networking for virtual assistants

Use this Networking Strategy to Get More VA Clients

Building a business can seem like an impossible uphill climb some days. You look at your client list, or your revenue, and you might get discouraged if it’s not where you want it to be. Maybe you don’t have enough clients. Maybe you don’t really like some of your clients. Maybe you don’t think you are making enough (read: charging enough!) money. But how do you get to where you want to be? Well, the harsh reality is that you need to get better clients. And the only way to get better clients is to get connected with the right groups of people. Look at your client list now. Where did your best clients come from? (Don’t have any clients… Read More »Use this Networking Strategy to Get More VA Clients

5 Tips for Better Networking as a VA

Keeping your business pipeline full just takes planning. Some small business owners get caught up in the process, rather than the planning piece, and a lot of time can get wasted when you are not really aware if what you are doing is productive or not. It’s important to think about a few things before you get started with networking (or prospecting). 1. Develop a plan that suits you. You need to fit marketing into your day, every day if possible. You don’t, however, want to get sucked in to spending a lot of time doing something without knowing why you are doing it. Planning is the key to success here. 2. Ask yourself what the purpose of your networking… Read More »5 Tips for Better Networking as a VA

3 Tips for Networking at Live Events

I just returned from attending a live event called Transform in Atlanta, Georgia. The event was hosted by Pamela Bruner, and there were approximately 300 people in attendance. It was a great teaching experience, but it was also a wonderful networking experience – imagine have 3 or 4 full days to connect with people – that’s a lot of time to make it around the room! This is one of the things that is so great about a live event – getting the time to get to know people better. So I thought I would give you my best 3 tips for networking at live events like the one I just attended: 1. Move around and be social. Move from… Read More »3 Tips for Networking at Live Events

Who Do You Know?

As a virtual business owner, how many people do you connect with on a regular basis that are not clients or colleagues? Most of us are busy enough that we often stop at networking with clients and potential clients, and colleagues. We don’t think about networking with people that we are not going to be ‘doing business’ with. But you may be selling yourself short by missing out on a big group of people who can really benefit your business … referral partners. What’s a referral partner? A referral partner is simply that … someone who can refer clients to you (or refer you to them, as the case may be). They are people who know your ideal client. They… Read More »Who Do You Know?

5 Tips for Effective Networking As a Virtual Assistant

As we think about building our business, the principle ‘It’s who you know’ often comes into play. After all, in order to start working with someone, you have to get to know them. Well, in order to get to know them you have to initially find them. Then you have to connect with them. This is what we call networking. Whether you do it in person on online, you should be conscious of a few things that will make your efforts a lot more fruitful. 1. Don’t be invisible. When you are networking, the key is to be seen. You need to join groups or attend events with the intention of coming away from the wall and actually talking to… Read More »5 Tips for Effective Networking As a Virtual Assistant

Social Networking: Tips in Etiquette

Working virtually means that we don’t see people face to face every day. We know that we need to perfect the skill of social networking in order to expand our audience and, well, our network. But it takes skills in order to be able to do this effectively. We can’t just walk into a virtual ‘room’ and greet everyone we know and meet them. So here are a few tips on how to engage people while exercising etiquette: Introduce yourself. Soundssimple, but some people just never do it. When you join a group or forum of your potential clients or colleagues, let them know that you have joined. Introduce yourself and let everyone know what you do and why you… Read More »Social Networking: Tips in Etiquette

Do You Know Your Magic Number?

I once took a course that helped me to see how I was interacting with potential clients, and how I was attempting to convert those potential clients into actual clients. It introduced me to my ‘magic number’ – my conversion rate of prospects. What does that mean? Well, simply put, that means how many people I actually convert to clients while on a sales call. I realized that I was converting at about 40 per cent, which would mean that for every 10 people I talked to, 4 would actually sign on to work with me. (Note: that’s not a very good conversion rate!) Think about it … if you are working at a 40 per cent conversion rate, and… Read More »Do You Know Your Magic Number?

How do you follow up?

Networking is widely considered one of the keys to succeeding as a virtual professional. It really is ‘who you know’ that can help to build and sustain a successful business. But … the key to great networking is not just in the connection … it’s in the follow up. After you meet someone (whether it’s online or in person), how do you follow up with that person? Do you? Many Virtual Assistants (and other small business owners) get out and start networking, but they fail to do the follow up necessary to keep the interest of the person they have come into contact with. Here are a few ways that you can build a follow up system that will work… Read More »How do you follow up?