Virtual Assistants: How To Get Your First Client!
Posted on 29th September 2021 at 15:12
Virtual Assistants: How to Get Your First Client!
You’ve made the leap and started working as a VA – congratulations! There’s a good reason why virtual assistants are part of a growing field. Working as a VA offers flexibility and efficiency for both you and your clients.
However, now that you have the benefits of working as a VA, you have the challenges too - one of which is finding your own clients!
There are tried-and-tested ways of finding your first clients as a virtual assistant. This article will explore some methods of finding clients so that you can get the ball rolling.
Job boards are easy to navigate and can be a real boost to your business. They are a great resource for when you’ve just begun working as a VA, but they can also be useful throughout your career if you have a slow month.
There are job boards designed for freelancers, but these sometimes require a paid membership. Sometimes this is worth it if you manage to pick up a few clients, but you might have better luck focusing on job boards specifically for VAs.
Make sure you look before jumping into a job opportunity with both feet. While scams are rare, they do exist. Caution is advised.
• Make sure you use legitimate job boards that are well reviewed and trusted.
• Research your potential client thoroughly to make sure the company is genuine.
• Trust your instinct – if an opportunity seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Social media is a great place to connect with other VAs and potential clients. The more you can expand your network on sites like Facebook, LinkedIn, or Instagram, the better.
Paid sponsorships on social media can help boost your visibility in other people’s feeds – you can typically customize how much you’re willing to spend on promotions and the geographical area you wish to target.
Make sure your business as a VA is as visible as possible online by utilizing on your local business directory and Google business.
Keep your website up to date – all that effort spent directing people towards your website will be wasted if it doesn’t provide potential clients with the information they need!
Even though you can work remotely as a virtual assistant, your local area still could help you connect with potential clients.
Don’t be afraid to interact with local business. Smaller, independent businesses might prefer to work with someone who is local to them. Even if they don’t become a client, some businesses will be happy to take your business card or pass on your contact details to others.
Your local area can be a great place to network too:
• Join your local Federation of Small Businesses.
• Become a member of your Chamber of Commerce.
• Look at noticeboards or shop windows to discover meetups, local groups of business owners and local events.
When you launch yourself as a VA, make sure to tell everyone you know about your business. Not only might friends or family know of potential clients, but they may be able to give you a referral. Extended relatives, former colleagues and acquaintances may all help you find your first client.
Look out for networking events (both in-person and online) that you can attend – these are often useful in connecting companies with virtual assistants.
If you're new to being a VA, you might also be interested in our blog about free online tools for virtual assistants! Click HERE to read it.
Typically, once you get your first client or two, your momentum will build. Don’t forget to ask your first clients for reviews and feedback so that (with their permission) you can add this onto your website or social media.
With consistency and visibility, your schedule should be full in no time!
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