Below are some important questions to ask yourself before you begin your search for a VA.
If you find and utilize an effective virtual administrative assistant, you can save yourself a lot of time, providing you with the ability to make more money for your business.
Consider some of the following questions before beginning your search for a Virtual Assistant: oWhat tasks do you need completed? Detail the tasks that you need help with carefully and concisely.
This will help your potential VA understand the scope of your project or task.
oAre you secure with a virtual business relationship? If you are, then you need to figure out what methods of communication work for you.
Will you be interested in IM communication? Skype? Phone? Email? Video Chat? How often will you need to communicate with your online virtual assistant? oHow many hours will you need your virtual administrative assistant per week? Per month? Try to assess the amount of time required to complete the tasks you are setting out for your potential virtual administrative assistant.
oHow much can you budget for a VA? Think about the amount of money that you make per hour.
Compare that amount to the amount of time that you would be free to make more money by utilizing a virtual assistant.
For example, if you make $300 an hour and you delegate 2 hours of work to a virtual assistant at a cost of $60 an hour; you can utilize those 2 hours to make $600 at a cost of $120.
Without a VA you would lose 2 hours completing tasks that should be handled by a competent assistant.
Consider your situation and your budget before contacting an online virtual assistant! Now that you are considering some of the questions above, you need to get started on a serious search.
A good VA will have a professional website that clearly states their capabilities.
Google the term "virtual administrative assistant" and bookmark several of the VA websites that you find.
When you are surfing the VA websites, there are several important notes that you need to make.
oDoes the VA belong to any organizations? CVAC membership is a must if you are looking for a VA in North America.
Ensure that your VA belongs to a professional organization! oDoes the website have Terms of Service? Scroll to the bottom of the website and look at the terms of use or privacy policy.
Are they detailed or do they look like they were written by a high school student? oDoes the VA have any experience? What does the VA say about their previous experience as a virtual administrative assistant? An experienced VA can save you countless hours.
A rookie VA can cost you money for low productivity.
Ensure that your VA has previous experience! oAre there testimonials available at the VA website? Can you confirm the testimonials? What types of businesses have provided a testimonial? Knowing this information can really help your search for a VA.
oAre the rates made available? Is the virtual administrative assistant forthcoming about their rates? It is easy to be ripped off by a 'sham' VA.
Rates help you establish a good idea of the credibility of the service.
oIs the website offering a free consultation? These are just a few tips that can help you get started finding a virtual assistant.
Carefully consider your objectives before contacting a VA, and make sure that you carefully research the VA's website before making contact.
Ensure that the VA you are contacting is credible, experienced, and organized.
Assess the VA before you contact them and ensure that you know the tasks that you need the virtual administrative assistant to complete!