Virtual Assistant vs. Virtual Bookkeeper...

On one of our blog posts awhile back, we ended up having a little discussion on it in Facebook.  Here is the discussion:

Katy had asked me how I would classify bookkeepers in my description of what a virtual assistant is.

As you can see, in the discussion I explained that if a bookkeeper provides his/her services virtually, they become a virtual bookkeeper if that is their main focus in their business.  However, if he/she provided virtual assistant services and also offered bookkeeping, they would be a virtual assistant who offers bookkeeping as a service.

It got me thinking about all of the ways people classify virtual assistants and other virtual workers.  There is a common practice of just lumping it all up under virtual assistance but I think it really depends on what you specialize in.

For example, if you are a web designer that only does web design but offers the services virtually, you’re still a web designer.  However, if you do social media support, Internet marketing support and web design, you could call yourself a virtual assistant.  Now, would you want to in that case?  Maybe not.  There’s probably a better term that supports what you do.

Virtual assistant is quickly becoming a blanket term.  Something to describe anyone who assists another company and does so virtually.  However, it is up to you as the business owner to identify your strengths and differences and differentiate yourself from your competition.  Calling yourself a VA will be a benefit when it comes to educating people on what you do (as it becomes more and more popular) but it may not do your company justice if you really specialize in something else.

So, going back to virtual assistant vs. virtual bookkeeper, my Facebook discussion still stands.  I just think we’re treading into water where we each need to individually decide what is the best title for our role in our client’s businesses and then run with it!

How Do I Decide What to Specialize In?...

Dear Erin, The VA Coach:

I have been looking at other virtual assistant’s websites and I notice they have specialized services or skills that they are more known for. How can I specialize in something and make myself known for something in particular?

- P.L

Specializing in something is one of the smartest things you can do. Why? Well, it allows you to do a few things:

1. Become known in your industry for something in particular. Let’s face it, there are a lot of virtual assistants out there and a lot of them offer the same services. If you can set yourself apart from the ‘crowd’ and specialize in something in particular (especially something not many VAs are offering) you can become known in your industry for that service or product.
2. It allows you to charge more. When you specialize in something – be it blog design, shopping carts, bookkeeping, legal, real estate, etc. – you become one of the smaller groups of virtual assistants who offer that as a service therefore you are going to be in higher demand. When the demand is high and supply is short, prices are higher… (thank you Marketing prof!)
3. You can more easily develop info-products. When you are submersed in a topic or specialization, you can easily create info-products from that specialty. You’ll instantly have platform – a place to sell your products from – and you’ll also be able to have a lot of content built up already for the product.

The second part of finding your specialty is to decide what it is you want to specialize in. To figure this part out, make a list of the skills you have and then look through that list to see if there is anything that is unique in nature. If there is something that you can do that not many people can (ie: graphic design or website design), you can then market that service more heavily than your other services.

Don’t be afraid to break out and say, “I’m good at X” and leave your other services to follow behind.

In my business, people come to me first and foremost for my experience in internet marketing and consulting to virtual businesses. Secondarily, they notice I can do blog design, web design, and graphic design. Then the rest of my services follow.

So go out and SPECIALIZE!

Have a question you want to ask The VA Coach?  E-mail Erin at info@thevacoach.com.