If you’ve been following our social channels, you might have noticed a theme for this month: business growth. You see, it’s likely that we all have a goal - but how we get to that goal is another story. A quick research online and you’ll come across hundreds of articles highlighting the importance of marketing.
But not every marketing strategy will be right for you, and some may not even be worth the cost. Don’t worry though as we’re here to help you out, which is why we’ve pulled together our favourite - and most effective - ways to market your VA biz, whether you’re just starting out or things have got a little stagnant.
1. Launch a website If you’re new to being a VA, you might consider a website to be an expense that you could go without. But if you take anything away from this blog, it's that a website is essential. Consider this your shop front window. This is the place where people will go to find out more information about you, search for reviews and, when done correctly, can do a lot of your marketing for you. You see, with effective SEO in place, your website will naturally appear on Google searches and automatically fall into the path of your target audience.
Even if your website is only made up of one landing page, that’s enough to boost SEO and build credibility with potential clients.
2. Blog
Blogging is great for a few different reasons. It helps you to show off your expertise, highlights your personality and can also be beneficial for SEO. By packing your blog with appropriate keywords and popular search terms, you’ve got a chance of appearing high on Google when someone is searching for those phrases and keywords. Not just that, but it also gives you regular content for your social media - which leads us onto our next point.
Don’t worry if writing isn’t your strong point though as there are other options. You could even consider partnering with a copywriter and doing what’s known as a service swap. They could write you a blog each month and you could organise their receipts or design a template to be used on social media.
3. Post on social media
Having a good social media presence is a great way to get traffic to your website and, by joining social media groups, you can tap into additional communities. What’s more, it helps to raise your profile and brand reputation. Just think about it this way: if someone is interested in doing business with you, they’ll probably search for your name online. If you have an active social media account, they’re more likely to trust you compared to if they can’t find anything at all.
It’s also important to engage with other VAs and build relationships this way. Instead of viewing them as competition, why not start looking at the positives? You can learn from these people, collaborate with them and generally bounce ideas off them. One of the best things about our industry is that it’s so collaborative - I’ve seen many VAs posting out opportunities when they just don’t have capacity or capability.
4. Guest post
This one is sort of like blogging but for someone else. Not only does it allow you to speak to a new network but usually you’re able to include a link to your website, which will be great for traffic. Contact local papers and websites, or even local forums or local business owners to see if they’d be willing to feature a guest post. The topic is often up to you but keep in mind that it’s best if it’s related to your services or an advice piece that others will benefit from.
5. Advertise
Now, you could get some local flyers printed and drop them by the local library or even a coworking space. Or, you could do it the modern way and invest in some online adverts. It doesn’t even have to cost you much and will help to put your name in front of an even bigger audience of online businesses and potential clients. LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and even Google all offer the service - and sometimes, you can even get access to a free credit voucher. You’ll need to know who your ideal clients are, as well as a few different factors, but when done right this is a fantastic marketing tactic.
6. Network
Okay so this might send chills down your back but getting out and about and meeting new people is a sure-fire way to get your business name out there. If in-person events are slightly out of your comfort zone, try online networking events. Alternatively, if traditional networking sessions make you want to run for the hills, why not head to a trade show and try to introduce yourself to at least 5 people? Of course, don’t forget your trusty business cards either. Plus, if you want to make the most of your networking experience, you might be pleased to know that we’ve created a whole guide on exactly that. To get your exclusive copy, sign up to our mailing list here.
7. Use your network
However long you’ve been a VA, it’s likely that you’ve got a book of contacts - either from past clients or previous workplaces. So, why not use word of mouth to your advantage? Send out a message explaining what you’re doing and asking whether they know anyone who needs some help. These are almost like warm leads. You already know each other and someone is more likely to recommend, and promote your business, if they’ve met or worked with you before.
8. Take advantage of online directories
It’s likely that your local town or city has a free business directory for people just like you. Even if it’s not free, it pays to consider how beneficial this cost would be. For example, if you were to make back the fee from gaining one client, it’s probably worth it. Usually, you’ll get a little bio, a link to your website and your contact details shared and it’s a great place to advertise your services, find clients and boost brand visibility.
The VA industry even has a society directory - The Society of Virtual Assistants. While you do have to work to achieve SVA status, once you’ve got the accreditation, you can add their logo to your website, which again provides more credibility.
9. Google My Business
Just imagine if someone typed in ‘VA support in [town]’ and your business popped up. Well, that’s exactly what Google My Business does. It’s quick, easy and completely free to do and can help you to keep pace with the competition in your local area. All you need to do is sign up, provide a few details about the business and wait to be approved. You can also post updates and business news to your account, which will appear alongside any search results.
10. Leave tips on forums
This one goes for forums, other blog posts, online articles and even social media such as Facebook groups and Instagram pages. Just like networking in person, commenting, sharing and engaging with content online is a great way to get your name out there. Plus, if you’re able to start building relationships with people, they’re more likely to click on your profile, head to your website and who knows where they’ll go from there…
This sort of behaviour is favoured by Instagram too so if you can keep it up, it’ll be great for getting the algorithm on side and your posts will be shown to even more people.
Looking for more advice for your virtual assistant business? Perhaps you want to discuss how to market your VA business in more detail? We’d be delighted to help. In fact, we’re even running a competition on Instagram to give you the chance to win an exclusive 1:1 coaching session. So give us a follow and make sure you’ve signed up to our mailing list to keep up to date with our business news and be the first to know about exclusive offers.
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