Today’s Quote: Networking is an investment in your business. It takes time and when done correctly, can yield great results for years to come. – Diane Helbig
Welcome to another episode of the podcast that teaches you how to be a ridiculously good virtual assistant.
Today we are going to talk about networking – and what NOT to do.
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Connect with Tracey D’Aviero, VA Coach and Trainer
Episode Notes:
Ah networking. That thing that VAs hate but need to do to build their business.
Let’s start by talking about why we don’t like networking.
Yes, it’s true – a lot of VAs are introverts. I don’t have a statistic on that but because we have always played a support role, we are comfortable being in the background – taking care of things for the people who go out there and make the sales, make the speeches, do the meetings – and we run the show from the sidelines.
We are happy to.
So then when we start our own business, we have to assume a role that we haven’t before – and we don’t always know what to do, or how to do it well.
Networking is one of those things that comes up time and time again when I speak with VAs who are struggling in their business, or paralyzed with fear agt the thought of talking to others about what they do.
And so …. we network poorly. We do what we think we are supposed to do, even if it doesn’t feel good – and we struggle to make it work.
Or we avoid it and then our business stays stuck – and that still feels normal.
Being in business should not be a struggle. Sharing how you can help people is not a struggle. You’re just doing it wrong.
Let’s talk about 5 ways VAs are messing up their networking (and yes, then we’ll talk about how to do it better!)
1. Facebook groups – if I had a nickel for every Facebook post or omment I saw that made me cringe, I’d be doing this podcast from a pub in Ireland. Facebook groups are an awesome way to build your business – but you have to use them wisely to make them work for you.
What not to do? Don’t respond to any post with PM me, I can help. If someone is looking for help with something, offer the help right there in the comments. Don’t make it about a sale. Be helpful!
Why is this important? Moving the conversation offline does nothing for your business. It makes you look like you are pushing for a sale, and no one can see the expertise you bring to the person who posted their issue, or what you could bring to others in the group.
Keep your help online in front of the whole group and get known for the consistent and amazing help you can provide. Trust me, the conversations will go offline – but you need to build up your credibility as a helpful person first. Facebook groups will help you when you show up and get noticed by everyone for not trying to make a sale every time someone posts.
I tell the story of a local Facebook group for women business owners here where I live, that has 25K members, and 3 VAs are always getting tagged in posts as referrals when someone asks about a VA. 3! Why? Because they are doing it right. They have gotten to know the others in the group, they are helpful – they attend the events – they do a great job for their clients. There are many more VAs in that group, but they don’t get referred in the same way.
2. Talking in elevator pitches – I make no secret that I do not like the elevator pitch. I think they are useless in most circumstances, and that’s mainly because people who teach you to write them try to get you to cram everything you do into a 30 second run on sentence. Honestly, don’t get me started on this!
An elevator pitch is supposed to be a short, memorable statement you make to describe what you do. But what ends up happening is that we try to fit everything we do into it, and then we edit it down so we fit into the time limit, and we expect people to remember it. Does it work sometimes? Sure. But most of the time it’s annoying and too wordy.
When you are networking with people, you need to concentrate on making conversation. Asking questions. Back and forth. Not telling them everything about you in one single sentence. And pitching at all just doesn’t fly with me when you are networking.
A pitch is a sales pitch. Gross. Why are you selling anything?
What you need to do instead is ask questions – what does this person do for their business? Who are their clients? Where do they find them? How do they work with them? Where do you fit in to that – can you help them with any part of their business? If you can, then discuss that. But don’t announce what you do from the moment you shake their hand.
If you are struggling with how to have conversations, I can help you find those words, and make it easy.
3. Talking about yourself – don’t talk about yourself when you are networking. But Tracey, you say, how will the person know what I can do? Because the conversation will come around to you – just don’t lead with it.
Imagine going to a restaurant and having the server tell you everything they have on the menu, before you even have a drink in front of you They have no idea what you like, what you might be allergic to, how hungry you are, how much you are looking to spend … etc.
A good server will come and ask you if it’s your first time at the restaurant, and establish a little rapport. Are you celebrating anything special? Would you like a drink to start? Would you like to hear the specials? And if you ask what they recommend, they should ask you what you like – before recommending something.
The same holds true for you as the VA – you are the service provider and the other person is the potential client (not that you are not always trying to make the sale today – but the networking conversation will still be structured very much like a sales conversation.
So you ask them questions about their business because you want to know if they need your help. You can answer questions they ask you about your business of course, but don’t make yourself the focus on the conversation.
Talking to others about your business is meant for colleagues.
Focus the conversation on them – and if you can help them.
And just as a point of interest – i don’t mean self promotion, that’s not what talking about yourself is. It’s about being curious and getting the person you are talking to to let you know what they need help with. And a simple ‘I help my clients do that’ often suffices as the response.
If you need help figuring out how not to talk about yourself, I can help!
4. Don’t be a wall flower – making networking work for you means you have to speak up! If you are spending your time networking, you have to find a way to be visible, and that is through conversation.
You don’t have to meet everyone in the room, but you need to meet at least one person – I always think 3 to 5 is a great number no matter how many people are in attendance. Making connections with just a few people is so much easier than trying to reach the entire room.
And this goes for online events as well. You don’t have to speak from the stage, but there is no point being a part of a group that you can grow relationships in, and staying silent. Lurking online.
Be helpful. That’s all you need to do. It sounds simple and it really is. Choose a time every morning to visit the groups you are a part of online, and look for opportunities to help the people there. You only need to be a part of 3 good group to find great clients. You are probably part of many more groups than that – but if you are not showing up and taking part, they aren’t of any use to you.
Own your expertise – and share it. Even if someone else has answered a question for someone, answer it yourself too. It’s not a contest, it’s about being helpful wherever you can.
If you need to build up your confidence so you can start networking, I’d love to help you do that.
5. Follow Up – the last piece of networking is arguably the most important one. Following up. So many VAs give up on the follow up, and they lose clients in the process.
How many times should you follow up with someone, I get asked often. Until they say yes, or until they tell you to stop following up with them, is always my answer.
How callous! That sounds like I’m badgering someone. But no, you’re not! You are building a relationship with someone. you are simply staying in touch.
You don’t follow up by saying ‘do you want to start now?’ ‘how about now?’ ‘are you ready to hire me yet?’
You follow up by saying ‘how did that event go for you?’, ‘have you talked to so and so recently?’ ‘I haven’t seen you in x group recently – just checking in – what are you working on?’
The fortune really is in the follow up. When you are building relationships with people that builds trust. And when they need help they will think of you.
Networking isn’t a dirty word – it’s a necessary part of doing business, and the better you get at it, the easier it gets. And the better it works for you.
I have a huge network of VAs and business owners. I talk to a lot of people every single day – in emails, PMs, Zoom calls, phone calls, networking events, through my clients and association members. Are they all paying clients of mine? Nope. But they all know what I do and they know where to find me if they need me.
It’s a marathon, not a sprint. And it’s natural. It’s just conversations. The numbers will work in your favour – the more people you talk to , the more clients you will get.
Show up consistently, make it about them, get laser focused on asking great questions, be helpful in front of as many people as you can, and keep in touch. That’s all networking is.
Stop talking AT people, and start talking TO them.
Like Diane says, it’s an investment in your business, and it can yield great results for years to come. And it just takes your time. So do it well, and it will yield you results.
Find groups of people online or offline that you can help. Help them and get known for helping them. And you’ll be one of 3 VAs in 25K who gets referred almost every single day of every month.
Always be networking, you never know where your next client will come from.
Networking and having conversations with potential clients is a huge focus in The Virtual Circle, my mastermind group for Virtual Assistants. Check it out at www.YourVAMentor.com/TVC (the virtual circle) – I bet it’s exactly what you need to start getting clients for your VA business.
Need Some Help?
If you need some help with doing networking better, reach out to me at tracey@yourvamentor.com. I’ve helped hundreds of VAs through their challenges and got them on their way to the next level. I’d love to do the same for you through private or group coaching.
That’s all I’ve got for you this week, thanks for tuning in to learn to become a ridiculously good Virtual Assistant.