How to Prepare for Client leads

Recently I landed 3 new clients in 2 days. I received the leads from Galena Jenkins Ojiem's "Your Daily Vitamin" Job Alerts, which I highly recommend. Another great source of leads that I depend on is Thumbtack.com. Of course, nothing replaces consistent networking through local networking groups, joining professional organizations that serve people who are your potential clients, and maintaining a presence on social media channels such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.

But once you've found (or generated) a potential lead, what do you do next? It's best to be ready to respond to whatever information the client is requesting or seems relevant to the job posting. Here are the materials I keep updated and close at hand.

1. Update your resume. Here's an example (mine) which could be fancier. If you need help preparing a resume, there are lots of resources on the web. The one strong piece of advice I have is to tailor your job title to the job you want. In this example, I used "Social Media and Content Strategy Manager." Honestly, I have about 20 different versions of this resume that I can pick and choose from, depending on the needs of the client.

2. Pull together writing samples. If you are a graphic artist you might want to get more creative with your writing samples; mine is simple and straightforward.

3. Make a list of other clients you have worked for, including:

• websites & blogs you’ve managed
• social media platforms you’ve worked on
• examples of work you’ve performed

If you are new to the profession, cite other work you've performed or refer to your own website and social media properties.

4. Prepare a “cover letter” that may be sent as an email or as a separate document

5. Prepare a “results” overview that describes the outcomes your “typical” client receives as a result of working with you.

6. Prepare a an overview of your services and price listings, recognizing that you may need to reduce your prices if you are sub-contracting through another agency to mitigate the cost of customer acquisition and managing the client.

7. Gather recommendations that past clients or employers have given you. My most recent reviews can be found on my Thumbtack profile, but I do have some listed here on my website.

The basic concept here is to establish credibility and demonstrate that you are able to perform the duties of the job. I also suggest that you save your materials in .pdf format to make sure your formatting is received correctly.

What other materials do you use to land social media and/or VA jobs? I'd love to hear what works for you!