Is your website working for you, or is it an outdated, not-so-great representation of the value and expertise you bring?
It’s interesting to me that we put in time and energy (albeit sometimes scattered) into networking, social media and promoting
ourselves in different ways … but then the one tool that most represents who we are, who we want to work with, what we offer and more, is a weak depiction.
In this month’s Get Clients Club session, I’m going to share 2 Mistakes Many VAs Are Making On Their Websites That Are Turning Away New Clients. It’s not about the overall look of your website (although this is important), it’s about two very specific and strategic things that if done right, will make a huge difference in your business – i.e. attracting, connecting and building relationships with potential clients.
Join me in the Get Clients Club – www.GetClientsClub.com. We meet monthly (via live video) on a very specific topic related to helping you find more and better clients, and building a financial rewarding business.
The January call is scheduled for Wednesday, January 11th at 1pm Pacific / 4pm Eastern. Head on over to www.GetClientsClub.com to hold join me.
Apparently it's 'Dear Santa Letter Week' - did you know? The first thing that crossed my mind was it's already that time to get the boys to write their letters to Santa.
But then I started to think about business and I couldn't help but wonder "What will business owners ask Santa for this Christmas?"
While we all know that neither Santa's workshop in the North Pole, nor his big red bag, contain what we want for our businesses, it got me thinking about what we would ask for if the North Pole and big red bag could really provide us with the perfect gift.
What would you ask for?
Would you ask for more clients? Better clients? Organized processes and procedures? A marketing system that works? Maybe additional technology or programs? Or developed products that you could sell and make money with?
Whatever you would ask for, perhaps it's not Santa you should be asking. Maybe it's a little bit of asking yourself to take action but also asking for help in areas that are not your strengths?
Typically business owners start the year with a bunch of goals they want to accomplish before the end of the year. But then before the year is even finished, they're already making plans and setting goals for the next year to come.
May I encourage you to act on and complete a few items now that will pave the way for you to better achieve your goals for 2012. What are these action steps you will commit to completing now? It may make it easier for Santa to help with your requests if you start taking steps towards what you want for the new year.
Share you thoughts/action steps below. What will you commit to starting or completing within the next 5-6 weeks? And if Santa could give you the perfect gift, what would it be?
Is all the time and effort you put into marketing your business a complete waste of time?
I ask you this question (quite bluntly, I know) because I've spoken with so many Virtual Assistants who are beyond frustrated that their marketing efforts are not converting enough clients.
When I start to dig a little deeper into what they have in place and what they're doing, it's easy to see why.
Their marketing efforts are not working for several reasons. Perhaps you can relate to these sample scenarios:
#1 The VA attends several networking events. She introduces herself, makes a connection with new contacts and hands out her business card. These people check out her website to gather more information, however her website:
does not include an enticing opt-in so they can't 'safely' get additional information and learn more about her expertise (they're not willing to call or email for more info at this time)
looks professional but is very generic --- the VA doesn't stand out or clearly indicate who she specializes in working with
offers a huge menu of services, confusing the new contacts on what kinds of solutions and value she really offers (they don't get 'what's in it for me')
The VA has no idea the new contact has even visited their website and they've lost the chance to connect further and build the relationship.
#2 A VA has all the 'goods' set up - a website, a blog, social media, etc., yet her blog is outdated or rarely posted to and the information that is there is general and does not reflect the expertise she really offers. Her social media is scattered and the posts are boring.
A potential new client may wonder if she's still in business, if she's serious about her business or how on top of things she really is.
#3 The VA is determined to go out and find great clients. She attends various events and networks with business owners of all kinds. She's unable to clearly demonstrate how she provides value to her clients because she doesn't have a target market, her description of her services is general and she doesn't strongly connect with the business owners she is speaking with.
While she's kind and professional, she can't clearly and confidently demonstrate her mindset and value and clearly share how she provides specific solutions to their unique challenges.
Can you relate to any of these scenarios?
The tragedy in these three examples above is that a skilled, likeable and professional VA will likely not convert these contacts into clients because her 'foundation' is not built.
In order to best leverage our marketing efforts, both online and offline, there are specific items that must be in place. Without them, our efforts are essentially useless.
Are you ready to step it up, develop your foundation and fully leverage your marketing?
The 'Marketing Bootcamp: Stand Out, Find Clients & Build A Great VA Business' starts Tuesday, November 1st. This intense, 'take action and implement' program is designed to help you put the essentials in place for your business. >> http://www.HotSkillsVATraining.com/marketingbootcamp
There's just 2 months left to 2011. Perhaps you owe it to yourself to jump on an action plan now and be well ahead of the 8-ball come January?
I'm looking for VAs who are serious about taking steps forward in building their business. If you're one of them, please do join me. Just like my previous participants and VA mentor clients, you'll generate MUCH more than this investment in little time, IF you get down and dirty and put these pieces into place.
Here's a few words from one of the previous participants:
“As an established VA, my marketing strategy looked like an old, half-eaten piece of Swiss cheese – it had been neglected along the way, there were holes in it, and pieces missing – I REALLY needed to revisit it and commit to a consistent marketing regime.
I was looking for something to provide a kick-start to my marketing plan – something to invigorate it. I found just the kick-start I needed to formulate a consistent and solid marketing strategy with Hotskills Marketing Bootcamp.
I was not only able to re-visit and re-analyze my “mindset” and refocus on my target market, I came away with a solid plan and specific strategies to implement and last but not least, motivated!”
Welcome to the second interview in the 'Talking To The Business Owners' video series.
In this session, I had the privilege of speaking with Alicia Forest, one of my favorite biz owners of all time.
What do I love most about Alicia? She's real, direct, and has an unbelievable ability to manage a fabulous business while also spending quality time with her young family.
In this interview Alicia openly shares what virtual support professionals must focus on when it comes to providing great value to business owners. Pay attention ... she shares fantastic words of wisdom throughout.
I'm tired about a stigma we seem to have in the virtual support professional industry. Are you?
Why is it that virtual support professionals, in many cases, shy away from stepping forward into the spotlight and showcasing the incredible skills and expertise they offer?
This is an area I'd like to address, with Virtual Assistants and other virtual support professionals who are ready to stand out and implement easy, yet strong steps forward that will help them 'get out there' in a comfortable way. The benefit? Business owners will see the value you offer, you will stand out amoungst others that may offer the same support, and you're credibility will increase significantly.
Join me on Wednesday, October 26, 2011 and I'll share 3 very specific ways you can easily begin or continue the quest to building your visibility, standing out and showcasing the value you offer.
Are you with me? Enter your details below to sign up for the call.
I'd like to ask you a couple of questions ... and ask that you answer them truthfully/honestly.
Are you providing a true representation of yourself in all pieces related to the marketing and growth of your business? (i.e. your website, your networking etc.)
Have you implemented the essentials (i.e the foundation) needed to support and leverage your marketing efforts?
Are you tired of doing things the way you have been ... and ready to make a switch, to better reflect who you are, what you can really do and how you can help people?
The virtual support professional industry has an ailment to that of a cobbler. The cobbler - an expert at repairing shoes for everyone, yet has no shoes of his own is similiar to that of a virtual support professional. We support our clients in all kinds of areas - websites, eCommerce, marketing, blogging, affiliate marketing, social media etc. - yet the pieces for our own business in these areas is non-existant (or close to it).
The Marketing Bootcamp is a 6 session program where you work closely with me, Cindy Greenway, and essentially I give you a kick in the butt to get your marketing foundation and strategies implemented, developed and automated (as much as possible) for YOUR business.
If you:
don't have a target market or are confused on how to select one
can't seem to make the time to market your business
don't have a website that stands out, or you have no opt-in on your website
are uncomfortable introducing yourself to potential clients in a way that demonstrates your expertise
struggle with implementing your mindset (both business and entrepreneurial)
... then this program is a MUST.
The end of this calendar year is just around the corner. Will you take action NOW (not January) and positively impact your business??
I get asked all the time "Cindy, how do I keep clients long-term?" A key ingredient to a long-lasting client relationship is communication. I thought I'd revisit an article that was posted previously in an effort to bring this back to the surface and support you in implementing a communication plan into your client relationships.
We all know it - even subconsciously. Communication is the key to any relationship - virtual or not.
Ironically ... although we know the importance of communication, it's one of the main reasons behind a VA/Client break-up.
Why?
Because we often avoid discussing topics that we believe to be unimportant or slightly uncomfortable to discuss. Instead we literally wave our hand and say "it will all work out."
When it comes to a Client/VA relationship - it's really up to us Virtual Assistants to ensure great communication with our clients. This goes beyond a phone discussion every once in a while or emails back and forth throughout the week or instant messages throughout the day.
These forms of communication are great and convenient but when it comes to creating, building and solidifying relationships with our clients, we need more than the casual connection.
Perhaps you can relate to these scenarios:
you receive an email from your client asking you to complete a task immediately ..... you were out of the office for a few hours and it's now 'too' late
your client has expectations that are well beyond what was originally discussed..... you sense and feel frustration from the exchange of emails and feel irrate, annoyed and uneasy about the issue. How do you deal with it now?
your client is busy and possibly difficult to connect with... in an attempt to 'not bother them' you don't connect at all or perhaps send the odd email to check in yet they seem annoyed or frustrated with you.
Any of these ring a bell?
One of the practices that I firmly believe in is connecting with clients every week - even for just 20 minutes at a time. The voice-to-voice connection has proved to be invaluable.
By coming prepared to the meeting, ready to discuss upcoming deadlines, priorities and goals, the time is well-spent and more efficient than sending countless emails (which may be interpreted differently) on the same topics.
How do you maintain regular communication with your clients? What's worked? What hasn't worked? By posting your comments (and even your questions) you will help yourself as well as others who have not yet mastered this in their client relationships.
Welcome to the first video in the'Talking With The Business Owners' series.
In this video I speak with Pam Slim of www.EscapeFromCubicleNation.com. You are likely already familiar with Pam ... if not, please do head over to her website and sign up for her stuff! She offers incredible support to people who want to break free and create their business as well as to us entrepreneurs who want to expand and make a difference.
I've been fortunate to know Pam for many years and always enjoy reading her material. She's creative, gets you moving and the best part for me - her genuine personality is obvious and she keeps it real (no fluff!)
I asked Pam to speak with me about what the virtual support community is doing really well and also what we can be doing differently to really connect with the business owners out there want and need from us.
As you watch and listen to the video, please note specific pieces that connect directly to your business. What can you be doing differently? What will you take action on, and by when? Feel free to include your comments and thoughts below ... by writing them here and sharing them with other readers, it will extend your commitment in accomplishing this step.
Note - there was a little difficulty with Skype during the recording of this video, however if you can disregard some of the video crankiness, the message Pam shares is loud and clear.
For years I've been speaking to business owners and listening to what they really want and need from the virtual support industry.
Then I've translated this information and shared it in various forms, to support virtual support professionals in finding great clients.
But why be the 'middle man'? Why not let YOU, the virtual support professional hear the exact words, from the business owners themselves?
So I reached out to a few of my trusty connections and voila ... I have interviews with hot business owners who openly and candidly shared their experiences, their advice and more. And I'm going to make them available to you.
I'm calling it the "Talking to the Business Owners" interview series. Starting tomorrow, Friday, October 21, I will release a new interview ever few days. If you'd like to be notified of when these videos are released, please simply enter your contact details below and I'll send you a quick email as they are available.
Business owners of all kinds have fears. In fact, some fears are so strong that they keep us paralyzed, not moving forward in more than one area.
What I find really interesting is that many times, we are in fear of the exact things we want to achieve.
For example, we fear we will not be successful in our business. But then fear holds us back from actively going out and finding clients, because we're afraid of potential rejection or not meeting our own expectations. Imagine if we faced the fear and connected with great clients to achieve success?
We want to become known as the 'go to' person in our field ... but then we're afraid of all the potential attention we might receive and the pressure that comes with it.
Why is it that we experience these business related fears? Because of the way we were raised? Our past employment experiences? Someone telling us we'd never make it?
However, think about the last time that you faced a fear, took action and smiled at the your achievement? Was starting your own business a little scary? If you're reading this email, you likely have a business in place or are working towards its ... you faced the unknown, took action, jumped over the hurdle and landed on the other side. You did it.
What are you in fear of? Over the last few weeks, several of my mentees have made reached a critical part of their business where they're 'must have in place' items are done and the next phase is to step out from behind their computer and connect with their target market. It's scary place for many of us. By why?
Because of this, one of the exercises I have taken each person through is to identify their fears. It's a VERY simple exercise, but it made such a significant impact in them, their confidence and business growth, that I couldn't help but want to share it with you here.
Grab a pad of paper and a pen.
Write down every single thing you are afraid of when it comes to your business.
Don't make judgment - just write everything down as it comes to your mind. Keep that pad of paper near you and for the next two days, write down anything else that comes to mind, then put it aside.
After a day or so, when you have a quiet moment, take a look at the list. Are some of these fears absolutely ridiculous? Are you afraid of some things that you've already made happen at some point in your lifetime? Do you have proven examples of how you have conquered some of those fears.
By completing this exercise, many of my mentees' fears started to minimize - enough to where they felt somewhat more at ease in taking steps forward. Note - I'm not promising that the fears will all of a sudden vanish ... but by acknowledging them in this way, it may help you stand up to the fear enough that you move forward and make progress.
I'm not much of a 'fluffy' kind of person, but in doing this exercise myself, and in having my 'girls' also complete it -- it has proven to create such significant impact, that it's something I'll do over and over again.
I'd like to extend the invitation for you to send me your list of fears, so you too can get them 'off your chest'.
Simply post them in the comments area below OR if you prefer to keep them private, shoot me an email. - cindy[at]hotskillsvatraining[dot]com (please note the email address is written this way so I can avoid online spiders finding me and sending junk mail.
