The Top 10 Ways to Grow Your Business with a

Virtual Business Manager

Every now and then you stumble upon a set of small business resources so simple – yet so revolutionary – that rapid expansion of your business is ushered in. For many of today’s small business owners and online entrepreneurs, hiring a Virtual Business Manager (Online Business Manager) is one such “big idea” whose time has come.

Imagine having a Virtual Business Manager who is responsible for the smooth functioning of your business to help you achieve your goals. Someone who while keeping an eye on the big picture, can manage all the pieces that bog you down, that you don’t do well or like doing. You’ll recapture the time and freedom you need to produce the results you want and have more work-life balance in the bargain.

Think Big

It’s critical to understand and adopt the mindset that your business is not your life. They are two separate things, according to Michael Gerber, the world’s #1 Small Business Guru, who says: “Once you recognize that the primary purpose of your business is to serve your life, you can then go to work on your business rather than in it.” You do this by spending your time ONLY on marketing developing new products and services and leadership (providing the vision and heart of your business).

Everything else should be outsourced to your Virtual Business Manager and support team or eliminated to achieve maximum profitability. Think of team building as a Profit Center instead of an expense. You will save a lot of money when you outsource tasks you pay someone less to do, plus have peace of mind knowing you will get the results you need , on time, as the tasks are being done by experts.

Virtual Assistants versus Virtual Business Managers

You may have heard of Virtual Assistants, professional independent contractors who provide cost-effective administrative and marketing services to help entrepreneurs achieve their goals. Well, a Virtual Business Manager (also known as an Online Business Manager) is similar in nature but there are two (2) key differences between the two roles:

Focus:

A Virtual Assistant focuses on completing specific tasks.

A Virtual Business Manager is a professional who brings a high-value skill set to handling important managerial duties you’d be smart to stop doing yourself. A Virtual Business Manager manages the administration, logistics, infrastructure and details of your growing online business, working in a long-term collaborative relationship with you.

Success Metrics & Level of Responsibility:

A Virtual Assistant’s success is measured by completing and delivering projects in a timely manner.

A Virtual Business Manager has a much higher level of responsibility. His/her success is measured by the successful management of your teams’ projects, their happiness, motivation and the overall smooth functioning of your business systems.

10 Ways a Virtual Business Manager Can Help You Grow Your Business

1. Implement key components of your business plan/strategies: If you’ve got a business plan your Virtual Business Manager will ensure that your plans come to fruition. With a grasp of the “big picture,” a VOM an work around obstacles before they slow you down.




2. Build and manage your virtual team(s): As you grow your business, you’ll need more than just one person – you’ll need a dedicated team of pros working for you. But you didn’t go into business to manage contractors. A Virtual Business Manager takes the minutiae of management off your plate, freeing you to do what you do best.




3. Source and manage vendors: If your business is one that relies on rock solid relationships with your vendors, you know that even the smallest snafu can set you back days and even cause you to lose customers. A Virtual Business Manager will have the time and expertise to create and maintain vendor relationships and ensure that needed items arrive on time, every time.




4. Build and manage key business relationships to increase your profits (i.e. affiliates, joint ventures): Are you convinced you can do more with your business, but you don’t have the time or expertise to check into every available avenue? Virtual Business Managers have the business acumen to cultivate joint venture and affiliate relationships that could bring in substantial residual income.




5. Implement new ideas and projects you haven’t had time to: Are you bursting with cool ideas that never see the light of day because you’re too busy making sure that your everyday operations go smoothly? With a Virtual Business Manager, you will finally have the time to pursue these ideas wherever they lead. Imagine having the freedom to take risks and try new strategies, knowing that your core business will continue to generate profits.




6. Manage projects through to successful completion: A Virtual Business Manager’s job is to see to it that your projects are completed to your specs – on time and under budget. No more juggling a bunch of projects and just waiting for someone to inevitably drop the ball. A VOM always has your goals in mind and will do everything they can to insure that they are met.




7. Create and streamline systems: Do you have standard operating procedures that you try to always follow? A VBM will streamline and enhance your procedures, and delegate them appropriately. If you don’t have any such procedures in place, you’ll realize a huge benefit, as your VBM identifies and implements time and cost-saving procedures throughout your business. A critical system a Virtual Business Manager should create, streamline and/or manage for you is your marketing system. The magic formula for marketing is doing effective activities consistently with systems. Your Virtual Business Manager can also be a sounding board, someone for you to brainstorm with, share ideas and consider options.




8. Assess and manage your customer service process to ensure you’re providing consistent and added value to your customers: It’s been proven time and again that businesses rise or fall depending on customer service, so it’s obviously in your best interest to provide the best service possible. But many times, that’s easier said than done. Imagine if you had procedures in place to ensure that no customer issues would slip through the cracks, and that customers requiring increased attention were sure to get it! Reputation is everything in the business world, and a Virtual Business Manager will help ensure that your business is seen in a positive light.




9. Money Management: It is vital for any business to keep track of their numbers on a regular basis to know if they’re making a profit. A VBM can collect the information you need to see what is going on in your business – your email lists, sales/revenue, promotion results and also expenses. A common area for improvement in a client’s business is expenses. A Virtual Business Manager can suggest ways for you to cut back on expenses.




10. Offer support and advice to automate your business with technology: Keeping abreast of the latest and most effective technologies is a full-time job in itself. A VOM will be able to filter through the maddening array of options to find the ones that will have the greatest potential to help your business, by either saving time, money or both. Automating certain tasks could allow you to reshuffle your personnel to put greater resources toward marketing and attracting more clients.

Virtual Business Managers are committed to the success of their clients. As a business owner, your VBM’s success is your success, and vice versa. It’s a collaborative relationship who’s bounds are limited only by your combined imagination!

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