| As a successful Virtual Assistant, the question I | | | | proves to be the case. Niching is the same as |
| am asked most frequently by new VAs is what | | | | setting yourself apart from the crowd as a |
| is the one thing you wish you knew when you | | | | specialist in your field of expertise. This act of |
| started. Without doubt, the answer is the power | | | | specialising tends to make us more appealing to |
| of niche marketing. When starting out, most new | | | | people in general. And just because you decide to |
| businesses try to be all things to all people. This | | | | target one particular market with one particular |
| just is not feasible when you are running a | | | | skill, does not mean you cannot still do other |
| business and leads to countless wasted hours - | | | | things or service other areas of the community. |
| not to mention dollars - chasing clients and | | | | In addition, having a focused niche marketing plan |
| generally getting nowhere. | | | | means when you are making contacts, you are |
| Niche marketing simply means choosing that one | | | | not confusing them with huge amounts of |
| thing you are particularly skilled at, or the one | | | | information, giving intricate details of all the types |
| industry you know most about, and then | | | | of things you can do. The contact loses interest |
| marketing that skill to that industry. As an | | | | very quickly in this situation. Giving a statement of |
| industry grows - particularly, for example, the | | | | your niche means the prospect has to do some |
| virtual assistant industry, with more operators | | | | of the work and make connections in their own |
| starting up all the time - you will need to | | | | mind as to what it is you do. Thus, there is more |
| differentiate yourself from the countless others | | | | chance they will remember you than if you flood |
| who are doing the same thing as you. What is it | | | | them with too much information. Using the above |
| that sets you apart? What do you want to be | | | | example, after stating your niche to a prospect |
| known for? | | | | you may be asked the question: "So tell me more |
| For example, you may have spent a lot of your | | | | about the type of transcription you do? Is it tape |
| working life in a word-processing pool in a large | | | | or digital?" You move then into a more general |
| law firm and decide you want to start up a Virtual | | | | discussion about your service, and this contact - |
| Assistant practice. So your target market might | | | | who may not be a lawyer at all - has just made |
| then be legal, and your skill would be transcription. | | | | a connection between you and a service (for |
| You would market legal transcription to law | | | | example, report transcription) he might need |
| offices - perhaps you might further specialise | | | | himself. |
| within a particular area of the law (family, | | | | You might be asked a totally different type of |
| conveyancing, litigation); or you might target sole | | | | question: "So does that mean you can do |
| practitioners or barristers. In this way, when you | | | | spreadsheets too?" This contact has now stated |
| head off to networking functions and are talking | | | | what their need is and even though 'spreadsheets' |
| to prospective clients about what service you | | | | was not in your statement of niche, you can let |
| offer, you give that simple statement of your | | | | them know this IS something else you offer and |
| niche: "I provide specialist legal transcription | | | | can help them with. |
| services to sole practitioners". Your goal is to be | | | | By concentrating on your niche you are able to |
| seen as one IN a million - not one OF a million. | | | | produce more focused marketing efforts and will |
| At first this may seem like you are limiting your | | | | not fall into the trap of throwing marketing dollars |
| options for work but in fact the reverse often | | | | at every opportunity for very little return. |