Ep. 026 How to Appear Confident When Talking About Your Virtual Assistant Business

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I just got back from vacation with my husband’s family on the East Coast, and I noticed this funny thing about myself...I totally did not know how to talk to them about my business!

And I know that many other online business owners relate to the feeling of trying to explain their work and getting blank stares. So in this episode of The Support Squad podcast, I’m sharing the strategies I’ve learned to feel more confident when talking to people about my business. Let’s get started...

Have an elevator speech

I’ve talked about this on the podcast before, but I feel like it’s really important to reiterate here. An elevator speech is simply a quick way to tell someone what you do in 30 seconds or less.

And while I perfected my virtual assistant elevator speech long ago, I was really put on the spot when it came to describing The Support Squad to people. So here it is, after many awkward stumbles, my brand new elevator speech: I help virtual assistants build, grow, and uplevel their businesses through a weekly podcast and a monthly membership community that includes live video coaching calls and training videos from guest experts.

Pretty good, right? I usually have to do a little bit of explaining after giving that little speech, because some people still don’t know what a virtual assistant is or they aren’t familiar with online learning, but having that solid speech gives me the confidence to at least start the conversation without belittling my business by saying things like “Oh, I have this little podcast” or “Yeah, I started this little project with my membership community.”

Because when I say things like that about my business, I’m not only not giving myself the credit I deserve, I’m actually confusing people because they’re like “Wait, is this a real thing?”

Be Prepared to List Some Wins!

Another way to feel more confident when it comes to talking about your business is to have a list in your head of a few things you’ve accomplished in your business that you’re really proud of.

For example, when I give my elevator speech to people only to receive blank stares, I can follow it up by saying something like “Launching the podcast has been so exciting - 300 people download it each week!” or “I had 30 members sign up for my new membership site within the first week of it opening!” Having numbers or quantifiable accomplishments to share with others gives you something tangible and makes your virtual business seem a little more real (to those that haven’t caught on to our booming industry yet). So you could say something like, “I helped one of my clients reach 10,000 followers on Instagram this year” or “I signed 3 new clients this month!” Make sure to choose things that you are truly proud of. That pride and enthusiasm is contagious!

Don’t worry about what the other person is thinking

I found that when I was trying to explain my new ventures to friends and family I was soooo worried about what they were thinking that I wasn’t being clear. I kept thinking “Oh my gosh, they think this is a fake business, they’re wondering why I don’t get a real job” and because of that inner dialogue, I’d get tripped up on my words by trying to over-explain or over-justify my work and what I do. So as long as you are clear in your head about how to explain your work, there is no reason to worry about what the other person is thinking. Often, people aren’t really listening to our every word, right? What they are really paying attention to is how confident you seem when you are speaking and how excited you seem about your business. Which leads me to my next point…

Pay attention to your body language

Make sure your using all of those tried and true tips for appearing more confident. Stand up straight, don’t fidget, make rock-solid eye contact, smile, appear energetic by motioning with your hands and standing in an open stance. All of these things help to make you look more grounded and sure of yourself. I found that before I was consciously working on appearing more confident, I tended to fidget and avoid eye contact. Practicing your elevator pitch in the mirror (though awkward) will help you to say it with ease so that you can focus on your body language when it actually comes time to say it out loud to a real human person.

When you put all of these little tips into practice, you’re going to find that people became much more engaged with what you’re talking about. If you seem excited and confident about your business, they might get excited thinking about how they can support you by hiring you or referring you to a friend. Remember: your business is something to be proud of and just because someone hasn’t heard of a virtual assistant and doesn’t totally understand what you do, doesn’t make your work any less legitimate. 

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