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Melanie Fowler
Blue Skies Virtual Assistant

virtual assistance from a business professional

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Time management

5/23/2022

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All of us feel that we’re time poor, there’s always more things to do and you never manage to finish that “to do“ list or clear your emails (or if, by some miracle, you do two minutes later another one has arrived).

For most of human history the aim was to be rich so you wouldn’t have to work as hard. Recently, however, being “busy“ has become a life choice, but this can mean you achieve success at the cost of living a meaningful life. Are we likely to wish on our death bed that we had spent more time working? Or on social media?The reality is that we can’t do it all. Don’t feel defeated that you cannot accomplish everything, but choose what matters most to you. Actively make time to pursue those key goals. This might be by setting aside time in your diary, turning off notifications and treating that time as sacrosanct. One of the best tricks that I was taught was don’t focus on your “to do” list exclusively. Sometimes flip it to create a “done” list to see what you have achieved that day. I use that a lot particularly when I feel I haven’t achieved anything, by which I mean I haven’t done all that I expected to do that day.

Also think about limiting how many projects you have on the go at once. Rather than jump from one to one tackling a smaller number of projects at a time means that you have better focus. Learn to say no! Prioritise what’s important to you so you can concentrate upon doing the things that matter most to you with a balance between work, family and friends and hobbies/interests.

Technology and social media means that it is all too easy to literally lose hours online. It will not only distract you, but can leave you feeling very dissatisfied that you don’t seem to be achieving as much as everyone else.

Increasingly we fail to find time to relax. Trying to master time management is futile. Think hard about what to take on and don’t be afraid to say no. Concentrate upon a small number of projects – this will give you better focus and will help you see them through to completion. Don’t let yourself get distracted and lose time on social media – turn off notifications and set aside a limited amount of time a day for social media.

Another option is to outsource to free up your valuable time and that is where I can help you. Whether it is email management; setting up meetings, writing blogs, researching suppliers, preparing templates, day to day bookkeeping, basic website and social media maintenance or anything else do contact me and book a 1 hour free consultation to explore this further.


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Ways to reduce business and work stress

11/25/2021

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Running your own business can be exhausting and the volume of niggly, admin tasks never-ending. There are some simple ways that you can streamline your systems to free up some valuable time to do more of the work that you love and increase turnover.

1 If you do your own day to day bookkeeping use the repeat transaction facility. The accounts software packages such as xero and Quick Books Online allow you to set up repeat transactions for regular or repeat transactions such as monthly subscriptions or regular payments. This can be for a set period of time or indefinitely and you can always edit the transaction if the price changes. Once the payment has been made you just reconcile it through your bank feed as usual.


2 Smartphones allow you to photograph or scan business receipts which you can then send to your accounts software via, for example, Receipt Bank, or to a file sharing site such as dropbox so you have a record to keep your accountant and/or HMRC happy. So when you next buy a train ticket or a coffee on the go take a photo of the receipt and you don’t need to try to find it at month’s or (even worse) year end or worry if you spill your coffee all over it!



3 Automate and have procedures in place. Use templates which you can and top and tail if needed to respond to common queries or to confirm for example your business meeting. If you find yourself sending the same response more than a few times create a template, which will save you valuable time going forward and will also ensure you cover everything fully. It also means that you can delegate certain tasks safe in the knowledge that a system is in place.



4 If you run into difficulties talk to other small business owners in the same field. A problem shared is indeed a problem halved and if you come up against an issue you won’t be the first (or the last). Someone else’s perspective is invariably useful and an objective take really helps. Often I find trying to explain an issue out loud to some one leads to me finding the solution. There are loads of online forums too which are usually packed full of information and tips.



5 My final tip is consider outsourcing certain tasks perhaps to a virtual PA. No business owner is excellent at everything! We all have some tasks we hate and the pressure of trying to remember to do everything takes up valuable headspace. Most business owners worry about the cost of this but it actually means that you can increase turnover. Let’s say you can delegate 10 hrs of admin to me per month at a cost of £280 pm. This frees you up by 10 hrs pm at £100 per hour to earn your business an extra £720 pm net (£1,000 less the £280 you pay me).


If you are interested please do get in touch either by emailing me at melaniefowler1@outlook.com or calling me on 07719 760 636!
 

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What is LinkedIn and how can I improve my profile and use it best?

10/7/2021

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LinkedIn is a social media site primarily for business and for professional networking and career and business development. Think of it as a business Facebook, but with “connections” as opposed to “friends”. Used properly at whatever stage of your career it can create opportunities, raise your profile and generate business for you. This blog focuses upon how to write a great profile to help you market and showcase your business and its goods and services.

It’s free to join LinkedIn and easy to create a basic profile. You can pay a subscription and join LinkedIn Premium which includes seminars and courses but for most people and free version is sufficient.

Here are some tips and tricks to create or improve your profile and personal brand on LinkedIn:

  • When creating or reviewing your profile make the most of your introduction as everyone will see that; use a good photo, mention your business name and your website (if you have one), add some taglines.
  • Make sure you fill out all the Contact Information (you will be amazed at how many people don’t!) with your name, website(s) and telephone numbers.
  • The “About” section comes next: this is where you showcase you, your business and your skills set, and market your business. Set out what problems your client or customer faces, and how you and your business are the solution. Who do you want to attract and what are their challenges? Invite them to contact you. Don’t go into huge detail about your last job or role that comes in the next section “Experience”.
  • Ask clients and former colleagues to endorse your skills and post a Recommendation (review) on your LinkedIn page. To do this scroll to the bottom of your LinkedIn page and click on “Ask for a Recommendation” and follow the instructions. I tend to send an email to my clients asking for a review for my website. If they are happy to give one I thank them and then send a request via LinkedIn and repeat the review they have just given me and invite them to copy and paste it into a Recommendation. 
  • It’s easy to build up Connections on LinkedIn. LinkedIn will ask to access your contacts and suggest Connections based on that. Alternatively you can search for people and then invite them to connect. It’s best to customise the invite by adding a personal message, such as we know each other from….. As you meet business contacts Connect with them on LinkedIn and if they have a company page Follow that page. Do this with your existing clients too. If you see them post something you should then like and comment upon it. They will appreciate it and it shows you are taking an active interest. Connections are currency. You may find out that someone you know has a shared connection (for example a second or third connection) and you can ask them to introduce you. Don’t connect and instantly try a hard sell – no-one on LinkedIn likes it. Take time to build up a relationship, ask them about themselves and their business and be interested.
  • Write articles (these are longer like a blog) and posts (short form content usually of a few sentences) on LinkedIn as this will raise your profile and you will become a trusted voice.  Use photos, images or videos as these will make your article or post stand out. You can add some hashtags to each  LinkedIn will suggest some based upon content or you can create your own.
  • Posts can include events you are going to or have been to – just a short note about how much you are looking forward to it or thanking the speaker/organisers is always welcome! You can ensure LinkedIn signposts your comment to someone by mentioning an individual or business by name, just type @ and then the start of their name and LinkedIn will pop up a list of names. Just click on the right one. The name will then be highlighted in blue and LinkedIn will notify them that they have been mentioned in a post.
  • If someone comments upon your article or post always acknowledge their contribution by liking (or even loving!) their comment and replying if appropriate. Again tag them in as before with @ and their name if replying. Be helpful to others, share, comment and engage.
  • If you see a great post or article and/or you want to support someone share their post with your Connections. This raises both your and their profile and is a sure fire winner! Or be more targeted - if you see something that you think will be of use or interest to someone in particular send it to them with a brief message.
  • It's a matter of personal preference but you can include personal content in your posts, articles or comments. Yes LinkedIn is primarily a business socia media but increasingly personal content is used. Interestingly I have found that my posts with some personal content usually are read, liked and commented upon more. Having some personal content reveals more of who you are and is more authentic. Posting about failures or where something hasn't gone according to plan invariably sees supportive and helpful comments.
  • Think about where your actual or prospective clients may hang out and ask to join any groups that look interesting. It’s probably better to join a handful rather than every one going.
  • Finally this is a long game – don’t do a lot on LinkedIn for a couple of weeks and expect overnight results. Be consistent and regular – keep yourself in the forefront of someone’s mind and make it a habit. Schedule some time to spend on LinkedIn. Be engaged and engaging.







LinkedIn’s Social Selling Index (“SSI”) is an algorithm that measures how well you are performing on LinkedIn.

It assesses:
  • Your personal brand
  • Your ability to find the right people
  • Your engagement with insights and
  • Your relationship building skills
You can look up your own SSL by logging into your LinkedIn account and searching here - https://www.linkedin.com/sales/ssi

If your score is less than 30 you need to do some work. Between 30-50 is Ok, 50-60 is good and 60-70 is excellent. You can look at the SSL breakdown to see in which areas you need to do better.

I hope that you have found this blog useful – if you have any queries or want some help with your LinkedIn profile, or any other aspects of it such as assistance with managing or increasing your LinkedIn activity, please do get in touch with me at melaniefowler1@outlook.com or on 07719 760636.

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So how can a virtual PA help my business?

8/23/2021

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This is a question that I am asked a lot! The short answer is what a PA does in the office but, in a VA’s case, virtually from my home office. The longer answer is to establish what your business is, what tasks pile up that you never get round to doing either due to lack of time or because you hate doing them, and I do them for you so that your clients are happy, you can concentrate upon the work you are excellent at and grow your business and increase turnover.

5 Top Tips for a more efficient business in 2021



1. Send out your invoices on time – cashflow is king and most businesses fail because of this. If invoices are raised on the very day that the job is completed (while the client is still “over the moon” with your work) they are more likely to get paid than if they follow on one month later when the initial enthusiasm has worn off. If you claim expenses again make sure that you do this promptly and in accordance with your client’s protocols. Most software accountancy now allows you to photograph and scan receipts either to that system direct or to someone to process for you (or remind you to do so). Getting into the habit of doing this means that you are less likely to a) forgot to claim your expenses and b) lose the receipts before you get around to making a claim.
 
2. Refresh your marketing material – is it still up to date? Are your clients tired of getting a newsletter that sounds similar to the last one? Why not freshen up your communications for 2021 with a new set of articles, blogs or a new client guide? Video as a means of communicating and marketing is currently booming and yet surprisingly easy to do with a good phone, a tripod and some software.
 
3. Ask your clients what they thought of your work – do you get feedback from your clients on what they loved about you and your service and ask for suggestions for improvement? Your clients can be your greatest advocates. A simple (short) survey may produce illuminating results that will help improve your services. Alternatively, encourage them to post a review on sites such as your Google My Business page or Trustpilot to encourage others and then ask if you can add those reviews to your own website too.
 
4. Plan a drinks event to showcase your expertise – invite your clients and some prospects you would like to work with. Make it a celebration (5th anniversary) or perhaps a launch (new office, new service). The best people to endorse you to new prospects are the clients that are already using your services.
 
5. Chase up late payers – cashflow is king (as above(!)). The sooner a late invoice is chased the more likely it is to get paid. If you leave it 3 months before chasing a late payer you are less likely to get an immediate or positive result. It sends the message that the invoice is not that important to you. A polite but firm chaser as soon as the invoice is overdue is less likely to go ‘bad’.
 
6. BONUS TIP! Outsource the work that you don’t have time to do! OK, so you may have expected this one. But do you ever feel like a hamster on a wheel, always running to keep up? If you don’t have time to do the suggestions above then outsource some or all of it to a virtual assistant to help make your business great in 2021!
 
If you are struggling to keep up with certain aspects of your business maybe you should think about outsourcing to have more time to focus upon your strengths and on increasing turnover? No-one is excellent at everything. You will be great at doing the work that you enjoy but we all have skills that we aren’t good at, or that we don’t necessarily have the time (or inclination) to invest in improving. In real life how many people have hours to spend learning how to use Excel (or want to!)?
 
I spent nearly 20 years working as a solicitor in London and 6 years as a virtual PA so I am used to providing a professional, organised and detail orientated level of services. In short you can focus on the big picture and stop sweating the small niggling details.


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Why choose Melanie at Blue Skies Virtual Assistant as your virtual assistant? A client’s perspective!

6/24/2021

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Dr Lisa Ackerley, director of Public Health Company Limited, has been a client of Melanie Fowler at Blue Skies Virtual Assistant since January 2016 and kindly agreed to answer some questions about why she chose us, what we do for her and how it all works:
 
M: Hi Lisa thanks to agreeing to this interview! Can you please tell us why you decided to use a VA/Virtual PA?
 
L: Hi! I had my own family business in the food safety and hygiene field, which we sold in 2015. I wasn’t ready to retire so set up a company so that I could provide consultancy services and quickly realised that some secretarial and administrative support was needed, so that I could concentrate on actually doing the work and growing my business. I knew someone who had a VA; was mulling over going that route as I only needed someone for a handful of hours a week and then saw your e-shot from the St Albans Chamber of Commerce in January 2016 and we met and the rest is history!
 
M: Yes I remember – they sent round the e-shot on the Thursday morning, we met that afternoon and I started working for you the following Monday! Can you tell us about the tasks that I started off doing for you?
 
L: yes of course. Initially I really wanted help with the day to day accounting, so processing transactions, raising and sending out invoices using xero. I also had a number of expense reports that needed filing, which were all fiddly and time-consuming. You are very good at keeping tabs on when invoices become due and chasing up late payers. Over time I have also come to rely on your “hawk” eye – you have picked up when we have been over-charged by a supplier and saved me money which is great! I also wanted someone to maintain a digital filing system on dropbox and keep an eye on my emails and diary and remind me about things that I might otherwise overlook.
 
M: yes that works well. One question I am always asked is how a virtual PA working from a remote location can assist with the day to day tasks.
 
L: well we set you up with your own email address on my company server and you also have access to my emails and calendar, so that you can keep track of my diary, reply to emails and remind me about outstanding ones. We each have our own dropbox logins so I can keep track of who has done what. Dropbox sends us both regular emails when either of us makes changes to the digital files, which is useful. Xero works in a similar way- we each have our own login for accounting purposes. We do meet from time to time and use a variety of ways to communicate, such as Teams, email; phone, text and Whatsapp.

M: Yes there are certainly a lot of ways to communicate – each client is different and I always ask how best to contact them. Over the last 15 months many more people have worked from home and got used to using zoom, MS Teams and Google Hangouts. I have been working as a VA for 6 years now and there are many more of us now and more people have heard of VAs or “business angels” as one lady described hers!
Overtime my role has changed for you – as it does for most of my clients, as we get to know each other and as trust builds.

L: yes absolutely. You now often negotiate fees for me, review contracts and terms for business efficacy, flag up any key clauses and issues and negotiate changes. You have great attention to detail and make very sensible suggestions. I have done a fair amount of media work over the last year and you have kept on top of all of that and tracked down whom to invoice.  As our client list expanded there have been various increasingly complicated onboarding processes to set us up as a supplier and you are great with those too. I would have lost the will to live going through those documents, and may have avoided working with those clients if you hadn’t helped. When GDPR came in you worked with me to go through an assessment of the business processes to help ensure that we were complaint. At various stages we have needed to develop policies (such as an environmental one) and you have been great at researching this aspect and coming up with a draft one for me to review. The business and I have moved a few times whilst you have been my VA and you have been good at coming up with a spreadsheet, notifying people and reminding me to do the same each time, which has really helped. Anything else I have missed?
 
M: I also do basic website maintenance, keep an eye on your Google My Business page and draft or polish blogs and post them on your website. I also login into various accounts to download, process and file various business expenses. If there are any IT issues and I work with our suppliers to fix those.
 
L: yes you do that too! And set up new online accounts too which can be a hassle and very time consuming.
 
M: Just a couple more questions! Why would you recommend me as a VA/virtual PA?
 
L: You are reliable, hard working, supportive, proactive, excellent at communication and a very safe pair of hands. If I ask you to do something then I know that it will get done and I don’t have to think about it again. It’s also good to have you to bounce ideas off as you know my business and you have your own objective take on things. You are also very good at adapting your tone to match that of a particular client’s and building relationships with them.

M: Wow thank you! Any areas in which I could do better?

L: well I am better at excel spreadsheet than you are – but you have got better!

M: yes I have. Thank you very much for your time Lisa.
 

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What Does a VA Do?

5/24/2021

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I am asked this question all the time and now often say I am a Virtual PA as people understand it better. It also stops jokes about if I am actually in front of them (pre Covid to be fair) and if I am called Alexa!

When I first set up as Blue Skies Virtual Assistant in 2015 I thought I would be mainly writing and sending emails, managing diaries and preparing documents. I quickly learnt some basic bookkeeping skills (recording day to day transactions, raising invoices and credit control) and found I quite enjoy that, but I have been truly surprised at the variety of interesting tasks I have been asked to do such as:· 

 - Carrying out a price comparison analysis for one client to     support a grant application (I was the happy owner of a shop for a while stocked with all my favourite things!);

 - Researching where you can hire medical grade oxygen cylinders in Melbourne Australia to support an ultra marathon;        

  - Researching what to do (a lot of which seemed to involve hanging out of very tall buildings!) and see and where to eat and shop and how to get around Chicago for a weekend between assignments;   
     
  - Trawling through planning applications for a specific road for the previous 12 years looking for an access issue and preparing a report;

   - Working out what to do in Auckland for 5 days including a visit to Hobbiton (where they filmed Lord of the Rings) – I have always wanted to travel to New Zealand but it is now at the top of my wish list;   
    
  -  Benchmarking various policies (such as health and safety and environmental ones) to adapt for use by my clients.

I have also built some simple websites and written copy for various websites to support my clients’ businesses and navigated a myriad of different supplier/contractor registration systems, including various portals and marvelled at how complex some are and how wonderfully clear and easy to use others are. I do still enjoy the email and diary management side of the role and bringing order out of chaos. Best of all is helping a client grow their business, both by doing their boring but necessary paperwork but also bringing an objective pair of eyes and being able to make suggestions.


I do relish a challenge and if you have a business task that isn't one which falls neatly into the "usual" PA role do ask and I will do my best to assist if I can.




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    Melanie Fowler, owner of Blue Skies Virtual Assistant

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