A How I Work document is not my idea. I got it from a friend of mine who is a veteran virtual assistant. Last post we covered proposals, and in this post we will take a look at several of the sections needed for a How I Work document. If you are nervous about sharing such things as rates and policies, you could benefit from having this document as well.
Before the Consultation
I send the paperwork before a consultation takes place and ask potential clients to read it beforehand. By reading, they know what to expect before working with me.
The sections begin with expectations. What can you expect from working with Alyssa Avant? I cover my policies and procedures on calls and emails, how I like to schedule calls, and how I don’t like clients to call without a scheduled appointment. I continue with informing of how I respond to emails within 24-48 hours during business days, and I don’t respond on weekends. Included are my hours of operation, rush job policy, the holidays I choose to take off, and my referral system policy.
Information About File Sharing
I use Google drive, creating a new folder to share with them that we both have access to use that while working together. Google Docs and Sheets show real time updates allowing both the client and I can see real-time changes. Dropbox didn’t have that capacity, so we were saving over each other’s work.
Expectations Continued
I make sure to include important information regarding task sharing and give them options to communicate with me. Then it goes on it give information about timelines, confidentiality, and rates (package and otherwise).
In Conclusion
Everything is summed up with a note that I sign off on. The document is about four pages long, filled with lots of valuable information! Some people publish theirs publicly, but I choose not to. If you book a consultation, you will get this sent to you automatically.
How I Work sets the expectation and safeguards me from people who don’t want to work the way I want to. Having worked for others, this document allows me to set my terms in a professional way. I’ve sent it and had someone tell me we wouldn’t be a good fit, and that’s ok! That’s the point because it filters out people and helps me find my ideal client. Next week we will cover policies and procedures, which I highly recommend setting up as a safeguard.
STAY CONNECTED
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