Do You Need a Portfolio to Get Clients

Brand new Virtual Assistants frequently ask me whether they need a portfolio of their work to get clients. The first time I was asked this question, I was stumped. I thought logically: How can you create a portfolio of work before you have clients? If you were to create a portfolio, what would you put in it?
 
Then I thought, I bet new Virtual Assistants who have heard they need a portfolio are spending time creating fictitious examples of work or learning new applications they believe will attract clients. If that’s you, please stop. This wastes time and delays the whole process of getting your business off the ground.
 
I want you to get into action and do something else instead. Set up your business. Spend time learning the software and systems your business needs. This will translate to real-world experience and give you examples of your work. A bonus is that it will also quiet Imposter Syndrome.
 
Here are some examples: 

1. My newsletter. Not only has my RocketGirl newsletter, RocketFuel, served as a great way to generate business and keep me in touch with my network, but it’s also planted a “newsletter seed” in the minds of all my 1,800 subscribers. The result? When one of them wants to start their newsletter, they ask me to help.
    
2. Credit card processing. My clients buy my time via credit card. Since I set this up on my website, I’ve had dozens of requests to do the same for clients.
    
3. Automated scheduling. When I installed Acuity Scheduling on my website, I was trying to eliminate all the back and forth via email to schedule meetings. It definitely worked. And … (I think you can guess what’s coming) … it’s led to at least 15 clients asking me to set up the same service for them.
    
4. Email signature. I set up my email signature with my title, contact info, a link to book time on my calendar, and my logo. Clients and potential clients were impressed and asked if I could create a signature for them.
    

The list goes on and on. For all of you life-long learners like me, there’s always something new being invented that we can use to enhance our business and pass on to clients.
 
Most Virtual Assistants don’t take the steps to set up their business in a professional way, so when you do, you’ll stand out from the crowd and be head and shoulders above the rest.