Dear Gritty VA:
What I really don’t understand, but experienced a lot in my short time as a Virtual Assistant, is that a lot of people seem to look for a Virtual Assistant, BUT actually prefer a Virtual Assistant close by. As far as I know, we are all working virtually so why are people are so adamant to have their Virtual Assistant in their area? JS
It’s a comfort factor, and it’s understandable human psychology generally speaking.
Working virtually is something very new to lots of folks, especially those who aren’t up to speed with the rest of the population technology-wise. They feel "safer" knowing that someone they might hire as their Virtual Assistant is just across town.
But that doesn’t mean there aren’t other folks who are perfectly fine with someone not local to them. They are more interested in top skills and right fit rather than location. Our task as Virtual Assistants is to first be talking to the right markets, and then do the best job we can on our websites and in our marketing and networking to answer client questions and instill trust and credibility in them.
What I also see Virtual Assistants making the mistake of doing is marketing themselves as a replacement for employees.
Nothing is a fit for everything, and the same is true of Virtual Assistance. It isn’t intended to replace employees. It’s a great alternative when employees aren’t an option. It can also be a great option to strategically supplement a business owner’s employee force.
But it’s not a fit if a business just doesn’t have a want or need for it. So don’t try to force a square peg in a round hole. When Virtual Assistants try to market to everyone under the sun, even business owners who really don’t have a need for the Virtual Assistant alternative, that’s where the misconnect and the subsequent discouragement occurs.
What I would recommend is defining for yourself what kind of client you want to work for. Envision what that type of person is like, what their personality is, their workstyle and temperament, the kind of work they do and so on.
In relation to your question, that description of your ideal client is going to include the person who is technologically savvy, who’s not a micromanager, and is forward-thinking and open to change. Those kind of people are going to be the most receptive and open to the virtual solution.
Your ideal client profile is then going to help you determine a target market or two to focus your message and marketing efforts on.
When you start moving along that vein, you will begin connecting with more of the right prospective clientele.
Gritty Business Buzz, the ezine my 
Thanks for commenting. Yeah, the virtual assistant term is really completely idiotic to...
