I recently got an e-mail from an extremely talented and amazing virtual assistant. She was facing an issue in her business that went something like this: “I know I have a top quality product and that my skills are way above average. My problem is my inability to figure out how to leverage that into clients and dollars.”
Since I know this is something a lot of people struggle with, here’s a blog post with a few ideas on how to help turn prospects into clients and income.
Marketing Funnel
Let’s start right here. What does your current marketing funnel look like? If you haven’t thought about this at all, pop over to ErinBlaskie.com and download the free marketing funnel template there and FILL IT IN! 
What you want to have here are the following things:
- Freebie: Something worthwhile, something that provides an immediate solution to a problem and something your target market actually wants / needs. Do NOT just offer a newsletter as a freebie. People don’t want more newsletters. They want problems solved immediately and they want to see how you can help them. See our “30 Days of Delegation” over at www.bsetc.ca.
- Free Consultation: Make this clearly indicated on your website and make it super easy for someone to book time with you. Let people know that you’re happy to answer questions for them via telephone or e-mail. Another option is to answer FAQ’s in a welcome video or on a separate page of your site.
- Inexpensive Product: This could be an ebook or a special report but have something that people can buy to again, solve a problem they are faced with.
- A La Carte Service: Offer a few services that are inexpensive and allow people to “sample” your company and what it’s like to work with you.
- Hourly Packages: Offer the larger hourly packages to those clients who need on-going support.
If you don’t have this right now, you have HUGE gaps and are no doubt losing customers because of it. People need to build up the “know, like and trust factor” before they’ll purchase from you so give them many options to see what you have to offer.
Look at Your Copy — Is It About You or Them?
Many people make the mistake of making their copy about themselves. “Here’s my portfolio, here are my services, here are the things I can do, here’s what I’ve done, etc.” Instead, focus it outward. The word “you” is one of the most beautiful words in the English language and use it a lot! For example, “You can expect to see a lighter workload on your shoulders and you’ll feel like you can actually take that much needed vacation.”
Scour through your copy right now and see where you are making it all about you. (One indicator is… do you see a lot of I’s and we’s?) Then, re-write it so it focuses entirely on the client. The best thing to do is to sit down with a pen and paper and write out your ideal client. Detail them as clearly as you can. Then, write your copy as though you are talking about how what you do will benefit that person specifically. This will target your writing right to that ideal client.
Are You Showcasing Your Abilities?
While you don’t want your copy to be all about you, you do want to still showcase what you’re capable of. For example, are you using your social media status updates effectively? Most people don’t. Instead of writing about what you are eating for lunch, change up your status update to read:
- “Just finished putting together a custom WordPress site — my client loves it!”
- Or: “Just found an amazing resource for pulling together Request for Proposals, check it out!”
- Or: “Attending a teleseminar on Blogging Tips – I’ll take these back to my clients and help improve their blogs!”
These status updates actually tell people about what you DO as opposed to what you eat. What do you think will bring in a client?
Marketing Activities — Many Roads or Only a Few?
Are you utilizing all of the available marketing tools or only a few of them? If you are only using a few, you have limited ways for people to find you. The more you reach out into different areas of your target market, the more new business you’ll attract. Don’t swim in the same pool as everyone else. Jump out and find a new pool full of fresh, clean prospects to reach out and touch.
Hopefully this list allows you to improve on anything you aren’t currently doing so you can turn more prospects into cash! Comment back and let me know if anything works for you after you implement it or if you have other ideas!
Technorati Tags: Erin Blaskie, The VA Coach, virtual assistant, virtual assistants, virtual assistance, marketing activities, social networking, marketing funnel, turning prospects into clients, leverage, income, status updates, copywriting
Outstanding article Erin. I love your tips for filling in your Marketing Funnel! That’s a great phrase, “Showcasing your Abilities.” That says it all doesn’t it?
You are correct. You need to implement multiple marketing strategies to really create synergy and attract clients. Thanks Erin!
Thanks Rick for your comments!!
I’m glad you enjoyed the tips and really, although I focus this towards a virtual assistant, it really is applicable to ALL businesses 
Erin