Some entrepreneurs and solo preneurs ask me if a Virtual Assistant is or not a good choice for their business.
My answer is always the same. A Virtual Assistant can be an excellent asset for their business.
Would you like that your day had 26 hours? Very likely yes. But the fact is that that is not possible.
As the owner of your business, you are its engine. Your business needs you to sell, innovate, create new projects, etc. You cannot do those things if you devote yourself to the minor tasks of your company.
As solo preneur, you will never be able to make your business grow beyond a certain point if you don’t delegate the operative tasks of your business.
Almost all entrepreneurs have an in-company background. They are used to work with on-site Executive Assistants.
The fantastic part about Virtual Assistants is that almost all of the tasks that an on-site Executive Assistants can accomplish also can be successfully accomplished by Virtual Assistants.
In 2012, oDesk (now UpWork), the freelance platform, had just over 25,000 postings for virtual assistant jobs – that is a 1000% increase from their 2,500 postings in 2008.
To achieve success working with your Virtual Assistant you should consider the following:
1- Hire the best person to do the job. Many entrepreneurs expect their Virtual Assistants to be writers, graphic designers, marketers, manage their social networks, etc..
The truth is that a person hardly has all these skills.
It’s good to prepare a profile of all the skills the person who will be your assistant should have.
2-If you hire a Virtual Assistant in platforms like UpWork or Freelancer make sure to check her work history.
3- If instead you hire her out of those platforms, try to ask for references. Check those references with the people who have previously hired her.
You expect the virtual assistant to have the skills, training and business knowledge are the hallmarks of a truly qualified Virtual Assistant.
4. First assign her small tasks as a trial. Maybe you can ask her to perform an internet research. That will take about 2-3 hours. That way if you don’t like the work you’ve only lost a few dollars.
5. You must be extremely precise in explaining what you expect from your Virtual Assistant and what is the purpose of the task assigned.
6- Make sure the Virtual Assistant suits your personality and communication style. The relationship and communication with your VA will be primarily done through email and phone calls. Then being able to communicate clearly is essential.
7- Consider your assistant as your ally. Build a relationship with her and share opinions on how to perform certain tasks. Remember that it never hurts to try new ways of doing the same task.
Keep in mind that working with a Virtual Assistant is like any other new business relationship, it takes time to develop a natural flow.
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