The best way to get clients talking about your VA business is to start talking about it yourself first.
Now I’m not talking about being like that old used car salesman who talks and talks and never lets anyone else get a word in!
But in order for people to understand what it is that you do for your clients, you have to be able to talk to people about it.
I teach VAs what I call a Concise Marketing Message – it’s about getting really clear on what services you offer, who you support, and why it’s important to them to get help with that thing – and finally, why you are the best person for them to work with to achieve that.
It’s a very simple concept, but not very many VAs I know have taken the time to do this exercise to get that clarity.
That’s what makes networking conversations uncomfortable. Because you are trying to talk in very general terms, or trying to hit on everything that you do in hopes that the person you are talking to will grab onto something they need done.
When you are more strategic about who you talk to and what you say to them, you will have much better results with your networking.
And I bet you’ll even start to enjoy it!
Here are a few tips for you to have better business conversations with potential clients:
1. Have Conversations
When we talk about networking, the first thing that comes to mind is usually the Infomercial or the Elevator Pitch. I hate both of these things because they are really just memorized paragraphs that often talk only about YOU and not about your client. And that’s the wrong way to go about your networking.
By instead looking at networking as actual conversations – back and forth discussions – you will make everyone more comfortable. Ask the client questions about what they do in their business and what kind of support they might like, and then just see if you might be a good fit.
2. Practice Makes Perfect
Networking can be a struggle for many VAs, as a lot of us are introverts. So you may need to practice in order to get better at it.
When you prepare yourself properly by really understanding what you want to say to someone, and craft good questions that invite the client to talk about their business, you will take a lot of pressure off of yourself. And the more people you invite to have a conversation, the better you will get at them.
3. Meet Face to Face If Possible
Although many networking groups can not meet in person due to the pandemic, face to face meetings are always preferable over phone calls or email exchanges. Zoom is an excellent tool to get face to face with a client without leaving your own office.
There is something about seeing someone’s face and expression to navigate a conversation. You can tell whether they are understanding what you are saying, and the trust factor that is so important in business can develop much faster face to face.
When you stop thinking of networking as selling, and just think of it as conversations with other business owners, you take a lot of pressure off yourself to close a sale every time you talk to someone.
Focus instead on building relationships with people and asking great questions to get information from them. You will learn quickly whether you are the right person to help them with their needs – and you will get more great clients when you do!
And when you have great conversations with business owners, and they truly understand how you help your clients, your name will come to mind when they are speaking with their colleagues too. They will be able to talk about your business!
If you want to get some support to create your Concise Marketing Message, start having more business conversations, getting better results from your networking efforts, and getting more clients, the Inspired Action VA Mastermind group might be for you!
The Inspired Action VA mastermind is a small group of supportive VAs who work together through the day to day issues that crop up just like this one. If you are struggling through your VA business, check out this group to see if it’s the right time for you! Our daily and weekly support is just what you need to get things done, and to keep yourself in a positive frame of mind so you can reach that success! www.YourVAMentor.com/inspired