by The Holistic VA | 18 Dec 2017 | Holidays, Outsourcing, Virtual Assistant |
Christmas can be a very festive and fun time of the year but it can also be quite stressful to its lead up, especially if you are running a business.
#1 … Organise a Kris Kringle
Our family changed over to KK quite a few years ago now. Names are written on a Christmas Card and each of us picks one out. We spend a minimum of $50 and that’s it. It takes the stress out of buying lots of gifts just for the sake of buying something and we spend a bit more and get something ‘better’ rather than something cheap and nasty or something we don’t need.
#2 … Keep Your Chrissy Lunches Simple
Christmas Day in Australia is generally quite warm as opposed to the snowy wintery time in the northern hemisphere. Slaving over a hot oven for hours is not my idea of fun and far too much work. Our Aussie seafood is second to none and is a welcome change to hot lunches or dinner. Even an antipasto of cold goodies with some crusty bread is an easy alternative. So keep it simple and do a lovely platter and a refreshing sparkling wine punch with lots of berries and fruit to go with it.
#3 .. If it all gets too much, MEDITATE
Take some time out to sit still and breathe. There are some awesome apps that you can download onto your phone, such as Omvana, Headspace Simple Habit and my very fave Insight Timer. All have guided meditations from as little as 5 minutes, so you don’t need to spend a lot of time out. Calming your mind helps you think more clearly and you’ll be able to do more. Your breath and your mind work in tandem, so as the breath begins to lengthen, your brain waves slows down and you de-stress.
#4 … Do a Digital Detox
– if you can’t live without your phone, check it only twice a day (and not for 2 hours at a time!) and set up the Do Not Disturb feature for phone calls, texts and notifications – it’s under Settings. It allows you not to be contacted between certain times apart from contacts who are your Favourites. I have this on every single day set from 9pm to 8am. We all need a break from technology for our mental and emotional health.
#5 … Engage the Services of a Virtual Assistant
No need to worry about your emails, phone calls, Social Media posting and scheduling, blog posting, newsletters etc. This will give you peace of mind that your business is still being looked after and not come to a complete stop over the break. Remember, the rest of the work doesn’t have such a long break as we do, so keeping your business going is very important.
If you need a helping hand over the holiday season or anytime for that matter, please feel free to book in a Chai Chat with me.
Do you have any tips for de-stressing, please feel free to share them below … Ax
by The Holistic VA | 26 Jun 2017 | Outsourcing, Virtual Assistant, Virtual Business |
So, you’re running an awesome business and it’s ticking along nicely, – you’re taking on clients and taking care of the day-to-day running but your business isn’t quite getting to that next level. Maybe you’re feeling a little overwhelmed and your admin is starting to fall behind. What is this costing your business? It’s time to let go and outsource and hiring some help? …
The following six tips will help your transition of letting go and putting your trust into someone who has your best interests at heart.
Tip #1
Be clear about your expectations to avoid misunderstandings. It is wise to have an agreement, signed by both parties, that outlines these expectations.
Tip #2
Understand that a VA is not an employee … they are a business owner just like you who will view your business from a different perspective – view them as a business partner. a cheerleader and confidant. Treat each other with respect and integrity and the VA will look after you, support you and promote you to their networks.
Tip #3
VAs do not need to be micro-managed – you’re paying for someone who doesn’t require a lot of supervision. Experienced VAs will check in with you and keep you posted with progress reports.
Tip #4
VAs are not sales people. They are there to assist with aspects of your business that prevent you from generating more income.
Tip #5
Plan ahead as much as you can and communicate your deadlines. If something is urgent, your VA will do their best to accommodate but this isn’t always possible due to advanced work scheduled with other clients.
Tip #6
VAs don’t necessarily work ‘normal’ business hours … be assured that work is being done but not necessarily during traditional or daylight hours. If you need them to be around certain times, just let them know and work out times that suit both of you.
Letting go is really hard and your Virtual Assistant understands that. They will help you work through that anxiety so you can be assured your business is in great hands.
Click here to schedule a free 30 minute Discovery Session with me.
by The Holistic VA | 24 Mar 2017 | Outsourcing, Small Business, Virtual Assistant, Virtual Business |
Does delegating make you freak out and feel cold with fear?
Engaging a Virtual Assistant for the first time can be quite a daunting experience and very nerve racking …
- What if you can’t find the right one?
- What if they do it wrong?
- What if they rip me off?
- How can I trust someone else to look after MY business?
These are very legitimate concerns but it doesn’t have to be this way if you know what you’re looking for and you do your homework.
#1 … Professionalism
There are many Virtual Assistant out there with varying qualifications and experience, so how do you know which one to work with? Good question!
Professional Virtual Assistants run their own businesses just like you do, they work with you, not for you and are super skilled at what they do. They’ve spent time and energy on training and education and they want your business to succeed.
Sure, skills and experience will vary, so do your homework and due diligence. Research and ask around for referrals. Word of mouth is very powerful.
#2 … Budget
If you’re spending time doing everything yourself, then it’s a no-brainer. Work out a budget but be realistic. An awesome Virtual Assistant will work with your budget or let you know what they can do to fit with it. Some work on hourly rates and some offer packages – these are based on value and outcomes rather than time keeping. This benefits everyone in the long run. Remember the rates will be higher than employing someone but there are also hidden costs with employment.
Hiring the cheapest Virtual Assistant may not get you the results that you want an may cost you more in the long run, so don’t go on price alone. It’s not worth the heartache.
#3 … Your Business Goals and Dreams
What are your short and long terms goals and dreams?
- How will you achieve them?
- What is your timeframe?
- Who do you need to help you achieve them?
Depending on what your short or long terms goals and needs are will depend on what ‘type’ of Virtual Assistant you engage. If you just need to get stuff done now, then you may need to engage a generalist VA to help with day-to-day tasks, such as diary management, emails, travel, event management etc. but if your goal is to grow, then you may need someone more specialised to implement marketing strategies and processes to streamline your business.
You may even need more than one and that’s totally fine too.
Take the time to do your homework and don’t be afraid to let go and delegate. It’s the only way your business will grow.
Click here to schedule a free 30 minute Discovery Session with me.
by The Holistic VA | 9 Jan 2017 | Outsourcing, Virtual Assistant, Virtual Business |
Would you like to get 5 hours or more, back a week?
Research shows that on average businesses spend at least 10 to 15 hours a week on non-core, unbillable tasks. How amazing is that? So, if you’re earning say, $150 an hour, taking all day to do a particular task (and tearing your hair out while doing so) it makes sense to pay someone, like a Virtual Assistant, $50 an hour and they can do it half the time and with twice as much skill. It’s a no brainer!
Virtual Assistants not only save you time and money but they increase your productivity by improving your efficiency.
#1 … Setting Up Processes
How much time are you spending on everyday tasks? Do you ever wonder if there is an easier way of doing things? There are tons of programs available now that can help streamline and automate these everyday functions and a Virtual Assistant can help pin point these for you, set them up and get them working for you.
#2 … Social Media Management
We all know that social media can be and is very time consuming. Sure, you can do it yourself, it’s not rocket science but is it good use of your time? A Virtual Assistant can create and curate your content, schedule out your posts using programs such as Hootsuite, Buffer or Recurpost, just to name a few. They can also gather data and report on your social media effectiveness.
#3 … CRM Maintenance
Transform that pile of business cards by adding them to a centralised electronic Customer Relationship Manager (CRM) where you can track communications and potential earnings from clients. Awesome CRMs include Capsule, Insightly, 17Hats or the big gun, Infusionsoft. Most, if not all, integrate with email marketing programs and accounting packages, again streamlining and automating processes.
What will you outsource to a Virtual Assistant to make your business more efficient? Would love to hear your suggestions – post them below … Ax
