By Lisa Tanner, freelance writer and contributor to this blog
Your virtual assistant website can be an asset that can help you attract more clients. But only if you intentionally set it up to do so.
To draw new clients in, your virtual assistant website must provide the essential information in a user-friendly format. Remember that your clients are busy, and looking for someone who can help take tasks off their plate. They aren’t going to waste time clicking unclear buttons or scrolling random content.
If they can’t find what they want, they will leave your website and start checking out your competitor instead.
Don’t make them do that.
Instead, design your virtual assistant website with your clients in mind. Keep it streamlined. A minimum viable website will work perfectly to get your site up and running. Just make sure it includes these seven elements that can help you increase your client load.
- The services you offer
- Pricing information
- A headshot and about page
- Social proof
- A portfolio
- Simple navigation
- A way to get in touch
Let’s dive into each so you can start using your website to connect with clients.
But first, if you don’t have your website set up yet, Sally has an awesome step-by-step tutorial to help you get it going. She and I both really recommend FastComet for hosting. If you’re looking for a solid hosting company, give them a try. Here’s Sally’s affiliate link for FastComet.
1. The Services You Offer
What virtual assistant services do you offer? While there’s no shortage of services you can provide, most VAs prefer to niche down a little. That way you aren’t doing social media for client A, formatting blog posts for client B, and doing bookkeeping for client C.
Streamlining your services makes sense. You get to do what you really enjoy, and can become an expert at those particular services.
But, no matter what you do, your website should spell it all out. Let your potential clients see if you can help them in the areas they need help with.
Consider creating packages of services that go together. This can help you provide a complete solution to your clients for services they want.
If you really aren’t sure what to provide, I recommend clicking over and reading this post on Sally’s site. It’s all about starting a virtual assistant business and can help you brainstorm some services you could provide.
2. Pricing Information
Not every virtual assistant website displays pricing information. But, I recommend that yours does.
You want to connect with the right clients. Clients who can comfortably pay your rates.
That means they need to know what your rates are.
I know that some services really do need customized quotes. In those cases, consider adding a “starting at” rate, or a range of rates. That gives your client a ballpark.
There are many budget conscious entrepreneurs out there who are not going to take action if they have literally no idea what you charge. Give them the basic information they need to make a decision. Then they can connect with you for a customized quote or to learn more about what you provide.
And as a bonus, you will receive far fewer inquires from people who can’t afford to pay what you charge.
3. A Headshot and an About Page
So technically this is two different elements, but they go together so I’m counting them as one.
People want to know who they are working with. Having a nice headshot and an about page can give them the information they need.
Make sure you have your name on there. Let potential clients know who you are so they know how to address you in any written correspondence.
As far as your picture goes, you don’t need to go spend money on a professional photo shoot. Instead, ask a friend or your spouse to take a picture with your smartphone camera. That will get you up and running. Just aim for a decent picture that isn’t a selfie. Also, double check the background before you post it. Make sure you don’t have any bookshelves coming out of your head or anything…
When you write your about page, keep it light and professional. Your clients don’t need to read an auto-biography. They just need to know enough to believe that you are a real person and not some spammer waiting for your next person to con.
Tip: Remember that your about page isn’t really about you. It’s about your client and how you can help. So weave your personality in there, but remember to look at it from your client’s perspective. Tie in some of your past experience and education that relate to your services. Explain how you love helping others, and why you become a VA in the first place.
4. Social Proof
One question often comes to mind when potential clients are searching through virtual assistant websites:
Can this person really help me?
And while you can use engaging copy and case studies to tell your client that you can, social proof helps show them. These testimonials or social media shout-outs help provide proof that you help other real people get results.
Seeing this helps alleviate some of the fear and doubt potential clients face. It shows that you were able to help this person, which makes them more likely to believe that you can help them as well.
Tip: Lacking social proof on your website? Ask your clients for testimonials. Or consider working at a lower rate in exchange for some honest testimonials. Update your testimonials as you work with additional clients.
5. A Portfolio
Potential clients want to hire a virtual assistant who can get the job done correctly. Having a portfolio they can look at gives them a peek at your skills. It lets them see what you’ve created for other people, and what you are capable of.
Your portfolio should showcase your best work, so don’t cram everything in there. Make it easy to navigate and get rid of any clutter.
If you’re just starting out, create a few samples for yourself. Use these as a starter portfolio. Then update them as you get client work and get their permission to include it in your portfolio.
Consider adding some results to your portfolio as well. If you create a pin that went viral for your client, include some figures along with the pretty image. Or talk about the sales increase your clients saw after you took over their Facebook ads.
The combination of project and results really helps your work shine.
6. Simple Navigation
Make your virtual assistant website easy to navigate. Don’t use “cutesy” page titles or try to fit fifteen subcategories into one page.
Take time to view your website on both a mobile device and a desktop. You want everything to be simple to find no matter what type of device potential clients are using.
Examine your menus and verify that you have the pages you need. From your homepage, can you easily navigate to find your services, prices, social proof, and portfolio?
Once you think the navigation is ready, ask a friend to check it out. Ask for their first impression, and if there’s anything about the navigation they found tricky.
Busy clients aren’t going to stick around to search through long drop-down menus to find what they want. So make it easy for them.
7. A Way to Get in Touch
Now that your client has seen what you can do, and is eager to hire you, how can they connect with you to get started?
Your virtual assistant website must have a contact form. Or at the very least your email address with directions to email you for more information.
Some virtual assistants use their contact forms to gather essential information about potential clients. They include fields for:
- Name
- Email address
- Service interested in
- Background information
- Big goal for working together
If you decide to go this route, think through the fields on the form you create. What are you going to ask for that will help you serve each client better? You want it to be simple for your client, but useful for you.
Tip: Have multiple links to your contact page. When someone is ready to move forward, don’t make them try to remember where they saw your contact information. Instead, give it to them again.
Use Your Virtual Assistant Website to Grow
With these seven elements, your virtual assistant website will help you draw in new clients. It will give them the information they need and help them get in touch. Your virtual assistant website can help your business grow.
