[[:encoded, "We are honored today to have a very special guest. As many of you may know, I’m a big fan of leveraging resources whenever possible. Our guest today is Diane Potter. \n\nDiane Potter is owner of The Virtual Difference, an online business management firm and virtual assistant agency. The Virtual Difference was opened in 2007 with Diane as the sole person, and now has 7 employees around the world. The Virtual Difference specializes in helping entrepreneurs build profitable business online with a customized blueprint. Diane believes that if you have specialized knowledge, then you have a business, and her team will work with you to build an online, revenue generating, machine.\n\nToday, Diane is going to share with you some ideas on who is best suited to hire a virtual assistant and ways to find a virtual assistant that is right for you. \n\nFor those of you who might be interested in learning more about Diane’s services in particular, go to www.TheVirtualDifference.com. Contact Diane directly by emailing her at: diane@thevirtualdifference.com. \n\nTake advantage of the complimentary special report on Keys to Working Less, Making More Money, and Having a More Balanced Life by going to www.AccountabilityCoach.com. Join the Silver Inner Circle (IT’S FREE) and receive 10% off on ALL products and services, in addition to having access to many assessments and complimentary resources so you can begin achieving your goals in the timeframe you want, so you can have the life you desire. Get started today by going to www.AccountabilityCoach.com and Join the FREE Silver Inner Circle. \n\nAim for what you want each and every day! \nAnne Bachrach\nThe Accountability Coach™\nAuthor of Excuses Don’t Count; Results Rule and Live Life with No Regrets. Get your copies today."]]
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Aim for what you want each and every day!
Anne Bachrach
The Accountability Coach™
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(upbeat music) - Hello, and welcome to the Accountability Coach podcast, but we will discuss topics, ideas, questions, and issues related to having a totally balanced and successful life. This is Ann Bakrak. Today, we are honored to have a very special guest. As many of you probably already know, I'm a big fan of leveraging resources whenever possible. Our guest today is Diane Potter. Diane is the owner of the Virtual Difference, an online business management firm and virtual assistant agency. The virtual difference was opened in 2007 with Diane as the sole person, and now she has seven employees around the world. The Virtual Difference specializes in helping entrepreneurs build profitable businesses online with a customized blueprint. Diane believes that if you have a specialized knowledge, then you have a business, and her team will work with you to build an online revenue-generating machine. Today, Diane is going to share with you some ideas on who is best suited to hire a virtual assistant and ways to find a virtual assistant that are right for you. Welcome, Diane, we really appreciate you joining us today. - Thanks, Ann, I'm glad to be here. - You know, having virtual employees has been around, at least in corporate America, for some time, but seems to have become an even more common phenomenon today, I think. Give us some perspective. Let's start off by having you share with us what exactly is a virtual assistant? - Well, that's the million dollar question. There are a lot of different schools of thought, and people have heard about virtual assistants probably from multiple sources. I think within the last five years, Tim Ferris wrote a book called The Four Hour Work Week. His definition of a virtual assistant is anybody that works virtually that you can hand off any task to. I'm a graduate of assistU, which is the world's premier online training center for virtual assistants, and our definition is, a VA is a long-term collaborative partner that works on long-term relationships. So that gets a little bit more specific, and it's basically just someone who you can offload and delegate tasks to and goals, and then allow them to figure out the quickest, shortest path to your goal. But there's also freelancers, and freelancers are someone that maybe do one task. Now, they also work virtually, but I've often compared them to the guy that might paint your house. He's not someone you're gonna work with long-term and collaboratively. So a freelancer is kind of a one-task person. A virtual assistant is gonna be more long-term, and just recently in the last year, there has become a new definition called an online business manager. Now, an online business manager is kind of a step up from a virtual assistant. There has been no specific definition that's been created for that yet. However, what's been kind of the school of thought so far is that an online business manager can help an entrepreneur build a business from the ground up. A virtual assistant can help you systemize tasks, take over a task that you've delegated to them, and certain parts within a business that you've already got existing, and help you grow it so that you can work on them vision while they take care of the details, whereas an online business manager, like I said, can pretty much start from the ground up. - So those are pretty much the three different definitions that we have rolling out there right now. Does that answer your question? - Yeah, it does. That helps clear things up, and I hadn't heard about the online business manager yet, so. - Yes, that's still pretty new, and I think maybe some of the folks out there maybe have just started hearing about it. Tina Forsythe wrote a book about it, and it's just now starting to take hold, but even the term virtual assistant is still pretty new, so this new term is really, really still in its infancy. - Yeah, that's great. Typically, who do virtual assistants work best with? - That's a great question. AVA can work with just about any type of business owner out there. I do know that there are also personal VAs and all this touch on this for a second. They work more like a virtual concierge service. I know that they can do stuff like take care of doctor appointments for you, book travel arrangements. If you're taking a vacation, do personal shopping for you. And I have found that most VAs tend to specialize in either the personal aspect or the business aspect, and a lot of business owners out there think, oh, a VA couldn't help me in my business, but it is just you, we even have different sections where VAs will specialize in. We have for financial planners. Of course, virtual university owners, they need a ton of help. Real estate agents, speakers, real estate appraisers, printers of different warehouses, nurse case managers, nutritionists, mortgage brokers, insurance agents, massage therapist even, image consultants, coaches, construction professionals, authors, attorneys, architects, and virtually any type of subject matter expert. And this is where my specialty is. If you have specialized knowledge in a subject, then there is most likely a VA out there for you that will help build your business or take care of your task in that particular subject. - Yeah, you've probably found, like I've found that most subject matter experts are good at that subject, but not necessarily at running a business or doing the day-to-day business activities. Is that true for you as well? - That's 100% true. And what I find ironic is that they tend to always feel guilty about that, which I don't understand because really what I do is a subject matter expert. So what they're expecting of themselves is that there are A, a subject matter expert in what they know and B, that they know as much as I do in my subject. And typically that happens because when you start off as a business owner by yourself, online, you don't have a lot of funding, so you have to start up learning some things yourself. There does eventually come to a point though where you need help because there's no way that you're gonna be able to know everything I know, keep up on what my stuff is, that I need to keep up on and do the same thing in your subject as well. So if you just hire out to the people that know more than you on the subjects you need help with, that's all. - Yeah, and that's why I'm a big fan of leveraging resources because there are so many other people out there that are subject matter experts in areas that you don't really need to know as long as you know what your subject is, you can hire the rest out. - Exactly, I don't cut my own hair. I may know whether I want it long or short, but I go to a hairdresser, that's what her expert is. So yeah, exactly. - Well, for those listening today, what would you tell us about, I guess when is the right time for us to be looking for a virtual assistant or actually hiring one? - Pretty much, my answer to that is, when you can't do it on your own or anymore, or you don't know how to do it, whichever comes first. Some business owners start out with the capital to invest and they say, "Okay, here's what I'd like to build." And they go out and they hire somebody in and that's great. Maybe an online business manager firm or something like that. Or a lot of business owners, as we just mentioned, they start out doing certain things themselves. They may hire freelancers to do pieces here or there. However, it gets to the point where the upkeep, the maintenance, the details are becoming overwhelming and they're not making any progress forward anymore. And that's when they have to start looking out about taking on a long-term collaborative partner or a virtual assistant because at that point, they're not making any progress, they're just simply keeping up with the fires that are going on in their current business. - Yeah, which really inhibits them from making more revenue. So you're really an investment in helping them grow their business, wouldn't you say? - Right, well, if you do the same things tomorrow that you do today, you'll get the same results that you got today. So that's why if you take changes and you get somebody else to take care of the things that you don't need to be doing, then you can move forward. There are certain things in your business that not even online business managers can do and that's pretty much the vision for your business. I see it going in this direction and that's where your brilliance needs to be, that creating products and thinking of new ventures that you'd like to take on. The partner or the virtual assistant or the online business manager is there to help execute those. - Well, how do we know, that's gonna go a little bit deeper here, how would you advise us to know what qualities we should look for in a virtual assistant? How would you help us kind of go through that thought process? - It's a good question. It really kind of depends on what you do for a living. So let's say for example, you're an author and your dream is you wanna sell your book online, you wanna create multiple products from that one book, you're gonna wanna look for someone that has the ability of the technology, updating the website, sending out email blast, maybe helping with traffic, a blog. However, you'll also want someone if you're just in the book writing stage that maybe knows how to get you an ISBN number, how do you get published, how do you get that listed on Amazon, a Barnes and Noble, do they do a best-selling book promotion, do they know someone that does? Other examples would be if you're working with a financial planner. Those VAs know how to do a physical offline get together that will do lead generation and they have different ideas for that. Not for profits, no different things that you can do in order to maximize your exposure without creating a lot of extra expense. And they know how to run, I believe it's called a 503 C and different subjects like that. So it really kind of depends on what it is you're doing. And so you'll need to sit down and make a list. These are the things I wanna do. These are the skills I think I'm going to need. Someone that knows how to at least do updates on a website and send out emails and collect names or lead generation or different subjects like that. And then make sure you look for those things. - Because there obviously are so many options to choose from, sometimes we can get bogged down on where to even go to find a virtual assistant. First of all, where would you recommend that we go to look for a virtual assistant and then explain to us how you would recommend that we handle the selection? So here's where we go and then how do we start doing it down or narrowing it down? - Right, I would, well, quick, I'm biased. (laughs) As you guys have probably heard me say a few times, assist you, it is the world's premier online college for training virtual assistants. It was started by Stacy Bryce and don't quote me on this, but I think it's been around close to 10 years. The web address is www.assist, and then theletteru.com. Now assist you have about 300 active members at this time and what they have is they have a registry. So you can go in as a client and it costs you nothing to do this and fill out the form saying I'm looking for a virtual assistant. Stacy's very specific when setting your expectations when you're filling out the form. She'll give you a range of fees that we charge. She'll tell you how we work and how you might expect us to work and she'll even tell you if you're looking for a freelancer that these are some additional resources you can check out. Virtual assistants from assist you aren't freelancers. We work long-term on retainers. We don't do one-time projects. So like I said, she'll be very specific as you're filling out the form and helping you have realistic expectations. Once you fill out the form, an email will be sent to every virtual assistant in the registry that qualifies based on what requirements you put in. At that point, you're gonna be getting quite a few emails from graduates of assist you, telling you what they do, why they like your business, and you can choose on who you wanna interview. Most of the time, they'll have a website. You can go explore that at the good first step. And you'll also wanna be very specific about what you're expecting. If you're expecting weekly reports, put that in there. If you're expecting to talk to them once a week or once a day, put that in there. Whatever feels right for you, you'll need to be specific. Some VAs will weed themselves out by your requirements just for that and they won't reply back. So for example, if you said you wanted to talk to someone, and I'm just being sarcastic, but three times a day, I would not apply for that because I don't have time to talk to someone three times a day every day. But it will help you narrow down the answers, the responses that you get back, because you'll be getting them back from people that have already read it and said, "Yes, I'm okay with that." Also, be sure once you get these responses, narrow down that you interview quite a few of them. Talk to current clients that they've worked with. If they're willing to do that with which most of them are. But make sure you talk to current clients and ask them, "Would you recommend them? "How do you feel about their work? "What do you think I need to know about this CA? "Are there any warning signs or weak points "that she has that I need to know about?" And also look at samples of their work. This is especially important if you're looking to build a website or have an easy and design. Look at Ask for some past samples of work that they've done. So it's very similar to taking on a partner, a silent partner in your business. They're gonna influence your decisions for years to come. So make sure you feel comfortable with them. Make sure you personally get along with them. If you have a very funny sense of humor and they're extremely dry, this may be a problem. Or if you're kind of a very serious person and they're always cracking jokes, that may be a problem too. So make sure that you kind of talk to them long enough that you get a good sense for their personality. Also take any consideration time zones. Some time is a factor, but not too often. I live in Kansas, but I have clients clear to Australia. As long as the client doesn't mind, I don't mind. But it may matter to you. And also, see what kind of software they use. There may be software that you've already been using that you wanna stick with. Some VA's are very flexible with what they'll use. Others are very set in their ways. And these are the ones they use and the ones they like to use. So make sure you mention that too. Yeah, most I think entrepreneurs, at least in the beginning, are not very good delegators. So they don't even know how many times they should talk to somebody or they're afraid to let go of certain things just because they don't know how to do that. How do you handle that? I talk to the client and I kind of find out what it is that they're looking to hand off one of the things that I suggest and I've put this in a video on my website, it works best for me, is that a client will sit down for a week or a month or whatever feels right for them and just keep a list of all the tasks that they're doing or the things they wish they had time to do and go to the interview with that on, put it out on the table. And the VA will be able to tell you, you know, "Yes, I do this," or "No, I don't, but I have someone on my team that does," or "No, this is something I think you probably need to take care of yourself," and they'll walk you through. But you need to have a pretty good list of what's going on. What would be important for us to know about working specifically with a virtual assistant or if they have a team like you do, after we've actually chosen them? Well, here's the biggest misconception. They're not likely to communicate with you every day. I've had clients that I've talked to on a Monday for three hours and Wednesday, they've felt like that I've abandoned them. VA's are similar to, let's say, an accountant. You know, you would drop off your paperwork, do your part, delegate the end result, which is probably say, "Get me back the most money possible," and, you know, then wait until they hear, that you hear from them, that either they need some additional information or they're done with your taxes and you can come pick them up. Typically also, they don't answer phones live. I know, I personally, I work in blocks of time. This was something that was taught to me when I was at assist you. So I have a set time every day where I'll take appointment and a set time every day where I don't. If it's during those times where I'm not taking appointments, my ringer is shut off because I'm focused on client work. So I'm not gonna stop just because it's on ring. So that's important to know, too. And they usually have some sort of system in place, something that they use for reporting tasks done, undone, how much time has been used on your retainer, how much time is left, and make sure you found out what these were upfront and that you're okay with these or see if they're okay to adapting to what you want instead. If you use base camp and they use something else and you want them to use base camp, that's important to ask. If they have, like I do, nine people logging into one system and you want me to use another system, I'll politely decline because that's nine people that have to change the way they look at the past just for one client. So it's important to know that they either will be flexible in adapting your schedule or that you'll be flexible and adapt to what they already have in place. - Okay, give us some perspective on why somebody would hire a virtual assistant versus the traditional secretary or assistant that would reside in our office. - Yeah, that's the question I guess a lot. First of all, a lot of infopreneurs or subject matter experts or solo-preneurs are usually working out of their home and they don't want someone in their personal space but they still need help. And that's usually why they start off working alone in the first place 'cause they're working out of their house. And then once it gets to the point where they're so busy as we talked about before that their tasks are just taking over their day, they want help, but their first thought is, what am I gonna do? Hire someone and have them in my living room. It just doesn't seem very conducive to your personal life. So this would be a great reason why you would hire someone virtually. Another reason would be you don't have to pay for extra equipment. If I hired a secretary in my house tomorrow, I need to get her a computer, a phone, a desk, a chair, I mean, all those things add up. So if you hire someone virtually who already has their own business, I have all that stuff, I'm set up. You also don't have maybe enough work to justify either a real staff member that's part-time or full-time employee. VA's sometimes even will go as a page-you-go rate. So you'll only use the time you need, or they'll sell them to you in different blocks of retainer hours and you can pick the one that works best for you. So for those major reasons right there, I think is why people do it. In addition to that, it's also less expensive. - Yeah, I would think that you wouldn't have to pay benefits. - Exactly. - And pay a role and with all the extra taxes that entrepreneurs have to pay to have an employee. - Right, and I do an example on my website in a video. I use a whiteboard and I just spell it out because a lot of times when people hear a virtual assistance per hour rate, they have a little bit of sticker shock. But if you hired even just a part-time employee on site at $15 an hour, you're looking at spending about 22,000, 23,000 a year. That's by the time you pay the base salary plus benefits plus paid time off, vacation, holiday, sixth time, payroll taxes and just administrative costs. It's about $22,000 plus the cost of the space, the equipment and any supplies they need. The virtual assistant comes with all that. So if you paid a VA just $40 an hour and they worked even more hours than you would probably imagine you would think, 240 hours a year, you're gonna only spend $9,500, $9,600 is what the math turns out to be. So this is a way for you to get someone that is usually, and I don't mean this in a bad way, but usually at a higher skill set than a physical on-site secretary and someone that is going to be able to fit into your budget better and not cost you all the additional expenses. - Yeah, I would think that would be true. You can get somebody with more expertise who actually can work at a higher rate, a faster rate who has experience than, perhaps somebody that, again, might be at $10 or $15 an hour, might not have as much experience. Plus if they're like you, they have a team of experts. Subject matter experts in other areas that also help. - Right, well, and I have found when I worked offline, I was in sales for almost 15 years, sales marketing, and it was completely offline. I was just at the top of my game. I was really good at what I did. However, I knew nothing about online marketing, and it's a completely different subject altogether. I could send emails and search the web, and that was about it. So it's just because you're working online, it's a whole different set of skills that you have to know, and that higher skill set only benefits the entrepreneur. - If somebody wanted more information about your particular services, we talked about assist you, but about your particular services and what you have to offer, how would they get in touch with you? - My website is www.thephvvirtual, V-I-R-T-U-A-L, different, d-i-s-s-e-r-e-n-t-e.com. My email is Diane, d-i-a-n-e at thevirtualdifference.com, and you can go to my website, watch the two 20-minute videos that I have there that kind of do a smaller version of what we did today if you need a review, or you can go ahead and shoot me an email directly, and I'll get back with you. - Well, that sounds great. It sounds like you have a couple good resources for us to review and see how or if having a virtual assistant can really make a difference for us in our business. - Yeah, well, thank you. - Yeah, we really appreciate you spending your time and expertise with us today. Again, for those of you who might be interested in learning more about Diane's services in particular, go to her website at www.thevirtualdifference.com. If you think you need or would like to explore leveraging the virtual assistant resource, you now have an idea of where to go and how to get started. My hope for our time together is that you got some value that an idea or two that will help you be even more successful, personally and professionally. To help keep you focused on these activities that produce the results you want, subscribe to the Accountability Coach blog at www.accountabilitycoachblog.com. Take advantage of the many free resources and tools available to help you be successful that are available at accountabilitycoach.com. Things like the special report on keys to working less, making more money and having a more balanced life and so many more personal and professional development resources and tools. Aim for what you want each and every day. Until next time, make it a great day, today and every day. Thanks for listening. (upbeat music) (upbeat music)
[[:encoded, "We are honored today to have a very special guest. As many of you may know, I’m a big fan of leveraging resources whenever possible. Our guest today is Diane Potter. \n\nDiane Potter is owner of The Virtual Difference, an online business management firm and virtual assistant agency. The Virtual Difference was opened in 2007 with Diane as the sole person, and now has 7 employees around the world. The Virtual Difference specializes in helping entrepreneurs build profitable busine...
