Information Overload
One of the most difficult things that I am finding as a new business owner is the mass of information out there, and the vast number of tools available! You’d think this would be a positive thing but it can be quite overwhelming!
Don’t get me wrong, the internet is a wonderful thing, you can find out the answer to anything within seconds and take advantage of the advice of thousands of people who have been there and done it before you, but it’s also a minefield of opinions and reviews and it’s hard to know where to start and (more importantly) when to end!
My research into whether becoming a Virtual Assistant was going to be feasible and a profitable business venture for me was the easiest bit of research to do, as most (if not all) sites said if you’re prepared to put in the work, you will reap the rewards and I’m not afraid of hard work. Next, I found a book that would guide me through setting up and chose the 30 Day Challenge by Helen Stoddart – again, easy choice and a good one at that. Since then, it’s been quite a journey.
From websites (get a designer or DIY? Who to host? Who to get the domain from?) to social media platforms (which ones, how often to post, how to post more efficiently, tweetdeck, twuffer, hootsuite?) to file sharing (dropbox, Google Drive, sharefile?) and networking (local, national, free, memberships, mixed, ladies only?).
It’s so easy to keep researching and researching and never actually make a decision! I’m usually a very decisive person, I know what I want but I also want to make sure I get the best deal and make the right choice first time round, but it can drive you loopy! I now set myself a time limit when I’m looking for something new, and then make a decision and move on.
I’d be interested to know how other small business owners have found it and whether you’ve found a solution to reducing the endless hours of research in the name of making the right decision for you and your business. Let me know!
If you are reading this and are wondering what type of support we can provide, you can take our quiz and download our ’30 ways to use a VA’ guide here.
If you are starting up your own business and need a helping hand of support and guidance on where to begin, call us on 07814 218142 or email joanne@joannemanville.co.uk