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October 21, 2019

HireMyMom Success Story: Heather Swain

Tell us a little about you and your experience finding work on HireMyMom.

After a hard season of life, I decided to try and find a job where I can bring in some extra money while still being home with my son and not have to pay the insanely high costs of childcare. I saw an ad for HireMyMom, and I felt drawn to the site. Within my first day using the site I had two interviews scheduled and my first day as a VA is tomorrow!

 

What did you do previously?

Patient Advocacy. I have no previous experience as a Virtual Assistant. I have worked remotely on occasion at other jobs I’ve held, but nothing long term. I truly believe customizing my cover letters to mention how my past experience related specifically to each job I applied for helped me. I applied and also reached out via email to the contact listed on the job posting. The first job I reached out to this way is now my current employer! I fully believe that a customized email or cover letter and providing some information about yourself and your goals was the game changer for me!!

 

What is your top tip for landing a gig on HireMyMom.com?

Personalize your cover letter and always follow up. I think it’s so important because so many websites don’t provide that email contact information, and I believe if you have it, it’s worth reaching out to them to show you’re not only interested but that you’re willing to take charge and take a risk!! It can be scary to reach out to someone you don’t know, but it can come with big rewards as well!

 

What’s your favorite thing about HireMyMom.com?

That the employers are looking for help from women who are looking to better themselves and their families and understand the balancing act we take on as working mothers, especially those of us working from home.

 

What’s one fun or interesting fact about you?

I’m studying to become a certified aromatherapist.

 

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Want to be featured here as one of HireMyMom’s Success Stories?

Mom Professionals, please complete this form our Mom Professionals Success Stories.

If you are a Small Business / Employers, please use this form for Small Business Success Stories!

 

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October 14, 2019

Top 10 Work From Home Jobs For Moms

Hey Moms … are you considering working from home?

The demand for remote jobs has increased substantially, which makes it very attractive for a stay at home mom to become a work from home mom too!

Work from home jobs offer mutual benefits to both the employers and employees / contractors which is why there’s such a high demand for remote jobs.

 

What does a work from home job look like?

A work from home job can be as a remote employee, an independent contractor or as a freelancer. You typically are expected to have your own equipment, software, and internet access to be able to perform your job. Some employers will give you set hours they would like you to work, while others will let you choose a flexible schedule that works best for you.

 

Top 10 Work at Home Jobs for Moms

Based on our current and past job postings on HireMyMom, here is a list of some of the most common ones:

1.Virtual Assistant (VA)
Average Hourly: $15-20 (Specialized VAs may make $25-$40/hr)

What they do:
General Virtual Assistants typically help their clients/employers with day to day administrative duties. They are in charge of handling routine tasks that help the business run efficiently. A VA may also be in charge of answering emails, phone calls, travel arrangements, booking calendars, creating reports, doing research or any other tasks the business owner needs. There are a variety of specialties in the Virtual Assistant world and each job is unique to the business who hires them.

Job Qualifications may include:
– Strong computer skills
– Fluency in software such as Microsoft Office, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
– Knowledge of tools and apps used by remote teams
– Time management skills
– Ability to prioritize tasks and stay organized
– Attention to detail
– Excellent verbal and communication skills

If you are looking for training, check out these options our Training and Resources here.

 

2. Customer Service Representative / Client Support Specialist
Average Hourly: $10-20

What they do:
CSR’s and Client Support Specialists provide service to current and potential customers. They help by providing service or product information, field phone calls or online chats, and handle customer requests as they arise. They also may handle any concerns or complaints a client might have. Their priority is to create a positive experience for the customer from start to completion. Customer service representatives may also be tasked with the responsibility of performing follow up calls or emails to help maintain customer retention rates.

Job Qualifications may include:
– Excellent communication skills
– Ability to solve problems quickly
– Ability to organize and prioritize
– Great listening skills
– Patience and empathy

 

3. Sales and Business Development
Average Hourly: $15-$20 (plus bonus and commission potential)

What they do: 
A sales representative is responsible for selling products and services to individuals, organizations or businesses. They may contact potential buyers, conduct presentations, and are typically responsible for handling all parts of the sale.

Business Development Specialists, on the other hand, create business plans for their company. They are in charge of analyzing business and seek ways to earn more customers and revenue for the business.

Job Qualifications may include:
– Strong sales skills
– Time management skills
– Ability to organize and prioritize
– Excellent communication skills
– Ability to solve problems quickly
– Strong listening skills
4. Copywriter / Content Writer / Blogger
Average Hourly: $15-$20

What they do:
A copywriter is responsible for creating engaging content that is both eye-catching and informative. The content created may be used for the company website, blogs, social media channels, newsletters, e-blasts, brochures, online courses, and more.

Job Qualifications may include:
– Strong writing skills
– Creative skillset
– Planning and organization skills
– Ability to work both independently and as a team
– Computer literacy
– Software experience including; Microsoft Office, Google Docs and more
– Strong proof-reading abilities
– Fast and efficient typing skills
– SEM/SEO knowledge and experience

 

 

5. Project Manager
Average Hourly: $20-$30

What they do:
A project manager is responsible for coordinating with others within a company to ensure that projects are completed from start to finish.
They also meet with clients to clarify project tasks and can act as a liaison between the customer and company they work for. They must track the performance of each project assigned and delegate where it makes sense to do so. The project manager will also ensure that budget objectives are met.

Job Qualifications may include:
– Project Management Professional (PMP) certification (preferred but not required)
– Experience in a management role
– Ability to lead teams in a variety of projects from small to large
– Strong organizational skills
– Experience with project management software
– Excellent communication skills
– Budget management experience

 

6. Digital Marketing Specialist
Average Hourly: $15-$25

What they do:
A digital marketing specialist is responsible for developing a marketing strategy that is based on a company’s online product or service. SEO, email marketing, and web analytics are all part of a digital marketing specialist’s duties. It is their job to get the company message out to the right target audience. Sometimes this includes multiple campaigns running at the same time. They are responsible for all aspects of the marketing funnel from top, mid, and lower tier levels. Digital marketing specialists may also need to keep track and produce reports on a campaign’s ROI.

Job Qualifications may include:
– Strong creative writing abilities
– Understanding of analytics
– Experience with paid social media advertising
– Sales and marketing channel expertise
– Strong listening skills and a good grasp target audience mindset
– Basic design skills

 

7. Accounting /Bookkeeping

Average Hourly: $15-$25

What they do:
Accountants and bookkeepers are responsible for keeping financial records up to date. They may also be required to process Accounts Payable and Receivables. Accountants maintain records of financial transactions by establishing accounts; posting transactions; and ensuring legal compliance.

Bookkeepers typically maintain accounts by verifying, allocating, and posting transactions. They perform reconciliations and maintain general ledgers. They must keep historical records and prepare financial reports.

Job Qualifications may include:
– Experience in Bookkeeping and/or Accounting
– Excellent communication skills
– Strong mathematical skills
– Ability to stay organized
– Detail oriented
– Strong multi-tasking abilities
– Excellent interpersonal and customer service skills

If you are looking for training, check out The Bookkeeping Course for Stay-at-Home Parents.

 

 

8. Graphic Designer
Average Hourly: $15-$30

What they do:
Graphic designers may design logos and all forms of multimedia. They may lay out magazines, help build websites and other forms of media communication. The designs are often created through software programs such as Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign.

Job Qualifications may include:
– Knowledge of and experience in Graphic Design Software
– Great interpretation skills to help bring ideas to life

– Creativity
– Ability to meet tight deadlines
– Strong eye for visual composition
– Attention to detail
– Ability to work both independently and as a team

 

 

9. Social Media Specialist
Average Hourly: $15-$25

What they do:
Social media specialists are required to handle a number of social media accounts. They must create converting content, develop and maintain social media channels, and stay up to date on the latest rules and compliances. They are sometimes responsible for putting out social media ads and working with social media management tools. They need to create brand awareness and client acquisition at all stages of the marketing funnel.

Job Qualifications may include:
– Strong project management and organizational skills
– Knowledge and experience with social media platforms
– Insight of the audience they are targeting
– Strong creative writing abilities
– Ability to meet tight deadlines
– Understanding of Google Analytics and Facebook Business Manager
– Ability to measure campaign ROI and build reports

 

 

10. Web Designer
Average Hourly: $20

What they do:
A web designer is in charge of designing, coding, and laying out websites. They handle all technical and graphical aspects of a website. They also maintain and update as needed. A good sense of SEO/SEM to help ensure that the website is searchable on Google and ranking.

Job Qualifications may include:
– Knowledge of the fundamentals of design imaging
– Basic to advanced web design experience
– Ability to custom code using Javascript, CSS Style Sheets, and HTML
– Strong organizational skills
– Excellent communication skills
– Ability to listen and bring client ideas to life

 

 

How do you find great work from home jobs like these?

You can view some of the work at home jobs posted on HireMyMom here. If you’re ready to take the next step and become a Work from Home Mom you can sign up here. Employers must be members as well in order to post a job on our site. Before we accept their job posting, they are carefully screened by our staff to ensure the highest quality of employers and job postings for you to choose from. Click here to post your resume today and start applying for jobs immediately!

 

 

Here is what some of our work from home moms have to say:

“When my 2nd child was entering pre-school, I began searching for ways to work from home. I stumbled upon HireMyMom.com in 2014 and began to look for clients and landed a job with a small company. After my success, I told a friend about HireMyMom and she ended up landing a part-time job as well that after a year turned into a full-time managerial position. My favorite part about HireMyMom is the job postings are legit and there are no scams to worry about. Most of the employers know they are hiring moms and understand they will be working around a flexible schedule.” – Amanda S.

“Since at one time I was a job seeker and now I’m an employer, my favorite thing about Hiremymom is they always have legit opportunities.  I have never experienced any scams. As a job seeker, I always experienced quality gigs. Now, as a business owner looking to hire, I have found several great candidates that are qualified and passionate about what they do.” – Andrea C

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October 8, 2019

How Smart Entrepreneurs and Mompreneurs Use LinkedIn to Attract New Clients

With over 562 million members in 200 countries and across all industries, there is no denying LinkedIn is the top professional networking site. Facebook is where you have a strong circle of friends, Pinterest allows you to tap into evergreen marketing and boost your blog content but LinkedIn is where you can take your business to a whole new level.

LinkedIn is indexed by Google so when it comes to marketing your personal brand and your business, LinkedIn is definitely an important tool to leverage in your marketing efforts. LinkedIn also gives you the ability to search for and connect with your ideal client. 

Here are some tips to help you fully leverage LinkedIn as a smart entrepreneur / mompreneur!

 

  1. CREATE AND FULLY COMPLETE YOUR PROFILE

Your profile is the most important aspect of your LinkedIn account. It’s the first impression people have of your personal brand and business. 

  • Ensure you have a high quality photo and make sure your face is 50% of the size of the circle. 
  • Create a banner image that will be displayed at the top (Canva.com has lots of free templates to help you). Think of this a free highway billboard and use it wisely to promote you and your business. 
  • Add your name and you can also add a title with it to let me know right off the bat what you do. For example “Amanda Jones | Digital Marketing Professional”
  • Add a short bio
  • Complete the ABOUT section. This is a great opportunity to highlight what you do and the ideal client you are looking to work with and use as many characters of the max 2,000 as you can. Think of LinkedIn like Google. Your goal is to create a profile that comes up in search results. And remember, most people will only see the first 3 lines so make them count. 
  • Complete all sections to add your experiences, work history, education, volunteer work, skills and website
  • Add samples of your work or blog posts

It’s important to spend quality time on this and to fully complete this before moving on and connecting with other professionals. Feel free to hop over to my LinkedIn profile to see how I have set up my profile and I would love to connect with you too while you are there! 

 

  1. ENDORSEMENTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Once your profile is fully complete you can reach out and connect with people you know and have worked with on LinkedIn. People you already know is a great place to start because you can ask them to leave you an endorsement and recommendation. This helps to edify you to new people you want to connect with. Be sure to return the favor and leave a recommendation for others as well. 

 

USING LINKEDIN

  1. MAKE NEW CONNECTIONS

Now that you have created your profile, connected with people you know and received some recommendations and endorsements you are ready to start making other connections, especially with people who are your ideal client. Think of LinkedIn as an online network group and search engine. Let’s say for example you are a logo designer and you are wanting to network with website designers who can refer clients to you who will need a logo designed for their website. 

You can go to the search bar in LinkedIn and type in “website designer” and have it filter for “people” and it will pull up search results for those that have “website designer” in their profiles. LinkedIn will filter the results by mutual connections you have with other people. 

When you click on the “connect” button, you will have the opportunity to type out an invitation before sending. LinkedIn will have a generic one but it’s important that you personalize every invitation you send. Take the time to look at their profile and make the invitation all about them not about you.

“Hi Lori, I see that you are a website designer and as a graphic designer in the same industry I would love to connect and know how I can support you and send referrals your way. Look forward to connecting with you.”

People will be a lot more likely to accept your invitation to connect if they feel valued and not like you have an agenda. 

 

  1. POST UPDATES

Make LinkedIn part of your daily marketing routine. Use LinkedIn to share your blog content and other articles that would interest your network of connections, tips, resources and to highlight your work. Remember as with any social media platform, the goal is to tell instead of sell. 

LinkedIn also has an app that can make posting and the time you spend networking easier too. 

 

  1. CREATE A SOCIAL VIBE ON LINKEDIN

Ensure you are engaging with your network through their status updates too. You can’t expect to post and not spend time supporting others on their posts. Social media doesn’t have to take a lot of time. Set a timer to spend 10 minutes to like and comment (5+ words on any social media platform shows the algorithm that your comment is a real genuine comment and not a bot).

 

  1. THE POWER OF GROUPS

LinkedIn has a lot of great groups that you can join to connect with more like-minded people and share your expertise. You can use the search bar to search for groups in your niche. Be selective and only commit to joining groups that you feel you can actively participate in. You will need to send an invitation to the moderators for them to approve your request. Once they do, be sure to read the group rules and be a respectful member of the group and give value. It’s a great opportunity to find more people to connect with. 

Take the time to implement these tips and you should see some great connections and future clients before too long!

 

ABOUT HIREMYMOM…

Over the past 12+ years, HireMyMom has helped thousands of small businesses find the perfect candidate for their projects while helping thousands of mom professionals find in their remote dream jobs. We do that by providing a platform that brings the best group of qualified and passionate women together with the best group of successful and growing small businesses who are looking for highly qualified virtual professionals with skills, experience and expertise. 

How is HireMyMom different?

  • As more of a boutique site, candidates on HireMyMom do not have to compete with 100s or 1,000s of other applicants and our small businesses do not have to wade through 1,000s of applicants, 
  • We do not take a percentage or commission of earnings from virtual professionals OR the small businesses,
  • HireMyMom is more than a job site; we are community offering personalized services, training, support and virtual high-fives,
  • Our site is primarily for those in North America and native English speakers familiar with U.S. Business culture and in or near the same time zones,
  • We offer our Small Business VIP Concierge program where our HR Specialists will hand select top candidate(s) for our Small Business clients.

Mom Professionals looking for legitimate, remote jobs and projects, start here. 

Small Businesses looking find high-quality, independent candidates, start here.

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September 30, 2019

Why Moms Looking To Work at Home Should Avoid Free Job Sites

If you are a mom, you know first hand how exciting it is for your kids to go to the dollar store. I mean a trip to Target can cost you hundreds of dollars but a few dollars at a dollar store and your kids can quickly pick out a few fun things to entertain them without breaking the bank. 

We know that when we walk into a dollar store stuff is going to be cheap. We don’t go into a dollar store looking for designer brands or high quality items, just some fun stuff to keep our kids happy and entertained. As soon as you walk into a dollar store, you are thinking to yourself: “No blowing my budget today, everything here is going to be cheap!”

If you are a mom who is new to looking for work at home jobs, mega job sites and “free” job sites can look pretty tempting but here is the reality, many of the employers who use these sites are in the same dollar store mindset: they are expecting to find people who are willing to work for really cheap. 

And that brings me to the reasons why moms who are looking to work from home should avoid the large mega job sites and free work at home / freelance job sites. 

 

Mega Job Site Users Shop For the Lowest Bidder

Many of the clients on the mega job sites are in a “dollar store” mindset when they are searching to find freelancers and tend to shop for the lowest bidder. This unfortunately means you are competing with other freelancers, many of whom are overseas where a U.S. dollar goes a lot farther and they can work for a lot cheaper. Hence, they can price their services significantly lower than yours making it impossible to compete. 

I mean, it’s hard to land your dream client when you are having to compete with applicants charging $2-3/hour and not on the value you can provide. And many times its free for businesses to post their job because you are paying the site a commission out of your earnings which leads us to our next point….

 

They Take a Percentage of Your Earnings

Here’s a recent email we got:

“Hello, I am a freelancer who currently uses Fiverr and UpWork to gain writing gigs. I write website content and articles for businesses. I am tired of paying out 20% per project…..”

So not only can mega job sites result in you being underpaid, but they also take a percentage of your earnings. For example, if your list rate is $20 per hour, you can expect to earn around $16 per hour. When you negotiate a rate for a fixed-price job, the same applies. Let’s say you are getting paid $400 for a project, by the time the job site takes their percentage, you’ll receive about $320 as many of these sites charge 20% commission to the job seekers. 

That might not seem like much but let’s say you bill 50 hours over a 40 day period. Instead of keeping the full $1,000 you actually made, you are paid $800. Over a 12 month period, they would keep $2,400 of your income. That adds up quickly, doesn’t it?!

 

You are Competing with Thousands of Other Applicants

Many of the mega job sites and free sites out there attract thousands of people because it’s free or at least you thought it was free in the beginning. Being free means that everyone is going to sign up because… why not. But with smaller boutique sites like HireMyMom, you are only competing with a fraction of that many applicants.

Some jobs on HireMyMom only have 5 or less applicants while others many have 20-30 but never hundreds. Job seekers have an advantage of not having to compete with hundreds or thousands of candidates, and employers appreciate not having to spend hours and hours reviewing resumes and cover letters. Hence, one of the reasons so many of our clients come back to post more jobs because of the high quality applicant pool and the relatively low amount of applicants compared to mega sites.

 

Many Free Job Sites Pull Jobs from Other Websites

Some job sites will pull job openings from other job sites making it even more difficult to stand out in the crowd. Just think how many more people will be applying for those jobs that are posted on multiple websites. At HireMyMom, all jobs are posted by the small business hiring. We do not pull ads from anywhere. In most cases, the jobs on HireMyMom cannot be found on any other website unless the business chooses to post it on another site as well.

 

So How Do You Find Legitimate Work at Home and Get Paid What You’re Worth?

At HireMyMom, we are mom owned and mom run. We are entrepreneurs running our own small business with a team of other moms we’ve hired right here on HireMyMom. We understand the needs and challenges of both sides and we aim to create a platform that works beautifully for both. Our business model is different than the mega sites in that we take no commission from our job seekers; instead we have a small membership fee starting at $9.99 for a one week trial membership. Once you’ve paid your membership, you don’t pay another dime. What our job seekers earn, they keep!

Over the past 12+ years, HireMyMom has helped thousands of small businesses find the perfect candidate for their projects while helping place thousands of mom professionals in their dream jobs. We do that by providing a platform that brings the best group of qualified and passionate women together with the best group of successful and growing small businesses who are looking for highly qualified virtual professionals with skills, experience and expertise. 

HireMyMom is different than the Mega Job Sites and Free Job Sites in These Ways:

  • HireMyMom is primarily for North American candidates to protect our virtual professionals earning power and also giving our small businesses the high quality candidate pool they are looking for, 
  • Candidates are not competing with hundreds or thousands of other applicants around the world, 
  • HireMyMom does not take a percentage or commission of earnings from it’s virtual professionals or businesses,
  • HireMyMom is a boutique community offering personalized services, training, support and virtual high-fives,
  • You have the benefit of working with clients in or near your time zone.

 

Find your next work from home job at HireMyMom where we have a database of high quality projects and positions ready for you to review and apply for while providing you with a community that will support and train you as you work to build a long term freelancing career!  

 

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September 26, 2019

HireMyMom Success Story: Lindsey Clair

Tell us a little about you and your experience finding work on HireMyMom.

I am married homeschooling mom of three girls. I started using HireMyMom a few years ago in my work from home endeavors and upon returning to school to obtain my Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing. I’ve gotten three or four jobs since using HireMyMom; two of them I’ve had for over two years now. I actually was just contacted today about another possible job! My experience with HireMyMom is like no other out there. I love the new website and easier navigation for searching for jobs and setting up my resumes etc. in the dashboard. My experience has been beyond amazing!

What did you do previously?

Before working from home, I utilized my Child Development degree assistant directing and teaching in a private preschool program for 8 years.

What is your top tip for landing a gig on HireMyMom?  

My top tip to land a gig on HireMyMom is to make sure that your resume is up to date and displays a professional format. Also including a cover letter is beneficial as well.

What’s your favorite thing about HireMyMom?

My favorite thing about HireMyMom is the ability to search for work at home that meets my needs and schedule as a homeschooling mom of three.

What’s one fun or interesting fact about you?

When I’m not homeschooling or working from home, you can find me playing my piano or singing. I’m trained in piano and vocals and have taught choir and given piano lessons.  Music is my passion, and I recently recorded in a studio.
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Mom Professionals, please complete this form our Mom Professionals Success Stories.

If you are a Small Business / Employers, please use this form for Small Business Success Stories!

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September 16, 2019

HireMyMom Success Story: Stephanie Brodt

Tell us a little about you and your experience finding work on HireMyMom. 
I found HireMyMom online through online research and immediately loved how they seemed so personal and safe. I especially appreciated that they were screening the potential jobs so I could feel confident that I was applying to legitimate opportunities.

What did you do previously? 
I had worked for corporate presidents and CEO’s as an Executive Assistant and Office Manger for 20+ years.

What is your top tip for landing a gig on HireMyMom.com?
I suggest that you check the site every day to find new opportunities and that you respond specifically to each one. No generic communications for anything.

What’s your favorite thing about HireMyMom.com?
The personalized and safe feel of the site.

What’s one fun or interesting fact about you?
I didn’t start working full-time virtually until the age of 48. No spring chick here!

 

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Want to be featured here as one of HireMyMom’s Success Stories?

Mom Professionals, please complete this form our Mom Professionals Success Stories.

If you are a Small Business / Employers, please use this form for Small Business Success Stories!

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September 3, 2019

HireMyMom Success Story: Lauren Heiden

Tell us a little about you and your experience finding work on HireMyMom.

Hi! I am Lauren Heiden. I am 35 years old and have been married for 13 years.  We have two kids, and we live in Indiana. When we brought our son home from the hospital 8 years ago, I fully expected to go back to work at least part time; however, I quickly realized how attached I was to him and I just had to figure something out. My good friend had subscribed to HireMyMom.com and told me to join and see what I could find.

Praise the Lord I found a position within a week and I was so thankful to get to stay at home with my son! The income was going to cover a few bills and my husband and I believed this could work for us.  That position lasted for one year and it was great. When the project ended, I instantly got back on HireMyMom and found my second position within a week and I have held this same position for 7 years now. Using HireMyMom was a great experience. The interface is so user-friendly. I love that you can contact the hiring manager, and I feel like the employers already know that their candidates are honest, hard-working people… so that is out of the way and we can figure out if the job is a great match quickly.  Being home has been a dream!

 

What did you do previously?

I worked in Sales and Event Planning before becoming a stay at home mom. I have a Marketing degree and an MBA.  My concentration was always in sales and entrepreneurship.

 

What is your top tip for landing a gig on HireMyMom ?

Hop on the site every day, see if new postings are up. Apply for what fits you and follow up with the hiring manager if you haven’t heard back. There is a fine line of not being annoying but being bold enough to ask for the job. You can do it, momma! Go for what you want and need! And pray!

 

What’s your favorite thing about HireMyMom ?

I feel like I can trust the postings- I feel like HireMyMom screens the employers well enough that I can trust that the position is legit and worth looking into.

 

What’s one fun or interesting fact about you?

I am a mom from the Midwest. I am so blessed to get to spend every day with my kids. What a gift it is from the Lord. As much as I love being home with them, when I go for something, I really go for it. I have a favorite actor I follow in Hollywood and when I saw a casting call for a part in her movie she was producing a few states away from me, I applied, I got the “background” part and got to be on that movie set for a few days! The movie comes out this December.

……………………………………………………………………

Want to be featured here as one of HireMyMom’s Success Stories?

Mom Professionals, please complete this form our Mom Professionals Success Stories.

If you are a Small Business / Employers, please use this form for Small Business Success Stories!

 

 

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August 26, 2019

Parenting vs Working: How to Create Work-Life Balance in Your Home-Based Business

Guest Post by Justin Chapman

Becoming a Virtual Assistant is often a choice made by parents who never want to miss the big moments in their children’s lives. One of the biggest struggles parents will face as a virtual professional is work-life balance. Often, as a Virtual Assistant or Virtual Professional, when you have a home office, you can easily get caught up working long hours because of your focus. As a professional, you want to get work done and saying to yourself “just another 10 minutes”, can quickly turn into another two hours. Conversations with your spouse can quickly turn into conversations about your new client or the project you are working on. Following the steps below can help you create work-life balance in your home-based business.

Schedule Your Hours

Flexibility in your hours is an attractive piece of becoming an at-home professional, but sometimes in that, you have to make sacrifices. These sacrifices can be made in your personal or professional life. If you have a tight deadline, you may have to sacrifice watching your child’s soccer game. If you can’t miss your mother’s birthday, then a couple of hours of work may have to be done early one morning. Knowing your schedule at least a week in advance will make you more productive.

Whether you are taking care of children, or visiting your parents, entrepreneurs will always have their business in the back of their minds. Having a schedule will create work-life balance. A schedule assists in reducing stress; knowing that you have eight uninterrupted hours tomorrow to get work done allows you to enjoy the night before with family or friends. Make sure you take advantage of a schedule, and put as much as you possibly can in it.

Design a Home Office

If you do not have a spare office with a door, you do not have to be a contractor to build one. Purchasing “hush panels” or office boards to section off even a small work area can make a massive difference. Many Virtual Assistants set up a computer in a multi-purpose room. It is important to have that room act as an office during your working hours, or to have your station sectioned off from the room.

Conversations about work need to happen in your office, even with your spouse. Don’t allow work-talk to take over every conversation in the house. If you want advice from your spouse or a friend on a project you are working on, bring them into your office. Ask questions where you can take notes or show them what you have created already. Practicing this will build a sense of separation and create work-life balance.

Get Organized and Set Goals

This is one of the best tips to help you answer the question: how to create work-life balance in your home-based business. If you have ever taken any at-home post-secondary courses, such as CanScribe’s Virtual Assistant Program, you know how important setting goals can be. When you have a project, you have one ultimate goal: complete the project.

Creating smaller goals will help you complete the project effectively. It can also help you schedule your time around your family. Make sure you know what goals you have and how long each task will take. Rather than just “doing work”, you are working effiectively and not wasting time. Similar to knowing your schedule, you are able to reduce stress and enjoy time with your family and friends because you know what needs to be done, how long it will take, and when you are working on it.

Creating a work-life balance is important to success both as a family member, and as a professional. Scheduling your hours, building an office, and keeping organized can help become successful at both. Focus on your family while keeping attention on your work priorities. These tips help show you how to create work-life balance in your home-based business.

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August 20, 2019

Complete Guide To Creating A Client Attracting Facebook Business Page

Social media can feel overwhelming and while it’s easy to get discouraged with things like algorithm changes, there is great value to be found in leveraging these platforms as a business owner.

A Facebook business page is one of them and yes the organic reach can be low but the reality is that as business owners, we must embrace the professional way of marketing: having an advertising budget and providing strong, consistent content. 

Before I dive into how to create a client attracting Facebook business page, let’s first address why it’s important:

  1. As with most social media platforms, a Facebook business page and the content on it, is indexed by Google where as your personal profile page is not. When someone searches for you or your business, your fan page will appear in Google search engine results. 
  2. While it’s tempting to use your personal page to market your business, it’s also a violation of Facebook’s terms to use your personal profile page for commercial gain. Some have even lost their accounts for this practice so it’s just not worth the risk. 
  3. Your business is seen as more professional with a business page. Consumers are becoming more savvy and want to research people and brands before doing business with them. Running a business from your personal profile can look sloppy and overwhelm your personal network, many of them are not even your ideal client.
  4. Facebook Insights. As a business owner, it’s important to analyze the data for the content you are creating on a regular basis. A Facebook business page provides detailed analytics for every post. How many people are seeing the posts on your personal profile page? Without Facebook insights you have no clue and therefore can’t measure what kind of content gets better reach in the feed. 
  5. Sponsored Ads. I know it can seem unfair as a small business owner to have to pay to have your content seen, but the reality is you are a business and if you want to market it the right way and reach the right audience you will need to have a budget for advertising. The beauty of a business page is you can target your ideal client for a very minimal budget (I will get into more of that later in this post) and grow a following of people who need and want your services, something your personal profile simply can’t do.  

So now that we have covered the reasons why it makes sense to grow a Facebook business page, let’s jump into the how!  

 

COMPLETE GUIDE TO CREATING A CLIENT ATTRACTING FACEBOOK BUSINESS PAGE

Your Facebook business page is tied to your personal account so you don’t need to create a whole new Facebook account for this (it actually goes against Facebook’s terms to have two accounts). Here is a step by step guide from Social Media Examiner on how to create a business page.

The focus of this article is how to properly brand your business page and strategies to market it so be sure to read this post in its entirety before setting up your page. 

 

Business Page Name. Ensure you are creating a page that makes sense for your business. Are you branding yourself personally or under a business name? Once you have determined that you can name your page. Take your time and keep in mind that Facebook is like a search engine and it will be indexed by Google, so think about keywords that need to go into your page name. 

For example, are you a graphic designer, virtual assistant or design websites? Include keywords into your page name – “Whitney Smith, Virtual Assistant” (if you are branding yourself personally) or “Twisted Vines Website Designs” (if you are branding under a business name)  

An important element to mention here is if you are creating a business page centered around your personal brand, to ensure you have your name in the page name. One of the biggest mistakes I see is people not including their name into their page name. 

For example, if someone searches for you they will most likely search for you by how they know you, your name, right? Without this piece of information in your Facebook page name people will not find you because they have no idea that you have branded yourself as the “Holistic Virtual Assistant” so ensure that the business page name includes how people know you “Tina Jones, Holistic Virtual Assistant” so you will pull up in the search results.

 

Complete Page Information. Take the time to complete all of the info related to your business page: upload a professional photo, create a cover photo for your page (you can easily do this for free with done-for-you templates in Canva), about section, hours, website, etc. It’s important to share your story, what drives your passion, your experiences and expertise. 

Spend time on this and put some thought into it. This is like meeting someone for the first time so make that first virtual impression count!

 

Creating Content. The content on your business page should be 80% value based that will resonate with your ideal client and 20% about your products and/or services. Create blog content regularly to share valuable information that positions you as an expert in your niche, create free offers to help you build an email list, share quote graphics your audience would resonate with, helpful tutorials, etc.

Creating content for your business page shouldn’t be a stressful so don’t over think it trying to come up with perfect posts, just share from your heart with the goal of serving others.

 

Facebook Ads. As you create content for your business page, you can boost those posts to target followers who will find the information useful and attract the right people to your page. 

For example, share a helpful blog post and boost it once a week for $10-$15. You don’t have to spend a ton of money on ads for it to be effective. By driving traffic to your blog, you can grow your email list while getting new eyes on your business page at the same time to attract new followers. 

Of course the more you spend on the ad the more people you can reach and the more results you will have but test this strategy out with a low budget first to ensure that you like the results before spending more. A post that does well you can always boost over and over to spend more. 

Here’s a tip: Stretch your sponsored post out over 14-21 days v. boosting it for only 1 day. Facebook will actually show it to more people when it’s stretched out over a period of time, meaning you will get more bang for your buck. 

 

Consistency. While experts like to say how many times per day is ideal when posting, I find that quality definitely rules over quantity so find what works for you. If you can commit to posting once per day with good quality content, great but if you find that overwhelming, at the very least try to be consistent 3 times per week. 

Here are some tips to help you create consistent content for your business page:

  • Facebook has a separate app to manage business pages, Facebook Pages Manager. You can view your insights, boost posts and schedule content. Find what works for you to sit down for 30 minutes on Monday mornings and schedule out your content for the entire week. That way it’s done and you don’t have to think about it for the rest of the week except to check on your posts for comments, likes and shares so you can respond. 

You can find the Facebook Pages Manager app in your iTunes or Google Play Store.

 

Create A Marketing Plan. Write down all your favorite resources, blogs, etc. to pull relevant content from while you work to create your own. For example, if you are a logo designer you can pull articles from some of your favorite bloggers about why having a logo for a business is important or why branding is an important aspect of logo creation. Relevant articles like this help to edify what you do as a logo designer.  

Having a marketing plan you can refer to allows you to sit down and schedule out your content more quickly because you don’t have to think about where to find good content to share.

It’s important to be consistent so don’t go days without posting to your business page. It requires hard work and consistency but it’s all worth it to share your God given talents and grow your business for the long term. 

 

Ask questions. With the more recent Facebook updates, they are favoring posts that ask questions to promote engagement and spark conversations so think about how you can get your audience talking. 

People love to give their opinions so for example, maybe you are working on a new logo design for your Etsy shop and you have two variations you are trying to decide on. Put it to a vote on your business page! This is a subtle way of showing off your skills while valuing the thoughts of your followers.

 

Quote Cards. Quote graphics are very popular on social media and can be a great way to brand yourself and your business. The key is to be consistent with your design and to create graphics that resonate with your followers. 

At HireMyMom.com, our audience is primarily moms so the quote graphics we create are faith inspired or poking fun at motherhood as that is what resonates with our followers. 

So think about what kind of quote graphics you can create that will set your brand apart on not only your Facebook business page but Instagram and Pinterest as content like this can be used on multiple platforms. 

 

Go Live. Facebook is giving live video 6x’s the organic reach than regular posts so this can be a great strategy for your business when you focus on how you can give value that centers on how to solve a problem for your audience. 

For example, if you are a virtual assistant, think about how you could create value around something that your ideal client struggles with. Maybe they are having a hard time learning MailChimp. Give them a quick tutorial on how to create a list and send a newsletter. 

This shows your followers that you know what you are doing and yes, some will watch your tutorial and feel empowered to do it themselves and that’s okay. You were a blessing to that person while others will watch your video and say to themselves “Yeah, okay, I totally do not have the time to do all of that so I really need to reach out to her and find out what her pricing is to do it for me” and that right there is why giving value regularly on social media is so important. It’s one thing to tell people you are a great virtual assistant but it’s much more powerful to show them!

Were these tips helpful in creating a client attracting Facebook business page? Be sure to share it with other hard working mompreneurs and I would love to hear from you so please contact me with comments or questions. 

Need a word of encouragement to help you in your business building journey? I pray you take these words to heart today for God truly does want to see you prosper! “Submit to God and be at peace with Him; in this way prosperity will come to you.” Job 22:21

Looking for a community that can give you support, training and more job leads or even help you set up your own Facebook Business Page? Check out more of what HireMyMom.com has to offer. Click HERE. 

 

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August 12, 2019

HireMyMom Success Story: Amanda Smith

Tell us a little about you and your experience on HireMyMom.

My background and degree are in sales and marketing. When I had my children I chose to come home to be with them. When my 2nd child was entering pre-school I missed working in the marketing field so I began searching for ways I could work from home. I stumbled upon HireMyMom.com in 2014. I noticed at this time that the trend for marketing was leaving traditional advertising methods and becoming more for social media. I started learning everything I could about social media advertising and established my own consulting business. In 2015, I turned to HireMyMom.com to look for clients and landed a job with a small company located across the USA. I kept this account for over a year before they chose to use different advertising methods. After my success, I told a friend about HireMyMom.com and she ended up landing a part-time job as well that after a year turned into a full-time managerial position. Last year I got the idea to start a blog to help women find ways to work from home and share my experience. You can read more at www.livingthatwahmlife.com.

What did you do previously? 

I was an Advertising Sales Representative for 8 years prior to coming home with my children.

What is your top tip for landing a gig on HireMyMom.com?

My greatest recommendation is to have a stellar resume and cover letter that sells yourself. Believe in your abilities and make them believe in you too.

What’s your favorite thing about HireMyMom.com?

My favorite part about HireyMyMom.com is the job postings are legit and there are no scams to worry about. Most of the employers know they are hiring moms and understand they will be working around a flexible schedule.

What’s one fun or interesting fact about you?

I love to travel and have studied abroad in England. I have visited probably half of the USA but have more places on my bucket list. My dream job would be to be a travel blogger once my children become adults.
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