Written by If you’ve never had the pleasure of using a Virtual Assistant to assist with your business here are some guidelines to help you understand whether or not the relationship could work:
First and foremost, determine why you want a virtual assistant
It is important to think through your goal in hiring a VA so that you can determine if it is a good fit for you. If your answer is to have more time, think about how you would use that extra time. If your answer is to get more done, think about your top priorities to make sure you are getting the ‘right’ things done.
Answer the question: What should I use a virtual assistant for?
Combine your busy work and home schedules with the annual holiday rush, and this question seems to answer itself. However, it can be daunting to define, exactly, what you’d have a personal assistant do for you. Here are a few ideas for both personal and work-related tasks:
• Transcription—Record a business meeting or webinar and have it transcribed by your VA.
• Market research – Identify and research local businesses you could partner with to reach new customers, or create a list of tradeshows and industry events you should attend.
• Online marketing – Research blogs and websites for potential advertising opportunities and get pricing.
• Event Planning—Have your VA research the perfect restaurant, holiday destination or conference room and manage all the logistics for your parents anniversary, a company off site or a romantic evening out.
• Presentations—Use a VA that has PowerPoint skills to make your presentations look more polished and professional.
• Update Address/Contact List—Make a New Year’s resolution to stay in better touch with your family and important business contacts. Have your VA update your address list, contact information and even create labels and reminders in advance.
• Travel Plans—Have your VA create the ideal itinerary for your next business trip or family holiday.
• Birthday/holiday gift buying—Never miss another birthday. Set a budget, give a few guidelines and let your VA track down the perfect gifts or online cards for everyone on your list.
The list could go on and on, but this should give you a few ideas. Now that you have the Why and the What let’s talk about the How. There are a few easy-to-follow tips that will help you get the most out of your virtual assistant.
Clearly define the task you want your VA to accomplish
This will help you determine the qualifications your VA should have. For example, if you want your VA to plan your upcoming office party, this requires a different skill set than if you had requested a VA for a transcription job.
Provide specific guidelines and time lines for the project
Explain exactly what you want your VA to accomplish then think through the steps that you would take to accomplish the task.
Another important element is a time line. Since most VAs work on an hourly basis, it is important for you to think about the task in terms of hours. Determine the amount of time the task should take and communicate that to the VA.
Remember the ‘Why’
Remember you have more time and use it! You hired a VA to give yourself more time with your family and friends or to focus on growing your business. It is easy to replace ‘stuff to do’ with more ‘stuff to do’. Check in to make sure you are spending your additional time as you had hoped.
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