Marketing – Page 3 – Virtual Assistant Success Strategies

Wil Hart on September 22, 2011

Marketing Mentality

Take a look at your client load right now. Are you satisfied with the number of clients that you have? If not, why not? The number of clients that you have or do not have is directly related to your level of marketing. Why not examine all of your marketing activities and strategies and measure how well they are working for you.

Developing the marketing mentality will help you to focus on opportunities that come your way. Additionally, this mindset will motivate you to set up systems to support each of your marketing strategies. Take as an example, networking. What is your system for meeting new people, gathering business cards, and following up? When you follow up, do you send one email or make one phone call? Or do you attempt to contact the person until you get an answer.

Think about reaching out to your warm market. That is the group of people who already know, trust and like you. To some extent they even know the level of skill and knowledge that you bring to the table as a service provider. So, do all of these people know about your Virtual Assistance company? If not, send them a professionally written letter that details the important information about your company. Tell them about the services that you provide, the target market that you serve, the problems that you solve and the benefits that clients receive from working with you.

If you develop and maintain the marketing state of mind, you will see plenty of opportunity that surrounds you every single day. So, start reaching out to the people that you know you need to contact. Follow up and make your voice heard. There are a lot of people who need the services that you are offering. Use these two marketing strategies immediately. They are free and easy to implement.

Wil Hart on September 20, 2011

EAT MY DUST!

You are unique mainly because you are a human. No other person in the past, present or future will ever duplicate your fingerprints or dental impressions. I mean NO ONE!

But, what sets you apart as a Virtual Assistant. Why should I partner with you instead of the seven other Virtual Assistants that I have interviewed? Whew! I’m so glad that I don’t have to answer that question. I will, however, have to make a decision that is best for my business, my goals and my investment.

What skills, personality traits or knowledge do you have that sets you apart from the pack of client-hungry Virtual Assistants? If you make those points stand out to your prospective clients, you will have a full practice of clients. Your competition will have not choice but to eat your dust!

Wil Hart on August 12, 2011

Four Ways to Take Action NOW to Build a Successful Business

Once you setup your business and start moving out of “start-up” mode, you’ll want to turn your attention to “building” mode. Yes, you WANT a long-term sustainable business. You BELIEVE you can create success for years to come. Remember this quote: “There is something more important than believing; ACTION! The world is full of dreamers. Those who are successful will move ahead and begin to take concrete steps to ACTUALIZE their vision” (- Unknown).

The first step in doing so is to define what success means for you. You want to get to that place and stay there. As an executive or admin assistant, you likely started out as a newbie in the corporate world. Over the years you found yourself going from supporting entry level personnel to C-Level executives. In that world, supporting the highest level executives may have been considered by you as “Success Status”. You want to reach that same level, but this time it will be created by you in your own business.

Building your business and growing it to support the lifestyle you want is the whole point of becoming an entrepreneur. In order to build your business, you will need to do a few things very well:

Market Consistently: In our recent article on marketing, you learned how to reach out to your warm market. That is the group of people who already know, like and trust you. They are your family, friends and former colleagues. Congratulations if you have received clients in this way! Now it is time to step up your marketing. You need to know who your target market is and who your ideal client is.

Your target market is the industry or profession on which you focus your marketing efforts. For instance, if you decided that you want to focus on working with fitness professionals. That would be your target market. Now you can focus all of your marketing attention on that specific group. You can easily find networking events where fitness professionals spend time. They will be at conferences that you can attend. Your marketing collateral will speak directly to this group. It will help them to see that you are the expert who can help them to solve their specific problems.

Your ideal client is the one type of person in that target market that you are best suited to work with. This person has traits that inspire you to do your best work. Being clear on your ideal client will assist you in ALL of the marketing that you do going forward. It will affect where you direct your speaking engagements, social media marketing, blog writing, networking and everything else.

Your marketing efforts will be focused, consistent and effective when you follow this sound piece of advice.

Set Up Systems: Installing systems in your business will allow you to dramatically build your business. It will save you time, energy and resources. Why? It is because you will know exactly what steps to take when you perform any task in your business. This includes billing and receiving payments, enrolling new clients, dumping less than ideal clients, working with sub-contractor VAs, managing business cards that you collect when networking, knowing what to say when following up with prospects, closing new deals and the list goes on and on. All repetitive activity in your business deserves to have a system set up to make your life and that of your clients much more enjoyable.
Upgrade Your Skill Set: What got you HERE, won’t get you THERE. No doubt you were a sharp corporate employee. The skills you possessed are what allowed you to create your business in the first place. Now that you are growing your business, your fee structure should be commensurate with your skill set and the solutions you offer to your clients. When you worked as an EA, you likely had a yearly review. Your manager expressed to you whether you met the expectations for the position or not. That meeting likely determined if you received a raise or not.

In your own business, you will need to keep growing in knowledge and skill. One of your clients may want to sell products from their website. One skill you may want to develop is setting up and managing a shopping cart. Some of your clients may need help with managing the distribution of their weekly email newsletter. Therefore, you will want to learn how to utilize a database such as iContact. Make it a priority to look at what services will make your client’s lives easier and then invest in learning the necessary skills to offer those services so that you can increase your value (and your fees).

Build Momentum: There are so many different services that you can provide as a Virtual Assistant. That is why this industry is exploding with opportunity. You have started your business and that is EXCELLENT. Great job! Now is the time to turn up the heat and make your mark as an entrepreneur. If you market your business consistently, set up systems and learn new skills, you will be poised for phenomenal growth. All of this is based on what your level of Success Status means for you. Set your course and shoot for the stars!

We cover these topics in depth in the Successful VA 2.0 Mentoring Program. It is quite a hit with an excited, brand new group of 53 students. If you would like to join us, you still can, just visit www.SuccessfulVA.com to secure your spot and get instant access to the program materials. We look forward to welcoming you!

Wil Hart on July 29, 2011

I Can Help You: Marketing Made Easy

You have started your business. Congratulations!

Now, what is more important than starting a business? STAYING IN BUSINESS!

A few weeks ago, we discussed the importance of having a powerful mindset that will support all of your business and life goals. Here is a mindset to adopt about marketing your business: “if you do not market your skills, knowledge and services, you will not be in business for long.” Attracting clients to your company is how you will thrive in business.

Please decide now what type of business you want to have. Is it a not-for-profit organization? Are you looking forward to running a business that is struggling to stay afloat in the market? Or, do you want a business that is bustling, exciting and providing the lifestyle that you desire?

If you had to choose right now, which of the scenarios above would describe your business goals? The easiest way to create a successful business is to market yourself effectively. Marketing is sharing your knowledge, skills and services with people who are already looking for them. There are companies and solopreneurs in the world who are desperately seeking to find what you have to offer. Marketing effectively is your way of saying, “Here I am. I can help you.” There are hundreds of methods and strategies available for you to share your message with the people who need you most.

I am going to teach you the easiest and least stressful way to attract a few clients when you are first starting out in business. Remember this key point, marketing is simply standing up and saying to the people who are looking for you, “Here I am. I can help you.” If prospective clients are already looking for you, how will you communicate with them? Your message must be crystal clear. So, how do you clarify your ‘here I am, I can help you’ message? You can do so by answering these questions:

What problems do you solve? Every business fills a need. People pay you for a physical product, service rendered or for your consultation. All of these aspects of business solve some sort of problem. It is important that you clearly identify with the problems of those whom you serve.
Whom do you serve? There are a lot of people, businesses and organizations in the world. Define who you specifically work with. This is your target market. When you clearly discuss whom you work with, other people will quickly pinpoint the individuals in their networks that need you. They can refer business to you.
What benefits do they receive? This is the reason satisfied customers will refer you to their friends and colleagues. When you solve their problems they are happy, comfortable and joyful. Define some of the benefits that your clients receive from working with you.

Now, it’s time for the strategy. Your initial marketing strategy should be to make full use of your warm market. This is the group of people whom you already know. They trust you and can vouch for your character and in many cases the work that you produce. Where can you find them? Start with your workmates, family and friends. Any person that knows, trusts, and likes you should be notified about your new business. They may be in a great position to help you.

Marketing becomes quite easy when you have the right mindset towards it. There is no need for you to feel hesitant about reaching out to the people who are already in need of your help. Think back to when you were working for other people. Each time you interviewed for a new J-O-B, the employer was simply asking you, “How can you help our company?” Before you were even offered the interview, they likely needed a piece of paper that listed much of your previous work experience. Your resume was the ticket into an interview. What is a resume? A resume is a marketing document that details reasons why a candidate is a good fit for an employer.

Does that perspective help you with your mindset about marketing? When you market your knowledge, skills and services, you are positioning yourself in front of people who have already been looking for you. They need you. So, stand up and say, “Here I am. I can help you.”

Would you like additional training to learn how to market your business authentically? Join our tele-series where we will teach you our Successful VA System 2.0.

Wil Hart on July 15, 2011

How to Develop the Mindset for Success

Do you have a “CAN DO,” “WILL SUCCEED AT ALL COSTS” type of mindset? Is it natural for you to lead yourself towards your goals no matter what negative signals you receive from naysayers?

What is your response to those first two questions?

Your response could very we be the determining factor as to how quickly and easily you accomplish your goal of becoming a successful VA. Entrepreneurs are pioneers! We are willing to travel in unchartered territory. We blast through walls and fight against the odds.

This article is for the aspiring Successful Virtual Assistant. Let me define the word “aspiring.” If you would like to start your own Virtual Assistance company, that is an aspiration. If you are already a Virtual Assistant, but have not reached the success that you desire, that is an aspiration.

Might your mindset be holding you back? What type of conversations do you have with yourself? Every person goes through the process of convincing herself of success or failure, victory or defeat. The self-talk of some people will even tell them, “you don’t have to push too hard, we can coast right here in the middle.”

Mindset for Success

To be successful as an entrepreneur, you need to train your mind to speak in a positive way. When I started my company, I would not imagine anything but my version of success. My success meant the following:

Time freedom
Financial freedom
Working with ideal clients of my choice
Going on vacations when I wanted to

There was nothing that could prevent me from reaching that goal and continuing that journey. More than six years later, I’m still building the life of my dreams with two of my own companies. When I was a child, my parents told my brother and me to expunge the word “CAN’T” from our vocabularies. That lifelong lesson continues to serve me well.

What are you telling yourself? It is imperative that you analyze your internal conversations. That is the key to what is on your mind and how you feel about accomplishing your goals in life. You must train your mind to believe that you can accomplish whatever it is that you WANT in life. (In case you haven’t noticed by now, this topic is much bigger than running your own business – it’s about LIFE).

So, I ask again, do you want to build a successful Virtual Assistance company? Do you have the fortitude to overcome all obstacles and trials? If your answer is “YES”, then you are already on the right track. But, remember that your resilience will be tested constantly.

I do not know what type of mindset you already possess. I do know, however, the mindset that you need to develop and maintain in order to start and grow a sustainable business. You do not just want to “be in business”, but you want to THRIVE in business. You want the type of business that will allow you to create the lifestyle that reflects your definition of success.

Remember the words of Henry Ford:

“Whether you think you CAN or you can’t, YOU ARE RIGHT!

Wil Hart on June 28, 2011

Get New Clients, How – Part 3

Develop the “Follow Up Habit”

Do you ever wonder when your telephone will start ringing? Are you sitting in your office waiting for prospects to call you and hire you? If so, you will need to change this mindset immediately! Please understand that if you do not take the initiative to follow up on even the smallest interest in your service, you may be stealing money from your own wallet.

How can you rob from your own wallet? This is done whenever you have an opportunity to build your business and you, well, decide NOT to! Do you have the habit of following up when you meet a new business contact? Do you follow up even if there is a tiny bit of interest in what you have to offer? Take for instance the family member who says to you, “I think I know someone who could use your help.” How do you deal with this situation? There are several action steps that you could take:

You could wait for your relative to put you in contact with the person.
You could ask your relative to pass on your contact information to the person.
You could ask your relative for the contact information of the person.

Which of these action steps seems to be the MOST effective to you? If you are going to develop the follow up habit, you have to take the initiative. You want to take the best step that will put you in front of the referral. Action step number three is the best way to go. But, we can take it a step further. Why not ask your relative for the contact information. Tell her that you are going to call the referral. Additionally, ask your relative to contact the referral as well to give them a heads up that you will be calling. Are you doing this now? In order to develop the follow up habit, you ALWAYS have to take the big, bold initiative.

The same is true when you meet other people who mention that they have an interest in what you do. Or, they may mention that they know of someone else who is looking for the type of support that you provide. Do not rob money from your own wallet by not following up. If you come into contact with a new acquaintance on Monday, it would be a great idea to give them a call on Tuesday. Do you have difficulty figuring out what to say? Here is a sample conversation starter:

“Hi Sharon, my name is Wil. We met yesterday and I hope you are doing well. I’m calling because I told you that I would follow up with you to give you more information about how I help my clients to increase their revenue in less time than they have done so in the past.”

Keep in mind that the sooner you follow up, the easier your conversations will be. You want to talk to people while you are still on their mind. However, you do not want to wait until the person waits to call you. Remember, you are not in high school. You don’t want to have the attitude that ‘I’m not calling her until she calls me first’. That is best way to steal money from your own wallet.

At this time, take out all of the business cards that you have gathered over the previous weeks and start making phone calls. You are in the business of building your business. Getting into the follow up habit is one of the cheapest methods of marketing your business. Put the money in your wallet and don’t leave it on the table!

Wil Hart on June 27, 2011

Get New Clients, How? – Part 2

Clearly Talk About What You Do

A clear message always leads to better understanding. Have you ever been in an airport and a heard a voice come over the PA system? Sometimes, the message that the announcer dispenses is very unclear. You cannot determine if the airplane that you plan to catch has begun the boarding process or if the doors have already been locked. In a situation like this, hopefully you are in full view of what is going on at the gate where you plan to take off. How frustrating! Now, think about when you are telling someone about your profession. Does the person who is listening to you have a clear picture of how you serve your clients? Can they determine that you are a service professional? Continue Reading>>

Wil Hart on June 15, 2011

Get New Clients, How? – Part I

POSITIONING

With any endeavor in life, we try to put ourselves in the best position possible to get the things we need in life. When you were in grade school perhaps you thought about going to college so that you would be in a better “position” to obtain a good paying job. (More than likely you weren’t taught to start your own business when you were in high school). Now that you are running your own business, it is your ultimate goal to make your business a thriving one. Continue Reading>>

Wil Hart on June 8, 2011

Successful Marketing Part IV – Networking to Build Your Business

“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>>

Wil Hart on June 6, 2011

Successful Marketing Part III – Your Warm Market

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>>

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