You decided to become a virtual assistant, but you got stuck with 0 replies or calls. Questioning if it’s even possible and how long it will take to land your first client, you searched for “How to find clients as a virtual assistant?”, which led you here.
Before you push further and rewrite your CV, create a new logo, or print a business card, I need you to stop. I need you to understand that you don’t lack skills, and most likely you have the determination too. What you don’t know yet is how to put all the information together and create a bigger picture.
This is the part that nobody explains on TikTok or Instagram. People will post videos like, “Become a VA. Work from home. Earn £3,000 per month.” And then straight up lie, never reply, or really step-by-step “gatekeep” the true information.
And since I was once also the desperate and confused newbie who needed answers, but all I found were fake promises and tutorials, I decided to change that. I post weekly now about the VA world, explaining how to start and work properly. I put together five recent posts to guide you on your path to becoming a professional VA.
Now, let’s dive into the most important part, which is finding great clients for your VA business.
Table of Contents
- Before You Search for Clients, Fix This First
- The Psychology of Getting Hired as a VA
- Where to Actually Find Clients (Not Just “Upwork”)
Before You Search for Clients, Fix This First
The virtual assistant business is not as saturated as everyone seems to think. And it’s not too late to start. But the old ways won’t get you there anymore. Back in the day, you could post something like “I’m a virtual assistant; if you need any help, I’m your gal!” and land a client within one week. Nowadays, the same energy leads to frustration, doubts, and even questioning your worth. And zero replies in your inbox on a random Tuesday afternoon.
Don’t even make me start on the whole “LinkedIn networking” thing. My followers know that I despise platforms such as Upwork, LinkedIn or Fiverr. Those ARE oversaturated and will get you depressed faster than checking your bank account the day before payday.
Do This Before You Start
I’ve seen some very good virtual assistants with great skills struggling to find a single client per month. So why is that happening? The answer to that is poor positioning and passive marketing. Most new VAs watch a single hype video, get excited about the “get rich fast” scheme, create a Fiverr profile, post once in a Facebook group, send five cold DMs and then they wait. And when nothing happens, they assume the market is saturated, moving on to another scheme.
The market is competitive; I agree with that. But there is a catch, which is why most fail. Clients are NOT looking for a virtual assistant. They are looking for someone who understands their industry, speaks their language and solves a specific pain. Clarity sells. If you are not painfully specific, no amount of CV drafts will help you.
Before you search for clients, you need to be 1000% in line with your core beliefs, goals, and plans. If someone asked you right now, “What exactly do you help with?” or “What exactly do you do for a living?” and you can’t answer confidently, you are not ready. How can you expect a client to hire you when you have an existential crisis?
Remember, it has nothing to do with who you are and what your experience is right now. Everything can be learned and scaled up over time. What you need to start with is defining your direction. Don’t just say “I do a bit of everything” or push it all together in your CV or portfolio. Clients don’t hire a bit of everything, but specific solutions to their problems.
Don’t overcomplicate it. If you’re new, choose services that are easy to learn, have constant demand, are not overly technical, and are clear in outcome. Literally start with what feels easiest, and offer a maximum of 3 services. You don’t want to overwhelm yourself with different services at the same time. It will split your focus and cause chaos in your mind.
The Psychology of Getting Hired as a VA
Clients rarely choose you based solely on your CV and portfolio or on logic. Many times, someone less qualified than you will be prioritised. So naturally, most new VAs think, “If I improve my skills, I’ll get hired.” But 99% of the time, you land a job/client because of how they feel about you. This is a conversation many people are not ready for.
Once you understand that, the game will change for you. I’ve interviewed so many recruiters, employers and clients, and they let me in on their secret hiring methods. And 9/10 times, they agreed on one thing: the hiring decision is mostly psychological. But what does that mean in real life?
Being Easy to Work With
When it comes to getting hired as a virtual assistant, you won’t be met with the same hiring process or standards. Clients choose what feels easy, not what is most impressive. So it does not really matter what your LinkedIn headline looks like, how long your list of services is, or what template you used for your portfolio. If you are mentally exhausting the client on the initial call/interview, they will move on with the next candidate.
It’s called the cognitive ease, and it’s literally about being easy to choose. That does not mean being the girl for everything, a doormat others walk over, or going against your boundaries. No, it means that you use simple language, answer questions clearly and directly, and have an easy and confident attitude (it does not matter if you are nervous; we all are!) and keep everything structured and brief.
You won’t be chosen just because you sound intelligent or use big words, but by being easy to work with. You have to be that fresh breeze in your client’s life, the ultimate problem solver. Your services have to be exactly what your clients need right now. Clients aren’t thinking, “Who is the smartest?” but rather, “Who will make my life easier?”
It’s called the “invisible authority strategy” when, instead of saying “I can help you,” you say, “I already thought about your problem; here’s what I’d do.” You don’t need to have previous clients to look experienced, but you need proof of thinking.
The Halo Effect – First Impressions Do Half the Work
They only need to like one thing about you for the rest of their interest to snowball. Is your message clear? They assume you are organised. Do you speak confidently? You are automatically competent. Are you ready to jump in and save them some headache? You are hired! All this will happen fast, sometimes within the first few seconds. It starts with the documents and application you send, and it ends with your interview.
Now, I’m not saying that you should not spend any time on your CV or portfolio; those absolutely need to look professional (formatting, picture of you, writing, filling in information, etc.). What I’m saying is that having a super cool document won’t get you hired alone. Once the first impression goes strong, the client is more inclined to explore and say yes. So please, do both parts, fixing your CV, portfolio or cover letter, but also prepare for the interview.
Likability – The Most Underrated Client Magnet
People hire people they like. There, I said it. If you complain about your previous role, workplace, manager, or colleagues, or speak negatively about previous clients, overexplain everything, or sound desperate, the interviewer will quickly catch on to that. If you want to find clients as a virtual assistant, you must be confident in who you are professionally.
The worst-case scenario is when your client starts to think something like, “Will this person bring drama?” or “Are they going to talk about me this way in a couple of months?” What you should do instead is to match their tone, be respectful and appreciative of their time, and show your true personality without oversharing or trying to look “better”, and focus on the problem-solving conversation.
It feels safer to hire someone who radiates safety and stability and is in line with their inner values. I know that sometimes we feel stressed or nervous during the interview. But believe me, that is also something they will understand.
Authority Bias – You Don’t Need to Be the Expert, You Need to Look Like One
This is where most VAs get it wrong. Authority is perceived, and two VAs can have identical skills, but the one who speaks clearly about results, demonstrates ownership, and shares insights wins. That person will be treated as an expert, even if they only started yesterday. I would know, because one of my clients was snatched from me by someone who decided to be a VA only two hours before the event.
You need to start building authority BEFORE you even face your first client. And you can do so through social media presence, volunteering, helping out your community, getting testimonials, or showing mini examples of your best work. When you show up as a person who brings order to chaos with proof, clients stop questioning your ability. Assumption is powerful.
Confirmation Bias – Why Your First 60 Seconds Matter
Once someone forms an opinion about you, their brain looks for evidence to support it. Unfortunately, clients will search for any signs of insecurity, be misled, and shape their opinions immediately. Don’t waste your breath on things that don’t matter. Introduce yourself politely, but briefly. Practise what you want to say before the interview.
And when they surprise you with some questions, don’t overthink the answer or overexplain. Trust in yourself and your possibilities. Most new VAs finally land the interview or potential new client, and they blow it by not being prepared. Hope is not a strategy. Instead, you have to guide the client into a solution. And the solution is YOU.
Ask questions about them and their businesses. Try to understand why they wish to spend their money on hiring additional help. Those things matter the most. People tend to forget that an interview should go both ways. If the client asks if you have any questions, and you stay silent or brush it off, they also assume you don’t really care that much.
Ending the Interview with Curiosity
Learn to also close your conversation with something like “What would the next steps look like from here?” or “If I don’t hear back by Friday, is it okay if I follow up?” It removes the desperation, ironically, and the awkward chasing. I always got a follow-up email from the client, whether they chose me or not, simply by using this method. And sometimes they remembered me so well, thanks to those words, that they reached out for other projects months later.
I know you’ve got bills piled up, and you probably REALLY need that job/client. But please do yourself a favour and never sound desperate, rude, careless, clueless or arrogant. You can always learn more tools, take courses and collect certificates. But you get hired primarily if you’re reliable, calm, capable and, most importantly, easy to work with.
That, combined with clear positioning, a service list, visible proof, psychological awareness and daily outreach, will separate you from those who simply post a gig on Fiverr.
The Follow-Up Rule Nobody Applies
Most beginners send one message, then disappear, wait for the client to chase them and then get mad because they were not chosen. If you want to be a successful and well-earning VA, you have to leave your ego behind the door. Follow up with the client, without spamming them.
Send out structured and professional reminders, adding extra value in each email. Keep it short but clear, and assume they are busy rather than rejecting you. Show effort. Most new VAs will automatically stop filling in any application that requires a quick 2-minute video. Learn how to use tools such as Loom and upload pre-recorded videos on your profiles or send them along with your CV. Effort builds trust.
The truth is that you MUST outwork passive VAs. We all want clients, but only some of us actively search daily. It’s a literal job of hunting clients.
How to Send Cold Messages That Don’t Get Ignored
Most virtual assistants focus on themselves, and you can feel it from their cold emails and messages. They start with something like “Hi, I’m a VA offering admin services” or “Let me know if you need help.” Why is this approach outdated? Well, no one wakes up one morning and thinks, “I need a random VA. ”! No, they only focus on their own problems and the fact that they need someone to sort it out.
That’s your chance to shine. Take another look at the job listing. What does the client need help with? What bothers them the most? Have a look at their website or professional profiles and think about what else they most likely struggle with. And then step in with the solution. You can say something like, “You mentioned struggling with DMs. I drafted a simple reply structure that could save you 3–4 hours weekly.”
You don’t have to beg but rather diagnose. That alone makes you sound like a real expert. Now, what if the client just steals your ideas and never contacts you back? Unfortunately, it is something you have to embrace. You can always suggest bringing in more solutions and ideas once they hire you.
Clients exist in conversations. That’s why looking up to places like Upwork or LinkedIn is extremely outdated. People still use Facebook groups, Instagram or local events more. Don’t just search for VA jobs and then spam people. Believe me, that will never get you any clients, plus it’s extremely competitive.
Where to Actually Find Clients (Not Just “Upwork”)
Some of you will skip straight to this part, which is understandable. Although it will be harder for you to find clients if you don’t comprehend the basics. But I promise no gatekeeping, so let’s dig deeper into this topic. Here are some practical, real and slightly uncomfortable strategies that actually get beginner VAs clients. Not many people talk about them, because it’s easier to scroll through Facebook in the hope of getting hired. But that doesn’t get you anywhere, now does it?
The “Micro-Authority” Strategy
At the beginning, you need to have SOME online presence, but you don’t have to be an influencer or well-known. You need to be known in a small circle and pick a micro-problem. For example, you can say, “I help Etsy sellers answer customer messages faster,” or “I help busy mums who run online businesses organise their calendars.”
Positioning alone lands you clients 10x faster. But you have to aim for very specific problems your ideal clients have. And then step in as the expert on that particular problem. Your clients don’t care about your personal stories or your broad range of experience when they meet you. Make it about them. Be specialised, confident and ready to solve their headache in exchange for money.
Remember, saying generic statements will get you generic options. You have no other choice but to become the go-to person for that very specific problem, so when people face it, they will automatically think of you or refer you to their own circle.
The “Audit and Suggest” Method
Once you get into the game and practise, it’s fairly simple. Find a small business or local company you wish to work with and approach them directly. This is a secret weapon. Don’t just spill the usual “Hi, I’m a VA. Do you need help?” Take your time to actually review their website, bio, their clients, booking system, etc. Then identify their need and be ready to fulfil it.
Prepare an email and send it over. It should be something like, “Hey! I was looking through your website and noticed your booking link takes 3 clicks to find. You might be losing leads because of that. I help business owners streamline their systems — happy to share a quick idea if you’d like!”
That way, you are not pitching but demonstrating direct value. Plus, you save them time looking at thousands of applications and hundreds of interviews. I know it might seem a bit daring and bold, but this IS what gets you clients. Not applying on LinkedIn and then hoping and praying. Which brings me to the next step.
Stop Applying. Start Reverse Hiring.
The moment I stopped caring and applying for jobs, everything changed. You have to understand things from your client’s point of view. Over 200 VAs will apply for the same listings, all copying and pasting the same AI resumes, cover letters, and templates. As someone who has seen this firsthand, the recruiter or client won’t even see ten of them.
They will either use AI to filter them by targeting specific words or choose applicants who stand out using a different approach. But most likely, they will just ask around their family or friends if someone knows such a person. Imagine YOU are the person who wants to hire a VA. Would you look at your CV among thousands of applicants? Probably not.
I talk about this a lot in my “Stop Applying to Jobs in 2026” post, where I explain in detail how people get hired in 2026, what changed and what the current market is looking for. When it comes to a virtual assistant business, you have to target owners who are struggling. And you will find them online expressing burnout, drowning, overwhelmedness, etc.
Those are the words you should be targeting, not “Remote VA jobs”. Message them privately. Make them feel seen and understood. Even a quick message like, “I saw your post about being overwhelmed with emails. I help business owners reclaim 10+ hours a week by managing inbox systems. Would you like to chat about solutions?” can land you a client.
The TikTok Trap (What No One Is Saying)
A lot of aspiring VAs consume too much content, feeling stuck. They watch 50+ videos about becoming a VA, buy a domain, start their website, and spend hours on Pinterest and Canva creating the perfect logo and templates. The harsh truth is, none of that matters.
They are waiting to feel ready, while other VAs are landing clients because they are sending those 5 uncomfortable messages every day, following them up until it feels annoying and having bad calls. But all that moves them further to the front of the line. Learning through action is what you need. YouTube or TikTok videos can inspire you, but they won’t always share the truth.
The Follow-Up System That Changes Everything
Most VAs follow up once and give up easily. That is wrongly killing their career. Here’s a simple system you can share:
Day 1: Initial message
Day 4: Gentle follow-up
Day 10: Value follow-up (share a tip or idea)
Day 20: Final nudge
Business owners are busy, and sometimes they start replying, only to forget to finish it. Hence, they could use a VA. But most VAs give up after day 4. I had clients reaching back to me after months of silence. That’s how busy they were, or life simply happened. You are not bothering them; you are offering relief. So don’t take everything too personally.
Offer a “Starter Offer” (Psychological Trick That Works)
Starting with packages is a great way to learn how to price your services properly. Instead of selling 20 hours per month for, let’s say, £600, try something like, “I offer a 2-week inbox reset for £150.” It has a clear outcome, fast results and low commitment.
Once your clients trust you, you can upsell your other services, bigger packages, ongoing support or retainers. You would be surprised how this reduced your clients’ stress and how it can turn into a year-long lasting business relationship.
The “One Client Focus” Rule
Spend your first 30 days focusing on ONE client. It could be any local company, small business or even a person running someone else’s business. Don’t focus just on money. I know you’ve got bills to pay. The virtual assistant business is, however, a long-term game. It takes time and patience to build, but it is so worth it.
Focusing on one client grows your confidence, helps you to build authority faster and sharpens your senses. Generalists struggle. Focused VAs grow. Trying to cover up for multiple clients when you don’t have the experience yet might result in losing them all and damaging your reputation. And that’s hard to recover from.
Final Thoughts
There is so much more I want to share, but I always feel like my posts are super long. I try to squeeze in as many details, describing everything I need you to learn. Which is why I have to split them into separate posts, so you can take a break and process all the new information efficiently. Becoming a VA is not hard. But being disciplined and consistent is.
Before you throw in the towel and say it’s too oversaturated, ask yourself a few questions. Did I truly show up every day for 30 days? Or did I post twice and hope? Am I being creative when it comes to finding clients, or do I apply for the same offer as thousands of others do daily? Do I follow up with my proposals, or do I just pray for the best?
It’s not about luck but about structured effort. The first 30–60 days feel uncomfortable. You WILL be ignored, ghosted, feel awkward or doubt yourself. If you don’t, then you never took this all seriously. It’s not a failure; that’s exactly how you build a successful business. Because forget about what you see on Instagram and TikTok. It’s not glamorous, luxurious or romantic.
Become the one people recommend. You don’t need more courses. You need more conversations. Have a look at my follow-up post, “The best platforms for VAs“, to conclude your research on how to find clients as a virtual assistant. It will give you more detailed insight into where it’s worth looking for clients.
And as always, feel free to join me on social media to connect as one community, helping each other out with the job hunt. You are not alone!
