When I became a virtual assistant, I had no idea how to describe what I did. No one really understood what I did, and why I would leave a full-time job (with benefits!) for this “virtual” career. I get it. I didn’t even know what a virtual assistant was when I first started. So, I would come up with a huge narrative of what I did, that was so long and confusing, I didn’t even understand it. It sounded something like this:

“Oh, yeah, I’m Adrienna, and umm, I work from home, well digitally, for other wedding professionals. Um, you know, like wedding photographers and stuff. I do their blogging and Pinterest and stuff and umm, I do it from home. Well on the internet. But like, not in an office. Ya know? It’s called a virtual assistant. So like, an assistant but online. But not a personal assistant, I don’t book their travel and stuff. Yeah, I promise it’s a real job. No, It’s not a scam. Um, is it getting warm in here or is that just me?” *que confusion*

(Does this sound like you?)

I didn’t have a brand message.

A lot of entrepreneurs have this problem. You might be a wedding photographer but consider yourself so much more than just that. Or you are a virtual assistant like me and have no idea where to even start on your messaging.

When you get asked, “What do you do?” How do you answer it?

That is why you need to create a brand message.

Your Brand Message

Your brand message is a short overview of your business. It shares what you do, who you do it for, why you do it and why it matters. Think of it as your elevator pitch. The clearer you can explain who you are and what you do, the easier it is for people to understand what you do. By creating this brand message, you will have a concise idea of who exactly you are, and share that with the world.

More importantly, you do not want your audience to be confused. You want them to be fully aware of who you are, and what you do, right away. Your brand message is not only perfect for your elevator pitch, but it will help you clarify your messaging anytime you post on social media, or online.

For example, here is mine:

I am Adrienna, and I am a virtual assistant for wedding professionals. I work with wedding industry professionals to tackle their marketing and design tasks, so that they no longer feel burdened and overwhelmed by running their business.

It outlines who I am (Adrienna), what I do (virtual assistant) who it is for (wedding professionals) and how I help (tackle their marketing and design tasks) and what their results are (no longer feel burdened and overwhelmed by running their business)

Creating Your Brand Message

Your brand message should be short and concise, and something that you have memorized, so you can relate it again and again. The more specific you are, the more clarity you offer, and the more successful you will be at attracting your ideal clients.

I am [Your Name Here] and I am a [your job title here] for [who you serve]. I [What you do] so that my clients [What results you give, and how you change their life]

Step one: Define who you are.

What is the title of what you do? I know we want to be a jack of all trades, but remember, this is about being concise and clear. Are you a social media manager? A virtual assistant? A wedding photographer?

Step two: What you do.

When talking about what you do, I want you to think about how you serve them. How are you helping? Is it with their social media? Their marketing? Through a podcast or blog? Or by capturing their moments on camera?

Step three: Who you serve.

This is where you list who your ideal client is, and who you serve. This will help not only describe your client but will also help attract similar clientele. Think of your target audience and write about who they are.

Step four: The results you give.

It’s not just about you do, but what results you give! For me, my results are to allow my clients no longer feel burdened and overwhelmed. Those are tangible results, that everyone can relate to. I also encourage you to have numerical results. If you are a social media manager, you could say, “I help my clients double their engagement, and increase profits by 25%.” Be clear about what your clients feel after working with you.

Be confident in your message.

Remember that you want to attract your ideal client. So don’t feel like your pitch is too narrow if you are fine tuning who you help, and what you do. As a business owner, it is important to be confident in your services! By being confident in your brand message, you are establishing creditability in that industry, and you build trust with your audience and potential clients.

Your brand message doesn’t have to just be one sentence, but make sure you can say it all in under 45 seconds. I always recommend having a longer one, maybe a short paragraph, that you can use in marketing material, and have your short 45-second pitch for in-person networking.

If you are looking to get into the digital world of being a virtual assistant, I cover this topic in much more depth in The Creative VA Academy! Module 5 is all about your brand voice, your brand message, and creating a brand manifesto.