by Susan M. Totman, MVA

Wondering if you can be successful as a virtual businessperson? I answer that question with a resounding “YES!” The keys to working successfully virtually are planning, dedication, flexibility, integrity, honesty and a serious proficiency at the services you are offering. Startup costs are usually very minimal, especially if you plan ahead well. Here are some basic guidelines to get you started.

Planning
Planning is the primary key to any good business and their ultimate success. If you are considering starting up your own virtual business, a realistic business and marketing plan is a must. This will give you an overview of the market possibilities in your area and if you need financing, you will need to have a sound business plan ready to show prospective investors/loan officers. Research your particular industry heavily; join industry-related group discussion lists to network with colleagues. Ask them how they got started. You will get tons of feedback if you look around and ask lots of questions. Plan your costs. Do you really need the cutting edge or can you get by with the basics to start? Usually the latter. Be frugal. Try not to borrow if you don’t have to.

Dedication
Dedication to your business is crucial to be successful. Do you have what it takes? Can you wear all the hats you will need to in order to run your business by yourself? You will need to be a marketing specialist, business planner, bookkeeper, organizer, human resource guru and if you will work out of your home, you will also need to be able to juggle your family time with your business, which can be a very tough. You may need to put in 16 hours a day (or more!) at times. If you choose to continue working an outside job as well as starting up your business, it will be tougher and take longer, but it still CAN BE DONE!

Flexibility
In order to be successful virtually, you are going to need to be flexible with clients, potential clients and contacts. You will have clients/customers in different time zones, all over the globe. It is important that each client feel that you are dedicated to them and their needs. You may need to work odd hours. If you restrict your practice to regular business hours for your time zone, for example, how will that affect your client relationship with a client in a time zone off by 12 hours from yours? Consider having a partner in a different time zone that can be your backup during your down time. You may need to evidence how you can be efficient for those clients if you are in a different time zone and don’t have backup. Be open to working with professionals in other countries, which would enable you to be more flexible. Often they may not speak your language perfectly, but their work product may be spectacular.

Integrity & Honesty
I cannot express how important it is to maintain complete honesty and integrity, particularly when dealing with clients of other cultures. Become knowledgeable about different cultures and be sure to follow their customs. Never address a potential client by their given name unless you are specifically invited to. This in many cultures is an insult and will remove you from the running. You must maintain an atmosphere of professionalism at all times when speaking with people. Always give a reasonable completion time. If you can’t do it in the time you’ve realistically set, tell the client. He/She would rather know that it would be late or know that they need to go elsewhere to get the job done. If you are honest, even if you cannot fit it in, they will come back when they need you in the future. If you promise and cannot deliver, they may never come back.

Proficiency
Be completely honest about your skill level/proficiency or LACK OF those when discussing potential work with a client. Don’t depend on colleagues or others to help you unless you have a solid subcontractor or partner who can back you up. There is nothing more infuriating than assigning a project, needing it in a specific time frame and having it delivered either incomplete or incorrect simply because the contractor was unwilling to defer and to admit that they aren’t proficient at the task at hand. There is a workaround for this, however. Telling your client that you are not proficient but will offer a discount rate to complete the project while you are learning can often be a successful tactic and will glean you more experience in various areas.

The bottom line is that your virtual business is truly a BUSINESS. It is not a ”work-at-home scheme” or a “few bucks on the side”. You are moving your career into a different focus. You are becoming an entrepreneur. You are still a professional, but working based on your own terms and conditions. Treat your clients the way you would have treated a client/customer of one of your former employers. Treat your clients the way you want to be treated when YOU are the client. If you offer a service, make sure you know that service inside and out. Use these points as a basic guideline and you’ll be off to a great start!

© 2004 Susan M. Totman, MVA All rights reserved.

Susan M. Totman, certified Master Virtual Assistant, is founder of Elite Office Support, a worldwide listing of virtual office assistants, co-founder of Virtual-Professionals.com, an organization for the benefit, development and promotion of all virtual professional service providers worldwide and author of e-books and e-courses relating to virtual business development. Susan has over 20 years experience in business administration and over 10 years experience working on the internet. Susan can be contacted through her website at http://www.elitewebstudio.com or http://www.smallbusinessformsandtemplates.com.

Article may be reproduced provided entire article and copyright remains completely intact.

*This based on Elite Small Business Forms and Templates' pricing structure for brochures and flyers.

Parts of this article were taken from Susan's upcoming e-book, "Elite Office Support's Guide to Managing Your Online Business", soon to be released.

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