“Reese, I’m working all the time, but my bank account doesn’t reflect it! I need a better plan, can you help?”
I remember when I started as a virtual assistant, I was SO worried about getting my Facebook page set up and having it look perfect.
I thought it was imperative that I changed my Instagram account to a business account, learned all about hashtags, posted regularly on Facebook, created a business FB page…. Honestly, it was never-ending.
But guess what?
Those tasks weren’t making me money.
I’m popping in today to tell you I understand if you’re working hard and not reaping any benefits yet.
And most importantly, I’m here to help you change that. Here’s what you need to do…
>>> First off, I want you to strive for progress, not perfection.
It doesn’t matter if you don’t have a website up yet. It’s okay if you’re not clear on your niche. And it’s perfectly fine if you’re not consistent with your Instagram posts.
Here is one of the best pieces of advice I can tell you:
The best way you can gain traction for your virtual assistant business and start MAKING MONEY is to stop posting on social media and startjoining the social media conversations.
Just start responding to people in FB groups who need help.
It doesn’t matter how many “likes” you have. It doesn’t matter how many “followers” you have. Those are all vanity numbers that don’t mean a damn thing.
Focus on the immediate tasks that will make you money.
I want you to grab a Post-It, write down the following three words, and stick it on your laptop.
Because these are the only three things that you should be focusing on right now:
- Network
- Skill
- Scale
Allow me to explain…
- Network: Connect with others in your industry! (Read: Community over competition) Begin connecting with others online so that you can create a wide net of potential referral partners AND potential clients. That means that you’ve got to join conversations online and talk to at least 3-5 people in the online business world. Get your name out there. I have a lot of friends who are also digital marketers like me, and when they are at capacity and can’t help a new potential client, who do you think they refer them to? Yep….me.
And if they meet potential clients who can only afford to work with new VA’s, they’ll begin to recommend you if they feel they can trust you. Connecting with other people in your industry is one of the biggest assets that helped me scale. So, given all of this, who did you talk to today? How many people did you help today? If you didn’t – then jump back online and help out a few more. (Hint: here’s a good group to get started with!) - Skill: No growth-minded individual stays stagnant. Not Bill Gates, not Warren Buffet. Nobody. Instead, they are always learning and refining their skills. In fact, Bill Gates spends a majority of his day reading and learning, and the rest of the day applying. I’d like you to spend at least 10 minutes a day learning a new skill or reading a book that has to do with your area of expertise. Ever wanted to learn PhotoShop or how to use an email marketing provider? Whatever it is, carve out time to make it happen. Start following experts in your field, go out and find a course for a particular skill you’re looking to learn and invest in yourself.
- Scale: The most important thing to remember whether you are just starting out or you’ve been in business for a while is this:
Create processes and automations for your business so you can reduce the administration non-billable time you work. This will free up more time that can be better used to generate more money.
Other ideas that can help you scale and complete work faster is to collaborate with other VA’s (taking on bigger projects that complement one another’s skills) and begin selling digital products passively.
Now that you know *THESE* are the only three things you should be focusing on to make money right now, I’m offering you a permission slip to stop worrying about your fancy social media pages, professional photos, branding ideas, or anything else that isn’t bringing you immediate revenue.
START with the essental things that will begin to make you money, then (and only then) you can start on the secondary work to build out your business.
Have you completed your three things yet today? Get to it!
xx, Reese
