| Marketing is understanding the needs of your | | | | two. |
| customer, then finding a way to fulfill those needs. | | | | 17. Dress for success. Always look the part - you |
| | | | never know when opportunities will present |
| 1. Continually educate yourself, learn new skills to | | | | themselves, so be ready. |
| extend your services. | | | | 18. Ask for referrals from family, friends, clients, and |
| 2. Have a website created by a professional. Portray | | | | prospective clients. They may know someone who |
| your "brand" with the look and feel of your business, | | | | needs your services now, or will remember you when |
| and that appeals to your type of customer. | | | | they do. |
| 3. Continually add informative articles and updated | | | | 19. Join local business organizations, Chamber of |
| content (a new page every week?) to your site, | | | | Commerce, networking groups. |
| information that will HELP your customer. | | | | 20. Attend local business events, offer to do a |
| 4. Create a news feed to offer resources, news, and | | | | presentation about your services, teach a class. |
| information about current events that benefit your | | | | 21. Be a great communicator. Use correct grammar |
| users. | | | | and punctuation in emails or any correspondence. |
| 5. Optimize your pages' specific content using the | | | | 22. Be a great VA. Find opportunities to offer |
| keywords people use most to search for your | | | | information, stay in contact, and go the extra mile for |
| information. Use keywords at the beginning of your | | | | your clients. Word of mouth is your best form of |
| descriptive page title, headings, subheadings, and | | | | advertising! |
| content for every page. But don't overuse them, they | | | | 23. Be consistent, let your clients know they can count |
| should sound natural, not "stuffed." | | | | on you. |
| 6. Research businesses that compliment your product | | | | 24. Under promise - over deliver. Never miss a |
| or service and contact them to suggest reciprocal | | | | deadline, and if you think you might, contact them |
| linking opportunities. | | | | immediately to discuss your situation so you can come |
| 7. Publish informative video tutorials for your | | | | to an satisfactory agreement. |
| customers. | | | | 25. Be enthusiastic. It draws people like a magnet. |
| 8. Have a sign-up form on your website, give away | | | | 26. Have professional business media available for |
| something for free of value in exchange for their | | | | events, thank-you gifts, and marketing opportunities; |
| contact information. | | | | brochures, business cards, calendars, magnets, mouse |
| 9. Keep your contact list up-to-date, use a double | | | | pads, pens, etc. |
| "opt-in" on your sign-up form to confirm they want to | | | | 27. Create a professional marketing letter and send to |
| receive email from you. | | | | local businesses via direct mail. |
| 10. Send out newsletters on a regular basis. Most | | | | 28. Contact every business you send a letter to, |
| clients prefer once a month, some twice per month. | | | | following up with them shows your professionalism. |
| Quarterly is fine too, just be sure it's consistent. Don't | | | | 29. Visit local businesses in person with your business |
| forget to include an un-subscribe option in your | | | | card and brochure in hand. |
| message, and never send spam. | | | | 30. Volunteer for your favorite charity, help someone in |
| 11. Start a forum to create a community of clients | | | | need. |
| helping other clients and for providing new user | | | | 31. Offer your services free, as a prize in a drawing or |
| generated content for your site. | | | | fundraising events. |
| 12. Learn how search engine advertising works, | | | | 32. Create your "elevator pitch." Memorize your short |
| research relevant keyword opportunities, and | | | | "mini-commercial" that clearly describes the benefits |
| experiment with the different types available. | | | | and how you can fulfill the needs of your clients. |
| 13. Research your target market, learn about their | | | | 33. Listen to what people say. If an opportunity to |
| needs to determine the best marketing opportunities. | | | | promote yourself comes up - take it!! |
| Where did they find their employees, their vendors, | | | | 34. Place a magnetic sign on your car or have a decal |
| where do they socialize, where do they advertise? Be | | | | made for your back window or bumper. |
| where they are. | | | | 35. Stay updated on new technology emerging, |
| 14. Advertise honestly-your main goal should be to | | | | contact clients that may benefit. |
| HELP people. If your just trying to sell the something | | | | 36. Write Press Releases about news and upcoming |
| they'll resist and you will lose credibility. | | | | events in your business. |
| 15. Advertise in local business newspapers and small | | | | 37. Be prepared, organized, prompt, and confident. |
| magazines. Sell your benefits instead of listing your | | | | 38. Share your knowledge to help other Virtual |
| services. | | | | Assistants. |
| 16. Have professional business cards with you at all | | | | 39. Live by the Virtual Assistant code of ethics. |
| times, ready to hand out at any opportunity. Give them | | | | 40. Believe in yourself! |