Ep. 010: 7 Ways to Stand Out as a Virtual Assistant

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I know how it can feel to be just another VA in a sea of people that all seem to have similar skills and experience.

Sometimes it feels like landing clients is just a roll of the dice. But it doesn’t have to be that way! There are simple ways that you can differentiate yourself from other virtual assistants and stand out to your ideal clients. I’m going to take you through 7 of them today.

Craft a perfect elevator speech:

What’s an elevator speech? It's an introduction that includes everything about who you are, what you do, and who you serve in 30 seconds (the time it takes to introduce yourself to someone in an elevator.)

For our purposes, it should be about one sentence, so that it can easily fit in a profile description or social media comment.

Here are some examples for inspiration: “I help photographers spend more time behind the lens and less time in the office by taking care of social media and email marketing”.

You’ll notice that I identified the ideal client (photographers), mentioned their pain point (spending too much time in the office and not enough time taking photos), and then I explained how I can help (by taking care of social media and email marketing.)

Here’s a couple more examples: “I help non-profits focus on their mission by handling administrative and marketing tasks” or  “I help female entrepreneurs create the brand of their dreams by designing logos, social media graphics, and marketing materials.”

Crafting an introduction like this can really provide clarity to a potential client, because you’re letting them know exactly the problem you can help them with. Try writing yours today! Just think of your ideal client, their pain point, and how you can help them.

Stay updated on industry trends and SHARE them:

Another great way to stand out to potential clients is to consume everything you can about your niche or industry. Read the blogs, listen to the podcasts, do the research, and then share what you learn on social media or your website! Try to find articles that your ideal client will find helpful and then share them on your Facebook page. Share quick niche-specific tips with a gorgeous graphic on Instagram. Or do some research and write a blog for your website. Clients are drawn to virtual assistants that appear to be active and informed in their industry.

Learn valuable skills:

A great way to make a big impact is to invest in training that helps you learn a valuable skill. There are so many affordable online courses out there that can help you learn everything from SEO to Pinterest to Project Management. Share your journey with these courses on your Instagram and make sure to add the training to your resume or website when you’re done. Clients love to see that a virtual assistant is investing in training and learning best practices. This will also allow you to earn more for your services!

Create a memorable brand:

That means, don’t copy what you see other virtual assistants doing! To create a memorable brand, your marketing needs to feel unique to YOU. And a huge component of that is making sure that YOU are seen. I know I talk about this a lot, but I think it’s sooooo important. I can’t tell you how many virtual assistant Instagram profiles and websites I’ve seen that don’t have a single photo of the VA! You have GOT to get your face out there, girl. And you don’t need to hire a photographer or have professional headshots taken. All you need are some clean, clear shots of your smiling face. Here are some tips for taking great photos on your cell phone: Have someone else take the photos for you. NO selfies please! Make sure you’re in a well-lit place with a plain background. A wall in your house, a brick wall outside, or even a garage door can do the trick. And make sure not to over filter your photos. You can use an app to brighten them up and add some contrast, but putting on lots of filters can look unprofessional. Then make sure to use these photos on all of your profiles and especially on your website. A website without a photo of you will look anonymous! Clients want to see the person they’re hiring.

Collect and share testimonials from past and current clients:

A couple of testimonials can go a loooooooong way. And this is a good place to mention that you should always be providing excellent service to your clients and going the extra mile whenever possible. A happy client will be more than happy to provide you with a quick testimonial that recommends you and your services to future clients. Then you can pull sound bites and create graphics for your Instagram or you can feature them on your website. This proves to potential clients that you can deliver on your promises!

Shine in your proposals:

When you write a cover letter or proposal for a job with a potential client make sure that you’re specifically addressing their needs and pain points. That means that you shouldn’t just be listing your skills and experience and that you definitely shouldn’t be copying and pasting the same proposals over and over again. Do some research on the client, read through the job posting in great detail, and make sure that you address all of the specific ways YOU can help them.

Have your business together:

You need to be prepared to answer any and all questions that a client might have. You should be able to tell them exactly how much you charge, exactly how many hours per week you are available, and exactly how you will onboard them and get started. That means that you should have very specific processes set up in your business to onboard and manage clients. A potential client will be very turned off if you don’t seem confident in answering their questions. Make sure that you are in control of the conversation and let them know exactly how amazing it’s going to be for them to have you in their life. Because why would they hire you to manage things in their business if you seem iffy in your own business?

I hope that these 7 strategies help give you the confidence to stand out and shine as a virtual assistant. So much of this is just about confidence, and confidence comes from being prepared and constantly learning.

You got this. You are so capable. And it’s time to let your light shine.

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