Virtual Assistant Forums | Work at Home Resources - Interview with Shari Sultana of Modern Marketing Support

Shari Sultana owns Modern Marketing Support, operating from her home in Ontario, Canada. She was a manager in the fields of hospitality and daycare for 14 years before she and her husband had children. In business for just under three years now, Shari juggles motherhood and work, and is now beginning to see her dreams come true. She generously shares her suggestions and encouragement here. Thank you, Shari!
You're welcome to post on this thread any comments or questions you may have for Shari.

When did you start out as a VA, and what were your prime motivations for going into business in virtual assistance?
In October 2005 I was approached by a relative who was starting up a new business. He and two former corporate executive colleagues were working virtually from their homes in separate states (and one in China) and they needed an assistant who could also work virtually. That was the first time I had heard the term virtual office. I still did not know about virtual assistance. I thought I was the only one! Unfortunately, the business dissolved about 18 months later but I enjoyed working from home and wanted to continue. I didn’t know if working as a marketing assistant was a viable online career. I couldn’t imagine who else could possibly need someone with my skills - secondary market research using the internet, online advertising, lead generation, website maintenance, writing press releases - these were very specific skills and I couldn’t see where the market was. My husband encouraged me to work from home because he saw the benefit for our family and suggested that I do some research and find out if there was some sort of job I could get with my skills. I wanted the same kind of job that I had because I have two young children at home and I wanted to continue to stay home with them. I dreaded the thought of going back to an outside job. So I began doing some internet research and within a few hours I had found my first virtual assistant forum. Words cannot describe how elated I was to find everyone there. I spent the next few months absorbing as much as I possibly could learn about running a virtual assistant business.

According to your website, you specialize in internet marketing for Coaches. Tell us about that: how did you select that niche, and what does your daily work usually include?
I chose internet marketing because I was already doing that with the start up company and I really love it. It’s not boring. I wanted to hone those skills so I read everything I could find about internet marketing and taught myself whatever I could. I also joined the eMarketing Association as a professional member and took their classes in May, 2007. I have a few internet marketing certificates through the Association in SEO, Website Marketing and E-Mail Marketing. I am also working on getting my Certified eMarketer status and I’ll be taking the certification exam this summer.

I chose to work with Coaches because they do a great deal of online marketing and need the skillset of an internet marketing virtual assistant. My daily work includes website development and design (I outsource the design to others, but I oversee it), website maintenance, online and offline advertising, article submissions, email Ezine management, updating profiles on social media sites, research, posting teleclass information to appropriate posting sites, updating and maintaining manuals, and more.

What hurdles did you have to overcome as you started and grew your business? At what point did you begin to feel successful?
My biggest hurdle was learning new internet marketing skills that I could offer to new clients as a service. I needed hands-on experience. I did some work for a family member who owns a spa. I needed to learn how to use email management software so I asked her to let me take care of her Ezine so I could offer that as a service to paying clients. I also handled her website changes. I taught myself HTML. I also took a client at a lower rate because I needed to learn other internet marketing skills. That was the only time I offered to work at a lower rate and I don’t do that now.

I began to feel successful when potential clients found my website before I was ready to accept them as clients. I was teaching myself SEO and the only way to do that is by having a website to practice on. So I put up my practice website and people found it. In the beginning I turned a few people away because I wasn’t ready to take them on. Then I didn’t get any emails for a few months until I became actively involved in networking. Within the past few weeks I’ve taken on three new clients, all in my target niche.

Most VAs love to work at home, but there can be challenges despite the comforts. What are the ins and outs of working at home for you?
My youngest child is in kindergarten and is home in the mornings. Needless to say I don’t get much work done when he’s home. I work for 2 hours in the afternoon when he’s at school and then at night when both of my kids are in bed. I moved my office from the dining room table to the spare room in the basement because I couldn’t stand sitting at my computer and looking at my dishes on the kitchen counter. It was too distracting. Now I have my own space and I like that. I’m much happier working from home.

Talk about VA equipment: what does your office include in terms of technology, and what do you wish it included?
My main computer is a DELL Inspiron 6400 laptop purchased in 2006. It has a duo core 2G processor, 2G ram, 160G HD, DVD burner, WIFI, and runs Windows XP PRO and MS Office 2003 but I plan to upgrade to 2007 in the near future. My clients are using 2007 so I will need to upgrade soon. My backup PC is a DELL Dimension desktop P4, 3G processor, 500MB Ram and Windows XP Pro, and my wireless router. I rarely use this computer but it's there just in case. My kids and my husband use it unless I need it. I have an HP Office Jet multifunction printer, copier, scanner and fax. I use Skype Pro for business and have had the same SkypeIn number since 2006 when I was working for the start up. With that I have a Logitech USB headset and microphone. I also have a 160G LaCie back up mobile pocket drive. I back up my computer every day. Everything in my home office has been paid for with client money. I have been very fortunate and right now I don’t wish for anything else. I have awesome speakers that I listen to XM satellite radio on.

You have a blog on your website. What do you think are the benefits of keeping a blog? What, if any, problems does blogging present?
The benefits of keeping a blog are great. In terms of SEO, blogs are good for building quality links which is key to higher search engine rankings. Blogs also help to establish you as an expert if you write about business related issues. The problem with blogging is that you must do it regularly in order to be successful at it. You also need to become part of the blogosphere and read other blogs and make meaningful comments on them. You need to participate in the discussions because that’s a good way for others to learn about you and visit your blog and/or website. Blogging can be a powerful business building tool if done correctly.

Do you have a long term plan for your business and, if so, where do you want to be three years down the road?
I’d like to have a full client roster and be happily working away in my office during the day until my kids get home from school. I don’t have any plans to expand into a multi-VA business. I want to work independently for as long as possible. But I’ve also learned to never say never and should the opportunity arise I would give it a great deal of thought.

For those considering whether or not to create their own entrepreneurial venture as a VA, what is your best advice?
Do your due diligence and learn everything you can possibly learn about running a virtual business. Joining a VA forum is a great way to get answers and learn the ins and outs. The other thing I would advise is to not give up too soon. Virtual Assistance is definitely not a way to make a fast buck. Like any business venture, it takes time and effort.

Please mention any books, courses, websites, blogs or other information sources that you'd recommend for VAs.
I recommend joining VA forums and yahoo groups. There’s a lot of information sharing amongst VAs. I don’t have any one specific blog that I read more than others. I set up my google reader and have a group of blogs that I subscribe to. But, they’re mainly internet marketing related. Setting up a google alert for the term virtual assistant is a good way to find VA blogs to read.

What's your current favorite marketing tip for VAs?
I think networking is the key to any successful business, but for VAs it’s very important. Make yourself known by becoming an active participant in the groups you choose to join. I was a contacted by a new client because I had taken a free teleseminar class she was offering and when I introduced myself and my business, she remembered me and called me a few weeks later because she needed a VA. You never know when and where your next client will come from. I also had a client who found me on Facebook. Writing articles is another great way to market your business. It’s a little tricky getting started but once you do, you get good at it and you can write a few articles a week to post on various sites. There are some great Article Marketing Teleclasses available online. Some are free and some are offered for a nominal fee.

Please visit Shari's website at modernmarketingsupport.com and be sure to catch her blog as well!