Taking another slant on the great self-supporting VA thread, if you are a self-supporting VA, I'd love to know...

- What type of VA work do you do; are you in a specific niche like real estate or bookkeeping?
- How do you advertise?
- Where/how do you find the majority of your clients?

Thanks, all!

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Pam Deyerle - Transcriptionist in the Richmond, Virginia area
The Perfect Word Transcription Services

- I am really involved in real estate services with local agents which includes a lot of translation (verbal and written) but I also do billing and article writing for a local paper.

- I advertise in the newspaper I collaborate with and today I have an appointment with another local magazine (Spanish this time) to look into advertising with them also.

- In another thread, I spoke about the good results I've had from cold-calling potential clients but I have received clients through recommendations and word of mouth.

It would be interesting to read what others have to say about this...

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Sabrina L. Williams
For a bird's eye view of your business

- What type of VA work do you do; are you in a specific niche like real estate or bookkeeping?
I am a generalist so I have no specific niche however most of my inquiries of late have been for web and internet marketing. I also am still getting a fair share of admin support inquiries too.

- How do you advertise?
I am active on a few industry specific forums. I also attend local networking events through the chamber, have a few strategic alliances built and a referral program.

- Where/how do you find the majority of your clients?
Mostly through word of mouth however I have found a few on LinkedIn and right here at the forum.

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Lee Drozak
My Office Assistant

Hi Pam,
- I am a Personal Assistant. And I advise on business matters such as HR and general best practices. I consider it a niche.
- My business partner and I have a website and we ¨advertise¨ on Twitter, our blog, ScoopIt and LinkedIn. We do not do any paid advertising. Simply knowledge sharing.
- I cannot handle too many clients as PA work is very time consuming (luckily high paid as well), but most of our clients we have found via our personal network. We have been found by clients as well through our online activities.

Hope this helps.
Hilde

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Hilde
www.vbbassociates.com

Hi Pam,

What type of VA work do you do; are you in a specific niche like real estate or bookkeeping? - I specialize in 1SC & Infusionsoft as well as email marketing
- How do you advertise? - I have a website and am active on Social Media. I don't have any paid advertising.
- Where/how do you find the majority of your clients? - Referrals or RFP's

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Susan Mershon, PMP
http://clevercollaborations.com/

Love all the responses! I have the goal this year of being self-sufficient with my business and want to know what's working for others that are succeeding in that. I do almost entirely transcription, but have added some word processing services to the mix this year. For years I have worked at about three-quarters of the hours I need to be self-sufficient, but have never taken action to push it to full time...until this year!

I have the feeling that a lot of success (or non-success) in different ways of obtaining clients may often be what services are offered, and maybe to some degree the location?

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Pam Deyerle - Transcriptionist in the Richmond, Virginia area
The Perfect Word Transcription Services

What type of VA work do you do; are you in a specific niche like real estate or bookkeeping?
My niche is legal. (legal secretarial services)

How do you advertise?
I've never advertised as I'm more "word of mouth". For the past how ever many years, I've kept saying that I wanted to start marketing more and have a website. I'm hoping to do that this year.

Where/how do you find the majority of your clients?
Other attorneys

My nice is real estate. I don't "advertise" but rather network in online communities and via word of mouth. I found the majority of clients via referrals from my clients as well as other VAs.

I think you can be successful in any niche! As I've been a VA for 10 years now, I have seen this industry explode with growth! I continue to see new niche areas that are being offered and think it is great!

Best wishes for a successful 2012!

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Cathryn Jones
Assistants For Agents, LLC

help.. i dont know where to start. im a newbie in virtual assistance. How did you start your business as va?

Once you have your business established, you have to start networking, networking, networking! Whether online or in person, you have to begin to spread the word. Talk to friends, family, past employers, social networking, blogs, etc....You may be the best VA ever, but you can't keep it a secret! :-)

Spread the word, focus on your target market and begin to network, network, network! You can do it!

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Cathryn Jones
Assistants For Agents, LLC