
A Guide to Hiring the Perfect Virtual Assistant
In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, running an online business requires wearing multiple hats simultaneously. From managing marketing campaigns to handling administrative tasks and maintaining an active social media presence, the workload can quickly become overwhelming for even the most dedicated entrepreneur. However, there’s a solution that savvy business owners are turning to, virtual assistants (VAs). And finding and hiring a virtual assistant will be the best decision you can make for the growth of your business.
What is a Virtual Assistant?
Let’s start with what the heck is a virtual assistant (& no we aren’t talking about Siri or Alexa). Virtual assistants are remote workers who provide a wide range of administrative, technical, or creative assistance to online or IRL businesses. The tasks can range from email inbox management to podcast assistance to email marketing to social media marketing, and just about everything in between. You can find a virtual assistant for every task in every niche…I promise that.
Some virtual assistants are super niche as in they focus on email marketing for real estate agents and only do that. Finding a niche VA is great if you need expert assistance in that one realm and are in that one niche but they are more costly because they have spent a lot of time mastering that one area. A general VA is someone who does a lot of everything in all niches. They have skills in an array of services and can adapt them to fit many different businesses. General virtual assistants often can handle all the tasks you want to remove from your plate so if you are looking for one person that can handle everything (for the most part) then a general VA will work best for you.
Hiring a Virtual Assistant
Hiring a virtual assistant can significantly alleviate your workload, allowing you to focus on the core aspects of growing your online business or just spending more time with friends and family. But how do you find the right virtual assistant who can seamlessly integrate into your operations and elevate your business? Here’s a comprehensive guide to help you navigate the process:
1. Define Your Needs and Tasks
Before you start searching for a virtual assistant, it’s crucial to have a clear understanding of the tasks you need assistance with. Make a list of all the responsibilities you want your VA to handle, including marketing, general administration, social media management, blogging, customer service, or any other specific tasks relevant to your business. If you are having trouble defining these things then make a list of the tasks that bring dread or annoyance to you when you have to do them, the ones that tend to move from a to-do list to a to-do list without ever getting the focus they deserve. If there are things you put off for any reason (time commitment, not knowing what to do next, or you just freaking hate doing it) then those should be the first things you give to your virtual assistant.
TIP: Try to make an SOP (standard operating procedure) for any task that you are handing off (if you know how to do it already). This can be in written or video form and the best ones I have seen include both. This allows the transfer of duties to go much smoother with fewer emails or messages asking for clarification therefore freeing up your time sooner. Now if you don’t know how to do something (or have never done it yourself) and you are hiring someone to help you who has experience, then have them create an SOP so that it can be used should they ever leave.
2. Determine Your Budget for Hiring a Virtual Assistant
Virtual assistant rates vary depending on factors such as experience, skills, and location. Determine your budget for hiring a VA and be realistic about what you can afford. Keep in mind, that investing in a skilled virtual assistant can lead to increased productivity and growth for your business. Virtual assistants are not salespeople (unless hired for that role) so their main function is to assist you with the tasks that keep you from generating sales or growing your business.
Good News! There are virtual assistants for every budget but please remember that you will need to pay for experience. As a virtual assistant, you are always putting in time and effort on continuing your education and increasing your skillset to better serve your clients, this will be reflected in their pricing.
3. Finding Virtual Assistants
There are a lot of ways to find a virtual assistant from online platforms to agencies to word-of-mouth.
I have never worked for an agency or platform so my knowledge is sparse but my reasoning for that is that I work hard to earn a living (as we all do) and giving over a percentage of my earnings to an agency or platform just doesn’t work for me as a business owner. They also don’t allow the VAs to dictate their pricing (in most cases I see) so you won’t see a ton of experienced people signing with agencies as they won’t find this alluring. The same goes for platforms (like Upwork & Fiverr) which appear to be great on the surface but the service providers are forced to piece-meal their services in a way that you either won’t be getting everything you need or it will end up costing a lot more than you expect to get exactly what you are after.
I have always believed in the power of the referral so ask your other entrepreneur friends or community for people they have worked with or know. Suppose you are new and don’t have a bunch of entrepreneur friends yet. In that case, communities like Location Indie, are a great way to get to know other business builders, travelers, and service providers and you can make the much-needed connections. If you belong to a mastermind group, ask them for referrals. Do you live near a co-working space, get a day pass and ask around there. Ask friends because you never know who they may know. The main takeaway should be to put it out there that you are looking for a VA and get those referrals.
4. Review Profiles, Portfolios, or Websites
Once you’ve narrowed down your options, carefully review the profiles, portfolios, or websites of potential virtual assistants. Look for candidates who have relevant experience, skills, and certifications or education related to the tasks you need assistance with. Pay attention to reviews, ratings, and testimonials from previous clients to gauge their reliability and competence. This is where referrals help out a ton because you know that the service provider already has a good reputation and won’t disappoint.
5. Conduct Discovery Calls
Before making a final decision, schedule a discovery call (or whatever they want to call the meeting) with your top candidates to assess their communication skills, professionalism, and cultural fit with your business. Use this opportunity to discuss their experience, availability, work process, and any specific requirements you have for the role. I have always thought of discovery calls as a way to see if you click, like a non-romantic date because you will be working closely with this person so your personalities, communication styles, and sense of humor need to match for the relationship to work well. When you hire a virtual assistant, you want to keep them around as long as possible so the vibes need to be on point. Remember, they are assessing you as much as you are assessing them.
6. Provide Clear Instructions and Expectations
Once you’ve hired a virtual assistant, you need to provide them with clear instructions and expectations regarding their responsibilities, deadlines, and how you will be communicating. While things are new, there will probably be more communication than ever so patience is needed. Remember that your VA wants to overdeliver and get everything right and to do so means they will be asking a lot of questions and need more clarification but once you are over the hump of the newness, then it is smooth sailing. There is no over-communicating, talk to us!
The best virtual assistants will always give you a welcome packet going over their office hours, the best ways to communicate with them (phone, email, Whatsapp), how they prefer payment to be handled, tips for working with a VA (if you are new to having one), and confidentiality. Please read this thoroughly because it will answer a lot of questions you may have and it allows you to make sure that you are both on the same page (they will also want to know all of this about you too).
Establishing open and transparent communication from the onset is essential for building a productive working relationship.
7. Set Up Effective Systems and Tools
Utilize project management tools, communication platforms, and other software to streamline collaboration and ensure smooth workflow between you and your virtual assistant. Tools like Trello, Asana, Slack, or Zoom can facilitate seamless communication and task management, regardless of location. If you are already set up using certain tools then make sure they know them as well or are willing to learn them. If you don’t have them already set up, ask your virtual assistant to recommend the ones they enjoy using so they can help you set it up and guide you through how they work. These are the tools that are going to best serve for great communication.
8. Monitor Performance and Provide Feedback
You want to regularly monitor your virtual assistant’s performance and provide constructive feedback to help them improve and grow in their role. Encourage open dialogue and be receptive to any suggestions or concerns they may have regarding their tasks or workload. Hopefully, you are noticing the mainline throughout this post, communication is EVERYTHING! If something isn’t working, let them know and let them know why it isn’t working for you. VA’s don’t read minds so please do everyone a massive favor and have open and honest conversations so that everyone can feel good about the relationship.
9. Cultivate a Long-Term Relationship
Building a successful working relationship with your virtual assistant takes time and effort. Treat them as an integral part of your team, acknowledge their contributions, and reward their efforts accordingly. A happy and motivated VA is more likely to be dedicated and invested in the success of your business. Your success is their success!
Conclusion
Hiring a virtual assistant can be a game-changer for your online business, enabling you to focus on high-value tasks while delegating routine responsibilities. By following these steps and guidelines, you can find and hire the perfect virtual assistant who will support your business growth and help you achieve your goals with efficiency and ease. Embrace the power of delegation and unlock the full potential of your online business today!