Gaining trust

[Boa]

Hi

I have a Virtual Assistant business and while it is doing ok I feel there is a long way to go.

The main obstacle is getting people to trust me in doing their work away from the workplace. The idea is well received by small business owners but it giving them the confidence to take that step which is difficult.

Has anyone any ideas on how to overcome this?

Regards
Jan

[Business Coaching Sydney]

Hi Jan
Do you charge by the hour or by the task? Maybe a fixed pricing model would give more confidence.

[JakeThomas]

Can you offer a money back guarantee?

I know it sounds cliche and that everyone does it, but I was able to convert a lot more sales once I started offering them.

Basically, if any of my print products aren't perfect than they are more than welcome to return for a full refund, have the job reprinted or have the current job discounted.

In 12 months I haven't had one person utilise the guarantee, but it's been a big selling point in a lot of sales.

- Jake

[bridiej]

I do the same and, likewise, haven't ever used it but I hope it gives my potential clients some reassurance.

[Boa]

Hi again and thanks for the feedback.

I do negotiate a discount at the beginning of a contracted period and yes I charge by the hour (or part thereof) so that the small business owner only pays for the time I spend on the task/s. I invoice at the end of the month with a record of the time spent working for a particular client.

Money back guarantee? I ensure that the task is clearly set out to begin with and do the task according to the client's instructions with any suggestions by me agreed to with the client. Consequently there has not been any need to discuss money back guarantees. If the client is not happy with the end result and they have agreed along the way to what is being done then it is not an issue. I do not go ahead and do things without the client's knowledge and consent on the process.

I guess my main problem is convincing clients that doing the work away from their premises these days is easy, secure and cost effective for them. I have it all on paper but I'm not good in selling myself.

Jan

[Barbara Grace]

Hi Jan,
I had a look at your website, and have a couple of suggestions that may help.
VA is a growth area and is becoming more and more popular world-wide, so I do hope the suggestions below help in any small way possible for you.
1. Add testimonials from past clients using this formula. Ask clients to:

• Identify the problem they had
• Explain how much the problem was affecting their business
• Describe how your solution relieved the problem
• Provide a recommendation for using your services

Testimonials, especially with photos and names, really help build credibility and trust.

2. Connect more with clients' problems
While you've identified client problems and provided your solution, I'm not sure whether the following statement helps:
"We remove the confusion, fear and uncertainty, replacing it with clarity, freedom and control."
In other words some clients may not connect with being a 'confused, fearful or uncertain' business person.
I'm sure you don't mean this, but any level of perceived negativity can turn people off.

3. Create an opt-in box with a free download for gathering prospect names so you can market to them on a regular basis.
It's said that a prospect needs seven to nine 'contact points' with you to develop trust, so sending a weekly email on how they could systemise their business may do the trick, and help build prospects for your sales funnel.

4. Include a compelling call-to-action, possibly with a 'free trial' to get the ball rolling. Providing simple options to relieve just one aspect of their 'busyness' may help build the trust aspect further.

5. Add a photo of yourself so potential customers can visualise a real person. Again, this helps build trust.

There are more ideas I could suggest, so if you want more just contact me through my website.

I know VAs are so important to businesses today and really hope these suggestions work for you.
So, good luck!!
Barbara Grace
PS For a more professional look, you might want to consider refreshing your website to build greater credibility and confidence in you as well. While I don't do web design, I can point you in a few good directions for you to follow up.

[Boa]

Hi Barbara
Thank you for the feedback and I will take onboard your suggestions. I don't know whether you missed the page on testimonials but it is there but not with photos - I have found people do not like to have their pictures as well on the testimonial page. My picture is on the Contact page as well.

I have thought long and hard about a weekly/fortnightly/monthly newsletter but so far I haven't done anything about it due to uncertainity about how well it would go but now you have suggested it I will give it a go for a month or two and I will include an offer for referrals.

Thanks again.
Jan