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July 10, 2023

How an Online Business Manager Can Streamline Your Business

Running a successful online business requires wearing many hats. As a business owner, you may be handling everything from marketing to bookkeeping and client management. However, taking on too much can lead to burnout and inefficiency. This is where an Online Business Manager (OBM) comes in. An OBM can help organize and streamline your business operations, allowing you to focus on what you do best – growing your business.

What is an Online Business Manager?

An Online Business Manager (OBM) is a virtual professional who can help business owners streamline their operations, increase their revenue, and reduce their workload. They are experienced managers who work remotely and take charge of the day-to-day management of an online business. An OBM is different from a Virtual Assistant (VA) in that they are more of a strategic partner and oversee the bigger picture. While VAs are typically responsible for administrative tasks such as scheduling, email management, and customer support, OBMs take on a more extensive role. An OBM will analyze and identify the areas of the business that need improvement, create systems and processes that improve efficiency and productivity, manage and supervise staff, and keep the business running smoothly. OBMs are versatile professionals who can adapt to different industries and help businesses of various sizes and structures.

The Benefits of Hiring an Online Business Manager

Managing a business can be overwhelming, especially if you’re doing it all by yourself. However, with the help of an Online Business Manager (OBM), you can streamline your operations and focus on the aspects of your business that require your expertise. Here are some benefits of hiring an OBM:

  1. Better management and use of your time
  2. Improved organization of your business
  3. Expertise in multiple areas – including areas you may not be strong in
  4. Increased efficiency for your business and team
  5. Strategic planning for your business

How to Hire an Online Business Manager

Now that you understand the benefits of hiring an Online Business Manager, it’s important to know how to go about finding the right person for the job. Here are some steps you can take to make sure you hire the right Online Business Manager for your business.

  • Define your business needs: Do you need help with operations, finances, organization, team management, marketing or all of the above?
  • Look for experience and expertise: Look for someone with experience and expertise in the areas you need help with. For example, if you need help with operations, look for someone who has a background in operations or management and can show you results from their previous work.
  • Interview candidates: Ask about their approach to managing projects and how they would handle different scenarios that might come up in your business. If this is your first time hiring an OBM, we offer Concierge Services for companies where our HR experts complete the hiring process for you, both to save you time and hire someone they know will be great for the job.
  • Check references: Talk to their previous clients to get a sense of their experience working with the Online Business Manager and how effective they were in achieving their business goals.
  • Negotiate the contract: Once you’ve found the right Online Business Manager for your business, negotiate the terms of the contract, including payment, the scope of work, and the length of the engagement. Be clear about your expectations and what you hope to achieve through working with them.

Tips for Successfully Working with an Online Business Manager

Be upfront and specific about what you need from your online business manager. This includes timelines, tasks, and deadlines. If there are any special requirements or preferences, make sure to communicate them early on. Next, determine your availability and preferred communication methods. If you prefer email or regular check-ins, make that clear from the start. Make sure to establish trust with your online business manager by communicating openly and honestly. Provide regular feedback, give clear direction, and trust them to handle their responsibilities.

Be sure to keep your OBM informed of any changes in your business. Most important of all, take the time to celebrate the milestones that your online business manager helps you achieve. Recognize their contributions and show your appreciation for their hard work.

Hiring an OBM can be one of the best decisions you make for your business. They can take care of day-to-day operations, leaving you free to focus on what you do best. By following these tips, you can successfully work with your online business manager to streamline your business and achieve your goals.

Do you have more questions about an OBM? Reach out, and we can share those with our audience because chances are, someone else has the same questions!

 

 

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July 6, 2021

Ready, Set, Win! A Business Coach Can Help You Get Results Now

The word coach often conjures up an image of a teacher in polyester shorts, a whistle, and a high school gym. But, as an entrepreneur, there’s a different kind of coaching that might make sense for you and your business–a business coach. The right coach can take your business and your leadership skills to the next level. For this blog, we’ve turned to two successful coaches to help explain who can benefit from coaching, the circumstances that best lend themselves to coaching relationships, and how to tell if coaching is right for you.

 

Types of Business Coaching

There are two different types of business coaching–business development coaching and personal development coaching.

  • Business development coaching provides a distinct focus on growing an aspect of your business or solving a specific problem, like customer service or e-commerce-related issues. It can include overall business planning activities, such as plotting growth, growing revenue, finding new customers, and fine-tuning operations. In essence, a business development coach serves as a  subject matter expert for your business.
  • Personal development coaching can help you grow as a leader by relieving the loneliness that often accompanies owning and running a business. With a personal development coach, you can increase your emotional resilience in business, learn to delegate, and explore the values you want to drive your work.

Coaches often specialize in one aspect or the other. You may find that both types of coaching make sense for your business at different times.

 

Why Get a Coach

A coach can provide the benefits of a business partner without the hassle of bringing in a partner. Your coach listens, suggests, and helps you process your thoughts. A solid coaching relationship offers you the space to be honest and confidential with someone who cares about your business but is not invested in it like an employee or your spouse. A coach can provide a fresh perspective on the issues you are facing.

“When you run a business, the support you have around you is not at the peer level,” said Texas-based Patrick Pitman, CEO of E-business Coach, Inc. “There’s no executive team to bounce ideas off. The owner is often the senior person in the organization. It can be lonely.”

Pitman explained that many of his clients report stress relief after talking to him and gaining new insight. 

If you suspect you may benefit from a business coach, the first step is to identify the type of coaching you need. 

In general, a business development coach is a good bet if you have a well-defined problem that can be solved with a burst of outside expertise from a subject matter expert. Generally, these types of relationships last 8 to 12 weeks and result in a well-defined solution quickly.

A personal development coach is generally a longer-term engagement–usually lasting several months or a year. A personal development coach can help guide you as you clarify your values, consider possibilities, and ponder significant issues about your business’s direction or leadership style. If you pursue this type of coaching, it’s essential to carve out the time to commit to the process.

“Change can be slow. Give yourself the room,” Pitman suggests.

 

Signs You Might Need a Coach

There’s no one-size-fits-all threshold for when coaching makes sense. But, if you are experiencing the issues below, coaching may help you move forward.

  • You find yourself returning to the same problem over and over again. For example, you may know that you have a great sales team, but your customer support network needs work. You make changes, but your customer service team still doesn’t quite sing. A business development coach can help.
  • You face issues outside your area of expertise. Entrepreneurs often start a business because they are passionate about the product or service they offer. However, over time, elements of the company outside of that core passion, such as staffing, accounting, inventory control, and marketing, can sap the joy that came from launching the business. A business development coach can support you through areas of work outside of your core knowledge and interest.
  • You are missing your revenue goals. A business development coach can help you identify the issue, refine your business plan, identify areas where revenue may leak, and brainstorm new marketing or business plans with you.
  • You feel overwhelmed. When you own and operate a business, the work and emotional demands can eat away at the fulfillment you once found in running the business. A personal development coach can help you find your way again.
  • You are ready for the next thing. But you aren’t sure what that is or how to proceed. A personal development coach can help by focusing your thinking and refining the next steps for your business journey if you face these issues.
  • You feel stuck. Sometimes fresh perspective and insight from an outside source can help you put a finger on the issue and move forward.
  • You need an accountability partner. A coach can provide the push to get things done by serving as a person who helps you stay on track with your goals and moves you forward as you tackle new or complex projects.

 

What to expect from a coach

Different business coaches offer different services and use different mediums to connect with clients. Business coaching is available by phone, via Zoom, and in-person. While most coaches provide individual services, some offer group sessions.

Christal Allen-Harrahill, the Las Vegas-based owner of Business and Life Coaching with Christal, said that some small business owners enjoy local group sessions as they provide a peer group that helps drive results and creates relationships with local people.

When you meet with a coach, the two of you can:

  • Address specific business problems.
  • Set goals and do overall business planning.
  • Discuss methods for over-the-shoulder consulting on a variety of issues.
  • Create strategic plans, including succession plans, if you suspect that you may want to step away from the business to focus on other endeavors.
  • Explore ways you can improve your connections with those around you through stronger relationships.
  • Clarify your values and mission as a business owner and entrepreneur.

 

What a Coach Can’t Do

While the coach can help you feel equipped to do things, the coach won’t do things for you. For example, a coach can guide your decision-making but won’t make your decisions for you. A coach can help you set goals and plan to achieve them but won’t join your team.

“I always tell clients that I’m not a fairy godmother,” said Allen-Harrahill. “It’s a two-way relationship. Ultimately, you need to take action. But, I can help you face mindset issues that might get in the way or work through issues with you.”

Pitman agreed. 

“A coach can’t make decisions for you. A coach is a facilitator of your own decision-making,” he said.

 

How to Find a Coach

The coaches I talked with agree that your network is the best way to find a coach. Ask your business acquaintances who they have used and ask for a referral. If you are looking for a business development coach, your industry contacts can help you find people who specialize in your line of work. 

Once you have a few leads, preview the coach’s work on social media. Check out his or her YouTube videos and read online newsletters.

For personal development coaching, a good personality fit is essential. Allen-Harrahill suggests meeting the coach before proceeding.

“Do a quick discovery call to see if there is synergy there,” she suggested.

 

Budgeting for Coaching

The cost of coaching varies based on the type of coaching you are seeking. Ongoing coaching usually involves a monthly fee that can range from $300 to $500 a month or more depending on the specialty and expertise. If you opt for ongoing coaching, make sure you are committed to making the time to dedicate to it.

Coaching for specific business problems varies based on the complexity of the issue, the time to resolve it, and the industry. Other factors can also drive costs. For example, it’s generally less expensive to work with a coach via Zoom or by phone. However, depending on the issue, it may make sense to bring a coach onsite, even if it costs more. When judging the price of coaching, consider the cost of not solving the problem in addition to the cost of the coach.

 

Take the leap

Getting a coach can change the trajectory of your business and your life as an entrepreneur. I encourage you to look into finding a great coach to help you reach the next level in your business.

 

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October 19, 2020

How to Help Your Small Business Thrive in Uncertain Times

With everything that’s gone down in 2020, it may be time to look at your business with fresh eyes to assess your current state and determine where you are headed. One way to do this is to perform a SWOT analysis. SWOT stands for:

  • Strengths
  • Weaknesses
  • Opportunities
  • Threats

This analysis is quick and gives you a good sense of where you are at this point, where you are heading and how to make the most of every opportunity. Grab some paper and a pen (or sit down at your computer) and use this guide to get started. Here is a free worksheet to help you in this process.

 

Assess Your Strengths

Let’s start with the positive. Make a list of the strengths your business shows right now. They may be the same as pre-COVID-19, or they may be wildly different. Either way, be generous with your strengths. Include things like a great staff, dedicated customers, and your killer website or social media presence. The objective here is to get a good handle on all the things you have in your corner. Listing strengths helps affirm all the things that are going well. Put yourself in the shoes of a customer or staff member and consider your business from that perspective, as well. 

 

Consider Your Weaknesses

Next, make a list of the flaws you see in the business right now. Like the strengths, you may see faults that resemble what you saw before or a different set of disadvantages. It’s essential to create a complete and honest list but think big picture. Don’t include small issues that happen on a one-off basis, like a customer complaint or a minor hiccup. Don’t be overly critical. The goal here is to objectively consider areas of your business that could use some attention. A good list of weaknesses makes it easier to address any issues and solve for them going forward.

 

Identify Your Opportunities

Now, it’s time to look at your opportunities. The world has changed in the last six months, which likely means new opportunities have opened. The point of considering opportunities is to see new possibilities–both short and long-term options. You may see a long list of options right away. If you are struggling, that’s understandable. But, try to identify at least three opportunities on the horizon. Cast a wide net. Here are three ways to help frame your thinking:

  • Jot down the opportunities you have traditionally pursued if they are still viable. 
  • Consider what new avenues may be available for the future. You don’t need a plan to pursue the opportunity to list it–it’s ok just to see the prospect and note it. Planning to capitalize on the opportunity can come later.
  • Think of opportunities in many ways–perhaps you have a chance to hire a virtual staff member to bring in some expertise or reduce your workload or that of a team member.

Generating a list of possibilities will make you feel better about the future and start the wheels turning for new options in the future.

 

Outline Threats on the Horizon

Finally, write down the threats facing your business right now. I know–this can be scary. But, don’t be afraid to list the risks. Identifying them and committing them to paper won’t make them more likely to happen. Instead, looking at the list of risks can defang them a bit and make them feel more approachable. 

As you think about the threats, identify those you can control and those you can’t. For example, you can’t control what happens with the pandemic. But, you can make a staffing tweak that reduces the threat of staff turnover. List both in different categories to make them easier to assess.

 

Sample Worksheet

Here’s a worksheet to help you conduct your SWOT analysis. As you can see, it’s not fancy, but it serves as a good starting point for organizing your thoughts. You can also download one using the link above.

 

Products/Services            Staff               Marketing        General Environment
Strengths
Weaknesses
Opportunities
Threats (Use an * to denote threats outside of your control)

 

Final Tips Before You Get Started

Here are my best tips for conducting a successful exercise:

  • Do your initial thinking, then set it aside for a week. I find creating this space helps make the reflection more in-depth and more insightful.
  • After a week passes, revisit your work and write down your initial edits. 
  • Do this again over a few days before you start making plans to address what you uncover. 

Once complete, file your completed analysis. Review it in six months to see how things have changed and how much progress you’ve made. 

 

This is the Perfect Time to Conduct a SWOT Analysis

With so many things going on, spending an hour conducting a SWOT analysis may seem like a low priority item. But, this is a great way to look at your business with fresh eyes and consider how the future may unfold. I always find this process valuable, and I look forward to hearing what you learn. Send us an email and share your experiences. 

 

 

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April 15, 2020

How to Use This Time to GROW Your Business 

How is your business doing at this time? Are you thriving, barely surviving or somewhere in the middle?

I know for many, business has slowed. So I want to propose that we make lemonade from lemons. 🍋

What are some areas of your business that you could improve upon?  What are the weak links? Or where do you get bogged down in your business?

These are the areas you could use this time to improve upon and accelerate your growth.

Here are a few ideas on how to use this time in a positive, business growth way provided by some of the talented Mom Professionals on HireMyMom…. who would love the opportunity to work for you right now.

📈 Update or implement CRM to maximize your customer communications and sales efforts.

📌 Get your business on Pinterest to increase brand visibility, drive traffic, and grow your email list! So many businesses are missing out on this huge source of traffic.

🎯 Create or improve client onboarding process. Welcome clients to the company with an informative, value-based email campaigns.

📩 Hire someone to manage your inbox and customer service, so you can focus on what makes your business awesome!

⏰ Automate systems in your business.

📊 Create and update processes and workflows.

💡 Revamp your website and content.

📝 Create new content for social media, marketing and blogs.

💻 Digitize your training manuals and other documentation.

📸 Elevate your branding with lifestyle images or new product images.

🖥 Create an online course to sell your expertise.

🧾 Get your accounting and bookkeeping in order.

🎥 Create webinars from your expertise to attract new clients.

🌿 Create health engagement for your team: wellness check ins, online challenges and more.

How many of these do you need for your business? 

Each of these are jobs that the talented Mom Professionals ♥️ on HireMyMom can help you with!  And I can tell with 100% certainty they will SO APPRECIATE you!

Click here to POST your JOB now!

 

 

 

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December 16, 2019

10 Qualities To Look For When Hiring a Remote Contractor or Team Member

The world has gone digital and as an Entrepreneur, you now have the ability to put your products and services in front of the right people across many digital channels.

This means, that your business could grow substantially overnight. If you’re not prepared for that growth, you’ll find yourself completely overwhelmed with the many day to day tasks required to operate and maintain your company.

Que the rise of remote contractors.

What is a remote contractor?

Just as the name describes, this person works from their own office space (often out of their home) and uses their own equipment and software.

 

Why consider hiring a remote contractor?

  • They can start immediately
  • Require very little training
  • Have little to no onboarding costs
  • Are more productive and
  • Can save you time

When deciding on “how” you want to expand your business, you should focus on filling the voids of your company. 

What does that mean?

Well, if you carefully assess all the tasks you’re doing right now and break them down by priority, the ability to do them yourself, and whether you like doing them – you’ll soon have a vision for your new hire.

Whether you’re hiring a bookkeeper, marketer, content writer, or assistant, here are some common traits you should consider when hiring a remote worker.

 

10 Qualities To Look For When Hiring Remote Team Members

 

1.  Strong Communication Skills

Communication is key to any successful working relationship. It’s especially important for a remote employee-employer relationship because most of your conversations will be taking place through text, phone, email, and/or video chat. You should also keep in mind, the time zone your remote worker lives in, their first language, and their response time when you communicate with them.

Because a remote employee can’t just walk into your office to ask for help whenever a situation arises and vice versa, you have to be able to effectively communicate. Without this core competency, it’s impossible to succeed with a remote employee. 

 

2. Independent and Self Motivated

The last thing you want to be doing is micromanaging your remote worker. He or she should be independent, self-motivated, and be able to complete most tasks assigned with very little direction (unless the task requires it).

Successful remote workers must be able to motivate themselves to stay focused with little distraction seeing each task from start to completion.

Because you can’t be there in person to ensure your remote worker is staying on task, independence and self-motivation are must-have qualities when finding the best fit for your organization.

 

3. Flexibility and Availability

A huge benefit for a remote employee is the flexibility of the job. For remote employees who are parents, this means they can drop off and pick up the kids from school, attend soccer games, school plays and more.

Just as flexibility is a benefit to the remote worker, the remote worker should be flexible with you, the employer.

Your remote worker should be flexible with your schedule and also available when you need them. If they are not a designated remote worker, they should be able to attend necessary meetings and communicate with you in a reasonable time frame with proper notice.

If you run a business that has a lot of tight deadlines, consider a designated, full-time remote worker over a freelance part-time one.

 

4. Ability to Organize and Prioritize

Strong organizational skills are extremely important for a successful working relationship with a remote employee.

They should be able to take a list of tasks given, organize, and prioritize them with minimal direction and be able to carry out this task on a continuous basis.

If your business uses a Project Management software, your remote employee should be able to navigate through it with ease. If they have experience using the software, it’s even better as there’s less of a learning curve if at all.

 

5. Tech Savvy

Because the world has gone digital, your remote employee should be tech-savvy, especially since their work is done on a virtual level.

Your remote worker should be fluent in common software applications such as Microsoft Office and Google Docs.

Because your remote employee will be performing many of the day-to-day tasks on a shared software they should have a good understanding of how to use it. If training is needed, they should be able to learn the software from you personally, YouTube or other online training.

 

6. Excellent Time Management Skills

Effective time management is fundamental to the success of any business. When you hire someone with excellent time management skills, they will be able to complete more tasks for you in less time which translates to saving you money.

Remote workers with great time management skills will create and maintain daily to-do tasks, they have designated workspaces so they can perform their work with minimal distraction and will find ways to optimize their time on the tasks they are given – including learning new software applications.

 

7. Honest and Reliable

Remote work requires a level of trust between yourself and your remote employee. You will likely be giving them access to your software, email inbox, website, and more.

It’s important to properly interview and screen your candidate before you hire him/her and depending on the nature of your business, a background check might be needed as well.

An honest and reliable remote worker will tell you when they don’t understand something, they will be honest if they make a mistake so it can be corrected quickly with minimal negative impact to the company.

They operate themselves with the highest level of integrity which is reflected in the work they do for you.

 

8. Remote Experience

It’s important to select a remote worker with experience. They should have a designated workspace, their own reliable technology to work on, the key software programs such as Microsoft Office as well as anti-virus protection to keep their computer (and your sensitive information) safe.

Remote workers with experience are also ideal because there is less transition and training required when it comes to onboarding them.

 

9. Administrative Experience

One of the most in-demand types of remote workers for small businesses are Virtual Assistants (also known as VA’s).

You can incorporate virtual assistant duties into almost any role. Often there is an overlap in VA tasks whether you’re hiring someone to help manage your social media, conduct bookkeeping or maintain your website.

Some common VA tasks include: 

  • answering emails,
  • entering invoices,
  • managing calendars / setting appointments,
  • research,
  • updating blogs,
  • customer service,
  • travel arrangements,
  • answering phone calls.

 

10. Positive Attitude

Sometimes it’s not the talent but the attitude of a worker that helps you determine whether or not they would be a good fit.

A remote employee who has a positive outlook will provide you with higher work quality than one who is negative.

They will take any constructive feedback you provide in a positive light and not become defensive or offended. This, in turn, leads to a continuous improvement of work quality and flow.

 

As the small business community continues to grow, the demand for remote workers does too! At HireMyMom, we have a large selection of remote workers to choose from. The benefits of our workers are that they are often in similar time zones, speak fluent English, and are typically work-ready within 24-48 hours of you hiring them.

We hope you’ve found this article helpful. We have another great article that you might like called “ 7 Reasons Why Moms Make The Best Remote Workers For Small Businesses”. 

If you’re ready to get started with a remote employee, you can post your job here. If you need to hire but are overwhelmed at the task, consider using our VIP Small Business Concierge program and allow one of our HR Specialists do all the work for you! 

 

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September 23, 2019

3 Ways A Virtual Assistant Can Help Grow and Scale Your Small Business

When it comes to starting your own business there’s a lot to think about. Although being your own boss can be very rewarding, it also comes with a lot of responsibility which often translates to you wearing ALL of the hats.

In the beginning, this can be manageable however, as your business starts to grow, so do the “growing pains”. There’s only so much time in a day and there’s only one of you!

Bringing someone onto payroll involves training costs, costs for additional office space, furniture, and supplies plus, don’t forget there are government rules and regulations to follow before and after you hire.

This is where having a Virtual Assistant could really come in handy. If you don’t have the funding to grow your company internally, a VA can provide you with the support your business needs at an external level.

What is a Virtual Assistant?

A Virtual Assistant is a real person. They are professionals who provide support to your business from a remote aka “virtual” location. They have their own equipment and space to work in. This means a VA could start working for you almost immediately with minimal cost.

What can Virtual Assistants do?

A Virtual Assistant can help in many ways but typically, they take on the mundane tasks, business maintenance, and customer service that company owners are often too busy to keep up with. This includes:

  • Filtering and responding to emails
  • Managing social media
  • Bookkeeping
  • Fielding and making phone calls
  • Appointment booking and tracking
  • Market research
  • And more

3 Ways A Virtual Assistant Can Help Grow and Scale Your Business

Now that you know what a Virtual Assistant is and the common tasks they perform, let’s talk about the many ways they can help your business scale and grow.

There are three stages to any business’s marketing funnel – customer acquisition, customer after care, and customer retention.

A Virtual Assistant can help you scale and grow your business at each level. Here’s how:

  1. Customer Acquisition

    At a lead generation and customer acquisition level, your VA can:

  • Create and manage your social media accounts.
  • Help you stay up to date with sales and promotions and website content.
  • Perform market research and competition tracking.
  • Help plan and organize events you might host to attract new clients.
  • Answer any emails that come in from potential customers and guide them towards booking an appointment with you (service business) or purchasing a product (e-commerce business).
  • Your VA can also help you form alliances with other businesses by reaching out to them on your behalf.

  1. Client follow up and after care

Once a customer has made a purchase, you want to ensure they are happy and this is also the best time to upsell and promote other services and products you have. You can use your VA to:

  • Contact your customer after the purchase or service to make sure they are happy.
  • Reach out for a customer review or testimonial.
  • Offer an upsell or friend referral incentive.

  1. Customer Retention

    A lot of businesses spend most of their time at the acquisition level but, customer retention is important for company sustainability and is something that shouldn’t be overlooked. Your VA can improve your retention rate by:

  • Reaching out to your customers when they are nearing the end of their product supply or coming close to needing service, to encourage purchasing or booking again.
  • Circulate blog posts, new content, newsletters, and more to help keep your existing clients in the loop.
  • Your VA can help spread the news to your existing clients whenever you have a sale or promotion. This will encourage repeat business and/or referrals.
  • You can create a customer appreciation event and have your VA spearhead it from start to finish.

Whether you use your virtual assistant to market your business, handle your books, or manage your emails, they can really help alleviate the stress and workload that so many small business owners face.

Ready to find the perfect VA for you? Here are some important things to consider:

Time Zones: Make sure that if there is a time zone differential, it’s compatible with your schedule and your company’s operating hours.

Languages Spoken: You want to make sure your VA can speak and write fluently in the languages you prefer. At HireMyMom, our site is primarily for N. America so English is the native language of job seekers.

Education, Experience, and Skills: You want to make sure that your VA is qualified for the tasks you need them to do. Graphic Design or Accounting? Customer Service or Ad Creation? It’s important to hire someone who is strong in the areas you need them most. You wouldn’t for example hire a sales and marketing VA to do your bookkeeping and accounting. Carefully screen your VA applicants and keep an open mind. They are there to help you after all. If you find you don’t have time or don’t care to go through the lengthy hiring process, check out the VIP Small Business Concierge package available to hand-select virtual professionals for you.

Tools: You may want to consider providing a useful assistant tool or two to maximize productivity and ensure all the necessary work can be completed on time.

At HireMyMom.com, we’ve had a lot of success matching employers and VA’s. Here’s what some of our happy employers have been saying:

“I have been a great fan of your service for many years. The quality of the people who I have found have been consistently exceptional, and at very affordable prices. I’ve also referred HireMyMom.com to many of my friends and colleagues, and will happily continue to do so.”  Paulette Ensign, Tips Products International

“I was able to grow my company with your service and were now in 5,000 stores. We have five moms with us. Always referring my friends who are business owners and telling them how smart these women are and amazing to work with.”   Chris-Tia Donaldson, Thank God Its Natural

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I submitted my request for a Web Guru to HireMyMom and I have to admit, I was blown away with the response. The quality of the applicants far exceeded my wildest expectations! It is very apparent that each applicant is highly qualified for my project. I am very excited to be working with such talented professionals. I am spreading the word to my business associates. HireMyMom.com is a real wealth of professional talent.”  Teri Hurley, Owner/Operator, Endless Love Travel

Are you ready to take the next step to help grow your business? Click here to post your job and find the perfect VA for you and your company.

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August 5, 2019

10 Ways A Mompreneur Can Kickstart Her Business

Before we dive in, you may wonder why momentum matters in running a home-based business. As a mompreneur, momentum increases your belief, solidifies your confidence and assures that you are taking the right action steps to fulfill the mission and vision of your business. 

Maintaining momentum in spite of your obstacles and setbacks is essential to keeping you motivated while allowing you to recover from those situations and circumstances easier and more quickly. 

Here are my top 10 ways a mompreneur can kickstart her business:

 

1.RE-EVALUATE

To give your business a good kick in the pants, spend some time thinking about what has worked in your business the last 90-120 days and what hasn’t. You can’t expect to keep doing the same things that aren’t creating results you want. Yes, this will require some self reflection and honesty. If your goal is to make $5,000 per month in your business but you are spending 10-15 hours a week on actual revenue generating activities (sorry, scrolling social media every week may feel like you are working but it’s not exactly a revenue generating activity) then it’s time to admit those goals and actions steps don’t align with one another. 

With that said, now is not the time to beat yourself up over it. It’s a fresh start to make a new plan and get moving in the right direction. 

 

  1. KNOW AND LIVE YOUR PRIORITIES

Life gets crazy especially for us moms. Add a business into the mix and things can quickly spiral out of control. You probably won’t be able to achieve perfect balance in your life and you don’t need to but you can stay grounded through it by knowing and living your priorities. 

Instead of having a mile long to-do list every day that overwhelms you from the time you wake up until the time you go to bed, set your intentions for the day by what qualifies as a priority. By knowing and living by your priorities each day, you’ll improve your focus, keep your sanity and be more present for what matters most. The results will not only increase your productivity but decrease frustration and mom guilt. 

 

  1. GET FEEDBACK

As you work to kickstart your business, ask people you know and trust for feedback. A fresh set of eyes can help point out copy on your website, for example, that makes perfect sense to you because you wrote it but it’s not coming across well for someone who is not that familiar with what you do. Constructive feedback can be a great asset to you as you work to create new products, freshen up your social media and website before you start working on those areas so you know exactly where to focus your time and energy. 

This can be a hard exercise to go through. It can feel scary to open yourself up to people’s opinions, I get that but it will also prove to be invaluable. The goal is to help you figure out what works in your business and areas that need improvement so you can reach your goals. 

Some of the feedback will be good and some of it won’t be and why it’s important to have a plan on how to sort through and how to handle it. Here are some quick tips to make this process as positive as possible: 

  • Start by thanking the person for their insight and honesty. Those who give you negative feedback probably won’t be expecting you to thank them but by doing so you will earn even more respect and appreciate their honesty even though it was probably uncomfortable for them to do so. 
  • Don’t take it to heart. Just because someone criticizes an aspect of your business doesn’t mean they hate everything. You asked for their help so take it for what it is, something that you need to look into further and look at with a fresh perspective. Nothing more. 
  • Ask questions. Is there something you could do better? Do they have suggestions for improvements?  You never know what helpful solutions someone would share if you take the time to ask some simple questions. 

 

  1. CREATE A PLAN

It may sound cliche but “if you fail to plan, you plan to fail” is a very true statement. As a mompreneur, you have to know what generates leads, results and revenue for your business (and what doesn’t). Don’t put it off, create a plan today around those activities and commit to them every day without fail. Keep your plan on your desk, in your day planner, set a calendar alert each morning to help keep you from distractions, wake up an hour early if you need to before the house is filled with chaos so you can focus and feel accomplished going into your day. The point is to find what works for you and stay committed to it. 

If you are struggling with this part of your business, check out our post 10 Strategies To Land Your First Client to help you create a plan around activities that will help kickstart your business. 

 

  1. TURN UP THE SOCIAL MEDIA

Have you been using social media the last few months to its full potential? Your ideal client is out there and they need what you have to offer but they have to be able to find you. You don’t need to master every platform either. Leverage your strengths and put them to work for you. 

Love doing live video? Use Facebook live to give tips, a how-to that can solve a problem for your client (when they realize they don’t want to do it, they can reach out and hire you!), create a blog post with a tutorial and share it on your social media pages. Whatever route you choose, the goal is to be consistent. You can’t expect to show up on your social media pages once a month and have potential clients flooding your in-box. 

Instagram is a great tool for networking, creating a community and collaborating. Be sure to check out these practical tips for leveraging Instagram. 

 

  1. CREATE A WEBSITE

If you aren’t generating enough leads in your business and don’t have a website, it’s probably time to start one. It doesn’t have to be complicated and you don’t have to spend thousands designing one. There are great platforms out there like Wix and Squarespace that are user friendly and can help get you started quickly to showcase your work, client testimonials, products and portfolio. Having a platform to market is important to your overall success. 

If you have a website, maybe it’s time to take it up a notch by freshening it up, add a new blog post, client feedback, project examples and create a freebie that can help build an email list. 

 

  1. COLLABORATIONS

To kick start a business there is nothing like forming great partnerships and collaborations to help you do that. Reach out to fellow mompreneurs in your field and ask them if there are ways you can support them and feature them in exchange for the same courtesy. I believe in being blessed to be a blessing and when we support others, it comes back ten fold. 

Make this a regular thing on social media. For example, every Monday you could do #MompreneurMonday where you feature another mompreneur to highlight in your Instagram stories or #FeatureFriday where you feature a mompreneur and a cool project she is working on. If you do logo design work, reach out to a website designer at the beginning of the week and let her know that you are working on a #FeatureFriday post and would love to highlight one of her projects. Ask if she would be willing to do the same for you and feature one of your logo designs. Be intentional and set a time for the two of you to post on Friday so you know there is a mutual commitment (morning posts seem to do better than afternoon or evening posts).  

You will find collaborations like this can be a great way to support others and get exposure for your business too. As a bonus tip, on Fridays you can also use the #FridayIntroductions hashtag. Whatever you decide, be creative and have fun with it!

 

  1. FEATURE YOUR PREVIOUS PROJECTS

Don’t be shy about showcasing your work. Once a week create a post on social media to share a project you worked on for a client. Share some fun facts about the project and give your client a shout out in the process by tagging their Facebook page and Instagram accounts. 

 

  1. SPECIAL PRICING

To give your business a kickstart, put together some quick products and services you can offer for a special price. The key is to create urgency by giving the special pricing an end date. “Now through the end of August, I am helping eCommerce clients get started or rebrand with a custom logo for $_____ but this special pricing is only good through _________ {end date}.”

You are probably not the only business owner out there who needs to give their business a jump start and special pricing with a limited time offer could be exactly what your potential client needs to take action. 

 

  1. HIREMYMOM

Did you know for the past 12 years HireMyMom has been helping freelancing women and moms just like you find quality, legitimate work from home jobs and clients? By joining our community, you can confidently share your skills and look for high quality positions and clients as well as have access to more training and resources to help you build your business. Click HERE to learn more about what we have to offer and become a member today.  

 

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April 24, 2019

6 Ways to Boost Your Business and Your Revenue

As a small business owner, one thing we all have in common is looking for ways to grow our businesses. At some point, your growth may stall, and you may be looking for creative ways to boost your business to the next level. Well if that’s you, we’ve got 6 great tips to get you going!

 

Use Email to Stay Connected

Staying in contact with your current customers and prospects is one of the most effective ways to grow your business. If you don’t already have an email list, you need to start one asap. You can put a subscribe box on your website but even better if you can offer a free report, article, discount or some other “bait” to lure them to join your email list. This email list can become your sales funnel to turn prospects into customers as well as keep in regular contact with your customer base.

 

Expand Your Offerings

Take a look at your current business and the products or services you are currently offering. Now think about what complimentary products or services you could offer? Is there an add-on product or service you could add even if it means outsourcing that task? If you are a coach, are there resources you could offer such as books, workbooks, reports, etc as add-ons? If you own an online store, are their add-on products you could offer in the shopping cart to encourage sales of another products? Bottom line is to look for additional ways you can increase your offerings and therefore your revenue.

 

Do What You Do Best

As a small business owner, you have a gift or set of skills that are the basis of your business. You also have many other hats that you most likely wear throughout the day. Take some time to write down all of the daily, weekly or monthly tasks you have. Now which of those are taking up too much of your creative or revenue-generating time? Which of those tasks do you dread? Those are the tasks you should be hiring out for! Whether it be a virtual assistant, bookkeeper, email marketing, customer service or some other task. Take time to see where you can streamline your business.

 

Offer Exceptional Customer Service

If you live in an area where there’s a Chick-Fil-A then you know customer service is a top priority for them. From start to finish, they strive to do everything top notch and to let you know they want to serve you well. It should be the same with your customer service. Try to respond to customer’s needs quickly and to offer to make things right even if it’s not your fault. You’ll find when you go the extra mile, many of those customers rave about your business and tell others about it.

 

Take Care of your Current Customers

Have a weekly or monthly e-newsletter and a Facebook group to share relevant news and articles, your company blog posts, upcoming events or specials you’ll be offering. Make them feel special by giving them the insider’s view of your business and what new offerings are in the works.

 

Make Social Media Work for You

Used wisely, social media can set the tone for your business and your brand. You can use it to show your personality and to engage with customers and prospects. You can also host monthly giveaways to encourage engagement and attract new followers to your pages. This is an easy task to outsource when you find the right candidate who can portray the style and messages you want for your company.

 

For all of these tasks, you will find HireMyMom has great candidates to help you whether it’s to help with social media, handle your customer service, manage your email marketing, create an e-newsletter for you or take over your bookkeeping. You don’t have enough time in the day or perhaps all of the skills needed to do every job well, so outsource to a freelancer or hire a remote employee to help your business grow and thrive!

 

If you don’t have time or energy to find that perfect candidate? Consider HireMyMom’s VIP Concierge program to write job post, post job, review applicants, interview candidates, and make recommendations for the top 1 or 2 candidates. Contact us for details.

 

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March 18, 2019 0 Comments

7 Strategic Ways To Grow Your Mompreneur Business

If you are a mompreneur who has been working your business for a while, there comes a pivotal point when you seek to take your business to the next level. Whether it’s to increase your income goals, elevate client experience, streamline your processes or all of the above, growing your business will require some high-level strategies.

As a full-time mompreneur myself in business since 1996, it can be easy to get overwhelmed with the details but the best place to start, even when growing your business is to focus on drilling down what has worked best for you so far. And it’s important to keep in mind, that there is no substitute for keeping it simple.

So here are our 7 strategic ways to take your business to the next level right away.

 

1. Reevaluate Current Expenses

Before you dive into all the new ideas you have for your small business, it’s always a good idea to evaluate where you are right now. Make a list of your current business expenses and ensure you are not spending time and money in areas that you aren’t using. Those $15-$20 monthly subscriptions can really add up.

 

2. Juicy Offer

If you have been building an email list with an opt-in through your website great job! Building an email list is one of the best things you can do for your business. With social media platforms changing daily and algorithm’s decreasing the organic reach of content, having a clear and consistent email marketing strategy is a must. When you email your list, you don’t have to worry about how much reach it will get.

Maybe you have a freebie on your website that has been working and now it’s time to create some additional free resources so you have multiple offers to share and market. Consider creating a “Resource Library” on your website where your visitors can sort through the best offer(s) for them. Create pinnable graphics for each offer through a Pinterest Canva template and pin to a free resources board on Pinterest. This will help you capture more leads for your business where you can build a deeper relationship with through email.

Don’t have a freebie offer on your website? Now is the time to create one! Come up with a high value resource that can help your ideal client solve an immediate problem and position you as an expert.

 

3. Email Marketing 

As you build an email list, it’s important to communicate on a regular basis with that list in order to take your business to that next level. Send out a weekly newsletter to share something of value, your latest blog post, tool, video training, helpful hack or resource.

When it comes to email marketing, it’s definitely quality over quantity. The goal is to provide high-level value that can help your ideal client while positioning you as an expert. The goal is not to pitch your audience to buy something (this is a strategy that is okay every so often but 90% of your emails should be high quality value). Pitching your email list with offers constantly will only land you with lots of unsubscribes.

When crafting emails focus more on letting your personality shine through and less on perfecting polished sales copy. Tell a story through your emails and talk to your audience like you are sitting down with them for coffee.

At the end of the email include a photo of you with a bio, a subtle call to action and link to learn more about how they can work with you.

 

4. On Boarding Process

Maybe you’ve built your business doing discovery type calls and while it’s worked, you are wanting to take back control of your time so you can focus on only working with exactly the type of clients your skill sets are best suited for.

Having an on-boarding process for new clients can definitely grow your business by helping to weed out people who are not 100% your ideal client. Create a Google doc that you can direct people to through your website. You can set up this document to email you the responses once it’s filled out.

Ask important questions that can help you determine if a phone call is the next step or if responding with an email to let them know they are not the right fit for you at this time. You can direct them to paid resources or courses you offer, (we will talk about this more below)or refer them to someone who is a better fit.

Having a process to properly vet clients can save you hours of precious time each week so you can spend that time on other revenue generating activities, working with the right clients and spending more time with your family.

 

5. Passive Income Resources

Marketing a business takes a lot of hard consistent work, and you want to leverage the leads that come into your business as much as possible. While not everyone who lands on your website will be a good fit to work with, that doesn’t mean you don’t have value to offer them.

Put together digital products or courses that can generate passive income so you can focus on investing time to work with higher-paying clients. If you are a graphic designer who designs logos for example, you could put together an eBook training of how to create a simple logo for a new website and charge say $27. Those who may not be the right fit for you to work on a larger scale can take a DIY approach allowing you to still earn revenue for your expertise without doing any extra work.

Passive income resources like this are a great way to grow your business since it’s a product you’ve already created that you can sell over and over again.

 

6. Streamline Processes With Templates

Create templates for every aspect of your business for tasks such as onboarding clients, emails, proposals and invoices. Tools like Freshbooks are great for this as they not only manage invoices and expenses, but also client and project notes.

Use apps to track expenses to save you hours at tax time and create folders for client emails so you aren’t spending hours searching for them. Spending time up front to stay organized can greatly increase your productivity and take your business to the next level.

 

7. Batch Your Time

There is nothing worse than feeling like you are going in circles not being productive. In order to grow your business, you need to use your time wisely and batch your recurring tasks.

For example, instead of trying to figure out every day what to post on your Facebook business page, batch that task and work on it each Monday from 9am-10am and plan out the whole week. You may not even need a full hour as you will find that as you create content focusing on one platform, your creativity and momentum will flow more easily.

Now think of other recurring tasks and batch those. For instance, schedule an hour each Tuesday to create pinnable graphics for your blog posts and quote cards in Canva and upload them to your Pinterest boards.

Batching your time will drive up your productivity while creating a higher level of consistency.

There are your 7 strategic tips to grow your mompreneur business. Implement even half of these and your business is sure to flourish!

Looking for more training, networking, support or ideas? We’d love to have you join our HireMyMom community today!

 

 

 

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