Wow! A lot of great tips everyone! Thanks!

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Jeanne Heflin 714-615-9551
jeanne@jheflin.com

This is a very useful forum that I've ever came across. My name is Santi and I have a crazy investor who is as crazy as me to make our VA's service popular in my home country. I live in Indonesia where most business people and small companies can afford a personal assistant/secretary with a very low payment.

I am a VA to my investor at the moment - he found my profile in a VA website which I've never touched again since I put my profile there first time. I think he found me there from the search engine. So again, another lesson learned; SEO, SEO, SEO.

Kathie is absolutely right about treating/calling them as our Clients instead of Employers. This also will change how our Customers think about us. In my case, I'm lucky because my client took my ideas very seriously and somehow is interested to make me his business partner.

When one client is not just satisfied with the result you gave but also with how you do it, he will take it special and WILL tell it to people. Another free marketing campaign .

I don't use Odesk and Elance anymore because it doesn't suit my goal, to be honest. When my VA's website ready, I think I'm going to focus on e-marketing campaign, send E-Mail to my ex-clients to let them know about the new service that I have, do exchange link. One question though, have anyone tried Facebook campaign? Does it work? I've seen a lot of successful online stores though.

Also will focus on offline marketing. Like; introduce my service to Embassies in my country. I know that business people there like to have cocktail party or informal meetings in the embassy on weekly basis. (Chamber of Commerce is a good idea, I think I'll give it a try too!). I'm also thinking about getting more involved in the business people's community in here. At least my goal is to let them know about my VA business. The idea is to make people know about US, isn't it? .

Originally Posted by Linda Taylor

I have been on Elance my self for two years at first I did not get any pickups. I did the same thing I got picky about what I bid on and updated my portfolio with work samples, also I have made my earnings private so the possible client did not see what I may have charged other clients. The responses started to change and the interviews started to take place. I did start to get some clients come in at my rate not at the lowest end of the barrel. I have two clients that I am still working with. Granted I could use a few more clients but I am ahead of where I was a year ago.

Hi I was just wondering how you made your earnings private on Elance, because i could see this being a real advantage for gaining new clients
Thanks
Karen

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First Class Office Assistance
First Class Help For Your Business

A lot of great information... thank you all so very much for the resources you've shared.

Thanks for this post. I have signed up for Guru and Elance but don't like to bid on the jobs anymore because the wages are so low. I still check the newest posts and am hoping for a shift in prospective clients' perception of a decent wage.

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Alicia Granda | A Grand Assistant | Virtual Assistance for Professional Individuals | AGrandAssistant.com

This was a great subject. Because I'm just starting out, I'm looking into every way possible to market myself. Just this week I discovered Elance and Guru and created my profile, and even bid on several projects. I do agree that the bidding can be extremely low, which is discouraging. I'm going to keep active on those sites, and hopefully will learn a thing or two and win a bid now and then. I do think there probably are those clients who use Elance, Guru, etc., who are going to be willing to pay higher for better quality. The problem is -- how do we establish ourselves and compete against all the other bidders who are already rated! I did read that in order to get established on these sites, you do have to bid low in the beginning. It's not easy getting yourself going, that's for sure!

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Patty

Personally I think it's wrong to bid low just to get a job. I feel you're looking in the wrong place for work if that's the case. You really should be looking at the VA networks and get listed on their directories and respond to their Requests for Proposals or Job leads as they come through. The clients there know and appreciate what a Virtual Assistant is and does and competing at the 'low' rate becomes a non-issue 99% of the time. The clients are looking for quality and efficiency.

Kathie, this exact thought process occurred to me today. I went back on those sites today and realized there is just no way I want to be part of that whole scene. Although I really want to get myself out there, I find it almost degrading to work for $5 an hour. And I really do hope that doesn't offend anyone -- and I do apologize if it comes across that way. I did sign up today to be listed in the Virtual Assistantville directory, and I am looking into other online networking opportunities. In addition, I have attended a few local networking get-togethers, which have resulted in some very interested people. Thank you, Kathie, for your thoughts on this. It's so great to hear opinions such as yours that really resonate with how I feel. Thank you.

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Patty

You are welcome Patty. Networking is always an important part of business building and development and the best way of meeting people who will click with you. A large part of my business has been built through local business networks - people who are on the same cost of living as I am and who are prepared to pay for service they deserve.

I just looked at GAF and did not see any postings. Can you post the appropriate URL? Thanks