Online groups are also a great investment in your own business. The best groups are where you are learning as well as sharing your own knowledge. So I’m not concerned if I don’t get a client out of taking an online class or joining a group. The price of admission is worth it.
How do you choose your online networking groups? First, ask yourself if you have a genuine interest in this group. If not, don’t join. You must be vested financially and emotionally. This is how you give and get within the group.
Not all groups will be the right fit. That’s okay. You have to try. As they say, your decision should either be a “hell yes” or a “hell no.” It still doesn’t guarantee success, but you’ll be at peace with your decision.
I did have an online fail with a networking group. I joined a well-known author’s group. As in, New York Times bestseller and international coach and speaker. She’s got quite the following. I thought her course might be good for me to take. The investment was manageable—one client would pay for it. Plus, I was ready to be coached by her. This was a win-win situation.
Well, I never got any clients from the group. And while the group is still active, I don’t participate. It proved to be the wrong fit for me. Did I learn some valuable coaching lessons? Sure. Did I make some friends? Sure. Would I do it again? Hell no! The important part is that I learned from the class and why it didn’t work. Sometimes when things don’t work out, it solidifies for you what is your best game plan. That’s exactly what it did for me.
How could I have known from the beginning how this would be the wrong fit. Research! I researched this author, but I didn’t dive deep into her following and her ultimate message. If I would have done this first, I would have found out that I don’t have a connection with this author’s following, and I don’t believe in what she is selling. She has some great thoughts and suggestions. However, I don’t believe in her enough to refer her to others. These are all signs it’s a “hell no!”
Online groups aren’t just about getting clients. You can’t do this business thing on your own. You’re going to need a strong network. Join both executive assistant and virtual assistant online groups. Some of my favorites are The Bootstrap VA Facebook group, the OrgOrg Google Group, and OfficeNinjas newsletter and in-person events.
Networking amongst your peers is a powerful tool. I’ve learned so much, stayed on top of my game, educated myself, and even got a few clients out of it. The power of networking in the right place not only brings you clients but also helps you refer colleagues, get the services you need, support the members in your group, and form real friendships—both online and in person.
Referrals
Don’t be afraid to ask other business owners for referrals. Whenever you request a referral, you’ve got a 50/50 chance of a yes. But be specific in your ask, whether it’s in person or by email. Remind the person how you met and briefly explain your ideal client and your services. Then ask if he or she knows anyone who needs your services. If so, can he or she connect you with that person? Remember, your referrer’s name is on the line. Be prepared to share letters of recommendation or testimonies from other clients. (You can even use letters of recommendation from previous employers.) When all is said and done, don’t forget to thank your referrer for his or her time and ask if there is any way you can be of assistance to them.
When you receive a referral, your first response should be to request a phone call or an in-person meeting to discuss very specifically the business matter the potential client is looking for you to meet. An email to any potential client should never simply be a link to your website. Everything should be laid out in concise detail. Address the problem they have to solve, how you can solve it, and then request a follow-up consultation to discuss the details of a potential working relationship.
Getting referrals is great. Giving referrals is even better. It’s another great way to form relationships. When referring to other VAs, ask them who their ideal client is and if they are taking on new clients. Let them know who you have in mind to refer to them, make sure it’s a good fit, and then ask how best to make the introduction. In turn, they’ll do the same for you.
If you notice that you refer several people to one particular person or company and in turn receive a lot of referrals from the same person or company, it’s time to consider a partnership. This could be in the form of an affiliate, referral perks, or having your name listed on their website as a preferred partner. Whatever the case might be, look for a way to form a partnership that adds value to both parties.
This also can be done with other VAs. Sadly, I don’t see this happening often. Instead of sharing clients, another VA is brought in as a subcontractor. I don’t recommend subcontracting because you don’t get to choose your ideal client. You are at the mercy of being handed clients with whom you might not want to work. Contact with the client could be difficult, and there may be barriers created by the VA you are working for. Also, you lose the ability to make decisions you know are right. Your company name isn’t on the contract and that is the person who gets to have the final say. Ultimately, you are leaving one 9 to 5 for another.
Another reason to avoid subcontracting is because you most likely will make less money for your work than you deserve. Think about it—the person who is subcontracting you is in the business of making money and will lower your rate to the least amount they are willing to pay. They are gathering the clients and maintaining those relationships. However, your work is the same. Are you willing to forfeit some of your income just to have steady work?
Instead of sub-contracting, think of ways your work can complement other VAs’ work. There are certain virtual assistants who would be a natural fit to refer to one another. If you are an executive VA for a business coach, partner with a graphic design VA when your business coach needs a new logo or other graphics. In return, it’s likely the graphic design VA can refer you to one of his or her own clients who needs help with general administration. Look for ways to share clients with other VAs.
Of course, subcontracting isn’t all bad. It’s a great way to hone your skills, make some fast (although not good) money, discover the work you like and don’t like, and decide how badly you want to work for yourself.
Now that you have created a picture of your ideal client, have practiced your elevator pitch, and have learned that you’re not going to become married to your ideas before you share them, it’s time to target your clients. Remember, the competition for your ideal client is small. No matter how many VAs are out there, you already know how you’re different. While other virtual assistants are targeting everyone, you are targeting the right ones. You speak their secret language. You know their problems and can empathize with them. Your clients aren’t generic or bland, and neither are you.
Targeting Your Ideal Client
Get People Excited to Be Your Ideal Client
Probably the most overlooked piece of the ideal client puzzle is how it makes your client feel. Who doesn’t want to hear they’re ideal? Who wouldn’t want to be told that you created your business to serve people just like them? If a company told you those things, how would it make you feel? How would it change your business interactions?
Figure out how to position yourself to be both seen and heard. You need to speak your client’s language. Be so specific that the client’s name is on the can. Coca-Cola’s world famous “Share a Coke” campaign started out by doing just that. When the head of Coca-Cola’s South Pacific market saw her name on a can, she said her reaction was “childlike.” This campaign became one of the most successful in the company’s history.
Forget buzz words. When targeting your client, you want to be so specific that you can call them by name. If you ever forget how to reach them, this is it. If you ever forget how powerful it is to put someone else’s name over yours, remember Coke—one of the most iconic logos did and it sparked an international phenomenon.
It’s called targeting because you are aiming for s
omething specific, yet most VAs forget to aim at the target. Instead, they talk to everyone but the one they really should be talking to. And they don’t get specific enough. Remember to think of it in terms of calling out your client by name. If you shout out “Mom!” in a crowded room, all of the moms will turn their heads. But if you shout out “Melissa!” a smaller group of people will turn their heads. Everyone else is just curious, not a client yet.
Earlier I mentioned Jeffrey Shaw, author of LINGO. I like how he describes targeting your ideal client: “You can’t unsee a secret language.” As Jeffrey explains, part of your ideal client’s secret language is the psychology of their behavior. Empathy plays a big part and empathy takes many forms.
As a photographer, holiday greeting cards were part of the lifestyle for Jeffrey’s clients. These weren’t boxed cards from a store. No, these were cards with photos he had taken and printed on personal stationery, complete with the family’s appropriate holiday greeting and complementary color. He even printed their return address on the envelopes! At this point, Jeffrey could have been done. He had delivered a luxury holiday card that more than thrilled his clients. However, empathy spoke words that conveyed the untold secret.
Along with the cards, Jeffrey provided the perfect pen to address the cards, which coordinated with the color of the font in the return address. A note attached to the pen said, “So you don’t have to run around town looking for the perfect pen.” This reminded his clients he knew that not any pen would do, and he had thought of that too.
How will you empathize with your ideal client? Jeffrey says you can better uncover your clients’ surface problems by empathizing with them. You are likely to have been where they are, and you want to prevent them from encountering the same problem again in the future. He also warns about going too deep as it will likely cause you to miss what’s right in front of you.
Don’t Criticize. Compliment.
You’ve heard the expression “You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.” Well, you get more clients by complimenting not criticizing.
Targeting your client, even when they’re ideal, can be intimidating. You’re going after them, and eventually you’ll ask for money, right? If you think of it like this, it will be very scary. It’s like becoming friends with someone because they have a truck and will be able to help you move the day after you meet. Too soon!
Seems like a no-brainer not to do this with your potential clients, doesn’t it? But it happens all the time. A proofreader who publicly points out when someone has errors in their document or social media post. The graphic designer who tells someone what’s wrong with their online graphics. The social media specialist who points out all of the missed opportunities.
You don’t get clients by criticizing them. There is a way to speak to potential clients. However, you have to earn the right first. The person has to know, like, and trust you. I know this scenario all too well.
I don’t have the type of hair that allows me to just wash and go. It’s a hot mess at times. While traveling the world, I didn’t feel comfortable getting my hair cut just anywhere. Especially a place with language barriers.
I had a very pleasant visit to a salon in Morocco in April 2017. The waxing service was everything I thought it would be, and I was pleased. Then on the way out, it all went bad.
The woman behind the counter had already collected my money, and I was searching for a tip. She looked at me and said, “Wow! You should really let us do something about your hair.” I was immediately upset. The first thing that came to my mind was to give her a lesson in customer service. The second thing was to be rude back. What actually came out of my mouth was, “I already have an appointment scheduled.” She would have known this if she took the time to ask in a polite way. It was also a missed opportunity.
I would have willingly bought just about any hair product that would make my hair shinier or more manageable. I was open to a treatment, but nothing of the sort was offered. Everything about the conversation was wrong.
You begin to form genuine relationships the moment you engage with your ideal clients. The keyword is “genuine.” The reason it’s genuine is because you should already know some of the commonalities you share, like books, social groups, associations, causes, favorite places to shop, etc. There’s not a chance you’re going to come across as fake because, well, you’re not.
Complimenting your ideal clients on their work might seem like a fake tactic. You might even think everyone has complimented them already. You’d be wrong. In the age of information overload, when someone shares a piece of their work and the reader takes the time to respond, they receive a positive response in return. Don’t believe me? Go to your bookshelf (or Kindle). Turn to the back page of your favorite business book and find the author’s information. You’ll most commonly find an email address and/or a Twitter handle. Now send an email or a Tweet about why this is your favorite book and explain something that had a great impact on you. It may take a week, but I promise you’ll get a response. (In fact, if you are enjoying what you’re reading right now, email me at [email protected] or send a Tweet to @thepva. I’ll respond much faster than a week!)
It works the same with potential clients. Comment on their posts, ask thoughtful questions, join their launch teams, support their endeavors, participate in their surveys. In short, get on their radar. This isn’t just to become a fan or a follower. You are learning more about your potential clients. There might be opportunities to leverage their networks and learn even more about what they really need and want. You are eliminating the guessing game.
So what should you do to get clients now? Ask those with whom you already have a relationship. I can almost guarantee you already know your first client. We overlook this area of business because we feel like we’re selling to our family and friends in some kind of a pyramid scheme. If you can’t ask your family and friends for business referrals, you’ll never be able to ask anyone. The excuse of “Well, my family and friends don’t need me” is not going to cut it. Asking your family and friends for referrals is a fabulous way to practice fielding questions.
I’ll never forget the first time I explained my business to someone (to whom I later found out was the CEO of a large company), and the person immediately understood it. I was at a café in Atlanta where we casually struck up a conversation. I had just finished a phone call, and he asked what I did for a living. I told him I match clients with the right virtual assistants. He went on to ask me a series of questions regarding my business model, which led to my business plan, which then allowed me to tell him about my long-term plans of revenue generation. When we finished, he told me, “Well, looks like you have it all figured out.” It wasn’t until that moment I was certain I did.
You see, I was constantly talking to everyone about my business, and I somehow always got to a point where someone asked me a question I didn’t have the answer to. I should have but I didn’t. When I found the answer to that question, inevitably someone new threw me another curveball question. On this day, I hit the curveball out of the park!
When you speak with your family, friends, and colleagues about your business, they’ll have questions for you too. It’s better to find the answers now rather than when your client asks you the same questions. Practice saying what you offer, who your ideal client is, what value you provide, and how much you charge. No matter how clearly you think you speak about your business, someone will always have questions. And questions are a good thing.
Don’t get frustrated if someone doesn’t understand your business. This is an opportunity for you to refine your focus. This is how you know if what you’re saying, offering, and charging attract the same ideal client. If it doesn’t, there is a disconnect somewhere and you need to find it.
Begin researching your ideal clients’ websites and social media profiles. What do you find in common? Do their photos reveal the same mannerisms? Look at their verbiage. What can you incorporate tha
t you aren’t using now? What pains do they speak of to their own clients? These are clues you can use in your own business’s tone and messages. We are attracted to people like ourselves and naturally gravitate to the familiar. Become familiar with your potential clients so you seem like the natural choice—the VA who knows them by name.
What Not to Do
There are some things you might be tempted to say to your ideal client because they feel right and on target. They aren’t.
I work for small business owners. In the United States, there are 28 million small business owners. Most of those have fewer than 200 employees. When I tell VAs this, they are unaware. You can’t target 28 million clients. Your clients aren’t in small business—they are in coaching, consulting, insurance, event planning, education, etc. Speak directly to them.
Don’t promise to save time or money. Even though both are true, your clients aren’t thinking in these terms, nor do you want them to. Time is far too generic. Instead, focus on what they wish they could do with their time. Is it create a course, create a lead magnet with their eBook, manage a project, book more speaking engagements? If you focus on money, they’ll focus on how much your rate is. You provide a valuable service, so tell them the value. What is the return on their investment?
When Your Ideal Client Finds You First
When I was meeting and networking with potential clients, I seemed to be attracting a lot of potential clients who weren’t a good fit for me. However, I was able to match them with the right virtual assistant. I remember thinking, “Why am I attracting everyone else’s potential client? At an event where my ideal client was present, how am I meeting other people’s clients?” It turns out I was meeting my clients. I was attracting people because I was naturally doing the things I loved—assessing the situation, educating, and then assisting. It just didn’t look like it did when I worked in an office.
Become A Successful Virtual Assistant Page 10
