Every August, something predictable happens. Parents head to the store for pencils, notebooks, and a brand new backpack, even though last year's backpack still has plenty of miles left in it.
Nobody buys school supplies because the old ones broke. They buy them because a fresh start feels good, and a new backpack is proof, at least to a seven year old, that this year is going to be different. Better. More put together.
Your business could use that same energy right now. Not a rebrand. Not a six-month overhaul. Just an honest look at the three things a potential client notices about you before they ever say hello, because these are the spots that quietly cost you work without you ever knowing it.
We've been coaching VAs since 1996, and here's what we've learned over and over again: the businesses that struggle almost never struggle because the VA lacks skill. They struggle because something small and totally fixable got overlooked while life got busy.
So let's do a backpack check.
Your website or profile does the same thing to you, every single day. When someone lands on it, they decide almost instantly whether you're legit. That's not fair, but it's true, and it's not something you can argue your way out of after the fact.
Here's the question that matters: Does your homepage say what you do, who you do it for, and how to reach you, in about the time it takes to read one sentence? If you have to explain it on a call before it clicks, it's not clear enough yet.
Quick check:
- Read your homepage headline out loud. Does it name what you do and who you help, or does it lean on a clever tagline that only makes sense once someone already knows you?
- Could a total stranger describe your business back to you after reading it once?
- Is your contact info easy to find, or is it buried three clicks deep behind a menu?
- Does your LinkedIn or directory profile say the same clear thing your website says, or has it drifted?
This is exactly the kind of thing we work through inside VANA Community, especially if you're newer and still finding the words for what makes your services easy to say yes to.
Your "Supply List": The Stuff You Keep Meaning to Restock
Every parent has that one school supply they keep meaning to replace. The backpack with the broken zipper. The shoes that are a size too small. It still works, technically. It just doesn't look like anyone is paying attention.
Your business has a supply list too, and most VAs are quietly carrying at least one item that needs restocking:
- Testimonials that are three years old, or that mention a service you don't even offer anymore.
- A rate sheet you built when you were charging less and haven't touched since.
- A services page that still lists something you stopped doing last spring.
- A portfolio or case study section with nothing from the last twelve months.
None of this is a big fix. It's usually an afternoon of updates, not a rebuild. But it's worth knowing that VA rates have moved. Most general VA support now runs $30 to $50 an hour, and specialized skills like funnel builds, ads management, or bookkeeping often land at $65 an hour and up.
If your rate sheet still reflects who you were two years ago, it's worth a fresh look, not because you have to raise your rates today, but because your current pricing should reflect your current skill level.
AND if pricing and packaging is the part you keep avoiding, that's the whole focus of GetClientsClub.com > Setting your business up to be client attractive. You don't have to figure out client-getting strategies alone.
Your "Missed Homework": The Follow-Up That Never Happened
Every VA has one. A lead who went quiet after a great first call. A past client you meant to check in with. An inquiry you answered once, thoroughly, and then let go silent.
It's the business equivalent of homework that's still sitting in your bag, unfinished, three weeks later. You know it's there. You just haven't dealt with it.
Here's the good news: that one email you send this month could be the easiest client win of your entire quarter, and it costs you nothing but five minutes and the guts to hit send. It doesn't need to be clever. It just needs to exist.
A simple template to borrow:
| Hi [Name], I was thinking about our conversation back in [Month] and wanted to check in. I know things get busy, and priorities shift, so no pressure either way. If [the project/support you need] is still on your radar, I'd love to help. And if the timing isn't right, I hope things are going well. |
That's it. No hard sell. Just a human being who remembered them, which puts you ahead of almost everyone else in their inbox.
Pick One Thing and Get It Done
Here's your takeaway from all of this: you don't need to fix all three areas. Pick the one that made you wince while you were reading it. That's the one that's actually costing you.
Which, conveniently, is exactly this month's VANA Community Challenge.
September Challenge: Pick ONE Thing. Get It Done.
Summer's over, September is here, and it's the perfect time to get your business mojo back. Your challenge this month is to choose one thing you've been putting off and get it done before September 30th. Could be:
- Updating your website
- Refreshing your LinkedIn profile
- Following up with old leads
- Finally creating that service package
- Cleaning up your bookkeeping
- Updating your rates
- Setting up an email list
- Asking for testimonials
- Or that one annoying task that's been sitting on your list forever
The rules are simple:
- Pick ONE thing.
- Tell us what you're committing to.
- Get it done before the end of September.
- Come back and tell us when you did it.
No giant list. No overhauling your entire business. One thing, done.
Ready to pick your one thing?
Drop your commitment in the VANA Community forum. I want to see what you're tackling, and our members will cheer you on until it's done. Not a member yet?
Come join us. You don't have to build your business alone.
FAQ: The Business Backpack Check
I don't have time for a website overhaul right now. Where do I even start?
You don't need an overhaul. Start with your homepage headline. If it doesn't say what you do, who you help, and how to reach you, fix that one sentence first. Everything else can wait.
What if none of these three areas feel like my problem?
Then you're in great shape, and you can spend September on something that grows your business instead of maintaining it. Most VAs, if they're honest, find at least one spot that's slipped.
How often should I actually update my rates?
At minimum, once a year, or any time your skills, tools, or results have leveled up. If you're still quoting the rate you charged two years ago, it's time for a fresh look.
Where can I get support actually following through on this?
That's exactly what the VANA Community is for. Commit to your one thing in the forum, and you'll have a whole community of VAs cheering you on and keeping you accountable through the end of September.
Join the VANA Community today!
