Don't do everything

I’ve been recently struck by the number of Virtual Assistants I’ve encountered who are afraid—afraid that who they are and what they have to offer their clients isn’t enough.

“I don’t do Internet marketing,” one of them lamented to me. Another chimed in with, “I don’t like helping create info products, and I should, shouldn’t I?” A third voiced her concern with, “I don’t have the creative spirit that can visualize, then make a web site, or even tweak it with bells and whistles once it’s created.”

Bit O’Moxie: Contrary to what you might hear, or read online, you do not have to provide every service under the sun to your clients. As you tell them, take your own advice and tell yourself to do only what you love and do best. Again, only what you love and do best.

And, for everything else (I call them “service gaps”), have fabulous resources at your easy disposal, so that you can be a one-stop shop for anything (literally) that your clients need. Your clients should be able to count on you to handle absolutely everything—whether you do it yourself, or arrange to have it done.

When you can do that you’ll be providing service far above what you would have provided learning, then doing, the things you thought you “should” do, but didn’t do well, or only did half-heartedly.

Comments

[Christine Buffaloe]

I have had a similar situation. When a client asks me to do something that is out of my realm of expertise I want to jump on the bandwagon right away.
I have learned to say "no" (not in so many words) and then refer them to someone that does that kind of work. I must say though, that I then do some research on my own to see if that is something that I can offer down the road.

[Bea]

Offering a range of products is always good for any business, but acquiring resources to refer cherished clients to shows you're a savvy professional. You don't have to ping about and your client still gets the best from you. You can also offer to coordinate the project.

I work mostly with authors/solo-preneurs and most cannot coordinate their own work because they just don't know how. I'm sure most VA's can offer that as a service, especially if they want to save both their time and the client's. Blessings!