In this series I've been covering why someone would want to become a Virtual Assistant, why a VA might want to join a VA Network and now why a client would use a VA, or VAs. Generally most business owners start up a business because they're good at doing something and they want to run the show themselves, instead of answering to a boss. That's all well and good, but with business ownership, comes all those other things that also need to be done, to keep the business running smoothly, the … [Read more...]
Do you need a VA in your region?
One of the great things about VA Directories that are international is the ability to seek a VA in your own country or region. Recent posts I've written have been about sourcing a VA in Australia (because that's where I live) but what about in your own country, if you are elsewhere? While it is true that a lot of work can be done by a VA anywhere in the world, there are also some good reasons why you might want to consider a VA in your own region. And they include the following: Being aware … [Read more...]
Benefits of outsourcing locally
Couldn't have put it better myself. Great article here published with smallbusiness yahoo November last year. It is very true that businesses do struggle to get everything done, and if they spend their funds on employing staff and having to put in place all the things that go with that, office space, equipment, furniture, and the employee overheads of sick and holiday leave, superannuation, taxes, etc, it's no wonder they get strapped for cash. But it does make sense to outsource your needs. … [Read more...]
Tips for working with a Virtual Assistant
One of the biggest delay factors in getting work completed for a client, is the delay in getting complete and accurate information. If incomplete information is given then we have to wait for you to get back to us if we leave a phone message or send an email with a query about what needs to be done. It's important to remember that we don't share the same head space that you do so you need to give the complete story, not just the bit that you want done. It is amazing how often I might get asked … [Read more...]
Where have the secretaries gone?
They've become Virtual Assistants. There is an article recently published by BloombergBusinessWeek exploring where secretaries have gone. Corporate recruiter, Pat Cook, says that far fewer people have secretaries or assistants now and the article said it's largely due to changes in technology and cost-cutting exercises. However, she also goes on to say that everyone agrees they would be far more effective if they had an assistant. Enter the Virtual Assistant. Many Virtual Assistants have … [Read more...]
Is it time to engage a Virtual Assistant?
Do you find yourself with too much work at the end of the day and not enough hours? Do you get frustrated because you always have admin stuff to be done but can't charge that out to any client in particular? Do you find yourself wishing you knew how to use certain software programs or understanding online processes better? Do you simply just find yourself in overwhelm mode and wish you could get it together like everyone else you've met seems to have done? If you answer 'yes' to one or more … [Read more...]
Top FAQs for Clients II
Last week I shared on the top 4 questions (as asked of me) from clients seeking to engage the services of a Virtual Assistant. Here are more questions asked, not necessarily on my site, sometimes on forums. Where can I find a Virtual Assistant? This question always amazes me because it's very simple to put into a search engine 'Virtual Assistant' and thousands of references will come up. But perhaps there lies the problem - thousands. Perhaps the question should be how do I know I'm going to … [Read more...]
Top FAQs for Virtual Assistant Clients
Do you have an FAQ page on your Virtual Assistant website? Have you considered the possible questions that might be asked of you about how working with a VA would work for a potential client? Because I manage a network for VAs as well as provide a service for clients from my site I have a mixture of questions that relate to both VAs and Clients. But let's just focus on clients for today. Below are lengthy explanations but you can shorten them somewhat for your own purposes. Possibly the … [Read more...]
7 Questions to consider before hiring a Virtual Assistant
The Virtual Assistant industry has grown so much in the past 10 years that it's easy to understand that clients might get confused about where to find a Virtual Assistant and how to know if they've got a good one. There are some things you can do to put your mind at ease. Firstly, did you find them online or have they been referred to you? This will make a difference as to how you might feel about the working relationship. Receiving a recommendation or referral from someone you trust will … [Read more...]
