Davis Virtual Assistants

Call me egotistical.

More important, call me a “closer.”

I have this thing, a knack if you will, for closing the deal when it comes to new clients. What’s that phrase? Flying by the seat of your pants. Yup. That’s a good description. I’m very good at “the game” and I obviously love it when I bring in new clients for Davis Virtual Assistants. But, it’s more than that. While I do as much preparation as possible when I’m pitching our services to a potential new client, truth be told many of our new clients come to us because they call me directly. It’s difficult to prepare for a cold call when you’re the callee.

I do believe there’s an art to pitching your services to potential clients and the “art” of it centers on one word:

Listen

Allow the client to do most of the talking. We love to talk about ourselves and our business, so allow the client the time to talk. You need to listen between the lines, listening for the client’s “pain.” Your goal is to tell the client how you can ease her pain, in regards to her business model.

It pains me to read messages, on the various VA forums/boards, about VAs who are not having luck in bringing in new clients. I’m not sure luck is a factor in this equation. Sure, being in “the right place at the right time” is always a score, but how often does that occur? Rarely. Instead of waiting for Lady Luck to shine her white-hot light on you, you need to be able to successfully pitch your services to a potential client, whether or not you’re fully prepared to do so

I wish I could bottle this skill I have and sell it. The question is, how do I do that?

March is going out like a lion, at least for me. To prepare you for the second quarter of 2006, I’ve got some reminders for you:

1. Don’t forget the time change this weekend! Set your clocks FORWARD one hour before you go to bed Saturday night (4/1). Where applicable, of course.

2. Time to change your on-line passwords. I do this every quarter and you should do the same. Whatever you do, DON’T go “dork” on me by choosing cheesy passwords, such as “magic,” your first name, the names of your children or pets, etc. Where possible, use a combo of letters and numbers, as well as special characters.
3. Clean out the e-mail inbox. Delete the old newsletters and unsubscribe from newsletters which you don’t read. Get rid of the old junk and prepare for the new. Don’t forget to empty the Trash and backup your inbox(es).
4. Finally, take a break! The weekend is coming up, so make a promise to yourself to NOT turn on the your computer the entire weekend. (You in the back … put your hand down!) Take a break and do something just for you this weekend. Go check out that new film or the new restaurant/bar in your neighborhood. Take your father to brunch. Write some letters — remember pens and paper? Have a picnic in the park. Whatever you choose to do, have fun, refresh and recharge!

No, my Wannabe aspiration is to be the “Bobby Flay” of the Virtual Assistance world! (Stay with me on this one.) Think about it … Bobby rocks the Food Network. He’s a recognized leader in his field. He’s cute, and the red hair does it for me!. He’s funny, a tad “in-your-face” and he’s got the pulse on his industry.

So, let’s compare:

I rock the Virtual Assistance world.

While I didn’t launch the virtual assistance industry, I do have a well-known name and my company is one of the more successful firms in the VA industry.

I’m absolutely adorable. Hubster Joe calls me “gorgeous,” and no, I don’t pay him to say that. Hey, who doesn’t love a VA with rock ‘n roll hair?

I crack myself up every day, so I guess I qualify for the “funny” part.

I do have a bit of the “in-your-face” attitude, and it suits me very well. Never disrespectful, but aggressive, honest and to the point.

I most assuredly have the pulse on the VA industry. I network, volunteer and support my fellow Virtual Assistants.

You tell me … have I got the goods? Am I the “Bobby Flay” of my industry?

Why are you still here? Click here to subscribe to DavisVA.com’s virtual assistance newsletter!

Let your mouse do the work as you scamper on over to Accent News and subscribe.

NEWS FLASH: The May 2006 issue will be our most unique issue yet, and in a format which is unlike any other …

I’m happy to report that via the killer site craigslist, The Tank now has a new mate! My devotion to and love of IBM keyboards is well-known by the folks who know me, and no other keyboard will do … especially this teeny-tiny laptop keyboard on which I’m banging out this post.

John V., in NYC, had the exact same make and model of my dead Tank and was selling it for all of $40. Brand new. Pristine. Ask me how happy I am. Go ahead — I double-dog-dare you!

I am THE happiest woman in the world right now …

Wild Women Entrepreneurs is a membership-based organization, and our goal is to encourage women to reach their full potential, in business and in life. The Wild WE offers the tools, networks and ideas women need to assume leadership.

To become a member, visit Wild Women Entrepreneurs on the web.

Stop by your local newsstand and get your copies!

I STILL can’t believe it …

Eight ounces of hot Cafe Bustelo coffee killed it, but good. Ohhh sure, I know it was an accident. But when you’ve been together for 10 years, the loss is very acute and very real.

How can I go back to the old way of doing things? I’ve had to since Friday, and goodness knows I’m not happy. The old standby, with its tiny keys and no clicky-clack noise, is just not up to snuff. Makes me feel as if I’m cheating.

Rest in Peace, My Beloved IBM Keyboard, Part No. 13H6705, ID No. M003245. You’ll forever remain in my heart …

Get it together folks … you’re about to lose my business and the business of several of my clients.

There are players and then there are PLAYERS, and lucky for us the two premier PLAYERS in the Article Marketing world are sharing their knowledge with us. Dina Giolitto of WordFeeder and WCAD fame, and Christopher Knight of EzineArticles, have two killer resources available for those of you new to the marketing world, and for those of us who want a leg up on the competition.

So, go on … right now … don’t argue with me! Scroll down and you’ll see the links for both Dina and Chris, on the left side of my blog. I’m a long-time fan of both of these amazing marketers and after you purchase their programs and browse their websites/blogs, you’ll understand why. Both are highly knowledgeable in the ways of Article Marketing and 2006 is your year to jump on the bandwagon, with a boost from both Dina and Chris.

All right … I’m done. Scroll on down and get to clickin’!

Earlier today I had to call Realtor.com for a client who’s having problems with some of his listings. Jennifer, customer service rep extraordinaire, answered the phone and within less than a minute, she was helping me with my problem. After reading through the notes for my client’s trouble ticket, she did not see a resolution to the problem. She then asked, very pleasantly, if I could hold the line for a moment so she could contact their technical support department. Within 90 seconds she was back on the line with the status, and the expected date their tech support team will have the problem fixed.

Jennifer is a credit to her profession and it’s obvious Realtor.com trains their customer care team very well. To Jennifer I say “Thank You” for making my call a very pleasant experience!