Why Should You Hire a Virtual Assistant?
Remember how you felt when you first started your business? Maybe you dreamed of a better work/life balance, what you could do with a few extra bucks, or of your chance to change the world. Then, the real work began. You realized that running a business requires more practicalities than you ever thought possible.
Whether you’ve been your own boss for a month or for years, you may feel that the “work smarter, not harder” mantra eludes you. No matter how hard you try, you may feel like you’re on the “things will slow down soon” treadmill (which, of course, never slows down).
Thankfully, a solution for this dilemma exists: outsourcing work to a virtual assistant. While having less work needs is likely a pipe dream, hiring a virtual assistant is not. Finding a virtual assistant that fits within your business budget is just a few clicks away.
What is a Virtual Assistant?
As the term suggests, a “virtual assistant” is an administrative assistant who completes tasks virtually. These assistants work from their own locations using their own technologies under the direction of whichever business hires them. Unlike salaried employees, virtual assistants are paid per hour or per project as agreed upon with the business owner.
Why are They Beneficial?
Virtual assistants are helpful because they allow businesses a means to outsource any work that is not person specific. This leaves business owners more time and creative energy to run the business or enjoy other areas of life. All of this can happen without missing a beat, and even while increasing an online presence. Some business owners delegate tasks to assistants from other time zones to keep work rolling 24 hours a day!
If the thought of delegation makes you wince, stop and think for a moment about what you could gain from more free hours in your week. Would you revamp your business plan, network with top clients over lunch, or implement that new marketing plan you’ve been wanting to try? As you may suspect, spending less time on low-level administrative tasks frees you up to do the things that only you can do to avoid plateaus and take your business to the next level.
It's also important to think of your life outside of your business. Less time in the chair could allow you to attend your daughter’s soccer games, lower your cholesterol by signing up for that boot camp program at the gym, or visit your aging uncle at the nursing home. Not to mention, the amount of stress release you could experience by having less mental clutter could add years to your life (see this yale article about the correlation between stress and life span). Work is supposed to support life, not rob us of it. A virtual assistant could be the difference between surviving and thriving.
Also worthy of consideration, is the fact that virtual assistants are easy to hire and release according to your business and financial needs. While it can be a very difficult and emotional process to let an in-person employee go, virtual assistants are typically independent contractors and so are used to working for various clients for differing lengths of time. Additionally, you are not required to provide health insurance benefits for a virtual assistant, which makes life easier for you.
What Tasks Can I Give to a Virtual Assistant?
The kinds of tasks that you can outsource to a virtual assistant are as limited as your business needs and imagination! The following list provides the most common tasks for which business owners hire virtual assistants:
• Customer service
• Email management
• Calendar management
• Appointment scheduling
• Tracking competitors
• Template development
• Drafting documents
• Lead Generation
• Data entry
• Organizing virtual or in-person events
• Social media content and marketing
• Booking travel
• Tracking mileage / business write-offs
• Blog writing/proofreading
• Creating reports and presentations
• Updating web content
• Basic accounting
• Transcription services
• SEO
While many virtual assistants already possess training, you can also instruct them in how to accomplish nuanced tasks. You can even think outside the box and have your assistant save you time by working on your personal logistics such as managing your family’s calendar, ordering your meal services, or planning your upcoming high school reunion.
Although some training may be required on the front end, you will eventually have a means for accomplishing work just the way you want it.
Considerations for Hiring and Onboarding
Are you convinced of the benefits of hiring a virtual assistant yet? If so, here are a few things to consider as you set up your new employee.
Know your purpose.
Before you bring someone on, make sure that you understand what you are hiring the assistant for. Write a list of the tasks that you plan to give to the assistant as well as your own goals for the hire (e.g. free up 5 hours a week, perform the monthly payroll, etc.). Having this clarity at the outset will allow you to best utilize your new employee. Before you bring someone on, make sure that you understand what you are hiring the assistant for. Write a list of the tasks that you plan to give to the assistant as well as your own goals for the hire (e.g. free up 5 hours a week, perform the monthly payroll, etc.). Having this clarity at the outset will allow you to best utilize your new employee.
Know your budget.
One of the best aspects of hiring a virtual assistant is that you can literally fit them into your budget. Know in advance how much you want to invest in a VA, and then hire one whose hourly or project rate matches what you are looking for. It’s okay to start small; outsourcing even 1 or 2 projects will free up time that you can use to scale your business (allowing you to fund more virtual assistant hours in the future).
Explain your expectations.
• Determine ahead of time how many hours you’d like your assistant to work
• Any scripts you’d like them to use
• What training will be required
• How long you want them to spend on particular projects
• What communication and accountability will look like
• Whether you’d like them to work during set hours or on their own schedule
Thinking through the details upfront will save time and confusion later on, allowing you and your new assistant to become a seamless team in no time.
Understand the working relationship.
When working with a virtual assistant, it’s important to remember that they are their own boss too. Even though a virtual assistant is working for you, they are doing so on their own initiative, and you are their “client.” Always treat your virtual assistant with the utmost respect and remember that they may be more of an expert than you at certain types of tasks.
Specialization.
A final consideration is whether you want to hire one assistant or if you want to hire multiple assistants for specialized tasks. Gone are the days when one office assistant was expected to do all of the copywriting, marketing, and customer service. Today’s digital age allows even the smallest business to have access to skilled experts. Best of all, while it may take slightly more organization on your part, hiring multiple assistants will cost you no more than hiring one (see below).
How Much Does a Virtual Assistant Cost?
Virtual assistants are usually more cost-effective than real-life employees. In terms of actual dollar amounts, this article from expansive gives an estimated scale. You should make sure to do a fair amount of research to ensure you find the right assistant for your needs and budget.
When considering costs, it’s important to remember that your time is a form of currency. Time is a limited asset that you can’t put a price tag on. By looking at your budget and your working hours, you can find the lower-level tasks that are eating up your time and likely costing you more to do them yourself than to outsource them.
Are You Ready?
If your business is causing you stress and taxing your personal health, hiring a virtual assistant may be right for you. No longer will you need to be tied to your office in order to get things done or to maintain an online presence; instead, you can have the flexibility to take care of other business tasks or even to take time off while resting assured that work is proceeding as usual.
WRITTEN BY: KATIE BARNETT
