We can’t emphasize it enough … selecting a target market  and fully understanding that target market is ESSENTIAL when it comes to finding great new clients.

In order to really connect with a potential client and have an interactive discussion that captures their attention and makes them think “I DO need this person to help me build my business”, you must understand them and make them feel that you understand them.

How do you do this?  What should you know?

It sounds relatively simple really, but when it comes down to it, ‘knowing’ your client can seem rather daunting, especially when you first start out.   However, it really is quite simple.

To support you in getting underway, we’ve created a simple checklist that you can use to fully educate yourself on your market.  Imagine the connection they will feel when you show them that you’ve taken the time to research and get to know them better so you can best support them! 

Do you know everything you should know about your target market? 

>>> Download the “10 Things You Must Know About Your Target Market”

2009 has seen an incredible number of solo-VA businesses turn into multi-VA businesses. 
This can only mean one thing — the VA industry is booming, getting more recognition (that it deserves) and more business owners are seeking the help of a virtual professional.

As a solo-VA business, you may reach the ‘bursting point’ where you’re forced to make a tough decision in order to manage your workload and business … terminate client relationships or bring someone on board to assist you.

Have you thought about creating a multi-VA business?

We’re calling Virtual Assistants to join us on November 18th at 10am Pacific / 1pm Eastern  for an open discussion and group brainstorming session on the “Multi-VA Business Model”

What are the pros of creating a multi-VA business?  What are the cons?  For some it’s an obvious step in the
growth of their business.  For others, they have no idea what’s really involved.    Is it right for you?

Listen in below to the call we had on this topic.

Click here to download…

It’s no surprise to hear us say that Virtual Assistants must provide SOLUTIONS to their clients. If you don’t provide your clients with solutions via your support and services, then you’re not doing your ‘job’.

So when I came across Tina’s blog post (yes, I do check out her blog frequently!) and saw the post about “Providing Solutions, Not Just Options”, I thought it would a great one to share.

This post was written for Online Business Managers, however I believe the message in it will demonstrate just one more way of telling our clients “what they don’t know” (if you haven’t heard the story about this phrase, let me know and I’ll share it in a future issue of the V-Scoop.)

Our clients are busy. They know their expertise. In most cases, they know very little about the technology and the steps that WE take to implement and complete a project. The onus is on us, as Virtual Assistants, to provide, research and demonstrate as much as we can, without making them work too hard.

So, check out this post and ask yourself … are you providing solutions? Are you making your client(s) work too hard? Are you demonstrating your expertise, mindset and initiative?

>> Read the blog post “Providing Solutions, Not Just Options”

 “To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe.”  –
Anatole France

The goal for Virtual Assistants is to build a great business, with great clients and great revenue — right?

In some cases, we’re so focussed on attracting new clients and supporting them that we don’t consider that there are clients we should NOT be hiring.

For years, the team here at VirtuallySuccessful.com has spoken with Virtual Assistants about how to attract great clients — essentially, how to decide on a target market and pick the ideal client you would like to work with. It’s our own business so we should be working with the people we love to work with …. right?

Unfortunately so many of us in this great community are choosing to work with the wrong clients … clients who make us miserable, don’t pay the bills, demand too much and ultimately exhaust us.

Knowing how to recognize these ‘wrong’ clients is almost more

important than knowing how to find the right clients!

We want to help Virtual Assistants work with the best clients out there - ones that are respectful, pay their bills, appreciate and ultimately, treat you like a valued member of the team. And to be able to say ‘no thanks’ to the rest.

So how do you know which clients should you NOT hire?

Join Tina and Cindy on Thursday, October 8th as they share:

• What YOU should know about your potential client before you even speak with them
• 5 questions your prospective client must have the answer to before you even consider working with them
• 3 questions you need to ask yourself before you accept a new client
• The top 5 warning flags to watch out for when considering a new client

Sign up for this 60 minute session, for only $27 and you will receive:

• Access to the live call
• Notes
• An MP3 recording of the call

>>Reserve Your Spot

Stop working with the clients who really don’t deserve you and start working with the clients who will respect you, cherish you and appreciate you.

Let’s cut to the chase on this topic. Most of us know that responding to RFPs (Request for Proposals) via various industry networks can be a great way to connect with clients. But it can be a bit intimidating… common concerns include:

• how much information should I include?
• how long should my response be?
• should I tell them my rate?
• should I include my resume?
• do I tell them about my experience before I became a VA?

Think about this way… your response to a RFP is your first (and potentially only) opportunity to leave a lasting impression. So what do you want the business owner to remember about you? What do you want them to think as they read your response? What can you say that will make them want to talk with you … versus deleting your email?

We’ve been on the ‘client side’ of an RFP several times. As business owners ourselves and on behalf of clients we’ve sent RPFs that include specific expertise needed, questions we would like answered and general details about the opportunity.

Some of the responses are great, but sad to say that most responses aren’t very good.
This leaves us shaking our heads because (1) we know the VA is capable of much more than what they provided in their response and (2) the response did not represent the expertise of the Virtual Assistant industry as a whole.

We have also spoken with other business owners about the kind of response they have received from their RFP. In almost every situation, there are just a few responses that stand out… the others shouldn’t have bothered to responded.

We’re working on a full guide for responding to RFPs but in the meantime … here’s a quick list of the top 10
essentials you need to remember when responding to a RFP.

>>> Download the “Top 10 Essentials to Remember When Responding to a RFP”

Drumroll please… we’d like to give congratulations to the world’s very first Certified Online Business Managers.

Let’s give a round of applause to:

Charly Alexander

Denise Milligan

Donna Frindt

Heike Miller

Janet E. Smith

These five lovely ladies tackled our admittedly tough Certification process and came out shining, and so it is our absolute pleasure to award them the designation of Certified Online Business Manager. Feel free to click their names to learn more about these truly talented women.

To learn more about the next Certified Online Business Manager Training program and join the early notification list go to www.certifiedobm.com.

A Word from our Sponsor

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The costs associated with preparing, editing and distributing the Virtually Successful Scoop ezine are covered 100% by our sponsors.  If you’re curious about becoming a sponsor and reaching 1500+ virtual professionals send an email to sponsor@virtuallysuccessful.com.

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