Welcome to another episode of the podcast that teaches you how to be a ridiculously good virtual assistant.
Today we’re talking about a question that so many virtual assistants struggle with: How do I attract high-quality clients for my VA services?
Today’s Quote: The best way to predict the future is to create it. – Peter Drucker
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Connect with Tracey D’Aviero, VA Coach and Trainer
Episode Notes:
Being able to build the VA business of your dreams starts with the clients you work with.
Are you working with the best possible clients for you?
If you’ve ever wondered where to start with marketing or how to connect with the right clients, this episode is for you.
I know firsthand how overwhelming it can be to figure out what’s working and what’s not when it comes to marketing.
I’ve been where you are. I’ve cruised job boards, classified ads, I’ve sent direct mail, I’ve done cold calls, I’ve spent hours on social media trying to network. I’ve written thousands of pieces of content to market my business.
When you are just looking for any old client, you can run yourself ragged doing all the things.
But if you seek out only high quality clients, then it becomes so much easier – you get clarity, you get confidence, and you get clients.
So, let’s break this down step by step and help you build a marketing strategy that fits your skills and attracts the clients you truly want to work with.
Defining High-Quality Clients
Before we dive into marketing strategies, we need to define what a high-quality client means to you. Not all clients are the same, and what works for one VA may not work for another.
A high-quality client typically has these characteristics:
- They pay well and on time.
- They value your expertise and treat you as a partner rather than an employee.
- They communicate clearly and set realistic expectations.
- They offer long-term opportunities for work rather than just one-off projects.
Now, take a moment to think about your ideal client. Who do you want to work with? What kind of industry are they in? What values are important to you in a working relationship?
I wasn’t sure who I wanted to work with when I started out. In fact, I didn’t even know I could choose! I thought I could help everyone, and that anyone who needed my help was a good client.
It wasn’t until I found the business coach industry and recognize the unique skills I had that they needed, that I understood how important marketing to a targeted group is. Who is your target market?
Once you have this clarity, it’s much easier to align your marketing strategies to attract these types of clients rather than just taking on anyone who comes your way.
Matching Your Skills to the Right Clients
Now that you know who you want to work with, let’s talk about what you offer.
Take a moment to assess your current skills. What services do you provide? Which of these do you enjoy the most? Where do you excel? What problems do your services solve for your clients?
If you’re a generalist VA, that’s totally fine. But if you’re struggling to attract high-quality clients, you might want to consider refining your niche or specializing in a particular skill.
Higher-level clients are often looking for specialized support, whether it’s in executive assistance, marketing, tech support, or another area.
I started off by providing customer service and email management and scheduling. Document prep and so on. I was offering general admin, which again is no problem – but I really was just doing anything that a client asked me to do.
When I started working with my business coach, I got really clear on what I was great at, what I enjoyed doing, and what would command a higher rate.
That helped me create packages that were profitable and find clients who knew exactly what they were getting me to do. I wasn’t even necessarily specialized, but they felt that I was.
If you’re not sure whether to niche down, think about the types of tasks you love doing and see if there’s a demand for them. Once you align your skills with a strong market demand, your marketing will become much more effective.
Choosing the Right Marketing Strategies
Once you know your ideal client and your key skills, it’s time to choose marketing strategies that fit. There are many ways to market yourself as a VA, but not every method will be the best fit for you. Let’s talk about some of the most effective strategies.
1. Referrals & Networking
Word-of-mouth is still one of the most powerful ways to attract high-quality clients. If you’ve worked with great clients before, ask them for referrals. If you’re just starting out, tap into your existing network and let people know about your services.
Some ways to get referrals:
- Ask past clients for testimonials and introductions.
- Join entrepreneur communities and networking groups.
- Attend online or in-person business events to connect with potential clients.
One of the best things I ever did to market my business was to attend events. I went to local events – sometimes they were networking events, sometimes they were business events like full day trainings or a one day conference with speakers.
I attended, I took part, I even sponsored at many of time – so that I had a table where people could come to talk to me about my services. Showing up in person anywhere will go very far – especially in this online world where no one seems to want to leave their home anymore.
2. Content Marketing
Creating valuable content that showcases your expertise is a great way to attract high-quality clients. If you enjoy writing, consider starting a blog. If you prefer video, share tips on LinkedIn or YouTube. If you love social media, post helpful insights on Instagram or Facebook.
Some content ideas:
- Share case studies or stories of past client work (without breaking confidentiality).
- Write about common client struggles and how you solve them.
- Focus on ‘how to’ do things
- Share insights on industry trends.
Everything changed for me when I started to do video. I hesitated for a long time because I was shy, I didn’t want to do my hair and makeup every day, but once I got comfortable with ‘less is more’ (by that I mean, nice hair, a little mascara, good lighting and background), it was one of the best things for me.
Trust me you get really comfortable quickly after you do one or two videos. And of course you know I love my podcast – audio only – fastest way to create content, in my opinion.
3. Outbound Marketing Strategies
If you prefer a more direct approach, outbound marketing can be highly effective. This includes reaching out to potential clients via email or LinkedIn with a personalized message about how you can help their business.
For successful outreach, make sure you research the business before reaching out to them. Personalize all messaging, and focus on how you can solve a problem they are having.
I’ve also done LOADS of outbound marketing. I tell you how to do it all the time. Especially on LinkedIn, which I still think is a great place to find high quality clients. Search them, check them out, interact with them, and message them when you connect with them. Build a real relationship. Focus on quality over quantity and have real conversations with them. It really works.
4. Partnerships & Collaborations
Another great way to attract high-quality clients is to build relationships with people who serve the same audience. For example, business coaches, marketing strategists, or web designers often work with clients who also need VA support.
How can you collaborate with others?
- Partner with other service providers who can refer clients to you.
- Offer guest training in business communities or group programs.
- Join online communities where potential clients are active.
One of the first places I taught was for my business coach clients. They were helping entrepreneurs build their amazing businesses, and their clients needed VAs too. They weren’t investing in my level of services at the time like my clients were, but I was their guest contributor for their monthly coaching calls – I talked about organization, tech, email, social media. all kinds of things that were very helpful. And my clients paid me on top of that to do the call every month. In a way it was my springboard to training and coaching as I do it now.
Positioning Yourself as an Expert
Attracting high-quality clients isn’t just about finding them, it’s also about showing them why you’re the right VA for them. Positioning yourself as an expert in your field will naturally draw in better clients who are willing to pay more for your skills.
How to Position Yourself as an Expert:
- Optimize your LinkedIn profile and website with clear messaging.
- Share testimonials and case studies that highlight your results.
- Set your pricing and packages at a level that reflects your value.
- Show up consistently in your marketing so potential clients see you as reliable and knowledgeable.
One of the biggest mindset shifts you’ll need to make is believing that you are worth working with. High-quality clients are looking for confident service providers, so the way you present yourself matters.
It took a lot of work for me to overcome my mindset that I didn’t have any experience, or that I wasn’t worthy to work with people who earned a lot more money than I did, or that I could set rates at $50/hr to be a VA.
Your mindset is one of the things that will hold you back if you let it. You have to work through the things that keep you stuck. Whether that means working with someone like me one on one, or just really concentrating on being positive and affirming every day that you are amazing.
Being able to collect stories and testimonials of how you have worked with people is key. It reminds YOU of the great work you do, and you can share them in your content and with your clients.
So, let’s circle back to today’s quote: The best way to predict the future is to create it. – Peter Drucker
Are you creating your future? You can, you know. It just takes some planning, some confidence, some focus – and action. Nothing happens until you take action.
Now, here’s your action step for today: Take 10 minutes to write down a description of your ideal client. Then, look at your current marketing efforts and ask yourself: are you speaking directly to that type of client? If not, what can you tweak?
If you want more support in building a client-attracting strategy that really works, reach out to me on social media for a chat. I’m on every platform, so just find me where you are and let’s talk about it.
Do You Need Help?
I’ve helped hundreds (and hundreds) of VAs get unstuck from the things that are holding them back from creating the VA business of their dreams – and I can help you too.
If you need support in building your confidence and finding the right clients, I would love to help. I am here for one reason only, to help you become a ridiculously good VA. Send me an email or DM me to chat about what you are struggling with, and talk about what your next step needs to be to move forward.
Thanks for tuning in, I’m Tracey D’Aviero, Confidence Coach for VAs and I’ll see you next time!
If you found this episode helpful, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review. And if you’re looking for more strategies to build your VA business with confidence, check out my coaching programs and resources at YourVAMentor.com.