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“How to Choose A Virtual Assistant”
by Linda Conn ‘Your Business Coach’, VictoriaBusinessTalk.com
Watch for next month’s topic: “How to Choose a Bookkeeper”
Victoria Business Talk has had 3 Virtual Assistants
over 2 years with our present one with us the longest - and
we hope will continue with us for many more years to come! Virtual
Assistants are like doctors, web masters, and bookkeepers -
do not stop until you find one you are comfortable with! I hope
we can give you some food for thought on the question of what
they are and whether or not you need one. Think of a secretary
working in their office not yours. You will be surprised just
how much of your office work can be done off site.
In writing this I am taking for granted that
you wisely understand the importance of not trying to wear all
the hats in your office, spreading yourself too thin and courting
burnout. I will assume you are considering getting more help
with routine office and marketing tasks.
I will begin and end this article with Trust.
You want to be able to trust that your Virtual Assistant will...
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be compatible with your personality, someone
‘you can work with’. |
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have values that match your own. |
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have strong computer skills. |
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have abilities that compliment ours. |
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be organized and able to multitask. |
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have a positive attitude and willingness
to do what you need. |
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be reliable and easy to work with, consistent
in the quality of the work ttthey produce for you - time
and time again. |
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be a good listener and able to translate
what you say to a visual design. |
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be experienced. Hire a professional -
this is their only business not just their hobby or something
they are doing part time. |
Let me tell you a little secret I have learned
about Virtual Assistants: The attitude you appreciate the
most from a Virtual Assistant is that they share and understand
your marketing goals- able to give you suggestions and ideas
that you hadn’t thought of. Two heads are better than one!
You want to be very confident in your Virtual
Assistant’s skill and the longer you work together the more
you will know their strengths and specialties.
At the ‘end of the day’ would your Virtual Assistant
say that YOU: were easy to deal with, provided content on time,
paid your bill promptly, let them know how much you value their
work?
It takes consistency over time from both of you
to build trust.
What would you do if they left you high and dry
with little notice to find someone else? A word to the wise,
always have another Virtual Assistant in mind just in case the
relationship for a number of possible reasons - with your current
one - ends.
Be creative in assigning tasks to a Virtual Assistant. Find
out what they shine at and figure out how to maximize their
talents for you and your clients. We jointly designed a promotions
service for business owners with just this value added bonus
in mind.
Be honest about how much time you can add to your home and
work life when you are spending less time on office work. One
of the most important tasks our Virtual Assistant does is to
maintain our main database and segregated lists as part of our
marketing plan. What jobs can you give away that would add some
consistency to your marketing this year? What could they do
month after month for you to increase your marketing image?
Something as simple as sending in regular press releases on
your behalf.
If you trust that you are being charged a fair rate, it doesn’t
much matter if it’s by the hour or a monthly contract rate.
As long as you believe you are not being taken advantage of
your relationship will have smooth sailing. Keep the lines of
communication open. This is a relationship like any other that
has to be founded in honesty.
Tips on How to Choose
1. Shop around and compare at least 3
2. Ask for references from their clients in just the last 6
months
3. Align your needs to your VA’s specialties
If you find a Virtual Assistant who is all that you need and
then thinks of more ways on their own they can help you, well
you are just plain spoiled and I am!
This article is dedicated to my fabulous Virtual Assistant
Mary Katharine Ross, www.joyworksvictoria.com
by Linda Conn ‘Your Business Coach’, VictoriaBusinessTalk.com
Watch for next month’s topic: “How to Choose A Bookkeeper”
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