Welcome to another episode of the podcast that teaches you how to be a ridiculously good virtual assistant.
Today we are going to talk about what it takes for you to build a referral Virtual Assistant business.
Today’s Quote: People influence people. Nothing influences people more than a recommendation from a trusted friend. A trusted referral influences people more than the best broadcast message. A trusted referral is the Holy Grail of advertising. – Mark Zuckerberg
Click the play button above to tune in, or choose your favourite podcast player below:
Connect with Tracey D’Aviero, VA Coach and Trainer
Episode Notes:
When you first start your Virtual Assistant business, the dream is to work with amazing clients and get people referring business to you all over the place.
Building a referral Virtual Assistant business can’t be that hard, can it?
I’m sure there are very few Virtual Assistants who ever give marketing a second thought.
I know when I started my VA business I did not know how to get clients.
But that didn’t stop me from starting.
And I bet it didn’t stop you either.
There are two ways to find clients … well, maybe three actually.
One … job boards, postings, VA groups, jumping on every potential posting that you see and hoping that you are the first past the post. These methods of getting clients are all very competitive. They can be lucrative, of course, but many jobs that get posted online are looking for the cheapest VA they can find, or like I said, the first one to respond. I don’t recommend growing your dream VA business using job boards. I don’t discourage you from using them – just not as your only source of finding clients. It can be really depressing to waste so much time just hoping.
Two … marketing. I teach marketing, so I know it works. When you find the right people that you can help and you become a part of the community with them online or offline, you can get lots of great clients. But of course it takes the proper strategy and plan, and takes work too. I can help you with your strategy and plan of course .. and I do highly recommend learning to market your VA business well. It is worth the work, and when you find your people you can get lots of GREAT clients this way (not just any old client).
And that brings me to Three, which is what I want to talk about on today’s episode. Referrals. One very underused way to get GREAT clients is to find some great people to refer business to you. Having a great source of referrals is one of the best things you can do for your VA business.
Let’s talk about what you need to do that.
1 – Choose a Target Market
Tracey you always tell us to choose a target market! For everything! Yeah, I do.
Because it is one of the most important things you can to grow a ridiculously good VA business. A referral Virtual Assistant business!
Choosing a target market when you are looking for referrals is even more important. How can people send you referrals if they don’t know who you can help?
You have to be able to tell them who would be the best clients for you. Not all referrals are good ones. And just because someone sends you a referral doesn’t mean they will be a a good fit for you.
So think about who the people are that you can help best. Whether that is because of the industry they are in, or the area they live in, or the services they need, pick one. amd stick with it!
2 – Define What You Do Clearly
The other piece of getting a good referral is making sure that the people you are communicating with (and looking for referrals from) understand what you do.
You can say general admin, or social media, or event planning. And you may have a clear understanding of what that entails. But unless your referrer is a Virtual Assistant, they may not understand what it means exactly.
So it’s important to be able to define it well. totally about who you help, how you help them. For general admin that could be saying helping them get organized or sending their emails out or managing their schedule. For social media that could be saying you help them get their business in front of more people using Facebook or LinkedIn. That type of thing.
Clearly defining what you do is not just important when seeking referrals. It’s important for your own marketing too. So it’s hugely beneficial to figure it out. and yes, I can definitely help you do that.
3 – Find Your Community
One big part of getting one or more referrals sources is becoming a part of a community with them.
You don’t want to just ask people for referrals and that’s the end of it. You want to connect with them regularly.
Staying top of mind is important to get people to think of you when the opportunity arises.
Finding a community that you can spend time with on a regular basis is a genuine and fun way to keep in touch with people who can help you grow your business.
That could be an online group, it might be an in person group, or it might be a regular event that you attend.
And keep in mind that it might not be the same place that you are networking with your potential clients. There is an important distinction. Find the best communities you can for your business.
4 – Give Referrals
I always say it… the best way to get a referral is to give one first.
Becoming an active part of your community means that you will learn about the other business owners in it too.
Be genuine, always, don’t force referrals (or requests for referrals), it never works well that way.
Also, just because someone sends you referrals does not mean that it has to be a two way street. I learned that a long time ago that people can be a one way referral.
How does that work?
Simple … there are people that need you after they have worked with someone else … say a business coach who has taught them strategy to implement. They then need you to implement that strategy.
And there are people that need someone else after they are working with or have worked with you. Say those same clients need a website developer or a branding expert, or a social media expert.
In both cases, you can get referrals too. The business coach can refer their clients to you, and so can the web developer. Make sense?
5 – Do Great Work
And the last part is so easy. Do great work.
The best way for people to want to send others your way is to do a good job. A ridiculously good job, as a matter of fact.
Just do what you are great at, and this part will be the easiest!
Do what you love, what you are great at, network with awesome people, be honest if someone comes along who is not a good fit for you. Everyone learns that way.
Building a referral Virtual Assistant business just takes making a few decisions, making the right connections, and doing good work. How simple is that!?
And it really is that simple. I did it, so I know it works… and how easy it is.
I built my referral only VA business exactly this way.
I worked with a business coach to clearly define who I helped, what I did, and how I helped them. We created simple packages that helped me showcase that.
Then I connected with those people and their colleagues every day. Online. In person. At events. I became known for what I did.
And I got referrals. I was highly referred and on a waiting list all the time. I grew my business with 4 subcontractors who helped me provide amazing services to my clients. And their clients!
A little bit of trust goes a long way with referrals, just like Mark Zuckerberg says in today’s quote. Be genuine, be helpful, do good work. That builds trust in business!
I did it. I honestly did it really easily.
And you can do it too. Start building a referral Virtual Assistant business today.
Need Some Help?
This is exactly what I help VAs do. As a Virtual Assistant coach and trainer, I help you set yourself up for success, helping you fix the specific things that are going wrong in your business. When we work together either privately or in a group we talk specifically about your business and you – there is no one stop solution for everyone when it comes to service businesses like VA businesses.
I’ll help you get clarity around your issues, and cheer you on as you walk through the steps to fix them.
I’ve helped hundreds of VAs through their challenges and got them on their way to growing their business and the lifestyle that they dream of.
I’d love to do the same for you.
You can work with me privately, or you can join The Virtual Circle, my mastermind group for Virtual Assistants. Check it out at www.YourVAMentor.com/TVC (the virtual circle) – I bet it’s exactly what you need to start running the VA business you dreamed of.
Reach out to me if you are interested.
That’s all I’ve got for you this week, see you next time!