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December 4, 2008
Why Fly Solo? Delegate Work to a Virtual Assistant
Posted by Marla Tabaka at 10:00 AM
One of the toughest issues that solopreneurs face is in scaling their business. How do you grow when it's just you doing the work? I help my clients to get past the word "solo" and learn to delegate. Yes, delegate. But to whom? For business owners who wish to remain in one-person -business model, it's a surprise for them to discover that they don't have to do it all alone AND they don't have to hire an employee either.
I reached out to the International Virtual Assistant's Association, better known as IVAA, for a few pointers on finding and hiring a virtual assistant. According to IVAA, VA's are independent entrepreneurs who provide administrative, creative and/or technical services. Utilizing the internet and other technology, a professional VA assists clients in his/her area of expertise from his/her own office on a contractual basis. In other words, they take the work that you don't like to do, or don't have the time to do off your hands and voila! - You get to focus on growing your business.
Lauren Hidden is the Acting Marketing Director at IVAA and she offers these helpful insights:
Q – Lauren, what types of jobs can a VA take off my desk?
A –Think about what is holding you back from making the most profit from your time. Things like mass mailings, scheduling appointments, research for your articles or blog. Start with the simple items and try a VA out with a small project or a few hours worth of work.
Q – What if my business doesn't necessitate a lot of "administrative" work, can a VA still be useful to me?
A –Many VA's do traditional administrative work, but many provide specialty and creative services; writing, graphic design, programming, bookkeeping, and website design are a few examples. VA's don't just do "secretarial" work.
Q - Let's talk about the hiring process. How do I know if it's a good fit?
A –To maximize the chances of finding the right VA, make sure you ask for references. Also be certain that the VA has the skill set you require for your own particular needs; someone who can grow with you and your company. Call them and converse – ask for samples of work. Also ask about their preferred method of communication; phone, email, instant messaging. Make sure they communicate the way you like to. You might find it frustrating if you put in a phone call to your VA and it gets returned via email because that's what they prefer. Also, some VAs will work by project or on an as-needed basis, others will only work on a guaranteed monthly retainer. The best VA will be a mutual fit.
Q – Lauren, you talked about types of services that VA's offer, are there also certain specialty niches in VA's work?
A – Absolutely. Some examples would include working for realtors, coaches, professional speakers and authors, professional associations, and even musicians. There is now an emerging group of "green" VA's too!
Q – What are some of the biggest concerns that potential employers might voice about hiring a virtual assistant.
A – Mostly, entrepreneurs are fearful about delegating. They're accustomed to doing everything themselves and feel uncertain about what to delegate. We advise that they start small and take it from there.
Some people are worried about trusting the billing practices of someone who isn't physically in their presence. But people are becoming accustomed to working virtually now and trust is building. There's also a code of ethics that is a condition of membership in IVAA. We even offer the EthicsCheck certification which was designed to mitigate this mistrust.
Q – What resources are available to help an entrepreneur to find the VA who is right for them?
A – There is an RFP form at the IVVA website. You just fill in the details and members will respond to your request.
Remember, your virtual assistant wants to grow with you. If you're concerned about finding the money to afford a VA, start small. A couple of hours a week will buy you time to market your business and soon you will find yourself utilizing your VA more often AND affording their services more easily.
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Well said. I agree completely with these points and I get the same questions from future clients. Both the VA and the client have to screen each other for that mutually beneficial fit.
Jennifer Goodwin - CEO
http://www.internetGIRLfriday.com
I also agree that one of the toughest "hurdles" to overcome is simply the fear of delegating. However, VAs are often sole practitioners themselves, so there's an understanding about how one-person shops operate. That "common ground" can also play a significant role in how VAs effectively work with their clients.
Rachel Rasmussen - Founder
Rescue Desk, LLC
Ok, you convinced me. I interviewed two VAs yesterday to help me with social media and I think I'm going to go for it. The rates are reasonable and I certainly need the help. Now I just have to think of what tasks I can delegate when I've been doing everything myself for five years.
Thanks for the post.
Another established, reputable Virtual Assistant association is the Virtual Assistance Chamber of Commerce. Something the marketplace might be interested to know is that we are the only Virtual Assistant organization that screens members to meet standards of excellence and competence.
For your readers who are interested in learning more about Virtual Assistance, the VACOC has written a guide just for them. Of particular interest:
Client's Guide to Virtual Assistantshttp://www.virtualassistantnetworking.com/client-guide.htm
How to Hire a Virtual Assistant
http://www.virtualassistantnetworking.com/how-to-hire-a-virtual-assistant.htm
Virtual Assistant Directoryhttp://www.virtualassistantnetworking.com/directory/
RFP Center
http://www.virtualassistantnetworking.com/rfp-center.htm
Danielle Keister
Founder, Virtual Assistance Chamber of Commerce
Virtual assistants are helping so many different types of people and companies with Internet Research, project managements, sales assistant both for the office and personally. The opportunity to lend an extra pair of hands is endless.
Robin Levan
Cyber Office Assistant, NJ
As an entrepreneur, I have used virtual resources from elance.com to expand my staff and to complete critical projects. The international resources available on the site have been used to design the Cake and a Prayer logo, build the website, design brochures, conduct research, create banner ads (at $12 each), create blogs, and the list goes on. With any virtual project or virtual assistant, it's important to be clear about the deliverable and the timeframe. A recent trend I’ve noticed is the proliferation of talented U.S. resources now competing for projects on Elance at significantly discounted rates. Not the ideal situation for them I’m sure, but I’m really excited about the expanding pool of talent available to help with the virtual growth of my company.
Kimberly Crayton Corley
Founder - Cake and a Prayer, LLC
http://www.cakeandaprayer.com
One of the best parts of hiring a VA is how cost effective it can be for the solopreneur. You can pay for as much or as little help as you need and get extremely personalized service. Each VA is unique and offers many different types of services -- from the more traditional type of administrative support to the high-tech, cutting edge type of support. There's something for everyone, depending your needs and style.
Jamie A. DeChambeau
JADE Virtual Admin Services
A shout out to Ann! I'm so glad you took the plunge and interviewed some VA's! Please let me know how it goes and how it impacts your business.
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