You’ve been to the networking events. You’ve perfected your 60-second pitch, collected a stack of business cards, and smiled through countless conversations over coffee. But are these meetings translating into the high-quality clients and trusted collaborations your Virtual Assistant business needs to thrive?
I remember coming home from my first networking meeting, disappointed that no-one had signed a contract, ready to work with me… I was a good PA / EA. I was an ex Royal Navy Logistics Officer – surely everyone wanted me to be their VA!
Oh, I wish it was that simple!
The real secret to networking success for Virtual Assistants is the one-to-one meeting.
While group networking is a fantastic starting point for visibility, its fast-paced nature often only scratches the surface. As a VA, you’re not just selling a service; you’re offering a partnership built on the highest level of trust. A client hands you the keys to their business, their inbox, their schedule, their confidential data. That level of confidence is never built in a one-minute introduction.
It’s built when people get to know, like, and trust you. The magic for this doesn’t happen in a crowded room. It happens in the focused, intentional space of a one-to-one meeting. (Thanks to The Go Giver by Bob Burg and John David Mann – I learnt this very quickly!)
From Crowded Room to Genuine Connection: The Power of the One-to-One
Think about your last big networking event. You might have met 20 or 30 people, but there were likely only a handful you felt a real spark with; a sense that there was more to discover. These are the connections to build, maybe to work together in the future, maybe to be a referral partner, maybe because you just liked them!
A follow-up one-to-one meeting is your opportunity to move beyond the business card and build a real relationship.
As a VA, this is where you transform from a generic service provider into an indispensable partner.
It’s All About Know, Like, and Trust
Building a successful VA business is less about selling and more about relationship building. Whether you’re seeking clients, referral partners, or fellow VAs to collaborate with, the foundation is the same.
KNOW: In a one-to-one, you have the time to truly understand someone’s business beyond their elevator pitch. You can learn their story, their values, and the real challenges they face. Crucially, they get to know the person behind your business, your professionalism, your expertise, and your passion for helping others succeed.
LIKE: People do business with people they genuinely like. A one-to-one allows your personality to shine through in a way a formal pitch never can. You discover shared interests, a similar work ethic, or a complementary sense of humour. This is the bedrock of a strong and enjoyable working relationship.
TRUST: This is the most critical element for a VA. Trust isn’t just about confidentiality; it’s about competence and character. It’s in a one-to-one conversation that someone can gauge your reliability and understand that you are genuinely invested in their success. It’s how they become confident enough to refer you to their most valued clients or partner with you on a critical project.
Building Your VA Support Network, One Meeting at a Time
Effective networking isn’t about a nice cup of coffee and a slice of cake, or about finding people to sell to; it’s about creating a team of advocates who will champion you when you’re not in the room. When a fellow business owner deeply understands your skills and trusts your character, they become your best marketing asset. They can spot opportunities and make referrals with genuine enthusiasm because they know exactly who you are and the value you provide.
This supportive network is built on a series of purposeful, individual conversations.
How to Have a Game-Changing One-to-One
While every meeting will be different, a little structure ensures both you and your connection get the most out of your time together.
- Set a Clear Intention: Your goal is to learn and connect, not to sell. Be genuinely curious.
- Balance the Conversation: A good rule of thumb is to dedicate half the time to their business and half the time to yours. This demonstrates respect and a commitment to mutual benefit.
- Ask Powerful Questions: Go beyond “What do you do?” Try questions that open up a real conversation:
- “What do you enjoy most about the work you do?”
- “What is the biggest challenge you’re facing right now that keeps you from focusing on your main goals?”
- “What might someone be struggling with that would signal they’re a perfect client for you?”
- “Aside from clients, who is one person you would love to be connected with right now?”
- “What is one task you absolutely dread doing every week?”
- Ask the question: “How will I know someone is a good referral for you?”
Your next client, your most valuable collaborator, or your biggest cheerleader is waiting in your network. But you won’t find them in the noise of the crowd. You’ll find them when you take the time to truly connect, one conversation at a time.
Lessons from my Experiences
I remember someone explaining to me a one-to-one should be for 60 minutes. 30 mins about the other person and 30 minutes about you. Not in a sleazy pitch yourself way – it should be a conversation, where that know, like and trust should flow.
I could tell if someone was going to be a good connection for my business by whether they listened to what I said during a one-to-one or whether they talked purely about themselves.
Very early on in my networking journey, I decided to have one notebook that was purely for networking purposes. It was in my brand colours – and I took it to my regular networking meetings but also to any one to ones. It allowed me to:
- to capture my 60 second pitch.
- write notes about the meetings speaker.
- capture useful tips I had heard.
- interesting points or questions to ask members.
- dates of future meetings, and most importantly, the contact details of people I wanted to follow up in a one to one.
But I used this networking notebook in my one-to-ones. It meant that I could then refer to any notes from previous encounters but also have a place to check back into in the future – if I met someone that might be a good fit for the other person.
This notebook also, allowed me to capture any actions I had committed to – like connecting the other person with another connection of mine or sending a blog that I thought they might like.
Networking takes time – and when we are self employed, we are not getting paid to go networking. Therefore, it’s important to think when and where you will do your one-to-one meetings. I used to try and do them either before or after my regular networking meeting, since I was already out and about…
Networking in my opinion without one-to-one’s is actually just lazy!
Quick Couple of Questions
When did you last do a one-to-one?
Who will you invite for a one-to-one this week?
