Slow and Steady Wins the Race

It’s easy to get discouraged when starting a business as a Virtual Assistant. The tendency is to want several clients right, away and many people get impatient when that doesn’t happen.

I want to tell you something that will help when these thoughts occur to you. There is no overnight success when starting a services-based business like being a VA. You’re not doing anything wrong. It just doesn’t happen like that.

Your instinct for wanting clients is right on. Getting clients and getting paid is the measure of success in business. But I want you to think about the pace.

During the 12 years I was a full-time Virtual Assistant, I consistently brought on 24 new clients a year. That’s an average of two a month. That pace kept the workflow at a consistent level and my income predictable.

Clients will come and go, start and stop, and rarely does a project go as expected; it’s just a fact of life. So if you want your business to thrive, you must take consistent steps to protect and move your business forward by bringing in new clients.

Here's how:

1. Learn how to talk about your VA business. When someone asks you about your business, it’s important that your answer is clear and simple. You can learn how to do that here. Memorize and practice saying this in a natural conversational tone.  
   
   I know you want to wing this. You may be reluctant to practice talking about your business out loud because it feels silly. But here’s the deal. If you don’t have clients, this is why. It’s not because you don’t have the “right” skills. It’s because people aren’t clear about or don’t know what you have to offer. So put down the Shopify manual and do this instead.
    
2. Stop making marketing a big deal. Yes, in order to get clients, people need to know about your business. But being informative is different from selling. When you meet someone at a cocktail party or tailgate who’s a dentist, it’s not likely that they’re going to ask to look in your mouth and start talking about why you need a crown.
   
   It’s the same for you. When you tell someone what you do, you’re not asking them to hire you or telling them they're crazy not to have a VA. You’re simply making a statement.
   
   Attending networking events is about meeting people, posting on social media is about educating and sharing, and writing an email newsletter is about helping people. Please keep the drama, stress, and overthinking out of this. It’s just wasting time.
    
3. Spend less time thinking and more time doing. You can’t get a business off the ground by thinking about it. You get a business off the ground by getting into action. Order your business cards, tell your friends about your new business, attend a networking event, and learn how to send an email newsletter.

Your success is up to you, not your clients. I know that starting a business is scary. I know it’s challenging. I remember. But I also know that you can break this down into bite-sized chunks, follow my advice, and be on your way to the success you dream of. Get to work on what matters and skip the rest.

If you’re not already a member of our Facebook Group, The Virtual Assistant Connection, and would like to join, here’s the link: https://www.facebook.com