the impact that VA's have had in turning the traditional business model upside down. And boy, did it need it!

It's not that we don't travel--just this year, in terms of AssistU (and other) VA's, a lot of traveling has gone on. There was FoVA 2009, and the AssistU Community Recognition Awards (and associated events prior to and right after the CRA's). And that doesn't even touch on the many personal trips various VA's took to be with their friends and colleagues.

Our brand of distance destroying has everything to do with relationships, and little to do with geography, company expense accounts, or the stress that goes along with typical business travel. The beauty of our industry is this: in every form of communication we employ, we never loose sense of the commune part of communication. And our industry is ... us.

Take advantage of this down time

I am a firm believer in staying on top of trends and learning new skills for my virtual assistance business. I know that a lot of virtual assistants are struggling right now to keep (and get new) clients. My practice is actually thriving right now. There are people calling me that I would never have ever thought would be connecting with me. They see the value in paying more to get more and part of my value is that I have a vast knowledge of online marketing. I am really seen as an expert in that area. I keep up my expert status by working with some fabulous clients that are pushing the envelope and staying on top of trends in their chosen market as well. The VAs that are having trouble keeping their practices filled are possibly not keeping up on their skills (just guessing). If you continue to offer the same services all the time to the same clients—they aren’t growing and you aren’t growing. Growth is essential to a thriving business (your business and your client’s business). So during this downtime, think about taking a class or mentoring with another VA that offers a service that you would like to learn. Take advantage of this extra time on your hands and learn a new skill. There are plenty of classes out there (AssistU has some great grad classes and that is a good place to start). Some of these classes are even free and you get to know some great instructors.

Last week Stacy blogged on Virtual Moxie about “low associative borders” and I was blown away. I truly believe that is one of the other reasons why my practice is thriving (even though I charge a lot more and people gladly pay it).  It is because I have very “low associative borders.” I can see what they are trying to do and see the big picture, see how all the pieces of the puzzle fit together and then the technology to do what they want. So in addition to having some great technical skills, I also have great big picture skills. Now all clients may not need that type of assistance. Some might just want admin tasks taken care of, and a lower priced VA is perfect for that. But if you want to truly partner with your clients (and charge more), you really need to stay current with education and really look at Stacy’s post on “low associative borders.” I forwarded Stacy’s post to several of my clients because I really think it illustrates the different between a regular VA and an AssistU VA. We really partner with and think about the big picture for our clients.

Again, education is the key to really growing your VA business. And if you don’t have “low associative borders” right now, just the awareness that some people do have that can be empowering for you. Don’t try to fit a square peg in a round hole. Do what you are best at and thrive!

Numbers: 3000

Two weekends ago, E and I were at the largest Oktoberfest celebration outside of Munich, Germany. Kitchener-Waterloo--just down the road really--is a lively, cute, and diverse area. And every year, for over 40 years, it has hosted this 9-day long event at many of its local German clubs.

One of the clubs has in addition to its wonderfully old and rich chalet-style building, a permanent tent. The tent holds an astounding 3,000 people. We head to the tent every year...

This small post isn't about the wonderful diversity of culture, food, and music experienced at Oktoberfest, but it is about diversity. It's about one's ability to communicate in a variety of ways in different environments. Whether one-to-one with our clients, or one-to-many, whether on the phone, in an instant message, or in front of a classroom or meeting room, many of us are routinely called upon to effectively communicate to different people, in different ways, and in a huge variety of different conditions.

At Oktoberfest, while the 'communications' were mostly shouted, and while a lot of them were in the spirit of good fun, they were as challenging--and as rewarding--as having a meeting with my virtual assistance clients. All messages, in both situations, need to be targeted, and need to be based on correctly assessing or surveying one's audience. But to truly communicate--to reach people--there must always be a connection. A worthy goal; that of forming good connections with people.

The dynamics and communications challenges in a colossal tent are of course very different from those of a headset. But we as people are so incredibly diverse that we can switch gears on a dime. And the sociological and psychological aspects of the different ways in which we communicate are an amazing thing to me.

Next time you're in a different or diverse environment, and away from your phone or headset, take a moment out to observe how incredible your ability to communicate is.

Your Authentic Voice & the Multi-VA Team

My client and I were talking about a new initiative that she has started, of holding weekly training or motivation conference calls with her sales team.  My client really loves doing these calls and has found, even though they are new, that she has developed a real connection with her team, because this medium allows her to use her authentic voice and speak from her heart.

What she has found that this not only allows her to connect deeply with her team, but she also gets to feed her own brain with inspiration messages, great training techniques etc.  So why is this so different from the other training tools that my client employs?  Well every other method of training that she indicates are a team effort, usually with some other Sales Directors with teams of their own.  So this means that the training is a combined effort, but more importantly a compromised voice.  That is no problem.  To be able to work effectively with others compromises, however small, are necessary, and this is why my client loves her new conference call initiative.  So of course when another Sales Director wanted to muscle in on my client’s conference call sessions, she absolutely said NO!

I started to think in what circumstance a VA would lose their authentic voice, and I immediately thought of multi-VA teams.  Now I am referring to these teams with no real experience of how they work, but it is definitely one of the reasons why I have steered clear. 

Take the survey

It's that time again ... the Virtual Assistance Chamber of Commerce compiles an annual survey for the virtual assistance industry.  If you're operating a virtual assistance business, you will want to include your entries in this comprehensive questionnaire. Only participants will receive a copy of its results.

For detailed instructions, use this link: Virtual Assistant Industry Survey

I encourage you not to wait too long ... deadline is September 30!

Stop your communications woes

For years, E has subscribed to a newsletter from Veritas Communications (Canada) called Touchdowns & Fumbles. Veritas covers communications and public relations stories, and as the newsletter’s name suggests, the stories are about brownie points won or lost.

One of their most recent stories was about something that was all over the popular press (Internet and television): United Airlines mishandling of a baggage complaint. Did you hear about it? It was about Dave Carroll’s beloved Taylor guitar. After months of frustration with United’s lack of appropriate response, Carroll and his band recorded a video, posted it to YouTube, and well, the viral nature of the Net took care of the rest!

How do you stop the bad press? Easy: don’t let things get to that point.

If you don’t respond at all, then the most recent piece of news about the incident—negative or positive—will prevail. If it’s your issue, and/or your fault, bite the bullet: do it quickly. If it’s not your fault, offer a rebuttal or correction (again quickly).

If there’s even a hint of potential for bad press, get out there and proactively address it.

Very recently, I made an eBay purchase for a new item. The item I received was used, even though its original seal/packaging seemed intact. I was upset, and thought about how I'd deal with it. I contacted the seller. To my (happy) amazement, he got back to me within a half-hour! After a call made--his dime--things were resolved: a definite touchdown.

Press comes and goes quickly. Just as quickly (in United’s case, one or two days), news can spread geometrically and make you happy, or very, very unhappy.