There are some main goals we all have as freelancers. These are usually indicators of success for us.
We want to:
-Make money doing something we’re good at
-Stand out amongst other freelancers
-Work with clients that we really love
I’m going to offer you some advice today that you can put in place in your freelance assistant business that will help you do all of the above!
Are you ready? Here it is:
Choose a niche. Narrow things down.
What do I mean by that specifically?
Either specialize in what you do (your services) or who you work with (your target market).
Whenever I suggest this, people worry that it will limit the amount of money they will make—but that’s not true!
In fact, it will help you streamline your marketing efforts when you know who you’re speaking to. You will be able to write your website and blog copy geared towards this specific person. It will help you to think like them and understand the reason that they need your services.
You’ll figure out where to find them. You can focus in on their pain point in their business and how you can alleviate that for them.
How to Specialize in What You Do
First, you want to think of all the skills you have from past jobs and from personal experiences. Write down every single thing that you’re good at. Now just focus on the ones you love. Because we want to love our business! If you offer a service that you’re good at but don’t really love, you will end up being resentful.
You can also write down things you’d be interested in learning more about so that you can offer them in the future.
Next, you want to decide which skills can be turned into services to offer in your freelance assistant business. For example, maybe you love to write and the written word is your thing. You can offer ghost writing, blogging, proofreading, editing, transcription or copywriting. Maybe you love all things tech. You can offer assistance with WordPress, coding, shopping carts, list software, affiliate program setup or membership site setup.
Taking some time to brainstorm and do these exercises will help you to come up with your initial list of services. And specializing your services in this way will help you stand out from other freelancers. You’ll be able to charge more for your specialized services.
Now let’s look at another way to narrow your niche.
How to Narrow Down Your Target Market
Instead of offering specialized services, perhaps you want to be the go-to person for a particular market or industry. You want them to think of you when they need help.
There are two things to consider in order to narrow down your market:
1. What they do (in their business)
2. Who they are (as a person)
Think about who you enjoy working with in previous or current jobs. Then ask yourself some important questions. Is there a certain personality style? Is it a certain type of business? What do these people have in common?
Who needs the services that you have to offer?
Do you have any hobbies or interests you could incorporate into your freelance services? Perhaps you could offer your services to that particular industry.
Let me give you an example. I was coaching a client who had decided on her services, but not on the market that she’d like to help. I began asking about her hobbies. She very excitedly told me about essential oils, yoga, self-care, and why it was so important to her. When I told her that she could offer her services to those in the health and wellness industry, she said she had a lightbulb moment. It was a perfect fit for her.
When you narrow down your market in this way, you’ll stand out because you know the terminology, the products, and the things that are important to that industry.
If you work with a specific group of people, you will quickly become an expert in your field for that group of people. You will be providing them with exactly what they need. They will come back to you repeatedly and refer you to others in your target market.
And there you have it. If you want to make more money, offer services that you love, and work with wonderful clients, then narrow your niche. Either specialize in your services or your target market.
Alicia Jay is a business, marketing and mindset coach at newVAadvice.com. She is passionate about helping virtual assistants get out of overwhelm in order to create a business that they love by providing them with resources through her blog, Facebook group, products and coaching programs.
You can connect with Alicia on the following platforms:
