Over the last year and a half, many people have been shocked that working from home does not always lead to a healthier business-life balance. In fact, working from home can often make things much, much trickier! Of course, that isn’t a big surprise to most small business owners out there. Those of us who have experienced working from home know how easy it can be to drive ourselves to the bone, burning the candle at both ends, sometimes for years at a stretch. Your body and mind need time to recover from a hard day’s work. Usually, that’s done…
As a small business owner, I really dislike being locked into a contract. I’ve heard horror stories from my clients who got locked into long-term contracts with a firm that didn’t deliver what they promised! Now, I’m not bad-mouthing my competitors here! The aim of countless virtual assistant firms out there is to help your business succeed. When you’re running a small business, you need to have flexibility, especially when you’re first starting out. Your income might not be predictable and having a big fixed cost can become a nightmare for your budget. With many reputable virtual assistant firms, you don’t…
What is the secret to finding and working with a virtual assistant team? Simple: you need to connect with the right people. Trust me, I know this from personal experience! Years ago, I was a “lone wolf” virtual assistant. If my clients needed social media written, blogs edited, sales funnels designed, or email newsletters sent, it would be me behind the computer. While my business was thriving, I certainly wasn’t. The stress was starting to get to me. And even worse, because I was doing EVERYTHING myself, I was limiting my business’s growth. I couldn’t take on new clients because…
Have you taken the time to think about how people get to your website? A sales funnel is key. Even though we are firmly in the age of the internet, there are countless small businesses out there that maintain a “real world” focus on their company. The online part of their business isn’t given as much thought and focus as it should. First off, online IS the real world. Everything we do is online nowadays. Even before the pandemic hit, online sales and interactions were starting to outnumber in-person interactions. And now, well, there isn’t even a contest. Just look…
Do you have big business plans for the new year? With the previous year in the rearview mirror, I’ve been putting a ton of thought into revamping my business plan. I’m a firm believer in coming up with a new business plan every January (And then of course, I revisit it quarterly to see if I need to tweak it). In this year’s plan, I’ve been specifically focusing on ways I can grow my brand through digital marketing. Branding encompasses everything in a business, including your personality. Your personality, goals, business sense, beliefs, everything goes directly into your brand. And…
Sometimes, I wonder how I manage to get through my daily to-do list in my business. Not to brag, but believe me, my to-do list can get a little crazy at times. I’m working with dozens of different clients who work in several industries. It takes a lot to keep everything straight (which is why I live by my project management system), I use Teamwork and it is my lifeline! I couldn’t work without it! It helps me keep every project organized and ensures that I never miss a detail or a deadline. So keeping things organized is the easy…
Wouldn’t it be great to have an assistant at your beck and call? All you’d need to do is hit the intercom on your desk, and like a flash, they appear! Unfortunately, that’s beyond the means of most small business owners. Many of them work out of their home. Unless they draft their kids into the role, (take it from me, this isn’t a great idea! haha!) having an assistant might seem like it simply isn’t possible. Or is it? The Internet Created Countless Jobs The internet has created countless brand-new types of jobs over the last twenty years, including…
You know the old saying that mistakes are why they put erasers on the end of pencils? Well, that might do the trick when you’re in the 6th grade, but when you’re a small business owner, mistakes have slightly higher stakes! As a small business owner, I’ve faced countless difficulties throughout my career. Heck, like everyone else in the world in 2020, I’ve faced incredible challenges over the last few months! The good thing is that I’ve learned how to take those mistakes and learn from them. But trust me, that wasn’t easy! I’ve always found that the next best…
How large is your email list? Are you using a lead magnet to help it grow? Your email list is one of the most powerful resources you can have as a small business owner. More powerful than social media, more powerful than any other digital marketing effort! I tell my clients over and over again, you should always be growing your list in the background! You might be thinking well, that is easier said than done. How do I ensure that my email list is growing every single day? With a fantastic lead magnet! You know that free download that…
Are you worried about your revenue stream? Right now, small business owners everywhere are wondering how they can increase their revenue (or hold it even) during the coronavirus crisis. We currently don’t know how long this period of social distancing will last or if things will get even worse. What we do know is that most physical locations are closed, meaning that many small businesses have needed to pivot to online only. Thankfully, there are some ways you can create multiple online streams of income. It might require you to go slightly out of your comfort zone, but these strategies…
