Is the title of Virtual Assistant holding you back? I know, I know…I can almost hear you through my screen.
“But Peggy! You’re a VA Coach, and now you want us to change our title? I’m so confused!”
Hold your horses, and just give me a few minutes to explain, and I think you’ll be forced to consider the possibility that you’ve outgrown the Virtual Assistant title.
Let me start by asking you a question. At some point in your life, you heard the term “Virtual Assistant” for the first time. What did you think a VA did? Did you guess right or wrong?
Because it is such a broad term that’s used so widely – I’m going to take a wild guess that your initial impression was wrong.
Do you want to hear my initial impression? I thought a VA was some kind of secretary or personal assistant that worked as an employee for a physical office or business – but just online instead of in person.
I mean, that’s not entirely off-base, but I got some very, very key things wrong.
What Impression Does The Title Virtual Assistant Give?
Let’s break down the title by examining the two words and what impression each one gives.
Virtual is pretty self-explanatory. Most people correctly guess that this is some kind of online service or business. That’s good. Here’s what’s not so good: It’s very, very, general. “Virtual” isn’t really a title at all. It’s an industry and a category that refers to something that is stored, completed, or transmitted via a computer or network.
In other words, it may give someone a general idea of how you complete your work, but no idea what that work actually is.
Okay, moving on. “Assistant” is where things get really problematic. By definition, an assistant is “a person who assists or gives aid and support; helper.” Eh, not good. Very, very vague. I still don’t know who or what you are helping or supporting.
The biggest problem with “assistant” is that it is generally assumed to be subject to the authority of someone else. An alternate definition is literally, “a person who ranks below a senior person”. Culturally, the title of “assistant” has taken the place of “secretary” in the modern office setting. As a freelance, independent business owner, these are not the kind of impressions that are helpful.
So, to sum it up – here’s the problems we’ve uncovered so far:
It doesn’t tell someone what you actually do.
It projects a subservient and subordinate impression.
And because of those things I just mentioned – it creates the biggest problem of all:
It decreases your perceived value.
And THAT is a big problem.
Okay, so what’s the alternative? A more descriptive title. A title that digs into what you *actually* do for your clients. Let’s take a look at what that might look like for you.
Let’s Get Specific
It all starts with what you do. What services do you offer? Are they specialized? Let’s work that into your title.
You guys know that I’m a big, big fan of niching down – for a whole host of reasons. Niching down allows you to hone in on an industry or specialized skill – and then use *that* as part of your title. It allows you to find the clients that need your services, and it allows them to find you.
To demonstrate this, let’s use an example from a different industry. If you go to medical school and pass all your state and national boards, you become a doctor. And sure, you might casually tell people that you are a “doctor”, but when it comes to marketing and advertising your services…you are going to get specific. Even “general” doctors have a title – we call them “primary care providers”, which tells us exactly what they do. Think about all the specialties that doctors can have: Surgeons (and lots of specialties within that field!), Oncologists, Obstetricians, Podiatrists, etc.
If I have an injury to my knee that requires surgery, I’m not opening the yellow pages and looking for a “doctor”. I’m looking specifically for an Orthopedic Surgeon.
In the same way, your prospective clients have specific needs, and when they look for someone to fill them, they’ll be using specific terms.
So let’s start there. Make a list of the most specialized service you provide, or the one that you want to really lean into and make your signature service. If you don’t have a specific service, but you serve a specific industry, is there a way to work that into your official title?
Let’s Get Even MORE Specific
Are you ready for some ideas? Here are 20 title alternatives to Virtual Assistant that might work for you.
NOTE: I don’t recommend getting cute with your title. “Ninja of Multitasking” might make someone smile, but it’s not really going to tell them what you do. If your prospective clients are confused about how you can help them – they will click away.
Is the Virtual Assistant Title Always A Bad Idea?
When you are first starting out on your entrepreneurial journey – you might not know what you niche is yet. Or you might start by offering a number of random services, and plan to niche down later.
It’s totally ok to hang on to the Virtual Assistant title until you are able to narrow your service focus and find a title that makes sense for you.
I’m curious – what alternative title to Virtual Assistant do you use? Drop me a comment below and let me know!
