Why Trust Matters in Your Virtual Assistant Business

As you can tell from my last post, and the title of this one, I've been thinking a lot about trust lately...

Part of the reason for that is I've been reading a book by Stephen M.R. Covey called The SPEED of Trust: The One Thing That Changes Everything. Covey's premise is that when you earn trust, everything in a business relationship runs more smoothly and quickly.

When things go wrong, you're more apt to give the other party the benefit of the doubt when you trust them. You will listen to their advice more closely, and be more willing to tell them what you're really thinking.

Covey cites several real-life, big business examples of how trust has sped up contract negotiations and mergers compared to expected timelines. Even though he writes about large corporations, everything he says can also be applied to small business - and, in fact, to almost every personal and professional relationship you have.

According to Covey, trust is built one small step at a time.

Earning credibility with others begins with trusting yourself, and believing you're deserving of other people's trust. He offers several practical examples of small steps you can take to learn to trust yourself (which might be why I found this book under the Self-Help, not Business, section of my local bookstore - his points hit a little close to home at times. Speaking of which... did you know, when you push that snooze button every morning, you might be undermining your credibility with yourself?).

In your virtual assistant business, that small step could be as simple inviting someone to sign up for a free gift on your website, and then actually sending it to them. Most of us do that anyway, for various reasons, but what you're really doing is building trust.

You build trust by showing up at your blog once in a while, if you have one.

By responding to an email inquiry in a timely fashion.

By having a resource box in your article, with a link that is related to the topic of your article.

By participating in a forum, offering solutions to your target market's problems.

By publishing your newsletter when you say you will.

Each thing very small in itself, but all leading towards the ultimate goal of creating trust with your client.

Here's a link to The SPEED of Trust: The One Thing That Changes Everything if you want to check it out for yourself.

How to Gain Client Trust for Your Virtual Assistant Business

For the past year, I've been learning how to outsource many of my own routine tasks.

I say "learning how" because I've discovered that outsourcing is not as easy as I've frequently told my own clients it is.

For example, I contracted a Virtual Assistant to look after one of my email accounts for my WAHM article directory. From a Virtual Assistant's perspective, it's a no-brainer. These particular emails don't need my personal touch and they distract me from my revenue-producing activities.

But the thing is, I LIKE adding the personal touch. I LIKE meeting the people who are using my article directory. However, my bank account tells me I can no longer afford to dilly dally over email messages that make me feel good without making me money. (My VA now puts them into a monthly report for me, so I can still get that yummy feeling without wasting my time.)

The other thing I've discovered is that it's a lot harder than I expected to find people I can trust to help with my business.

So many service providers have literally vanished on me this past year, I am almost ready to join the chorus of many other entrepreneurs I've met, singing the "Never Hire a Virtual Assistant Again" song. Except, I know for a fact these incidents are the exception to the rule.

Since you're still reading this, I'm quite sure you don't fall into that group. And you're probably wondering what you can do to make it easier for potential clients to trust you.

Well, I can tell you one thing that always helps. I've started using this technique as well, and it really does help convert inquiries into customers.

Don't be afraid to give information away for free. I'm not talking about giving away the farm, or sharing your expert knowledge with just any Joe.

Here's an example of what I mean.When I go to someone for help, I've discovered the people who really are interested in helping me will tell me the steps I can take to solve my problem on my own. They will then offer to help me, or do it for me, if I would like.

This does two things:

1. It convinces me they know what they're doing.

2. It convinces me that they could do a better job than I would.

But most importantly, it helps me believe they are sincerely interested in helping me meet my goals.

How do you help your clients learn to trust you?