How A VA Could Change Your Life
For many of us trying to build a business or career, time is the one thing we’re short of. And, in the amidst of trying to juggle work and life, we can often feel overwhelmed.
Imagine having someone to take some of the pressure off by handling some of your tasks and workload. That’s where a VA comes in! By outsourcing your tasks to a virtual assistant, you can free up valuable time in order to do what you do best and focus on the bigger picture.
In fact, a VA could change your life. A virtual assistant can help with a lot more than just admin tasks and diary management. They can play a huge role in your business and life, offering skills such as business management, marketing, graphic and web design, social media, bookkeeping, IT support, organising travel, and even managing your personal diary and family calendar. Virtual assistants offer a lot more than you might think!
How to find a VA for you
With an array of highly experienced VA’s to choose from with a variety of skills and backgrounds, you won’t have to look far to find a great fit for you. There are VA’s who are proficient in a variety of different industries and professions, and assistants who can help to support you with not only your business, but with your personal life too.
There are a few options for finding a virtual assistant for you and your business. You can either go directly to an independent VA operating as a freelancer or business owner, or use an agency. This way, you are using the services of another business and therefore establish a B2B relationship with your assistant. The alternative is to employ an in-house VA, which of course comes with extra responsibility, and potentially less flexibility than outsourcing.
Not only can a virtual assistant offer all of the support an in-house assistant would, they offer increased flexibility and often come at a fraction of the cost. And don’t think that just because they work from home that they are any less motivated than an in-house assistant would be. As they are responsible for managing their clients and also themselves, they tend to be highly organised and driven individuals.
How a VA works
With remote working on the rise, the demand for virtual assistants is growing. They can support you with anything an in-house person would, but instead of working face-to-face you simply communicate digitally, whether it be via email, Skype, Zoom, WhatsApp, or over the phone.
Assistants can be hired on an ad hoc basis, or you can choose to work with them long-term. Some might bill by the hour, per task or project, in blocks of time, and others might charge a monthly retainer. How the assistant works and invoices clients should be established during your consultation, so that you understand the working process from the beginning and to ensure that you are a good fit for one another.
The relationship between a virtual assistant and their client should be mutually benefitting; the role of a VA is an incredibly rewarding one, and assistants often learn from their clients just as much as their clients can learn from them.
You should discuss with your virtual assistant how much time you require of them, and how you would like that time to be managed. Your assistant should work with you to devise a schedule that works for the both of you, whether that involves weekly calls, blocking out hours or splitting hours over the weeks in a given month.
What a VA could take off your plate
You can find a VA to help with almost anything. You might not have heard of virtual assistants before, and if you have, perhaps you’re not aware of the expanse of things they can help with.
A virtual assistant might specialise in a specific area such as marketing, or offer their help with a broad range of administrative tasks.
They can respond to emails and take phone calls for you, essentially acting as an extension of you, on demand. But their skills don’t have to stop with just your business – VA’s can take a lot off your plate in your everyday life too. Have them act as your family assistant, organising travel, holidays, repairs, receipts, and diarising events such as your children’s school dates and occasions.
If you’re a busy mum, you could even hire a VA to help out with things such as booking appointments, planning events, research, and even online grocery shopping!
In short, a virtual assistant can be incredibly valuable, especially if you are a busy mum or business owner. In fact, hiring a VA might just change your life for the better!