5 Questions to Help You Stay Focused on the Right Things to Grow Your Business

5 Questions to Help You Stay Focused on the Right Things to Grow Your Business

by | Sep 18, 2023

5 Questions to Help You Stay Focused on the Right Things to Grow Your Business

There is a lot to do when it comes to growing your wellness business, but some things are more important than others for actually getting clients.  It’s easy to get distracted by sparkly objects and hop from one project to the other, but when you ask yourself the 5 questions we’re sharing today, it will help you stay on track more, and feel more focused which means making progress faster.

These are questions we ask ourselves on a regular basis because we know all too well how easy it is to want to get sidetracked by those sparkly objects. 

On this episode, you’ll discover:

  • 5 questions to ask yourself to stay focused and grow your business
  • What to do when you feel pulled in too many different directions
  • How to say yes to only the things you really want to do in your business to see progress faster

When you ask yourself these 5 questions on a regular basis, you’ll be blown away at what you can accomplish. 

When you’re a new health coach, it feels like everything is a high priority – building a website, setting up social media, figuring out a logo, creating content for your audience, growing your email list, and the list goes on and on.  But each project or task doesn’t necessarily get you where you want to go, so knowing how to prioritize your time and effort is key.

These are questions we ask ourselves on a regular basis because we know all too well how easy it is to want to get sidetracked by those sparkly objects. 

We see this frequently with our Wellness Business Accelerator students when they first join our program.  It feels like there are so many decisions to make in your business, and when you feel overwhelmed, it’s hard to prioritize what should be done.   Once coaches go through the first lesson on The 4 Core Pillars of a Profitable Wellness Business, it sets the stage for the actions that will have the biggest impact in the shortest amount of time.

We’ll be opening the doors to the WBA in October, and if you want to be notified as soon as the doors open, so you can get access to the special bonuses we’ll have, click here.    

5 Questions to Help You Stay Focused on the Right Things to Grow Your Business

Let’s dive into the first question you want to ask yourself to stay on track and grow your business. 

This is a big one and the more often you ask yourself this question, the more you will be able to make better decisions for your business.   

Will this help me get clients?

This question translates to – will this help me generate income?

Say for example, you’re spending hours working on a logo for your website.  Will that help you get clients? As fun as it may be to spend hours on a logo, that is not something that will help you get clients because no one who visits your website is going to care or even there is no logo. They don’t care because they’re on your site to check out what you do and see if you might be able to help them. 

If you’re a new health coach, it’s not even that important to have a website. You can do just fine using single landing pages from your email software program.  The most important thing you can focus on is getting in front of people and offering your free resources to grow your email list and inviting people to work with you.

So, ask yourself: Will this help me get clients? If the answer is no, you may want to skip it for now, and move on to something else.  Focus on more income-generating tasks and actions. 

Question #2:  Will this help me get in front of more people?

As you’re working on or planning out projects, ask yourself if it will help you get more exposure to your ideal clients.   An example of this would be focusing on getting booked as a guest on podcasts or online summits.  Both of these are free ways you can reach more people. 

Another example would be doing local workshops. We know coaches who offer workshops at their local gym or health food store and the owners promote the workshop to their clients and customers, so you are getting in front of new people.   

The more people you get in front of, the more followers you can get, the more email subscribers you’ll have and ultimately, the more clients you will have.

Question #3: 

Will this help me build my email list?

This is another big one because the profitability of your business is directly tied to the size and quality of your email list.  Your subscribers are the people who are opening your emails, reading your content and they are also the ones who are mostly likely to take a buying action such as joining your paid program.

If you’re going to be a guest on a podcast, find out if you can share information about one of your free resources.  If you’re writing a blog post, see if there is a way to work in mentioning and linking to a freebie you have that relates to the topic.  Look for opportunities that will help you get more laser targeted subscribers because that will help you get more clients.

Question #4:

Will this provide value to my audience?

Before you create content or free resources, ask yourself if it’s something you ideal clients will find helpful, valuable, entertaining or motivating.  It’s easy to feel like we have to crank out endless content, but it’s better to focus on the quality of the content than it is to focus on the quantity. Good content gets shares, comments, DM’s, helps you connect with your followers and get new followers. 

Ask yourself if it’s something you think your audience will appreciate and find valuable.

Lastly, we have question #5

This is important because it’s easy to get lost in the weeds of our business, work long hours and feel like we have to keep going, going, going. 

Ask yourself:

Is this something I want to do? – The second part of that question is “Do I have time to do this without it causing stress? 

For us, this question is a bit of a joy and happiness meter. It can also have to do with personal growth.  Another version of this question is “Will this bring me joy and happiness?”.  If it’s something that excites you, you may want to reconsider doing it.  You may be nervous about doing something new and that’s all part of personal growth, but if it’s something you dread doing, your time might be better spent on something you will actually enjoy.

I hit burnout twice in my business over the past 10 years. I definitely learned my lesson the second time and part of that was only saying yes to the things I was excited about, and no to the things I didn’t really want to do.

I used to say yes to pretty much every opportunity that came my way. I wasn’t prioritizing my down time and thought I could just go, go, go.  I didn’t really ask myself the 2nd part of the question which was “Do I have time to do this without it causing me stress?”  When you say yes to something, you are saying no to something else, because there are only so many hours in the day.  So, choose wisely and be selective. 

When you’re brand new, you may not be able to be as selective, and that’s okay, but say yes to the things that answer more of the 5 questions we covered, which are:

  • Will this help me get clients? 
  • Will this help me get in front of more people?
  • Will this help me build my email list?
  • Will this provide value to my audience?
  • Is this something I want to do? Will it bring me joy and happiness and not stress me out?

Each decision you make doesn’t have to be a yes to all 5 questions, but it should be a yes to at least one, and ideally, at least 2.

Be sure to get on the VIP waitlist for the WBA. This is our signature program where we teach health coaches how grow their business and get a consistent influx of new clients. We share a proven framework that gets results and we’re excited to open the doors again in October.

Resources and Links mentioned on the show:

Kathleen’s Facebook Group

Kathleen’s Instagram

Karen’s Facebook Group

Karen’s Instagram

Wellness Business Accelerator

;

Let's Connect on Facebook:

Click here

Subscribe and listen to The Wellness Business Podcast on your favorite platform!

5 Checkpoints to Know If You’re Ready to 
Create Your Own Coaching Program

5 Checkpoints to Know If You’re Ready to 
Create Your Own Coaching Program

by | Sep 4, 2023

5 Checkpoints to Know If You’re Ready to Create Your Own Coaching Program

As a new health coach, the easiest way to get started working with clients is to use the outlines that you received through your training program or purchase a done-for-you coaching program so you can jump right in getting experience as a coach.

This approach allows you to experiment with the different types of clients that resonate with you the most and also gives you an opportunity to put your education to work to get actual coaching experience. It’s a win-win!

There may come a time after you’ve worked with clients for a while that you to want to create your own coaching program. Perhaps you have a 6-month coaching program in place, but you want to also offer a more laser-focused 30-day program as an option.   

If you think you might want to create your own program but you’re not sure how to get started, you’re going to love today’s episode.

In this episode you will discover:

  • 5 checkpoints to know if you’re ready to create your own coaching program
  • The benefits of creating your own program as a way of standing out in your niche so that it’s easier to attract your dream clients
  • Why adding a group coaching program to your service offerings leads to scalability and efficiency in your practice leaving more free time for other things

Checkpoint #1 to know if you’re ready to create your own coaching program is: You want to deliver a more specific and niched down program.

Let’s kick things off with the importance of niching down and creating a more specific program. As a health coach, it’s crucial to stand out as someone that specializes in one area. After you have experience working with a variety of clients, you’ll be in a better position to create a coaching program that’s tailored to a specific audience or health challenge based on where you believe your zone of genius is and the clients that you enjoy working with the most. This specificity shows that you understand the unique needs and challenges of that particular ideal client. When clients feel like you’re speaking directly to them, they’re more likely to see you as the solution they’ve been searching for.

Checkpoint #2: Your personal & coaching experience has led you to design a specific process/protocol that is working with your clients.

Developing a specific process or protocol for your coaching program often stems from your own personal experience. Picture this: you’re equipped with knowledge and personal experience that you’ve gained over the years of working with clients and dealing with your own health challenges. Designing a coaching program around your experience and expertise not only demonstrates your authority in the field but also gives your clients a clear path to follow. Your clients will feel confident knowing they’re following a tried-and-true approach that you’ve refined through your own experiences and education.


Checkpoint #3: You’re ready to differentiate yourself with your own unique offer.

With so many health coaches out there, setting yourself apart is key for standing out to your dream clients. A coaching program that targets a small segment of the population, a specific niche, allows you to stand out in the market which can be your competitive edge. Think about it: a potential client has choices, but when they see a program that addresses their specific needs in a novel way, they’re more likely to choose you. Your unique approach creates a connection, making it easier for them to say, “This is the coach I need.”

Checkpoint #4: One-on-one coaching is great but you’re looking for scalability and efficiency.

Creating your own coaching program allows you to work with multiple clients more efficiently at the same time that have similar needs. Traditional one-on-one coaching sessions can sometimes be limiting, both in terms of time and the number of clients you can accommodate so scaling your time and revenue by running an online group program is a great solution. With a structured group program, you can maintain quality while serving more clients simultaneously. This scalability model not only boosts your income potential but also allows you to make a more significant impact on your clients.

Checkpoint #5: You’re interested in passive income potential.

Beyond one-on-one coaching, your offerings can open doors to new income streams. Imagine how much more you could make by offering group coaching sessions or a self-paced, DIY, version of your program. These options enable you to generate income even when you’re not actively coaching. It’s like your program is working for you around the clock. This not only provides financial stability but also gives you more freedom to focus on other aspects of your coaching practice.

If any or all of these 5 reasons resonate with you, you may want to create your own coaching program.  If you want to learn more, be sure to save your spot for Amy Porterfield’s free Course Confident Bootcamp that kicks off September 14, 2023. 

Resources and Links mentioned on the show:

Course Confident Bootcamp – Free training

Wellness Business Accelerator

Kathleen’s Facebook Group

Kathleen’s Instagram

Karen’s Facebook Group

Karen’s Instagram

Wellness Business Accelerator

;

Let's Connect on Facebook:

Click here

Subscribe and listen to The Wellness Business Podcast on your favorite platform!

Our Top 7 Book Recommendations for Health Coaches

Our Top 7 Book Recommendations for Health Coaches

by | Aug 28, 2023

Our Top 7 Book Recommendations for Health Coaches

Karen Pattock and I love to read, so today we’re sharing a few of our favorite business and personal development books that we think you’ll like too.  These are books that have made an impact on us personally or in our business (or both). 

In this episode, you’ll discover: 

  • A list of our favorite business and mindset books that made a lasting impact on us and how we show up each day as coaches and entrepreneurs
  • Insight into what we loved about each book and why we believe they will have an impact on you too
  • Personal stories of what we were struggling with and how these books pushed us to change and grow

Good books are meant to be shared and we’re excited to share our faves with you.

1. The 12 Week Year by Brian Moran. You’ve likely heard us talk about this book on the podcast before because it is one of our all-time favorites. If you’re a planner like we are then you’re going to love the premise of this book. Essentially, the author shares a strategy for planning and running each 12-week increment – or 90-day interval as a year in your business. If you’ve ever tried to put a one-year plan in place on January 1st, chances are by the end of May you were already off track. Projects took longer than expected, new opportunities presented themselves, your personal life had something unforeseen come up. When you plan in 12-week increments, and they are considered their own individual profit and loss centers, it’s easier to stay on track with meeting your goals.

2. The Power of Less – By Leo Babauta

I read this book a few years ago and I just picked it up to read it again recently.  I like it because it’s really about simplifying things to get the best results – in business and in our daily lives.  It’s about setting boundaries and goals, so you can have better focus, less stress and live a more fulfilling life.  Rather than feeling like you have to do it all, when you focus on less and you go all in, you’ll make more progress. 

The author talks about choosing the tasks and actions with the most impact – he calls these high-impact tasks.  He also covers something we both know to be true, but it can be difficult to stick to sometimes and that is focusing on the task at hand instead of multitasking, because focusing on one thing at a time, makes you more productive because you can take things to completion, and see progress faster.

In a nutshell, it’s about streamlining your life by determining what is essential while ditching the unnecessary, so you can accomplish the goals that can change your life for the better.

  • You’ll learn how to break down goals into manageable tasks.
  • Focus on fewer things at one time.
  • Create more productive habits.
  • Improve your focus.
  • Increase your efficiency.

The book is only 170 pages, so it’s pretty easy to get through. 

3. The One Thing by Gary Keller. If you tend to not finish projects or are easily distracted by shiny object syndrome this book is for you. It is an amazing book that outlines the necessary steps to be your most productive self.

In The ONE Thing, you’ll learn to:

  • Cut through the clutter
  • Achieve better results in less time
  • Build momentum toward your goal
  • Overcome that overwhelmed feeling
  • Master what matters to you

The most amazing thing about this book is you can apply the principles to not just your business but your personal life also.

Our Top 7 Book Recommendations for Health Coaches

4. Rise of the Youpreneur, by Chris Ducker. The subtitle of the book is: The definitive guide to becoming the go-to leader in your industry and building a future-proof business.

This book is kind of like your A-Z guide for starting and growing a business for your personal brand.

I’ve met Chris in person, we’ve had him on the podcast a couple of times, and he’s a great teacher. He has a way of breaking things down in easy to understand and implement steps, so the book is very actionable.

Here’s some of what he covers in the book:

  • Defining your perfect customer
  • Positioning yourself as an expert
  • Growing your business circle – making connections and networking
  • Building your email list
  • Developing your pricing strategy
  • Launch strategies for your promotions

It’s a really good book for anyone who is starting out in the online space or they’ve been at it a while and want to fine tune things a bit.

5. Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand In the Sun and Be Your Own Person by Shonda Rhimes.

Shonda Rhimes is a television writer and producer of some of the most popular shows ever created. Shows like Grey’s Anatomy, How to Get Away with Murder, and Private Practice. Needless to say, she is a very busy and focused woman. She also has 3 kids at home so staying in her lane became her formula for success for years.

Then through a conversation with her sister she realized that she was always saying no to the opportunities that came her way. That’s when she decided to embrace what she called a Year of Yes.

Karen loved this book because it’s so easy to double down on building a business once you’ve made the decision to become an entrepreneur and forget everything else around you. After reading Shonda’s book, Karen realized how isolated she had become since starting her business in 2011 because she was focused on building the best business she could. After reading this book a few years back she has reprioritized the things that are truly meaningful to her, opened herself up for the unexpected, and to say ‘yes’ more than she says ‘no’.

6. My next book recommendation is another one by Chris Ducker, called Virtual Freedom. The subtitle is: How to work with virtual staff to buy more time, become more productive and build your dream business.

This book was instrumental to me when I was looking to start outsourcing things in my business.  It’s a complete step-by-step guide that walks you through how to decide what to outsource, how to find the right people, writing a good job description, communicating with your virtual team and much more. One of the trickiest things for me in the beginning was trying to figure out what to delegate, and this book was really helpful. I highly recommend it if you’re ready to find people to help you in your business, so you can focus more on the income-generating tasks rather than getting lost in a sea of endless tasks that others can take off your plate.     

7. Perception: Take Charge of How Others View Your Brand, Become Irresistible, and Make a Bigger Impact by: Christo Hall & Franziska Iseli. Karen loved this book, and she has read it a few times over the years. The author uses 3 different entrepreneurs at different stages of their businesses, to illustrate their marketing strategies. This is not your everyday boring marketing book. Instead, the authors brought their teachings to life through the telling of a day-in-the-life of three friends that are all business owners. It’s a quick read and will have you turning the page to find out what happens next.

Perception teaches you to take charge: to define and then create the perception of you or your business that will lead you to the lasting success you desire. It is aimed mainly at small business owners and entrepreneurs who are looking towards defining a brand strategy targeted at increasing business growth. The strategies behind influencing perception outlined in this book also work to shape our personal lives as well.

We hope you enjoyed our book recommendations, and you take the time to read at least one of them.

Enjoy! 

Resources and Links mentioned on the show:

Karen’s free training – Planning Your Next 90 Days

Kathleen’s Facebook Group

Kathleen’s Instagram

Karen’s Facebook Group

Karen’s Instagram

Wellness Business Accelerator

;

Let's Connect on Facebook:

Click here

Subscribe and listen to The Wellness Business Podcast on your favorite platform!

Stop Starting From Scratch: 3 Steps to Gain Momentum In Your Wellness Business

Stop Starting From Scratch: 3 Steps to Gain Momentum In Your Wellness Business

by | Jun 12, 2023

Stop Starting From Scratch: 3 Steps to Gain Momentum In Your Wellness Business

When you try a new strategy to market your health coaching business, things don’t always go smoothly or as planned. We’ve experienced this at times ourselves, and truth be told, it’s all part of being a business owner or solopreneur.  What often happens in cases like this is people think they have to scrap everything they’ve done so far and start from scratch, but that is usually not the case at all. Oftentimes, you just need to change one or two things to see better results.

In this episode of the Wellness Business Podcast you’ll discover…

  • 3 steps to gain momentum in your wellness business that make implementation easier and gets you better results.
  • The mindset shift you need to make that will save you hours and hours of time and energy.
  • How to avoid shiny object syndrome for good so you never let it sabotage your results ever again.

We are big proponents of setting goals in your business but when you try something for the first time, goals can be a shot in the dark and turn out to be unrealistic, however, it doesn’t mean that you should throw in the towel on that particular strategy. Instead, you can use the information we’re sharing with you today in this podcast to evaluate and rework your approach. In other words, avoid starting from scratch by using what went well and change what didn’t work.

Okay, let’s dive into the 3 steps to gain momentum in your wellness business.

1) Shiny Object Syndrome is real and must be avoided at all costs.

Shiny object syndrome is the tendency to be attracted to new and exciting ideas or opportunities, leading to a lack of focus and productivity. Coaches are creative individuals and often find the thrill of starting something new more fun than sticking with a plan and seeing it through to completion.

If that’s you, there may be a specific reason you’re attracted to this scenario.

As we said before, it may feel more fun and exciting to keep starting new projects, rather than see the old one through to the finish line. This may be because you’re afraid of failure or of not getting the results that you’re hoping for so if you avoid completing the project you never have to face the potential disappointing results. What many coaches forget to consider is the flip side of the coin, that completing the project may yield amazing results and you feel proud of yourself for following through.

That brings us to the second way to gain momentum in your wellness business.

Stop Starting From Scratch: 3 Steps to Gain Momentum In Your Wellness Business
2) Set realistic goals and collect data along the way for later analysis

We see it all of the time. Coaches set unattainable goals, particularly in the early stages of their business, and when they can’t meet those goals they feel like a failure. One of the 4 Core Pillars we teach in the Wellness Business Accelerator program is dedicated to goal setting. We believe in setting goals that are slightly outside your comfort zone but that are also reachable.

When you set a goal for a new project, the first time is always a bit of a moving target and that’s okay. You have to start somewhere. The key to setting better and more realistic goals in the future comes from collecting data along the way so you can analyze it later.

Let’s say you want to launch your coaching program using a challenge to gain interest and to make an offer to work with you. It’s the first time you’ve ever run a challenge so it doesn’t feel natural to you. Instead of focusing on the bumpy road, document what goes well and what doesn’t. Maybe some of your emails have high open rates, but others don’t? That simply means you have some email editing to do the 2nd time you run the challenge. Maybe you have less people register for the challenge than you originally thought. That doesn’t mean that the challenge method isn’t viable. It could be that the challenge title wasn’t clear enough to attract your dream clients, or your delivery method wasn’t ideal for your dream clients. In other words, don’t scrap the challenge method until you’ve given it a fair shot.

Which brings us to the 3rd way to gain momentum in your coaching business.

3) When trying something new, commit to launching it, or running it, at least 3 times before scrapping it for something else.

One time is never enough with any strategy to know if it’s effective and viable. One of the greatest opportunities you have to gain momentum in your business is to do the same thing, (with minor tweaks and upgrades), at least 3 times before giving up.

Let’s go back to the challenge method we discussed in #2. Let’s say that your challenge registration goal was 200 people and you ended up with 217 registrants. That’s amazing, right? Your marketing worked well and you’re probably doing a happy dance. However, your goal for new clients was 25 and you only ended up with 14. That could feel very disappointing. In this scenario the problem isn’t your method of using a challenge to attract and convert new clients. It’s more than likely a messaging problem on your sales page OR you gave away too much information in the challenge and your registrants felt like they didn’t need your program after all.

Rather than scrapping all of the work you put into the challenge, use the data that you’ve collected to determine what adjustments need to be made to increase sales the next time and then run it again.

Remember that increasing momentum in your wellness business is a skill that requires practice and discipline. Getting to the finish line of any project can feel tough at times. By staying focused on your goals and being mindful of your distractions, you can improve your productivity and achieve your desired outcomes over time by improving your process based on past results.

Resources and Links mentioned on the show:

FREE DOWNLOAD: The Ultimate Health Coach Success Path Blueprint

Wellness Business Accelerator

Kathleen’s Facebook Group

Kathleen’s Instagram

Karen’s Facebook Group

Karen’s Instagram

Wellness Business Accelerator

;

Let's Connect on Facebook:

Click here

Subscribe and listen to The Wellness Business Podcast on your favorite platform!

Getting Help Sooner Rather Than Later – 5 Steps to Take When Hiring a Virtual Assistant

Getting Help Sooner Rather Than Later – 5 Steps to Take When Hiring a Virtual Assistant

by | May 8, 2023

Getting Help Sooner Rather than Later – 5 Steps to Take When Hiring a Virtual Assistant

One way to make progress in your business a lot sooner, is to outsource some of the tasks that other people can take off of your plate. When you focus on the things only you can do such as work with clients, run your programs, show up on video and expand your circle of influence, you will feel less stressed, more productive and can actually earn more money.   

But how do you get started when it comes to hiring a virtual assistant?

In today’s episode of The Wellness Business Podcast, you’ll discover…

  • The 5 steps you should take when hiring a virtual assistant that will set that working relationship up for success right from the start
  • A list of questions you can ask past references to get a feel, ahead of time, if this virtual assistant is a good fit for you
  • Our very best pro-tips that you should consider when hiring a virtual assistant whether they will be filling an ongoing support role or taking care of one-off tasks for you

Karen and I both use multiple virtual assistants in our businesses. If we didn’t, we would never be able to keep up with the daily and weekly tasks that are demanded by our businesses.

As an example, for this podcast alone we have a podcast editor, someone else that posts our weekly episodes to the podcast blog, and then we each have our own VA’s that post our weekly podcast episodes to our individual websites, as well as we each have our own social media managers that create our podcast graphics and schedule our posts accordingly. That’s six virtual assistants between the two of us just for the podcast.

To be transparent, in the beginning of our businesses we both waited way too long to get virtual support. Knowing how that negatively affected our businesses and health we felt it was important to give you these 5 pro tips so you can hire help sooner rather than later.

Here are 5 Steps to Take When Hiring a Virtual Assistant

Step #1 – Determine your business needs – While it would be great to outsource almost everything in your business there are some things that only you can do. The flip side is that there are certain tasks that should be outsourced because your time is better spent elsewhere.

To figure out where you should begin, start by making a list of day-to-day or one-off tasks that you would like support with. This will not only help you get clarity about where you want help, it will also help you decide if there is overlap between tasks so one person could handle more than one thing.

Step #2 – Set clear objectives – In order for you to establish a win-win relationship with your virtual assistant, you need to set clear objectives from the start. When we first began our journey in hiring a VA we tried to find someone that could do it all for us. The idea of having one person that knew the ins and outs of our businesses felt like a dream come true. But we quickly realized that not only is it unrealistic to expect one person to be an expert in all things, it also set the virtual assistant up for failure. Not a great way to kick things off.

Now, when we hire someone, we look for someone that specializes in a certain area that meets the needs of our objectives. The clearer you can be about your job description, due date, and pay structure the more likely all of your objectives will be met.

Step #3 – Check their communication skills – Searching for virtual support is now a global opportunity. You have the ability to connect and work with people from anywhere in the world. That is a tremendous opportunity as long as there is clear communication between the two of you.

One of our favorite ways to make sure we’re a good match for a virtual assistant is to do a test project. As an example, when Karen was searching for a new social media manager she posted a job description, went through the applicants previous work history as well as the portfolios they submitted and then she chose her top 3 candidates. She reached out to each of them and asked if they would be willing to create 3 social media posts and graphics for her Instagram account. She offered to pay them 1 hour of wages based on their preferred hourly rate from their application and she gave them a due date.

Believe it or not, one gal missed the due date and never reached out to Karen. When Karen contacted the VA the next day, she offered a reason why she was late so Karen set a new due date for her. Once again, she missed the deadline. When she did finally submit her posts and graphics, Karen already knew that she was not a good fit because she could not meet a promised deadline. Communication is key and at no time did she take the initiative to let Karen know she was going to be late in submitting her posts. Not a great first impression.

Maria on the other hand, went above and beyond. She researched Karen’s social media and her website. Her trial posts and graphics were ideal client specific, and incorporated her marketing message, so she was hired. 

Step #4 – Ask for their portfolio and/or references – One of the easiest ways to find a great virtual assistant is to ask your colleagues. Karen and I have shared our virtual resources with one another for years and it’s always been a great fit.

If the work you want done is something visual, like social media graphics, pdf creation, or video editing, then it’s easy to ask them to provide a portfolio that includes multiple examples of projects they’ve completed in the past. If they are truly a professional virtual assistant they will already have this created ahead of time which means they can supply the link easily.

If you’re looking for general virtual support with things like email management, calendar bookings, organizing Dropbox, customer service replies, etc. then that’s not as easy to put into a portfolio. This is a great opportunity to ask for references. References are people that you can reach out to that have worked with this person in the past that will share their feedback about what they think of your potential hiring candidate.

Being prepared with a few questions ahead of time that you can ask the reference will make this process go more smoothly.

Here are 5 sample questions you can ask:

  1. How long did you work with the virtual assistant and what tasks did they perform? This question will help you understand the length and nature of the previous working relationship and the tasks the virtual assistant has experience in handling.
  1. Can you describe the virtual assistant’s communication skills and responsiveness? As communication is a crucial aspect of any remote working relationship, this question will give you an idea of how well the virtual assistant communicates and responds to queries and requests.
  2. How well did the virtual assistant adapt to new tasks and challenges? This question will give you an idea of the virtual assistant’s problem-solving skills and ability to handle new tasks and challenges.
  1. Can you describe the quality of the virtual assistant’s work and attention to detail? This question will give you an idea of the quality of work that the virtual assistant delivers and whether they pay attention to detail.
  1. Would you recommend this virtual assistant to others, and if so, why? This question will give you a sense of the reference’s overall impression of the virtual assistant, and why they would or would not recommend them.

Step #5 – Start small and build your skills as a project manager – In any good employer / virtual assistant relationship, both people need to bring their A-game to the table for it to be a win-win. I’ve found that oftentimes, the quality of the work being delivered to me is determined by how well I’m doing my job as the business owner and project manager. That’s why I like to start with smaller projects and progress from there over time as we build a relationship.

Here are some things to think about when hiring virtual support:

  • Are you clear in what outcome you want to receive by providing examples, clear specifications, due dates, pay structure, milestone check-ins, etc.
  • Are you meeting any expectations put on you by the project such as delivering sample screenshots, brand colors, user names and passwords for necessary platforms, etc. If you aren’t meeting deadlines you’ll be showing your virtual assistant that you do not put a priority on deadlines so why should they.
  • Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither will the relationship you have with your virtual assistant. It takes time to build trust on both sides so starting with smaller projects, getting great results, course correcting as needed, and moving forward in incremental steps is a recipe for success.
  • If your working relationship with your new virtual assistant is going to be ongoing, rather than a one-off project, let them know up front that you’ll start them off with a 90-day probationary period. After 90 days plan to have a meeting to see how things are going on both sides. Is it a good match? How’s the communication? Is there anything you can do to make their job easier? Great communication works both ways and this is a great way to set clear expectations and parameters of the first 90 days.

What is one task or project you can start outsourcing in the next 30 days? Once you get started with outsourcing, you’ll wonder why you didn’t start sooner!

Resources and Links mentioned on the show:

Download Karen’s free guide: 10 Steps To Hiring Virtual Support That Save You Time and Money

Kathleen’s Facebook Group

Kathleen’s Instagram

Karen’s Facebook Group

Karen’s Instagram

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