Marketing Your VA Practice

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Elance has posted a list of 25 Projects You Can Outsource to a VA. Well, I think we can do much better than that, don’t you? Below, you’ll find 58 tasks your virtual assistant can prepare for you, courtesy of PrepareForAVA.com. Got more to add? Please let me know in the comments

1. Make Travel arrangements
2. schedule appointments
3. book event locations
4. brainstorm ideas
5. bulk mailings
6. check email
7. check voice mail
8. client communication
9. scheduling
10. email marketing
11. fax documents
12. get documents printed
13. client follow-up
    
14. order office supplies
15. screen job applicants
16. website design/maintenance
17. design brochures
18. design booklets
19. design newsletter
20. design postcards
21. design coupons
22. design letterhead
23. design price lists/rate sheets
    
24. Copywriting
25. type reports
26. type operations manuals
27. type employee manuals
28. type manuscripts
29. type proposals
30. type business corresponence
31. internet research
32. create marketing materials
33. research software
34. research vendors
35. brainstorm
36. write marketing copy
37. prepare media kits
38. schedule workshops
39. maintain client database
40. transcription
41. proofreading and editing
42. type/submit articles
43. get your book listed on amazon
44. get your ISBN
45. Powerpoint presentations
    
46. manage your blog
47. publish your ezine
48. manage your ezine list
49. spreadsheets
50. mail merge projects
51. promotional mailers
52. format ebooks and special reports
53. write your resume
54. draft letters
55. Scan documents/graphics
56. research event locations
57. help create marketing plan(s)
58. teleclass registration & follow-up
59. Social Media support
    

A VANetworking post really got me thinking - do you have a Multi-VA business? I’ve worked with sub-contrators, but I’m toying with the Idea of going Multi-VA.

According to the poll on the post referenced above, out of 50 voters 17% had multi-va businesses, and 20% were on a Multi-VA team.

In all my marketing materials, I emphasize the personal relationship of working with me - my personal 10+ years experience with helping solopreneurs with their marketing and administration, plus the workmanship of my contractors. It may be more fruitful to have a multi-va practice. More experts, greater reliability.

What do you think? Is a Multi-VA Business the direction your business is headed? Let me know if the comments section below.

On a related note:

If you’re just starting out, VANetworking has a great starup system - the VBSS system. It’s jam-packed with step-by-step tips to get your VA busienss up and running in just 30 days.

I know, I know - I was hesitant at first too.  But, my friends, this is the real-deal. It really does have all the little steps to get everything together in one fell swoop. And, to prove it, I have a free 48-page sampler of the Virtual Business Startup System for you to try out.  Just fill out the info below to receive it.

There’s no committment… and I promise not to share, rent, trade, or sell your address with anyone, ever.

“My VA is so great. She does X & Y & Z, and always meets deadlines”

When I first began my VA practice, I found it hard to ask for testimonials. When I’d muster the courage to ask for a testimonial, my clients would retort, “Sure! What would you like me to say?”

At this simple question, I would begin shaking. What did I want them to say? I had no idea.

The problem with many testimonials is they are lifeless - either they’re overly sugary, or they lack substance or pizazz. After a half-dozen lukewarm testimonials, I knew there had to be a system to it. There just had to be a way to get those awesome testimonials you see in magazines, without compromising my integrity and writing them myself.

Shaking Off Lifeless Testimonials

After much trial and error, I finally figured it out. You see, I was going about it all wrong - I was asking for a testimonial without any specificity. By not acknowledging my intentions, I was left with lukewarm words — and memorable testimonials sizzle.

How Do You Get Sizzling Testimonials?

In order to make your testimonials sizzle, you’ll need to be specific. When you ask clients for a testimonial, they’re naturally going to talk about your service, what you do for them. Instead of talking about what you do, you need them to talk about how you have affected their business. This can be done using the following simple questions:

1. What were your perceptions before you began using our VA services, and were you reluctant in any way?
2. How did you feel as a result using our VA services?
3. What specific results did you get as a result of our service?

These three questions, combined with a little editing, will take your testimonials from lack-luster to sizzling in seconds! For example:

“Before working with TrinityJacobs, I was overwhelmed and overworked. I was afraid to bring someone new on and have to train when I didn’t have the time to complete the tasks anyway… within two weeks of working with Erin, I realized how badly I’d been mistaken. Not only did she ‘know the ropes’ coming in, but she was also able to help me grow my business by implementing an opt-in subscriber list and an affiliate program. This alone has increased revenue by 15%… ”

Don’t be shy! Just ask your clients to answer those three questions in their testimonial, and your recommendations will go from lifeless to SIZZLING!

 Anita Campbell over at Small Business Trends rounded up 26 marketers and asked for their best-kept marketing secrets. My favorite, by far, was:

Tim Berry, Planning Startups Stories – “One of the most expensive myths in marketing is that lower price produces higher volume. That might be true for coal or gasoline, but not for most businesses. Lower price means, well, ask yourself: do you always eat at the lowest price restaurant? Buy the lowest price clothes? Do you drive the lowest priced car? Pricing is your best statement of value.”

Now, why is this so important? Especially in our industry, you’ll find people who can do administrative work for what seems like pennies on the dollar. If you compete on price, then you’ll constantly worried about what the other guy is charging. Virtual Assistance isn’t a commodity yet, so there’s no reason to treat it as such.

I’ve heard dozens of horror stories of clients ‘penny-pinching’ every invoice - instead of seeing the value of the work done, they want the price to be lower. Invariably, the virtual assistant gets fed up, and leaves the client behind.

Will the client ‘learn their lesson’? Probably not; they want someone cheap, and I’m sure they’ll find their perfect VA. There are plenty of VAs already competing on price - they have a business model that can sustain it (or live in an economy that can). If you aren’t willing to price yourself at $6/hour, then you can’t win this competition.

Instead of competing on price, find what your value is - whether you’re an internet marketing genius, a blog maven, or what have you, and find those customers that want what you have.

So, what is your value? What do you bring to the table that is heads-and-shoulders above the rest? Feel free to answer in comments or by email on our contact page.

We all have, at some point. If you think you’re charging too little - or too much - check out this nifty price calculator from FreelanceSwitch.com. Through a series of questions, you’ll be able to figure out what you really need to charge - without feeling as though you’re over- or under-charging.

Check it out here:
http://freelanceswitch.com/rates/

Have you ever tried to import an email leads list, only to find that it’s a bunch of text AND leads? I have, and it’s takes a considerable amount of time and effort to organize it manually.

Fortunately, I’ve just joined the VirtualAssistantForums, and the admin has a GREAT tool to help combat the hours of work it takes to organize. You simply copy/paste the text document into this web-based tool, and it automatically sorts it for you in less than 10 seconds. The FREE tool is located at http://www.virtualassistantforums.com/tools/email1.php .

Do you want to increase your customer base through your website?

So many virtual assistants struggle with marketing because they don’t know how to talk about their services. On our websites, or other marketing materials, we need to ensure that we’re speaking the language of the customer… not just telling them what services we offer.

If you’ve done your homework, then you’ve been researched other virtual assistant websites. And, I’m sure you’ve found hundreds of VA websites that read something like this:

“I perform x, y, & z services, and I save you money! Hire me today!”

Ok, I’m exaggerating… but only a smidge.

Clients want to hear what services I offer - otherwise they won’t hire me, right?

Well… yes and no. You see, while clients do need a bookkeeper who can use QuickBooks, what they really want it someone who can solve their bookkeeping conundrum. They really want someone who can take their piles of receipts and compile them in software so they can have an easy-to-understand report. They want someone who can make sure that mess never happens again. They need a problem-solver.

Your copy on your website is your selling point - your place to differentiate yourself from other VAs, from freelancers on Elance.com, and from an in-house assistant. The copy, or text, is the starting point - this is how you communicate with potential clients, and you need to ensure that the right voice is heard, understood, and taken action on.

If you’re just offering a laundry list of services, you’re not helping anyone. Instead, follow these four simple rules to help you craft a moving webpage to get your customers contacting you, quickly.

1. Know Your Niche

As much as we want to be the VA for everyone – a Gal Friday, if you will – this attitude doesn’t translate well into marketing materials. When you try to speak to everyone, it ends up as a generalization and no one cares. (see?)

Instead, begin with some research into your target market. What are their main issues? What is easy for them? What are they likely to outsource? What are their barriers to getting in-house or virtual help? These are all things you’re going to need to address in your copy in some form. You want them to relate to your website copy – so make sure you know your market inside-out.

1. Can You Feel Their PAIN?

You’re presenting your website as a solution to your prospects’ problem – therefore you must know what it is that’s bothering them the most. To really pack a punch in your website, you’ll want to drive home the fact that you really do understand what they’re going through. For example, decide which of these two paragraphs grab your attention:

With over 5 years experience with Top Producer, your Real Estate Virtual Assistant will lighten your load and let you get back to what you love.

~or~

Are you pulling your hair out trying to learn Top Producer? This complicated software could drive any of us insane when we have a business to run. Instead, turn over your Top Producer chores to this Real Estate Virtual Assistant, and get back to what you do best – selling dream homes!

In short, find their pain, and speak to it. They’ll feel like you understand them, and your website will work as a conversion tool.

2. Use headlines and sub-headlines

It’s been proven that most people don’t read on a computer screen – they scan the page and read the ideas that interest them. So, instead of dulling a visitors’ interest with large blocks of text, break them up with a simple headline.

Your visitors, when they visit your website, are looking for you to solve their problems. When they scan your page, they’re looking for something that relates to their problem, and then they’ll read the corresponding block of text. So, when you transition from one thought, or selling point, to another make sure you insert a quick, scan-able sub-headline.

A sub-headline can be something as easy as “Easing Your Top Producer Woes” or something more drawing such as “Do You Find Top Producer Tedious?”

3. Call to action

When you’re talking to someone, you wouldn’t just leave them mid-thought – would you?

The same goes for your website. After you’ve laid out all the reasons why they need a virtual assistant – why you’re the best one for their needs – do you just leave them to find their own way around your website?

The key to really converting customers on your website is to tell them what steps to take next. For example, on my virtual assistant website, www.trinityjacobs.com, the bottom of each page provides a button to continue learning about our services, or to contact us.

This one strategy has been instrumental to our website conversion. We routinely get 3-5 emails a day through our contact form and links, all because we guide the prospect to the ultimate goal – contacting us.

While web copywriting is an art form unto itself, you can make your website pack a bigger punch. By following the preceding tips, your website will pre-qualify a number of your prospects’ and increase your website conversion.