Virtual Assistant Marketing That Works
As a virtual assistant business owner, especially in the startup phase, you will need to market your virtual assistant business. There are many different ways to market your virtual assistant business but you don’t want to waste limited resources. Most people claim they do not like sales, but you need to learn to deal with sales, because without sales, you won’t have a business. There are some very powerful ways that you can market your virtual assistant business that cost very little money but have a big impact.
Whatever your means of marketing, whether via a website, blogs, brochures or advertising you must first identify what services you’ll offer and who your target market is. Your target market is who you hope your client will be. You can’t design any type of marketing with doing these two steps first.
1. Identify your market – example: My virtual assistant business will service authors who write children’s books.
2. Identify your services – example: The services I will offer are blog posting, interview scheduling, send out press releases, create “one sheet”, make follow up calls and so forth.
After you’ve identified these aspects of your virtual assistant business now you can move forward with the rest.
Branding – Branding involves how mention of your business name makes your clients feel. Your job when you brand yourself or your business is to generate the feelings from your clients that you wish them to have. This takes research and choosing the right domain name, the right logo and the right tagline or slogan.
Website with blog – Create a website that explains exactly who you are and what you will do for your client. Choose a domain name that has important keywords that fit your niche. It’ll be easier to find you that way. Write on the blog at least three to five times a week about issues that directly affect your target market. Do not write about your children or family. Keep your business website about business.
Include the following pages at a minimum:
1. Home page – The first page your visitors see. This should get right to explaining the benefits you offer a client to solve a problem that they have.
2. About me – This page should be about you but, caution: Keep it professional! A nice headshot, a mention of your family, but mostly it should be about your love of helping your clients.
3. Services -- List the services you offer giving great detail while focusing on the benefits to your client of using such a service.
4. Testimonials – As soon as you obtain a client, whether via volunteer work, or other means, ask them for a testimonial and put them on your website and in all your marketing materials.
5. Artifacts – Examples of your work should go on this page.
6. Contact information – Always include a way for your potential clients to contact you that is easy to find. It is here that you might include a client “intake” form that will help you weed through clients that aren’t an ideal fit for your services.
Article Marketing – This is a free way to get plenty of traffic to your site as well as your name out in the business world. Simply write articles that address concerns your target market have, and the bio on each article will link to your website.
Brochures – A nice touch to put on your and to place locally is a brochure. Even though you’re virtual it does not mean you cannot have a brochure. Brochures also demonstrate your talents especially if you are offering brochure creating services.
Social Media -- Start a Twitter, a Facebook Page, and a LinkedIn.com account that is solely devoted to business. Fill out profiles completely and always include a professional headshot.
