I’ve gotten some questions recently in the New VA Advice community about subcontracting for other virtual assistants.
Some people want to do this as a way to gain experience and confidence. Others may prefer to work on a team that’s run by someone else. And then there are others who may use subcontracting as one of their varied income streams.
Here’s the question that comes along with this:
How do I approach other VAs about subcontracting?
The etiquette to follow here is just like everything else I tell you when it comes to building relationships—a person has to get to know, like and trust you in order to work with you.
That goes for clients, subcontract work, referral partners and just about any other relationship you want to create in your business.
Groups and Forums
Find groups and forums where other VAs spend their time. You can check out my preferred group list here.
I wouldn’t just start out by posting in groups and forums, asking if anyone has a subcontracting opportunity. You won’t get ANY responses that way. Instead, get to know the other VAs first.
Some of them will also use that space to reach out and ask for some help. They may post that they’re looking for a subcontractor. If they see that you’re active in the group, they’re more likely to consider you.
I wrote an article on the blog about how I use this relationship marketing strategy to connect with potential clients. You can use this same strategy to establish a relationship with other VAs.
Click here to read the article.
If allowed in the groups that you frequent, you can create a post stating that you’re open to subcontracting. Always check group rules and guidelines first. Many groups have a promo day. Be specific in your post. State what you do best, your specific services, and if you offer a special subcontracting discount.
Also mention if you’d be up to subcontracting out work from your own clients for specific services that you don’t offer. Again, you want to do this after you’ve been active and established a presence in the group.
Research
Search for keywords online and in groups for things like “virtual assistant overflow,” “virtual assistant team,” or “virtual assistant subcontract.” Create Google Alerts for these terms or set them up in Socialoomph so that you’re notified via email when these keywords are used.
Research some VAs that you’d love to work with. Be proactive. Check out their website. Do they mention that they have a team? Are they posting that they’re crazy-busy? You could reach out to them via email or message. Don’t just write them and tell them you’re looking for an opportunity from them. Instead, tell them what you could bring to the table and how you could help them.
Again, everything I’ve mentioned here comes back to establishing relationships. If you learn how to do that first, you’ll start making genuine connections that could turn into client opportunities, referral partners and more!
Don’t forget to join the Virtual Assistant Empowerment Facebook group and get to know other virtual assistants. Subcontracting opportunities sometimes arise there.
Tell me your subcontracting story! Have you used any of the methods above to work with another virtual assistant? Leave a comment below.