Business Tip of the Week – 10/15/07

Build your sales team through referral partners. Be sure you reciprocated and become a participating member of their sales team too!

A 30 Second Commercial

A 30 Second Commercial: How to Showcase Your Business
in 30 Seconds or Less

So that listeners will want to know more!

(Get your worksheet at http://www.uofvas.com/30-Second Commercial Worksheet UofVAs.pdf)

One of your most powerful marketing tools is a dynamic and enticing elevator speech or 30-second commercial.  In the next few pages, you will learn how to craft a winning commercial, and taking the time now to work through each point thoroughly will be well worth it!

Have you watched business people in networking situations politely nodding, while sneaking a quick peek around the room in search of a more interesting discussion partner?  Don’t let this happen to you! 

Avoid the three biggest mistakes people make when telling about their businesses:

 Mistake #1 – Focus on your services, products or yourself

• Talk about yourself and your company

• Talk about your product(s) or the service(s) you offer

  

Mistake #2 – Failure to clarify exactly who you help and the benefits you bring to them

• No clearly defined target market – hope to sell to everyone

• Don’t understand and address your ideal clients’ needs or frustrations – their point of pain that your product or service relieves

  

Mistake #3 – Make it difficult for people to refer your company

• Your message isn’t memorable, easy to understand, easy to relate to, or easy repeat

•  The listener won’t clearly know who needs what you offer or how to tell others about your company

The Three Essential Elements of a 30-Second Commercial:

Essential Element #1 - Define Your Target Market – Your “Ideal Client”

 Be as specific as possible – the narrower your niche, the more successful your marketing will be! 

Example:

-     Owner of small business (0-5 employees), who needs accounting or bookkeeping help

-          Needs at least three hours of help a week

-          Has enough revenue to afford my services

-          Is open to suggestions for improving processes 

Action Item:  On a piece of paper or on your computer complete Essential Element #1: Describe your “Ideal Client.” Then return to Essential Element #2. 

Essential Element #2 – Understand and List the Problems or Frustrations Your Ideal Clients Face that You, Your Products or Services Solve. Remember: People make decisions and purchases based, not on facts, but on emotions! How does your ideal client feel about the problems and challenges that you, your product and/or service fix?   

Example:

-     Not enough time, knowledge or desire to do their bookkeeping or accounting

Consequent emotions:  Anxious, frustrated

-     Waste too much money in late fees and poor budgeting 

Consequent emotions:  Anger, feeling of “not enough”

-          Don’t know where they stand financially; business running them instead of the reverse

Consequent emotions:  Scared, out of control 

Action Item:  Complete Essential Element #2: List the problems they face and consequent emotions.   Then return to Essential Element #3.

Essential Element #3 – Highlight the Benefits You Bring that Solve These Problems

Answer your ideal client’s question: What’s in it for me? How will your ideal client benefit from using your services and/or products?What are the potential positive consequences for them?   

Example:

-     Save time and lower stress

Consequent emotions:  Relieved, free

-          Reliable, accurate results they can trust

Consequent emotions:  Confident, safe

-          Save money, meet deadlines

Consequent emotions:  In control, feeling of enough 

Action Item:  Complete Essential Element #3: List the benefits received from using your services and/or products.   Prioritize your list, and then cross off all but the top two benefits and the resulting feelings.    

An important piece of knowing how your company benefits your clients is getting it straight from them!  This will also provide you with terrific verbiage you can use to construct your commercial. 

Action Item:  Interview several of your raving fan clients, remembering to listen for emotions, and ask them: 

 -     How did you/your products or services benefit them?

-          What was their number one problem or challenge that your services or products solved for them?

-     What do they value about you and your services or products?

-          How did they feel as a result of using you/your services or products?  

While you’re talking to them, ask for a testimonial!

Craft Your 30 Second Commercial

 And now it is time to put this 30 second commercial jigsaw puzzle together!   Using the three essential elements of Ideal Client, Problems You Solve and Benefits Received, write your commercial in language that is conversational and comfortable for you to say.  Make it easy to understand, remember and explain.  Then pare it down to the core – cut out all the “fluff” and anything complex or difficult to understand.  Make every word count! 

Example: 

-          I help small business owners to feel confident, secure and in control of their finances and business by creating accurate and efficient bookkeeping and accounting processes.

-          I relieve stress and frustration for owners of small businesses, by creating accurate and efficient bookkeeping and accounting processes. Now all you have to do is practice, practice, practice! 

The more you say it, refine it and perfect it, the more effective your marketing will be.  Watch your listeners, listen to and evaluate their responses (body language too) to your commercial. 

Practice:

• In front of the mirror

• Tape yourself

• Try it on friends and family

• Then on others

Effective Add-ons to your 30-Second Commercial:

• Tell a brief client story that supports your claims

• Consider what your potential customer could possibly see as a risk to them, and take it away, perhaps by offering a guarantee or reference

  Marketing opportunities are everywhere!  If you’re prepared!    

Business Tip of the Week – 10/8/07

Marketing is NOT rocket science. Marketing is simply telling people what you do and telling them over and over again.

Is Your Disorganization Costing You Money?

Is Your Disorganization Costing You Money?
By Cheryl K. Callighan, MVA, Mentor/Coach

According to the Wall Street Journal (March ’97) the average U.S. executive wastes approximately 5 hours per week searching for misplaced information. At an annual salary of $60,000 that equals a loss of $8,000 per year! Can you afford to be disorganized?

Is your office efficient, organized and productive? Or is your office in a state of chaos and confusion? There are four key areas that you can make immediate improvements in that will take your business up a notch in efficiency and productivity.

Time Management
Time management is not about working faster; it’s about prioritizing your tasks and spending the majority of your time working on the right things. Develop a time management system so you’ll know where to start and won’t be running in circles.

First, you need to be able to recognize the different between important and urgent.

Important tasks have long-term significance. Urgent tasks need crisis intervention but are not necessarily important in the long-term.

To increase your productivity and decrease the chaos turn the following five strategies into habits!

1. Set priorities. Write down specific goals. All of your goals should be SMART – Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Tangible.

Be specific about what you want, when you want it and what steps you will take to achieve the goal. Break each goal down into manageable steps and specific tasks.

2. Make a to-do list. Limit your list to 6 items or less. If your list is too long you will feel defeated before you start. Prioritize the items on your to-do list and expect to devote 80% of your time and energy to the important tasks. Remind yourself that there will be days when urgent tasks dominate and you will likely get nothing completed on your to-do list.

3. Eliminate distractions. Be aware of your distractions and learn to filter them out. People, phone calls, clutter, emails, surfing the Internet, all can eat an entire workday. Take care of any details before you sit down or start on a project and remember the important versus urgent rule.

4. Schedule time to plan. Develop the habit of planning for tomorrow the night before. At the end of your workday clean up the clutter, put the files away, and create your to-do list by bringing forward any leftover tasks. Mentally prepare for tomorrow’s workday.

Set Up a Filing System
Each business has its own filing needs and each business owner has their own work style. Develop a system that is appropriate for both needs. The goal is to find a document or piece of information in 30 seconds or less.

Your system should be able to manage working files as well as permanent files. The permanent files need to be labeled with a specific retrieval system in mind, either by category, alphabetical, numerical or whatever is appropriate for your needs. Be sure to choose filing cabinets that will accommodate your files as well as storage needs for special items such as photographs or large volume files.

A perfect filing system will only serve you if it is maintained on a regular basis. Schedule time every week to manage your files, both paper and electronic. Strive to create a habit of handling a document only once. Deal with the document when you receive it then file it right away. The same principle can be applied to managing your email.

A Bookkeeping System
Efficient bookkeeping practices are essential for a number of reasons. You will need exact numbers for your financial statements when applying for business credit or business loans. You will pay less tax when you track all of your business expenses and deductions. With accurate records you will be able to forecast your business’ trends and have accurate information when you decide to sell your business and determine the highest possible value.

Clutter Control
How can you sit at your desk with the remains of yesterday’s lunch, newspapers, files and piles of paper and know where to begin? It’s not only distracting but very expensive when you consider the time you will waste clearing and cleaning, not working.

Set up your desk so there is a specific place for everything. Working files need to be accessible, not piled or scattered. Use a business card file or Rolodex or electronic equivalent for contact management. Set up and schedule time to maintain your contact management system. Don’t let your office become a dumping ground. Sort your mail over your waste basket or shredder. Eliminate junk before it becomes clutter.

The health of your business is directly related to the organization of your office. With an organized and efficient office you will be more productive with your time and less stressed overall. You will be proud to meet and consult with your clients in your office because it will reflect your high level of professionalism and smoothly run operation.

© 2007 Cheryl K. Callighan, MVA, owner of eOffice-Virtual Assistants LLC providing administrative and secretarial services to small businesses and entrepreneurs and the University of Virtual Assistants where she assists new virtual assistants through online training. She has over 30+ years of administrative experience and 18 years as a virtual assistant. Contact: Cheryl@eOffice-VirtualAssist.com * Cheryl@UofVAs.com. Websites: www.eOffice-VirtualAssist.com * www.UofVAs.com.

Virtual Assistance as a Career Choice?

By Cheryl Callighan, MVA, Mentor/Coach

Every student I interview for the University of Virtual Assistants program asks the same question, “Can you really make a living being a virtual assistant?” My pat answer is “Yes, I’ve been doing it for 18 years.”

Little did I know 18 years ago when I started my little home-based secretarial service that the Internet would play such a huge role in my constantly expanding business. Technology gives me countless opportunities to work as a Virtual Assistant and even to offer the training I do.

 As the Internet continues to be such a key communication tool in the global business world and as businesses continue to seek better ways of doing buisness, managing costs and utilizing technology to its fullest, I can only see the Virtual Assistant industry continue to grow – rapidly.

The obvious cost savings in hiring a Virtual Assistant over an in-house staffer is by far one of the top benefits of working with a Virtual Assistant. When you add in the value of not having to train a Virtual Assistant as well – the cost savings just continue to accumulate for our clients. We’re ready with equipment, technology and know-how!

However, as the Virtual Assistant industry continues to grow and technology continues to change it means that we (VAs) will have to continue to keep up with technology. That means knowing your software (and having the newest version available) inside and out, how to use the lstest technology and how all of this serves to benefit our clients is incredibly important.

While there may still be a call for word processing from some clients more and more often I get requests for autoresponders, electronic newsletters, setting up and maintaining blogs and shopping carts, updating websites, etc. I’ve found myself explaining just how online marketing contains tools such as autoresponders for subscriptions, podcasting and RSS which all directly affect the search engine rankings of a client’s website.

Since we “partner” with our clients for their business success as well as ours, it behooves us to continually update our skills and knowledge so we can continue to a valuable asset to our clients’ business.

© 2007 Cheryl K. Callighan, MVA, owner of eOffice-Virtual Assistants LLC providing administrative and secretarial services to small businesses and entrepreneurs and the University of Virtual Assistants where she assists new virtual assistants through online training. She has over 30+ years of administrative experience and 18 years as a virtual assistant. Contact: Cheryl@eOffice-VirtualAssist.com * Cheryl@UofVAs.com. Websites: www.eOffice-VirtualAssist.com * www.UofVAs.com.

Firing a Difficult Client

By Cheryl Callighan, MVA, Mentor/Coach 

We’ve all experienced the occasional “bad apple” client. She takes up a great deal of your time and adds very little to the bottom line. You’ve tried to rehabilitate her, offering ways to improve the relationship. But instead the problems keep piling up.  

It may be time to “fire” this client. 

It makes good business sense to fire clients whose emotional and professional toll on you and your business is no longer worth whatever revenue they generate. But it’s important to do it right. Your actions should leave the door open to doing business with them in the future and prevent them from disparaging you to others. Here are some suggestions to make the process less painful for all parties:  

Be honest with the client. Explain that you no longer supply the level of service she demands and that it would be best for her to seek another provider.  

Raise your fees. A much higher price tag may discourage a continued relationship. If not, at least you will be compensated for your higher level of service.  

Don’t renew expiring contracts. Let the natural course of the relationship run out. You may want to give the client a heads-up before the contract expires.  

Use escape options. If you operate under a contractual agreement, use the escape clause – the one that lets either party out with written notice. 

Be sure to talk to your subcontractors about your decision. Insufficient communication may lead to unfounded rumors that could disrupt business. Your subcontractors may be concerned about how releasing this client will impact the company and their own stability. Explain the situation and reassure then that the company and their positions remain secure.

© 2007 Cheryl K. Callighan, MVA, owner of eOffice-Virtual Assistants LLC providing administrative and secretarial services to small businesses and entrepreneurs and the University of Virtual Assistants where she assists new virtual assistants through online training. She has over 30+ years of administrative experience and 18 years as a virtual assistant. Contact: Cheryl@eOffice-VirtualAssist.com * Cheryl@UofVAs.com. Websites: www.eOffice-VirtualAssist.com * www.UofVAs.com.

The Best 8 Reasons to Hire a Virtual Assistant

It’s been almost 10 years since Thomas Leonard, coach and founder of Coachville.com, coined the term “virtual assistant”. In that time the virtual assistant industry has exploded as the best source for small business owners and entrepreneurs to hire business support personnel.

Small business owners and entrepreneurs with limited budgets but an overriding need for support services have found virtual assistants to fill every support aspect of their the business. Business owners have recognized the huge advantage for hiring virtual assistants who specialize in everything from administrative and office management, secretarial and clerical services, bookkeeping, web site creation and maintenance, copywriting, editing, proofreading, Internet research, graphic design, online marketing, real estate services, legal support services, podcasting to a variety technology services. The services are as endless as the needs of the business owners. 

Small business owners are drawn to the entrepreneurial spirit and creativity that virtual assistants possess. As business owners themselves virtual assistants can readily identify with the needs of business owners for the efficiency, productivity and economic considerations of running a successful business. Virtual Assistants often invest their entrepreneurial spirit and creativity in their client’s businesses because if their clients are successful so are they.

Below is a list of eight best reasons to hire a virtual assistant. These reasons have but one outcome for the small business owner/entrepreneur – increased efficiency and productivity = Success!

Efficiency:  

1.                  Virtual assistants call upon their real-world work experience and skills to support their clients. No training involved. Simply give your virtual assistant a project and let her do the work. No micro-management necessary.

2.                  Because virtual assistants work for many different clients they are masters of time management. Give your virtual assistant a project deadline and she will meet it.

3.                  Virtual assistants are detail oriented. You will spend a minimal amount of time discussing the re-discussing the specifics of project.

Virtual Assistants have above average administrative and secretarial skills such as:

a.       Keyboarding speeds above 80 words per minute

b.      2-5 years of grammar, punctuation and editing experience

c.       Superior customer service skills

d.      Excellent organizational skills, (not only for their clients projects but in organizing their own businesses)

e.       Extensive creative ability and superior problem solving skills

Productivity:

4.                  Virtual assistants utilize the current technology for the greatest possible efficiency and productivity. Virtual assistants are always looking for better ways to increase their productivity through continued education and sharing knowledge and information with other virtual assistants.

5.                  Because of their real-world work experience most virtual assistants bring a high quality of productivity into their business. They are multi-taskers by nature and have an exceptional ability for prioritizing tasks and getting them done quickly.

Virtual assistants are productivity driven and can perform simple, everyday tasks such as:

a.       Word processing

b.      Document formatting and layout

c.       Conversion to PDF

d.      Grammar, editing and proofreading

e.       Data base creation and maintenance

Time Management:

6.                  Virtual assistants are small business owners themselves. They recognize the need to efficiently manage their time in order to meet client deadlines and maintain their high standards for customer service for all of their clients.

7.                  Prioritizing and scheduling projects, either reoccurring or one-time, virtual assistants are master of the calendar.

Time management services such as:

a.       Appointment scheduling

b.      Calendar maintenance

c.       Calendar synchronization

d.      Tele-class, webinar or web-meeting organization, invitation and set up

Online Services:

8.                  The virtual assistant industry was born from the internet. Virtual assistants rely on the internet for their own marketing and business operation. They know the “how-to” of the internet. They can:

a.       Create and maintain websites

b.      Provide Internet research

c.       Online marketing venues

d.      Affiliate management

e.       Subscription management

f.        Article submission

g.       Auto-responder message creation, scheduling and delivery

h.       Shopping cart set up and maintenance

i.         Electronic newsletter production and delivery

j.        Podcast editing, mixing and posting

k.      Blog set up and maintenance

l.         Intranet set up and maintenance (using SharePoint Services, a Microsoft program or other free intranet programs)

Most small business owners will recognize the need to hire more than one virtual assistant to service the various sectors of their business. Not all virtual assistants offer the same services let alone the same skill and competency levels for similar services. Small business owners need to approach the hiring of a virtual assistant with the same planning they would use in hiring a fulltime in-house employee. It’s best to develop a profile of the specific service they are looking for, the benefits their business needs and the outcome they expect. Once they have clearly defined their needs they can begin searching for the perfect virtual assistant to fit that service.

Many of the virtual assistant organizations offer RFP services for business owners looking to hire a virtual assistant. Posting a RFP will minimize the business owner’s time in locating several qualified virtual assistants and help them quickly identify potential candidates.

To identify a perfect fit for both business owner and virtual assistant, consideration must be given to the following points:

1.                  Time Zone. If a business owner needs someone available during their business hours then the virtual assistant’s time zone could play an important part in stable, timely support. Likewise, a virtual assistant in a different time zone could add additional hours to a business owner’s day.

2.                  Skills and Experience. Not all virtual assistants have the same skill level or experience. A business owner should ask for references and follow up with the references provided. 

3.                  Length of time in business. Because the virtual assistant industry is relatively new, virtual assistants have varying lengths of time in their own business operation. Some virtual assistants have been in business for 15+ years and some only 2 to 6 months. If stability is important to a business owner this should be a consideration in addition to skills and experience.

4.                  Fees. Because virtual assistants are independent business owners and operate in a global economy they are free to set their own fees and create their own terms. A higher fee does not necessarily indicate a higher skill level. And a lower fee is not necessarily a bargain. Business owners need to strike a balance between skills and experience, their budget and the virtual assistant’s fees.

5.                  Agreement or Contract. Every good business owner knows it’s only good business to have a signed agreement or contract detailing the specifics of a business relationship. Virtual assistants know this too. Business owners should either have an agreement or contract that they can provide to the virtual assistant outlining the independent contractor relationship or review the virtual assistant’s agreement/contract. An agreement or contract should be in place before any work is delegated or completed.  

© 2007 Cheryl K. Callighan, MVA, owner of eOffice-Virtual Assistants LLC providing administrative and secretarial services to small businesses and entrepreneurs and the University of Virtual Assistants where she assists new virtual assistants through online training. She has over 30+ years of administrative experience and 18 years as a virtual assistant. Contact: Cheryl@eOffice-VirtualAssist.com * Cheryl@UofVAs.com. Websites: www.eOffice-VirtualAssist.com * www.UofVAs.com.

What Does It Take To Be A Virtual Assistant?

The virtual assistant industry is one of the fastest growing administrative services on the internet today. Many people are jumping on the VA band wagon. But what does it take to be a successful virtual assistant in today’s global business world? Below is a brief list of 10 key considerations for starting your virtual assistant business.  

1.     Do your homework – Research the virtual assistant industry. This is as simple as Googling “virtual assistant”. Visit the websites that Google presents and review the contents. Through these websites you’ll learn what a virtual assistant is, what they do and perhaps even how much they charge.

2.     Have skills and experience – You need to have some measurable experience in the executive administrative, secretarial or clerical fields and viable skills. Your competition has superior skills and extensive experience and you need to be able to compete with them on their skill and experience level.

3.     Know your technology – Virtual assistants operate their businesses through the current technology. Know how to navigate the internet, know how to efficiently send email and attachments, know what software the majority of businesses use today. But don’t stop there, continue learning all you can about blogging, RSS feeds, podcasting, subscription based electronic newsletters, etc. Technology changes daily. There are always new ways to market and grow your virtual assistant business and offer new services to your clients.

4.     Buy your equipment – Start with a fully equipped office containing a new computer (at least less than 1 year old), all-in-one fax/printer/scanner/copier, separate business phone line and especially reliable high-speed internet access.

5.     Think virtual – You will be working in a virtual world. You may never meet any of your clients face-to-face. You need to have excellent collaboration skills using today’s technology and superior communication skills to be successful as a virtual assistant.

6.     Can you afford to start your business – Financial considerations are foremost. You need to have a fully equipped home office (see #4 above). You need to understand that it will take at least 6 months to 1 year for your business to become viable, not necessary profitable. It may take up to 2 years before you begin realizing a profit.

7.     Are you an entrepreneur – You need a commitment to make your business work because it will take time and persistence on your part. In other words, you will have to work hard to make your business successful. You will need to be motivated, creative, willing to learn, reliable, and professional.

8.     Know how to operate your business – Do you have what it takes to run a business beyond the entrepreneurial mindset? You have to learn how to operate your business from providing superior customer service, excellent services, bookkeeping, marketing, planning, budgeting, technology – you will wear many hats, can you handle it?

9.     Get training – Invest in your success by taking online training from one of the many virtual assistant universities, tele-classes or coaching programs offered.

10. Create a business and marketing plan – This is where you create your business on paper. Developing a well-thought out business and marketing plan will help you identify any challenges before they become issues. A business plan helps you work through your business from your services, fees, marketing, daily operations to finally presenting your business to potential customers.  

© 2007 Cheryl K. Callighan, MVA/Coach and owner of the University of Virtual Assistants (www.uofvas.com) , has more than 30 years of executive administration and 17 years as the owner of eOffice-Virtual Assistants LLC (www.eoffice-virtualassist.com). Contact Cheryl@uofvas.com or Cheryl@eoffice-virtualassist.com or 303-347-2923. 

The Art of Negotiation Soprano Style

My husband has been watching the reruns of the Sopranos on Comcast On Demand. They remind him of home. He grew up in New Jersey and went to school with several kids whose families were in “undisclosed businesses”. To him, this is reality TV.

I watch because it’s our “quality” time together.

Watching the Sopranos I began thinking about how Anthony “Tony” Soprano operates his business and why he is successful.

I know women are inherently born to please. We want to help other people, be liked by other people and most of all to nurture others often at the expense of our own self-care. We are more likely to say “yes” without hesitation or even thinking about what might be best for “us”. We don’t negotiate. It’s just not what we’ve been programmed to do especially in business.   

But I’ve learned some important things watching the Sopranos with my husband. I’ve discovered a few tips on the art of negotiation.  

The Sopranos Art of Negotiation has taught me:

1. Ask for what you want. Be clear and specific.
2. Offer something in return.
3. Make it a win-win situation for everyone.
4. If you don’t get what you asked for then it is okay to ask “Whadda ya gonna do ’bout it?” And renegotiate. 

Anthony “Tony” Soprano is an opportunistic business man. Through his many power lunches/dinners (ever read the book Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferrazzi and Tahl Raz) with people of influence he keeps an open mind and listens for future business opportunities. He asks pertinent and hard questions (his way of researching), mulls over the pros and cons of each opportunity then decides if the risk is worthwhile and appropriate for his business.

Who says you can’t an education from watching TV, even entertainment TV?  

Bio – Cheryl Callighan, MVA, Mentor/Coach, has successfully operated EOffice-Virtual Assistants LLC for 17 years (www.EOffice-VirtualAssist.com). Most recently she launched the University of Virtual Assistants (www.UofVAs.com) to help new and established virtual assistants receive the best possible training for launching their virtual assistant businesses.  

Co-Creating Your Success!

Co-Creating Your Success!

Part 4 of 4   

Release the Brakes!   

The last principle is Release the Brakes! 

“Everything you want is outside of your comfort zone. “ Robert Allen, coauthor of “The One Minute Millionaire.”  

Have you ever been driving your car and suddenly realized you had left the parking brake on? Did you push down harder on the gas to overcome the drag of the brake or did you release the brake? You simply released the brake and with no extra effort you started going faster.  

Most people drive through life with the psychological parking brake on. The hold on to negative images about themselves or suffer the effects of powerful experiences they haven’t yet released. They stay in a comfort zone entirely of their own making. They maintain inaccurate beliefs about reality or harbor guilt and self-doubt. When they try to achieve their goals these negative images and preprogrammed comfort zones cancel out their good intentions – no matter how hard they try!  

Think of your comfort zone as a self-created prison. It consists of a collection of cant’s, must’s, must nots, and other unfounded beliefs formed from all the negative thoughts and decisions you have accumulated and reinforced during your lifetime.  Perhaps you’ve even been trained to limit yourself.  

Baby elephants are trained at birth to be confined to a very small space. The trainer will tie a rope to its leg and then to a wooden stake buried deep in the ground. The length of the rope determines the size of the confinement – the baby elephants comfort zone. The baby elephant will try to break the rope but the rope is too strong. When the elephant grows up to be 5 tons it can still be confined with the same rope. It learned as a baby that it couldn’t break this rope and as an adult still carries that belief.  

What keeps you trapped in your comfort zone? Is your rope made up of limiting beliefs and images that you received and took on when you were young? The good news is that you can change your comfort zone.  

There are three different ways: 

1. You can use affirmations and positive self-talk to affirm already having what you want, doing what you want, and being the way you want.
2. You can create powerful and compelling new internal images of having, doing and being what you want.
3. You can simply change your behavior.  

An important concept that successful people understand is that you are never stuck. You just keep re-creating the same experience over and over by thinking the same thoughts, maintaining the same beliefs, speaking the same words and doing the same things.  

Change your behavior – change your life. 

“The significant problems that we face cannot be solved by the same level of thinking that created them.” Albert Einstein. 

These Success Principles in a nutshell –  

1.      Be Responsible for Your Life
2.      Believe in Yourself, Believe Anything is Possible
3.     Unleash the Power of Goal Setting
4.     Release the Brakes – Get out of your comfort zone 

Live your life with vision and goals, create your own success, make your dreams your reality.  

Live without boundaries or limitations.   

Believe in yourself and your abilities.  

Set high goals that stretch you and open your creativity.  

Get out of your comfort zone! 

These principles are applicable to your personal live and your business. When you take 100% responsibility for your life you can co-create the success you’ve always dreamed of having! It is possible. I’ve done it and so have thousands of other people. I can easily name 6 TSP graduates from my Colorado VA group that will confirm this.  

Do what you’ve always done, get what you’ve always gotten! 

Open your mind, tap your creativity, stretch beyond your comfort zone and claim your goals, claim your dreams! 

You can do, be or have anything you want – it’s up to you.  

© 2006-2007 Cheryl Callighan, MVA, eOffice-Virtual Assistants LLC and the University of Virtual Assistants. All rights reserved.