Finding your first client is one of the most difficult aspects of starting your own VA business. Although you should already know where to look, it can be unsettling to consider approaching someone and offering your services in exchange for a fee. What happens if they decide not to hire you? Or does it take so long to find a customer that you decide not to continue working as a virtual assistant at all?
These are questions that we’ve all asked ourselves, so I’ve put up a list of the Five Best Ways to Get Your First Client.
Always be Networking
All business owners and independent contractors rely on networking as a skill to develop their clientele, reputations, and business. Networking is important for all businesses, so do it as frequently as you can. Create a LinkedIn profile and connect with people who are experts in your profession. Join some Facebook groups and engage the participants. You can distribute business cards at community events or join a VA forum. Make a website or blog to share your work as well. It will be simpler for potential clients to find you when you network and establish contacts more frequently.
Reach Out to Family and Friends
The ideal area to hone your networking abilities is inside your personal social group, including family and friends. Talk to your regular contacts, including your relatives, uncles, cousins, acquaintances, churchgoers, and exercise partners. Although they might not require your services, they might know someone who does. Making connections with family and friends has another advantage in that they could be prepared to help you in other ways, such as through word-of-mouth promotion. For the most exposure, spread your net as widely as you can. The enthusiasm will draw in potential customers, who will approach.
Continue to Learn About and Improve Your Services
Knowing more about your services will help you promote them more effectively since knowledge truly is power. Keep abreast of trends, research your offerings, monitor what works, and make any necessary adjustments. A stagnant firm will perish in the shifting economic currents, therefore as it expands, your company must get better. Additionally, each client will have different needs. If you want to satisfy their requirements and win their trust, you must be willing to learn new things at any moment. Success can be found there.
Stand Out From the Crowd
Being seen is the best method to get your first client, therefore you need to figure out how to set yourself apart from the other VAs. Consider the things you provide that other virtual assistants might not, or what you can do to interact with your audience. Alternatively, you might give the first four customers two hours free in exchange for their testimonials. The idea is to stand out from the crowd without jeopardizing your reputation because, once you become recognized, it will be difficult to forget you.
Make a Plan and Reach Out
You appear (and feel) more capable, professional, and confident when you have a strategy in place. Therefore, you ought to have one set up before attempting to find your first client. To achieve a successful outcome, bear the following steps in mind when creating your plan:
- Pick One Networking Site to Focus on at a Time: Trying to juggle more than one networking site can be exhausting. Pick one to focus your attention on at a time. For example, find a Facebook group for Virtual Assistants and clients and use that as a platform to start spreading the word.
- Connect With a Certain Number of People per day: You can’t talk to everyone, so choose 2–3 people that seem interested in your business and connect with them. Then, on the next day, find 2–3 more. Before you know it, you’ll have 60 or so new connections to explore. These connections could become clients with the right push.
- Keep Track of Your Conversations: Now’s the time to build your communication skills. The more people you connect with and talk to, the more efficiently you’ll be able to pitch your business.
- Don’t Talk About Yourself: Instead, ask your connections questions about their business, and what issues they’re having, and offer them your solutions. That way, they’ll see how serious you are about working for them and making their business flourish.
