Going to CHS? Don't Bring Your Admin Problems With You

Going to CHS? Don’t Bring Your Admin Problems With You

For first class professional & administrative support for your business

Heading to CHS Manchester?

Whether you’re attending to discover new suppliers or exhibiting to meet potential clients, the value of the event doesn’t start when you walk through the doors — and it certainly doesn’t end when you leave.

CHS Manchester brings event professionals, venues and suppliers together for a day of meetings, conversations, networking and new opportunities.

But there’s a familiar problem with any busy industry event.

You can spend a productive day making connections, collecting information and arranging potential opportunities — only to return to an overflowing inbox and a list of administrative jobs that still need doing.

That’s where a Virtual PA can help.

Not necessarily by being at the event with you, but by helping you prepare before the event and deal with everything that comes afterwards.

Before CHS: Get the admin out of the way

The best time to start delegating isn’t when you’re already overwhelmed.

It’s before the event.

Whether you’re attending as an event professional or exhibiting your own business, there are plenty of jobs that can be handled before you even arrive at the AO Arena.

If you’re attending CHS

You may already have meetings and appointments arranged. You may also be researching exhibitors, venues and suppliers you want to speak to.

A Virtual PA could help you prepare by:

Researching exhibitors and potential suppliers
Organising your appointments
Managing your diary
Arranging travel
Preparing questions or meeting notes
Organising existing contacts
Clearing routine administration before the event
Managing emails and telephone calls while you’re away

That means you can arrive at CHS with a clear idea of who you want to meet and what you want to achieve.

If you’re exhibiting at CHS

For exhibitors, preparation can involve even more administration.

A Virtual PA could help with:

Pre-event communications
Appointment scheduling
Prospect research
Contact-list preparation
CRM updates
Travel and accommodation arrangements
Preparing documents and information
Responding to routine enquiries
Organising your diary
Making sure outstanding admin is dealt with before the event

The objective is simple:

Arrive ready to talk to people, rather than trying to finish your admin.

Then comes the part that really matters: after CHS

The conversations you have at an event are only the beginning.

You might come away with:

New contacts
Potential clients
Supplier relationships
Venue options
Meeting requests
Quotes to prepare
Information to send
People to call
Opportunities to research

And then you get back to the office.

Your inbox is full.

Your existing clients still need attention.

The phone is ringing.

Your normal workload hasn’t disappeared.

Suddenly those promising CHS conversations are sitting on a list headed:

“Follow up.”

That’s where opportunities can easily get delayed.

A Virtual PA can keep the follow-up moving

Instead of trying to deal with every task yourself, you can delegate the administrative work surrounding those new relationships.

For example:

You:
“Great meeting you at CHS. Let’s arrange a call next week.”

Your Virtual PA:
Finds a suitable time, sends the invitation and updates your diary.

You:
“Can you send them our information?”

Your Virtual PA:
Sends the appropriate documents and records the contact.

You:
“Can you find out more about this supplier?”

Your Virtual PA:
Carries out the research and prepares the information for you.

You:
“These five people need following up.”

Your Virtual PA:
Manages the follow-ups and reports back on the responses.

The important part is that you remain responsible for the relationship and the decision-making.

Your Virtual PA simply makes sure the administration doesn’t get in the way.

You don’t need a full-time PA

One of the advantages of using a Virtual PA is flexibility.

You don’t necessarily need someone working for you every day.

You might need additional support:

In the weeks leading up to an event
During particularly busy periods
Immediately after an event
When you’re dealing with a large number of enquiries
When your existing team is stretched
Or simply for a few hours each week

You choose what you want to delegate.

Your Virtual PA provides the additional capacity.