If you are an entrepreneur or a small business owner, chances are that at any given moment you have a mountain of action items vying for your attention. 

Tasks such as email management, calendar maintenance, meeting setups, social media management, can chisel away at the precious time you need to allocate to more important core business matters; and this is where partnering with a Virtual Assistant can be one of your best business decisions.

What is a Virtual Assistant? 

A Virtual Assistant (VA) is an expert who provides administrative, technical, or creative support services to clients remotely, typically from their home office. The services offered by a Virtual Assistant are quite varied and can be grouped into two categories:

Generalist – A generalist is a Virtual Assistant that offers generalized administrative support such as email management, calendar maintenance, meeting management, expense processing, etc.

Specialist – A specialist, as you can imagine, offers more specialized services such as social media management, blog support, market research, project management, internet marketing, content management, and much more.

Virtual Assistants usually have extensive experience in their area of practice and have quite often held managerial and project management roles.

Qualities to Look for in a Virtual Assistant 

A good Virtual Assistant is an effective communicator, demonstrates the ability to think outside the box, and manages their time well. They must also be able to problem-solve and offer valuable feedback. 

It is vital that they exhibit a high level of integrity, organization, proactivity, accuracy, productivity, efficiency, and reliability. 

Things to Consider 

Working with Virtual Assistant is a partnership, and as with any partnership, effective communication is paramount. Setting defined expectations about deliverables and timelines is key. 

Ensure that you prioritize time to touch base with your Virtual Assistant, either via video conference, email, or other pre-determined means of communication. Maintaining frequent interaction (perhaps weekly) is crucial, especially in the short term, as you both become familiar with each other’s working style. 

As the partnership progresses and you become comfortable with your Virtual Assistant and their level of work, then a more relaxed meeting schedule can be implemented.

Tracking Time

There are numerous tools on the market that offer time tracking capabilities, enabling your Virtual Assistant to invoice you only for the time spent on your projects. 

Hiring a Virtual Assistant is a big step, but you’ll quickly find it a rewarding one, as you reclaim control of your time and focus on what really matters, growing your business.