I am trying to educate this town as to what a VA is and what the benefits to having one (Me!) are. One of the ways I wish to know what businesses are thinking is to do a survey. I plan on using survey monkey. Since I don't have clients yet I can't use a email list. I need advice regarding sending surveys to businesses; should I find their email and use that, use regular mail or hand deliver. What would you recommend and if you have done this how were the responses?
thanks,
diana

You could set up a survey then do a postcard mailing to potentials in your area with the information you want to convey and a list to the survey site. You could start with your local Chamber and move to targeted businesses from there.

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Lee Drozak
My Office Assistant

OMG, I went to Lawrence High School! I love your town. Just had 4 friends from there visit me here in Denver, celebrating our 50ths!

Remember you don't only have to concentrate on Lawrence - but KC and the whole US if that's what you want. Since a lot of business comes from referrals though, getting out face to face will probably be more beneficial. Also remember the fantastic advice somewhere else in this forum about educate them first on how you help, what services you offer, and then the virtual part. So your survey or your elevator speech, should focus on small businesses, or whatever niche you have, and their needs. That you do it virtually is not the important thing. Bookkeepers have been picking up work and taking it home or to another office for a long time.

I'm a little skeptical about a survey. What information would you gain that you don't already know? If you already know that the businesses don't know what your business is about, then forget the survey and get out and market. COC, door to door, press releases, any extended local area business communities.

I may be coming to Lawrence this fall. Let's have coffee!

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Jen Scoggins
www.virtual-jen.com

Jen,
Hi! I can't believe, seriously, how small the world is. I am so glad we met here on the forums. I graduated from LHS in 1980. I have lived here all my life, never moved away. I married my high school sweatheart. How long have you lived in Colorado? I love it there and that has always been our vacation destination (the economy has unfortunately interfered with vacation).

Your right I should forget the survey and just go door to door. I am sure that before I will get clients I am going to have get known out there (that is, known for other than managing the resale children's store that everyone seems to want me to reopen).

Absolutly come to Lawrence and we will have coffee! when your coming this way PM me for phone # and details. Hope to hear from you soon!

Diana

I actually feel surveys are helpful but most people won't take them if there isn't something useful in it for them.

Would you consider creating a survey in conjunction with a tip sheet on using a virtual asssitant and setting up the survey so they can get the tip sheet once they complete the survey?

What is it that you want to find out about in the survey? How is it that the survey will educate the people you want to reach?

My first thought is to set up a place on your website or your blog to capture email addresses. Start with your own contacts that you know who will willingly give you their addresses. Write a press release or an article and include the link back to your site for peole to start signing up for a newsletter. Grow the email list through a blog, your tweets, your facebook account. Before you know it the list will be long and you can send out your first publication. These often get sent onto other people which means more people will sign up for your list. Then create your survey, attach the tip sheet or whatever gift you want in the survey and offer it as a reward for completing the survey.

You can still do door-to-door or postcards or whatever you want to gather email addresses but I would advise against getting addresses without first getting the permission of the people from whom you wish to reach. That would be spam and a complete waste of time for you and for the recipients.

Janine

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