10 Marketing Mistakes to Avoid as a Virtual Assistant
As a virtual assistant, it’s so important to keep promoting your business as effective marketing is what will help your business grow.
Offering virtual assistant services is one of the best ways to earn money as a freelancer. It also opens the doors to so many other opportunities so it’s crucial to get your marketing right from the get go.
I’ve written this blog post using my knowledge of digital marketing and my own experiences as a virtual assistant. It also features the advice of a few marketing experts who have thoughtfully contributed their best tips.
Keep reading to discover if you are making any of these mistakes in your virtual assistant business.
10 Marketing Mistakes to Avoid as a VA
1. Neglecting Your Brand
There seems to be quite a lot of competition in the virtual assistant space at first glance.
However, there’s one thing you can ensure you have that will cut through the noise and get you noticed over other VAs.
And that is having a strong brand and a strong visual identity.
Having solid branding, from your website to your social media posts, is crucial for creating a recognizable and trustworthy image.
Ensure your visuals, tone, and messaging align with your brand’s identity and values. A strong, cohesive brand helps clients understand who you are and what you stand for, making it easier for them to connect with you.
Remember, your brand is the foundation of your marketing efforts, so keep it polished and consistent across all platforms.
2. Not Differentiating Your USP
A unique selling proposition (USP) is what sets you apart from the competition and makes your services irresistible to potential clients.
“A common marketing mistake VAs should avoid is failing to define and communicate their unique value proposition. Many VAs offer similar services, so it’s crucial to highlight what sets you apart, whether it’s specialized skills, industry experience, or a unique approach to client service,” says Geoff Cudd, Founder at Don’t Do It Yourself.
Without a clear USP, you risk blending in with countless other virtual assistants and I’m sure that’s not what you want.
Having a clearly defined USP allows you to attract clients who are specifically looking for what you uniquely offer. Ensure that your marketing materials and social media content consistently highlight your unique strengths and value.
3. Trying to Advertise to Everyone
Have you ever heard the saying, “By advertising to everyone you’re advertising to no one?”
Yes, it’s tempting to cast a wide net, but focusing on your ideal clients and only them will get much better results than trying to appeal to everyone.
Dan Thompson, Co-Owner at Salt Water Digital, says, “Develop deep expertise in one area. Too many virtual assistants will have a laundry list of skills – social media, SEO, web design, writing, data entry etc. It’s generally not helpful.”
To get started with this, you need to understand your ideal clients’ needs, preferences, and pain points, and tailor your content and services accordingly. Dan explains, “There is a place for generalist VA’s but ultimately they’ll get paid less and find it harder to secure good gigs. Businesses want to work with experts.”
If you hone in on a specific audience, you can create more personalized and impactful marketing campaigns. Remember, if you connect deeply with a smaller group it’ll be far more beneficial for you than spreading yourself too thin.
4. Relying on Just One Channel
If you rely solely on one marketing channel, then you risk losing everything you’ve built if one day it disappears.
I recommend you combine social media, email marketing, content marketing, and networking to create a robust strategy.
Diversifying your marketing efforts ensures you reach a broader audience and reduces the risk if one channel underperforms.
Plus it means you can engage with potential clients in different ways and increase your overall visibility as a virtual assistant business.
Overall, this approach ensures that your marketing efforts are more resilient and effective.
5. Inconsistency
Don’t be inconsistent with your marketing efforts.
Maintaining a regular posting schedule and a consistent brand voice across all your marketing channels is key to building recognition and trust.
Inconsistency can confuse your audience and make it harder for them to connect with your brand.
Set a schedule for your content and stick to it, ensuring your messages are always aligned with your brand values and goals.
Consistent marketing helps establish a reliable presence that clients can depend on.
6. Being Overly Salesy
While promoting your VA services is important, being too pushy can turn potential clients off.
On social media, balance your promotional content with informative, engaging, and helpful information that adds value to your audience.
Share tips, insights, and success stories to build trust and demonstrate your expertise.
You can get tons of ideas on my blog post on social media content ideas for virtual assistants.
So if you focus on providing value as well as talking about your services, you will create stronger, more authentic connections with your audience.
7. Ignoring Feedback
It’s important you don’t ignore feedback from your clients, both positive and negative.
Client feedback is a valuable resource for improving your services and refining your marketing strategies.
Listen carefully to their suggestions, concerns, and compliments to understand what you’re doing well and where you can improve.
Here’s what you can use your feedback for:
- As inspiration for your marketing content
- Adding to your FAQs
- Refining your service(s) descriptions
- Enhancing your onboarding process
- Improving client communication
Embracing feedback helps you grow and adapt, leading to greater client satisfaction and loyalty.
8. Failing to Ask for Testimonials
As a virtual assistant, one of the biggest mistakes you can make is not asking for testimonials from your satisfied clients. Jared Bauman, CEO at 201 Creative, comments, “Many VAs underestimate the power of referrals and client testimonials.”
Positive feedback from clients is a powerful tool that can build trust and credibility with potential clients. He states, “Encourage satisfied clients to leave reviews and share their positive experiences. This social proof can significantly enhance credibility and attract new clients.”
Proactively seeking testimonials, means you can build a portfolio of success stories that showcase your expertise and reliability.
Don’t be shy – ask your happy clients to share their experiences and watch how it positively impacts your business!
9. Neglecting to Follow Up
It’s important not to neglect following up with potential leads or current clients. Whether it’s to jobs you’ve applied for, people who’ve expressed an interest in working with you or for your outreach campaigns.
Now don’t roll your eyes but it’s true what the say about the fortune being in the follow up!
Why? Because following up shows that you are attentive, professional and are committed to running your virtual assistant business.
A quick check-in email or a thoughtful message can make a big difference in building trust and keeping your business top-of-mind. It’s easy for people to forget, so a friendly reminder can help move a potential client closer to a decision.
Consistent follow-up also strengthens your relationships with existing clients, making them more likely to return and recommend you to others
10. Overpromising
Don’t overpromise what you can deliver.
While it’s important to highlight your skills and capabilities, setting realistic expectations is crucial.
Don’t fall into the trap of overpromising and underdelivering. Gary Collins, Managing Director at B2B News explains, “In an effort to win clients, some VAs promise more than they can realistically deliver. This can damage your reputation. Be honest about your capabilities and set realistic expectations.”
Clients will appreciate your transparency and trustworthiness, leading to stronger, long-term relationships.
Digital Marketing as a Virtual Assistant
Avoid these marketing mistakes as a virtual assistant. Focus on the right strategies, and you’ll soon see the positive impacts on your business.
If you are looking for help finding clients, read through the following blog post with step-by-step guides on finding remote work from social media.
