Virtual Assistants: Tips to Start your Business and Find Clients

This slide show provides important steps you don’t want to miss when starting your business and filling your client list. Focused on Virtual Assistants but can be applied to any entrepreneur starting their online business.

For my readers who prefer the written word:
Script

• Getting Started
• What’s your business structure?
• Is it fully optimized for success?

• Consider the following:
• What’s your ideal client
• How many hours do you want to work
• How much money do you wish to earn
• Creating your ideal conditions will attract your ideal client
• Do You Love What You Do?

• Specialize
• Virtual assistant specializing in Social Media
• Graphic designer specializing in web graphics
• Copywriter specializing in blog writing
• Choose the task(s) that you enjoy most, that energize you

• Make a list
• Things you love vs things you hate
• Do You Love What You Do?
• Analyze your list
• What tasks can you outsource?
• What services can you eliminate?
• What services can you promote?
• Specialize in THESE services!
• Is there a need for your specialized services?
• Conduct polls & other market research
• Setup your ideal business first to attract ideal clients

• Pricing Your Services
• Check out your competitors’ prices
• Check sites like Upwork, and VA Networking Look for networks where higher pay goes to established freelancers
• Create special introductory offers
• Then upsell client to other, regular-priced services
• Beware…some clients expect the low prices forever

• Introductory Offers
• May not attract your ideal client
• Always set a limit
• How long the offer will remain in effect
• How many units a new client can purchase on amount of time offered
• Always post your limits within the ad copy
• Always call it an introductory offer

• Your Business Image
• Your website, forms, brochures & business cards should be professional. This will attract professional clients
• Be aware of what image your photographs portray
  If you’re in a suit, you’ll attract formal clients
  If you’re wearing jeans, you’ll attract informal client

• Your Service Delivery
• Create a strong project management system & communications protocol
• Create contracts & project management spreadsheets
• Be very clear about your expectations & what services you will provide
• Communicating With Clients
• Let clients know when you’ll be available
• Let clients know about any rush charges for same day service
• Ask for their preferred method of contact
• Keep a simple, one-page chart for each client

• Creating Packages
• Create packages that suit you but delight your clients
• Packages should provide high-value service options
• One-time setup packages
• Recurring monthly packages
• Add a shopping cart button
• TELL your client what you want them to do with a call to action

• Price for Success
• Track your time When you stop for lunch or phone calls. This can help find where you’re wasting time & how to work more efficiently
• Be clear & focused about how you want to spend your time

• Is Your Business a Client Magnet?
• Your professional website
• Should LOOK like a website, not a blog
• Use WordPress & create a static home page
• Choose a catchy name
• Highlight your specialty
• Featured Content boxes allow client interactivity
• Video gives a sample of your personality

• Other Website Features
• Prominent sign up web form with incentive
• Share buttons & RSS feed button
• Call to action
• Client testimonials
• Relevant header graphic
• Professional colors
• White space to keep client focused on message
• Helpful menu tabs

• When a New Client Calls
• Create a Client Kit folder & keep it on your desktop for easy access
• Create a backup or master file & store elsewhere in case of a computer crash
• Your kit should include:
• Email templates outlining packages
• Price list
• Client questionnaire

• Your Client Questionnaire
• Should tell you everything you need to know about a project
• Should help your client think about the different aspects of the projects clearly
• Should prequalify your client
• Eliminates the ‘mindreader’ factor
• Will help determine pricing
• Create 2 versions: for exploratory, 1 for when client commits
• Include a Client Profile sheet for when they commit

• Offline Networking
• Join local networking groups
• Carry business cards and/of brochures
• Volunteer to hold a workshop
• Have a six-second mission statement ready
• Concisely describe what you do, then offer an extra business card to pass along

• Ways to Find New Clients
• Check LinkedIn daily
• Word of mouth recommendations
• Refine your web content to target your ideal client
• Advertise
• Facebook ads, other online ads
• Target your competitors
• Use specialized job boards
• Example: Problogger
• Get to know the more general job boards & directories
• Example: Upwork.com
• Create a special offer for membership forums
• Fiverr
  • Great for posting introductory offers
  • Everything is $5 so plan carefully
  • Be very specific about the scope of your offer

• Promoting Your Business
• How many clients do you need & want?
• Avoid relying on one big client
• You never know when that client’s needs will change & if they leave you won’t have any clients
• Diversify
• Take on at least 3 clients
  • If one client leaves, you can get more work from the other 2 or start looking for another client

• Install Paypal payment buttons on your services & products pages
• Create digital products & resources
  • You can reach a different segment of your target market
  • Your products can work for you & generate passive income
• Offering alternatives
•  Expenses
  • Competitor pricing
  • What the market will bear
  • Your unique mix
  • The added value you bring to your services
  • Your unique experiences & skills
• Pricing for Client Appeal
  • Your fee formula should be based on:
• Consider These Scenarios
  • Become a full-fledged company with employees & physical office space
  • Grow then sell your business
  • Run the business yourself
  • Run the business yourself but expand by outsourcing
  • Plan the outsourcing from the beginning
  • What type of work will you outsource?
  • What type of contractors will you need?
• Plan a time frame for growth & expansion
• How many departments will you need as you expand?
• How many people do you want to employ?
• Plan to grow your business from the start
• Growing Your Business
• Finding Clients From Products
  • Very often a client who purchases a product will contact you about your premium services
  • Your product acted as a sampler
  • It was branded with your contact info
  • This creates trust & goodwill
  • Even if your customer never returns, you still made money on the products

• Your Sign Up Incentive
  • The product you give away when someone signs up for your list
  • Make it highly-focused
  • It should supply their most immediate need
  • Brand with you logo & contact information
  • A subscriber list allows you to keep in touch with potential customers & build relationships

• Strategies So Far
  • Research ideal client
  • Determine what fees the market will bear
  • Determine how much your ideal client is used to paying
  • Research your competitors & their fees
  • Setup a well-optimized website
  • Create special offers for membership forums
  • Advertise, as your budget allows
  • Join local networking groups
  • Create workshops
  • Volunteer
  • Check social media daily
  • Advertise on job boards or directories
  • Create a sign up incentive
  • Create a client resource section
  • Create a digital product
  • Referred the ‘wrong’ client to a more appropriate professional
  • Asking for Referrals
  • Ask for referrals on your website
  • Bribe visitors to spread the word
  • Hand out business cards everywhere
  • Update your website quarterly & tell your list
  • Ask clients for referrals when they thank you for a job well done
  • Ask for recommendations on whatever social media sites the client uses regularly

• Troubleshooting Your Business
• Managing clients & turning them into repeat customers can be tricky
• Don’t become too comfortable in your business
• Build your reputation
• Generate consistent positive recommendations
• Remain visible in your field
• Grow with technology

• Setup for Long Term Success
• Keep your Client Kit easily accessible
• Price services competitively
• Research your ideal client
• Fine tune your services
• Optimize your website
• Develop a 6-second mission statement
• Advertise (if necessary)
• Keep up to date on job boards
• Create appealing client packages

• How to Keep Clients Happy
• Do what you promised!
• Delivering mistake-free, top quality product
• Meet your deadline
• Make sure you work well with your client’s team or employees
• You never know if one of these employees will recommend you to someone else

• When Clients Don’t Play Nice
  • Separate the delivery from the message
  • Don’t be tempted to yell back but do understand the source of the complaint
  • If the yelling continues, warn the client that you’ll be hanging up but would be happy to continue the conversation at another time
  • Try not to engage in this argument
  • Apologize to the client
  • Keep it simple
  • Don’t offer an explanation unless asked for
  • Don’t apologize if the client is being abusive or yelling – wait until the client is calmer
  • Nasty emails
  • Don’t react
  • Fix the problem
  • Keep emotional language out of the response
  • Keeping the client or cutting them loose
  • There’s no right or wrong answer
  • Only you know if you can handle their personality & demands
  • Never accept abusive language or behavior
  • Don’t burn bridges
  • Offer the names of other service providers to the client
  • Don’t keep clients who cost you time & money

• Growing with Your Client
• Be aware of changes in your client’s business
• Don’t be afraid to ask questions as changes occur
• Don’t assume your client will tell you about every change
• Tell clients about added services as your business changes
• Talk to your client about their goals
• Always deliver high quality

 

About HIT Virtual

HIT Virtual Assistants work with entrepreneurs and business owners from a variety of. I started the company in 2007. Today, nine years later, I  have realized my goals of owning a successful business and having the freedom to live the lifestyle I desire. I became VACertified shortly after I started my business. Working as a Virtual Assistant has allowed me to achieve my dream lifestyle.
If this is your goal, I have a limited number of consultation packages for those wanted to start the  VA journey. If you’re interested contact me at Karen@HITVirtual.com