networking | VA Directory

Where does all your business come from?

This is a question asked at VA Forum recently and the person posting the question specifically wanted to know if everyone was getting all of their business via LinkedIn (where the forum is). There were a variety of answers that responded with some saying yes and others saying no.

I believe the answer is that it would be unusual for ALL your business to come from the one avenue, even if people are using it as a networking tool. Why? Because they should be doing a variety of networking, rather than just in one place. I’m a firm believer in face-to-face networking as well as online networking. Networking locally means you get to learn about what is happening with business locally, how local govt may, or may not be supporting small business, how locals are dealing with economic factors, you can locate local resources and services for your business (such as computer support, printer and cartridge suppliers, office supplies, Accountant, etc) and become the person that others come to locally when they need assistance. And no person should be staying inside their own four walls full time. We all need to be getting out and about, stretching our legs, getting fresh air. But apart from that, networking with others will invariably generate referrals and word-of-mouth marketing, especially once you began doing work for others.

Sometimes it’s a bit like the chicken and the egg, which comes first? The networking or the client? But the client has to find out about you first and that means you have to be visible and be heard. Only way for that to be possible is for you to hang out where the prospective client hangs out. Local social and business groups, i.e. Rotary, Lions, BNI, Chambers of Commerce, local council, school, sporting clubs, churches, other types of activities. Where people congregate they also talk, and through that process at some time, people are going to ask what you do. Make sure you spend more time finding out about what they do so you can build up a picture in your mind how you can help them through your business. The same applies online. But don’t put all your eggs in the one basket. Make sure you do a variety of networking in different places and spend time letting others get to know you. It will pay off!

Kathie M Thomas

Building relationships at LinkedIn

I was participating in a discussion at the Women in Photography group at LinkedIn recently as many of us are connecting to each other. We had a discussion about the importance of letting people know where they came from, rather than just send the standard invitation that LinkedIn provides. Here is my commentary on that subject:

Checking the box does show up on the invite when received via email but isn’t that obvious – the message that is sent says: I’d like to add you to my professional network on LinkedIn, which is rather impersonal and if people don’t notice the bit above that says about the group, then they wouldn’t know why you’re sending an invitation.

I often write and speak about the importance of building relationships when networking so I encourage people to change that standard message that LinkedIn sends to something else that explains the reason for connecting. Even if it’s something like: ‘hi, I’m a member of the women in photography group and would love to connect with you’ or you could even say how much you’ve enjoyed someone’s commentary. It does make it more personal and encourages people to accept invitations.

You might be interested to know I often get invites from people I don’t know personally. I accept immediately if they explain their interest. If they don’t I will reply and ask them where they found me or what their interest is. If they reply I then accept. If they don’t reply I assume they don’t read their emails and why would I want to connect with someone who doesn’t want to continue working at building a relationship? They’ve ignored me which doesn’t give me confidence in what their interest maybe. Some people just want to grow numbers but not get to know others.

This is a topic I teach about often so it’s something I’m passionate about and hope it helps many of you too 🙂

So, as a Virtual Assistant, it is also important for you to explain why you wish to connect with people too, and encourage them to explain their interest to you. Open the doors to communication and you have no idea what it might lead to. Those VAs who are most successful at social media and building business do so by connecting with others and building relationships and getting to know their needs. You can’t do that if you don’t converse. Why not try it today?

Kathie M Thomas

Confused with marketing your VA business?

If you’re not clear on what it is you do, or perhaps not clear on how to explain it, it will show, both in your vocalisation and your written word. Recently a new VA went to a networking event and she was unsure how to explain what she does. The people she was meeting with made some assumptions based on what they think an Assistant is and it confused her. They’d not heard of a Virtual Assistant before so she came to ask questions about what she should do and got a number of responses which included having a list of items on the back of her business card, and developing an elevator speech.

I felt she hadn’t mentioned what type of networking meeting she went to and explained something of my own knowledge of a particular group I meet with.

If the networking group you went to is like BNI and they focus on one representative per industry in their chapter, then you will have to choose which aspect of your business you want to focus on and talk about that. For example, I also do websites, web-hosting, provide bookkeeping support and a myriad of other things but because we have a web designer and a bookkeeper in our chapter I cannot promote those things. I tell them I provide admin and business services as a Virtual Assistant and then focus on data entry, database management, word processing and social media support. Then when I get a chance to meet with them individually I tell them about the rest of my services in the course of our conversation. It is important not to try and tell them everything at the start – focus on one or two major core offerings and let them get to know you gradually over time.

I should add that I rotate a number of ‘elevator’ speeches that cover one of the items I mentioned above and, as the group I meet with, meets regularly, over the course of a few weeks they get to hear them all and then I start all over again.

Kathie M Thomas

The Faceless People at LinkedIn

Social and business networks offer the opportunity for people to show their faces online when connecting with others. Which is why they have a place for uploading your photo. On social networks people often use images of their pets, favourite artists or their kids but when it comes to something relating to their business I really do believe they should be using their own photos.

There are some who say they think their photo would get in the way of others doing business with them but I do believe this is about self-confidence, or a lack thereof. Do these same people go to face-to-face meetings wearing a mask and covering up their faces? I doubt it, unless perhaps they never go to face-to-face meetings.

The important thing is to let people get to know you which is what networking is all about – building relationships and getting to know people. You can’t do that by hiding your face or remaining faceless online. It’s hard to build a relationship and get to know someone if they’re remaining invisible or faceless.

With respect to LinkedIn, it is really important to read the User Agreement when it comes to the use of photos for profiles. Item 6 of section b of the Dos and Don’ts state: ‘Don’t upload a profile image that is not your likeness or a head-shot photo.’

For those seeking a job, recruiters use LinkedIn regularly to find possible candidates to fill positions, a faceless person is going to get less attention than one with a photo… and at that, it should be a photo that is professional or at least isn’t a party pic and your face is recogniseable. In other words it should be a head-shot photo. For those running businesses, it helps others who want to do business with you, or refer you.

I know when I meet people face-to-face they recognise me quickly because they’ve seen my photo online. Certainly helps if you’ve not met the person face-to-face before. Make it easier on yourself and others and become recognisable by using your photo when business networking online.

Kathie M Thomas

Have the networking rules changed for a top networking site?

LinkedIn has grown to an enormous professional networking site with over 150million members now. It was only a few short years ago that I began to take it seriously and there were just over 14million in those days.

There was a time when receiving an invitation to connect at LinkedIn, that LinkedIn would have a warning message at the bottom of the email invitation about whether you should connect with people you don’t know. People used to be penalised if they got 5 or more IDKs (I don’t knows) and their account suspended but I suspect that doesn’t happen anymore. Now they have a message at the bottom of those emails outlining why you would want to connect with that person… even if they’re a total stranger.

Non-personalised invitations come similar to this one:

xxx

has indicated you are a Friend

I’d like to add you to my professional network.

– xxx

LinkedIn shows a list of people you might know when you’re in that section for accepting invites and they’ve changed the style of how they’re set out. Perhaps that might account for the sudden influx of invitations I get from people I don’t know – because I’ve been listed as a suggestion. Most of the time I don’t even know the people who ask to connect with me and I like to ask how they found me and what their interest is in connecting with me? I get a variation of responses:

No response
An answer to my questions
Apology for offending me
Reply that indicates they don’t want to connect with me anyway

I do connect with those that give me an answer – after all networking is about building relationships and so opening a conversation is a good way to get started.

The apology usually gets a response from me saying I wasn’t offended, I was just interested in finding out how they found me. Sometimes that can go one way or another.

Those who are rude get ignored and those who don’t reply, likewise. I don’t accept their invitation.

After all, networking online is not about building numbers, it’s about building relationships. Sending one of those standard invitations with no personalisation is akin (in my eyes) to walking into a networking event, pushing your business card into everyone’s hand (or leaving it on their seat or desk) and leaving the room again without saying a word. It doesn’t provide the opportunity for beginning a discussion or relationship. And I have found that it’s rare those who don’t know you begin a conversation after you’ve connected with them. They just go off to connect with others.

By the way, it’s worthwhile reading the Do’s and Dont’s of the User Agreement. In particular Item 5 of Section B. Item 6 in that section is also worth noting – I’ve noticed many people posting other pics that are not their photos.

This is not to say I won’t connect with you. Simply let me know you read my blog when you send an invitation to connect. I’m always happy to meet new people – as long as I know there’s a genuine interest.

P.S. If you have a LinkedIn profile, make sure it’s complete. Googling your name your profile will show up and if it has nothing much there, it doesn’t make for a good look.

Kathie M Thomas

Where does all your business come from?

Confused with marketing your VA business?

The Faceless People at LinkedIn

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