Hello everyone!

I'm trying to figure out the right words to stay to potential clients I'm cold-calling (or rather cold-emailing). I am working on my website but do have a blog up. I'd like to get my name out there and have contacted people via Twitter. Not sure how to use Linkedin but HAVE created a profile...I'd like to get my first client so would like to contact small businesses in my area.

Any suggestions on what to say?

Thanks for your help!

Caroline
asensiblesolution.blogspot.com

Hi Caroline,

You're a go-getter. I like that

When you are cold-emailing your prospects I do hope you are contacting people with whom you have a prior relationship. People don't like Spam and that's what cold-emails are. You don't want to start your new business off on the wrong foot. Read the CanSpam Act for more information about sending unsolicited commercial emails. It's very bad practice.

Anyway, not to put you on a total downer, let's talk about LinkedIn. Effective use of Linked In requires you to answer and ask questions. That is the only way to get yourself noticed.

Regarding what to say: If you have determined your target market then the best way to approach it is to "tell them what you have, how is it going to help them, and what should they do next". No one will buy from you if they don't need what you have. Help them to see that they need you. All Virtual Assistants solve the same problem for their clients no matter who they are and what they do. We save time for our clients and thus give them more time to do what they want. (whatever it is) Our clients don't have the time to do everything and so they look to us to help them do the things they hate doing or the things they don't know how to do and don't want to learn.

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Shari Sultana
Online Business Manager (marketing for retail ecommerce)

I often wonder if everyone understands what a Virtual Assistant can actually do for them and why they can benefit. One way to get around this and get your foot in the door is to create products that people understand with pricing they can relate to.

I market to a lot of Realtors and there are two hot buttons; their database and contacting their database. When I make contact with a Realtor and they express an interest I often lead with these two activities as examples of where I can give them more time, take away a burdensome task and possibly get more clients for them.

One product I offer is a monthly letter to their database. I have developed a spreadsheet to determine my costs so I know if I tell them I can send a letter on their behalf to 100 clients at $ 2.95 per letter including a $ 0.53 stamp and all they have to do is sign it then they can make the decision easily and if they say yes I know I am making a profit. They either reply "$295.00 for 100 letters is a lot. I can do it myself" (which they won't) or "Wow that's great and all I have to do is sign?" I have the advantage in that I have a lot of form letters that I mix in with market updates so they just edit a letter rather than write it in most cases.

This always leads to billable work cleaning their database and I tell them it is about $ 1.00 per name to organize their database and get it in a format I can do mail merges and print labels.

Long answer. but I hope it helps. I have a few other "products" if you are interested.

Marketing Guy

Interesting concept and a great idea to have client letters ready to go. I also market for clients and have designed and prepared, presentations, slideshows, a very detailed spreadsheet for revenue/expenses and much more.
My thought was to provide these forms to them upon a retention package free of charge. But I kind of like your process.

Shari
As for cold-emailing, don't do it. My niche is insurance/investment agents/advisors and from past experience, no-body wants phones or emails that they are not expecting. Perhaps their would be a way to warm them up first. Send a letter with your speech/marketing and let them know that you will be contacting them in 3 days. But make sure you contact them in 3 days.

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Internet Marketing Specialist
Back Pocket Business Solutions

Hi Caroline,

I think everyone has given you some great advise. I would introduce yourself in the form of a letter or press release. Tell them who you are and whom you service. Pay particular attention to what you can do for your clients. How will they benefit from partnering with you?
It may sound weird, but someone gave me some great advise the other day and I thought I would pass it along. When you are trying to get someone's attention for your business...play on their emotions. Talk to them and explains things to them so that they can relate. Do you struggle to meet deadlines? Are you stressed about the amount of time you're caught up in paperwork? That type of thing. Then with each statement you make offer a solution.

Just my two cents!

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Ness, REPA
www.NessLindsay.com

Great responses ladies and Marketing Guy.

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Carlana Charles - Ciboney Virtual Solutions
Web: http://ciboneyvirtual.com Blog:http://ciboneyvirtual.com/blog

I'm getting ready to do some direct mailing. Thanks for the suggestions.

When you doing the direct mailing, narrow your list down. Create a database, go through and eliminate the ones that you do not have contacts for, then slowly go through and start thinking who would truly benefit from my service. Narrow your list to three or four cities. This will save you money and it will make it possible for you to keep up with. Many marketing tips recommend sending out a postcard with hand written address because people are more likely to read them. Then call them within a week, then another week mail them a letter. It takes an average person five contacts before they call you unless they are already searching for your service or they are in desperate need of it. Remember to be consistent with your mailings and calls and be patient. It may take time, but it will be worth it in the end if it is done right.

As for the email campaign, MailChimp is a great FREE mailing site. But if you are going to email to people make sure you have had contact with them before otherwise it would be considered spam.

As for what to put in your letter, email the advice given by the others is right on the mark. Think like your potential client would think what do they need? Then answer the question with what you can offer them. DO NOT forget to tell them what you want them to do (do you want them to call you, request more information, visit your website, etc).

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Erika Glem
www.advadminsol.com Let my administrative solutions be to your advantage.

Excellent answer I an so glad I read that because I too was thinking of the email approach.

Thanks a bunch!

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Tip Top Virtual Solutions
http://tiptopvs.co.cc

Thank you all for your advice. I like the postcard idea for direct mailings.

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Lillian Hoyer

Thank you for the tips and suggestions. This kinda helpful for me also as a beginner because it's always difficult for me to start up with something, especially composing my thoughts into words.

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Juna
http://hire-a-virtual-assistant.blogspot.com/

I am so glad I read this thread because I was thinking of emailing. Now I realize that postcards are the way to go. It takes less effort to read the back of a postcard than to even open an envelope.
Thank you.
Judy

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These are all great ideas! I am learning so much just by reading the posts.

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Rhonda Holscher, Owner
Rhonda's Virtual Office - Hire a Virtual Assistant

Hi,

I used to do cold-emailing in the past and would not recommend to anyone!
It is waist of time, as people don't like to have unsolicited commercial emails and so are most likely not to reply.

But once you have a blog that reflects perfectly your business, you should make sure to optimize it,with good keywords, so that people may easily find your business.
It is good to insert a link that may insist the reader to go to your website.
The most important thing is to have visitors who , regularly, reads your blog and comment it. If they comment, always make sure to leave a reply, this can help you to even improve your articles and make you some followers. Then start creating e-newsletters for the people who are really interested in your business...

I hope you find my advice useful.

Good Luck,

Joyce A.

Yes me too - I agree these are some amazing tips. I was trying to deside if I sould start building my newsletter or blog first. After reading this I must get to work on building my blog ... I think getting it up and going first will be my best choice!