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Officebird
- Original Poster
- #8
Hi Berni, welcome to the forums.
I have to echo Lyn's point about following up on direct mail, if you don't then you might as well not send the mail out in the first place!
As far as advertising goes, what kind of response have you got? I haven't advertised anywhere yet as I don't think it is something that works for our industry, going on the respose other VA's have got.
Have you tried SEO, Google Adwords, Blogging, online networking and all of the web based type things you can do? If someone knows what a virtual assistant is they will be looking for them online. If someone is actively seeking a virtual partner they will not, imo, be looking in the local paper
I would also look at operating hours. I don't know what hours you work but I know being available during office hours has worked in my favour. Obviousy a lot of VA's have children at home and are restricted to turning things around overnight, but if you can be available during the day do be.
Try and get some PR done. If you don't feel confident doing it yourself then pay someone to do it for you.
Spend time attending networking events and exhibitions, you never know who you wil meet.
The slightly obscure one is to make sure you refer others. If you constantly refer people you know to your clients/associates businesses then they will start to refer you to theirs.
How long have you been going? If you are new then just be aware that things can be slow to start with. If you have been going for a while then maybe you have become a bit complacent? Maybe you need to shuffle your website around or look at offering different services?
Sorry for babbling, you have probably done most of these things and I don't want to be telling you the obvious
Good luck!
Sara
Edit: MCDST info
I have to echo Lyn's point about following up on direct mail, if you don't then you might as well not send the mail out in the first place!
As far as advertising goes, what kind of response have you got? I haven't advertised anywhere yet as I don't think it is something that works for our industry, going on the respose other VA's have got.
Have you tried SEO, Google Adwords, Blogging, online networking and all of the web based type things you can do? If someone knows what a virtual assistant is they will be looking for them online. If someone is actively seeking a virtual partner they will not, imo, be looking in the local paper
I would also look at operating hours. I don't know what hours you work but I know being available during office hours has worked in my favour. Obviousy a lot of VA's have children at home and are restricted to turning things around overnight, but if you can be available during the day do be.
Try and get some PR done. If you don't feel confident doing it yourself then pay someone to do it for you.
Spend time attending networking events and exhibitions, you never know who you wil meet.
The slightly obscure one is to make sure you refer others. If you constantly refer people you know to your clients/associates businesses then they will start to refer you to theirs.
How long have you been going? If you are new then just be aware that things can be slow to start with. If you have been going for a while then maybe you have become a bit complacent? Maybe you need to shuffle your website around or look at offering different services?
Sorry for babbling, you have probably done most of these things and I don't want to be telling you the obvious
Good luck!
Sara
Edit: MCDST info
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Berni Jones
- Original Poster
- #12
Hi Rob
Thanks for that. I did initially include my pricing, but I thought that might put people off and I noticed that some other VA websites didn't include theirs. I was hoping to at least get the initial call through and then I could negotiate on that basis, but I will bear in mind for the future.
Berni
Thanks for that. I did initially include my pricing, but I thought that might put people off and I noticed that some other VA websites didn't include theirs. I was hoping to at least get the initial call through and then I could negotiate on that basis, but I will bear in mind for the future.
Berni
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Bernie. Don't do what the vast majority do otherwise your'll just be one of hundreds - if not thousands. Business people these days really do want to know the bottom line.
One member on here posted 99p per call answering for her service. Not a great deal different from most VA rates but because the deal was tranaparent members signed up to it. Much to the dismay of other VA's on here I think.
Do your own thing then and build up a client base. Then you can start offering premium and more profitable services. Rob
One member on here posted 99p per call answering for her service. Not a great deal different from most VA rates but because the deal was tranaparent members signed up to it. Much to the dismay of other VA's on here I think.
Do your own thing then and build up a client base. Then you can start offering premium and more profitable services. Rob
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It's interesting because at other times the advice has been to not put pricing on the site.
We don't because it gives our competitors an idea of what we charge etc. However, make it as easy as possible for clients to contact you. If you see our website (link below) we have a enquiry form with tick boxes.
This gets us a lot more enquiries than when we just used to have an email address for people to contact us.
We don't because it gives our competitors an idea of what we charge etc. However, make it as easy as possible for clients to contact you. If you see our website (link below) we have a enquiry form with tick boxes.
This gets us a lot more enquiries than when we just used to have an email address for people to contact us.
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Officebird
- Original Poster
- #15
I have to agree with oldeagle eye on the price issue. My mum always told me "if you have to ask how much it costs you can't afford it" and I have to say experience has proved this statement correct in most cases.
I list my prices and am not ashamed of them. I have different overheads than other VA's and a different level of service. I know I am worth what I charge and my clients agree. Obviously some clients have negociated and some have got a discount, but that is business.
I firmly believe that administration is a trade. In the Army I did 'Trade Training'. I am a tradesman (well woman) and when you deal with tradesmen you expect to be able to negociate. I don't reduce my prices for ad hoc clients but do reduce them for regular clients on retainer packages. I am selling something that the client either cannot do effectively, doesn't want to do, or doesn't have time to do. Just like a builder or a chippie. I get to make a decision about if I want to take a job on at the rate that is discussed. If the client can't afford my rates and goes elsewhere then that is a shame but I can't reduce my rate to suit them as I have bills to pay as well.
I have had enquiries from people who have actually commented on the number of VA's that don't display prices, so would recommend it.
Berni, I will be responding to your second pm shortly but have a meeting just about to start
I list my prices and am not ashamed of them. I have different overheads than other VA's and a different level of service. I know I am worth what I charge and my clients agree. Obviously some clients have negociated and some have got a discount, but that is business.
I firmly believe that administration is a trade. In the Army I did 'Trade Training'. I am a tradesman (well woman) and when you deal with tradesmen you expect to be able to negociate. I don't reduce my prices for ad hoc clients but do reduce them for regular clients on retainer packages. I am selling something that the client either cannot do effectively, doesn't want to do, or doesn't have time to do. Just like a builder or a chippie. I get to make a decision about if I want to take a job on at the rate that is discussed. If the client can't afford my rates and goes elsewhere then that is a shame but I can't reduce my rate to suit them as I have bills to pay as well.
I have had enquiries from people who have actually commented on the number of VA's that don't display prices, so would recommend it.
Berni, I will be responding to your second pm shortly but have a meeting just about to start
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Another reason (and the main one for us) for not putting prices is no two clients are the same, they all want something slightly different. This usually means different prices.
Advertising your fees means you could get customers who think:
Advertising your fees means you could get customers who think:
- You are too expensive because they don't need all that you do (but you could have brought the price down if you had known this)
- You are conning them, because your website shows one price but when you actually quote them for what they need the figure is actually higher.
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Officebird
- Original Poster
- #17
I kind of agree with what you are saying but I NEVER quote higher than the prices advertised on my site.
I don't really have many on lower than those prices either. At the end of the day an hour of my time is an hour of my time, I have 3 rates - general admin, advanced or financial admin and bookkeeping.
If someone wants a couple of hours worth of typing then they pay a couple of hours at the general admin rate. It doesn't matter what they need typing, or how it is presented to me. Two hours is two hours. Why would I charge one client more than another for the same amount of time?
If a client wants to book me for 20 hours a month, every month then they get a discount on the rates as it is guaranteed work, however they have to pay upfront as I effectively reserve those hours for them and cannot re sell them. Unused hours can be carried forward for one month.
The only exception to the above are special project rates. This is where someone needs an agreed cost for a project, perhaps for the writing of a business plan, or logo design. I would discuss with the client what the project entails and quote a fixed amount. If I think it will take 12 hours to complete and it takes me 20 then they are effectively getting me at a cut down rate, but that would only be as I quoted incorrectly. It could of course go the other way and only take me 10 hours in which case the client has effectively paid me a higher rate. The benefit to the client in both of these circumstances is that they know how much the project will cost and are happy with that price when they book me. That way there are no nasty suprises when they get the bill.
I don't really have many on lower than those prices either. At the end of the day an hour of my time is an hour of my time, I have 3 rates - general admin, advanced or financial admin and bookkeeping.
If someone wants a couple of hours worth of typing then they pay a couple of hours at the general admin rate. It doesn't matter what they need typing, or how it is presented to me. Two hours is two hours. Why would I charge one client more than another for the same amount of time?
If a client wants to book me for 20 hours a month, every month then they get a discount on the rates as it is guaranteed work, however they have to pay upfront as I effectively reserve those hours for them and cannot re sell them. Unused hours can be carried forward for one month.
The only exception to the above are special project rates. This is where someone needs an agreed cost for a project, perhaps for the writing of a business plan, or logo design. I would discuss with the client what the project entails and quote a fixed amount. If I think it will take 12 hours to complete and it takes me 20 then they are effectively getting me at a cut down rate, but that would only be as I quoted incorrectly. It could of course go the other way and only take me 10 hours in which case the client has effectively paid me a higher rate. The benefit to the client in both of these circumstances is that they know how much the project will cost and are happy with that price when they book me. That way there are no nasty suprises when they get the bill.
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QUOTE.
You are conning them, because your website shows one price but when you actually quote them for what they need the figure is actually higher.
This is the whole problem Asley. Everyone from a finance director of a big company to your local solicitor now realises that they have been conned in the past because many B2B services look at how big the clients pocket is before quoting prices. Staionary suppliers are one of the biggest culprits along with Bob the builder and Dave the plumber of course. Well those days have GONE - certainly as far as business is concerned.
Every business now is looking a ROI. That is not to say they are looking for cheap. Far from it. I think Sarah has a damned good business model which other businesses would appreciate and that seems to be at least - charge a reasonable rate for a professional job and publish those rates.
So who cares what compeitors rates are or if they know yours. There will of course always be people that want cheap but I believe that the other successful element in marketing any service today besides transparency is - hassle free. Cheap seldom offers that and most business folk know it.
I think my own company's tag line just about sums up what customers are looking for today and it can be applied to any B2B service. Rob
CHANCERY DATA VAULT
"Providing cost-effective and hassle free business continuity solutions to the legal & financial services professions"
You are conning them, because your website shows one price but when you actually quote them for what they need the figure is actually higher.
This is the whole problem Asley. Everyone from a finance director of a big company to your local solicitor now realises that they have been conned in the past because many B2B services look at how big the clients pocket is before quoting prices. Staionary suppliers are one of the biggest culprits along with Bob the builder and Dave the plumber of course. Well those days have GONE - certainly as far as business is concerned.
Every business now is looking a ROI. That is not to say they are looking for cheap. Far from it. I think Sarah has a damned good business model which other businesses would appreciate and that seems to be at least - charge a reasonable rate for a professional job and publish those rates.
So who cares what compeitors rates are or if they know yours. There will of course always be people that want cheap but I believe that the other successful element in marketing any service today besides transparency is - hassle free. Cheap seldom offers that and most business folk know it.
I think my own company's tag line just about sums up what customers are looking for today and it can be applied to any B2B service. Rob
CHANCERY DATA VAULT
"Providing cost-effective and hassle free business continuity solutions to the legal & financial services professions"
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A lot of our clients are researchers at universities wanting transcripts of recorded interviews. Often they ring for a quote and they are interested in the final cost, not so much the per hour rate. This is usually because they have to apply for the budget.
There is no way I can put a price on the site, because every job is different.
Okay, I might get a lot of 1-2-1 interviews, and these usually take between 4 and 5 times the length of the recording to transcribe (so a 1-hour recording will take between 4 and 5 hours to type). But so much depends on the quality of the recording, the clarity of the speakers, whether they have strong accents, are very quiet, the microphone was placed next to noisy machinery, etc. So our costs can rise depending on the difficulty.
I don't want to give a prospective client the wrong impression. If I quote £20 per typing hour on the site and they have a one hour recording, they will assume it's going to cost £100 (at five times the length). If we get the job and then find that there are problems with the recording that mean we are going to take longer to complete it, then they're often not happy.
There is no way I can put a price on the site, because every job is different.
Okay, I might get a lot of 1-2-1 interviews, and these usually take between 4 and 5 times the length of the recording to transcribe (so a 1-hour recording will take between 4 and 5 hours to type). But so much depends on the quality of the recording, the clarity of the speakers, whether they have strong accents, are very quiet, the microphone was placed next to noisy machinery, etc. So our costs can rise depending on the difficulty.
I don't want to give a prospective client the wrong impression. If I quote £20 per typing hour on the site and they have a one hour recording, they will assume it's going to cost £100 (at five times the length). If we get the job and then find that there are problems with the recording that mean we are going to take longer to complete it, then they're often not happy.
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This is a positive minefield, isn't it?!!!!
Do you offer digital transcription on your website?
We don't specifically mention digital on the BananaOffice site, but we do on our APA Secretarial one (which is the business most researchers use), But almost everyone now uses digital. There are a few private individuals that still use cassettes, but our tape machines have been gathering dust for a couple of years now.
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Officebird
- Original Poster
- #22
I think the thing is that we both have very different businesses. I have done no transcription since I started. I've done a bit of copy typing for people that don't like computers, but seriously not much. My main focus is on administration, office management and organisation.
You are quite right the length of time to transcript something is dependent entirely on the quality of the audio. But you still have an hourly rate, so once you have listened to the tape and ascertained the quality you can quote the number of actual typing hours effetively. Although if your clients are getting funding then they need a fixed price and often they need that before you have listened to the tape so I do understand what you mean.
For me things are slighty different. I have spent the morning creating PowerPoint templates for one client and this afternoon I will be getting on with the floor plans for exhibition space at the Social Enterprise Day Exhibition I am organising. These things are very easy for me to give an hourly rate for so that's what works best for me.
Horses for Corses as they say.
Berni - It is a minefield and you have to work out what is best for your business as there is no one size fits all option available. Try without and then try with prices displayed and measure the results.
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Thought I would put my tuppence worth in here. I have tried to cover both angles on my site. I give a price for retainer packages and an hourly rate for ad hoc work but indicate that I am happy to discuss discounts for larger tasks. That way the client knows the maximum it is going to cost but leaves the door open for those who want to try and negotiate.
I think that because there are so many VAs out there, if I was a client looking at someone who didn't display prices I probably would just move on to the next one as I don't really have time to enquire about pricing. I would want to get some idea up front and then contact those I think are within my budget.
But I suppose it all depends on your target market and if you are focussing on a particular niche then you should do what suits.
I think that because there are so many VAs out there, if I was a client looking at someone who didn't display prices I probably would just move on to the next one as I don't really have time to enquire about pricing. I would want to get some idea up front and then contact those I think are within my budget.
But I suppose it all depends on your target market and if you are focussing on a particular niche then you should do what suits.
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It really annoys me when I'm looking at a site, and there is no mention of cost there. Why should I have to take the effort to pick up the phone and sit through some idiot's sales pitch before I find out how much they're going to charge me each call/week/month/year/decade
I have been looking for a call answering service, and have been switched off several because of lack of information on their websites (and that I work a full time job and am setting the business up in my spare time, therefore mainly look at these things 'out of hours')
I have been looking for a call answering service, and have been switched off several because of lack of information on their websites (and that I work a full time job and am setting the business up in my spare time, therefore mainly look at these things 'out of hours')
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Officebird
- Original Poster
- #25
You won't find a lack of that info on my site
You are right though, as I posted earlier in this thread I always state prices on my site and have had comments saying how annoying it is that others don't. I don't mind though, more chane of potential clients clicking off other VA sites and stumbling onto mine
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sm1
- Original Poster
- #26
Sara, I agree with you - people who are worried about competitors really shouldn't be... phoning up for a price you can still pose as a prospective client, so not putting them on your website doesn't save anything, infact it wastes your time sharing figures! (I can see how circumstances are different and it might not work for Ashley )
)
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You won't find a lack of that info on my site
You are right though, as I posted earlier in this thread I always state prices on my site and have had comments saying how annoying it is that others don't. I don't mind though, more chane of potential clients clicking off other VA sites and stumbling onto mine
Thanks... I had looked at your service, but at the moment, I think if I'm offering the service, it might as well be a 24/7 one!
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