Hello!
The nice spring and summer weather is finally here, and I must say, Mother Nature has really been testing our patience!
I admit that I’ve been putting things off too and I feel like I’m late for anything that has to do with yard work, renovations, the pool, my flowerbed, my vacation plans, etc.
I recently had to make a choice about whether to attend a professional meeting out of town or spend some time with family and visit a friend whom I had not seen in years. I ended up following my heart and chose family and friends, and I am quite happy about my decision. The joy in the eyes of the people I spent time with was largely worth it. There will be other meetings, other training sessions and symposiums, but quality time with family and good friends is a rare and precious thing.
I also admit that I have no definite plans for my summer vacation from July 20th to August 10th 2014 (another little reminder for you!). I will play it by ear this year, and decide if I keep up this spontaneous side next year, of if I go back to planning things in advance. Last summer, this spontaneity resulted in a lovely vacation in the Maritimes and especially on PEI. I have many great memories of that trip.
Lately, I’ve dealt with a few potential clients who asked me if I would consider lowering my rates or the pricing for my packages, so that they could convince their management, boss or head of project of the pertinence of working with a virtual assistant. These situations inspired this post.
I believe that some clients who have never worked with a virtual assistant still have an employer-employee mentality.
First of all, a VA’s rates and packages are established in a careful, thought out manner, considering the services that are offered, her experience, the level of difficulty and rarity of certain services, the virtual service market, her training, etc.
Potential clients must consider that they do not have to supply office space, equipment, or software for their VA. They do not have to pay for vacation time, benefits or insurance. And they don’t have to worry about paid holidays.
They do not have to pay their VA during hours when there is no work for her or while she waits for a document return. They don’t have to pay for sick days. They don’t have to worry about unemployment insurance and CPP.
The clients do not have to take care of the VA’s paycheck; they only have to pay her invoices.
The clients do not have to worry about throwing a Holiday party or organizing special social activities for their VA and her team, she takes care of her partners on her own. The clients don’t have to pay for training, classes or attending conferences, the VA also takes care of this herself.
And this is but a glimpse of what clients don’t have to pay for when they choose to work with a VA instead or a regular, full time employee.
If you take the time to do the math, you will quickly see the benefits of the client-VA option.
Also, a VA will work WITH you toward the success of your business, she will not simply work for FOR you by executing tasks and following instructions.
If potential clients looked in to the hours during which their full time assistant is actually working on their projects or for the benefit of the business, as opposed to the time spent waiting, the wasted time, the holidays, sick days, absenteeism, etc. often (but not in all cases, of course!) they would see that the option of working with a VA is the smarter and more cost-efficient solution, and that the VA’s rates and packages are not that expensive, at all!
A useful grammar tip for you
A lot or Alot?
A lot should be written as two words. Although a lot is used informally to mean “a large number” or “many”, avoid using a lot in formal writing. Example: The crook had many [not a lot of] chances to rob the stranger.
Anti-spam Law (stay tuned)
The new anti-spam Law will soon take effect. After attending a seminar on this particular subject next week, I will send you a message requesting that you confirm your desire to keep receiving my newsletter every few weeks. If I don’t receive a confirmation e-mail from you, your e-mail address will be removed from my mailing list and you will no longer receive my newsletter. You can always change your mind and opt-in again or simply send me an e-mail requesting that I add your e-mail to my mailing list again, if you find that you miss my occasional messages. Stay tuned …
