The Keys of Effective Communication as a Virtual Assistant
Teresa Morrow
Effective communication is one of those key skills a virtual assistant (really any business owner) should possess in order to sustain and grow their business. To me there are 5 keys of effective communication as a virtual assistant: preferences, listening, organization, focus and being positive.
Honor Preferences- In this technological “hyped” world and the various ways of communication (from Skype, phone, fax, text messaging or email), be sure to find out which is the preferred method of your client to communicate with you. I have had clients whom really like email and others really prefer to hear my voice on the telephone and don’t wish to increase their email box.
Listen - I think that for most of us it is easier to talk then to listen. When you are meeting with your clients, stop and listen. Listen to what they are saying. Write down their questions. Write down their comments, good and bad. Be actively listening as well. Do not multi task when talking with them. You may think that this can be done…however, more times than not, they know and it doesn’t show your client that you care about their needs or wants.
Focus - Before communicating with your clients, associates, vendors or suppliers, be sure your focus is where it should to ensure your message is received clearly. When writing an email, try and think about what your message is and how it could be perceived by the recipient. Re read and edit your email if needed before you send it to your client. You can write down a draft outline before a phone conversation so you will have your thoughts flow easier.
Information Organization One of the ways to ensure effective communication is to be able to locate information you need easily. By creating organization systems such as client folders (on your computer and hard copies). It is a efficient and easy way to go and “grab” information if you create a internet folder for each client. When you start communicating with a potential client (such as an initial consultation), you can write down the notes of the conversation either in a word document or notebook paper. This information can then be placed in a folder with their name on your computer or file folder. Once this person becomes a client, you can create a sub-folder titled with their name on your computer and hard copy file folder (in a main folder titled CLIENTS). This eliminates confusion or misplaced papers as your business relationship continues and moves forward. You can easily access and organize his/her information regarding emails and other communications by having this set up from the beginning.
Be PositiveMany times when something goes wrong, it is easier to target the bad things or what went wrong or whose fault it was in the problem. Instead of focusing on the problem…focus on the solution. Create the process improvement so the issue doesn’t occur again. I mean, we are ALL human and mistakes do occur. It is in the learning of our mistakes that we ALL grow.
The ability to communicate effectively is key to help business growth for virtual assistants (and really all business owners). Without proper communication, problems can rise and then you can waste countless hours and effort trying to back track your steps trying to correct the communication error. So remember, think and focus before communicating. Get yourself and the information organized. Listen to what others are saying to you - it will be in your best interest to do so. Stay positive in the not so good situations- this is when you learn, grow and become even better. And honor the communication preferences of others, they will appreciate it.
Teresa Morrow is on Board of Advisors with The WECAI Network ™ (http://www.wecai.org) and Editor at Large at WE Magazine for Women ™ (http://www.wemagazineforwomen). She has over 15 years working with various industries to include property management, landscape architecture and financial planning firms in executive administrative positions. In 2007, Teresa started Key Business Partners, a virtual assistance & online promotional company for coaches, speakers and writers. She cares about her clients and is available for 20 minute free consultation. You can contact her via email at keybusinesspartners@verizon.net or visit her website at http://www.keybusinesspartners.com.
Posted on: Friday, June 6, 2008 at 7:39 am 
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