If you are feeling overwhelmed with all of the tasks that need to be done in order to run your online business, you may want to consider hiring a virtual assistant (VA). Before we go any further, let me answer a common question…
What is a Virtual Assistant?
VA’s are independent contractors who work remotely, usually from their homes. They provide various business services such as project management, podcast and Zoom booking, calendar management, customer service, social media management, email management, write articles and reports, manage websites and so much more!
Virtual assistants can be a great asset to your business in a number of ways. One of the biggest reasons is that it relieves you from putting time and energy into those tasks – most of them recuring – that you don’t really enjoy doing, but have to be done because they are essential to your business. But more importantly, having a VA on board gives you the freedom to spend more time and effort on the areas of your business you enjoy, that bring in cash, and can’t exactly be outsourced (i.e., coaching an individual or group).
However, before you can hire a VA, you’ll want to spend some time thinking about tasks you want to outsource, your budget, what skills a VA will need, as well as if they’ll need particular software to do the tasks. And of course, there will also be some training involved too. Let’s discuss all of this in more depth.
How to Hire a VA
When you’re ready to take the plunge and hire a virtual assistant, there are a few things to keep in mind. Here are three of them:
- Define the specific tasks you need help with.
First things first, you need to determine what tasks you want to outsource. If you’re not sure, the easiest place to start is think about the tasks you ‘dread’ doing, that need to be done, but you continuously put them off (or you don’t put them off but don’t exactly handle them in a timely manner).
For example, customer service. You know how important it is to make sure your customers are able to access their purchases, be responded to in a timely fashion if they’re having trouble with something or have a question … but you don’t enjoy handling the issues/questions so you don’t respond in a timely manner. This can leave customers frustrated and unhappy. And in some cases, an unhappy customer will voice their complaints publicly (a bad review, post on social media, etc.) – not exactly great for your business reputation! Handing this task over to a VA will ensure your customers are taken care of efficiently and leave them feeling good about their purchase which can turn into a domino effect – purchasing more and more from you and even becoming a raving fan.
- Research different virtual assistants.
The quickest way to do this is ask your business friends and colleagues for recommendations. Be aware that if they’ve found a good VA, they’re probably hanging onto them and that VA may not have room to take on new clients.
Some people have also had success with hiring through sites like Fiverr and Upwork. And others have even outsourced to people in other countries. Whatever avenue you choose, do your due diligence and be sure to interview them (step #3).
- Interview a few candidates and choose the best one for you and your business needs. Be sure to ask lots of questions and get a sense of their work style but also them as a person. Here are some key questions you’ll want to ask during each interview:
- What are their rates?
- How do they bill (first of month, after work is done, etc.)?
- Do they have any experience with the types of tasks you need help with?
- How many hours per week are they available to work? (You could also ask if they’re available on weekends if you know you’ll need work done then.)
- What is their turnaround time for projects?
- What is their preferred communication method – email, Zoom, or a project management system?
A note about rates: There is a huge range of pricing when it comes to VA’s. For example, specialized VA’s often charge a lot more than a VA that handles more “general” tasks. You may also find that a VA who has been in the industry a lot longer than a newer VA probably charges a higher rate.
Having said that, if a VA’s rates are outside of your budget, you can always ask them if they have a smaller package (if they work on retainers or packaged services). If they don’t and it was a VA you really connected with and got the vibe that they would be a great asset to you and your business, you could discuss your budget with them and see if there is a way to work together.
After you’ve done the interviews and hired (don’t forget to let the candidates you didn’t hire know so they’re not waiting for a response from you) a VA, it’s time to train them.
How to Train a VA
One thing to keep in mind here – a newer VA will require more handholding/training than a more experienced one. But even a more experienced VA will need some training to ensure tasks are being completed according to your wants and business needs.
Here are five things to keep in mind when training a VA:
- Start with the basics.
This includes things like how to log into any necessary accounts (the URLs, usernames, passwords, etc. If possible, when sharing login details, it’s a good idea to use something like LastPass or another password manager.), where to find files or templates they may need, and what your expectations are for due dates.
- Document processes.
If you have any specific processes that need to be followed, be sure to document these and send them over to your VA. This is especially important if the task is something that needs to be done regularly, like scheduling social media posts or customer service tasks.
While written word is a great way to document processes and build up a standard operating procedures (SOPs) library, video can also be used to visually show the process of completing tasks. Sometimes, it’s easier to see something done versus just reading how to do it.
- Don’t micromanage, instead, empower them to make decisions on their own.
This may sound contradictory because you are training a new VA, after all. But trust me, you don’t want to get into the habit of micromanaging every little detail – this will defeat the purpose of hiring a VA. Instead, empower them to make decisions on their own knowing that you can give feedback and they can tweak things moving forward.
An example of something you don’t need to micromanage would be something like formatting a document. If the VA isn’t sure your preference, they can just make a decision and move forward on the project. If they continually stop to ask you questions, it’s putting a hold on projects being completed and taking you away from putting your time into money making tasks and things you enjoy doing.
- Give feedback.
The VA is not a mind reader. If they’re turning in projects with no feedback from you, they’ll think their work is up to par and to your liking. This doesn’t mean you need to give feedback on every little detail, though.Of course, there will be questions in the beginning but the better documented processes (like mentioned in #2 above) you have can help head off some of those questions before the VA even thinks to ask.
- Be open to their feedback & suggestions.
Just as in #4 above where you give your VA feedback, be open to any feedback or suggestions they may have. Maybe you’ve been doing something one way but they have a different approach that is quicker and easier. Or maybe you’ve been working with a specific software but the VA knows of an alternative that is less expensive and does more than the current one.
And that’s it! By following these steps, you’ll be able to not only hire a virtual assistant but also train them so they can be a valuable part of your team.
Having said that, please keep in mind it will take time for the two of you to find a groove, a workflow, that works best for both of you. Once you get going if you find the VA isn’t a good fit, you may have to let them go – that’s ok and can be a part of the process of finding the “perfect” VA for you. One thing to remember, if you do find yourself having to let a VA go, is don’t let one bad experience stop you from continuing the hunt! I promise when you find the right one that’s when magic happens and be sure to hang onto them!
We have a VA Recruitment Planner that walks you thorugh every step of hiring and training a VA. Be sure to get a copy now!
Now that 2020 is drawing to a close, are you in the market for a new calendar? If so, you should first decide between printing your calendar to put into a binder, or going with a store-bought calendar that is already put together.
Each month, you’ll receive a printed word puzzle book in the mail. The one for December is pictured on the left.
