Virtual Assistant Groups: Sharing Collective Wisdom

In June 2007, I had no idea that Virtual Assistant Groups were available, or even in existence. Boy, did I have a lot to learn! I knew I was an intelligent person with a lot of marketable skills, after all, I knew I’d been successful at just about anything and everything I set my mind to. Okay, so maybe I was a little cocky when I joined my first VA Yahoo Group. I have to say, that reading the posts from the more experienced VAs was a huge dose of humility! I quickly realized just how much of a “newbie” I really was. VAs were asking questions and sharing information that I didn’t have a clue about. So, began my professional “lurker” phase.

Every profession has their own acronyms and specialized language. I suddenly felt like I was in a far away foreign land, where everyone only appeared to speak English–and I needed subtitles. I spent so much time looking up acronyms and new words, clicking on links supplied to try to get up to speed on all the new technology and helps for the virtual world.

I remember the first time I was able to answer a question. I felt so proud that I was sharing some of what I knew that might be helpful to others. I found it amazing that there is no competition in this industry. There really is enough work to go around, and VAs, as a whole, seem very secure in their abilities. The groups function as a shoulder to cry on, a friend to give you a pat on the back, a way to feel connected from your isolated office, and of course, to learn new things and share collective wisdom.

Choosing a group is very easy. Get a FREE login to Yahoo

As of this post, searching on Yahoo for groups, virtual assistant yielded 232 VA groups. I started with advice from my trusted mentor, Patty Benton, as to which groups might suit my needs and personality. I have joined groups that are very large and very small, I am a member of 16 groups right now. Be aware that you should try to participate in each group you are a member of–so don’t join too many or you will spend most of your time in Email limbo. Each group is different and helps me in one way or another. Read and heed the rules: the rules for each group need to be respected or you could lose your membership to the group.

This is one way to get your business name out there and begin building trusted relationships with other VAs. Try it, you will probably like it!

Volunteering Benefits: Win-Win Experience

One of the first things I did to jump start my new business was volunteer. Besides reaping the benefits of doing your little part in making the world a better place, you get the added bonus of learning new skills. Before you have paid clients, you need to spend your scheduled working hours at your computer learning or marketing. Volunteering for an established organization will give you real world experience, hopefully some awesome testimonials (people are eternally grateful for the free help) that you can post to your website. How else do you expect to provide experience and testimonials if you do not yet have paying clients? Of course, you could ask those you worked with at your last corporate position, but for the virtual industry, testimonials from your volunteer exposure (actually working in the virtual industry) may even look better on your website.

Top 10 Reasons to Volunteer:

1. Giving back to your community
2. Gaining real-world experience and much needed skills
3. Discipline to complete tasks on time (Always remember: Under Promise; Over Deliver!)
4. Motivation to always proceed forward with your goals and objectives
5. Building trusted relationships with others in your field
6. Gaining exposure and building your “expert” status
7. Learning what type of work you really enjoy doing … finding your “niche”
8. Going the extra mile, building credibility to potential clients
9. Truly being appreciated for the hard work you provide
10. A solid sense of personal achievement when you see the results of your labor

Not only do you have benefits, but the organization does too. The majority of Virtual Assistant professional organizations are run by volunteers. These organizations exist to help each other with tips and tricks of the trade. Using volunteers keeps the costs associated with the group manageable for all, usually free or low cost. Another important function of the professional groups are to share our vast, collective knowledge base with others. If you are looking for an opportunity to volunteer, check out your favorite groups’ listings. It’s a win-win for all!