According to Wikipedia: 

Web 2.0 is a term describing changing trends in the use of World Wide Web technology and web design that aims to enhance creativity, secure information sharing, collaboration and functionality of the web. Web 2.0 concepts have led to the development and evolution of web-based communities and its hosted services, such as social-networking sites, video sharing sites, wikis, blogs, and folksonomies. The term became notable after the first O’Reilly Media Web 2.0 conference in 2004. Although the term suggests a new version of the World Wide Web, it does not refer to an update to any technical specifications, but to changes in the ways software developers and end-users utilize the Web. According to Tim O’Reilly:

“	Web 2.0 is the business revolution in the computer industry caused by the move to the Internet as platform, and an attempt to understand the rules for success on that new platform.

Now this got me thinking of the Virtual Assistant industry. Since many VAs have difficulties determining their elevator speech, it’s difficult to find a true VA definition beyond ‘we do admin from our own home office’ spiel. So allow me to coin the term Administration 2.0. To borrow the above description of Web 2.0, here’s my explanation:

Administration 2.0 is a term describing changing trends in the use of administrative technology that (…) aims to enhance creativity, secure information sharing, collaboration and functionality of business administration.

Administration 2.0 concepts have led to the development and evolution of web-based administrative services such as social marketing, publication, copywriting, and general administration management. (…)

Although the term suggests a new version of administration, it does not refer to an update to any technical specifications, but to changes in the ways entrepreneurs from around the world utilize administrative assistants.  

That pretty much sums it all up!

Welcome to the next generation of administration > 2.0!

While we are all busy throughout our day tending to our projects and client needs, it is easy to find ourselves under an overwhelming pile of paperwork, while our email inbox is overflowing with clutter and little bits of paper with important information find their way on the floor behind the desk! Among that paperwork, you recall a marketing or admin to-do list. You finish your day knowing that you should have spent some time organizing yourself but who has time??

There is a deceiving myth that hinders your productivity and that is believing you need to have HUGE blocks of time to make any progress with organising. That’s. Not. True!

Marcia Francois, an organising coach, lives by a simple motto:

“Small results, repeated consistently over time, produce huge results”.

Today she provides us with the following simple ideas for when you have a spare 5 or 10 minutes:

1. Connect with an old client.
2. Delete some of your contacts, especially if you can’t even remember who they are.
3. File or delete 10 emails.
4. Enter some business cards in your contacts.
5. Make a list of things to update on your website.
6. Go through your RSS feed reader and organise your blogs.
7. Go through your cell phone and delete old messages.
8. Plan your projects for the next month.
9. Go through the bookmarks on your computer and delete those you don’t need.
10. Compress and crop some photos

My challenge to you is to print out the list and aim to do one of these tasks every day for a week. And then I want to hear how this worked out for you? Were you able to give your business a little 5 minutes today? Did you plan it ahead of time? Did you attempt it first thing in the morning, last thing before leaving the office, or maybe right after lunch?

Ready? Set? Take 5 >> Go!

Marcia Francois is a time management and organising coach who empowers small business owners and other busy professionals who want to make the most of their time. You’ll get simple, practical organising and time management secrets to help you work less and enjoy life more! Visit http://takechargesolutions.org for your free Organising Success Pack.

Before launching my own Virtual Assistant business myself, I made sure to work with other VAs and get educated on the industry.

Before jumping in with both feet into a new business, I tested the waters and realized this industry is growing at a rapid pace.

Before doing anything else, I watched many VAs stretch out on their own only to find it difficult to find, or keep, clients and give up within a year.

So I knew ahead of time, that I had to approach this whole VA business idea differently. I had to learn from everyone else’s mistakes and be extremely wise.

Number one mistake I saw over and over again was a poorly designed website. Unprofessional, sloppy design with HIRE ME written all over it. Now as I learn more and more about website design and how to word copy to attract your audience’s attention, I realize that it’s not something that comes naturally to most people. Yet, instead of hiring someone to do the job right, we VAs feel we have to do it all ourselves, manage every aspect or our business because that’s what we promote right?

WRONG!

We promote that by delegating, your business becomes a tad bit easier and in the long run, more successful.

So why aren’t VAs taking on their own advice? That’s mistake number 2!

But what really gets to me, are the VAs that simply offer general administrative services and complain about the lack of clients.

Calling all Virtual Assistants:

If you are in this industry, you must know and realize that technology is growing on a daily basis.

You must know and realize that people, especially entrepreneurs, are busy.

You must know and realize what entrepreneurs need today and tomorrow.

You must know and realize that it doesn’t matter if you can type 75wpm, if you know how to manage emails, or if you can do data-entry. What you need is to know what other entrepreneurs are looking for. And in order to do so, you have to be ready and willing to keep learning.

Mistake numéro trois! Limited knowledge without the urge to go out and learn more.

I realize there are many online courses that seem to ask for an enormous amount of money. As a VA who is just starting out, funds are normally limited and paying $700 for a 6-week course is simply impossible (been there, done that)

However it is crucial to your business survival! If you don’t have the skills people are looking for, if you’re not staying one step ahead of the game, you simply won’t survive in this industry!

After turning a client away because I couldn’t provide the services she needed, I knew there was only one thing to do. Learn and learn quick! However I didn’t beat myself over it because I’ve been busy learning so many other things. This new skill was added to my ever-growing list of things to learn. And that my friends, is the key to grow your VA business.

I can insert another common mistake made by several VAs here: not having, or keeping to, a certain niche but that’s a whole other story…