Originally Posted by Your Virtual Wizard

Chela, I post date the contract effective typically for a Monday and send it out on a Wednesday giving 48 hours to sign via EchoSign. Payment terms are payable upon receipt and cover the time beginning on the Monday that the contract goes into effect. They sign, pay and then I work. My welcome packet is sent before the contract because it holds all the billing policies, rates, expectations, etc., that the contract offers. This way by the time they receive the contract nothing is a surprise and the contract signing doesn't get held up for interpretation. My process is Client Inquiry (usually by email)>Welcome Packet>Completed 10 question survey included in the packet through Survey Monkey>Determination if we are a good match>client 'homework and research'>Consultation Call>Contract>Invoice>Work commences. The Welcome Packet and the quick survey weed out the 'tire kickers' without me having to invest time in wasted phone calls. By the time they get to the Consultation, it's pretty much a good deal and I've done what I need to do to determine if this client is 'ideal'. Janine

Janine,
What type of questions do you put into your survey?

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Nekiwa Smith, OAVS
5 Keys to Profits

Nekiwa,

I ask for their contact information and all their social site URLs.

I ask how much time they estimate they want to contract?

I ask if they have ever worked with a VA before.

I explain and ask them to confirm that they understand that in the beginning working with a VA requires time to get 'going'. And that it will often require answering questions to get started. (I put this in the survey because if they don't want to invest the time at start-up, I can't help them.)

I ask them to give me three dates and times which are the best to reach them.

I ask them what their level of computer knowledge may be.

How did they hear about me?

What their business goals are over the next 12 months?

Their top 5 services they want from working with a VA

How often do they check email?

What are their concerns working with a VA?

Janine

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Great info Janine! I like the idea of a survey to see if the client is a match w/ us

AKH,

I just used the survey link today! I received a referral from a client so I sent my welcome packet and the link to the survey, the latter of which I make very easy to complete.

It helps to weed out the 'tire kickers'. If they don't want to invest a little time with me, then I don't want to work with them.

Janine

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WRITE FAB RFP PROPOSALS & land THE VA job. WinningRFP unveils soon! SignUp www.WinningRFP.com

Janine, your survey is a great idea - I've never implemented anything like that in my practice and can see that it would be a huge time saver!

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This is my first time into this thread and I am loving the ideas and the suggestions and have now added more to my ever growing never shrinking to-do list. I am definately going to do some heartfelt consideration to the auto responders to keep the client informed and allowing for a constant flow of communication without the feeling of micro managing. Such great ideas on what to give the client as a "thank you gift" - I am going to see what Vista Print has for these types of things... Thanks everyone for the ideas!

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Patricia Loehn : Owner / VA
American Virtual Associates

If yoiu are using a paid hosting service (rather than the freebie hosts) most have autoresponders included in your monthly fee - worth checking out.

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Gail Layh, Virtual Assistant & Bookkeeping Solutions,
www.vaabs.com.au +61 3 8748 4645

Thanks for the suggestions about the timing and content of the drip campaign - I put it in Evernote on my To-Do list.

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Penny Fant
www.pennyfant.com