| As part of running the UK Association of Virtual | | | | purpose is an email newsletter. You can create a |
| Assistants I spend a lot of time researching online | | | | regular publishing schedule to be in touch with your |
| and checking other virtual assistant's website. | | | | contact database, and you can easily |
| Occasionally I see an outstanding website, but | | | | demonstrate your expertise via the articles you |
| what I usually see is a whole range of similar | | | | write and resources your provide. |
| sites, each one fairly indistinguishable from anther. | | | | Mistake 5: Missing or hidden contact information. |
| When a potential client is shopping around online to | | | | Have you ever visited a web site that you think |
| find a virtual assistant they want to work with, | | | | offers the ideal solution to your problem, but |
| the last thing you want is for that person to be | | | | you've got one question to ask before making |
| bored in their search from continually reading the | | | | your purchasing decision? You go to the Contact |
| same thing over and over again and leafing | | | | Us page to look for the phone number or an |
| through the same old format as virtual assistant's | | | | email address, and all you find is a contact form |
| 'borrow' from each others websites! If you want | | | | to send your question. How annoying is that. |
| to get more clients from your web site, what | | | | There you were, credit card in hand, and already |
| follows in this series are 10 common mistakes to | | | | to buy and now you have to fill out a form and |
| avoid: | | | | wait... |
| Mistake 1: The business appears as a nameless, | | | | Web site owners are often reluctant to have |
| faceless corporate entity. | | | | their contact info readily available on the web site, |
| People do business with people, not websites. This | | | | as they fear having their email address harvested |
| is particularly true when working virtually as your | | | | by spammers or having their phone number |
| potential client may never meet you in person but | | | | added to a telemarketing list. There are ways to |
| will always benefit from 'putting a face to a name'. | | | | lessen the likelihood of either issue by using an |
| Before doing business with you a prospect will | | | | email spam filter on your computer and, if you a |
| want know, like, respect, and trust you in order | | | | residential line for business, registering the number |
| to let you lose within their business. | | | | with the Telephone Preference Service. |
| I become very frustrated when I can't find any | | | | Mistake 6: Not mentioning what makes you |
| information on the virtual assistant behind a | | | | different, your USP. |
| company name, and it often leaves me wondering | | | | When I'm doing online research for a particular |
| what they have to hide. Are they actually a full | | | | product or service, I want to know right away |
| time VA or are they hiding behind a website so | | | | what makes any company unique or different |
| their employer won't find them? I realise many | | | | from their competition. Most virtual assistant |
| VA firms employ this strategy to appear bigger | | | | websites just display a whole list of services they |
| than they actually are, but don't you prefer being | | | | provide. While I agree that you do need to let |
| able to pick up the phone or drop an email to | | | | your prospects know all the bases you can cover, |
| someone you can identify within a company, | | | | if you love designing databases or have a passion |
| rather than trying to penetrate a faceless | | | | for project management, tell the world about it |
| corporate facade. Guess what, so do your | | | | on your website. |
| prospects. | | | | The beauty of this is that you will then tend to |
| Put a photograph and a bio about yourself on the | | | | attract clients that need those services so you will |
| website and if you still want to maintain the illusion | | | | be doing more of what you love. How great is |
| of size, put yourself as the Founder or Managing | | | | that? |
| Director of the company and use 'we' instead of | | | | Mistake 7: Copying every other virtual assistant |
| 'I' in your text. | | | | web site. |
| Mistake 2: A Lack of a clear call to action on each | | | | As part of vetting the websites that we list on |
| website page. | | | | the UKAVA Directory, I have the job of |
| Have you ever been to a web site and been | | | | personally checking every potential members |
| completely overwhelmed with all the directions | | | | website before it is added. It is quite obvious in a |
| you can go from the home page? There's | | | | lot of cases that virtual assistants have simply |
| navigation buttons left and right and so many | | | | visited the websites of their competition and |
| options you don't know where to go next? Then | | | | formatted their own site in a similar fashion, but |
| in frustration you click back to the search results | | | | with their own information. I have found elements |
| and go on to another website. Sound familiar? | | | | of my own VA website and articles on many of |
| Or perhaps you have found a website that had | | | | them, one time even finding a whole website that |
| some interesting content or answered some of | | | | contained nothing but my website text added to |
| your questions but you weren't ready to buy | | | | a different design. The designer was blamed for |
| what you were researching just yet. You want to | | | | this and it was soon changed but you see my |
| remember the site for future reference but | | | | point. |
| you're not sure if you'd find it again. You may | | | | Don't fall victim to such behaviour and make sure |
| bookmark it but if it had a newsletter or a free | | | | you pique your readers interest by injecting your |
| download of some kind you'd sign up just so that | | | | personality throughout your site. Give visitors a |
| you know they'd contact you from time to time | | | | great experience of "you" when they visit. And, |
| and you wouldn't have to go looking for them | | | | flagrantly flaunt your Unique Selling Proposition |
| next time. | | | | (USP), so that your visitor instantly realises why |
| The most effective call to action you can have | | | | they should do business with you instead of your |
| on your home page and every other page of | | | | competitor. |
| your website is to offer something for free, | | | | Mistake 8: Lack of additional resources and links. |
| whether it's an eBook, Newsletter, White Paper or | | | | One way to gauge the usefulness and helpfulness |
| Report, but something useful that's attractive to | | | | of a business is to have a look at their websites |
| your target market so that they'll be eager give | | | | resources and links section. For example, the |
| you their name and email address to receive your | | | | Resources and Links section of the UKAVA |
| offer. | | | | website lists a whole range of resources to help |
| Many times the call to action is to telephone or | | | | new and established virtual assistants and they |
| email the business for a free consultation. That call | | | | are often featured in my email newsletter. In |
| to action is effective to some degree, especially if | | | | many cases the Association receives no |
| someone is shopping for an immediate solution to | | | | compensation for the resource I recommend-I |
| their problem. Overall, however, people want | | | | just know that it's the best source to do a |
| more time to make a decision about doing | | | | particular task. |
| business with you. They want to determine your | | | | Your clients want the same help and advice from |
| credibility and make a decision about whether or | | | | you. The more you know about your industry, its |
| not they trust you before deciding to have a | | | | problems, and how to find solutions - whether you |
| personal conversation with you. Expecting | | | | offer the solution or not - the greater the |
| someone to call you upon first meeting you | | | | perception of your expertise and, consequently, |
| (viewing your web site) is not very realistic. | | | | the greater value you offer your client. |
| However, if they've seen enough on your site to | | | | Mistake 9: No testimonials or case studies to |
| want to know a little more, there's a greater | | | | demonstrate your expertise. |
| likelihood they will part with a tiny bit of personal | | | | One of the easiest ways you can create |
| info (first name and email address) to get a | | | | customer confidence in you and your business is |
| better sense of who you are while staying | | | | to post testimonials on your web site. Don't even |
| anonymous...and without making a commitment. | | | | think of writing these yourself (I'm sure you |
| Once you have their contact information, they | | | | wouldn't) but ask your clients to write something |
| then become a prospective client, and you can | | | | that clearly states what you do for your client |
| market to them as you would to any other | | | | and how working with you has improved their |
| prospect in your business. | | | | business or life, etc. |
| Mistake 3: Nothing to demonstrates your | | | | If you are new to virtual assisting and don't yet |
| expertise. | | | | have clients you can ask for testimonials, prepare |
| Virtual Assistant websites often boast about how | | | | some case studies outlining a problem and how |
| proficient they are at solving their clients problems | | | | your service helped solve it. These case studies |
| and I'm sure that they do, but where's the proof? | | | | are also very powerful in convincing a potential |
| If you've been in business for awhile, you've got a | | | | client that you can do what you claim. |
| good idea of the many problems your customers | | | | Mistake 10: A website that is "me" focused. |
| face, so providing relevant content that addresses | | | | While back in part 1 of this series we talked about |
| these problems moves you into "expert" status. | | | | personalising your website, don't spend all of it |
| If you are an expert prove it by publishing | | | | talking about yourself and how wonderful you |
| articles, free downloads and resources for your | | | | are? Although your visitors need to know a bit |
| prospects and clients. | | | | about you, what holds their interest is the |
| Don't think of it as giving away your expertise for | | | | knowledge that you understand their problems |
| free -- think of it as developing a better educated | | | | and issues and have ready-made solutions that |
| consumer for your services and products. Will you | | | | resolve those problems. Your visitor will always |
| lose customers because they read your | | | | ask, "WIIFM?" (What's In It For Me). Answer that |
| information and implemented the solution without | | | | question by making your web site about your |
| hiring you? It's possible but unlikely because most | | | | visitor, not about you. |
| prospective customers are unable to do it on their | | | | If you are not sure how to WIIFM your text, hire |
| own and will need your expert assistance to help | | | | a professional sales copy writer if you can afford |
| them solve their issues. | | | | it or try the following format: |
| Mistake 4: Not Turning Your Website Visitors Into | | | | Do you struggle with getting your VAT return in |
| Prospects. | | | | on time, we offer a full book keeping service |
| Lots of virtual assistants complain that they get a | | | | which means that your VAT return will never be |
| lot of visitors to their website, but few of them | | | | late again and you will save expensive fines and a |
| convert into customers. Most marketing texts will | | | | whole lot of stress. |
| tell you that it takes approximately 7 'touches' for | | | | Replace the italics with their pain followed by your |
| a prospect to decide to buy something from you. | | | | solution and the bold italics are your WIIFM. |
| A visit to your website is just one touch. If you | | | | In summary: Your web site can function as an |
| don't have a system in place for capturing | | | | attractive online brochure, or it can be a |
| information about your website visitors so you | | | | client-generating tool to help you grow your |
| can keep in touch with them, when they are | | | | business. As a virtual assistant, you need to |
| ready to buy they will simply purchase from | | | | generate clients from your website in order for |
| someone else they have got to know, like, and | | | | your business to be successful, make the |
| trust online. | | | | necessary changes and you will get more clients |
| The best tool you can have in place for this | | | | online. |