Thank you to everyone for your kind words!! It has been a fabulous experience and want to share my success with everyone!

This is very inspiring! You've made good suggestions that any of of could implement today. Thanks for sharing.

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Prins Cowin, CPS/CAP, Virtual Business Manager
www.KingBusinessManagement.com

I love to hear that and thanks!!

Originally Posted by King Business Management

This is very inspiring! You've made good suggestions that any of of could implement today. Thanks for sharing.

Great interview Serena - very inspiring. I wish you continued success!

Thanks Dina and everyone else for all of the love. I am feeling very lucky to be in the greatest industry and career in the world. I wish I could all give you a big big hug! Don't forget to check out all the other interviews and the latest interview because every single one of us have inspiring stories and so much inspiration to share.

Hi Serena,

Thank you so much for the inspirational interview I've just finished. I can so relate to your mentioning about asking for referrals ~ as a realtor (which I'm backing out of now as I begin my VA biz), it was truly my bread & butter. It pays off big time!

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Let Me Do It!
Tess Mickelsen

Hi Tess,
First, let me tell you I love the name of your company, Let Me Do It." Good choice. Second, I see you have been a realtor. Are you considering being a Real Estate VA? Was wondering because that is the area I was really thinking of doing but have not very good feedback from realtors I spoke with.
Good Luck.
Tina Longo
Virtual Assistant Services

Thanks Tess!! Thank you very much and good luck with your VA business . I believe in great work means gret referrals Sort of like pay it forward.

Tina ~

Thanks! I hope "Let Me Do It!" will catch on! In response to your question about becoming a REVA, I've decided against it as a niche because I don't want to box myself in. I am certainly advertising myself as a licensed realtor, with the experience that comes with it, but I want to accept other work, too.

If you're trying to market to realtors in the last few yrs., with the rotten real estate market we have in our country, I'm not surprised you've gotten a lukewarm reception. I hope I'm not sounding too negative here, but the majority of success in the real estate industry, like in most sales areas, is accomplished by a very small percentage of realtors; this in spite of the fact that there are so many realtors around. What that really means is that (sadly) most realtors are not very successful, and probably only have a few sales a year if that ~ most of them don't have the bucks to hire help. Even in the couple of yrs. I experienced great sales numbers myself (the boom years of 2000-2005), I did it completely from family/friends referrals & word-of-mouth. If you want to target realtors, I'd suggest you find out which are the very newest to the field and or the most successful in your area, and flood them with regular marketing contacts. If this is meant to be your niche, there's a way to make it work!

And Serena, I so agree ~ great work will generate great referrals, and "pay it forward" is a work ethic we should all aspire to!

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Let Me Do It!
Tess Mickelsen

Tess,
Thank you for the your information on being a REVA. I know the market is slow and how it is really not a good time to get started in that area but in talking to different people I thought that being in a particular area would be more lucerative. But your thoughts on limiting yourself to one area is also very good thinking.
I really must do a business plan first and that is where I am really at a loss. Also, what is "pay it forward?"
Tina Longo

Hi again Tina,

It looks like I'm newer than you on this forum, but I'm seeing a split response from others on here about taking up a specific niche or not. There are several places on this forum that talk about specific niche markets, and one thread devoted completely to REVA's. I think it's a very personal decision. I'm going to leave myself open to adjusting my business as it goes along; at this point I am hoping to actually "open" my biz on 1/1/2010 to give myself plenty of time to figure it all out.

I'm spending a lot of time on the biz plan; there's a couple different places on this forum where this topic is being discussed in depth, and several blanks available for you to use. I'd suggest you pick one & start working on it ~ it's a great place to consolidate all your thoughts & ideas for your business, literally forcing you to make a plan of how you'll achieve success. If that looks too foreboding, try working out one of the two great To-Do Lists for VA's that we have posted on the "business development" thread. Whatever form you use, I agree you need a biz plan.

"Pay it Forward" is the concept of asking that a good turn be repaid by having it done to others instead ~ so what we're saying here is that by doing really good work for our clients, and asking them for referrals, hopefully they will want to refer us to others, and we will receive more work, so having done the original good work will come back around to us, and give us a great name in our industry!

Have a great weekend!

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Let Me Do It!
Tess Mickelsen

Hi Tess,
Thank you again for your explanation of "pay it forward." Also, I am going to look into the "business development" thread.
You seem so organized and self-confident. I admire that.
Will be in touch.
Tina

I would love to hear more about the incentive program that you have set up for your clients.

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Current Concierge, LLC - Sarasota, Florida
http://www.currentconcierge.com/

Enlightening information! It sounds like your sense of self confidence is what really propelled your career! I think we can all benefit from remembering that.
Thank you.
Judy

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Have not been on in quite a while. Looking forward to catching up.

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TINA LONGO
TOP PRODUCER CERT. PROFESSIONAL