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The Virtual Assistant - Coach Connection This month, we thought it would be interesting to take a peek into the world of coaching as it relates specifically to virtual assistants. A panel of seven virtual assistant coaches was enlisted to provide insider information about this dynamic new niche market and how it impacts the Virtual Assistant Industry. Q: What are common areas in which your VA clients seek assistance? According to our panel, one of the biggest issues facing the virtual assistant today is client acquisition and retention. Virtual assistants want to know how to effectively and economically market to their target audiences and build meaningful, long-lasting relationships with clients. These virtual assistants have limited or non-existent budgets, so they need to know what works and what doesn’t and be able to develop a plan of action while taking baby steps toward their goals. Without proper guidance and planning, many new VAs dive head-first into the entrepreneurial pool and cut their chins on the jagged pieces of their impetuous naivety. Virtual assistant coaches teach their clients how to create a proper pricing structure based on factual data: demographics, competitor pricing, business costs, skill level, etc. Once their clients’ feet are firmly on the ground, a VA coach can then introduce the fine art of networking and defining a specialty. Some of the more delicate issues that a VA coach is called upon to address include confidence, low self-esteem, focusing, prioritizing and change. Like every independent professional, the most important goal is finding a good work-life balance. Q: Do you provide mentoring as well as coaching? Forty-three percent (43%) of our panel answered yes to this question. Q: What do you see as the key differences between mentoring and coaching? Our experts tell us that coaching is more generalized, because they key service provided by the VA coach is assisting their clients in finding the tools of success. A coach asks thought-provoking questions that lead the VA to come up with her own answers, which lead to action plans and goal setting. A coach charges a fee associated with the consultation they provide and holds clients responsible for following through with the techniques and practices they have learned as a result of their relationship with the coach. On the other hand, a mentor could be thought of more like a friend, sister or brother – a volunteer, if you will, who can share a depth of knowledge and experience with their protégés. Mentors are experts in their chosen fields who provide the oxygen during their understudies’ descent into processes and idea formulation. Q: What common industries are served by your VA clients and what services do they offer? According to our panel, the real estate and coaching industries along with small-business owners and entrepreneurs seem to commonly take advantage of the valuable support provided by virtual assistants. Our panelists told us that their VA clients provide such services as bookkeeping, general administrative support and transcription. Q: What services do you provide to your VA clients? In order to be successful, every business owner needs guidance and an awareness of the basic principles of owing and operating a successful practice – virtual assistants are no exception. With that in mind a VA coach can provide best-practice principles and practical approaches relative to business start up, defining target markets, pricing, providing estimates and client relationship maintenance. A VA coach wants to help clients become experts in their respective fields and will provide the necessary motivation and creative juices to help their customers become successful and overcome the fear of making that initial contact with potential clientele. Q: With what kinds of personal issues do your VA clients struggle?
To keep with the common theme of coaching as it relates specifically to virtual assistants, this segment focuses on the coach who uses virtual assistant services. A panel of six professional coaches was enlisted to provide their valuable insight into what makes the coach – virtual assistant connection so strong. Q: Why do you prefer a virtual assistant to an in-house assistant (e.g., employee)? Not surprisingly, many coaches appreciate the quite time that comes with working alone – time to think and be creative. An employee is a big responsibility, especially to small business owner (i.e.: taxes, benefits…). By using the services of a VA versus an employee, the coach can maintain a simplistic business model and does not need to worry about keeping the VA busy during slower periods of productivity. The Virtual Assistant Industry houses professionals in varying time zones – it is international in nature with no physical boundaries. In this way, a California-based coach service using a New York virtual assistant can be productive for a few hours all before rising from bed. Virtual assistants offer a highly cost-effective way to get things done quickly and efficiently. Another added benefit of using a VA versus in-house employee is flexibility. A VA can work outside normal business hours and only charges for services rendered. Therefore, there is no cost associated with downtime or non-productive periods of time like coffee and potty breaks. Q: What types of projects do you delegate to your virtual assistant?
Q: How did you find your VA? Our expert panel provided some interesting answers, which could be translated into great marketing ideas. One of our experts found her VA through the International Virtual Assistants Association RFP (Request for Proposal) system. Others searched online using Google and similar search engines while others relied on networking and referrals to find their virtual assistant. Q: What industries do you support as a professional coach? Our panelists support a variety of industries including the virtual assistant, retirement, leadership and spiritual industries; entrepreneurs, sole-proprietors and small-business owners; work-at-home moms; and service professionals in the marketing, accounting, educational, coaching, speaking, organizing and entertainment industries. Q: What qualifications and skills should professional coaches possess? In addition to professional experience, many of our panelists agreed that the ability to delegate, communicate and hold clients accountable for following through with goal achievement is very important. Equally important is the coach’s love of what he does. Great coaches should be resourceful, organized, compassionate and good listeners. They need to leave their egos at home and put clients’ needs first. Having a diverse business background is helpful and the coach should be willing to continue his education and challenge himself to grow and keep up with the changing times. Further, today’s coaching industry has several resources available if they wish to pursue certification and licensing in particular areas of practice. Q: With what kinds of personal issues do your VA clients struggle?
Q: What suggestions do you have for the Virtual Assistant Industry in general? Certification seems to be important, but more important is the virtual assistant’s professionalism. A virtual assistant must follow through with commitments, over deliver without over-promising and be willing to start with the smaller projects, which could lead to larger projects as trust and camaraderie develop. To keep with the perception that the VA serves as an alternative to using temporary services or part-time employees, the virtual assistant needs to respond quickly to inquiries and clearly define for their clients what services are available. Coaches want a partner in business and in many respects look to their VA to fill that role. A VA must show (not just tell) potential coaching clients how easy it is to use virtual assistant services. By helping a coaching client fulfill their goals, the VA provides an invaluable service that cannot be duplicated by an in-house employee. Please join me in thanking our fine panel of experts for their valuable contribution and insight into the world of the Virtual Assistant-Coach connection:
___________________________________________________________________________ Melanie O’Kane is President of MAD Typing and Consulting, a virtual assistant company based in Madison, Wisconsin, that provides administrative, creative and business writing services to clients throughout the United States. O’Kane is a 20-year administrative veteran and successful e-book author and columnist. Learn more about Melanie O'Kane and MAD Typing and Consulting by visiting http://www.mad-typing-and-consulting.com. ### |