Great resources, Tess!
I also want to add that
The 2-Second Commute, which I recently read and reviewed for this forum
, contains some great tips about elevator speeches. The authors advise VAs to identify who you can help and how. For instance, when someone asks you what you do, you can say something like, "I help small business owners grow their businesses by taking over non-core administrative tasks, which allows them to focus on revenue-generating activities." Then when they ask for more info, you can launch into a more detailed description of the services you provide and how you can help save them time or money. Just make sure that you make it all about what you can do for them, and you're sure to capture their attention! I can't wait to attend my first networking event so I can put these ideas to good use.
Good luck! Let us know how it goes!