Target Market
Marketing Networking Skill Development Target Market
5 Pieces To Effective Business Conversations
Have you ever had that feeling? You know what I mean.
It’s that feeling that you get when your mind is racing, your palms start to sweat and your thoughts decide that they do not want to make the faintest connection to your vocal cords. And then, you become…
SPEECHLESS!
Has that ever happened to you met a potential business associate. You exchange greetings, you learn each others’ name, and then the conversation goes deeper with the one question that makes you cringe… “So, what do you do?”
For many Virtual Assistants this is the most dreaded question because they do not know how to clearly convey the problems of their target market (if they have one), or how they solve those problems effectively.
What Are the 5 Pieces?
There are 5 critical pieces to masterfully articulating your value as a business owner and making strong connections. When you are face to face with a conversation partner keep the following conversation pieces in mind.
1 ~ Choose A Target Market
Having a target market gives great subject matter on which to have business conversations. If you tend to be on the shy side, focusing your attention on a separate group of people will give you the confidence needed to add more fuel to your conversation fire. If your target market is business coaches, you can talk about how that stresses that they experience with owning and operating their coaching practice. Then move to piece #2. Continue Reading>>
Your Next Client Might Be In Your Back Yard
You say that you want more clients. Is that really true? Examine your marketing efforts over the past six weeks. What have you done to actually enroll new clients? Perhaps you sent a few emails out. Maybe you made a few new connections on LinkedIn. What have you really done? I want to challenge you to take a different look at getting new clients.
Peruse your contact files of the people you have known for quite some time. Is there anyone in your personal network that does not fully understand what you do in your business? Notice that I didn’t say ‘Is there anyone who does not know you are in business’. That is important. If people know that you have a business but do not clearly understand what you do and whom you serve, they will not be able to help you build your business.
Again, look in your personal network and examine the people that you know well. Would your family and friends be able to explain to a prospective customer who your target market is and how you help solve their problems? Make that part of your marketing strategy. Educate your warm market, or people who know you well about your Virtual Assistance company. Educate them in a way so that they will be able to help you find your next client. You will be surprised at the number of referrals that come your way after you take this very important action. Here is a challenge for you to enroll your next client.
If you repeat the following steps as a part of your marketing plan, you will reap several amazing benefits.
7 Step Marketing Strategy
Step 1: Choose 5 people from your network. (Do more if you are really ambitious.)
Step 2: Invite them individually to learn about your VA business. Set up a coffee, lunch or phone date.
Step 3: Teach about the following things:
- Your target market and the problems they face.
- How you solve the problems of your target market and the benefits your clients receive from working with you.
- How you improve the lives of your clients with the work you do.
- How people in your network can make introductions for you.
Step 4: Ask your contact if they have any questions. Clarify any misunderstandings.
Step 5: Ask your contact if they could explain what you do to someone else. (If not, help them to do so.)
Step 6: Ask your contact if they know anyone who is facing the same struggles from Step 3.
Step 7: Make arrangements for your contact to make an introduction for you.
Do you think that you can follow this easy formula for acquiring new clients? If you want to grow your business, you would do well to tap into the network of people that you already know. A warm lead may be easily found in your warm market. One of your personal contacts may need your services or they may be able to quickly introduce you to someone who does. Make sure that the people who are close to you are able to articulate what you do in business. It is an intelligent way of building a free sales force of people who know you and want you to succeed!
Marketing Mindset Target Market Virtual Assistant
It’s ALL about YOU (… or is it?)
You can become a very successful Virtual Assistant if you focus on the right things at the right time. For example, if you are interested in becoming a virtual assistant but have not yet started your business, that is the perfect time to focus on YOU. Here are some things that you want to consider.
You Focus
Do you have: Continue Reading>>
Business Management Podcast Target Market Virtual Assistant
The VA Success Cafe: Episode 6
Ideal Clients are like awesome friends. They invigorate you and inspire you to do your VERY BEST work. They give you great energy and help you to go the extra mile because they are such fantastic people. The work relationship that you create soon becomes a friendship because Ideal Clients are easy to become attached to. They possess the personality traits and qualities that you enjoy being around. Look at your closest friends and past work associates. Who in those groups would you say possess ideal qualities? As a Virtual Assistant, you surely want to fill your practice with people who have those traits. It will enable you to build a business that you thoroughly enjoy.
Podcast Target Market Virtual Assistant
The VA Success Cafe: Episode 5
The easiest way to attract new prospects to your business is to focus on a target market. What is a target market? Why is it very important to choose just one? How will doing this make your life easier and getting new business more fun? Find the answers in this audio.
Podcast Target Market Virtual Assistant
The VA Success Cafe: Episode 2
You already possess the knowledge and skills that prospective clients are willing to pay for. In this audio, you will hear a discussion of why many entrepreneurs need your expertise to solve their problems. Check out the audio and post your thoughts and questions below.
Achieving Goals Business Management Marketing Networking Target Market Virtual Assistant
Enroll A New Client Within DAYS
If you entered a contest that challenged you to enroll one new client next week, how would you go about doing so? Imagine that the stakes are VERY HIGH. The prize, $100,000 if you could just get one new client to work with you in your business. Would $100,000 be enough to get you excited about prospecting for clients?
I hope that you are excited because this is a reality. If you work feverishly to get in front of your ideal clients, you can truly operate a $100,000 business! But, don’t allow the money to be a barrier for you. Think about why you started your business in the first place. What made you excited about being an entrepreneur? That is the very energy and zeal that you need to employ when you are marketing your solutions to the people who are already looking for you.
I want to share with you the strategies that we have used to build two successful businesses. First, I want to offer a disclaimer. If you do not perform the work that needs to be done, you will not get new clients and thus build your business. Fair enough? Good! Let’s get started:
- I tapped into my warm market: That tactic is how I got my business off the ground. I simply told my friends, co-workers and associates that I was starting a Virtual Assistance company. It was fascinating to them that I was going to do the same work that I had been doing for more than a decade using the freedom of running my own company. I sent a letter to everyone that I knew and set coffee dates with others. I did whatever I could to get the word out about my new business. This was my first ever marketing campaign and my company was born. Continue Reading>>
Skill Development Target Market
How to NOT Become Obsolete
Your knowledge, skill set and the tools you use can make you a force to be reckoned with OR make you obsolete.
How so?
Because your clients are looking for solutions. They are not looking for a Virtual Assistant. They seek your assistance because they are struggling with a particular problem and no longer want to handle it on their own. By increasing your knowledge, skills and tools to solve their problems, you will stake your claim in your marketplace.
On the other hand a lack of knowledge, skills and tools can make your business OBSOLETE!
Where do you stand? Are you a ‘go-to’ Virtual Assistant? Do clients and other Virtual Assistants look to you when a particular skill is needed? If you learn about the popular technologies and skills that are needed in your marketplace, you can quickly build your business.
Supply and demand is still the order of the day. Are your knowledge, skills and tools needed in your market? If you find that you need to make improvements in this area. Don’t fret about it. Do something about it! 🙂 Start by doing your research to see what your target market is looking for in a Virtual Assistant.
Here are a few skills that many entrepreneurs need help with today:
- Client management
- Customer service
- Shopping cart management
- Video editing
- Email marketing management
- Social media management
- Copywriting and proofreading
- Product and program launches
- … much more!
Your service offerings must meet the needs of your marketplace. Every type of business has to have some market share. Be sure to get your share by enhancing your knowledge, skills and tools.
Protect your business from becoming obsolete by investing in yourself and presenting solutions that your target market is looking for.