What's Your Specialty - a VA Discussion

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Permalink Reply by Judy Vorfeld on November 3, 2008 at 9:55am

I've been mentoring someone who is going to be a superb VA, and marketing support is her specialty. She actually looks forward to cold calls. She'll do most of her work locally, at least in the beginning, but she's also started a website.

I will point her toward this group. I'd love for her to gain more ideas that work, and you have a powerful record.

Onward, Jeannine.

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Permalink Reply by Jeannine Clontz on November 3, 2008 at 10:13am

That's great, Judy - I'm so glad you're a mentor - it's something I really enjoy about being in a position to 'give back' - I know, from my own experience, that your specialty is website support and design.

I can highly recommend your services to anyone with a website. While you don't handle 'everything' as it relates to websites, I know that you also have fabulous resources that you are always willing to share.

It's so important that we only offer those services for which we have the expertise; it's always refreshing to work with someone who shares my passion for running an ethical business. ;)

Thanks, Judy.

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Permalink Reply by Nikki on November 10, 2008 at 8:41pm

My Specialty is ecommerce. I have worked on the "distributor" end of the ecommerce world for almost 3 years and know what is needed for the ecom store to make it out there to the "end customer" I know a lot about order routing and tons about customer service (20 plus years experience) and a little about merchandising and a little aboout reverse engenering to see who the competition uses.

Nikki

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Permalink Reply by Jeannine Clontz on November 11, 2008 at 8:22am

Nikki -

This sounds very interesting. So do you setup their ecommerce sites and then actually handle customer orders and distribution? Or is there another distribution point that fulfills the orders and you simple watch the process and make sure everything is executed properly?

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Permalink Reply by Nikki on November 11, 2008 at 8:49pm

I do the "grunt" work of order routing. This is where I take the order placed by the end customer and route it to the distributor, who then packs them up and ships them out. My current client has me at a full 40 hour week. So to keep the momentum going and the "business" away from becoming a "job" I got a little team together so that I can market it. The team is of about 5 different ladies with experience in a few different areas. Example, customer service, accounting, web design ect. In the consumer electronics part of the ecommerce world I'm known to a few big companies, I want to make sure I get the clients before my name is forgotten. I'm hoping to eventually "hire" on my sub contractors and eventually hire on someone that has the capabilities to build a ecommerce website and allow the webstore to use the short cuts like XML and flatfile and stuff like that. I also know how to find out where the competition is getting their products or someone else is getting other products to add to my clients stores.

I learned a whole lot about different areas at my last employer (a distributor of consumer electronics) and many of the people I worked with on a daily basis know that if it can be done I will get it done. When my company was purchased by a bigger corporate company and they started cutting hours and I knew they could hire someone with no experience for a lot less money I new I had to do something. So I took my knowledge and experience and started on my own.

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Permalink Reply by Jeannine Clontz on November 12, 2008 at 10:35am

Hi, Nikki -
I have a great way to stay top-of-mind with clients and prospects...have you heard of Send Out Cards? I also setup and handle campaigns for my clients who also want to stay top-of-mind, so it may offer you some additional streams of income.

For more information visit: Send Fabulous Cards If you'd like to take a test drive, just email me off list with your mailing address and I'll send you a gift card that allows you to send several cards so you can see what's available -there are even gift options.

I usually spend hours and hours putting together gift baskets for my clients every year - it's taxing just thinking about it - I set it all up in Send Out Cards and it will automatically send them to my clients exactly when I tell it to! :) It's pretty cool.

Anyway, great information, sounds like your business is growing. KEEP IT UP!

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Permalink Reply by Marie Tucker on December 1, 2008 at 7:31pm

Hi Jeannine, I'm not sure if I have a specialty yet per se, I do some websites, transcription, press releases, artists representations, travel planning a little bit of everything as I believe alot of virtual assistants do in the beginning :). I am learning more and more about social media marketing both hands on and through some VA classes and that is where I want to take my business in 2009. I have found myself working as a consultant for future VA's, so maybe that is going to work into something more as well.

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Permalink Reply by Jeannine Clontz on December 2, 2008 at 9:09am

Thanks, Marie - yes, most VAs will do a little bit of everything in the beginning - I will tell you that I went kicking and screaming into the niche area, wish I had done it much sooner than at the 2.5-year mark.

What I learned is it didn't mean I couldn't do a little bit of everything, but it did establish me as an expert in one particular area, and my business really took off.

Something to keep in mind.

Wishing you all the best. :)

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Permalink Reply by Eydie Stumpf on December 15, 2008 at 12:32am

Hi Jeannine... It's been quite some time since I've been on this site! Busy, busy, busy!

Specialties??? Aren't VA's supposed to be the 'Jack of all trades'??? LOL I guess, if I HAVE to list ONE thing I specialize in is e-mail marketing.... specifically Constant Contact. 9 out of 10 of my clients have me manage their e-zines, e-newsletters and e-blasts. In 2009 I will be speaking with the Los Angeles Regional Development Director for Constant Contact. I'm extremely excited about this opportunity!

I met Kelly at the recent Entrepreneur Magazine's Growth 2.0 Conference in Long Beach, CA. Robert Kiyosaki was the keynote speaker. During a breakout session I had mentioned to the class that I'm a Business Partner with Constant Contact and Kelly approached me afterwards - thanked me for mentioning Constant Contact and we began chatting about training. Whoo Hoo! It was a huge connection for me.

Other than that... I aso offer database maintenance, audio recordings (Audio Acrobat), marketing material design, follow-up phone calls and emails, scheduling appointments, internet research, bookkeeping, proofreading, editing, event planning, speaker services and so much more.

I've written 3 e-books and m working on 2 more which will be finished by the 1st of the New Year! I teach classes - 'Become a Virtual Assistant' at the Inland Empire Women's Business Center (outreach program of California State University of San Bernardino), and also at Riverside Community College. I'm available for speaking engagements.

My target clients are: speakers, coaches, consultants and authors. I also work with event planners.

At the moment I have a new Internet Maketing Package I'm offering. I'll write and submit your press release, maintain social networking sites, blogs and article maintenance.

Would love to connect with other VA's. I'm training a couple of gals to by MY assistant, but they are not as available as I would like them to be.

Merry Christmas to all!

Eydie :)

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Permalink Reply by Sharon Williams on December 21, 2008 at 8:54am

Hello,

I actually have a few specialties -- one I call my "bread and butter" business and the others I call my passion: My bread and butter business is digital dictation and transcription. My passion is marketing and event planning. I have been very fortunate to have planned some very large events in the past for the industry and clients, and am currently coordinating one of the presidential inaugural balls.

I love marketing and am currently writing a new marketing series. And next month, I am going to release a new project that should help in promoting the VA industry, worldwide.

I am looking forward to 2009 and more growth in the industry and my business.

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Permalink Reply by Jeannine Clontz on December 21, 2008 at 1:16pm

Great stuff, Sharon - I'm looking forward to hearing all about your 2009 adventures! ;)

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Permalink Reply by Aileen Gilpin on December 21, 2008 at 6:08pm

My specialty is really an array of things, but mostly, internet research, sales (B2B), cold calling, and database management. My VA business fell in my lap in 2007 and slowly I've been adding clients. But my dream is to flip it and add more clients. With my recruiting background I have a lot to offer small and independent business owners.

Aileen Gilpin
AGilpin Consultants

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