Whether you’re brand new or experienced as a Virtual Assistant, finding clients can feel daunting without a few strategies in your tool box.

You may think you need to buy ad space, follow complex marketing strategies, or compete with low bids on gig sites (ew!) but the solution might be so much easier. 

Today, I’m sharing three simple strategies that you can implement right away to help you land awesome clients and shift your mindset from a job seeker to that of a business owner.

These strategies work! Even as an introvert with ADHD, I made a 6-figure income for myself when I worked as a VA. No matter what anxieties you have, these methods can work if you find ways to show up that feel good to you.

Let’s dive in, starting with one of your best resources:

Your Existing Network

Many new VAs think they don’t have an existing network, but I’m here to debunk that myth! If you have family, friends, or a job, then you have a network. It might not be the exact niche you want to work in, but it’s a valuable network that many people overlook.

The people closest to you are most likely to support your business from the start and could potentially be your first source of income as a VA. Even if they don’t hire you directly, they might know someone who will. Friends and family can be your most potent referral network because they believe in your skills and can vouch for you personally.

Being in business, you have to put yourself out there. Being yourself and working with people you care about significantly alleviates many anxieties.

Naturally, you’ll have a more bountiful network if you decide to work in a particular niche, so here are some tips for building a fine-tuned network that will benefit your business in the long run.

• Engaging/supporting in Facebook & LinkedIn groups:  If you’re going to work online, you need to be online. Show up. Engage with other members, ask and answer questions – be visible! Don’t be afraid to let your personality shine. The more they get to know you, the more they’ll want to work with you. 
• Publishing relevant, niche-specific content: Attraction marketing! Instead of waiting for referrals or for people to get back to you about your job application, be proactive and bring people to you. Take a look at my Instagram! My content is relevant to both Virtual Assistants and Digital Nomads, and it centers on my values of inclusivity and building lifestyles that are fun and freedom. On top of it all, I share my personal stories and things that make me who I am, allowing me to attract an audience that resonates with my message.
• Befriending other Virtual Assistants: Networking with other VAs, especially those specializing in different fields, is super impactful! It opens up opportunities to collaborate and refer work projects to one another. They can become a part of your support network, a shoulder to cry on, someone to cover for you when you’re sick. Join our Next Level Virtual Assistants community to start building this network!
• Offering unsolicited but highly warranted advice: Over time, you’ll notice when people are doing things in weird or inefficient ways. Maybe someone’s struggling to do things manually when they could be automating, or their website could use some serious TLC. Your VA senses will start to tingle, and you’ll want to give them some advice. There are thoughtful ways to tell people that they need help, and that’s a way of getting in the door and getting yourself out there as an expert in your field. Often these folks won’t want to implement themselves and will look to you to have it taken care of. 

The Signpost Method

This method is my absolute favorite! It’s overlooked and underused, but it’s oh so powerful. Like a vacancy sign outside a motel or a restaurant with an “Open” sign in the window – we see it everywhere offline, but we can do this digitally too! 

Your content goes here. Edit or remove this text inline or in the module Content settings. You can also style every aspect of this content in the module Design settings and even apply custom CSS to this text in the module Advanced settings.

It’s simple but so effective! You can’t have a successful business when nobody knows that you’re open for business, so I challenge you to go to your Facebook or LinkedIn profile today and let the world know! 

• “I am available to take clients for XYZ service next month.” 
• “I have availability for a new client starting on X date. These are the services that I can support you in.”

There’s someone out there looking for the exact services you have to offer, making the process easy for them by providing them clarity. I often talk about the importance of good client experience, which starts long before signing any contracts. 

If a potential client is looking at five different VAs who offer admin services, but only one has a signpost saying they’re available for new clients, who do you think they’ll reach out to?

It doesn’t have to be specifically about clients either. For example, I decided I wanted to get on more podcasts earlier this year. So I made a signpost on my Facebook profile saying, “I’m available to be a guest, and here’s what I can talk to your audience about.” I had ten podcasts booked by the end of the day. 

Being a business owner is all about creating opportunities, and this is an incredibly versatile – simple – method to do so.

Research & Refine

If you’re putting yourself and your business out there but still not seeing results, don’t panic! This last method is less about acquisition and more about problem-solving and self-improvement. 

If you’re not getting clients, it doesn’t mean that you’ve failed or that this career path isn’t for you. Instead, it indicates that something is out of alignment. Perhaps you’re showing up in the wrong spaces, or your services aren’t a good fit for your target audience. 

Finding the answer calls for research! Be prepared to go back to the drawing board and change your strategy if something’s not working. Perfect is not an option, but improvement always is!

Here are some topics that you’ll want to investigate in your research:

• Find out what your target audience truly needs help with: We often have great ideas for the services we want to offer, services we think they’ll love, but consult with your audience. They’re the experts on what they need most. What would they like to see if they were to hire a virtual assistant?
• Asking why a client chose not to work with you: Every NO is a New Opportunity and reflection goes a long way. Seek feedback on why they didn’t move forward with you, and accept their response as constructive criticism. Implementing that feedback with an open mind will help you improve your success rate, providing those new opps!
• Discover where your target audience is hanging out: You might love using Instagram, but if your signposts and efforts to show up lead to underwhelming results, maybe your target audience is elsewhere. Find out what platforms they’re most active on and build your presence there.

You can conduct this research broadly by posting surveys on your profile and relevant communities, and you can do this one-on-one with other business owners. Invite them for coffee or out to dinner, ask them for a quick call or Zoom session to pick their brain for insight that can help you improve business.

This is about gathering information, not pitching, but in the best-case scenario, these research sessions could result in you landing a new client!

Repeat!

Now that you’ve tried those three methods, get in the habit of doing them repeatedly. These are not one-and-done solutions. Putting up one signpost isn’t going to keep clients rolling in throughout your entire VA career. 

The internet is a high-speed train of continuous information, so keep posting and continue building your networks. Stay visible, and these methods will work wonders for you, time and again.

P.S. More easy strategies right at your fingertips!

These were just three of fifteen fast and effective client-winning strategies that we offer in our Clients on Demand course, where you’ll receive lifetime access to: 

• 15 fully detailed and proven strategies for landing amazing clients
• An identifier sheet to determine the best strategies for you and your business
• Success tracker for visualizing your efforts and celebrating your wins
• 3-week action plan for maximum results and none of the guesswork

Sign up now for just $99 and gain immediately actionable and reliable client acquisition methods to keep your income stream stable and thriving!