When you get to know who your target market is, you will know two things:

1. Where to focus your selling and marketing efforts.
2. Where to focus your research efforts.

Your target market will establish your earnings and accomplishments, and if you pick the wrong fit you will waste a lot of time and money with very little outcome.

Whatever target market you opt for, make sure they meet the following criteria:

• They have a problem, and want it to be solved.  The impact and cost of the problem should be big enough that your market will act to solve it.
• They are easy to find. Do they belong to organizations? Are there forums or publications for this target market? Where do they hang out? If it’s not simple to find these ones it may cost a lot of capital to locate them.
• There is money to spend. It is no use offering a service if your target market has no money.
• You enjoy working with them. Think about how it feels to work with the variety of people in your target market. Remember, you are also in business to enjoy yourself, so make sure you choose a niche that you enjoy working with.
• You have a passion for assisting and helping these people. Passion is a vital element for selling your services.
• You have valuable knowledge and expertise to offer. Your target market wishes to get help from those who are proficient in their field. Think about the particular expertise and skills that you can offer them.

If you are obvious regarding who your target market is, you will be a magnet for just the clientele you’re looking for!

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know about this incredible program that business owners all over are implementing into their business … but do you know anything more than that?

My friend Tina Forsyth is offering a free Infusionsoft Teleclass on May 21st on “What’s the Big Deal About Infusionsoft Anyway?” Whether you are wondering if you should learn more about Infusionsoft, OR if you have clients that use it already but you don’t know what to do with it, I strongly encourage you to join Tina for this call, or at least check out her intro video at http://bit.ly/108la02

To help you understand why I so strongly want you to attend this call, I need to confess…

Over the years I have learned a LOT from Tina. She spots real trends before anyone else does. She can smell an effective, efficient and solid business program from miles (and miles!) away.

Years ago, Tina and I had a conversation about Infusionsoft – she suggested I check it out some more and learn how to effectively apply it to an online business. I resisted. I had experienced a rather confusing challenge with Infusionsoft a few weeks prior and I had written it off — I was not interested in learning anything more about it.

Several years later I am forced to dabble in Infusionsoft, and wish I had listened to Tina years ago … Imagine how efficient I would be in it now!

Do not make the same mistake. Check out the details here http://bit.ly/108la02

That number seems crazy to me … but super exciting too. Because when I see these numbers, I see an increase in need. A need that the virtual support profession can help business owners with!

Can you see how this can seriously increase the revenues in your VA business in the upcoming months?

I love keeping up to speed on new ways VAs can build their business in key areas.  To learn more about this myself, AND to help Virtual Assistants across the globe learn more too, I asked Krizia, also know as Miss K, if she would host a call for the Virtually Successful community.  She agreed, so ..

I’d like to invite you to join me for a free call - The Recent YouTube Change That’s Driving Entrepreneurs Crazy And How That Affects VAs – scheduled for Tuesday, April 30th at 4pm Pacific (1pm Eastern) 

Click here to claim your spot.  

In the last year I’ve been working in a different market on a very cool project and video plus YouTube is the biggest key strategies we use to provide valuable content, attract attention and build the business.  That’s part of the reason I’m so excited about this call — I can see where it can help business owners in ALL industries – not just the ones you may be working with now (therefore hugely expanding your reach!)

Trust me  … you want to be on this call.  Open your calendar, enter this call into your April 30th, 4pm Eastern time slot and reserve your spot so you get all the details on how to join myself and Krizia on Tuesday, April 30th.  http://bit.ly/11BsYFu   

If you do not yet know Krizia (Miss K), you are about to meet an incredible lady. She is an Entrepreneur, Video Show Host, Speaker & International Author.

In just a couple of years of having a vision to first create an online beauty magazine and then a health magazine, she was able to sell both of them in May 2011 to American investors for several tens of thousands of dollars.

One of the most valuable assets during the sale was her YouTube channels that had over 200,000 views with a small handful of videos.  In other words, this lady knows what she’s talking about!

Here’s the link one more time - http://bit.ly/11BsYFu   — see you on Tuesday, April 30th at 4pm Eastern (1pm Pacific) for this great call.

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When you want to create a great looking website, do you prefer to work with someone who really gets you, what you’re doing and can transfer your vision into a hot design, or do you hire just any old person to take this on for you?

When you need help with the plumbing in your home – do you call the local plumber who specializes in residential plumbing or do you call the jack of all trades who might be able to help you … or create more of a mess?

I realize these examples may go to the extreme, but what I want to demonstrate for you is that people are attracted to professionals who are experts in a specific area rather than those who know a little bit of this and that. It’s true that sometimes that more ‘general’ person is just fine, but in many cases, the person that really knows the ins and outs of what you need is the person you prefer to spend your money on … and you’re even ok with spending a little more for their expertise and quality they provide.

Let’s bring this ‘lesson’ back to the VA industry.

Selecting a target market is not limiting. It is actually KEY to connecting with the people you most want to work with, and be able to make a connection to them – allowing them to feel confidence in you and your skill, and also that you understand them. Try being a ‘jill of all trades’ in the VA world and you will be very limited to your business growth potential.

Selecting an area to specialize in for that target market raises your level even more. It clearly demonstrates that you are up-to-date in the area, know the current trends, have answers to more of the questions, and you can make things happen.

Next week I am co-hosting a great teleclass, with Alexis Neely, on how you can tweak your current VA business so that you connect with a specific group of professionals (lawyers), in an area that they desperately need help with. Not only do they need you … they can’t build their practices without you … and they’re willing to pay you generously for it.

Come join Alexis and I for this call and learn how you can turn your business around, working with respectful professionals who will value you and your expertise.

Click here for all the details and to register.

Looking forward to having you join us.

Cindy, I’ve been a Paralegal for 25+ years. Is there an opportunity for me to work as a Virtual Assistant, from home, with this kind of background? I would really love to help a lawyer or two who really values me as part of their team.

and this similar question from a Legal Assistant:

I’m a new Mom. I have several years of experience as a legal assistant, but I’d like to work from home, rather than head back to my full-time job at the law firm. How can I work with lawyers, from my home business? I need to make sure it works financially for my family.

I love these kinds of questions! The answer to both of these is yes.

Just like business owners, every lawyer needs to market their law firm in order to find new clients and encourage growth. However, they often struggle with running the practice, taking care of their current clients, and staying on top of all the marketing strategies that will help them get in front of new leads and then following up with those prospects to schedule a time to meet with them, and help them further with their needs.

What a lawyer really needs is a Legal Marketing Coordinator. Someone who is able to help the lawyer with:

• researching potential places they can speak at
• supporting the lawyer to fully leverage a speaking opportunity
• following up with leads after the event, to schedule appointments with the lawyer
• implementing marketing strategies to ensure the lawyer stays connected with current clients and potential clients

This kind of role is a perfect option for anyone in the legal admin profession, because it allows you to add a financial option to your lifestyle and flexibility to your work day. There are thousands of lawyers who need part-time help in marketing areas that you can easily support from home.

If you’re even slightly intrigued on what it means to be able to transition from working at the law firm, to working a flexible schedule, with lawyers who value and respect you, and from your own home office, join me and Alexis Neely for a no-cost call on April 3rd. More details a link to register are at http://bit.ly/YvNgDQ

I hope you will join me!

So when I was asked the question “Cindy, what is eCommerce?”, I had to laugh because I realized I never had really answered that before – yet I have talked about it for years!

In this video, I encourage you to hear WHY VAs need to know about eCommerce – whether you decide to offer it to all your clients or not. If you are new to the VA industry and your goal is to work with online based business owners, this is a MUST.

Don’t know eCommerce? Join me for the eCommerce Intensive Training, starting on Monday, February 11.

Questions? Let me know by posting them below.

The problem is, many of us are not giving our referral sources the right kind of info.

Check out this video and learn what you need to share with your referral sources in order for them to send you great business.

What did you take away from this video? What steps will you implement right away? Share your thoughts below.

Where they were clearly disappointed with something you had done, or ‘words’ were exchanged via email.

If you haven’t … you will! We’re human and we make mistakes!

If you have … you know it’s not a pleasant experience.

No matter how big or small the icky situation may be – how you deal with it will determine your ongoing relationship with that client.

I’ll be honest, I’ve run into an icky situation a time or two over the last 10 years. And as much as it was not a great experience, I learned a great deal from it.

But at the time, I remember feeling insecure – that my client no longer trusted me. And even though I tried hard to be ultra careful – I seemed to screw up even more on silly things.   Can you relate?

Icky situations could seriously damage your client relationships. If you don’t deal with miscommunications or issues that pop up in your relationships, then you’re doomed to losing that client.

In this video, I share a few tips on how to deal with those icky situations instead. Be professional, take ownership when you should, and COMMUNICATE.

What kind of icky situations have you experienced in your business?  How did you resolve them?

Let’s clean up that menu and create FOCUS in your business — doing the things you love, offering the services that your target market really needs from you, and making top dollar for your efforts.

Share your comments below — which items will you remove from your menu of services?

Yes, it’s true that I am fortunate to have my own business and work from home with fabulous people and contribute financially to my family. But I want to say to all the Moms out there — you too CAN work from home, have flexible hours and create an income stream for your family.

Check out this video to hear what I have to say on this topic.

While there is a lot of ‘junk’ out there on potential ‘work at home / get rich quick’ opportunities, there are just as many, if not more real deals, totally legitimate opportunities where a Mom CAN jump in, apply her skills, use her phone and computer, some training and be up and running, connecting with professionals who need her help and who are quite happy to generously pay her for her expertise.

On October 18th, I’m joining Alexis Neely, Million Dollar Law Practice Builder, to host a FREE call on opportunities for you to turn your people skills into an income stream your family can count on, with just your phone and your computer.

This is REAL information that can make a big change for your life. We’re focusing on opportunities with professional attorneys who desperately need your help with building their practice. No legal education or knowledge is required.

Join us at www.WorkWithLawyersCall.com to learn more.