Have you been virtually butt kicked yet?

By Dee Matheson

Just last week I was feeling sorry for myself because my Virtual Assistant business had come to a grinding halt. My ever understanding husband said that these things happen and I must not be so hard on myself. All I could think of was ‘thank goodness he still believes in me’.

As per usual my marketing coach, Francis van Wyk, was scheduled for our marketing mentor session and I was not looking forward to it because I was feeling down in the dumps and I had not done everything on the list that I was supposed to do. Well lo and behold, she kicked my butt virtually (via Skype) and told me to do something that we are all so scared of: Be Proactive. It’s not rocket science but boy does it work.

As I had already identified my target market, I started looking for contact details and information and composed my email marketing letter. I was rather sceptical about sending  it out because I was wondering whether they would even bother reading it, put it in the trash or send me rude emails back because I was wasting their precious time. Well that did not happen. No hit squad came to my virtual door and told me off. Instead the feedback has been phenomenal. There are so many people out there just waiting for someone to help them further their business goals but don’t know how to get into connect with them. By just using this very simple initiative it has opened up doors that I did not know were even there. Those that were not quite ready for my services at this moment agreed to regular informative emails from me which means I’m developing a database of potential clients. Exactly what Francis encourages: build up a funnel system so that when one client moves on, you’ve got others waiting in line.

This week I signed up two new clients and I’m in the process of signing up my third which came from my website and not even from my marketing email campaign. When I spoke to these new clients and those potential clients, I asked them what made them want to connect with me and they all said, “Your pro-activeness, because if you do that for your business, imagine what you can do for mine?”

 Once again this just shows that putting those positive vibes out there into the universe, and I’m not an airy fairy type of person, and stop wishing for things to happen when you don’t even try yourself only bodes disappointment and eventually failure. That is such a pity because we all have skills, knowledge and know how that someone else does not have and needs.

I hope that this has inspired some of you to become more proactive and get out there and kick butt or at least try. Don’t give up. All that hard work you’ve already put in should not go to waste.

If you would like more information or connect with me, you can reach me via email on dmatheson@worldonline.co.za or visit my website: www.dfm-virtualassistant.co.za

Who said that you had to be young to have an Entrepreneurial Spirit?

Yes, there are many stories out there about mega millionaire Entrepreneurs who started off selling lemonade on the street corner when they were a kid but there are just as many that started later in life. Have a look at our friendly Colonel Sanders from KFC fame. I became an Entrepreneur in my early 50s. There are no age, race or sex barriers when it comes to drive and determination to see things through to the end.  Anyone with a unique concept or a new angle on how to solve an old problem can apply for and get the job of Entrepreneur.

Gone are the days when you had to stay at one corporate until you retire. Nowadays, the more you learn and experience during your working career in different environments allows you to become a more successful Entrepreneur. Here are some pointers that will show that you don’t have to be 7 years old to be an Entrepreneur.

·         If you have that unique concept or angle and just know that this is going to solve a problem or problems for others and you are PASSIONATE in wanting to be the catalyst in helping them, then you are already an Entrepreneur with the thinking of an Entrepreneur. In my case I found that many Business Coaches were getting stuck with admin and used that gap to service that particular industry as a Virtual Assistant. It’s not a unique concept but it’s an old issue that needed a new attack angle.

·     During my working career I was only exposed to certain amount of learning and always considered myself an empty jar that needed to be filled with knowledge and best practice. No-one can learn everything but if you are wise, CONNECT with someone who has the experience and knowledge about what you want and LEARN as much as possible from them and use that information to your advantage. Be FLEXIBLE when receiving information, nothing is set in stone. ADAPT the lessons learned to the way you want to use them in your business.

·       Having a challenge is the mainstay of any Entrepreneur and finding a way to solve that challenge is very exhilarating. However, in order to BECOME AN EXPERT and to maintain your superiority in that particular field, it’s vital to up-skill yourself whenever you can so that you can be the EXPERT that gets called upon.

·      In my line of business as a Virtual Assistant, I don’t just stick with one client and work for them exclusively. I outsource to many clients and while doing so I have been exposed to many ideas on how to do things differently. As an Entrepreneur my business ebbs and flows and I use the ideas that come my way and ADAPT them accordingly so my business is never static. I’m always thinking “Where to next? What else can my clients want or need?” This has opened up a new avenue in my business which I will be offering my clients soon as an add-on service. Never stop thinking of the NEXT STEP.

I hope that some of what I’ve mentioned resonates with you and inspires you to make that leap into becoming an Entrepreneur regardless of your age.

If you would like to know more about working with a Virtual Assistant, please contact me and I will be happy to discuss alternative ways of helping you reach your ultimate goal. I’m contactable on email: dmatheson@worldonline.co.za or visit my website: www.dfm-virtualassistant.co.za