Stop Comparing Yourself to Others

One of my brand-new students came to me and said that the average hourly rate for a Virtual Assistant in Ohio was $17.50. And then she asked me how she could possibly charge $30 or $40, or $50 an hour if that were true.

The reason, I said, is because what other people are doing doesn’t matter. One hundred percent doesn’t matter.

Instead of comparing yourself to others, do this instead: 

1. Learn to clearly and confidently describe your work. The good news is that I teach you how to do that in this blog post. The even better news is that all you have to do to nail this is practice saying it out loud until if flows right out of your mouth. The people you talk to will be delighted that you’re so clear. Most people blather on and on. Doing this makes it easy for people to hire you, but also refer you.
    
2. Be professional. When you’re meeting people in person or online, look the part. Remember the saying, “dress for the job you want?” That applies here. Don’t wait until you’re hired to start acting the part, start now. Make sure that everything that’s representing you shines. Check your outgoing voicemail message, get a great business card, review your LinkedIn profile.
    
3. Keep your pricing simple. A lot of Virtual Assistants believe that they need several different hourly rates for different services that they’re providing. They think that some services are more valuable than others. PLEASE do not do this.  It is confusing, complicated, and I guarantee it's going to cause trouble. Clients are hiring you, not the task you’re providing. Choose one hourly rate for everything.
    
4. Stop trying to get strangers to hire you. Your best clients will be referrals from the people you know. Likely they will already know about you and have heard how great you are before you even meet them. These people are looking for someone who’s trustworthy, capable, and can figure things out. You are the solution to their problem.

Comparing yourself to others is human nature. It’s also stalling, it’s wasting time, and it’s not going to get you where you want to be. Comparing yourself to others will crush your confidence.

If you’re not already a member of our Facebook Group, The Virtual Assistant Connection, and would like to join, here’s the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thevaconnection/