Client Consultation Process
The advantage of being a Virtual Assistant is that you are your own boss, and it is you who determines how you want to run your business. This means that you can choose the type of client with whom you want to work. You need to determine your niche market and create a profile for your ideal client (see marketing chapter for more information), in order for you to filter out those with whom you do not want to work.
The benefit of using a client consultation is that you can determine in advance whether you would be a good fit before you start working together. It also shows that you are a serious and professional business owner.
Do not go through the information as soon as someone calls with an initial enquiry. Have set times each week when you conduct client consultation sessions and schedule these in your diary. This makes potential clients realise, subconsciously, that you are not an employee, but are, in fact, a fellow business owner.
Prepare your process and questions in advance. You will then come across as a professional and show that you know what you are doing.
You may want to consider some of the following questions when composing your own client consultations.
You need to ask for telephone numbers and email addresses before starting your scheduled consultations. This means that you can contact any clients who do not call.
What industry do they work in? What products/services do they provide? What types of clients do they work with?
What are their goals for the next five years? This is a good question as you can tell them how you could help them to achieve their goals.
Some prospective clients may have an idea of some areas in which they could use some help.
After I have ended the consultation, I ask all prospective clients to keep a list, over the course of a week, of all the tasks they have not got time to complete, or that they do not like doing. I then schedule a follow-up call, one week later, to go through the list, to see where I can help them.
This will reveal some details about their personality and work style, and will help you to decide whether you want to work with them.
This is an important question, as you can ask further questions about the relationship, and whether it worked or not.
What information should your prospective clients be told about you? Do you want to tell them you still work full-time, work around children, work during term-time only? Establish what you want to share now, so that you do not forget during the call.
