Marketing a Virtual Assistant Business is crucial to your success. There are several ways to market your Virtual Assistant Business, but we are going to discuss some of the common methods.
1) Networking
Many Virtual Assistants (VAs) utilize this method and have been very successful in growing their businesses. By networking with other Virtual Assistants, not only are you building relationships, you are also building possible partnerships. The majority of Virtual Assistants subcontract out work to other VAs that they know and trust.
Building genuine relationships can have a two-fold effect. One is that you have gained a friend with whom you can exchange problems, business advice, and business successes. The other is that they will be more willing to subcontract work to you, and this can help you to build your business and your portfolio.
Forums and messages boards are another great opportunity to network with businesspeople, not just other VAs. There are many forums and message boards that are just for VAs, but don't just limit yourself to these. Visit specialty or niche forums and message boards where your potential target market may hang out. This provides you with more opportunities to build relationships with potential clients. Plug your services when possible, but don't overdo it.
Some VAs have found success by networking at their local Chamber of Commerce. This is something worthwhile to look into.
2) Word of Mouth
Word of mouth is one of the best ways to get new clients. By providing outstanding service to your current clients, they will have no problem referring you to their friends and business connections.
3) Press Releases
Press releases are an excellent way to get your name out there. Press releases are basically a newsworthy story about your business that you submit to the media. They are a wonderful way to get publicity for your business at little to no cost.
4) Search Engine Marketing
Have you ever seen the little ads under "Sponsor Links" to the right of your computer screen when you do a search on www.Google.com? These are ads paid for by people to advertise our businesses. They are called Google Adwords. You pay X amount of money every time someone clicks on your ad. Google allows you to choose the amount you want to pay per click and set a budget.
Yahoo, MSN, and other search engines offer similar services.
5) Search Engine Optimization
Optimizing your web pages so that search engines like Google, Yahoo, and MSN can find you will increase the chance of prospective clients finding you on the worldwide web. This is extremely important as the Virtual Assistance Industry becomes more well-known. You can easily learn to do this yourself.
6) Advertise on Your Car
I'm sure you have been driving somewhere and noticed a car with an advertisement on it. This is another avenue you can utilize to market your Virtual Assistant Business. You never know who might be reading it.
7) Email Signature Files
Email signature files are yet another way to market your Virtual Assistant Business. You can advertise your business each time you send, reply, or forward an email.
8) Write Articles
Writing articles that are of interest to your target market is another great marketing method. You can submit your articles to places like ezinearticles.com, and get some great exposure for your business, not to mention one-way links. Writing articles is not as hard as you may think. Don't worry about trying to be eloquent. Keep it simple and make sure to proofread and edit it carefully before submitting it to article sites.
9) Offline Marketing
Web decals, business cards, flyers, brochures, and networking can all be included in offline marketing. You can have business cards made today with little or no costs. VistaPrint.com is a perfect example. Vista Print offers business cards at no cost. You simply pay shipping and handling charges. You can also make your own business cards and flyers right on your computer with the right desktop publishing software.
I hope you can put some of these methods to use to start marketing your Virtual Assistant Business.
