“Do you know a good…?”  That simple question is the beginning of networking!  How often do we look to others for a solid resource that will improve our lives?  This is at least a weekly if not a daily occurrence.  “Do you know a good Vegan restaurant… a good hairstylist… a good mystery novel… a good dentist?  The list is infinite!  Either we ourselves or someone we know is looking for a reputable something or someone. Think about it, if that recommendation is followed through, someone just gained a new client. When situation is appropriate, that someone could be you! Continue Reading »

Do you know that you are possibly sitting on a gold mine!  Whether you are new or experienced as a virtual assistant, it is important for you to tap into your warm market.  “What is my warm market?” you may ask?  I’m so glad that you asked that question because it is a great topic for discussion. Continue Reading »

What is your answer to the question in the title of this blog post?  If your answer is, “I don’t know”, this post is designed for you.  If you do already have a target market, you will get some helpful reminders as to why it is imperative for you as a business owner to focus on serving that market. Continue Reading »

At EA to VA we have conducted several surveys over the past several years.  The most popular question that we receive is, “How do I get clients and run a successful business?”  This is a very important question.  If you belong to the EA to VA community, you know that there are many resources available to you that will teach you how to run a solid Virtual Assistance business.  We encourage you to keep following the blog and post comments and questions when they arise.  Also, take advantage of the many resources within the weekly ezine. Continue Reading »

Having a good relationship with your clients is critical if you want to have a successful Virtual Assistant business. It all begins with laying a strong foundation. You’ll need to have best practices firmly in place so that when a new client says “Yes I want to work with you,” you’ll have everything ready to go and get off to a great start.

Taking time to establish the groundwork will give you a strong foundation, which will help your business stand out. Not only will a new client continue to use your VA services, they will refer others to you as well. The following tips will help you to develop a strong relationship with your clients right from day one: Continue Reading »

By Sydni Craig-Hart

When you’re out networking or talking to your family and they ask you, “What do you do?” or “What is your business all about?” what do you say?

Do you freeze?  Stammer?

Or do you apologetically and quietly say, “I’m a VA" or "I’m a Virtual Assistant.”

And then, you get the blank stare.  You know, the deer in the headlights look that says, “I have no idea what that is.  I still don’t know what you do.  And I don’t think I need that.”

The truth is, saying you are a Virtual Assistant doesn’t mean anything because people still don’t know what you do.  Just like there are different types of lawyers, there are different types of VAs.  All have different specialties, expertise and knowledge.

So, what you need to do is really focus on a descriptive one liner that tells people exactly what you do.  For example, “I help real estate agents manage their tasks so they can focus on selling properties.”

By having a descriptive sentence like this, you’ve accomplished three things:

1. You’ve identified your target market:  real estate agents.
2. You’ve described what you do and show that you solve a problem:  you manage tasks so they can focus on selling properties.
3. You’ve opened the conversation for more questions about what you do; targeted questions that will allow you to showcase your expertise.

Whether you work online or offline, one of the keys to your success and having a full practice is networking.  In order to network effectively, you have to do two things really well:  1) you have to build relationships so that others feel comfortable talking to you and referring your services to their friends, family and colleagues, and 2) you have to market yourself so that people know who you are and what you do – without questions or hesitations.

So, now that you know you shouldn’t just tell people you are a Virtual Assistant, you need to work on your presentation.  Some people call it an elevator speech, others call it a 30 second intro.  Whatever you call it – make sure it’s descriptive, make sure it’s effective and make sure it’s easy to say.  Talk about the problems you solve and the pain you eliminate in a way that a young child would understand.  (What would you say if your child asked you , “Mommy, what do you do?”)  When something is easy to say, it rolls off your tongue and you don’t worry about it.  You exude confidence, which tells people you’re ready for business.

And THAT is highly client-attractive!

YOUR ACTION PLAN FOR THIS WEEK:

• Get clear on EXACTLY who will best benefit from your services and who you are meant to serve.
• Brainstorm about the benefits and results your clients enjoy when working with you.
• Combine these two points into ONE succinct sentence: I help [GROUP] [ACCOMPLISH SPECIFIC BENEFITS & RESULTS]
• Leave a comment below and share what you came up with!

Savvy Virtual Assistants use documented systems to run their business.  Using systems consistently will allow you to work as effectively and efficiently as possible.  The more you can systemize, the more you can monetize!

Systems are the key to your business organization.  It’s a way to ensure that you create consistent high-quality results in everything you do.  This includes bookkeeping, communication, administrative duties, client support and marketing.  Whether you realize it or not, you probably already have a system in place for all of these things. You just haven’t gone through the process of actually documenting the steps involved.

Documentation is the key to helping you streamline your processes so that you handle your workload more quickly.  Once you document your processes for how you handle different tasks, you’ll begin to see how you can either automate them or outsource them.   This will free up time for you to spend on your two primary business activities:  client work and marketing your business.

Another benefit of setting up systems and embracing technology to help you run your business is that your clients see that you are a true professional.  When you invest the time, money and technology to run your business efficiently, you demonstrate that you are running your business like the CEO of a large company rather than a "hobbyist" who makes decisions flying by the seat of her pants.  This sets you apart from your colleagues and makes you a more valuable and respected Virtual Assistant.

Think it this way: why would a client pay you top dollar for your services if you don’t demonstrate that you are the absolute best choice? When clients see that you invest money in your systems that help you work more efficiently on their projects, they will gladly pay you what you are worth because they know they are getting the best service possible.

Setting up systems and embracing technology uniquely prepares you for something else:  growth with your client.  As your relationship grows with your client, they will see you not only as their skilled Virtual Assistant but also as a trusted adviser and business partner.  And when it’s time for them to grow their business by expanding their services or looking at other solutions, they will feel comfortable coming to you for help.  That trust can only be earned by someone who can offer solutions to what the client needs.

At this point, you may be asking yourself, “So where do I start?”

The best place to begin is to document your tasks for a couple of days.  Once you start writing things down, you will see some areas where you can maximize your time by “batching” tasks together.

For example, if you read email every 15 minutes, you probably waste a lot of time reading emails and responding immediately.  This is ineffective for two reasons:  one, you are constantly reading emails and never get into a good rhythm for completing client work and two, you set an unrealistic expectation for your clients about when you’ll respond to them.  If you always reply immediately, a client may start to get impatient with you if you take more than a couple of hours to address their needs.

You can resolve this issue by putting a system in place to set aside specific times of the day to read and respond to emails.  This will allow you to schedule time to review emails and respond so that you free up time to schedule actual client work.

You can also embrace the technology within your email settings to be even more efficient.  For example, you can set up rules to automatically filter specific emails (like newsletters) into a folder.  This helps you control the clutter of your Inbox and you know where to find the newsletters when you have a chance to read them.

These are just a few examples of how you can begin to create systems in your Virtual Assistance business.  Once you get some practice with creating systems and using the technology to help you work more efficiently, you will be pleasantly surprised and how much “FREE” time you have available.  Now, you’ll be in a position to use that time to grow your business, work with more clients or take a well-deserved break!

“I need more clients!”  Have you ever made this statement about your VA business?

Attracting ideal clients and keeping a full pipeline is often the number one challenge Virtual Assistants face. Fortunately, it is also one of the easiest challenges to overcome. By consistently implementing a few simple steps, you will be well on your way to achieving your business goals.

The struggle to attract ideal clients is often rooted in a lack of clarity, focus and planning.  Remember, when you have clarity of vision for your business, it is easier for your ideal clients to see it as well. So, you first need to know WHO exactly is your ideal client, what makes them ideal and what solutions they are looking for. Also, it’s important to narrow and focus your attention on one particular demographic. This will allow you to be more strategic with your efforts and spend your marketing time wisely. The planning is important too, because allows you to outline exactly what you are going to do on a  monthly,  weekly and daily basis to connect with ideal prospects, instead of leaving it to chance.

Once you’ve gotten clear on your target market, ideal client and what they need, it’s time to start taking action.  Here are three simple strategies for attracting ideal clients to your business NOW:

1. Reconnect with past clients – Studies have proven time and again that it’s far easier to sell to an existing client than a new one.  So use this to your advantage!  NOW is a great time to reconnect with past clients and catch up with them.  Find out what’s new with them, what their goals are and offer to help them create their next level of success.  You can even create a special incentive to honor the relationship and encourage them to engage your services once again.
2. Networking – If you want to catch “fish” you’ve got to fish where the fish are.  In this case your ideal catch is your ideal client. Targeted, focused networking is an excellent way to connect with ideal prospects en-masse. That doesn’t mean randomly attending networking events just because they’re available or you’re invited.  It means researching where your ideal clients are congregating and meeting them where they are.  It also mean showing up as a friendly, helpful, engaging resource, listening more than you talk and focusing your comments on how you solve your clients problems.  Most of all effective networking is all about PROMPT follow-up.
3. Power Partnerships – Obviously, you aren’t the only service professional targeting your ideal client.  For example, if you are a professional organizer, it’s likely that a personal chef, interior designer, landscaper, painter and real estate agent in your area are also seeking to connect with your ideal prospects.  Or if you are a virtual assistant you will find that graphic designers, bookkeepers, CPAs, business coaches and marketing coaches are targeting your ideal clients.  That is a GOOD thing! You can significantly boost the reach of your marketing efforts by leveraging their network and cross promoting one another's services.

Marketing consistently is always easier when you see where you want to be, so clearly, you can almost taste it! You’ll have no problem putting in the time it takes, or coming up with creative ideas, when your own clarity has grown your enthusiasm to such a level that you’re actually energized by your marketing efforts.  Your energy is very attractive to others – your enthusiasm keeps the pipeline full of those who are looking for the very same in their own lives!

Interviewing a potential client is more than just assessing their needs, business opportunities and strengths.  It's much more about YOU and if the two of you can work well together.  Identifying a great potential client starts with the interview process.

But how do you know if the new potential client is "the one"?  How can you be sure that the relationship will go smoothly and you are a good fit?

Unfortunately, there's no absolute way to determine this.  However, there are some warning signs you should look for to minimize disappointment and needless frustration

1. Listen to your gut - As hard as it may seem to accept this advice, deep down you know it's true.  You will have an immediate reaction to a potential client based on the tone of their email, the tone of their voice on the phone call, their questions, anecdotes and requests.  If you get a feeling in the pit of your stomach that working with this client will be difficult or messy don't ignore it and take the opportunity now to walk away.  It can save you a lot of stress, frustration and time.  And you are really serving the client by leaving them free to find the perfect VA for them.  TRUST ME...If you ignore your feelings, it will come back to bite you...EVERY single time.
2. Analyze your current clientele - Think about your current (or past) clients that you really enjoyed working with and even the ones you didn't.  Taking the time to identify the traits you really like in a client, and the ones you don't will go a long way in helping you identify your next ideal client.  That way you can compare a prospective client to those clients (or even employers) you've worked with in the past to see if the two of you working together make a great fit.  For example, if you love working with Harry and he has a great sense of humor, then that's a quality you can look for in a prospective client.  Remember, working with your ideal client is about much more than just the work. It's about the relationship and rapport you have with each other that makes it feel more like playing than working.
3. Determine "red-flag" behaviors - it is absolutely OK to refuse to work with someone who exhibits behaviors you will not tolerate.  As a matter of fact, it's more than OK, it's your right as a business owner.  Take the time to identify these behaviors early so that you know what to watch for.  Is it someone who sees and treats you as a subordinate employee rather than a like-minded business owner on the same level?  Is it someone who speaks disrespectfully?  Or perhaps they try to negotiate your fee and tell you what your time is worth?  Whatever your "deal breakers" are, if you see them come up with a prospective client just say NO!  Do not put yourself in the position to compromise your standards or self-esteem to work with someone who doesn't deserve to work with you. 

While you may think that saying "no" to a potential client can be challenging and difficult, think about it this way:  it's much more difficult to end the business relationship when things don't go smoothly.  Take the stance from the beginning and nip it in the bud before you even have to go down that road.   The money is not worth the stress and anxiety that can come from working with someone who isn't a great fit for your business. Additionally, you will not enjoy your work and not put forth your best effort which undermines your professionalism for future clients.

What other warning signs do you look for when interviewing a potential client?  Please post your comments and experiences on the blog so we can continue this discussion! 

As a virtual assistant, you provide a high value to your clients because you solve their problems.  Whether you are a VA that specializes in social media, blog promotion, copywriting, website design or general administrative services, the bottom line is your clients need your help to accomplish specific goals in their business.  You have become a trusted part of their inner circle and they trust you with their business needs.

Sometimes a client will thank you for your hard work - either in a nice email, when you're on the phone for a weekly update, or by sending you a thoughtful thank you card.  …But, there are special occasions when actions speak louder than words, and that's when a client gives you a referral.

The trust and confidence a client has in you is conveyed by a powerful seal of approval in the form of a referral.  In general, people like to do business with other people they know, like and trust.  So when someone needs help, they typically go to someone they know, like and trust for their recommendation.

And that's when the referral can happen.

Perhaps someone in your client's network expresses a problem, challenge or a need and your client realizes that YOU provide the solution.  They share your name, contact information and glowing praise of how you've made a difference in their life.  The contact gets in touch with you; the two of you have a great conversation, decide to work together and voila! You have a new client!

To "secure" referrals like this there are three things you must do consistently:

1. Be a great communicator:  Always keep your client informed about everything! When there are challenges, provide options for resolution, when things are good, find opportunities to celebrate.  Be honest in EVERYTHING (even when you make a mistake) and always work with the highest level of integrity.  This will create a trusting, powerful relationship between you and your clients.
2. Have great follow-through:  Doing what you say you would do, when you said you would do it is a big deal.  Clients need to know they can trust you to get things done when you say you will. I can't tell you how many entrepreneurs I know have complained about this.  No one expects you to be perfect and everyone understands that on occasion "life" happens.  But there is no excuse for you not to be dependable.  If you prove yourself reliable your clients will notice and they will refer you to others. 
3. Go the extra mile:  Taking the time to really get to know your client and their business can go a long way in the solutions you can provide.  While you may not always be able to do everything for your client, you can recommend resources and other service providers to help them when they need it.  Becoming a trusted advisor helps build a foundation of trust and respect.

There's one last thing you must do to get more referrals from current clients - and that is to thank them for a referral when they give it to you.  Make sure you are in the habit of acknowledging the referral to let your client know you truly appreciated their trust in you.  Otherwise, a client may assume you didn't appreciate the referral or you don't need the additional work.  In either case, that's not the impression you want to make.

No one is perfect, and things don't always go according to plan.  But maintaining professionalism and integrity are the cornerstones to your success and reputation.  By following these guidelines, you are on the right path to keeping the clients you have, and helping their friends and colleagues along the way.

Have you received a referral from a client recently?  How did it make you feel?  How did you thank the client for the referral? Post your comments here on the blog and tell me all about it!