Name: Romany Thresher    Twitter name: @directassist 

What is your main Change challenge at present?

Realigning my business to a specific niche. At present, there is an abundance of virtual assistants popping up all over offering similar services. In order to differentiate my business from competitors, I now specialise in a particular area. For existing clients I have done an excellent job at handling all their social media and online presence. Increasing online visibility is something they know is important but something they do not have the time or inclination to do day-in-day out. It’s a little bit scary but first impressions are that I am getting much more enquiries than before. My existing clients have all received massive benefits and that has given me the confidence to take this big step

What is your strategy for dealing with it?

Continuous research plays a very important role for me when dealing with strategies, monitoring and keeping track of new ways and methods to do things. What has helped me a great deal in being efficient is my constant hunger for learning which has now made me a bit of a girly geek as some have suggested.

My strategy is one of changing systems, processes and marketing material to meet the new focus.

For example, revamping my site content, training existing staff, and looking at the packages that I offer clients.

Are you using social media as part of that strategy, if so, how?

Yes I am most definitely using social media as a part of my strategy. It’s what I do for clients so I have to be great at it!. .

We have developed a social community to interact more closely with community members so we can learn to understand their needs and provide resources and tools which can help them minimise their costs whilst increasing visibility.

Attend networking events, continue to blog, participate in targeted social networking communities and make use of Twitter to communicate, share tips and relevant information to help business owners establish themselves and increase their online visibility using social media, events and workshops.

I currently manage accounts for existing clients who supply me with their content and are struggling to maintain their online visibility on a regular basis so that they can focus on more face to face networking and other areas of their business which needs their attention.

What is your top Change tip?

Change is necessary for growth both personally and professionally.

Change is something we need to do constantly in order to grow. Life has a way of putting us in a situation where we are forced to change direction. I call these times growing pains as it often comes with some form of calamity. Focused change is when you know what your ultimate life goal is and you make a decision to change and focus on bringing about change, this often comes with very pleasant gifts.

What role does emotion / intuition play when you dealing with Change?

Emotion plays a very important part in change. I still have to work on my emotions and often fear mixed with excitement will be my emotion, this can sometimes stop me from moving with change. Thankfully I am strong willed and am not held back by my emotions

If you embrace the change things will happen. If you resist change, which I have done a few times in the past, the doors close, the opportunities cease to present themselves and it seems twice as hard to get to where you should’ve been in the first place.

Do you ever find Change brings unexpected gifts?

Yes, often. The greatest gift change brings to me is the people who come into my life. They are often very precious and valuable.

What thing best symbolises Change for you and why?

Not changing symbolises death for me. Change on the other hand, symbolises life, ever growing and experiencing new things which then gives you the ability and opportunity to help others and add value to the people around me.

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