Kathy Colaiacovo is an Online Marketing and Social Media Consultant.
She is the Principal at Time on Task Virtual Assistant Services, the arm of her business that helps clients implement and manage their social media strategy and action plans.
Her Motto is:
Be Real. Be Social. Get Clients Online.
Kathy’s story….
When I started my Virtual Assistant business 5 years ago, I thought I was going to have a business where I supported small business owners with email management, making flyers, newsletters and website support as that was my experience, I had been doing this through my career with a Bank and then after as a Volunteer for many Non- Profit organizations.
Then in June of 2008 I discovered Twitter – and my life changed forever!
I found out I love networking online, and did it with lots of gusto, it is such a fabulous way to connect with other people. Within 2 months I landed one of my first clients, and one who contacted me direct from Twitter. That same month another client hired me, having found me through an online forum and the networking I did there.
I am continually finding new ways to use the internet to connect with people online and bring in new clients to my business. This is kind of funny when I look back on where I came from – I was the person in school who fainted when she had to do an oral presentation in front of the class.
In less than three years, I built a six figure Virtual Assistant business which has grown with the support of 8 Virtual Assistants working with me as my team of VA Associates. My success in business has meant I put in a lot of time working hard the first few years and now it has grown to the point where I let parts of it run with my team’s support.
Dreams and Freedom
My business has allowed me more freedom in my life – freedom and money to take my family on vacations and spend more time with them. This is something many small business owners do – you invest all sorts of time, money and sacrifice to build your business. Sometimes it means time not spent doing the things you want in the beginning – long hours, hard work, but as you grow your business and become more successful, then you can afford the luxury of time and money to spend doing the things you love.
In my case the ‘things I love’ revolve around my family and my kids. I love the freedom I get from owning my own business and because it is a success, it allows me to do these things I love. This is what networking online has done for my business and it’s what I teach clients they can do as well. How to harness the power of your website, email marketing and online presence and combine it with online networking and social media marketing to build and grow your reputation, brand and business. This growth means more client and more sales.
Online networking has indeed built my business. 25 % of my new business comes directly from twitter and social media, 55% are people contacting me after doing a search online, ‘googling’ social media virtual assistant or other closely related keywords I strive to be recognized for. The other 20% is referrals. My only real marketing is social media, my email list and my blogs. This marketing and networking is how I grew my client list and my business.
The passion I bring to my business and clients is the love of working with someone who has been scared, confused and frustrated with the entire online marketing and social media world. I love helping clients realize how these tools can bring in more business. You can’t just go and tweet and post facebook updates, you have to be very strategic in what you do. If not, you end up wasting time and money – the two most important resources in any small business.
I never dreamed I could build a business that has given me the freedom I have today. The freedom to be with my family when I need to and want to, the freedom to achieve my dreams, the freedom to make the choices I want for my life and career. That’s what I help clients do as well.
