When you decide to get started as a Virtual Assistant, it\u2019s generally because you have administrative skills that you have acquired over a series of jobs, and you want to start to work from home for one reason or another.<\/p>\n
But it\u2019s important to realize that once you are home, sitting at your desk with your new business cards staring back at you, that you will need to market your business in order to build up a client base.<\/p>\n
Many VAs make the mistake of thinking they can help everyone. When you don\u2019t focus on specific groups of people to connect with, you end up blurring the message you are sending out, and quite often you won\u2019t be heard.<\/p>\n
By getting specific about who you can help, you can craft a more specific marketing message that you put out there, and you will be able to speak directly to certain people, and they will have a much better chance of hearing your message.<\/p>\n
Here are a few tips on how to determine who you should be targeting:<\/p>\n
1. Who do you want to work with?<\/strong> Think about who you have worked with before. Men? Women? Corporations? Small business owners? Married? Single? Give your ideal client a description. You know the types of people you have worked with before, so think about who you found easy to work with, who you enjoyed working with (and why!). When you own your own business, it is very important to work with clients that suit you, and that you can work well with. For me, I work best with male and female small business owners who are married with families, because we have a common ground and similar values.<\/p>\n 2. Does what they do interest you? <\/strong>Think about the things you like to do \u2013 if you have a hobby that you enjoy, you may consider looking for clients in that industry. If there is an industry that fascinates you, you may think about getting clients there. It\u2019s important to have work that will motivate you to get going each day, and by looking specifically at industries or areas of interest that appeal to you, that can really make things easier. For instance, if you are interested in the travel industry, you may want to tailor your service offerings for independent travel agencies, so that you can do what you are good at, within an industry that is interesting to you.<\/p>\n