Category: Outsourcing

Virtual PA services have revolutionised business support. One of our most popular services, we believe using a remote PA is a cost-effective, efficient solution. However, we also know that it can be hard to break away from the traditional idea of an employed PA. That’s why we’ve put together our top reasons why working with a virtual PA is as good – or better – than the traditional model. Read on to find out more.

1. A close working relationship

Recent tech advances have changed the way we communicate with colleagues. In addition, working from home some or all of the time has become the norm, meaning we’re often in a different location from our team members. What we learn from this is that it’s completely possible to have a great working relationship with someone even when your desks aren’t side by side.

Get Ahead helps the working relationship get off to a good start too. Our regional directors (your first point of contact) will spend time getting to know you and how you work. With this information, they’ll choose someone to support you who has the right personality match and who’ll thrive in the environment you’ve created. This will help your new working relationship develop all the closeness of the traditional version.

2. Advances in communication technology

Your virtual PA can work with you as smoothly as if you worked in the same office, thanks to platforms like Zoom, WhatsApp and Microsoft Teams. Faster internet speeds make real-time interactions easier too.

3. Changes in the PA role

The role of the PA continues to evolve. Advances in tech clearly help this evolution (see above) but there are social factors at work too. With many businesses having a flatter hierarchy than they used to, PAs are less of an extension of the boss, and more of a responsible team member. This means that the modern PA role is easier to do remotely than its former incarnation. It’s time to let go of the old-fashioned image and see the situation as it is in the 2020s.

4. UK-based support

If you choose virtual PA services from Get Ahead, your new assistant will be based in the UK. This means you’ll be in the same time zone, making it easier to coordinate tasks, diaries and meetings. Most of our virtual experts have English as a first language, so you won’t encounter the language barrier you might if you used an offshore solution.  

5. A cost-effective solution

The bottom line is nearly always costs. When you use virtual PA services, you only pay for work completed. This means that if your business only needs support for a few hours each week, that’s all you have to pay for. There are also no recruitment costs, pension contributions, sick pay or holiday pay – you don’t even have to provide coffee!

Virtual PA services from Get Ahead

If you think your business could benefit from virtual PA services, we’d love to hear from you. Your local regional director will take time to find out how you work, so they can match you with the best business support expert for your needs. And if you’d like to see how this works in practice, read our case study here.

Virtual PA services have both similarities and differences from the traditional PA model. Unfortunately, some business owners are reluctant to sign up for support from virtual PA services because they don’t know what they can reasonably ask their virtual PA to do. This means they’re missing out on some great support.

If you’re wavering about taking up virtual PA services, you’re not alone. To help you, we asked one of our virtual PA’s Juliet to talk us through the top tasks her clients ask her to do. We’ll also take a look at more unusual tasks and how to go about finding the right support to deliver them. Read on to find out more.

Top tasks for virtual PA services

Email

Juliet: Email monitoring is one of the biggest areas of my role. With hundreds of emails arriving every day, it can be difficult for business owners to pick out the most important ones. That’s why I manage client’s inboxes, monitoring the emails to make sure that the right people see the most important messages and action them.

I keep my own records as well. If I notice an important email has not been actioned, I follow up with the recipient so it doesn’t go unanswered.

Initially, I send holding emails in reply so the sender knows their email has been seen. As time goes on and I get to know client’s businesses and how they work, I can reply to some emails myself, taking the pressure off the core team.

Outsourcing email monitoring means the clients can focus on their core business, confident that there is a VA looking out for the most important messages and taking the pressure off.

Accounts

Juliet: Having worked with a number of clients, I’ve got to know different types of accounting software! This helps me slot into a new business easily, and makes me more confident about taking on a new accounting platform. I enter the right data into the platform and chase and reconcile invoices.

Many business owners cite finance as their weakest area – if you hate it, you’re not alone! Fortunately, outsourcing means invoices can be reconciled more quickly and business owners don’t have to worry about it.

Reporting

Juliet: Many of my bigger clients have boards of trustees who have oversight of the business figures. Part of my role is to assemble quarterly reports, pulling together information from other sources so the trustees have an accurate picture of the business.

Preparing for board meetings can take up a lot of precious time. Fortunately, outsourcing the quarterly reports gives you that time back.

Events

Juliet: I often organise events, training and conferences for my clients. I’ve built up my own directory of venues and other services to help the practical side of business events run smoothly.

I love being able to share my established contacts with my new clients. Because I have worked with many different businesses over the years, I’ve developed a network of events contacts which I use to support my current clients.

What about other business support?

Get Ahead has a wide range of virtual experts. Even if you have tasks that fall outside virtual PA services, we have the expertise to deliver them. For example, we might match you with Juliet (or someone with similar skills) to put together a conference or stay on top of the emails. And if you have other jobs, like developing a new website or marketing a new product, other members of our extensive team can help. Even if you have more unusual requirements, like collating notes from a workshop, we hope you’ll come to us – we can always find the right support for your needs.

Virtual PA services from Get Ahead

Our team provide back-office support so that business owners can focus on their core offering. And without having to spend their evenings catching up on paperwork, business owners regain the free time and flexibility that they were looking for in the first place!

Want to find out more about virtual PA services? We’ve put together some of our resources to help you – have a read!

One generalist or a team of specialists? – Get Ahead VA

Don’t know whether to outsource? – Get Ahead VA

A hand-picked team for your business support – Get Ahead VA

Hut22 – a flexible solution for a changing workload – Get Ahead VA

If you’re full of plans but think you might struggle to execute your business idea, don’t worry – Get Ahead are here to help!

Christmas is a great time to reflect on the year just gone, and identify profitable areas for the year ahead. If you spent Christmas dinner bending your family’s ears about your new business plan, your new year’s resolution is probably to put it into practice.

In this blog, we look at why it’s great to have new ideas and how to get the right support to put them into practice.

New business ideas are great!

The Get Ahead team are always meeting entrepreneurs and start-ups. We’ve heard some fantastic ideas and we love the enthusiasm of entrepreneurs when they describe their plans.

Without new ideas, the world would grind to a halt. From the wheel to the internet, new ideas have continued to drive civilisation forward, creating new opportunities and new approaches to business and everyday life.

That’s why you should never stop having ideas. Even if you know your limitations, or you know what barriers stand between you and how to execute your business idea, don’t worry. There are loads of resources out there to help you fill in the gaps and realise your dream.  

Barriers to putting your business idea into practice

You probably already know that nothing worth having comes easy. There might well be barriers between you and a successful business idea. For example, you might have had a cool idea but you’ve never run a business before. Or you might be so fizzing with enthusiasm that you’re struggling to focus on writing a business plan to secure the right start-up funding.

Alternatively, you might know your own field very well, but feel less confident about the other aspects of a delivering a project.

Some people are starters and some people are finishers. The starters are often bubbling with ideas, while the finishers are focused and methodical. The business world needs both types of people, and they have to be prepared to help each other.

How do you get over these barriers? Well, we’d suggest taking some time to be brutally honest with yourself. Accept that your business idea will need some hard work as well as enthusiasm. Identify what skills you already have available to you and be prepared to recruit or outsource the other areas.

Plug your skills gap and execute your business idea

If you’re a starter, you probably need some finishers around you to help you make your business ideas reality. Your best mate might be really supportive, but if they’re too similar to you, they might not help you move your project forward. Sometimes it’s better to choose people who are focused on the bottom line, who are not emotionally involved with the plan and simply want it to work for the sake of business success.

Practical support for start-ups

If you need practical support for your start-up, Get Ahead can help. Our team are all experts in their fields, including finance, marketing, admin, and social media. We can put sustainable systems in place, like setting up customer relationship management software and creating spreadsheets for you to populate.

We insist that every team member has at least three years’ experience in their field before they join Get Ahead. Many have more than three years! This means that if you get your business support from us, you’ll be working with someone who has not only built up experience in their particular skill, but also has wider business experience to share.

If you’re starting a business this January, Get Ahead could be the support you’re looking for. We strive to bring maturity, experience and perspective to every project, filling in the skills gaps and to help you execute your business idea.

To see how this works in practice, learn how we filled in the gaps for a team of cutting-edge software developers who needed help to market their latest product. Read our case study here.   

How to solve staffing issues is not the first question you want to be asking when you reopen after Christmas. Unfortunately, it often is. Christmas gives many people time to think and re-evaluate, with the result that January is often a key time for employees to give notice and start looking for other jobs.

If you’ve been thrown into a staffing crisis because a key team member has decided to move on, you’re not alone. In this blog, we talk to virtual expert Louisa about the problem and consider different ways to solve staffing issues.

Why is January a key month in staff turnover?

Louisa: I like to use my Christmas break to reflect on the past year and make resolutions for the next year. Lots of working people do, and it’s an important time in goal setting. Unfortunately for employers, it can also lead to employees deciding to take a different direction, leaving your business with a skills gap.

How can we solve staffing issues in January?

Louisa: It’s always a shame to say goodbye to someone with skills and experience that have benefited your business – fortunately, there are a number of solutions available. Above all, stay positive – remember that someone leaving always creates opportunities. For example, filling the skills gap could mean a promotion for the right team member. You could also change a process or introduce an efficiency.

When I encounter businesses with a skills gap, I usually suggest the following solutions:

Training and promotion

Depending on your business and your team, training up another member of staff could fill the gap. This can be a cost-effective solution, as well as creating an opportunity for an established member of staff to develop their skills. Opportunities like this can make your staff members feel valued and could help minimise future staff turnover.

On the other hand, if your existing team are already at capacity, you will have to bring in outside help.  

Recruitment

With an obvious gap in your team, you could also recruit a new member of staff. This is a good solution if you’re confident that the role you’re recruiting for is very similar to that held by your outgoing team member. It’s also good if your business is secure and you’re confident you will have the budget to cover the role.

The downside of recruitment is that there are costs associated with advertising the role, as well as time lost from core business while you follow the recruitment process. It’s also important to remember that your new recruit won’t necessarily be able to bring value to the business straightaway. They might need to learn the ropes before you’ll see a return on your recruitment investment.

Outsourcing

Outsourcing is when you pay an outside person or organisation to provide a particular skill or service. It’s a great solution if you have a short-term skills gap…or if you don’t know how long you’ll have the skills gap for. Unlike using a temp, outsourcing is completely flexible and you only pay for completed work. For example, if you outsource the outgoing team member’s responsibilities and then find that some of them are no longer relevant, you can simply turn off that part of the service.

If you outsource to an agency like Get Ahead, your local regional director will hand pick a team of experts to cover all the support you need. This means that you could spread one person’s hours across three people, and get an exceptional standard of work from each one. And if your virtual support shows you a more efficient way of doing something, you are welcome to adopt it – this could change the whole outlook of your business.

Whenever I’m asked to slot into a new business at short notice, I’ve learned to quickly pick up on the culture as well as delivering the best work I can. This means – like all Get Ahead’s virtual experts -I can hit the ground running when I start working for a new client.

Best of all, there’s no long contract, so if you unexpectedly fill your skills gap with a permanent staff member, you can simply switch off the outsourced work while keeping within your staffing budget.

Outsource support to Get Ahead

If you think Get Ahead could be the solution to your skills gap, we’d love to help! Get in touch today or explore our site to find out more. You can also find us on LinkedIn where we share loads of news and tips for business owners.

 

 

 

It’s nearly time to get your business ready for Christmas. From essential health and safety to sharing the festive spirit, there’s always a lot to do. So here’s a little pre-Christmas present from Get Ahead – our Christmas checklist for business owners. 

Health and safety

If you have a business premises like a shop, factory or office, it’s important that it remains safe and secure when you’re closed. Christmas falls on a Monday in 2023, so you might be closed for four days or more. 

Remember to turn off the regular lights and turn on the security lights. Set the heating so it kicks in if temperatures drop – you don’t want to come back to frozen or leaking pipes. 

Depending on your business and what you offer, you or a team member might be “on call” over the Christmas break. Make sure the right people know who this is. If necessary, include the on-call person’s phone number on your emergency plan, answerphone message or email auto-reply. 

Outsource your office cover 

Get Ahead has a range of office services to keep your business ticking along when you’re closed. We provide inbox monitoring so the important messages don’t get lost in the sea of junk mail. And our phone answering service means there’s always a professional response to any inquiries that come in over Christmas.  

Holiday and Christmas cover from Get Ahead can be set up in as little as one day – please get in touch if you’d benefit from our support! 

Add a Christmas message to your website

If you’re closing over Christmas, it’s a good idea to let your community know via a message on your website. This should help you take the break you deserve over Christmas, as well as being good customer service. 

Write a Christmas message to your clients and customers

Your business would be nothing without your customers and clients. Take some time this December to thank your business community for their support over the past year, and wish them a very merry Christmas!  

Set your email auto-response

If you’re lucky enough to not have to check emails over the Christmas break, remember to set up an auto-reply to let your clients, customers and business family know. Get Ahead are great advocates of taking time off, so if you’re able to take a Christmas break, make it a complete switch-off.

Word your out-of-office carefully. Don’t promise to reply if you don’t intend to. We’ve noticed that the number of Get Ahead clients taking a complete break over Christmas has increased every year. So please don’t feel guilty for taking time off – lots of others are too! 

If you do need to leave an emergency phone number (see above), be clear that it’s for emergencies only. 

Check the fridge before you lock up the office. 

If you’re closing for ten days over Christmas and New Year, please, please take the milk home when you lock up. Throw out anything that’s not going to survive the Christmas shut down and enjoy (literally) a fresh start to the New Year! 

Get your business ready for Christmas with support from Get Ahead

If you have outstanding work you need to finish before Christmas, Get Ahead are here to help. We can cover your back-office responsibilities so you can get on with your core business, tying up loose ends before you take a complete break. Explore our site to find out more, or contact your local regional director today. 

Have you had a great year or do you still need to achieve your business goals? With the end of Q4 looming large on the horizon, it’s time to focus on anything you haven’t yet achieved and take action to complete your goals.

But to achieve our goals, we need the right mindsets. In this blog, we look at positive ways to approach the end of the calendar year. 

Be brave and honest

When we don’t look at our goals, and don’t measure our business in any way, it’s easy to assume everything is going well. And for some of us, it’s easy to assume it’s all going badly, so we avoid looking at it because we think we won’t like what we see. 

But Q4 is the time to see an accurate picture. Be brave and revisit your business plan and business goals. Are you on track? Are you where you expected to be? If not, what do you need to get you there? 

Focus 

It’s amazing what we can do when we focus. Turn off your notifications, put your phone into monk mode and clear down some of those tasks that have caused blockages in your working life. Check out our blog on tasks you can do in one hour – you might be surprised at how productive you can be! 

Embrace new approaches

Often, the issue that is blocking us from achieving a business goal can be removed relatively easily. However, “we’ve always done it this way” can be a real barrier, preventing us from upgrading to a good customer management system or reorganising our business premises. 

To achieve our goals, it’s sometimes worth looking at alternative approaches and embracing change. Talking to business coaches, Get Ahead regional directors or other business owners can give you a host of ideas to help you.

Be a finisher

As entrepreneurs and business owners, we love having new ideas and getting them off the ground. When we do this, we’re “starters.” A starter is a fantastic thing to be and without us, the world would be a boring place with no opportunities. 

But the end of the year is the time to be a finisher. Finishers have the commitment and maturity to see their goals through to the end. Finishing can be less exciting than starting, but it is what makes the project worthwhile. 

(By the way, if you’re not a finisher and know you never will be, consider outsourcing – see below!)

Celebrate your achievements

When we complete our annual or Q4 goals, it’s time to celebrate! Be proud of what you and your team have achieved. We can all gain more from the achievement by learning from it – what went well and what was a struggle? The successes show us what we could be building on next year and may help shape our business purpose and brand. And the struggles will be easier next time if we learn from the experience. 

Achieve your business goals with outsourced support

The Get Ahead team are great at unblocking businesses which have got stuck for want of the right support. Our virtual experts can take on the tasks you procrastinate about, or fill a skills gap to help you complete a goal or project. To find out more, contact your local regional director today, or explore our site for more business resources. 

It would be so easy to achieve your business goals if you only had more time! But did you know that one focused, productive hour can still make a big difference? Sometimes completing just one task can remove the barrier between you and your business goals.

In this blog, regional director Lisa Middleton shares her suggestions for jobs you can do in one hour, and explains how they contribute to the wider business picture.

1. Revisit your goals and update your plan

It’s really easy to set business goals…and then get bogged down with everyday tasks and firefighting. So when I find myself with some breathing space, I like to revisit my business goals and take stock of where I am. I might run a financial report on Xero and to check my profits and losses – this helps me understand how close I am to financial goals.  I might look at my social media analytics and see whether I’m increasing my reach and whether it’s translating into more business. 

Once I’ve taken stock of where I am in relation to my goals, I can update my original action plan according to the current picture. 

2. Delegate a task

There comes a time with any business when, in order to expand, we have to ask for help, delegate a task or choose outsourcing. If the recent snapshot of your business shows you’ve got too much on your plate, use your spare hour to delegate or outsource. 

When I do this, the person I need to speak to might not be immediately available. However, I use the time to write a brief and gather information together for the other person to use when they take over the task. This makes the handover easier when the time comes. 

3. Read and reply to testimonials

Your clients and customers are a great barometer of business success. Both positive and negative feedback can help you improve, and ultimately achieve your business goals. 

If one of your goals is around improving customer service, replying to reviews is a no-brainer. And if there are any negative reviews, remember that replying to them, addressing problems and nipping bad press in the bud should be a priority. 

In addition, testimonials can also give us valuable insights into our businesses. Read reviews and ask yourself whether your customers see your business the same way you do. Do you have a hidden strength you should be shouting about? 

4. Write and schedule a month’s social media

Many business goals are centred on expanding into new markets. Social media is a fantastic tool for building personal connections, targeting specific audiences and creating authentic content. 

So whether you book in an hour’s desk time or find yourself unexpectedly free, use your hour to create and schedule social content. Make it easy for yourself and follow a pattern. You might choose a weekly theme, or follow a timetable so you always do the same type of post on the same day. Use your own pictures for added authenticity and use a template app like Canva to achieve an on-brand look. Read more of our social media tips here!

5. Create or refine a list of prospects

Directly connecting with prospects is one of the most effective ways of building your business, so why not take time to start or review your prospect list? From developing your relationship with existing customers to reaching out to someone completely new, business development conversations are always worth having. Consider connecting with business owners in fields that complement your business, and do your homework to find out what challenges they are facing and how you could help. 

Outsource to Get Ahead and achieve your goals

Even if you don’t have the luxury of a whole hour to focus on a specific task, we do! Outsourcing is a great way of winning back time so you can focus on the area of your business that needs it most. Check out our list of jobs a virtual expert can do in just one hour – which one would make the biggest difference to you? 

Outsource financial admin and you’ll be well on the way to running an efficient business. But if you’re a business owner who doesn’t like finance, you’re not alone. And if you’re thinking of setting up a business but you’re worried about the numbers side, we’re here to tell you it shouldn’t hold you back. 

In this blog, we talk to finance administration expert Holly, who answers the top questions new business owners ask. 

Where do I start with business finance?

Holly: Finance platforms like Xero and QuickBooks have made life much easier for business owners – I’d strongly recommend subscribing to one. I personally like Xero but it’s a good idea to watch some YouTube demos, read about what the different platforms offer and choose the one that you feel will work for you. 

It’s important to remember that these platforms don’t take away the finance work completely. You will still need to do your own reconciliation, which is when you prove your income and expenditure with receipts and invoices. 

I’m a bit disorganised – how do I keep track of receipts and invoices? 

Holly: Don’t worry – you’re not alone! The easiest thing to do is set up a dedicated email address for suppliers to send invoices to so all the invoices are in one place. This means you can find them easily when it’s time to reconcile the accounts. 

There are also some great “receipt” apps which are compatible with Xero and other platforms. For example, if you meet a client for coffee, you get a receipt and photograph it using the app so the information can be added when you’re reclaiming tax. This means the information on the receipt is stored in the right place and you can throw the paper one away.   

How do I chase unpaid invoices?

Holly: Automation has definitely made chasing invoices easier. Instead of making an awkward phone call, you can now send automatic reminders via an app. There are a number of apps available. I personally like Chaser, because it’s really easy to personalise the message if you need to. It also lets you turn off reminders if, for example, you’ve heard from the client and already know the payment is going to be late. Automation doesn’t have to undermine a good working relationship! 

What about VAT and tax thresholds? 

Holly: Tax can get very complicated but the important thing to know is that how much you pay is based on your profits and turnover. This means that you probably won’t have to worry about VAT registration when you first set your business up. You can find more information on the HMRC website here.

I do what I love but how do I make it pay?

Holly: Most business owners work in a field they know and love – it’s the best way to stay interested in what you’re doing. But to stop it from just being a hobby, consider what income you need to make from it, and what expenditure you are likely to have. 

You can gather financial reports and profit-and-loss data from your accounting app, which should give you a sense of how well your business is doing. With this information, you can forecast your figures, identify next steps like how to sell more of your product, and make key decisions like whether to take on more staff.

Outsource financial admin to Get Ahead

Get Ahead provides financial administration services to a wide variety of businesses across the country. We know that finance is both a business essential and a source of stress, so we’ve put together a range of resources to help you. Check them out! 

Blogs:

Is Xero a replacement for my accountant? – Get Ahead VA

Why are financial goals important for my business? – Get Ahead VA

Effective ways to chase unpaid invoices – Get Ahead VA

Regular accounting tasks for small businesses – Get Ahead VA

Infographic: 

Regular Finance Tasks for Small Businesses – Get Ahead VA

Many business owners experience barriers to delegation – potentially disastrous as your business cannot grow without it. Sometimes there is a deep-seated reason why you can’t ask for help; for others, it just hasn’t occurred to them! 

In this blog, we look at common reasons business owners struggle with delegating, and consider the ways you could overcome them.

Common barriers to delegation

1. Imposter syndrome

When we experience imposter syndrome, we believe that we’re an imposter in our sector. We feel like we shouldn’t be in the role of a business owner, or we don’t feel like we’re qualified to work in that industry. Imposter syndrome – unlike actual fraud – is when we have all the qualifications and experience to do our jobs, but we still feel like we shouldn’t be there.

Imposter syndrome is a barrier to delegation because if we don’t feel entitled to do our jobs, how on earth can we take the lead when we ask someone else to do it? And how can we give feedback with confidence? 

Sometimes, all we need to overcome imposter syndrome is a quick reality check. Look back at your qualifications, if you have them. And if you’re a graduate of the University of Life, spend time remembering how you learned all the skills that got you where you are today. 

If your imposter syndrome is more serious than that, it could be helpful to talk to a life- or business-coach. We have quite a few in our business family – talk to your local regional director if you would like an introduction. 

2. “It’s quicker to do it myself than show someone else.”

We’ve all said this at some point! But the truth is, showing someone else is a long-term investment in your business. Certainly, the first time you do it, briefing your staff member or outsourced support will take time. However, once that initial briefing is out of the way, your business now has two people who know how to do it, instead of just one. This means one less thing on your to-do list; it also gives the business flexibility as either one of you can take responsibility for it in future. 

Accepting that you will “lose” an hour while you brief someone else on how to do it is easier when you also see the long-term advantages you’ll gain in return. 

3. Micromanagement 

Micromanagement is often a symptom of a lack of trust. If you don’t trust your staff or external support team, ask yourself why not. If their work is rubbish, stop micromanaging and hire someone else! And if the problem is with you, take action. Remind yourself that your team doesn’t want to do a bad job – they’re on career paths too.  

Overcome barriers to delegation when you outsource to Get Ahead

If you’re struggling to ask for help, Get Ahead could be a good way to start. You’ll have a single point of contact in the form of your local regional director – they’ll be able to introduce you to the right expert who knows your industry and also has the right personality. 

Often, they’ll encourage you to start small, perhaps with some outsourced diary management. If that goes well, you have the option to increase the amount of support you receive. You’ll never be locked into a long contract, and there’s always the option to add or subtract services as your needs change. We hope it will all go well, but if anything doesn’t make the grade, you can discuss it with your regional director. This means you don’t have to give feedback directly to your virtual expert if you don’t feel comfortable.

If you’re ready for Get Ahead to support you, get in touch today – we’d love to hear from you! And if you’d like more information on how to outsource successfully, download our ebook here.

If you sell products on Amazon, you’re probably aware that it’s a great opportunity but one that’s hard to stay on top of. Continual changes and paid advertising are just some of the challenges AMZ retailers face on a regular basis, all of which can eat into your time and profits. 

Fortunately, help is at hand. At Get Ahead, we understand the opportunities offered by Amazon, but also the challenges. We’re committed to supporting businesses of all sizes, helping them secure an efficient, affordable solution for their needs. That includes helping you sell products on Amazon! 

In this blog, our virtual expert Leo shares some of his insights as we look at ways to support you with your Amazon shop. 

Why do retailers ask for support with Amazon selling?

Leo: Most retailers want to sell through Amazon because it’s the largest online marketplace. It’s a no brainer! Unfortunately, the size of Amazon also creates problems. Sellers have to compete to have their products seen by shoppers, which involves including the right keywords in the right places and other strategies. Without proper attention, pay per click (PPC) advertising might not give value for money. In addition, account management can be really complex, especially as Amazon continually changes its rules and expectations. 

For many of the sellers I meet, these problems translate into neglected Amazon accounts and listings. Some retailers know they should be on Amazon but haven’t even been able to get started. Usually, retailers know they need to take action but ultimately it’s too daunting. And because of the time involved, taking action with their Amazon account doesn’t seem worthwhile. Instead, retailers are getting on with selling through easier channels.

I completely understand why retailers do this. But I also know that, by neglecting their Amazon accounts, they’re missing out on considerable sales. 

Sell products on Amazon with support from Get Ahead

Leo: I’ve been helping retailers get the most out of their Amazon accounts for a number of years. And now, a collaborative team made up of myself, Get Ahead regional directors and our retailer clients, Get Ahead has put together a package to simplify the Amazon process in an affordable way. We’ve also come up with optional extras so you can get exactly the right support for your needs. 

Our basic package has the following features:
  • Daily account monitoring      
  • Bid adjustments   
  • Brand registry support  
  • Budget adjustments      
  • Unlimited campaign launches   
  • Unlimited keyword research   
  • Unlimited ASIN research 
  • Stock management – weekly     
  • Account health compliance and support 
  • Keyword tracking  
  • Competitor analysis     
  • Reports analysis and implementation   
  • Email communication (up to 24 hours response time)    
  • 1x Monthly Loom video update – For Ads and Account Management
  • Listing optimisation    
  • Graphic design – product images, A+ content 
Retail clients also have the option to add on:
  • Monthly in-house visit
  • 1x weekly Loom video update  
  • 1x bi-weekly Loom video update  
  • 1x weekly video/telephone call
  • 1x bi-weekly video/telephone call
  • 1x monthly video/telephone call
  • Brand storefront 
  • Close communication (WhatsApp, Skype, Slack, etc)
  • Other support as required

Like all Get Ahead services, you can turn support on and off as you need to. However, I would recommend committing to the basic package for at least three months to give it the chance to take effect. 

Get in touch to find out more

If you know you need support to sell products on Amazon, you’re not alone. Fortunately, we can help. Explore our site to find out more about how we work, or contact your local regional director today for an informal chat.