* Do you want an afternoon to go golfing rather than
answering email?
* Or four hours to spend with your family?
* Or five hours you can spend doing whatever you want?
And no:
-- Payroll Tax
-- Vacation Pay
-- Sick Leave
-- Health Insurance
-- Office Space or Equipment
You only pay for the time you use.
You can have more time and continue to build your business
- hire a Virtual Assistant.
When I started my own business, I knew I couldn't do it all
myself. The best use of my time is on sales and the sales
strategy consulting that I do. That is my Brilliance --
the things I'm best at and love to do. I aim to do my
Brilliance activities 85% of the time.
I couldn't have done all I've done without a team of
Virtual Assistants. I've worked with Virtual Assistants
(VAs) for a long time. I've written three ebooks, many
articles, given teleseminars and produced audio CDs. I've
also developed consulting, marketing materials and
presentations to show my clients how to do this for their
own businesses - so their income is not solely based on
their time. They can sell information products online even
when they're not working with clients and bundle products
with services for additional income.
Virtual Team members are valuable and make a huge
difference in my business. It means that I don't work all
the time, even as my business continues to grow. I can
focus on doing the things I do best and know my Virtual
Team members are there to take care of the detail work and
things that are not my expertise.
What is a Virtual Assistant?
"A Virtual Assistant (VA) is an independent entrepreneur
providing administrative, creative and/or technical
services. Utilizing advanced technological modes of
communication and data delivery, a professional VA assists
clients in his/her area of expertise from his/her own
office on a contractual basis." (http://www.ivaa.org)
They do the work for entrepreneurs that a corporate
assistant would do in a corporation.
What Can a VA Do for Your Business?
To give you an idea of what's possible, here are some of
the things that a VA can do for you. Review the list and
mark the ones that you could have someone do for you:
~ Power Point presentations
~ Prepare proposals
~ Vendor coordination
~ Shopping cart
~ Send out your ezine or newsletter
~ Event Planning
~ Customer Service
~ Handle client needs
~ Project Management
~ Scheduling
~ Billing
~ Proofreading, Editing
~ Transcription
~ Spreadsheet development
~ Handle CD production
~ Develop forms
~ Research
~ Organization
~ Web design and maintenance
~ Put workbooks together
~ Graphic design
~ Compile, maintain databases
~ Keep you on track, help you meet deadlines
~ Set up and manage autoresponders for e-mail marketing
~ Automate systems for your business
~ Compile and maintain lists and databases
~ Submit articles to online directories
~ Take care of all the details - coordinate with others,
make sure it all gets done
~ Keep things going when you travel: check and respond to
voicemails, e-mails, phone calls
~ And many more . . .
I've chosen to work with a team of Virtual Assistants
because I want to have each team member do what they do
best and love it. Productivity, satisfaction and quality
of work are higher. And, with the Internet, I'm not
limited by geography. I can work with the people who are
the best in their areas of expertise, no matter where they
live.
How Do You Find a VA?
The best way to find a VA is to ask other people who use a
VA who they use. Tell them what you want a VA to do for
you, and ask them what their VA does, so you'll find
someone with the skills you're looking for. If you are a
member of a forum or professional organization, post a
request on the board outlining what you're looking for in a
VA. List the types of things you want them to do for you,
and some of the skills you're looking for.
I call this "Jan's 10-Foot Rule" - Ask everyone within 10
feet of you what you're looking for, and someone will come
through. Try it! It works.
There are also organizations where you can look for a VA or
you can do a Google search. I've always found my team
members by referral, so I have no experience with the
organizations. There are certifications that a VA can get.
My experience is that there are good VAs with and without
the certifications. The certifications add credibility and
professionalism. Certification is not a criteria that I
require a VA to have, though I do take it into
consideration.
* AssistU -- http://www.assistu.com/
* International Virtual Assistant Association --
http://www.ivaa.org/
* Elance - http://www.elance.com.
This is good for project
work. You post a description of the work you want done, and
people bid on it.
Interviewing a Virtual Team Member:
Interview at least 3 to 5 people before you decide.
Interview them the same way you would for a permanent hire
for your business. Get their name, phone number, e-mail
address, and website. Check out the website before the
interview.
The following questions have paid off tremendously for me
in hiring the right people:
* How did you decide to start your VA business (Web design
business etc.)?
* How long have you been in business?
* What do you like best about your work?
* Tell me about one of your favorite projects for a
favorite client - what you did, how you approached it, how
you worked together.
* Here's an example of the work I want you to do for me.
(Describe your project with details, outcome, deadlines,
etc.). How would you approach it?
* Who are your best clients?
How Do They Work? What Do You Pay Them?
A VA works in several ways. You can hire them on an hourly
basis, project basis, and on retainer. Retainer fees are
usually lower than straight hourly fees, depending on how
many hours you pay them on retainer.
Have a good idea of what you want them to do and a time
budget for your work. If you don't know, describe the
project and ask them how much time they anticipate it will
take.
They will most likely have a welcome package and an
agreement for you to sign before you start working with
them. Review it as you would any agreement. If there's
something you don't agree with, ask about it. If there's
something missing that you want in the way you work
together, tell them. For example, I ask my team members to
sign a non-disclosure agreement. And I want them to
itemize the time they spend in a way that I can analyze my
business from the operations perspective.
Off to a Great Start: Working With Your New Team
Working with Virtual Team members is similar to working
with a local person. It's critical that you communicate
clearly. Be sure your first conversation and project are
off to a great start:
1. Assure a smooth transition, and minimize the time you
spend on it yourself. Outline for yourself exactly what
your project involves: the purpose, audience, desired
outcomes, and exactly what you're looking for them to
provide.
2. Set up a weekly coordination call. Always have an
agenda. Give them specifics about the work you want them
to do - purpose, timelines, time estimates. Tell them
what's planned and coming up in the next few weeks. No
surprises. They can often meet tight deadlines if they can
plan ahead.
3. Tell your team members what you expect in working with
them. For example, that you want close communication and no
surprises. If they have questions, let you know before
they proceed with something.
4. Manage them as you would a local person. Let them know
what they're doing well, what could be improved. Always
ask them for their input on the way the work is done. Ask
them if they see a way to simplify or streamline processes.
5. Pay them promptly.
6. Know their work schedule. What day/time will they do
your work? Plan accordingly. Arrange a day for them to do
your work. Get things to them quickly.
7. Let them know their value to you, the work and your
business. Praise them for good work. Refer other people
to them.
Hiring a VA gives you time and helps you build your
business so you don't have to work all the time. Decide
what work you really want to do, and outsource the rest to
a Virtual Assistant. You have all the benefits of an
assistant on a flexible basis that fits your business and
your budget. I could never do without a Virtual Team.
----------------------------------------------------
Jan Wallen works with companies that want significant sales
results. Jan is action- and results-oriented. Once you
start working together, she is 100% committed to
significant sales results for you. To learn more, call
(646) 485-4059 or go to http://www.janwallen.com
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