“Virtual Assistants (“VAs”) are independent contractors who (from a remote location, usually their home or office) support multiple clients in a variety of industries by providing administrative, creative, and technical services.”
~ International Virtual Assistant Association
Virtual Assistants are highly-skilled entrepreneurs who perform a wide range of administrative, creative, technical, and other business services. In addition, they develop collaborative relationships with their clients. It’s about partnering with clients in order to represent them and their business from any distance.
“Virtual” refers to the method of providing services, not the services themselves. A Virtual Assistant will assist you remotely from a home office and correspond with you via telephone, email, internet video conferencing, and online workspaces. They use their own computer and software.
An important distinction to make is that Virtual Assistants are not employees – they are business owners, just like you.
A VA will get to know you, and will look at the “big picture” of your business – where you are right now, and where you want to go. They essentially become a virtual partner, handling tasks that would otherwise prevent you from doing what you need to do to expand and build your business.
Delegating tasks that are necessary for the growth of your business, but which keep piling up because you just don’t have time for them, will help eliminate stress, ease your workload and increase your efficiency.
As an entrepreneur, time is your most precious resource. Tasks that hold you back from focusing on the important aspects of building your business are a poor use of your time, and can greatly reduce your productivity.
Successful business owners realize the importance of their time, and delegate routine tasks to others so they can focus their energies on the big picture. The first step is identifying a few of the tasks that could easily be assigned to a VA, and the benefits of doing so, should you decide to hire one:
• Administrative Tasks: Updating client databases; data entry; internet research.
• Website Management: Photo editing and optimizing; SEO maintenance; copy editing and proofreading; organizing media library.
• Website Design: Creation and management of website.
• Electronic Newsletters: Updating email lists; designing, preparing and scheduling newsletter.
• Blog Management: Proofreading, editing, formatting and scheduling blog posts.
• Email: Organizing inbox; creating email signatures, filters, auto-replies.
• Event Planning: Researching availability, size and specifications of venues; obtaining written quotes; compiling list of options.
• Project Management: Maintaining database of clients, employees and subcontractors; obtaining updates on progress.
• Travel planning: Researching flight and hotel options.
So what are some of the benefits you can expect if you hire a VA to perform even a few of the tasks outlined above?
• Save the costs of hiring a full-time employee.
• Pay only for the time actually spent on your work.
• Eliminate wasted time spent trying to figure out software you’re not familiar with.
• Become more organized, efficient, and effective.
• You end up with more free time.
Bonuses: Hiring a VA reduces your environmental impact (no daily commuting to and from the office), allows for low-cost expansion and eliminates the burdens of payroll expenses, extended benefits, vacation and sick days. This keeps your office expenses low, eliminates the need to provide office space, supplies, and equipment. All of this boils down to huge cost savings, and you’re only paying for the actual work completed.
Are you ready? Contact me today to discuss your needs: