Are Virtual Assistants in Competition?
I couldn’t help but laugh the other day when I was telling a friend about the new book I wrote for Virtual Assistants - “Virtually Successful: 8 Simple Ways for Virtual Assistants to Find (and Keep) Clients”. He asked me “Why would you give away all the ’secrets’? Are you not afraid of competition?”
I laughed. I laughed because I know the opportunities for Virtual Assistants outweigh the competition between VAs.
In the last 3 years I’ve had the opportunity to speak with over 450 business owners who were looking for a Virtual Assistant. Many of these business owners expressed extreme frustration in finding a VA with the skills they needed. In fact, my partner Tina Forsyth held a teleseminar with details on what potential clients shared with us about the Virtual Assistant industry. Visit www.HotSkillsVATraining.com to download the audio recording.
As Virtual Assistants it’s our responsibility to TELL our potential clients more than what they’re just asking for. In many cases, the business community views the VA professional as admin assistants or ‘glorified’ secretaries. This is not the case .. but in order to change this assumption, we need to stand up together and appropriately demonstrate our expertise and potential.
Virtual Assistants who stand up tall and clearly communicate that they understand the client’s business and what they want to accomplish will stand apart from other VAs. In addition, Virtual Assistants that go one step further by TELLING the client exactly how they can contribute to building their business, based on their goals, will stand apart even more.
So are Virtual Assistants really in competition with one another? I truly don’t believe so. Do you?
September 1st, 2008 at September 1, 2008 - 1:57 pm
I agree with you that virtual assistants don’t need to be afraid of competition. Of course I believe that’s true in other businesses also. Too many times I see referral networks that limit themselves to only one member in each category. But isn’t there enough to go around? Particularly in the virtual assistant industry is this true because there are many different areas that people specialize in.
I enjoy helping other businesses grow. And like you, I’m willing to help other virtual assistants grow their business. Let’s leave behind the mindset of competition and find ways to help each other - no matter what industry we’re in.
September 1st, 2008 at September 1, 2008 - 5:20 pm
While technically we as VAs are in competition with one another, the competition is not something we need to be afraid of. There are more than enough clients to go around and as Sue stated, we do not all specialize in the same areas. I have found virtual assistants in general to be a very tight knit and supportive group. Almost all VAs are more than willing to help another VA and give advise - at least all the ones I know anyway, and I’m in several VA groups.
October 14th, 2008 at October 14, 2008 - 3:30 pm
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October 21st, 2008 at October 21, 2008 - 3:36 pm
Hi there, I agree we do not need to worry about competition. There is a certain level of competition between two furniture stores in the same town. Local people needing furniture and wanting to stay local are going to make a decision between the two - hence the competition for viable customers. However, for Virtual Assistants the market is endless. Heck some of us are getting busy enough we need our own VAs some days. I’ve said that more than once in the past month it seems.
I live in Maine but less than half of my clients are from Maine, so do I need to worry about the VA in the next town no not at all. I want to support his or her business and hope that they feel likewise. We should have a common goal - to bring an awareness of the industry to our local areas. I can’t wait for the day when I can say I’ve told 10 people this week that I’m a Virtual Assistant and not one of them looked at me with a dazed and confused look because they had never heard of a VA. That will be cool!
April 28th, 2009 at April 28, 2009 - 9:35 am
I agree that there is some confusion about what VAs actually do. I try to link my business as a partnership to my cleint’s endeavors. I also clarify what we do…we provide virtual business services. That helps fight the stereotypical idea that we are just glorified support staff.
First and foremost, we need to think of ourselves in the light of being business owners and experts in our field, whatever that specialty may be. If we haven’t convinces ourselves, it will be tough to convince potential clients.
I am also ba big believer that there is enough business to go around and we should be supporting other VAs by referring business or creating alliances to offer more services through creating business alliances.