If you are just getting started with your business or are in the phase of growing it, there are a ton of things you need to attend to. Unfortunately, even if you have the time, it is simply impossible to accomplish them all. So there will come a point when you will need help, whether it is for data entry, scheduling, e-mail management and so on. This is when you will need to find the perfect virtual assistant for your business.
What is a Virtual Assistant?
A virtual assistant or commonly known as VA is an excellent choice for administrative help. Aside from being a productivity enhancer, a good VA can also help reduce workload and costs for businesses. Yet, not all virtual assistants are created equal. While many do their jobs efficiently, some just do not know how to deliver what is expected of them. With this in mind, you want to pay careful attention to who you will be hiring. After all, you want to get the services you need for the money you are willing to pay for. So if you are planning to hire a perfect virtual assistant, ensure you get the perfect match for your needs by following these tips.
1. Know What You Need
Before you as much as go online to search for a VA service, it is vital that you first identify your needs. Think about the tasks that you need help with, such as bookkeeping, e-mail management, content writing, marketing, etc. Making a list will allow you to determine the specific responsibilities you can assign to the VA. This will also let you identify how the VA will fit in with your current business set up. Do you need a task-based VA, a full-time assistant, or someone who can work for you on a part-time basis?
2. Find a Good Source
Since virtual assistants have exploded into popularity, the Internet is now teeming with sites that offer virtual assistance services. Keep in mind that every site appeals to different niches of virtual assistants, so you need to be picky. Some sites have VAs specializing in a particular task, while others would allow you to post your projects and have VAs from different locations bid on them. At the most, you want to find a source that has a good record for providing efficient VAs.
3. Screen for Compatibility for a Perfect Virtual Assistant
Once you have narrowed down your choices, the next step is to find out who among them is a good fit for you and your business. Given that this is a virtual working relationship, you want to ensure that the person you will hire has the right experience and can handle the work you will assign.
There are several ways how you can screen candidates. You can review their websites (this is crucial if you intend to assign web design or development tasks); check their portfolios; get in touch with their references; view ratings; or correspond via email. However, if you want to properly assess the candidates and know them a bit more before taking your pick, consider chatting with them online. This will allow you to better judge their communication style and will also permit you to know their skills and response time.
4. Have a Detailed Contract in Place
Before you hand over all your tasks to a VA, make sure to have a detailed contract in place. Outline all the specifics, including the responsibilities, tasks, revisions, payment schedule and contingencies among others. Be sure that you and the VA agree with all the things included in the contract before both of you sign on the dotted line.
Virtual Assistant Facts
Virtual assistants are a big help especially for start-ups who lack funding. As for business owners like you, note that it is not only cost-saving, it will also help you reach your business goal in a faster phase because your productivity will also improve. More so, this is why you need to hire your very own VA:
1. Reduce your workload
As a business owner, it is quite understandable that you have loads of things in hand. However, note that you cannot wear several hats all the time. Sometimes, some of your supposed tasks have been forgotten due to your jam-packed schedule. Hiring a VA will definitely come handy at this point, note that a VA can help you out with the following tasks:
- Email management
- Scheduling
- Data Entry
- Online marketing
- Content writing
- Market research
- Call Answering
2. Get a hold of the best talents
Your virtual assistant is basically one of your team members who work remotely. Note that you don’t need to worry about your geographical restrictions, VAs are word-class talents that have already worked with various industries. The key is, the more you communicate with your VA, the easier and clearer all tasks to be done.
3. Operational scalability
In scaling your business, it will definitely require you to have additional manpower. This is to help you out on the increased work-volume that should be managed properly. Also, scaling means growth, and hiring a virtual assistant will help you out on your other work operations with fewer risks. VAs are very flexible when it comes to different types of tasks. More so, a virtual assistant staff will allow you to manage all your other business functions with ease while controlling your expenses.
Choosing the perfect virtual assistant for startups is never easy. There is a pool of candidates on the web and you will certainly feel confused and a little stressed out in weighing the outcomes of your decision.
Knowing the abovementioned techniques and familiarizing yourself with a virtual assistant staffing company will help you to at least have an idea about where you should start. Getting a virtual assistant from an already established outsourcing company will ensure the competency and professionalism of a virtual assistant.
Here at Prime Outsourcing, you can get all the virtual assistant facts that you need to acquire the perfect virtual assistant you have been dreaming of. To get more details about our set of talented virtual assistant staff, you can click here.
