Owning and Honouring Value

So the key question is…what can I do to own and honour the value I bring?

First of all be very clear on what rate you are charging. Define your ideal rate and then what the lowest discounted rate that you could live with is. Never, ever, ever go below this rate! Don’t be talked into it. Stand firm and remember the value you bring. If the potential client doesn’t get it, try to educate them, if they still try to negotiate you lower, run the other way.

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I’m a little late getting my post up this week.  Like millions of other mother’s I’m in “back to school” mode.   Where exactly did the summer go?

Last thing I remember it was the last day of school, now in a week it will be first day of school.   That just flew right by.

Of course, being a mother of a teenager, back to school rituals such as “back to school shopping”  has seem to become an event all to itself in this household.  The reason why everything else has taken a bit of a backseat this week.  

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I recently just purchased a new digital camera, a Nikon P90 CoolShot. I have to say it’s a very cool little camera.   I’ve never really been one for photography, and maybe it’s simply because the last 4 digital cameras’ I had never gave me the opportunity to get real excited about it.  All 4 of them crapped out on me and ended up in the recycling bin.   Thank the heavens for grandmothers!

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I’m heading out to Red Deer, Alberta tomorrow morning and I have to admit I’m a little nervous.   I’m not a good flyer at all; in fact I absolutely hate flying.   Good thing I’m a Virtual Assistant!  I chose the right profession -no need for travelling for this girl….okay at least not frequently.  There are still those times, normally once a year when I need to get on a plane, and each time it’s the same story, a jittering pile of nerves. 

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I absolutely see the value in Twitter, I do.  It’s a great way to stay connected, see what other’s are up to and get some great tips and information in a succinct, direct manner.   Love it!

I’ve met some great individuals, found some awesome resources, yet I’m still trying to find my place in it all. Ever found yourself in a crowded room, not sure whether to come out, or simply sip your drink in the corner and hope that someone talks to you?  Sometimes that’s what I feel like when using Twitter. 

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Why do we find it so difficult to write about ourselves in a glowing light?  In the 4 years that I have been teaching and in the 6 or so years that I have been mentoring and coaching new VA’s this always seems to be the most difficult task -writing about the great qualities they possess.  Those qualities that not only make us great VA’s but make us who we are!

Don’t get me wrong, I can absolutely relate to the difficulty surrounding this.  I’ve always found it extremely hard to sit down and think about all the “great things” I can do and then put it down on paper. When I first started my business, writing a bio was probably one of the most difficult pieces for me to write about.  Ask me to write about anything else and I’d have it done in no time…writing about myself, a totally different story.

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