There are lots of ways in which working with virtual assistants makes sense, like freeing you up from mundane tasks to concentrate on your core business, or mixing and matching skills to create the ultimate team. But for all business owners, money is the bottom line. We firmly believe that VAs are a cost effective way of tapping into a wealth of experience and high quality work.
Here’s why:
(more…)This month Get Ahead VA is celebrating its 10th business birthday, and we couldn’t be prouder of reaching this amazing milestone.
Of course, the last 10 years have taught us a lot about how to run a business, and today we’d like to share with you some of the best lessons we’ve learned over the years. So we talked to our team of Regional Directors to uncover their most precious nuggets of wisdom – here are 10 things we’ve learned from 10 years in business.
(more…)The coronavirus pandemic has affected us all. The hospitality, service and arts industries have been hit particularly hard, but the reality is that all businesses have been affected in some way. For smaller businesses with less financial flexibility than big chains, the impact of COVID-19 has been enormous. Looking ahead, this could spell the end for some smaller businesses, unless we do what we can to support them.
What does the closure of small business really mean? For consumers, it could be the end of our favourite chocolate brownie, baked to perfection at the café on the corner, or the closure of that hairdressers where you always got a great cut. It could mean the end of variety and vibrancy on our high streets.
(more…)Lockdown has had a huge impact on the UK economy, and many businesses have struggled to adapt and survive during this unpredictable time. For those that have made it this far, there is light at the end of the tunnel, as restrictions are being lifted and there are more options for businesses to open up again – in a new way.
But after the unpredictability of recent months, how can you bring your customers back in a way that is safe and welcoming? How can you protect both your business and the people who use it? If you’re a business owner struggling with these questions, we have some advice to get you started.
(more…)Keeping up with your continuing professional development (CPD) can be tricky at the best of times, and chances are that the stresses of lockdown have not made this easier over the past few months. But if you’re feeling up to it, you might find that doing some CPD from home could be beneficial for you and your business.
Of course, you shouldn’t put any pressure on yourself to be productive during this time. Lockdown is hugely stressful for all sorts of reasons, and there’s no need to add to your mental load unnecessarily. It’s essential that you take care of yourself first and give yourself a break if you need it!
However, if you do feel up to the challenge, you may find working on your CPD really valuable. Perhaps you don’t have as much to do right now and you’re in need of a distraction or something to give structure to your days. Or maybe you’re keen to feel that you’re still making progress with your business, even if your normal workload has changed. Whatever inspires you, here is our guide to doing CPD from home.
(more…)Amanda Johnson, business coach, mentor and trainer, is bringing us her advice about how to onboard a new virtual assistant in your business. Her award-winning VA business, VACT, was established in 2003, and she has been in the industry since 2012, so she has plenty of great advice to share!
I love helping business owners find virtual assistants (VAs), and people often ask me how to onboard new VAs as smoothly and effectively as possible. In this blog I’ll look at the onboarding process from the business owner’s perspective and share my advice with you.
(more…)A little while ago, we were invited to a celebration lunch with one of our clients. During the lunch, the company’s marketing manager told us she had been approached by the Sunday Telegraph who wanted to do a piece about them. The marketing manager was delighted that the VAs had created such a wealth of blogs and factsheets for her to draw on – all she had to do was copy and paste the right paragraphs and send them off to the journalist. We were delighted too – it’s this kind of repurposing that makes content marketing great value for money, as well as empowering our clients to take their own action.
Even if you haven’t been approached by a Sunday paper (!) it’s still a great idea to repurpose your blogs, factsheets, ebooks and social media posts.
Here are some of our favourite ideas:
(more…)A lot has changed in a week, and this continues to be a very strange time for the world. The UK government has now ordered all pubs, restaurants, cafes, libraries and gyms to close, as well as shops selling non-essential items.* Many businesses are feeling the impact of these new protective measures, especially small businesses and independents, and many business owners now find themselves in the position of trying to keep things running while also heeding expert advice.
If you are one of the many people trying to come to terms with this new reality, we’re here to help, with some advice about how to market your business, mindfully and sensitively, during this difficult time.
(more…)It won’t have escaped your notice that coronavirus is having a huge effect on businesses, with direct implications for the retail and travel sectors. And as you’ll know if you manage a team of office-based staff, the effect of self-isolation is becoming apparent too. As more people choose to self-isolate, more team leaders are finding themselves having to manage people working from home, which can be a new experience, and not always an easy one.
Virtual assistants nearly always work from home. I’ve been managing my team of virtual assistants for nearly a decade – a lot of what I’ve learned may help other businesses as workplaces are forced to flex around coronavirus.
Here are my top tips:
(more…)When a news story breaks, many business owners leverage it in content marketing. We might be blogging about workplace bullying in the wake of Priti Patel’s dismissal, or crafting a really engaging meme for International Women’s Day (which is on Sunday, by the way). By and large, this is a good thing. Current content with an immediate appeal offers value for clients – it’s helpful for them to hear a different opinion, and it’s a great opportunity to show that your business takes a humane and inclusive stance on issues like workplace behaviour and equality. It’s good for SEO too – people Googling for the news story may find your content too and hey presto, lots of lovely conversions.
(more…)