From a Marketing Expert Who Actually Does the Work
I’m excited to introduce Sunny Logsdon, a marketing expert dedicated to empowering entrepreneurs to invest their marketing dollars wisely. Sunny’s background spans over two decades of expertise in advertising agencies and consulting, where she’s used her expertise with giant brands such as Microsoft, Best Buy, and State Farm, refining messaging and building content marketing strategies. With her groundbreaking course, Rise + Repeat, she offers entrepreneurs and their teams a blueprint for streamlining marketing and content creation.
In this guest blog, Sunny shares valuable advice on how to not only distinguish yourself but also attract high-quality clients who value your professionalism and skills. So, whether you’re a solo entrepreneur ready to embark on your freelancing journey or a seasoned marketer looking to reach new heights, these tips will empower you to shine and thrive in the virtual marketing world.
Sunny lays it all out in actionable steps that go beyond the surface, offering you a roadmap to securing your dream clients and earning the pay you rightfully deserve. Keep reading for the strategies that will set you apart as a unique digital marketer.
You know you’re worth every penny you charge and maybe more.
But, whether you’re a seasoned virtual marketer or you’re just beginning to build your book, the key to landing your dream clients at your dream rates is convincing potential employers that you’re the rock star they’ve been searching for.
Once that fact is obvious, they’ll do just about anything to bring you on board. Take my word for it. I work with companies to hire and onboard marketers (most of them virtual) and I know it’s not easy to find a rockstar marketer.
There aren’t many candidates who pay attention to the details and go the extra mile to stand out during the interview process.
But that’s good news for you. It won’t be hard to outshine the competition – especially when you put these tips into action. These tips will help you attract top-notch clients who treat you like the professional you are.
Know what sets you apart.
As a solopreneur, you are your own brand. And just like any other brand, your differentiators should come through loud and clear.
If you’re not sure what your differentiator is, start by taking stock of your star personality traits and the bad-ass habits that make you tick. Think about how friends, family, and past clients would describe you. Then lean into it.
Your differentiator might align with your marketing-related experience.
- Are you funny?
- Do you love to geek out over metrics?
- Do you have Home Edit running on repeat and delight in creating color-coded business systems for your clients?
- Have you launched more webinars than NASA has spacecraft?
- Are your reel skills taking clients viral?
If you’re struggling to define what makes you unique, send a text to 3 friends and 3 clients or colleagues and ask, “What stands out about me, in your opinion?”
You might get the same answer on repeat (ding, ding, ding – that’s the thing!) or you might get different answers from everyone and need to decide what feels most accurate to you.
This blog may contain affiliate links for programs, tools, and courses that I recommend. If you purchase these programs, I could receive a small commission. Thank you! I only recommend vetted programs and tools I use myself! Please check out my tool & resources guide here.
Show don’t tell.
Next let’s tackle what it looks like to show them you’re a rock star.
Your potential employer will receive an inbox full of resumes brimming with claims of skills and talents.
The reality? Many applicants can’t back up their claims. Show them you can.
If you’re the David Sedaris of MVA’s, weave humor (but not sarcasm) into your materials. From your cover letter to your resume to your portfolio, demonstrate the witty sense of humor that keeps your friends in stitches. Keep it clean and professional but don’t be afraid to show your personality. If someone doesn’t like it, they’re not the right fit for you.
The same goes for being a metrics maven or obsessed with organization. Find a fun way to showcase your talents in the materials you submit. Whether it’s a cover letter with quirky data points or a color-coded portfolio, showing your potential client that you’re different will leave them wanting more.
When it comes to your portfolio, showing is far more powerful than telling.
I can’t count the number of portfolios I’ve seen that don’t include examples of the skills marketers claim to have.
If you’re applying for a job that requires writing emails and posting on social media, provide professional examples of related work in your portfolio. If you don’t have paid professional examples, consider doing an internship or volunteer work to produce real work samples.
If you don’t have a portfolio, or it’s light on relevant experience, offer to complete a job-related task as part of the interview process. This allows the potential client to see your skills in action related to their brand and the work you would be doing for them. It also demonstrates that you are solution-oriented and willing to go above and beyond, two feathers in your application hat.
Pro-Tip:
When taking on a client, let them know upfront that you hope to use the work you create for them in your portfolio. Assure them that you will be mindful not to share proprietary information and let them approve what goes into your portfolio.
▶️Related YouTube Video: 5 Ways to Get Clients as a Virtual Assistant (+Bonus tip)
Polish and proofread.
Your potential client is looking for signs that you are the right person to represent their business. This means reviewing each piece of communication and any sample work you provide as if it were their own. I have seen many talented marketing assistants cut due to a careless mistake.
We all have the occasional typo in our emails and even our social posts, but the application process is not the time for slip-ups. It signals to your potential client that you aren’t paying attention to detail and causes them to wonder if you would let mistakes fly in their business.
Even if the position you’re applying for isn’t client-facing, many business owners want to see that you could be customer-facing should the need arise. Show up for the interview as a professional (at least from the Zoom meridian up). Create a clean, presentable background if you will be on video. Simply repositioning your desk so there is a wall behind you instead of a messy living room can improve their impression of you and your work environment.
Once you’re further into the interview process, ask for clarity about how you will be expected to show up and what “professional” means in their work environment. It can be vastly different across today’s remote work environments. But you won’t have a second chance to make that first impression so err on the side of professionalism.
⚡Related Podcast Alert: Real Talk on Freelancing- Instilling Confidence in Your Clients
Emily shares how to instill confidence in clients and build your reputation as a freelancer by making every interaction count from the get-go.
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | iHeartRadio | Google Podcasts | Amazon
Be memorable.
Putting the first three tips into action will move your application to the top of the heap when the skills and experience are the right match. But if you really want the position, there are a few extra steps you can take to leave a lasting impression.
You’d be surprised how few people follow up after the interview. Craft a quick email (or, better, an email with a short video) within 24-hours of your interview to let them know you enjoyed talking with them. Reiterate your interest in the position and remind them why you’re the right person for the job.
You could also include one to three referral letters from past clients in your follow-up email. This saves them the step of reaching out (although some clients will want to have a conversation with your references in addition to the letters).
If you haven’t heard a decision within a week, follow up with a second email to see how the process is going. If a business owner is handling the hiring process, it’s a lot of work on top of their daily responsibilities and even the best candidates can fall through the cracks. They’ll appreciate your follow-up.
Want to know more about what clients are looking for in a marketing assistant? Go behind the scenes with this checklist I created to help clients craft their job descriptions and hire the perfect marketer.
-Sunny Logsdon
Are you a virtual assistant or DMA looking to enhance your skills and cater to your client’s needs? Check out the Unicorn Digital Marketing Assistant School: a 12-week online program for acquiring digital marketing skills and running a freelance business. The next Live Cohort starts this Fall. You’ll gain access to a pool of potential clients eagerly seeking talented VAs like you. Don’t miss this opportunity to level up your marketing skills and propel your freelance career. Count me in the next round!
And if you want all the best techie tools and recommended software to use with your digital marketing business in one easy place, grab Emily’s UDMA Tool Kit here for just $7.99
How to Sign Better Clients and Make More Money as a Virtual Assistant
LIVE 12pm est Tuesday, Oct. 17
>>> for current virtual assistants and accidental freelancers <<<
(learn how to book clients without shameless self-promotion or having to send 1 single cold DM)
The Takeaway
Sunny’s wisdom is so relevant to our community of ambitious Unicorn DMA and VAs who are ready to shine in the world of digital marketing. You’re well aware of the value you bring to the table. Your expertise is worth every penny and more. Whether you’re a seasoned marketer with a track record of success or a newbie, the key to working with your dream clients at the rates you deserve lies in your ability to showcase your rock-star qualities.
As someone who has witnessed the challenges of finding exceptional marketers firsthand, I can attest that standing out from the crowd is no small feat.
Remember, you are a brand in your own right, and your unique strengths set you apart. When you showcase your skills, let your personality shine, and consistently bring your A-game in every interaction, you’re totally setting the stage to make a lasting impression on potential clients that they won’t forget!
-Emily, Digital Marketing Consultant and Implementer
“I help smart women learn the in-demand digital marketing strategies and profitable tech skills to get hired as a unicorn digital marketing assistant.“
3 ways we can work together:
1. Do you need to acquire digital marketing implementation skills and build your workflows so you can solidly put yourself out there for work? Check out the Unicorn Digital Marketing Assistant School. (It opens twice a year so jump on the waitlist now!… I also share job leads with my students so it’s a gateway for anyone who wants to build a freelance business that gives them flexibility and meaningful work). You can also choose to go through the self-study program now. Enroll here.
2. Already doing the work and have clients? But need more clients and a better referral network? Apply for my Digital Marketer’s Workgroup. This is a tight-knit community of freelancers like you, supporting each other. Plus I’ve shared 1,600+ job opportunities with this community.
3. Need to hire a Unicorn Digital Marketing Assistant? Submit your job opportunity here. I’ll share with my workgroups totally free.
Further Reading
In-Demand Profitable Niches for Virtual Assistants in 2023
Etiquette for Contacting New Clients as a VA
Help Your VA Clients Be More Productive
Stay Close to the Money and Grow Your Business
Yes, you really can work online.
Feeling overwhelmed and not sure how you can work from home and build your own online digital marketing business? Take a deep breath – you can do this. Start here with my list of 10 popular tasks that online businesses need help with the most!
These are the tasks that new clients are constantly asking for help with, and skills that they really need to find in a virtual assistant. Get access to this free download right now. Then make sure your own VA toolkit is up-to-date and relevant, and decide where you might need to invest in new growth and development for your biz.
