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Tweetables:
Leverage the information that you know by sharing it to help somebody else. #vatip 
Gotta Tweet!
Meeting others at a networking event can help you get excited about your business. #vatipGotta Tweet!
If you’ve been feeling like things are on a low or you’re unsure, get out and meet some people. #vatip Gotta Tweet!
In Words:
Hi virtual assistants. You’re listening to episode number 27. This week, I want to share with you my experience going to a local networking event.
I think earlier in the podcast, I have shared about going to local events, and at one point I was going to one. There was in one in particular, they had it every Friday, and I eased back. I think I went to maybe two or three of those spaced out, and I eased back from going. It would be on a Friday like in the middle of the day. I think it went from like 11:00 to 2:00 or something like that.
Anyway, I stopped going to that. But I went to a new event not too long ago, and it was at a local restaurant. It was really nice. They had it out on the patio of the restaurant, and it was a nice atmosphere. The people were warm and friendly.
When it comes to local networking, when it’s a networking event, you know, it has that label, everybody knows it’s a networking event, I’m always nervous about that because, one, I don’t like for people to shove their business cards in my face, and I’m not going to shove my business card in anyone else’s face.
I want to meet you as a person first, and then learn what you do later. That’s always a lot easier for me because now that I know you as a person, I’m relaxed and I’m listening to what you’re saying. I’m genuinely interested in what you do and I’m thinking of how I can help you in what you do.
They had a giveaway. You were able to submit something for a giveaway, if you wanted to, for your businesses. So my giveaway was a free 30-minute consultation on how to use webinars, blog posts, podcasts, and online events to market your local business, something to that effect. So the idea is that I’ll meet with, you know, whoever the winner is, learn more about their business, and give them some ideas on how they can use online processes for their local business.
What I learned in just talking to people is that a lot of local business owners are not aware of what’s available. They know about social media and they may or may not be using it, but there’s some doubt there as to whether or not these things really work.
I wanted to share this with you because as a virtual assistant, you get a chance to see behind the scenes what happens with different businesses of your clients that you work with. You get a front row seat to see how it all works.
Now, you may be in a situation where, let’s say, you set up newsletter for clients. So you may not see the beginning or the end of it, but you know that newsletters are a great way that your clients are using to communicate with their audience on a regular basis. You could take that knowledge and help a local business owner that may not understand the benefits of regular communication with their customers and clients.
It’s a way of leveraging the information that you know, and highly possible that you just assume every business owner knows, and transfer that information and help somebody else, and there in turn, get you a local client if that’s something you’re interested in.
Now, for me, my goal is I just really want people to know about the opportunities beyond what they can see in front of them in their local community. That was one of my reasons for doing the giveaway, and one of my reasons for going to the networking event was I’m always looking for ways to get out and meet people because it’s very easy for me to stay inside and talk to people online and just, you know, leave it at that, and I’m happy, I’m satisfied in that way.
But at the same time, I like to challenge myself, and I need to see how business owners think.
Like, you know, in my world, all the people that I come in contact with, they know that these things work. They may not be able to technically put a webinar in place or have time to set up their social media every day, but they already know I’m not, you know, sharing the benefits of these things they already know. At that point, I’m sharing the benefits of having someone on your team that does that. On your team meaning, you know, outsource to somebody. Utilize a virtual assistant or an online business consultant to help you put the parts together.
Hopefully you’re thinking about how you could do the same thing based on what services you provide to a client.
Let’s say that your specialty is creating graphics for Instagram. There’s such a need for that. I create my own little graphics for social media, but I’m not consistent because I’ve got all these other things, so there’s a great need. So if you went out and start meeting local business owners at Meetup events or networking events and just hear what they have to say. Hear what they’re doing. You could offer some helpful tips for them, and that same information you’re sharing, you can translate that and put it on your blog and use that as content for your website.
Attending a local networking event has so many benefits for you.
Meeting prospective clients, if that’s what you’re looking for. Putting your ear to the ground to hear what business owners are saying, who could utilize your service. Getting content, material, for blog posts, for your newsletters, and taking that information and actually publishing it. Getting it out there all because of the local event. You never know who you’ll meet along the way, and it will also help you get excited about your business.
If you’ve been feeling like things are on a low or you’re unsure, you get out and meet some people. Talk to some people. That will show you how much you’re interested in helping someone through the service that you provide. You’ll see whether or not you’re excited about it, whether you want to talk about it, whether you can’t wait to engage.
It will help a lot, you know, just stepping outside the box and meeting some people.
But I must say that for the first time in a long time going to a networking event, not that I go all the time. It’s been months since I’ve been to one, but I had fun. I was nervous at first, but I did not go there looking for clients. I went there to experience being around other business owners, like-minded people. People who want to have their own thing.
A lot of people there, they did work full-time jobs. Some people were retired, some people were transitioning from jobs and starting their businesses and stuff. So it was a nice mix, and then there were also people that were like direct sales and party planners. So it was a nice mix of people there.
It was a great time. There was music. There was fun. There was a motivational speaker who did a phenomenal job. It was just a really good experience, and when you go to something like that and you’re not looking for anything, but you’re looking for an opportunity to give, oh, it makes things so much better. You can just relax.
If you’re someone that loves meeting people, you get energy from people, you’re extroverted, that stuff excites you, then you probably are already out there meeting people and already taking advantage of the opportunities that are there.
Keep in mind; bring that information back. Translate it to your audience online and share what you have to offer through your blog post. Think about that content as you’re talking to people during these Meetups.
Great, great, great time, great information, and I’m probably saying “great” too many times, but if you were sitting right here, we would be having a conversation and I wouldn’t be editing all my greats, so I’m not worried about that. But I am excited about you and your business.
It would be great to hear how your local Meetup networking events are changing your business, changing the way you see things, and how it’s helping you build more of an online presence, whatever that may be. Whether it’s through Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, whatever social media. It’s so many now, I mean, there’s such a long list of places, and also on your blog.
So let me know. I always appreciate you for listening.
Thanks so much for tuning in. If you like what you heard, stay tuned. We’ll be back. Tell me what’s going on with you. Come on over the Facebook page: facebook.com/tiffanyparsonbiz, or if you prefer a little shorter message, come on over to Twitter: @tiffanydparson.
See you next time.
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