Today’s Quote: l would admit I’m an introvert. I don’t know why introverts have to apologize. – Bill Gross
Welcome to another episode of the podcast that teaches you how to be a ridiculously good virtual assistant.
Are you an introvert? So many Virtual Assistants tell me they are. It’s not a deficiency of any sort, but it can make some things we do in business feel more challenging.
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Connect with Tracey D’Aviero, VA Coach and Trainer
Episode Notes:
I think that introverts kind of get a bad rap, but you know what? I think we criticize ourselves far more than anyone else does. Yes, I am an introvert, which many people probably find hard to believe, but I LOVE my alone time and my quiet time, and as much as I enjoy company, it’s nice when it’s over too.
As an introvert, there are things in business that can be more difficult.
Of course, the main one that comes to mind is sales. And getting clients.
I hear many VAs tell me I’m an introvert, I don’t like selling myself.
But here’s the thing. You don’t have to sell anything. You’re not trying to cold call people, or convince them that they need your services.
All you need to do is to actually find people that DO need your help, and then decide if they are a good fit for you to work with. That’s it!
It really is that simple. But we can talk ourselves out of so many things with the excuse that it feels uncomfortable. All that means is that we are in the wrong place, or talking to the wrong person. The key is to find the right person in the right place.
Let’s first talk about our strengths as introverts.
Introverts are often:
- more creative
- better listeners
- more observant
- go deeper on many projects
- stand out because they aren’t always talking
- very good at taking social cues and reading rooms
- thoughtful and choose words wisely
- very focused and detail oriented
- self sufficient
- good problem solvers
YAY us!
Stay true to you! Use these strengths to your advantage, in your marketing, when you tell clients what you bring to the table. Be proud of them, they are very valuable qualities.
Do things are your own pace, but do make sure you do them. You don’t have to race, but there are things that have to be done for you to stay in business.
Don’t feel pressured to go to networking events or do cold calls. Email still works and I think it’s better for everyone’s schedule than phone or instant messaging.
You have to value yourself, and then others will value you as well.
Who you are is who you are. And you are GREAT!
Focus on your strengths – what are you good at? What do you love to do or do exceptionally well? What you do best is what you should be charging the most for.
First you have to make sure you see your own value and that you can show it to people.
Make sure that you have a very strong presence online – make it work for you so you don’t have to be making connections, that the online stuff will help do that for you.
Website, blog, social media, portfolio, whatever makes sense for you. Do it well. Do a really good job of showcasing what you can do for your clients online.
Don’t try to be someone else, or even be like someone else. Be yourself. Get comfortable with you and the fact that there are people that will greatly benefit from your help. Do you really believe you can help people? You can!
What do you love about your audience? Write these things down – is it what they do, who they work with, the change they make in the world, the tasks they need done?
Now figure out where they are. And how many clients you actually need. That will determine where you can find clients.
Get really clear on what you do best and who you can help most – then connect with those people, talk about them, write about them.
Social media is actually great for introverts because you do it on your own time and you have complete control about what you put out there.
Use one single marketing strategy and do it well. That should be easy when you aren’t networking all day long!
Where to find clients?
Job boards will be good for you, also fiverr and upwork – people are looking for help in these places and there is less sales that you have to do.
Tell people you know what you do and ask them if they know anyone who might benefit from your help. It helps to have business connections but family and friends help too – as long as you articulate what you do accurately and they really get who you help.
Focus on repeat business – don’t do project work. Seek out ongoing work with clients so you aren’t constantly looking for clients.
Ask existing or past clients for referrals. Be sure (again) that they really understand what it is you do for people (especially if it differs from what you do/did for them), so they send you good referrals.
Find a few strategic partners who work with your target market, but provide different services to them – so you can refer business back and forth to each other.
Collect testimonials and reviews and recommendations on LI
Get really good something specific, be in demand so people call you, and you don’t have to call them.
Put your contact info everywhere. On every web page, blog post, social media profile, and so on. Make it easy for people to reach out to you so you don’t always have to reach out to them
Put your pricing online – describe your services well. Let your website do some of the ‘selling’ work for you. Make sure the pricing is clear and talks about budget.
Join a team and subcontract to get your confidence up (don’t do this forever, find your own ideal clients and do the work you are best at)
Get some support to learn a few techniques if you still feel anxious about anything.
Find a tribe or a partner to connect with on a regular basis. A support network is essential for all VAs. And be sure to share your struggles and your successes, and ask for specific advice.
And never forget that you need to do what’s right for you – it’s the only thing that will work for you!
Need Some Help?
If I can help you learn how to get clients as an introvert, definitely reach out to me at tracey@yourvamentor.com. I’ve helped hundreds of VAs through their challenges and got them on their way to the next thing. I’d love to do the same for you. I do private coaching, and registration for my new mastermind group The Virtual Circle is open now. Maybe one of those is right for you!
That’s all I’ve got for you this week, thanks for tuning in to learn to become a ridiculously good Virtual Assistant.