Can a Virtual Assistant help you network? Human beings are wired to connect. Connection with others sustains us. And just as we constantly, instinctively create and deepen our networks of friends and family, so too, our businesses thrive when nourished by personal connection. Put simply: When customers or clients feel good and connected to our business they look for ways to continue to be engaged with us; connection develops support.
As professionals, connecting or networking can sometimes feel like a “distraction” from everything else that we have on our plate. Although networking requires time and consistency (hard things to find when we are trying to run and grow our business), it is a critical element of developing a thriving business.
This is where a Virtual Assistant can really help.
When we think of Virtual Assistants we often think of them inputting data into spreadsheets or generating invoices, and while this can be part of a VA’s responsibility, it is only the tip of the iceberg. VA’s can support you in so many more ways–including networking!
How a VA can help you Network:
- Respond & Filter – Your VA can help you keep on top of your ever growing pile of emails and voicemails so anyone who reaches out to you feels well taken care of. Your VA can alert you on important messages and/or respond to any communication on your behalf. Together you can create template messages for your VA to use to respond to any frequently asked questions.
- Customer Relationships – All those business cards lying in a pile on your desk and the bits of paper inked with contact details that are in the corner of your office – your Virtual Assistant can input that data into your CRM (Customer Relationship Management system), or spreadsheet, maximizing their value to you.
- Research – While online networking certainly has its benefits, nothing is more powerful than connecting in person. Your Virtual Assistant can seek out opportunities for you to increase personal connections, such as conferences, meet-ups or industry seminars.
- Social Media – Your VA can monitor and engage your online audience. They can ‘follow’ and ‘friend’ based on criteria that you set. They can research relevant articles, quotes and images to post and share and, after you approve, schedule them for the week.
- Scheduling – Your Virtual Assistant can manage your schedule and calendar, helping organize your time for meetings and networking and making sure that connecting with people–whatever that looks like in your business– is part of the work week.
Bottomline – Networking is about connecting with people and while that often happens on a B2B level, it is most effective when it is on the H2H level (Human2Human) as well!
Your VA can help create and nurture that human connection by keeping in touch with your clients and leads. They can help you cultivate important relationships in all sorts of ways. For example, your VA can send holiday cards or birthday cards, helping you go that extra mile. They can be the communication channel that allows you to stay in dialogue and develop those relationships.
There are so many ways that having someone with their attention on networking and communication can help. Virtual Assistants can be game changers because they free you up to build your business while they take the role of supporting it.
Founder at 100Ninjas.
Bananagram Master. Smoothie Mixologist. Seeker of the cozy. Art lover.