Still neediing help - i just can't find clients. I am confident in my abilities but can't find clients. I don't know a lot of people in the area - so the "friend of a friend" networking isn't really an option. I am struggling a great deal! any help out there would be greatly appreciated!!!
Have you tried to look for Business Networking Groups that you can join or go as a guest? Advertising on kijiji or local paper? make up flyers and visit local businesses?
No on all of these. I wasn't sure where to begin on the Business Networking and just can not afford - at all to be out any money at this time. (like ad in paper). I could do flyers - they are pretty cheap and I have a lot of experience in design/marketing but don't know where to send those to.
When you say Social networking - are you talking Facebook/Twitter?? No - I am not on any of those. I am on LinkedIn - belong to several groups there and obviously here.
No, I don't have a blog - isn't there a cost to start a site? Do business owners actually read/find blogs like that?
I wouldn't even know where to belong on article writing - what topic? I mean, the only topic that means anything to me now is getting started as a VA....
Amanda, what *are* you doing to find and connect with potential clients? And what services are you skilled at/experienced to offer?
My advice to new VAs is always the same: if you plan on working 4 billable hours a day (for example) on your business then you should be spending AT LEAST that much (every day) building, marketing, and establishing your business until you do have clients. And even then you'll want to continue with your marketing to some degree to ensure you can *stay* in business.
All of the suggestions that have been made to you in this thread are free, the only investment is your time and effort.
On another semi-related note - I noticed in another thread you mentioned that you might offer blogging as a service, but here you state that you are not blogging for your own business. I would recommend first getting clear about what services you're going to offer and just who you're going to offer them to. Getting that clarity and focus will help when you do start marketing actively.
Good luck!
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I like Tess an curious as to what you have done so far. When I started out, I spent double the time of billable hours building my lead source. There are many free options as stated by the others but there are times where it is necessary to invest in your business. This would be one of them.
Also, are you answering RFP's that fit your service offerings? Are you participating in online groups and forums where you can share your knowledge? Are you telling everyone and anyone about your business? These are also great places to start.
Social networking sites are a great way to start and on LinkedIn there are many groups you can join for free and many may be local to you. There are also local Meetup groups you can join and most times these are free as well. I have been up north visiting family and friends and have found local Meetup groups in the area to which I have attended. You may not actually meet a client there, but it's the networking that will bring them in.
honestly, I have made a lot of phone calls - to attorneys in the area, to insurance agents. I have contacted 5 former supervisors/employers; contacted 7 former contacts that own small businesses and nothing. They are all just "duds" - I do understand your point on the hours and hadn't thought about that - I will definetly do that - increase my time spent on the business - same time I would spend on it if I had some clients. I do belong to 3 LinkedIn groups and watch this forum regularly.
On the blogging - I guess the reason I don't do it yet is because I don't know what I am doing. What would I blog about and why? are business owners actually going to read my blog and become interested in me.
I am really talented - I have killer skills in Excel and Access. I worked as an admin for 5 VP's - organizing their schedules, travel and expense reports. I am very organized. I have no doubt I'd do a good job for someone - just at what/how?
My husband has a small business - I did all the marketing, designing his brochure and business cards, found his clients - got service agreements signed - do his monthly billing, manage his bills and did his taxes last year (first year)..... I am darn good at what I do but just don't know how to get myself out there.
With him gone a lot of evening on his business - I can't be away from the home (3 kids) to go to chamber meetings etc...
I am not answering RFP's - I do not have enough posts to do it here, don't have the budget to upgrade to some of the other sites and have read (on these type of forums) that sites like ELance are a waste of time....
so - there you have it, my plan and what I've done in a nutshell.
Still needing help - can't find clients
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