This brings us to the fact that it’s not only product and price that businesses must compete on, but customer experience as well. We rounded up 35 secrets on how to improve customer service skills in the workplace and implement an excellent customer support as a vital ingredient of your business.

You don’t earn loyalty in a day. You earn it day-by-day.” – Jeffrey Gitomer
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3 Golden Rules of Customer Service

1. Serve better by putting yourself in your customer’s place

Always understand your customers first by knowing who they are, what industry/line of work they are in, their pain points, their past relationship with you (for returning customers), and their goals.

2. Hire the right customer support team

Find the ideal customer service virtual assistant with industry experience and time management skills. Great customer service representatives are empathetic, knowledgeable, tech-savvy, and 100% focused on customer satisfaction.

3. Create and implement a standardized process

Have your best practices and systems organized for incoming customer queries, complaints, and issues. Make sure your CS team adheres to the policy.

“I always did something I was a little not ready to do. I think that’s how you grow.” - Marissa Mayer
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Customer Service Tips Over the Phone

4. Take control of initial interactions – First impressions carry a lot of weight. What can your business do to be more inviting? How can your customer support team communicate without being too pushy?
5. Always watch your tone – When talking on the phone or replying to an email or online chat, pay attention to your tone and choice of words. Do your best to keep your cool and maintain a friendly tone for the entire confrontation.
6. Demonstrate empathy – Whether the problem is big or small and even if you can’t fix the caller’s problem, just apologizing will make them feel good. People want assurance that your company cares about them.
7. Be upfront about expectations – Be eager enough to inform clients and ensure they understand exactly what they sign up for, along with what result they are getting.
8. Leaving a lasting impression – Resist the hurry to move on to the next deal especially when you have just completed a sale. End the call properly.
9. Use personal touch – Always make your clients/customers feel that they are a priority. Personalize your interactions: Learn their name, use it repeatedly, and show that you’re listening, and mention something they said earlier.

What is necessary is to listen to your customers: understand their needs, expectations, and job to be done, and design an experience that meets those needs.” - Annette Franz
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Handling Customer Inquiries

10. Answer promptly – Showing up early and quickly replying to a customer’s message. If the problem is easy to fix, then do it right away and avoid putting it off. You could miss out on making another sale right then and there.
11. Build a community – Increase brand loyalty by hiring virtual assistant staff. The VA can help you easily build a community forum or write articles on tips or FAQs on how to use your products or services.
12. Practice active listening – People want to be heard, so give them that attention and avoid appearing distracted. Paraphrasing what they have said shows that you are capable of assisting and understanding them.
13. Fast and efficient service – Whether selling a product or helping a customer with an issue. Being swift and proactive shows customers that you are on top of it and that you value and respect their time.
14. Be honest if you don’t know the answer – Not every issue such as a high-pressure situation can be solved right away, and it’s okay to admit that to your customers. Replace “I have no idea,” with “I don’t know, sorry. But let me take down your name and phone number and find out from an expert on my team.”

“How you solve the problem is more important than the problem itself – so always think positively.” - Norman Vincent Peale, Author - Power of Positive Thinking
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Empowering Your Customer Service Support Team

15. Reward exceptional service – Give incentives to your employees who work towards goals. They should be properly motivated to do the best work they can.
16. Allow your staff to exercise power – For customer service reps who can offer real solutions, new discounts or credits that aren’t significantly costly to your bottom line.
17. Do. Win. Repeat. – If your business does something well, then capitalize on it! Remember, it’s better to have repeat customers/clients than try to bring in new ones.
18. Share information and collaborate – Having important discussions and disseminating information throughout the organization.

“Leadership is the ability to guide other without force into a direction or decision that leaves them still feeling empowered and accomplished.” -Lisa Cash Hanson, Snuggwugg
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Using Online Marketing and New Technology

19. CS software/tools – Invest on a good working customer service program or tools to produce proactive support and address potential issues.
20. Utilize new technology – Another key to good customer service is to always adapt to the change of more advanced technologies that produce happier customers and reduces support costs.
21. Multiple ways to reach you – Your customer support strategy should span website, mobile, live chat, email, and social media pages so that people will be able to access you where, when, and how they prefer.
22. Use email marketing for special events/occasions – Put the personal data of your customers to good use like a reference for a happy birthday email, happy holidays, membership anniversary dates, along with a discount or offer to make them feel valued.

“Be dramatically willing to focus on the customer at all costs.” - Scott D. Cook, Founder, Inuit
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23. Leverage your social media presence – Assign a customer service VA to monitor people’s comments, mentions, questions, etc. Especially if millennials represent a large portion of your customer base, as social media is extremely popular among them.
24. Reach out to old customers – For those who haven’t purchased from you or used your service in a while, a simple message such as “I hope you have enjoyed product X. If you’re interested in Y service, give us a call any time!” will do.
25. Use easy-to-fill-out feedback forms – To improve processes or reinforce working methods. Get customer reviews and feedback by sending emails with a link to a survey.

“Do what you do so well that they will want to see it again and bring their friends.” – Walt Disney
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Dealing with Negative Feedback

26. A thick skin in a good way – Don’t take things personally as it’s impossible to please everyone all the time no matter how great your business is. Having thick skin allows you to remain calm and turn provoking situations around into something that benefits both parties.
27. Address problems right away – To provide excellent customer service, your customer reps should be confident in tackling tough problems—doing follow-up calls or emails after a purchase or if problem arises.
28. Avoid the urge to compete or argue – If the customer gets rude, hurtful, or too personal, then try to address him or her politely, but firmly. People will remember that your company doesn’t tolerate insulting behavior.
29. Understand that every customer is different – Every buyer has his or her way to express concerns and handle issues. Take the time to acknowledge them one by one on their specific issues.
30. Consider reputation management services – Continually be on the lookout for how your company is perceived, especially online where word spreads quickly. A good online presence is marketing that comes for free.
31. Allow customers to vent – When they do this, you’ll learn more about the problem, and you give them a chance to exhaust their pent-up anger and energy, putting you in a better position to solve the problem.

“Getting in your last words may help you win the battle. However, even if you do win the battle, there is a good chance you will lose the war.” Kelley Robertson, Robertson Training Group
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Guiding the Customers Well

32. Create self-service options – If your automated system is too complicated for your customers, then make it easier for them to reach a live person via phone or chat.
33. Let customers explore and discover the product on their terms – Make it easy for them to experience your product or service and discover answers or solutions by themselves.
34. Automate communications – Ensure that your communications are scaling with your customer base based on product usage patterns. This helps you communicate to the right users at the right time for the right purpose.
35. Master authenticity – Know everything about your business, including its limitations. Instill your fundamental cultural values to everyone.

“This may seem simple, but you need to give customers what they want, not what you think they want. And, if you do this, people will keep coming back.” - John Ilhan
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If you would like to learn more ideas for improving customer service, talk to us and we can discuss your customer success strategy and overall business objectives. Our experienced customer service virtual assistants (VA) can help you with handling inbound/outbound phone calls, email, chat, and more.

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.

CALL US at 1-866-596-9041 and discover how our highly qualified and trained virtual assistants can help in your everyday tasks and objectives.

Reference:
www.nextiva.com
www.typeform.com
www.teamsupport.com

Today, we give you the tips for entrepreneurs working with a virtual assistant (VA) and hiring strategies that will help you get the right VA for your business.

Related article: When to Hire a Virtual Assistant

What Areas of My Business Can Be Outsourced?

One of initial questions we usually get is how to use a virtual assistant. So, we begin by educating the clients of the major tasks you can outsource to a virtual assistant.

These tasks that can be categorized to address the two main parts of your business: Activities that run your business (customer service, web management, appointment setting) and activities that grow your business (online marketing, advertising, lead generation) and more.

Top Strategies to Hire A Virtual Assistant

1. Know exactly what to look for

Identify specific skill sets and talents that you would need from the start. In order to find the person most suited for the job, you must create a clear picture of the outcome that you desire and the function of the VA.

Hiring an online assistant is just like hiring office staff for your business, that’s why it’s important to be very clear on the tasks and assignments that you’re looking to outsource.

2. Set up your working systems and procedures

Now that you know why you need a virtual assistant, be sure to have your systems up and ready so the VA can have a reference on how things are done in your business. This includes documentations of your processes, online workflow, and ways to implement them.

When the virtual staff gets onboard, you can easily entrust the tasks to them, and they will also have a cheat sheet should the need arise.

3. Define job specifications and definition

Your job listing should have the following: What the work requires, the skills and qualifications you need, the duties you expect the VA to perform, number of hours and days per week you require (for short-term or long-term assistance), and the online platforms and tools you use in your business.

One of the top benefits of having a virtual assistant is that they have a wide range of skills and are willing to work extra hours on weekends. You can negotiate these terms during the interview.

4. What questions to ask on the interview

The following questions will help you how to work with a virtual assistant efficiently. These are background questions or basic selection criteria, skill questions, and teamwork questions.

• “Do you already have another job?
• “What is your favorite way to communicate?”
• “Will you work from home or anywhere else?”
• “What do you consider your best skills and strengths?
• “Which ones are your weaknesses?”
• “On a scale from 1-10, can you rate your XYZ skills?”
• “Can send me examples of your work?”
• “How do you manage working with difficult team members?”

5. Shortlisting candidates

First, make a list of things or qualities you can’t hire a virtual assistant without and use this as a guideline. You’ll be able to narrow down the number of applicants that you would consider for final interview. During the video call, check their communication skills, their personality, the way they present themselves, and how they respond to potential issues.

Related article: How to Hire a Virtual Assistant

How-to Tips for Using a Virtual Assistant

6. Define expectations

To set clear expectations, you need to conduct a trial with them or a demo work by completing an example task that they would do. This also means that you can put up a detailed list of the steps they need to take to complete your task.

7. Start with relatively easy, minor tasks

Don’t give a critical assignment right away. Delegate smaller tasks first so you can take a look at the VAs work process and determine the best ways to communicate with each other. Always ask the assistants if they understand the task and if they have other questions.

8. Using English with non-native speakers

Philippine virtual assistants are known for speaking/writing English better than other countries in terms of outsourcing. But you shouldn’t use complex terminology and keep your language as simple as possible.

9. Decide how often you’ll touch base with your VA

Effective communication as one of virtual assistant tips to success can be achieved by setting time that would work for both the client and the VA. As part of their work, the assistants are required to send an end-of-the-day (EOD) report but you may want to schedule a daily or weekly phone call with them to suit your needs.

10. Utilize the right tools

Don’t expect that the virtual assistant could do all of the work manually. You can help them increase their productivity by using the right tools either online or offline.

11. Train your virtual assistant

Bring your VA up to speed on the systems you use in your business. This is where you show them your systems and their personal access to the online tools they’ll be using. And because you may have processes unique to your business, you should spend some time training your virtual staff so they can learn them all.

12. Keep files in the cloud

Using a cloud storage like Google Drive or Dropbox is a practical way to manage files between you and the virtual assistant. Create a shared folder so you can easily transfer and track the flow of both work and files.

13. Consider logistical issues

Other virtual assistant tips for entrepreneurs include being ready for any logistical challenges when working with an assistant from the Philippines. This can be a scheduled or sudden power outage, and slow internet connection.

That’s why it’s critical to find a dedicated company for hiring a virtual assistant. Not only this VA provider pre-screens candidates if they have fast reliable Internet connection, but they also track and manage each of the VAs to ensure that they are on-time and on-task.

14. Ask for ideas and suggestions

In the beginning, the VA may not volunteer feedback unless asked. Feel free to ask for feedback and recommendations during your periodic touch bases. Also ask if the he or she has any suggestions regarding how to handle the task better or faster. Most of the time, they may have developed shortcuts while working with previous client, or he or she may have fresh ideas and experience that you don’t know about.

15. Build a relationship

Finally, you can also establish a strong bond with your VA by spending time asking about their hobbies and such. Common questions to ask are, “What do you do for fun?”, or “How do you spend your weekends?”, “Do you have any siblings or children?”…

Hiring and working with the right virtual assistant has never been this easy with the help of ongoing HR support and monitoring team. Though you have to be smart with your choices, it’s always advantageous to outsource from a BBB accredited company and backed with VA replacement guarantee.

Since 2009, Virtual Assistant Talent provides the best virtual assistant staffing services to help professionals from different industries such as the real estate, insurance, small business, coaching/consulting, and executive leadership.

Do you have any questions about virtual assistant duties you’re considering to outsource? CALL US at 1-866-596-9041 and discover how our highly qualified and trained virtual assistants can help in your everyday tasks and objectives.

References:
freeeup.com
upwork.com
thevirtualhub.com
timedoctor.com

People who are active users of search engines and social media platforms have literally created digital resumes and have left digital footprints with every click. The World Wide Web (www) houses all of these traces and activities.

What is Skip Tracing?

So, as a business owner, how do you put this information into good use? This is where online skip tracing comes in. Skip tracing is a method used to search and verify a person’s demographics. The process involves using tools and sites to gather and validate as much data as you can on a person or business of interest.

Who Utilizes Skip Tracing?

Many working individuals, professionals, entrepreneurs and businesses use skip tracing for different purposes. It can be used for…

• Lead generation
• Sales marketing
• Debt collection
• Business ventures
• Real estate

#SkipTracing is very similar to #research – it requires time to achieve desired results.
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Save your valuable hours for the juicier aspects of managing your business and leave your lead generation and data gathering troubles by utilizing skip tracing services. Your Lead Generation or Skip Tracer VA is trained in scouring the web for digital footprints so you don’t have to learn and do it yourself.

Free Skip Tracing Tools

1. Search Engines – Google, Yahoo! and Bing are the top 3 search engines that people use. Before looking for unpopular or paid sites, use these search engines first to locate your subject by keying in his full name, address and other information you have prepared.

These search engines also have an Advanced Search where you can specify whether you want results to be exactly as you’ve entered them or find pages that contain such search words.

2. Social Media Platforms – Sharing information online is now easier and faster with the help of social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Social media profiles are like online resumes. Users add everything from their full name up to current employment. Check ins and posts also confirm their current location.
3. Blog and WordPress Sites – Another tool where people share almost everything is a blog or a WordPress site. These sites are usually made by the owner himself or herself and usually include an “about me” page. Bloggers share their day-to-day experience, stories from the past or a recent travel stunt.
4. Online Directories – Skip tracing tools and techniques such as SkipEase and Spokeo pull up information from telecommunications services providers so you can either search for your subject’s full name or telephone number to get or verify additional information.
5. Email Checkers – Check if your lists of email addresses are valid by using email checker sites like www.email-checker.com and www.emailsherlock.com.

Paid Skip Tracing Tools

6. LocatePlus.com – This site offers unlimited person search for less than $2.50 per day. LocatePLUS online investigative databases allow users to access billions of public and non-public skip tracing records and information from any internet browser.
7. SkipSmasher.com – Founded on 2004, Skip Smasher is the only top people-search data service that is owned and operated by a licensed private investigator. It uses a unique approach of being limited to searches just for finding and identifying people, phone numbers, addresses and more.
   Customers use the services for a range of purposes from skip-tracing to fraud investigation/prevention to service of process and vehicle repossessions. Users must submit an online application to start.
8. SkipGenie.com – Skip Genie prides itself as the “Ultimate Skip Tracing For Investors” – a virtually exclusive way to easily reach home sellers and negotiate deals. Users can locate hard-to-find sellers within minutes by getting landlines, mobiles, emails, and addresses. This skip trace software starts at $47 per month.
9. TLO.com – TLOxp provides insights for: Debt recovery, Identity authentication, Investigation, Corporate risk management and due diligence, Threat assessment, Fraud detection and prevention, and Legislative compliance. Its advanced linking algorithms scour billions of public and proprietary records on an estimated 95% of the U.S. population.
10. BellesLink.com – BellesLink is made for Real Estate Investors, Skip Tracing Pros, Lawyers & Investigators, and Repossessors & Forwarders. The site is perfect for any business that needs to skip trace current phone numbers and addresses. Flat-rate price is $99.95 per user/per month.

With all theses available tools, the likelihood of you finding people is very high. Imagine how long it would take you to gather all of this information on your own?

But, using a Lead Generation Virtual Assistant or Skip Tracer VA will save you time that you can spend making more money for your business. The VAs can help perform skip tracing tasks for you and generate highly qualified leads that you can convert into sales.

Virtual Assistant Talent is one of the leading providers of talented and efficient Online Assistant Services. CALL US at 1-866-596-9041 to learn more.

We would love to hear if these tips worked for you! If you have questions or any Business Outsourcing related success stories, please leave a comment below.

References:

• collectionadvisor.com
• recoverycourse.com

Well, it’s time for a change! You don’t have go through all the traditional motions in order to build an amazing team. Think outside of the box and revolutionize the way you build and run your company.

For starters, you can outsource from areas with lower average wage, saving on the payroll. Find out how hiring a customer service virtual assistant can be a smart move for your business…

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What is Virtual Customer Support?

A virtual customer support is simply a personal assistant who works remotely to do basic business tasks. He or she can be your virtual secretary taking care of all the repetitive admin work that normally forms part of your day-to-day activities. Virtual assistants or VAs help you leverage your time so you can focus more on profit-producing, high priority activities.

Top 10 Reasons Why Hiring A Virtual Customer Support Is Beneficial

1. A Very Cost Effective Way to Add Help

Obviously, the number one reason is you can save money. When you outsource virtual assistant who is working from his or her own location, you don’t get to spend on overhead expenses in the process.

Think about the primary needs you don’t have to worry about when you don’t need a physical office–rent, utilities, office furniture, supplies, and other necessary things for your customer support team.

Talented #virtual professionals are already built tough to operate independently.
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2. You Can Better Manage Your Time

Rather than being tied to your desk answering customer queries, you can have your calls taken for you. Using a virtual CSR can be very beneficial to your time and you can still stay in touch with what’s been happening throughout the day. You can also prioritize the issues based on what needs to be attended to first.

3. Ability to Work Anytime When Needed

Because of the availability and affordable cost, the dedicated provider of virtual assistant services can be a huge improvement to your business. Customers can get help even when the owners and other office staff are off from work.

With virtual executive assistants, a business can easily cover the 24-hour time span during the day. This will allow customers to access full support any time they need.

4. Improves the Quality of Your Customer Service

General admin assistants offer support with everything from basic tasks to project management. Today’s virtual support agents can provide you with a resource that is knowledgeable, experienced, and profitable.

The type of VA you hire should depend on what skill sets you need to achieve your business goals. If you have multiple customer support needs in your business such as taking orders and technical support, you should tailor your job request to find the person that is right for the job.

I found that using a #VA was so much more productive that it was well worth the additional investment. ~Michael Hyatt, CEO of Thomas Nelson
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5. Customer Inquiries Are Always Handled

Worrying about the office receptionist going on vacation? Calls not always answered during and after business hours? Worry no more.

Outsourcing your phone/email support ensures your customers receive the help they need when they need it. This will make them more satisfied with your service!

6. Reduces Workload on Full Time Staff

Keep everyone happy by outsourcing your virtual customer service representative. Your full-time employees already have enough work to fill up their work plate and adding more can make them resent their jobs (see #8).

7. Maintain a Professional Brand

A prompt service will always give clients and customers a good impression. Calls that are answered quickly and professionally give your business a great image that they love.

A virtual customer service assistant not only brings professionalism to your client base, but they also represent the name of your company and will either take a message or relay the call to you or anyone in your team.

FACT: There are a million things that need your focus and #CustomerSupport can easily fall low on the priority list.
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8. Reduces Turnover Rates

A stressful environment is one of the factors that trigger employees to seek work elsewhere. That’s why every employer or business owner strives for creating a happy and relaxing workplace for his or her people.

For example, the daily grind of commute can put your staff in a bad state of mind before they even get to the office. Cutting the lost free time, cost of gas, and bus fares, from daily travel out of the equation can make your team work happier everyday.

Adding a virtual customer service agent who work from the comforts of his or her home can help you retain the support you need for your business operation.

9. Flexible and Scalable Enough to Suit Your Business

The good thing about working with independent contractors is that you can easily scale the size of your support team to suit shifts in your company operation.

If the need arises, you can expand your staff for specific assignments or long-term projects. Better yet, you can choose to condense your customer support team into a streamlined operation by assigning multiple tasks to these talented VAs.

10. Accelerates the Hiring Process

Many of the HR Managers have observed that the traditional hiring process can be a very time-consuming task compared to hiring an online assistant.

This is because they have to juggle several face-to-face interviews and long waiting periods between candidates. Sometimes, it can take up a couple of months to fill a position when hiring locally.

But hiring online customer service only takes about two to three days. You can review their CVs and setup an interview via phone or Skype – a much faster way to build your team, right?

If you are overwhelmed by the clutter in your life and work, you can start utilizing virtual customer assistants to help with your daily activities.

The Virtual Customer Support Assistants Handles the Following:

• Appointment Setting
• Calendar management
• Making calls on your behalf (inbound/outbound)
• Prospecting
• Customer support
• Voicemail management
• Email management
• Chat/phone/email support
• Data Entry
• Conduct Research for White Papers
• Search for Call for Speakers
• Database/CRM management
• Create Power Point Presentation
• Bookkeeping
• Personal online errands such as restaurant reservations, travel booking, online shopping
• Transcribe audio or voice
• Other miscellaneous tasks that you need to be handled

Virtual Assistant Talent is one of the leading providers of talented and efficient customer service virtual assistant services. CALL US at 1-866-596-9041 to learn more.

We would love to hear if these tips worked for you! If you have questions or any Business Outsourcing related success stories, please leave a comment below.

References:

upwork.com
customerthink.com
aircall.io
taskbullet.com
socialmediaweek.org

In this post, we gathered some growth hacking techniques for small business owners so they can get more done in less time. These are some tips you can use to improve and maximize productivity and revenue at your small business.

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Top 19 Ideas for Business Growth Hacking

1. Prioritize YOUR ITEMS on your to-do list

Clearly one of the most important hacks for small business owners is to go through a to-do list and determine the most important tasks that only YOU can do or that are imperative to your day-to-day operations.

These are the most urgent tasks that should go at the top. More long-term projects and plans can go on a separate list so that they don’t distract or overwhelm you from those more urgent items. Identify what those duties are and proceed to #2…

2. Do the most important tasks, and DELEGATE the rest

Delegating work to your team members can give you more time to concentrate on your CORE FUNCTION. Find team members or professional virtual assistant services who can handle the mundane assignments that would otherwise take up much of your day like answering phone, replying to emails, calling prospects, etc.

3. AUTOMATE your email communications

Automation of emails is heaven-sent and is always at the top of productivity hacks. Email marketing improves your communication with your customers and followers. For example, every time a visitor signs up to your newsletter, they receive an email that you prepared in advance.

By automating these pre-customized emails, you enhance your engagement with page visitors and build stronger relationships with them while saving loads of time on manual sending. One thing to remember is, do not use your personal email for marketing.

There are tons of email marketing tools online with ready-made email templates, like MailChimp, Constant Contact or Klaviyo. The process is totally straightforward; you customize a template, create triggers, and program the email to send at your preferred time.

4. Get the LEAST desirable tasks out of the way before lunch

Another growth hacks for startups is to do what you don’t want to do. Everybody dreads something in his or her job and anything that you dislike is going to cause you more stress than other tasks.

So it’s best to get those things out of the way early. Commit to finish those pesky items before lunch so that you can take a break as a reward for completing them.

5. Do ONE thing well

Instead of trying to do it all, it’s better to do one thing exceptionally well. Start with the most effective strategy when you’re constrained by time and resources. If you focus all your efforts to one piece that you are particularly strong at, it will make a difference for your business.

6. Learn to say NO to offers that don’t fit with your objectives

When you take on extra projects that don’t fit with your business’s main goals, it can be a huge drain on your time and resources. It might be difficult to say “no” but it’s necessary to ensure that you and your team stay as productive as possible. Small business hacks include saying NO even to your partners or other collaborators and focusing only on the most essential activities.

7. Set a timer for time-consuming tasks

First, outline exactly how much time you plan to spend on tasks that take too long to do at once. If you have those ones that need to be broken up throughout the day, set a timer when you start doing them so you don’t get caught up and forget to look at the other items on your list.

8. Schedule your social media posts

Leveraging social media is another growth hacking marketing that a small business owner should take advantage with. Promoting social content online should couple with frequent and consistent posting.

Scheduling tools like Hootsuite and Buffer allows you to create your posts in advance and set up a publishing time. Facebook also has its own internal scheduling tool. This way, you maintain an active social presence by increasing engagement and reach. Truly, it’s a one-stop-shop for this type of work, maximizing your productivity.

9. Complete quick and easy tasks right away

When you have small tasks like quick phone calls or emails that inevitable, do them right away. It can help your productivity to get those things and cross them out your to-do list early. Or again, hire virtual office assistant to do these basic, repetitive tasks so you can focus all of your energy on just one or two major projects throughout the rest of the day.

10. Be like Facebook: Evolve

Getting and keeping customers is pure hard work and dedication. If people are coming in the front door and leaving through the back door, that’s bad marketing. Try to do something that Facebook, the social media giant, does. They have created a series of additional addictive features so the users keep on coming back.

11. Manage your email inbox

Boomerang for Gmail schedules emails to automatically send based on criteria you set.

12. Collaborate and manage projects

At Virtual Assistant Talent, we use Trello to manage our workflow. It’s a great tool for file sharing, project management, automation and centralized communication. Also check out Slack or Pivotal Tracker as alternatives.

13. Stay off social media during the day

Rather than checking your personal accounts constantly, it can be beneficial if you stay off of social media throughout the workday if possible. And for any business related accounts, you should set aside time to schedule posts and respond to inquiries on social media.

14. Focus first on acquiring customers. Then make the product addictive

Instead of putting all of your energy into traditional marketing avenues that a Fortune 500 company would invest in, like utilizing media and running ads, use that money and time to add value to your product.

In the early days of a growing business, the best thing a company can do is make its product more addictive and add make it viral into the experience.

15. Make sure all meetings have clear agenda

Avoid getting trapped in unproductive meetings by cutting out those that don’t have clear agendas. Meetings can be absolutely necessary for keeping your team on track and your clients happy. But unfortunately, they can also be huge time wasters.

Not only should every meeting have a purpose, but it should also have a strict schedule that outlines which items to discuss when.

16. Get clutter off your desk

This one is a no-brainer. Clear and organize your workstation so you can find an important document easily whenever you are on a project. It can even be difficult to get started on some projects if you’re distracted by messy surroundings. So set up a simple filing system and try to keep your desk as clear as possible.

17. Give your team a clear direction from the start

As a small business owner, you can only get so much done on your own. But your team can help you accomplish much more, if you allow them.

Give them clear instructions for their specific duties and projects so that they can work more independently instead of constantly coming to you to ask questions or get approval. This way your productivity and theirs can go smoothly.

18. Schedule breaks and exercises

You also need regular breaks throughout the day to keep your mind sharp. It’s helpful to schedule a few quick breaks everyday to get up and walk or stretch. You can do a series of 90 minutes of work and a 20-minute break. You can even set an alarm or timer so that you don’t forget.

19. Unplug completely when a beating a deadline

Last but not the least, when you’re working on tasks that are approaching strict deadlines, it may be necessary for you to avoid potential distractions online. What you can do is log off on your social media accounts and other interests so you can potentially get more done if you work offline for short periods of time until you get those projects completed.

Interested in utilizing virtual assistants but not sure where to start? Check out our VA services and see how our highly qualified and trained virtual executive assistants can assist in your everyday tasks and objectives. CALL 1-866-596-9041.

We would love to hear if these growth hack ideas worked for you! If you have questions or any Small Business related success stories, please leave a comment below.

Reference:
https://smallbiztrends.com/2017/02/improving-productivity-small-business.html
https://www.wix.com/blog/2017/01/useful-hacks-for-small-business-managers/
https://www.salesforceiq.com/blog/ready-to-grow-your-business-in-2017-5-growth-hacking-tips
https://www.bigcommerce.com/blog/productivity-tips-small-business-owners/

LinkedIn is an extremely useful tool not just for networking, but also for searching jobs and pooling candidates. Professionals also use LinkedIn for lead generation—especially when you know the key tricks to properly leverage your profile page.

In this article, we’ll learn 21 tips for optimizing your profile to enable you to get the most from the platform.

21 Steps to Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile

Note Before You Edit: Turn off the Activity Broadcast

Go to Settings/Privacy and turn off activity broadcast before you update your profile. This is done so you don’t flood the newsfeed with every edit notification you make. Don’t forget to turn it back on when you are finished editing.

1. Complete All Sections

Your LinkedIn profile is your online portfolio, so it is imperative to fill in all the sections and complete the information. To achieve an ‘All-Star’ status you have to add the following:

• Your industry and location
• Current position
• At least two past positions
• Your education information
• A minimum of three skills
• At least 50 connections

2. Professional Profile Picture

A headshot is the best professional profile picture. Have a high quality recent photo of yourself that you can also display in multiple social media channels like Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ to help build your personal brand.

Adding a LinkedIn profile photo could result in 14x more profile views.
Click To Tweet

• Ideal size is between 200×200 to 500×500 pixels
• Make sure width or height doesn’t exceed 4000 pixels

3. Short and Informative Summary

Make the most of 2,000 characters for your Summary and use it wisely. It is recommended to write in first person when describing who you are and what you do. Show that you are an interesting and a go-to individual. Most importantly, talk about what you can provide and what pain points you address.

4. Contact Information

This section should never be left incomplete. Make it easy for people who want to know more about you to get in touch. Contact information should include the following:

• Email address
• Phone number
• Company or personal URL
• Twitter/Facebook or other social media handle

5. Customize Vanity URL

Instead of using the default URL that you get when creating your LinkedIn account, customize one like this: www.linkedin.com/in/johndoe

Using your first and last name or a companywide format is more SEO friendly because it helps your profile rank higher in Google. This also makes it easier for people to find and remember you. You can use up to 30 characters.

 5. SEO in Mind

Get found on LinkdIn by using key terms that people will most likely search for when looking for your products or services. Add these keywords to throughout your profile and to various sections such as:

• Summary
• Skills and Specialties
• Job title
• Experience
• Personal interests

The 2,000-character limit of the summary area is an excellent space to include relevant keywords that your prospects may be looking for.

7. Keywords in Headline

The headline appears in a number of areas in LinkedIn like when you post something or message someone. It’s the first thing that people see in your profile so you want it to be more descriptive.

Headline is one of the most important sections in your LinkedIn profile. Clearly state your role, the benefits you bring, and the types of people you serve in a 120-character tagline.

8. Profile Background Image

Incorporate branding in your background image by customizing an image with your company logo and contact info. You can also have a VA do some mockups you can choose from.

9. Showcase Your Experience

LinkedIn now allows users to showcase Projects, which is an opportunity to exhibit your expertise and range of skills. So if you’ve worked in the same company for years, you will want to flesh out all the projects and case studies you have done and display them in your profile.

10. Add Skills And Endorsements

Skills and endorsements are important to your profile in terms of search results. The more endorsements you get for your listed skills, the more likely that you’ll come up in the search results when someone is searching for that specific type of strength.

LinkedIn lets you list up to 50 skills. Once you have added skills, people can endorse you for them.

11. Get Recommendations

Encourage your colleagues, management, vendors, and clients or customers to recommend you. It’s a great way to boost credibility and trust and can serve as professional references.

Research shows that 46.4% of people rely on reputation-based referrals.
Click To Tweet

Each person that writes you a recommendation will have a thumbnail of their photo right next to their quote.

12. Create Custom Links For Web Pages

Don’t list the default “website” but brand it with your company/business name or blog name to make those links more appealing.

For example if you run a blog, customize it to include keywords that indicate what it is about like, “Virtual Assistant Help Blog or Virtual Assistant Talent, LLC Blog.” Each profile can display up to three website links like this

13. Rearrange Your Profile

LinkedIn enables you to reorder the sections of your profile by using drag and drop function. When in edit mode on your profile, hover your mouse over the title of each section. Your mouse will turn into a four-arrowed cursor, at which point you can click then drag and put to another position on your profile

14. Add Projects

Projects work best for consultants, coaches, or freelancers. LinkedIn allows you to name your project and input a URL. This then turns the title of the project into a hyperlink, leading the viewer to the project’s page and thus visiting your website.

You can relate your project to your current or past position. A project is evidence that you are an expert in that field. You can also add “Team Members” if are connected to your collaborators on LinkedIn.

15. Join Niche-Related Groups

Find and join groups relevant to your niche, profession and industry. Create your own group as well. As the owner of a group, you have privileges such as being able to email members once per week.

Be an active participant in your major groups. This will get your profile noticed by other industry connections.

According to LinkedIn, your profile is 5x more likely to be viewed if you join and are active in groups.
Click To Tweet

16. Build Your Network with Connections

Now you are ready to start on building your network. Make sure to personalize any requests to connect with how you know the person or who you have in common. A great start is inviting your past and present clients, colleagues, friends or even prospects.

If you connect with someone that may not know you well, you can say something like you saw them speak at a major conference or that you have purchased their book, etc.

17. Active Posting

Strengthen your LinkedIn presence and build your connections by participating in groups, posting status updates, publishing posts, and sharing/commenting to your connections post.

By being active you will be seen by more people. Always remember to contribute quality articles rather than always pitching sales as connections will most likely share your posts and engage with your discussions.

Providing value gives you opportunity to establish yourself as an industry expert and thought leader. This way, you can also get more connection requests from extended network.

18. Add Rich Media

Photos, illustrations, videos, and documents add a visual appeal and will make your profile stand out from others. Publish media samples to the Summary, Experience, and Education sections on your page.

Adding such rich media gives you a chance to show concrete examples of your best work.

19. LinkedIn as a CRM Tool

LinkedIn can be a powerful CRM tool with its tagging feature. It allows you to segment your connections. Once you’ve made the connection, you have the option to “tag” them into certain categories/folders. Then, you can target messages to individuals or groups of people.

20. Symbols and Bullets

Use bullets and symbols in your LinkedIn page to create bite-size information and help readers absorb your content effectively. Use it sparingly so as not to appear spammy and unprofessional.

21. Additional Information

Awards, Volunteer Experience, Organizations and Causes You Care About are excellent areas to demonstrate your personal side. Remember, what you do out of the office says as much about you as anything else. In fact…

LinkedIn says 42% of hiring managers surveyed said they view volunteer experience equal to formal work experience.
Click To Tweet

Categories such as Interests, Publications, and Honors & Awards also contribute to a higher search ranking.

There is power in numbers—and quality content! When you efficiently optimize your LinkedIn profile and add more connections, you’ll have the foundation for an effective social selling strategy.

Amplify your LinkedIn marketing strategy and join our upcoming FREE Webinar Training!

• For Business Owners: Marketing on Linkedin.com for Business Owners
  Wednesday, March 15 at 8AM-9AM PST (11AM-12PM EST)
  https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8103839782577416449

• For Insurance Agents: Marketing on Linkedin.com for Insurance Agents
  Thursday, March 16 at 8AM-9AM PST (11AM-12PM EST)
  https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2292007135618632961

• For Network Marketers: Marketing on Linkedin.com for Network Marketers
  Thursday, March 23 at 8AM-9AM PST (11AM-12PM EST)
  https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6615289055o57175553

I would love to hear if these tips worked for you! If you have questions or any LinkedIn related success stories, please leave a comment below.

Resources:
https://www.linkedin.com/
https://hingemarketing.com/blog/
http://www.investopedia.com/articles/

Related: Virtual Assistant Outsourcing in the Philippines

Photo credit: fourhourworkweek.com

The book became a massive hit and continues to influence a lot of entrepreneurs and professionals to take advantage of the outsourcing life by using virtual assistants (VA). After all, it should have a positive impact on both your business and personal life and you should be able to conduct business online and work smarter from your computer remotely.

The New Rich (NR)

Tim refers the “New Rich” to be neither the boss nor the employee, but the owner. To own the business and have someone else run the gamut from operations to sales.

So, who is the New Rich?

• A business owner who eliminates the least profitable customers and projects, outsources all operations entirely, and travels the world, all while working remotely on a website to showcase his or her own illustration work.
• An employee who rearranges his schedule and negotiates a remote work agreement to achieve 90% of the results in one-tenth of the time, which frees him to practice sky diving and take road trips with his family two weeks per month.

You see, time will keep moving on, no matter what we do. But when you start automating businesses, feel less pressure while doing tasks you don’t enjoy, and generating monthly income with zero management—you are getting somewhere. You are starting to live more and work less!

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The framework of the 4-Hour Workweek lifestyle is structured under the acronym DEAL.

1. Definition: Replace self-defeating assumptions.
2. Elimination: Learn to ignore the unimportant (provides time)
3. Automation: Learn to put cash flow on autopilot. (provides income)
4. Liberation: Create freedom of location. (provides mobility)

Eliminate, then Try to Automate

Outsource your life to overseas virtual assistants for as low as $8 per hour and do whatever you want. You don’t want to spend most of your time on answering customer service calls and emails.

When you can afford to, hire people to do what you cannot, or do not, want to do.~Scott Alan Turner
Click To Tweet

One concern people have is the expense. But Tim’s reply to that is to consider what an hour of your time is worth. If you could pay $50 each week to have Friday off, wouldn’t you do it?

Takeaway: Going with a Virtual Assistant services company rather than a single VA gives you a backup in case one person becomes unavailable.

Related: Virtual Assistant Talent Can Do It For you

Income autopilot

Imagine going to sleep every night and still make money; travel to Europe on vacation or do grocery shopping at Walmart—all while making money. The key to income autopilot is:

• Having a website to sell products all the time

OR –

• Hiring someone to manage your business, so you don’t have to

Takeaway: Find a way to let your business run without you. A web designer VA can create an online store for you and an admin/sales assistant can manage it. If you were going to leave for that dream vacation next week – what would you do to make sure the business carries on?

Less is not Laziness

The outsourcing life also means to delegate the repetitive, non-income generating tasks. Focus on being productive instead of busy. By working only when you are most effective, life is both more productive and more enjoyable.

Our culture tends to reward personal sacrifice instead of personal productivity. But doing less meaningless work, so that you can focus on things of greater importance is NOT laziness.

Bring Out Strengths, Outsource Weaknesses

Many of us are good at a number of things but quite poor at most. It is far more profitable and fun to leverage your strengths instead of attempting to do all including your weak spots.

So instead of spending three hours of unimportant email to reply to or draining your energy dealing with “difficult” customers, have a virtual assistant take care of them all.

+++++++++++++++++++

If you are looking to outsource daily business tasks, contact us at 866-596-9041 and we will help you. Virtual Assistant Talent is not just a regular outsourcing company. We help with the process and provide the best talented VAs and manage their activities.

We offer niche specific VAs to fit your industry and we help entrepreneurs in general to launch or re-launch new product and services. Popular clients are:

• Real estate agents/investors
• Insurance agents
• Small Business Owners
• Start-ups
• C-level Executives
• Professionals

As an example we offer a full scope of services such as:

• Website creation and maintenance
• Integrating website with 3rd party email service
• Lead generation / email list building
• Set up social media accounts
• SEO/PPC Ads
• Managing day to day business activities
• Answering phone calls
• Send/Reply emails
• Chat support

And as you get all the leads coming in, our skilled virtual executive assistants will also do the follow-up to help convert these leads into sales.

You won’t probably replicate every single thing Tim Ferris recommends (since we all have our own respective situations) but you can definitely use the same principles to get the same results.

It’s all about having a lifestyle of complete freedom by using the currencies of time and mobility!

References:
www.fourhourworkweek.com
www.scottalanturner.com
www.deconstructingexcellence.com

Top 3 Reasons Why:

• Email is made for business.
• People guard their email accounts, so engagement is much higher.
• Email is more popular than social media. You’re competing with “fun” on social networks.

Litmus, an email marketing analytics company, reported that email regularly offers better value for every dollar spent than search and paid ads:

Here’s the downside:

An email marketing database degrades by about 22.5% every year. -HubSpot
Click To Tweet

People’s email addresses change as they work from one company to another or opt-out of your email communication. It can also be because they are no longer using that old email address for a long time.

The solution is, keep your numbers moving up and to the right…

Make sure to constantly add fresh contacts to your email marketing campaigns.
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If you’re looking to hire virtual assistant to actually work on building your mailing list, here are 13 creative ways a VA can do to increase the number of your email contacts.

Mailing List Building: How to Grow Your Email Database at No Cost

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Before anything else, one must remember one thing: Your content needs to be amazing. Create remarkable email composition if you want people to stay subscribed and be encouraged to forward your emails to their friends.

1. Identify the Best Locations for Opt-in Forms On Your Website

Keep your offers up front, and place opt-in forms where they count.
Click To Tweet

Include calls-to-action that capture email signups throughout your website.

Key places to consider are:

• Feature Box or Pop-up Box
• Homepage – typically top of the sidebar
• Main page of your blog
• Bottom of Article (Below the Footer)
• ‘About Us’ page
• ‘Contact Us’ page

Also create ‘Hub’ Pages to address an important topic in your industry. Link to 5-10 pieces of your best content (on a particular subject). This is a win for both of you and the readers since they can zero in on the best content on your site they are interested at. You can then include an opt-in box for continual updates.

Incite Subscriber Hype Using Email

Gain access to fresh networks by encouraging your current email subscribers to share and forward your emails. Social sharing buttons are popular among their friends and colleagues who might sign up for your list.

2. Add an “Email to a Friend” Button in your Emails.

“Subscribe” is a great CTA to add at the bottom of your emails. Just a simple text-based link so that those receiving the forwarded emails can easily opt-in, too.

3. Create Multiple Email Subscriptions Types

Send more targeted content to specific segments of your marketing personas. Recipients are more likely to click through emails that have been targeted at them. Creating multiple, targeted subscription types can increase the chance that visitors will subscribe to one of them.

4. Promote Online Contests

Have people sign up or submit entries using their email address. Contests that offer a free giveaway are a good start. Don’t forget to promote your contest on social.

5. Have a Stale Email List? Do an Opt-in Campaign Reinforcement

Create an exciting opt-in message and send it to your older list. Motivate contacts who wish to re-opt-in and promise to remove all contacts who don’t respond.

Why? Because emailing only engaged contacts could improve your deliverability. This can also increase the chances of your email getting shared with those outside your current database.

6. Add a Link to your Team’s Signatures

Make your employees add a link in their signatures that leads people to a landing page where they can sign up for your mailing list.

Create Extra Lead Generation Offers – With New Content

Downloadable resources can be an exceptional source of new email leads. They also provide useful information that helps prospects get more use out of your product or service.

7. Create Free Downloads

Require visitors to provide their email address in order to download your freebies like an ebook or whitepaper. Other opt-in downloadable can be:

• Video series
• PDFs
• An archive of content
• An audio download
• A free template

Using Social Media

Social media virtual assistants can setup your social media accounts like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, etc. These are some campaigns a VA can do:

8. Promote Lead-gen Offers on Twitter

Create a Twitter campaign to promote an ebook or a freebie your followers can get in exchange of their email address.

9. Use your Facebook Page to Endorse an Offer

Promote offers on your Timeline that requires an email address submission. Add social sharing buttons to the landing pages and thank-you pages so your leads can also share those offers.

10. Add a CTA button to the top of your Facebook Business Page

Link the call-to-action button to a landing page that needs an email address for access.

11. Publish Articles with Links on your LinkedIn Account

Share posts with targeted URLs in your newsfeed, LinkedIn company page or in appropriate and relevant LinkedIn group discussions.

Related: How to Use LinkedIn to Market and Generate Leads For Your Business

12. Collect Email Addresses at Meetup Events

Face-to-face events like trade shows can generate a pool of new leads you can import into your database. Be sure to send these contacts a welcome email that confirms their opt-in to your mailing list.

13. Host Your Own In-person Events

Create and organize your own Meetup groups, conferences, forums, educational panels, etc., and collect registrations online using email addresses.

Most of these useful hacks are not complicated or difficult to implement. The key is to take charge of your email list-building efforts from as many angles as possible. As you develop your email list with fresh, opt-in contacts, you’ll be able to cultivate them with middle-of-the-funnel offers that allow you to convert leads into actual sales.

Email marketing provides the most direct line of communication for turning leads into sales, which is why the savviest entrepreneurs have no intention of giving it up any time soon.

Register for our Upcoming FREE Webinar on How to Use LinkedIn to market your business and generate new prospects each month!
We will cover proven techniques on how to leverage your LinkedIn.com account to generate new prospects and build your email marketing lists.

This webinar will feature Ken Varga, who has built 35 successful, profitable businesses in his career of 38 years. One of Ken’s off-line businesses had over 460,000 ongoing customers. He has also developed and sold multiple businesses for over 9 figures.

Sign up for one of our upcoming webinars that is most applicable to your business:

For Business Owners:  Wednesday, November 09, 2016 from 8:00am-9:00am PST / 11:00am-12:00pm EST

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/7292910370967727876

For Insurance Agents: Thursday, November 10, 2016 from 8:00am-9:00am PST / 11:00am-12:00pm EST

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6635610225255493124

For Network Marketers: Wednesday, November 16, 2016 from 8:00am-9:00am PST / 11:00am-12:00pm EST

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6557567989427615748

References:

http://blog.hubspot.com/
https://www.helpscout.net/

What is MeetUp?
Been around for over 12 years now, MeetUp.com is the world’s largest network of local groups. It makes it easy for anyone to organize a local group or find one in which people meet in person. Involving a live event is one of the terms and conditions that Meetup groups must adhere to.

The network boasts of impressive stats as follows:

As of this writing, there are 7,145 Meetups Happening Now. Many of these groups are focused around causes or events, each one with the goal of improving themselves, communities, and make a difference.

Ready to reach out to new local prospects with the potential to become loyal customers? Look no further.

7 Ways to Use #MeetUp to Promote Your Business
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1. Create Own Business Target Personas

To start off, you need to fully understand the kind of personas you want to target with your business. On Meetup, one can have more than one persona for their customers. This will give you a good idea of what sort of activities and events to launch for each persona.

Once you do this, you can then start to create several descriptions that will entice prospects to join your Meetup group and engage with other members.

2. Start a Meetup Intended for Each Persona

There are times that a business will have more than one persona. For example, a restaurant can target customers who just want to eat but at the same time, they can also offer culinary studies to those who would like to learn how to cook.

As of now, you can lead up to three Meetup groups on a single account so if you have different customer personas, it’s best to create a separate Meetup group for each one. You can then customize each of the events and activities you put together to suit each persona.

Create and promote events that will give each group a taste of your business’s ability to accommodate their specific needs. Provide a catchy name for each of the groups that represent the audience you want to attract well.

The organizer of Hudson Valley Hikers describes it as an extremely active group with hikes every weekend for people who like being outside, hiking, backpacking, camping, kayaking, cycling, mountaineering, rock / ice climbing, caving, etc.

3. Start Forming Connections

Join Meetup groups and meet members. Don’t pitch too soon. Instead, get a feel for the individual group, its interests and offer costless but helpful information.

They will be drawn to know what other knowledge you have in store for them. As a plus, they will most likely to spread the word about what you know and what you are doing.

4. Activate Your Social Media Presence

Set up social media pages like a Facebook Group, Twitter account, or Instagram for your Meetup Group to give them another way to keep in touch and get updates about upcoming events.

5. Build an Email List

Meetup is a pool of future subscribers. Encourage members to join the list. Then send out notifications of new events to all members. Members can also download the Meetup app on their smartphones so they don’t miss out on notifications.

6. Freebies! – Give Out Free Information & Samples to Meetup Groups.

Everybody loves free stuff. So during the events, make sure as a group organizer that you will pass along some freebies to other members.

You can then simply include your company’s contact information for each of the giveaways so Meetup members can easily reach you.

7. Promote Your Meetup Group

You can easily promote your event because Meetup.com will display it to local visitors when they’re searching for Meetups within your city. You can do the following to give your group a head start:

• Use an attractive header image
  
• Write an introduction that defines exactly what you’re organizing and for whom – This will be the first thing that new members of your group see, so make sure it attracts the right kind of people.
• Add two of your most active members as Organizers so that they have an access to promote your group to their own social networks.
• Print up flyers to announce your local Meetup event and post them in your neighborhood. Motivate members to take their friends along and invite more to join your group.

For example, if you are a business coach who helps entrepreneurs increase their profits and improve their trade, you can organize a workshop for these owners so that they get an appetite for more information. Eventually, you will introduce the concept and importance of business coaching.

Groups like the New York Entrepreneurs and Startup Network  is ideal for a startup business or entrepreneur to create because it will attract your ideal prospects.

The main reason for creating and organizing a Meetup for your business is for your customers to know you more in person and also to bring in more potential buyers through events and referrals.

It is proven that people are more likely to do business with those they like and respect. Being the organizer allows you to showcase your abilities as a businessperson and the capability to influence people to trust your brand more.

Register for our Upcoming FREE Webinar on How to Use Meetup.com to market your business and generate new prospects each month!

We will cover proven techniques on how to leverage your Meetup.com account to generate new prospects and build your opt-in/marketing lists.

This webinar will feature Ken Varga, who has built 35 successful, profitable businesses in his career of 38 years. One of Ken’s off-line businesses had over 460,000 ongoing customers. He has also developed and sold multiple businesses for over 9 figures.

Sign up for one of our upcoming webinars that is most applicable to your business:

For Business Owners:  Wednesday, September 21, 2016 from 8:00am-9:00am PST / 11:00am-12:00pm EST

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/7292910370967727876

For Insurance Agents: Thursday, September 22, 2016 from 8:00am-9:00am PST / 11:00am-12:00pm EST

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6635610225255493124

For Network Marketers: Wednesday, September 28, 2016 from 8:00am-9:00am PST / 11:00am-12:00pm EST

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6557567989427615748
 

References:
www.blogbrandz.com
www.business2community.com

The following post will show you how cost effective it can be to hire a virtual assistant versus hiring a full time in-house employee.

What is a Virtual Assistant?

A virtual assistant or VA is an independent contractor who works remotely at home providing administrative, specialized, and technical support. Virtual assistants are generally computer savvy and good in time management.

Who Uses VA Support?

• CEO/President – C-level executives
• Business owners
• Coaches – business, executive, sales, and life
• Real Estate Agents
• Consultants – business, management
• Authors
• Professionals
• Lawyers
• Sales Representatives
• Motivational or Keynote Speakers
• CPA/Accountants/Bookkeeper

Advantages of Hiring a VA versus an Office Employee

Here’s the breakdown of costs:

Office employee working 2080 hours a year  @ $15 per hour
Virtual assistant working 520 hours a year (43-44 hrs/month) @ $8.20 per hour*

*Virtual Assistant Talent rate for experienced VA >> rates start at $7.20 – $13/hour (technical VA)

[table width =”100%” style =”table-striped table-bordered table-hover” responsive =”true”]
[table_head]
[th_column][/th_column]
[th_column]Office / In-house Employee[/th_column]
[th_column]Home-based / Virtual Assistant [/th_column]
[/table_head]
[table_body]
[table_row]
[row_column]Typical Salary per year[/row_column]
[row_column]$15/hr x 2080 = $31,200[/row_column]
[row_column]$8.20/hr x 520  = $4,264 (vacation, holidays, sick)[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Benefits 30%[/row_column]
[row_column]$9,360[/row_column]
[row_column]$0[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Time not worked 13% (vacation, holidays, sick)[/row_column]
[row_column]$4,056[/row_column]
[row_column]$0[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Payroll Taxes 12% [/row_column]
[row_column]$3,744[/row_column]
[row_column]$0[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Administrative Costs 7%
(Recruiting, Hiring, Training) [/row_column]
[row_column]$2,184[/row_column]
[row_column]$0[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[table_row]
[row_column]Total Cost Per Year[/row_column]
[row_column]$50,544[/row_column]
[row_column]$4,264[/row_column]
[/table_row]
[/table_body]
[/table]

Hiring a VA compared to a full time office employee: Total Annual Savings of $46,280
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The savings you can accumulate year after year can go a long way to expand your business, generate more sales, and upgrade your systems. Keep these things in mind when comparing a full-time employee to a remote worker or VA. Good luck with hiring and taking your business to the next level!

If you need help with hiring experienced virtual assistants, contact us at our main number 1-866-596-9041 (510-400-8006 local). We have client representatives on standby from 8am to 9pm EST to assist you with any questions.

References:

www.slideshare.net
socialsavvygeek.com