The Virtual Wire

How far do you let prospects negotiate?

A fantastic VA, Lauray Walsh, posted this video today in our community and it resonated with me so much, that I immediately had to share this with you. 

It is a clear illustration of how, as small business service providers, we often enter or succomb to totally illogical agreements.  We know what we are worth and we should charge that!  If a prospect cannot pay our fee then they are just not right the client. 

Stacy Brice has always said to us in AssistU "Your clients wouldn't think of going to the store, and purchasing an item, but only paying for a quarter or half of it, so why should they do so with you?"  or words to that effect, and this video is literally showing you how crazy that would be if someone tried this negotation tactic. 

So why do we succomb to this form of negotiation?  Whether you would call it the economy, frustration, starter's nerves, etc it all boils down to fear, and we all know that fear is no good when we allow it to make us drop our standards, or ignore our boundaries.

Personally for me, it not only reminded me of similar conversations, but also made me look at a undesirable relationship at the moment that just has to change.  Have a look at this video and share your thoughts.  I would love to know!!!

Big kisses to you Lauray, and thanks so much for sharing!

First Friday pep!!!

It is the beginning of the month again, and it is my duty to share something inspirational to o help you start off your July with a stronger stride in your step.  Also, of course, for my American friends and colleagues it is a highly celebrated holiday weekend - Your Independence Day.  I was reminded in a conversation this week about the desire and need for individuality, and it reminded me that I have always been one to encourage others to walk their own path, as well as tried for forge my own.  So in that vein I looked for inspirational items on independence and individuality, and this is what I found that I liked:

“Every human has four endowments- self awareness, conscience, independent will and creative imagination. These give us the ultimate human freedom... The power to choose, to respond, to change.”  Stephen R Covey.

I love this quote as it reminds me that I make the choices in my life, and if there is something I don’t like, I, and only I, have the power to change it.  And change is not only negative, it could also mean that if I like something and would like more of it, then I still need to make the change to get more.  I looooovvvveee having the power to change things!  What will you change in your practice this month?   

So for me I was thinking about doing more and getting more from the client relationships I really like, and I came across this quote:

“No employer today is independent of those about him. He cannot succeed alone, no matter how great his ability or capital. Business today is more than ever a question of cooperation.”  Orisen Swett Marden

Although this quote refers to employees/employers, I believe it speaks directly to the VA industry, and the possibilities of a successful VA/client relationship.   Need I say more???  You know just like with any relationship the tasks, activities and sheer volume of work can get in the way of building your relationship with your clients, but finding the time to further enhance and do more in this relationship is essential to it's success. In the month of July find the time to further enhance your relationships.  Show your client(s) how much you care about their success and wellbeing.  As Stacy Brice said this week “the 'juice' is in the relationships.”

Happy July to you and yours, and a fantastic Independence Day Weekend!

If I see the red flags, why do I pick them up?

At a recent group coaching session with Stacy Brice one of my team members was talking about the interview process and what she needed to develop in her process to make it stronger.  One of the subjects that Stacy was really trying to bring home to us is that if we are clear about the answers we expect from certain questions, then “we can stand for the client and stand for ourselves” by bowing out when it is clear that there is not a match.  My VA colleague struggled with some of this because, just like me, she tends to give the person the benefit of the doubt.  When I heard my colleague saying, “well if they give this answer, maybe it is not as bad as it seems” it hit home to me that I do exactly the same thing.  And that thing is maybe not listening properly, not trusting my intuition, or maybe even ignoring the answer completely and slotting in my own answer.  It sounds crazy when you read it right?  But I know many VAs, and other small business owners who do this/have done this.  It is what we call seeing “red flags”, yet some of us choose to ignore them.

The client says something like “I work 24/7, never take a break and expect my support person to have the same dedication to their business,” and the interviewing VA will say “oh he just wants someone who is dedicated, and I work until 7pm most nights and that will be fine.”  Only to then enter into the relationship and find that the client has absolutely no boundaries around time, and 7pm at night is just not good enough from the client’s perspective.

I started to think about the red flags that I had seen in the past and chose to ignore.

It is scary, but you just need to let go sometimes

Self-Made Chick wrote a really cool article recently about what she calls the Monkey Bar Theory.  Here is her description of what it is

“What the Hell is the Monkey Bar Theory? The Monkey Bar theory is something I’ve noticed after living a dual life of fear and risk-taking. In order to make big changes in life, you’ve got to let go of one monkey bar to harness the strength, fear, and resolve to jump to the next.”

I likened this to one of the main issues that I hear VAs talking about all the time – letting go of their monkey bar = a controlling or stressful client – to jump to the next = attracting ideal clients.  Honestly I know it is not just a VA problem, but the plague of many small business owners. 

How do you “harness the strength, fear and resolve to jump to the next”? Sometimes I have easily, even though I have been somewhat scared, let go, but other times, especially when the client is a high retainer client I have been completely paralysed to take the next step and end the relationship.  This is when I have turned for help to be coached through the process.  On one occasion I admit to being literally stepped through ending a relationship by my outstanding coach, as I was so scared to do it on my own. 

And the thing is, when I have done it once, when I have taken that risk the first time, then the next time it really gets easier.  But I agree with the Self-Made Chick’s premise that “It Get’s Easier, But Is Never EASY.”  If you are waiting for the time when it is never scary to let go, then you may end up waiting for ever!  Come on share with me. When you have to let go, how do you get through it and/or how does it feel to you?

Stepping Into my client’s shoes

I had great fun last month as I stepped into my client’s shoes.  One of my clients decided to take an impromptu holiday.  She felt burnt out and need some serious TLC, and she turned to me and asked me for my help.  Of course I can hold the forte for her whilst she was away.  It was an eye-opener because it really allowed me to experience what my client does on a daily basis. 

Talk about “hit the ground running,” I had to keep up-to-date with her calls, her team members, dealing with all product issues, updating communication and forging forward with company growth.  It gave me a stark, but realistic insight into her world.  If it was possible I wish I could do this for all of my clients.  I have been working with this client for over 5 years, and even though I know her and her business in-depth, there is nothing that could rival this experience for truly getting me to understand who she is, and what she does. 

The funniest thing is that even though there were some people who would only feel comfortable in dealing with my client, and therefore arranged to connect with her upon her return, there were so many others who just saw me as her replacement and wanted to work with me as they do with her.  This really allowed me to get to grips with the nuances of her business.

And then there was the added and unexpected bonus to this experience.  Upon my client’s return we were able to sit down and map out a growth plan for the next 6 months, based on her renewed energy, and creative downtime whilst away, AND my new insight on her business.  What a win, win!!

From my client’s perspective this was soooo successful that she has already planned her next break in October, and I will be taking the reigns again.

Pretty cool, huh!!

Now I know some of you want to try this, or have done this for your client’s before.  Share some comment love, and let me know what you think of “stepping into your client’s shoes.”

It’s that fantastic first Friday feeling!

How will you juggle your balls and strive for balance in June?

I fell in love with this article today because it was all about how a business owner worked with her VA to free up her “to-do” list to allow her to be more productive, and creative – cool huh!!!  That it is all about!

The other great thing I loved about this post, which is why I am sharing it with you on my traditional First Friday pep is this great quote

 “Imagine life as a game in which you are juggling some five balls in the air. You name them – work, family, health, friends and spirit and you’re keeping all of these in the air. You will soon understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. But the other four balls – family, health, friends and spirit are made of glass. If you drop one of these, they will be irrevocably scuffed, marked, nicked, damaged or even shattered. They will never be the same. You must understand that and strive for balance in your life.” --Brian Dyson, former vice chairman and COO of Coca-Cola

Pretty cool huh?! 

I think I am getting a theme here, because I always try to go for a couple of quotes that compliment each other.

How will you develop your work in June so that it makes more than just a living?

Stacy Brice tweeted this quote the other day and I thought it was pretty cool, and links quite nicely with the quote above

"To make a living is no longer enough. Work also has to make a life." --Peter Drucker

So when you are striving for balance, also remember that the rubber work ball needs to be a resource that gives you a life, be it in a flexible schedule, money, and personal growth. 

Positive and negative mindsets

I am not sure about the purpose of this article, but I just wanted to talk about the strength of negative or positive mindsets.

I interviewed with a client recently who wanted someone to manage her radio show and social networks.  She said to me more than once in the interview that these avenues “do not make money for me” and that if she spent time doing them she would have to allot herself time in her schedule as if she was her own client, and “she wasn’t prepared to do that.”  Now I am not saying that either of these statements are wrong, but it is the approach and the mindset that sounds off.  

For instance social networking activities are supposed to eventually increase revenue, so although they don’t make money now it is an investment that reaps rewards down the line.  Maybe she was partly thinking that, which is why she wanted a VA, but that is not what she said!  Also I agree that she should not be doing this work because she should be working with her clients, but to say that she is “not prepared to treat herself as a client,” again illustrates that she is in the wrong mindset.  

I remember coming away from this conversation thinking that she would struggle to get success with her social networking because of her mindset and subsequent energy that she was putting towards it.  I would confidently say that her mindset needs to change, wouldn’t you?

Client references – do they work?

Okay maybe my header is flippant, and, I really understand that the “traditional” way of starting a new working relationship thrives on references from previous clients, employers etc, but I have really found that it absolutely makes no difference to a successful relationship.  I also feel that it just inconveniences my present clients for no tangible reason.

Now if I wanted a plumber to do some work in my house, and this plumber was not a member of a professional association I would definitely ask for references.  If the plumber was a member of a highly reputable association, maybe I wouldn’t ask for references.  I am more inclined to look to the association to have systems in place to give me piece of mind.  Now my husband is one of those people who would definitely ask for references, it makes him feel comfortable and I really get that.  As a VA, though I have found that my long-term, successful relationships are with clients that did not seek references, and many, but not all, of my short-term, unsuccessful relationships were with clients who did seek references. 

I agree that if a service professional is not a member of an organization that has an established training requirement, and member requirements that focus around performance, integrity and honesty, then a prospect has no choice but to request client references.  But if the professional has made sure that they are in good standing with a fantastic association, then I ask you, “Is the reference truly necessary?” 

I suspect the problem is that many prospective clients do not know exactly what information they need to get from a reference conversation, so why should I put my clients through this?  They have to find time in their day for these reference conversations, and thankfully they are very busy people.  I am loathed to ask them to do something that, personally, I think is done just for doing’s sake.

When face-to-face doesn’t make a darn bit of difference!

Last week I spoke about my first face-to-face meeting with my client and how anxious I was and eventually how well it worked for our relationship.  When I was writing this article though, I also realized that face-to-face doesn’t always make a difference. 

First I have to make a confession.  I told something of a small fib last week.  Well I said that this meeting with Terry was my first client meeting, but I have had a face-to-face interview with a client, before she was a client.  I do not count this as the first time I met a client because she only ended up being a client for a month (one of those relationships that I learnt BIG lessons from).

A couple of years ago I filled out a referral request that came through from a UK client.  Now my interview process does not entail a face-to-face meeting, primarily because most of the people I interview with do not live in the same country as me.  Also I am busy and this takes up a lot of unnecessary time.  But this was not a standard or boundary, just a convenience.  So when this prospect suggested that we meet in person, I thought I would give it a try.  Tut, tut Petra, more thought should be taken before I say yes.   The day we were supposed to meet up I had a client emergency, but as this prospect was meeting in Central London and traveling about an hour to do so I felt obliged to make this interview – okay some stress, but not a great amount.  But then the trains was delayed, ya day a da, okay you see how the picture starts to deteriorate.  So I turned up at this meeting late, unhappily so, and somewhat harassed.  Okay now I can see why this is not the best option for me.

Virtual rocks, but face-to-face is pretty cool too!!!

For the first time in my 5 years as a VA, I have met one of my clients.  Terry has been a client of mine for about a year and a half.  He lives in Colorado and travels all over the world, but his travels have never taken him to the UK yet.  Well unexpectedly last week he had to come for London for a few days, and I was, well, excited.  “Wow,” I was thinking, “it would be great if I could find a space in his work schedule to meet up.”

Now of course this is totally ironic, as I have had, and do have, a few UK clients.  One of my clients, who I worked with for nearly 2 years, just lived in central London (about 30 minutes away), but for some reason it has never seemed like an issue to ensure that we meet up.

But yes, Terry was coming to London and I thought, “Wouldn’t it be great to meet up?”  So we found a space in his schedule for a meal whilst he was here.  Then I became anxious, or a babbling basket case, you decide!  This was the first time I was going to meet a client in the flesh.  What if he didn’t like me?  What if I didn’t like him? What if I talked too much?  What if I talked too little?  What if we found that we had nothing in common?  Our virtual relationship has worked really well until now, but what if our face-to-face meeting ruined it?