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JULY 13, 2009
ISSN 1947-105X | Vol. 3, No. 28
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BUSINESS MANAGEMENT ISSUE
In This Issue:
A Note from Danielle...
Has this ever happened to you? You're in a fast-food joint. Your waitress
is unsmiling and snapping her gum, looking everywhere but at you. Her
posture can't shout any louder how bored she is to be there and how much
she can't wait to be done with you. Guess what? You might actually be
this waitress in your own business. Read on...
Yours in goodness and success!
Danielle Keister
Founder, Virtual Assistance Chamber of Commerce
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FEATURE ARTICLE -
How to Follow Your Own Act
 One
of the attorneys I've worked with over the years is a wonderful fellow.
Family man. Very personable. Knows his stuff. Gets done what he's hired
to get done. A real credit to his profession. So what was always so disconcerting
after he'd finish a matter for me was this utterly abrupt end to our communication.
And I mean abrupt. Every time. It's crazy, because whenever I'd contact
him again on something new, we'd pick up as if we'd just spoken yesterday.
Yet, at the end of each project, I couldn't help feel as
if I'd done something wrong. Was I a horrible client? I don't tend to
think so because being an independent service provider myself, I'm always
very conscious about how I treat other service professionals. I know what
I don't care for in clients and I make sure I am the kind of client I
would want for myself. I clearly communicated my needs, made sure I understood
what to expect and I always paid on time (and as you know, attorneys are
not inexpensive). But I'd never get so much as a thank you for my payment.
All communication would just end completely until the next time I had
need to call on him. And then it would be, "Hey, Danielle! How's
it going?"
So I got to thinking... how many of you business owners
out there are failing in your end game? What are you doing to nurture
your relationships? Are you making sure clients and customers feel welcome
to contact you again? How are you helping them in between services? Well,
here's a list I drew up that I think will be very helpful to you if you
are neglecting your all-important follow-up act.
- Thank your customers and clients. It
seems simple enough, right? I mean, it's just good manners. But as I
shared in my story above, sometimes it's the most obvious things that
fall through the cracks. So be sure and thank your clients and customers.
And I mean something beyond simply typing a line on your invoice template.
Automate it or delegate it if you have to, but do go to the extra effort
to thank people in a more deliberate way for their business. Each and
every time.
- Ask them what's next. Find out what projects or goals
they're thinking about currently or that are on the horizon. Not only
is this good relationship-building, but it’s also a great way
to find out where opportunities for more work are.
- Be a knowledge center and resource. When you make
the effort to know a bit more about your clients and customers and where
their interests are, you can pass on information that you think will
be useful and of interest to them. You can do this individually and/or
use the information to come up with relevant topics for your blog. Better
yet, provide a regularly published ezine for your clientele. "The
list is the thing!" as they say, and I can't stress enough how
perfect an ezine is for this job. As long as you are providing content
that is of value to your clients/customers/audience, this is a fantastic
way to keep in touch, maintain connection and create your own marketing
pipeline. While you are delivering all this great, helpful information
to subscribers, it also gives you a platform to keep them informed about
the goings-on in your business and remind them about services you provide
that they might not know or remember (hint, hint, refer back to #2).
- Invite them into your networks. Hey, you're not the
only one looking to make connections. Inviting your clients and customers
into your social/business networks is a nice gesture, gives them opportunities
to make new contacts, and keeps them in your pipeline as well. They
might even extend the favor back.
- Be a referral source. Know what your customers do.
Ask your clients what makes a good referral for them. And then spread
the word. One good turn always deserves another.
- Get their feedback. Clients appreciate the opportunity
to be heard. It shows them you care. Of course you want to know what
you're doing well, but don't be afraid to look in the mirror if clients
point out areas where you can stand to improve. This is pure gold to
your business and you should be grateful for having those blindspots
illuminated. Let them know how much their input means to you and that
it will be used to make improvements whenever, wherever needed.
- Let clients know how to refer business to you. Clients
are people and most people like to help others. Clients who love their
vendors and service providers enjoy spreading the word on their behalf.
Tell them what makes a great referral for you and exactly who you are
looking for. The more clear and specific you are, the easier you make
it for them to send others your way and the more frequently they will
do so.
RESOURCE: If you're looking
for a fantastic, comprehensive feedback form that can be adapted to any
business, check out FRM-04 at the Virtual
Assistant Business Forms store.
 About
the Author: Danielle Keister is a business advisor and innovator
in the Virtual Assistance profession. An administrative professional of
20+ years and veteran Virtual Assistant of 12+ years, her logical, no-nonsense
approach to business development has gained her recognition as one of
the leaders in the field. She loves what she does and is passionate about
sharing her knowledge and know-how with the world. She’s all about
inspiring others to reach for their highest excellence. When not taking
care of clients in her own Virtual Assistant practice, she is busy leading
the Virtual
Assistance Chamber of Commerce and helping Virtual Assistants create
six figure businesses.
© Copyright 2009, The
Portable Business™. All U.S. and International rights
reserved. You may print this article for personal use or republish it
online only if it is left unaltered and used in its entirety, including
bylines, links, copyright notice, resource and author information. Contact
the author for any other permission.
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VACOC NEWS -
New Service for Clients: Quickie Gigs™
 The
VACOC has a new service for clients we call Quickie Gigs™.
Here's the idea:
The core business of a Virtual Assistant is providing one-on-one, ongoing
administrative support to clients they work with in long-term, continuous
relationship. We always encourage clients to go that route because it's
where you are going to reap the most rewards in terms of value, continuity
and cost-effectiveness. However, if you have not yet found your right
Virtual Assistant or you are between Virtual Assistants, but still have
occasional tasks and projects you'd like completed, we can help you out!
Quickie Gigs™ is primarily for simple, straightforward
administrative tasks and projects that can generally be completed and
turned-around in few days with no fuss or muss. You fill out our online
form with the project specs and once the preliminary account set-up is
completed, we'll get to work right away.
Everything is simple! You sign only one contract (this will cover our
terms for one year in case you have other occasional projects that pop
up) and each project will be quoted on a flat fee basis (easier for you
to budget). For more information, be sure and check
out our Quickie Gigs™ page.
Let's Connect
We Love Hearing From You!
 "Some
great advice for everyone, especially about staying true to the boundaries
of your calendar! Thanks."
— Julia
Lilly of 360 Admin regarding "Put
It on Auto-Pilot" on 6/29/09.
How did YOU like this issue or a past teleseminar?
Was it insightful, helpful or informative? Have topic ideas you'd like
to see covered in the future? Let us know!
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NO-COST TELESEMINAR -
How to Write Articles to Market Your Business, Even If
You Are Not a Writer
 Every
marketing book and seminar tells you that you should be writing articles
to promote your expertise and your business. Writing articles is a great
way to enhance your reputation as the go-to person who has deep expertise
in the work you do every day. But if you have never written before, where
do you start, and how do you know you have anything to say?
Join us at the next no-cost VACOC Guest Expert Teleseminar on
July 16 to find out. Jan B. King is a book publishing expert
and author of numerous articles herself (just Google "Jan B. King"
to see them). She's helped hundreds of people get their expertise out
on paper as books and articles and in this month's teleseminar, she's
going to help you, too! We'd love to see you there.
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SCRATCHING YOUR HEAD? Have
you been wondering what this administrative solution called Virtual Assistance
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don't have to live in overwhelm! Find
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by yourself to enjoying more time, freedom and success.
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| The Portable
Business™ (formerly The Gritty Business Buzz™) is a
weekly electronic newsletter from the Virtual Assistance Chamber
of Commerce™ It is produced by our Virtual Assistant members
especially for the gritty, resourceful, fiercely determined small
business owners and independent professionals they serve--YOU!
Published every Monday. Our records indicate that
you are subscribed to this newsletter. To change your subscription,
see link at end of email.
EDITOR: Danielle
Keister, The
Relief Virtual Assistance
EDITORIAL ASSISTANT:
Denise Shears, Shears
Virtual Advantage
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