Category Archives: Customer Relations
Work at Home as a VA
Why is a Virtual Assistant Business good for a Work at Home Mom?
A Virtual Assistant business can be the perfect way for a mom to stay at home with her kids but feel like she is providing to the family finances. A VA business is often times the easiest way for a mom to become a work at home mom. And I don’t mean easiest as in an easy way to make a buck because it’s going to require a lot of patience, hard work, determination and perseverance. There’s no such thing as a quick buck.
Chances are that if you have been working outside the home in Corporate America in an office setting of some sort, you probably have some skill(s) that you can offer virtually or at least a skill(s) that will be beneficial in starting your own Virtual Assistant business.
Confused by that statement? Let’s look at it a little deeper, for example let’s say you worked as a bookkeeper. Bookkeeping is a highly specialized skill that many people are willing to pay someone to do for them. Many small businesses or work at home moms are in need of bookkeepers and it’s a skill they are willing to pay for to not have to deal with it themselves. This would be the perfect opportunity for you to offer your services as a Virtual Assistant.
Another example could be if you worked as a medical transcriptionist or legal transcriptionist. Again these are specialized skills that can provide you the foot in the door you need to start your own VA business.
What about the mom that hasn’t been working in a long time but is interested in starting her own VA business? The old saying where there’s a will there’s a way comes to mind. There are some basic type skills you can start out offering such as customer service. More than likely you know how to check email, reply to emails, make phone calls, etc. That’s pretty basic stuff and not surprisingly many small business owners outsource this stuff because it’s so time consuming.
Another option would be to look for an internship opportunity so that you can have someone take you under their wing and train in an area of specialty so that you can offer that as a service to your customers.
You’ll need to keep in mind that although a Virtual Assistant business is a great way for a mom to work from home, even possibly one of the easier ways; it’s time consuming and will require a lot of sweat equity on your part. It’s not something you can just throw up a website and expect the money to come rolling in tomorrow. It doesn’t work that way.
Instantly access your guide to starting a VA business.
Benefits of an Online Party
Last month I was asked to put together what I thought were some of the benefits of an online party. You know, like a home party but online, “in-person” just through the use of a chat room instead of someone’s living room. It’s only dawned on me recently to post them here! Look for an article to go up at MWS next! 
Some benefits of an online party, for Reps. and guests alike…
-An online party saves time and money for everyone involved – hostess and guests. Travel time is really as long as it takes to get to your computer and into the online party room. In this time of rising gas prices – it may add up into more of a turn out because no one has to get in their car and drive anywhere!
-You can invite more than you normally could for an in-home party and reach a broader audience – the internet world! An online chatroom can accommodate more people than an in-home party might. Therefore, the presentation of your products or business opportunity reaches more people.
-When you host an online party, you don’t have to provide snacks, or a clean house, or even be dressed for that matter! LOL!
-Child care is not as much of an issue an issue, because you’re not leaving home, but you might want to have little ones busy with an activity or DVD to allow you to party.
-An online party allows you to communicate with your customer base, especailly those out of state. You can use an online party as another tool for selling to your regular customers. It also offers them an opportunity to interact with you, ask questions etc. in more of an immediate way than email, or a monthly newsletter could offer. Also, less costly than a long distance call.
-For most direct sales consultants, instead of handling the orders and payments, credit card issues, etc. themselves, the company takes care of that as customers order through their website. Commission is earned via the online ordering system and added to your check. For customers – they order through a secure website, and their order is shipped to them directly from the company.
-A free online party chat room, such as MomChats.com allows you to schedule your online party that is most convenient for you and your guests.
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Personalized Customer Relations
Give Customer Contact a Personalized Touch
Aside from the possible exchange of emails, or quick conversation you might have with a customer regarding her order, how else do you keep in touch with your customers? Sure, you might put out a monthly e-newsletter to let your customer base know the latest, but adding a more personal touch to your customer contact might be get you noticed, and therefore, remembered.
Here are some ideas to personalize your customer service…
- Design a note card that reflects you and your business. For those in the Scrapbook business, take a picture of a layout created with your products, then upload it to a greeting card service. Or if you do business online, create a screen shot of your website to put as the image for the front of the card. Use this card for individualized customer communications.
- When gathering contact information, be sure in collect your customer’s mailing address and phone number, as well as their birth date (month and day). Then send a card with a discount coupon to each for their birthday.
- Keep a record of your customers’ orders. As products go on sale, send notes to those who commonly buy that product, or make a suggestion for a sale item that might coordinate with a previously ordered product.
- Send a “Thank You for Your Order” card. Give them some tips on how they could use that product in their next album. Let them know of coordinating items that are also available. Depending on how soon you send the card, they may receive that before they receive their order.
- Make sure always include your contact information, phone number at least, in any customer communications. You want to make sure that your customers know you are always accessible.
Think about it, your customers get sales ads, and who knows how many newsletters, and special offers-but how many receive a personalized card? They feel remembered; therefore, you’ll be remembered.
