Building relationships within the context of your marketing is a key to your success. What makes for a good relationship with your clients and potential clients?

• Consistency: One phone call, e-mail or project does not a relationship make.

• Sincerity: Let’s put it this way: insincerity can be spotted a mile away!

• Building (not burning) bridges: Today may not be the day you and someone else make it happen, but you should always be building, preparing and developing the business land for future positive and profitable harvests.

• Courage: It’s not always easy to “put yourself out there” in business. But as they say (and as I try to remind myself): Feel the fear and do it anyway. Sticking with what you know is appealing, but not always the clearest road to success. Get out of your comfort zone!

Last time, we talked about how to tell if you’re an expert in the Virtual Assistant field.

Today, I’m sharing a few more reminders that you may already be an expert VA:

• You regularly receive comments from those reading your VA business website, your blog, your e-newsletter and your other marketing vehicles that they felt your advice was “speaking directly to them” and your insight could not have come at a better or more relevant time.

• What you have to say, and the insight you share, is different, deeper and more detailed than much of what else is out there.

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Need to write blog copy for yourself or a client? Blog copywriting is a little different from other types of copywriting.

• This is a chance to share the writer’s personal viewpoint – and personality. You may be discussing a business-related subject, but in a blog, your personality, or your client’s, can shine through.

• That said, don’t go overboard. Some topics and ideas just have no place in your business blog. Trust me on that one.

• Blogs help to establish someone as an authority. Feel free to give your two cents and draw on your own experiences.

• Blogs should be conversational. Loosen your tie (so to speak), relax and write as if you were talking to a friend or colleague.

• Your blog must be relevant, informational and easy to read. In a blog, you can write about a current event, industry trend or personal experience, even as it’s happening. Keep your copy punchy and easy to scan. Use bullet points.

• Because you want search engines to find you, use plenty of keywords.

As a Virtual Assistant, your blog can tell a story, communicate ideas, draw media attention and drive traffic and sales. But be sure to follow these guidelines, because before it can do any of these things, your blog needs to be read…and read…and read.

(See my next blog post for VA’s blogging don’ts)

We’ve talked about looking at the big picture before starting any marketing project, whether it’s for your own VA business or a client’s.

Once you’re clear on what you’re trying to do and the results you seek, you’ll want to spend some time focusing on your audience:

• Who are you trying to reach?

• What do you know about them?

 Take some time to consider who they are:

• Gender: Predominantly male or female?

• Experience: Is the service or product one they use after they have unsuccessfully tried others?

• Hot buttons and triggers: Are there words that really wake them up?

• Age: Are they concentrated in one particular age group, or do they span different age groups? Baby boomers, Gen-Xers?

• Socio-economic level: High-income people? Low-income? People of all income levels?

• Reading and online habits: Are they Internet-savvy? Do they only read printed hard copies? Are they no-nonsense, or do they prefer more of a touchy-feely approach?

• Time crunch: Is your audience busy and time-starved? (Who isn’t?)

• Relationship: What is your relationship to the audience (i.e., formal, informal, authoritative, submissive)? Are you an expert, a trusted friend, a caring shoulder, a remote authority?