Social networking is a great way to promote your Virtual Assistant business.

It helps you stay connected with other VAs and can make working from home a little less lonely. However, there are some pitfalls to networking online.

First of all, you don’t have face-to-face interaction with people. You also have a larger amount of people to deal with at any one time. Most of the people you’ll meet are anonymous and this can make it difficult to build relationships – or at least, meaningful ones.

Here are a few tips to help you avoid the negative situations that sometimes creep up online.

#1 – Find the right networking group. If you love to visit a specific peer group or networking group but find that you always leave there feeling worse than when you first logged in, it may be time to cut your losses and find a new group.

Some groups can be very exciting and fast moving but that also tends to draw a large variety of members. At the worst of times, people can suck you in to their negativity. This is unfortunately commonplace in several groups that VAs network in.  Try to take part in positive discussions, and leave the negativity for the others. 

#2 – Read between the lines. Sometimes when people post online, what they say can be misinterpreted as “harsh” or “negative” when it may not be the case. Remember, online we can’t see people’s gestures or facial expressions so it may be worth not reading too much into what someone is saying.

If you’re in doubt you can always ask them to explain what they mean. You may find they didn’t mean to sound negative in the first place.

#3 – Find a mastermind group. Mastermind groups can be a comforting place to find support and build a strong network, as long as you choose a group of like-minded individuals. Researching and taking the time to find the right mastermind group is worth the time, as the right group may help your business grow in leaps and bounds.

A good mastermind group is worth its weight in gold. You’ll be able to connect with people who are positive and there to help each other. The negativity and playground games get left behind and you can get down to the business of building your VA business.

#4 – Ignore the situation. There is always someone who ruins it for others. Take the strength away from negative types by simply ignoring them. Enjoy your networking group and look over the few bad apples. With any luck, they’ll get tired and go find a different place to spend their time.

As long as you know that you are contributing a positive energy to the group, spend your time there. Ignore negativity or rants from clients and VAs alike.

#5 – Build yourself up. Negativity can be found everywhere we look for it. So perhaps it’s time to look the other way – to positivity. Work on yourself first by visualizing and living the life you want to live.

Stay positive about your business and you’ll attract more like-minded people your way, making the negative ones seem insignificant.

Social networking is meant to be an easy way to connect with people without having to travel to see them in person. So use it for that! See it as the amazing opportunity it is, use it accordingly, and you’ll be grateful to have it to increase your visibility and connections for your Virtual Assistant business!