How to Start a Mailing List for Your Virtual Assistant Business

Ask any established Virtual Assistant what they should’ve done sooner, and their answer will oftentimes be, “I wish I would’ve started my mailing list from Day One.”

They say this because they later learned the business truism that “the money is in the list," meaning their mailing list is where they ultimately make the most sales and book the most clients.

So we're going to cover how to start a mailing list for your Virtual Assistant business.  

One of the first things a Virtual Assistant should do is start her email list.

This post may contain affiliate links meaning I may receive a commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. Please see my full disclosure.

“The Money Is In the List” for Virtual Assistants

Many VAs think that building their social media accounts is the most important way to make sales and get clients. But statistics have shown over and over that it’s actually mailing lists where most of their money can be made. For instance:

60% of consumers state that they have made a purchase as the result of a marketing message they received by email. On the flip side, only 12.5% of them even consider a buy button as a purchase driver on social media.

• from "Email Marketing vs. Social Media: Is There a Clear Winner?" by OptinMonster.com

And since only a small percentage of email subscribers will actually become clients, it stands to reason that the larger your list, the more sales you’ll make and clients you’ll book.

Start Building Your Virtual Assistant Email List Right From the Start

Building a large email list takes time, and that’s why it’s best to get started on it as soon as you can, from the beginning if possible. You may at first only gather 5 or 10 subscribers per month.

Over time and with better tactics, you may increase that to 100 per month, then 1000 per month. Can you imagine having a list of 1000+ potential clients to send your offers out to?!?

But it takes time - so let’s talk about how to start a mailing list for a virtual assistant business.  

The 3 Types of Email Marketing Services

The same way there are different levels of online businesses, there are various levels of email marketing services (EMS's). It’s good to understand this so you can figure out where is best to start for YOU.

*Please note that features of email marketing services change over time. The information below is current at the time of publication and attempts will be made to keep it updated. 

1. Free Accounts for VAs Just Getting Started on Their Lists

Mailchimp - This is a popular starting point for virtual assistants since it’s free up to 2,000 subscribers. The downside is that you can’t do automated sequence emails like a nurture sequence until you bump up to the $15/mo plan (which includes 500 subscribers; there’s a sliding scale price with more subscribers).

MailerLite - Here’s another beginner’s choice, with up to 1,000 subscribers on the free account but better in the sense that it allows automation and advanced segmentation for free.

MooSend - A serious contender from the UK, their Free Forever account includes unlimited email campaigns up to 1,000 subscribers and provides 24/5 email and chat support, a unique feature in free accounts. 

Brevo (formerly SendInBlue) - This one isn’t as well known here in the States (they have a US office but are headquartered in Paris). I see they have a free plan and it includes automations and up to 2,000 contacts, seemingly a combo of the best parts of Mailchimp and MailerLite.

Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) might be a great option for your email marketing service 

I didn't call them all out but please realize that free plans offer different levels of customer service. This might be an important consideration if you’re brand new to email marketing. Just something else to research and think about.

2. Low-Priced Accounts for VAs Ready to Send Sequences

FloDesk - This EMS is known mostly for that fact that it “makes pretty emails” and many Virtual Assistants like that factor. You’ll get unlimited subscribers and access to all features for $38/mo. However, I have an even better deal for you: If you click my link and sign up, you get that for 50% off for the lifetime of your account aka $19/mo. Depending on what features are important to you, this might actually be a better deal than those “free” accounts above (since you may end up paying to get what you need with those anyway).

ConvertKit - CK has always been considered a mid-range type of email provider because they have so much in the way of features for a reasonable price ($29/mo). However, they recently started offering a free account that, while not perfect, does give those other free accounts a run for their money.  

3. Higher-Priced Accounts for VAs With More Subscribers and Complex Needs

Active Campaign - Although AC does have a “Lite” plan for $9/mo, when you reach this point in your business, you’ll likely want the features in their $49 or $129/mo plans. Actually, if you can swing the $9 plan from the start, Active Campaign would be a great option, as it will grow with you through your business journey, and you may not need to ever change services.

Active Campaign is for those VAs who are SERIOUS about their email marketing

OntraPort - It’s an all-in-one marketing software that costs from $79-297/month. OntraPort is like email marketing on steroids. It also goes beyond that with a CRM, e-commerce, memberships, and more. Definitely not one to start with but something to keep on your radar for when your VA business blows up and your needs expand beyond what a basic EMS can do.

Kajabi - This is another all-in-one software and it starts at $119/month. It’s for people who are super-serious about their online business and includes not only email marketing but also landing pages, website, blog, and the ability to sell ebooks, courses, memberships, and services all under one roof.

I’ve used Kajabi to run a Virtual Assistant business and know other VAs who use it as well. It really simplifies things when all the parts of your biz are inside one system, which frees up time for your client work - a HUGE plus!

Tip: When you add up all the other costs you’ll pay separately, Kajabi can end up saving you money - so don’t dismiss it until you add up the cost of your tech stack. At that point in your business, it’ll likely be more than Kajabi’s $119/mo. Kajabi has a free trial if you want to check it out. Better yet, use my link and get a free trial.  

Get Started on Your VA Mailing List by Creating a Form

Now that you know about the range of possibilities in email marketing systems and have chosen one, a good place to start with your new account is to create a form, put it on your site, and start collecting email addresses!

>>> Remember your WHY: “The money is in the list.”

If you start with a free account that only allows email broadcasts - you’ll need to manually send out emails each time. But you can keep it simple and just start with emailing each new blog post to your small but mighty subscriber list!

If you start with a free/low-priced account that allows email sequences aka autoresponders - you can set up a quick 3-email “welcome sequence” and then perhaps a longer “nurture sequence” where you prime them to buy your services.  

What a Virtual Assistant Can Send to Email Subscribers

Virtual Assistants in particular can be reluctant to start an email list because they question, “What in the heck will I even email people about?” Well, here are some quick ideas you can get creative with:

1. Share about yourself and your business (beyond what you share in your welcome sequence, if you have one)
   
   
2. Send a link to a new tool you’re finding very helpful and explain why they will too
   
   
3. Include your personality, so they can see how rewarding it would be to work with you - joke around, share your love for Gilmore Girls or your coffee addiction, talk about your travels, or include a pic of your dog.
   
   
4. Brag on yourself! Share testimonials from happy clients and how you made a difference in their businesses
   
   
5. Demonstrate expertise in your niche by sending out how-to’s, your opinion on a best practice, how your view has evolved on a biz matter, etc.

There, see? You have a ton of things you can email your list about.  

Build Your Email List to Build Your Client Base

Every time you send out an email, even if it’s just once a week or once a month, you will be “top of mind” again for your potential clients who, by virtue of signing up for your list, have expressed an interest in your services.

So don’t put it off. Follow these instructions for how to start a mailing list for your virtual assistant business: choose an email service, make a form, start collecting signups, and communicate effectively with your list. You won’t regret it!

PS: If you'd like ideas for other things to do in the early days of your VA business, please check out this list, "25 Things You Can Do Before Your Virtual Assistant Business Takes Off."