Tina Hilton Of Clerical Advantage

Posted by Sandy Naidu

My guest today is Tina Hilton. She runs a business called ‘Clerical Advantage Virtual Assistance Services’. In early 2009, she narrowed her focus to concentrate on providing services to legal professionals and business creatives with a strong emphasis on assistance with blog, social media and education marketing. She runs an extremely successful and has also authored many e-books – Read and be Inspired by her business success story !!!

Can you tell me a bit about your business?

I offer virtual assistant services focusing on helping business creatives (writers, coaches, teachers, etc.) and attorneys adopt and maintain web-based office protocols and online marketing, specifically via the use of a blog.

I also provide WordPress site creation and assistance as well as coaching for WordPress and Headway through the Girly Girl Geek division of my business.

What were you doing before starting this business and when and why did you start this business?

Before starting my business I worked as a title processor/real estate paralegal. The office I worked for closed its doors in the summer of 2007 due to the drop in the real estate market. I found myself unemployed and unable to find a new job in the industry I was experienced in or in the medical coding/billing field that I was training in.

I knew I was good at what I did, and I also knew that I was always the person my employers had turned to when it came to embracing technology. I knew I had to make something happen with the abilities I had. At the time, my daughter was in college living with me, as was my son who was still in high school; I couldn’t wait for the economy to turn around and the job market to get better.

At that same time I stumbled upon the term ‘virtual assistant’ and found it fit those skills I possessed. By September of 2007 Clerical Advantage was open for business.

If you could give any tips or advice to someone looking to becoming a virtual assistant, what would it be?

Understand that it takes more than just having the administrative skills and experience required, you also need to understand how to run a business. Too many would be virtual assistants (or VA’s) think it’s an easy way to make money and work at home, especially those with children.

Running your own business is never easy. You have to be prepared with protocols and plans in place, goals defined and the knowledge that you’ll end up working more hours than you ever did as an employee. At least for awhile.

How do you promote your business?

My marketing consists completely of online blog & social media marketing and word of mouth. My blog has been the most instrumental in getting me noticed and my clients are fantastic about sharing their experiences and recommending my services to others.

I’ve also taught classes and made presentations both at local businesses and online which combines teaching others about virtual assistance and introducing my services.

How did you get your first client?

My first client was an attorney that I had worked with when I was a title processor. When explaining the advantages of using a virtual assistant, he realized that it made more sense for him to work with me rather than hiring an employee for a position he was getting ready to fill.

If you had to start all over again, is there anything you would differently?

I wasted a lot of time trying to market my business in a ‘traditional’ manner. I spent a lot of money on brochures, mailings and postage, and wasted endless hours at chamber events that never yielded a single client. The backbone of my business and my individual strengths are found online.

Looking at it now, I realize I was trying to sell my services to individuals who were not necessarily technology savvy and just couldn’t grasp the fact that my services could be delivered that way. A tech savvy individual was more likely to be found in online forums, via e-mail and social media rather than snail mail and chamber events.

If I could go back and do it again I would have ignored the people telling me I had to use old fashioned marketing methods.

Finally, your five keys to success?

Determination- You have to be able to push yourself even when things look bleak. It can take a long time to get that first client, or enough clients to consider your business a success; you must have the determination to follow it through.
Vision- In order to have that determination you have to have a vision of what you want your business to be and where you want it to go. If your vision isn’t there or if it’s not clear, it’s like driving blind. That’s where the importance of a business plan of some sort comes into play.
Preparation- This includes creating your business policies. Too many people don’t think ahead to things like how they will deal with late payments. I devote three whole chapters in my VA Survival Guide to some of the things that many virtual assistants (and others) fail to think about before they start doing business.
Professionalism- Just because you’re working from home and you’re the boss, it’s still extremely important to be professional. This is one of the reasons that someone should have experience working in a traditional office setting in a position that included extensive responsibilities within the business. Professionalism is something that is extremely difficult to teach, and is most often learned by both observing and experience. But it is crucial to the success of your business that you not only understand professionalism, but that you exhibit it in your interactions with others. This is another item I go into in detail in my book.
Confidence- You have to have confidence in yourself, your abilities and your business. This is crucial. You would be surprised how many small business owners answer this question with a half hearted response. It’s obvious they lack confidence in themselves and/or their business.

If you don’t believe in yourself, how do expect someone else to do so?

Sites Of Interest

Clerical Advantage
Girly Girl Geek
On Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/TMarieHilton )
On Facebook ( http://www.facebook.com/ClericalAdvantage )

This interview was published on 20th July 2010

VisitTina’s website to get more information about her business

To read more stories about women in the virtual assistance industry click Virtual Assistants