Imagine walking into a garden blindfolded and holding the hand of someone you trust…
As you take your blindfold off, you gasp at all the blossoming variety of plants and flowers surrounding you. But delighted as you are, you have no idea what each beautiful plant or flower is called and what it can offer.
Now, as the person beside you described each of them to you… you learn little by little that some of these are medicinal plants, while others are used for cooking, or just ornamentals to adorn the garden.
The same holds true in the world of virtual assistance workforce…
Each virtual assistant is equipped with unique skills and talents to offer to business owners and professionals who truly need them. It’s only a matter of knowing WHAT to delegate to a VA that will determine the success of this partnership.
Why do I need a virtual assistant?
There several areas in your business that you would consider “time-suckers” and even “costly” as time goes by.
This is where a virtual assistant comes in. These are top 3 reasons for delegation:
- You are way too stressed at work and need to redeem a work-life balance.
- You have limited skills or unwilling to do the difficult or technical tasks.
- You need to grow your business by reaching out to more prospects.
Are you now seeing the different angles you can possibly fit a VA into? Here’s a simple virtual assistant services list to help you get started.
Now let’s move on to the process of delegation…
Before you even stumbled on this post, did you ever feel that maybe you’re “still not ready” for this kind of assistance or maybe at the back of your mind you think “it’s too risky”?
This hesitation is what you call your own “blindfold” and it’s reasonable only to take your first baby-steps with much caution. More importantly, it’s recommended that you have someone to guide you on how to choose the right virtual assistant.
When you use managed virtual assistant services, the hiring process can be as easy as ordering a pizza online.
- First, you start with a phone call to discuss your current business needs.
- Next, you interview the top 2-3 VAs with the skills that you’re looking for.
- Then, once you’ve chosen the right candidate, you pay the invoice sent to you and the VA starts working.
Sounds smooth, right?
But here’s what you need to know…
What should you delegate to a virtual assistant?
First off, plan to set aside time to list down all the types of tasks you are performing daily, weekly, and so on. (You might be surprised by how much time these repetitive non-profit generating activities are taking from your day!)
Secondly, remove the tasks that must only be performed by YOU. These can be highly confidential systems and processes pertaining to your business.
Then, everything else left on the list can be delegated. (See more here: Tasks to delegate to a virtual assistant)
To make it easier for you, we’ve come up with only 2 categories to group your activities into:
1. What work needs to be done to RUN your business?
Examples are:
- Administrative, transcription, paperwork, data entry
- Customer service, answering calls/emails, chat support
- Order fulfillment, inventory, after-sales
- Accounting / bookkeeping
- Human Resources, operations, project management, calendar management
- IT, web admin/maintenance, technical support
2. What work needs to be done to GROW your business?
These can be:
- Telemarketing / sales, cold-calling, appointment-setting
- Prospecting, lead generation (online and offline)
- Social media, SEO, PPC, web traffic, ads
- Content marketing, email marketing, sales funnel
- Product / service development, business development
- Website / Ads / Graphics
You can learn a lot by looking at some examples of delegation in the workplace. Most certainly you’ve undergone and implemented these in your business.
The 6 do’s and don’ts of working with a virtual assistant
1. Do promote patience and consideration
As you’re starting with this client-VA relationship, Stay as patient as you can in explaining things, especially the complex processes.
2. Do take time to train
Generally, the virtual assistants are already trained and experienced. But you still need to give a proper orientation so the assistant gets to know you, the job and your standards.
3. Do set reasonable expectations.
Not every deadline can be “ASAP.” Make sure your VA knows what to aim for, and keep it consistent. Setting unrealistic standards will only serve to stress your assistant out.
Related reading: How to use an assistant effectively
4. Don’t make assumptions.
Continuous communication and feedback will ensure a healthy and productive working environment for both of you. Take time to review their work. A short “good job” is enough.
5. Don’t put off updates.
Inform them about changes in schedule, project scope, responsibilities and other updates as they come. Let your assistant know and understand your priorities.
6. Don’t ignore your assistant.
As much as possible, respond to your VA’s calls or emails promptly. In this way, you maximize their usefulness. Provide more information when necessary so they have a direction to follow.Overall, you must remember one thing…
You’re not working with an AI or machine. There are going to be some bumps in the road at first, but once the VA gets up to speed, you’ll be able to trust them more and hand off higher-level tasks.
Hiring a virtual assistant can be quite challenging. We can help you find the best talent for your workforce. If you feel you’ve been overwhelmed with never-ending work and aren’t sure where to begin, feel free to reach out.
CALL US at 1-866-596-9041 for more in-depth information on outsourcing strategies and best practices. Discover how our highly qualified and trained virtual assistants can help in your everyday tasks and objectives.
Virtual Assistant Talent is a top-notch virtual assistant staffing agency helping professionals from different industries such as the real estate, insurance, small business, coaching/consulting, and executive leadership.
Reference:
www.inc.com
