VA's, these Client Stories are for you!

I recently worked on two resources that were designed specifically to help you get as many VA clients as you can handle and then take things to the next level as an online business manager (OBM).

First up was Lisa Wells, of Coast 2 Coast Business Solutions, with her book E-Marketing Essentials for Virtual Assistants: How to grow your business online in less time and with less effort. Lisa combines concrete how-to's with plenty of lessons learned in her own journey from fledgling start-up to successful business owner.

[Update December 15, 2012 – This resource is no longer available, but Lisa continues to produce fantastic resources and information for VAs.]

It was a pleasure to revisit some of the material in this book, since I had already edited it in different formats (articles, book chapters, e-courses). This time, it just needed some reshaping to come together as a cohesive whole.

When I asked what it felt like to have this book done, and how it was to work with me on it, Lisa replied:

"Even before I finished the book, my plan included sending it to you for editing because I knew the quality of your work. Like I’ve said before, you took my words and thoughts and sent back a complete book that made me sound like a rock star! In addition to the book, the sales page you did was also great – you gave me exactly what I wanted and in my own style and voice. I have another book project in the works for next year and I can’t wait to work with you again."

Thanks, Lisa!

I also jumped at the chance to work with Tina Forsyth on her Online Business Manager book. We've crossed paths many times over the years, mostly through her work with Andrea Lee.

From reading her blog and the book she co-wrote with Andrea, I felt like I already knew her voice – sometimes irreverent, always down-to-earth and infinitely wise.

Keeping that voice intact was my top priority, while just cleaning up some sentences here and there so that Tina's message came through loud and clear.

This book was filled with a-ha's for me. Its ideas are just as ground-breaking for business owners as they are for VA's. In fact, next week I have the pleasure of sitting down with Tina, voice-to-voice, to talk about bringing the OBM philosophy and practice into my own business. I can't wait!

From Tina: "I'm singing your praises here, Linda. You have a gift for taking what I’m trying to say in my long and rambling way and making it succinct. I also like that you didn’t try to change my voice at all, you ‘get’ who I am and didn’t try to make it sound all proper and boring (which was my fear in having an editor touch my book). Being a coach yourself you take a real coaching approach to the editing process, making it enjoyable vs. painful."

Glad to hear!