Do You Speak VA?

When I first started quilting, I remember standing in the fabric store, totally confused. The clerk asked if I needed a Fat Quarter or a Jelly Roll, and I thought, “Are we talking about fabric, snacks, or a rapper?” And don’t even get me started on the acronyms — HSTs, QSTs, FPP… it was a whole new language. But once I learned what those terms meant, quilting became a lot more fun (and a lot less intimidating).

It’s the same way when working with a Virtual Assistant. We toss around words that can make entrepreneurs pause and wonder if we’re speaking code. So, just like with quilting, let’s break down a few common VA terms into plain English:

CRM (Customer Relationship Management) – Your online “client filing cabinet.” It’s where you keep track of everyone you work with (and want to work with). Think of it like a digital Rolodex with superpowers. Funnel – The path someone takes from “Hey, I’m interested” to “Here’s my payment.” Like planning out the quilt top before stitching it all together. Opt-in – When someone joins your email list (usually for a freebie). It’s like saying “yes” to a new quilt pattern! Zap – A tiny automation in Zapier that connects tools behind the scenes. Like an assembly line, once it’s set up, the work moves through automatically (kind of like chain piecing in quilting).

Tagging – Adding labels in your CRM that help you sort contacts. Like sorting your fabric stash by color or theme.

Scheduler – Tools like TidyCal or Calendly that let people book a time without the back-and-forth hassle. Less email ping-pong, more ease. Template – A pre-designed setup (emails, graphics, forms) so you don’t have to start from scratch each time. Like a favorite quilt pattern you use again and again. Why It Matters These terms might sound fancy at first, but just like learning the difference between a Charm Pack and a Layer Cake (quilters, you get me), once you know the lingo, things start to click. So, next time you hear me say, “I’ll set up your funnel with tags in your CRM,” you’ll know I’m not speaking code, I’m just stitching your business pieces together!

Let’s make your business feel like a hand-crafted quilt—organized, beautiful, and made just for you.