ListBuilding Challenge for Your Virtual Assistant Business
“ListBuilding” was the topic of one of our recent Hot Skills VA Training classes earlier this week. My business partner Tina Forsyth shared various strategies Virtual Assistants can use to help their clients with attracting people to their website and convert them in to database subscribers.
What was really interesting about this discussion, and many others we have had, is that we are so geared to gathering this information to help our clients when really these exact same strategies also apply to our own Virtual Assistant businesses. I’m sure many Virtual Assistants would agree that they work hard to make sure their client(s) needs are looked after before they take (or even considering taking) the time to market their own business.
“Marketing is an ongoing process, not an event.” is one of my favourite quotes written by my client Stephen Fairley. The reality is we will often make time to market ourselves when we are in need of new clients and additional revenue but when things get busy, we slide the marketing over to the small corner of our desk and rarely make the time for it.
Here’s a challenge for any of you who are reading this blog post. Each and every morning, before you even open up your email program and download new emails, take 20 minutes to do something that contributes to the growth of your business. It may be writing a new blog post, starting a new article, posting an article online, writing a press release, connecting with a potential joint venture - whatever it is - but have it be an action step towards your own marketing.
I have accepted this same challenge from Tina Forsyth. I too get caught up in the hundreds of new emails and priority tasks each day and have a hard time making time for ME and MY business.
If you’re willing to accept this challenge also, let me know … I’d love to hear about what steps you are taking to make your business development a priority.
April 28th, 2009 at April 28, 2009 - 9:30 am
Great advice in that posting. I try to do something every day, usually first thing that will grow my business. As an owner of a mortgage company before venturing into the VA world, I know the importance of keeping your name and message in front of others. While the tactics are a bit differnt, the consistency is still much needed.
I don’t think VAs realize the amount of time they need to market themselves when they get started. Developing a customer appreciation program is also beneficial in keeping good clients and getting referrals for additional clients.
Having worked in the mortgage/real estate industry, I have adopted the idea of keeping in front of clients and potential clients 12-18 a year. This can be done a myriad of ways, blogs, hand written notes, a post card campaign. Always keeping my name in front of my clients as a resource person causes them to think of me when they have a need, even if I’m not known for that expertise, they assume I’m connected and can help solve their business problem.
So I would encourage all of your readers to make growing their business #1 on their priority list.