Are you thinking of starting a Virtual assistant business? You are not alone in this.
So, what is actually stopping you from doing it ? It could be that you're worried about succeeding, or unsure how to actually get started.
In this blog post I will go through the top 7 reasons why people fail to launch their Virtual Assistant business. Hopefully knowing what to avoid will help you feel motivated to set up your business:
Lack of preparation
Running a successful business is a very exciting thing to do, but in the beginning it can be stressful and a little overwhelming to do. It's so easy to see other people especially on Instagram that can misguide you into rushing into setting up a business, or you hear people getting clients in their first day or week. The truth is it can take some time to find the RIGHT first client.
So make a plan, map out your goals and it will help you succeed. Here's a rough guide to what you need to plan for:
Pick the services offered
Figure out who your ideal clients are
Write a business plan
Design your logo, business name and branding
Set up business account
Set up a website
Set up social media accounts
Set up email address
Create a basic contract so you can adapt it
Plan your marketing strategy
Reach out to new clients
Unrealistic expectations
This is one thing that some Virtual Assistants fail on. They have expectations that they think they will have instant success, or find high paid clients in a matter of weeks for instance.
It takes TIME to grow a successful business and grow your clients, if you start you business setting those high expectations you may find yourself feeling doubtful of your success and feel like quitting.
Not having a website
Having is so important in the digital world we live in. How else are your potential clients going to see what you offer, get in touch or get a feel for you as a Virtual Assistant. You need your website to be:
Looks professional
Use a domain name that is the name of your business - not a generic WIX or Wordpress in the URL. Makes your website seem more reliable
Good quality stock images and images of yourself. It adds more personality to your site and people are likely to use services when they know what the face of the company looks like.
Include contact information making it easier for people to get in touch
Blog section is very useful to have as when you write blogs it shows off your expertise but also ranks your website higher, so people are able to find your website more easily.
Poor time management
One of the most important aspects of running your business that you need to know how to do, is to learn how to manage your time. It’s important as it:
Grow your business
Streamline processes such as on-boarding
Help stay organised
Handle client queries, communication and meetings
As a Virtual Assistant you will wear a lot of hats and all those various roles you will need good time management skills.
If you can’t manage your time the likely scenario is that you will begin to feel overwhelmed, burnt out and wonder if being a Virtual Assistant is really for you.
Not charging enough
In the beginning of your business you will find you just want clients and you're willing to compromise your pricing just to get them in the door. This is such a common problem with so many new Virtual Assistants, you need to be charging what you're worth, for the experience and specialised skills that you can offer. Letting yourself lack self belief or confidence can stop you from growing your business.
These reasons are just a few things that will stop you from being successful. With the right plan in place, making sure you don’t waste your time doing tasks that take up too much time and have belief you can do it.
You will find that you will have good weeks and bad but at the end of the day you should be proud you have set up a business that's your own - that's a challenge not many people can do.
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