Comments on: Dear Gritty VA: How Do I Get Clients http://www.grittyva.com/2010/03/03/dear-gritty-va-how-do-i-get-clients/ Straight-Shooting Business Savvy for Administrative Support Consultants Sat, 07 Jan 2012 01:24:47 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Marie http://www.grittyva.com/2010/03/03/dear-gritty-va-how-do-i-get-clients/comment-page-1/#comment-56781 Marie Thu, 04 Mar 2010 22:24:38 +0000 http://www.grittyva.com/?p=3663#comment-56781 Thank you, thank you, thank you! I'm a new VA, but I believe in standing by your rate, not giving anything away for free (or discounting, for that matter – not even on retainer pricing), and partnering only with clients who are a good fit - so all of <em>that</em> advice in your post make me say, "Yeah! That's right, Danielle, preach it!" And then I got to the part about how VAs need to stop touting how much money you can save potential clients, how those comparison charts should be taken down, and that we should not be emphasizing cost savings and it <em>really</em> made me think. I realized, that though I don't necessarily sell myself as a cheap resource, I do emphasize the many ways how I will save them money over hiring a full-time admin or doing all that work themselves. You are right, I need to re-examine what it is about what I have to offer that provides value beyond cost-savings and put more emphasis on THAT. I don't want cheapskate clients who are only out for a bargain (let them hire an overseas “VA” for $6 an hour), I want quality clients who value what I bring to the table, for whom my rates are a secondary concern. I'm actually excited to get home tonight and start revamping my site! Thanks so much for this post! Thank you, thank you, thank you! I’m a new VA, but I believe in standing by your rate, not giving anything away for free (or discounting, for that matter – not even on retainer pricing), and partnering only with clients who are a good fit – so all of that advice in your post make me say, “Yeah! That’s right, Danielle, preach it!”
And then I got to the part about how VAs need to stop touting how much money you can save potential clients, how those comparison charts should be taken down, and that we should not be emphasizing cost savings and it really made me think. I realized, that though I don’t necessarily sell myself as a cheap resource, I do emphasize the many ways how I will save them money over hiring a full-time admin or doing all that work themselves. You are right, I need to re-examine what it is about what I have to offer that provides value beyond cost-savings and put more emphasis on THAT.
I don’t want cheapskate clients who are only out for a bargain (let them hire an overseas “VA” for $6 an hour), I want quality clients who value what I bring to the table, for whom my rates are a secondary concern. I’m actually excited to get home tonight and start revamping my site! Thanks so much for this post!

]]> By: Sandra http://www.grittyva.com/2010/03/03/dear-gritty-va-how-do-i-get-clients/comment-page-1/#comment-56757 Sandra Thu, 04 Mar 2010 06:04:20 +0000 http://www.grittyva.com/?p=3663#comment-56757 Thanks for the great advice. I am also battling to find clients - I launched my business towards the end of last year, get loads of enquiries, but none of them ever materialise. It is so frustrating as my website is attracting many visitors and I often wonder where I am going wrong. Thanks for the great advice. I am also battling to find clients – I launched my business towards the end of last year, get loads of enquiries, but none of them ever materialise. It is so frustrating as my website is attracting many visitors and I often wonder where I am going wrong.

]]> By: Cindy Elsberry http://www.grittyva.com/2010/03/03/dear-gritty-va-how-do-i-get-clients/comment-page-1/#comment-56751 Cindy Elsberry Thu, 04 Mar 2010 03:32:25 +0000 http://www.grittyva.com/?p=3663#comment-56751 Thank you for answering this question. I have the same struggles myself. You gave me a lot to think about and apply to my business. Thank you for answering this question. I have the same struggles myself. You gave me a lot to think about and apply to my business.

]]> By: Jeannette Tibbetts http://www.grittyva.com/2010/03/03/dear-gritty-va-how-do-i-get-clients/comment-page-1/#comment-56740 Jeannette Tibbetts Wed, 03 Mar 2010 22:02:37 +0000 http://www.grittyva.com/?p=3663#comment-56740 Fantastic post; I could have written the "Brief Question" myself. I'm struggling with all the same issues; your response gave me ALOT to think about...I appreciate you taking the time to write it! Fantastic post; I could have written the “Brief Question” myself.

I’m struggling with all the same issues; your response gave me ALOT to think about…I appreciate you taking the time to write it!

]]> By: Lydia Espinoza http://www.grittyva.com/2010/03/03/dear-gritty-va-how-do-i-get-clients/comment-page-1/#comment-56735 Lydia Espinoza Wed, 03 Mar 2010 20:51:39 +0000 http://www.grittyva.com/?p=3663#comment-56735 Cool...got it Thanks! Cool…got it Thanks!

]]> By: Danielle Keister http://www.grittyva.com/2010/03/03/dear-gritty-va-how-do-i-get-clients/comment-page-1/#comment-56733 Danielle Keister Wed, 03 Mar 2010 20:39:57 +0000 http://www.grittyva.com/?p=3663#comment-56733 This is a difficult concept for many people to grasp, but individual services is not the same thing as offering a package of ongoing administrative support. You don't market individual tasks and services unless you are in a secretarial services business. If you are in the business of providing ongoing administrative support, you market the entire package as a whole, not individual services and projects. Do you understand the difference? The package could be made up of any number and kind of tasks, functions and roles, but you don't determine what those need to be until you get clients into consultation and talk with them and find out what they're trying to do and where they're trying to go. This is a difficult concept for many people to grasp, but individual services is not the same thing as offering a package of ongoing administrative support. You don’t market individual tasks and services unless you are in a secretarial services business. If you are in the business of providing ongoing administrative support, you market the entire package as a whole, not individual services and projects. Do you understand the difference? The package could be made up of any number and kind of tasks, functions and roles, but you don’t determine what those need to be until you get clients into consultation and talk with them and find out what they’re trying to do and where they’re trying to go.

]]> By: Lydia Espinoza http://www.grittyva.com/2010/03/03/dear-gritty-va-how-do-i-get-clients/comment-page-1/#comment-56732 Lydia Espinoza Wed, 03 Mar 2010 20:38:25 +0000 http://www.grittyva.com/?p=3663#comment-56732 Thank you for all of your valuable information. When I get my web site up and running I plan on becoming a member. Appreciate all of your hard work. Lydia Thank you for all of your valuable information. When I get my web site up and running I plan on becoming a member. Appreciate all of your hard work.

Lydia

]]> By: Lydia Espinoza http://www.grittyva.com/2010/03/03/dear-gritty-va-how-do-i-get-clients/comment-page-1/#comment-56731 Lydia Espinoza Wed, 03 Mar 2010 20:33:17 +0000 http://www.grittyva.com/?p=3663#comment-56731 Thank you for getting back with me. I would like to include transcription as part of my service as a VA. In my research, some VA's offer this service. Oops, I did not make this clear to you. Thanks! Thank you for getting back with me. I would like to include transcription as part of my service as a VA. In my research, some VA’s offer this service.

Oops, I did not make this clear to you.

Thanks!

]]> By: Danielle Keister http://www.grittyva.com/2010/03/03/dear-gritty-va-how-do-i-get-clients/comment-page-1/#comment-56730 Danielle Keister Wed, 03 Mar 2010 19:41:17 +0000 http://www.grittyva.com/?p=3663#comment-56730 Hi, Lydia, Providing ongoing administrative support is not the same thing as looking just for transcription work. You'd do best to refer your question to those in the transcription industry. :) Hi, Lydia,

Providing ongoing administrative support is not the same thing as looking just for transcription work. You’d do best to refer your question to those in the transcription industry. :)

]]> By: Lydia Espinoza http://www.grittyva.com/2010/03/03/dear-gritty-va-how-do-i-get-clients/comment-page-1/#comment-56728 Lydia Espinoza Wed, 03 Mar 2010 19:25:30 +0000 http://www.grittyva.com/?p=3663#comment-56728 I in the process of restarting my business -- had to get a full time job now I have a couple of new clients. It's been almost two years. I would like to know how I can do transcription at home. What type of new devices are available. I was working for a doctor and a good part of the day was transcription tapes. thanks! lydia I in the process of restarting my business — had to get a full time job now I have a couple of new clients. It’s been almost two years. I would like to know how I can do transcription at home. What type of new devices are available. I was working for a doctor and a good part of the day was transcription tapes. thanks! lydia

]]>