If you’re a Virtual Assistant, you know that the one thing that is your lifeblood, the one thing that keeps your income steady, is a finding clients. Luckily, there are several ways to keep a steady stream of clients coming in through your door. Here are just a few:

1. Advertise in Ezines.
There are online newsletters everywhere that accept advertising. The key here is to purchase advertising in publications that reach your target market and to create your ad to showcase your expertise. Don’t try to be everything to everyone or you won’t attract clients.

Ad Example of what Not to Do: Hire me to lighten your workload. I can do everything that you don’t want to do. Let’s talk!

Ad Example of what works:
Are you ready to get more leads to your business? I will handle your ezine advertising campaign for you. No more searching for targeted ezines, no more writing and tracking your ads. I’ll handle it all it all. My clients experience a boost in subscribers after I complete my ezine advertising campaigns that will pay for my services. Check out my website for testimonials and free tips.

2. Write and Submit Articles.
The key here is to stay on topic. Don’t write and submit articles about health or pet care. Present a problem in your article and solve it. Make sure your author bio is very compelling to attract potential clients.

3. Network where *successful* people hang out.
A huge mistake that VAs make is to hand out on forums where there are other people struggling to make money. Instead, join a membership site for your target market and you’ll find yourself in the “inner circle”.

4. Advertise at Shelancers.com.
One of the easiest ways to get your name in front of business owners looking for help is to advertise on Shelancers.com. Again, it is crucial that you list your specialty in order to stand out from the other providers. But, if you can find a problem that business owners face, and offer to handle it for them, you’ll attract loyal clients who will continue to work with you.

If you’re ready to start making every hour you spend on your business count, check out this free preview report. You’ll learn exactly what it takes to grow your client base and make more money from the clients you have now!

Click here to download the report - Make More Money from Every Client! (This file is in pdf format. I highly recommend saving it so you can print it out and make notes, jot down brainstorming ideas, etc. To do so, simply right click and save it on your computer.)

Looky what I’ve got for you today mama!

I don’t know about you, but with summer well underway I’ve heard too many times already “Mommy, I’m bored!” and “What’s for dinner?” that I’m almost ready for school to start again already.

The sad part, it’s not just my kiddos, but hubby too. He’s been working strange hours lately because of the heat and starting this Sunday, he’ll be working a whole other shift so my schedule is about to really be thrown off it’s rocker yet again.

When I heard about what the gals over at Menu Planning Central had put together, I realized I was not the only one going through this and was immediately relieved when I found out they had put together a free package just to help relieve some of my stress.

Inside I found:

• Activities to keep the kids and myself busy and having fun!
• Exercise tips to help relieve my stress (exercise is a great stress reducer)!
• Recipes to make the whole clan happy!

I haven’t managed to make it through all of them yet, but my goal is to get through the activities and exercises today and start adding them to my to-do list tomorrow!

Head on over and grab your own by clicking the link below! Here’s to a fun and less stressful rest of summer Mom!

Free Summer Stress Relief Package for Moms

I have many who have approached me and wondered how I do it and if they can possibly do it.  I have 5 children and I home school all of them.  It was a bit challenging at first with many in different grade levels but not impossible.

When I first began I had 2 children at the time.  I decided it was best to set a schedule for myself until I could develop a working plan.  This is what my schedule looked like 10 years ago:

7am - I get up and get ready to start the day

7:30am - My daily devotions and quiet time

8am - Wake up children and get them motivated for the day

8:30am - Make breakfast

9am - Daily devotions with children

9:30am - Begin Schooling

12pm - Lunchtime

1-2pm Continue Schooling

Well, that was a schedule that worked for me at the time, but things have changed drastically.  Having 5 children and a work at home job has made it quite interesting.  We still manage our daily devotions but breakfast is eaten at different times and schooling is never over by 2pm.

We will school any time of the day.  I believe that we are teaching our children every minute of the day and must take that into consideration when we decide to home school our children.

At first I was fixated on having a ‘classroom’ and a table with chairs and tons of books and thought I would be in that room all day.  Well, that was not the case.  I do have a ‘classroom’ but it mainly houses our book shelves with many, many books, computer, and educational games.  My children enjoy that room much more now than in the past.

I have realized that I can not make my home into a ‘traditional’ school.  It is not possible to do that and maintain a household at the same time.  I want to make learning fun and enjoyable and I want my kids to love to learn.

So, the moral to my story is this, it is very possible to home school your children.  You need to remember to make it fun and it will be less stressful for you and more enjoyable to your children.  I will be sharing some hints that have helped me in my next posts.  Be sure to come back again.

Yesterday’s Wordless Wednesday photo is of my 3 guardian angels. Yep, I’m so blessed I have not 1, not 2, but 3 angels watching over me.

Back in June, my mother sent me the angel in white for my 30th birthday. It’s gorgeous and no picture I take does it justice. Trust me I’ve taken about a dozen of them.

I decided to take a picture to show my mom, since she had it shipped directly to me she never got to see the actual figurine. The angel has a heart in the middle with my birthstone in it and the bottom of her dress is surrounded by hearts with all 3 of my children’s birthstones. I never realized just how well the kid’s birthstones go together until I saw them side by side. They are the prettiest combination, including topaz, sapphire, and diamond. So, there’s my first guardian angel.

Next, are my other two guardian angels. You can see them in the picture behind the mama angel. These are my grandparents (Gran Gran & Pap Pap). They are both inspirations to me in many, many ways and I miss them both dearly, but I’m so happy every time I look up at them and see how happy they were are together. In the picture they were at the Indy 500, one of their most favorite places in the world.

Now, the key here is that all 3 of my angels are literally watching OVER me each and every day. You see they are sitting atop my desk and every time I look up they really are looking back at me, helping me to realize that I’m not alone and that I can do anything I set my mind to!

Head over and check out other Tell Me Thursday posts and be sure to leave a link to your WW photo and the story behind it in the comments too!

Be sure to come back tomorrow for the story behind the picture for Tell Me Thursday.

Last Tuesday I participated in my first Tackle it Tuesday. Here’s my updated list.

1. Write a bunch of articles for one client. (This one is about half done!)
2. Customer service for 2 clients.
3. Connect with my assistant to go over how to use DupeFreePro.
4. Clean my office - oh how those tornadoes come through here in no time. (HA that’s a good one…didn’t even get started - will add that next week!)
5. Get the leftovers (drywall, ladders, etc.) from our bathroom remodel out of the house. This is so annoying to me. Looking at it since May has just sickened me to no end and the worst part…the bathroom still isn’t completely finished!
6. Do 3 loads of laundry. (The first in ready to dry now!) (I managed to get 3 loads washed, dried and put away is a whole other story!)

So, here’s to a more productive week this week. Although it won’t get started until later…got a ton of client work to do it’s already 4 pm!

How about you, what have you tackled today? Leave me a comment and then head on over to 5 Minutes for Mom and let us know.

As you might know, the other day I had a “revelation” of sorts thanks to a few of my mommy blogging friends that lead me to purchase this book:

Family Driven Faith: Doing What It Takes to Raise Sons and Daughters Who Walk with God

I ordered the book and received it on Saturday. Although I’ve been known to devour a book in one night this didn’t happen with this book. I’m reading it every chance I get and as of right now I’m on Chapter 6. I am amazed so far and am taking in as much as I can this first go around.

Yes, I plan to read it again. This time around I’m reading it all in one swoop and then I plan to break the book apart and apply what I’ve learned from it in my own family. This book is THAT good!

When I ordered the book, Annette told me this:

Be prepared for a totally different way of looking at things.

I was happy as a clam when I read those words in my twhirl box.

Honestly, I am looking for something that will give me a new outlook on how I raise my kids because, quite frankly I’m not doing the job I was given to do. God entrusted ME, little ole me, to raise them and raise them the way they should be, the way he has instructed me to do so. For once I can honestly say, I’m ready for the challenge!

I know it won’t be an easy task. Nothing worth doing is right? I also know that not only will I be teaching my kids how to live a life they can be proud of, but I will also be learning so much myself as I go.

I’m on a journey to a family driven by faith. As I read through various chapters in Voddie Baucham Jr.’s book I invite you to join us as our family makes the transformation. Laugh with us, cry with us, and please do interact. I would love to hear your thoughts and opinions on the whole journey.