How to Create a Referral Based Virtual Assistant Practice
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:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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!