As a virtual assistant, I am often asked, "What DO you DO?"

With about 5 seconds to capture the asker's interest before succumbing to the 'glazed over-deer-in-the-headlights-look' with my traditional, boring response, I decided to shake things up a bit…and respond with a question instead.

Now I know this goes against what my mother taught me, "Don't answer a question with a question..." but she'll forgive me for breaking the rules!

You see, as a virtual assistant…these two words do not really mean much at all to folks outside of the coaching, speaker, author or real estate professional industries, which tend to utilize my services more often for administrative and website work.

Explaining to folks what is I do through running off a list of services I offer rarely works either. And, when individuals learn my office is based out of my home that is the trigger that maybe I do not have a 'real job'.

Even my best elevator speech does not seem to get my point across.

I have an identity problem.

Confusion sets in and I still have not really explained what it is I do for a living.

So when I am asked,...

Your Virtual Wizard

So You Want to Work with a Virtual Assistant? 10 Things You Need to Know Before You Search for a VA


1) Have a good understanding of what you want the VA to do for you before you search. Keep an ongoing list next to your desk of responsibilities you really want to delegate. List those items which keep you from doing the work you enjoy.

2) Prioritize that list. Break the list down to three categories: Items which should have been done yesterday; those which need to be done this week and those which can wait until next month.

3) Decide how much your budget will allow to contract with a VA. If you can spend $200 a month then stick to that budget.

4) Post a request for proposal (RFP) on the Virtual Assistant Forums for free. (This is the premier virtual assistant forums website. VAs are not charged for services here, so the site is open for all VAs and business owners with diverse backgrounds.) Make your RFP as detailed as possible and do not forget to include your website address and alternate email address. Most VAs will research your business online before posting for a position so any information you offer ahead of time only helps to weed out those who...

Your Virtual Wizard

I start out my day, waking with an alarm,
some mornings, that's tough,
as my covers are warm.

Husband has made coffee, pour the cream in my cup.
Wake up my teen. "Hey, you'd better stay up!"

Throw on my sweats, brush my teeth, wash my face,
Feed the cat, feed the teen, "Yes, it's oatmeal for darn sakes."

"Leave the iPod at home, don't even ask.
And please don't forget your books and school lunch pass."
(Help me this day, as I ignore his morning sass!)

We'd better get going;
I've got much on my plate; emails, Twitter,
social networking won't wait.

Already my head is a-spin;
I may be going berserk,
but I can't sit down 'til I finish my mom-work.

A quick drive to school, "Good luck on your test!"
A kiss and a hug, "And, please do your best."

He turns with a grunt then pauses to say,
"I love you too, Mom but please go away.
My friends are all looking, you see,
so please go to work, you're embarrassing me!"

The drive back home, I'm thinking of work;
a...

Your Virtual Wizard

Hello,

I read an interesting article about this website which listed overused and abused words in our 2008 lexicon; suggesting these should be banned from our 2009 vocabulary.

I thought I'd start an impromptu list here and ask my VAF peers to give their opinions on which words they thought should be removed from our lexicon. This list would include words which have lost their meaning because we just hear them all too often.

Some words or phrases which I personally have grown weary from hearing (and using) are:

• Joe the Plummer

• low hanging fruit

• Main Street to Wall Street

• maverick

• moving forward

• anything which uses "green"

• I'll include 'awesome' here but I believe it is still acceptable

• pop - referring to the addition of color - I hear this on decorator shows too often

• teleseminar, webinar - anything 'ar' - I use this word myself but I need to coin something else

• random - notably used by teenagers

• snap

*Please note that this list by no means indicates that anyone is incorrect in using these words. I'm sure I'll continue using 'green' and 'teleseminar' myself, hopefully with some discretion.

Do you have any words you...

Your Virtual Wizard