7 Key Elements of Successfully Outsourcing to a Virtual Assistant

When you decide to hire a virtual assistant to grow your business you need to be strategic to successful find the right person. How do you do that?

You must consider your needs and then look to find a VA who fits those needs perfectly. Don't just hire the first person you come across without carefully determining if they are a good match.

Here are five essential elements to finding your perfect fit when outsourcing:

Element 1 - Is it a good match?

There are a lot of things that need to go right in order for a virtual assistant/client relationship to work out and not every virtual assistant is meant to work with every client. One of the first elements of working with a Virtual Assistant is finding a good match with your personality. The term virtual assistant indicates that most likely you won't be meeting this person face to face before you work with her. It's very important that you get on the phone and have a short discussion just to make sure you can understand each other and just find out if it's a good match to work together.

Element 2 - Understand what and why you are outsourcing.

This one is very important. I know we're all busy and outsourcing is a good way to have LESS work but it is important for yourself and your business that you know what you are handing over to a VA so that you can then decide if it's worth the money for you.

Let's say you are outsourcing your article marketing. If you don't understand what happens to your articles after they leave your computer how will you be able to tell if paying a VA $100 per month to send them out is worth it for you? On the other hand, if you do understand what is happening when those articles go out you can set up systems to monitor the results of this effort and see if it's paying off or if you need to tweak the system a little or a lot.

Element 3 - Expect it will take time.

If you are bringing on a virtual assistant, especially for your internet marketing, you can't expect that everything will happen instantly. You will need to train that assistant and she will need to learn your business. It's just not realistic to expect the virtual assistant to be intuitive about your needs until some time has passed and the working and business relationship has been well established. Some things take time and effort before they pay off.

Element 4 - Expect it will cost you money.

You'll often hear the term 'You can't afford NOT to outsource' and in many ways that's true but you do need to be prepared for the fact that outsourcing does cost money. The return on that investment can be very great if you outsource the right tasks to the right people, but keep in mind that you need some cash flow to outsource to a VA.

Element 5 - Communicate Clearly

Effective communication both on the part of the virtual assistant and the client is very key in an outsourcing relationship. Before you hire a VA find out what their method of communication is. If you prefer to call someone up on the phone every time you have a question or concern, make sure the VA you want to work with is available for these types of calls.

Also make sure you communicate your needs before you start working together. Be concerned if the virtual assistant doesn't ask any questions about what you do need if you don't get the opportunity to mention it. Your VA needs to determine if she can realistically handle the work you have available. If she doesn't know what it is she is effectively telling you she can do absolutely anything, which is unlikely.

Element 6 - Commit to a project

I know how hard it is to want to do so many different projects at a time and often just starting one project leads to so many other projects at the same time. Working on too many projects at once is just not smart business. If you can commit to a project and see it through you will definitely see more success with this then moving from project to project without actually finishing the last one or having the ability to track your efforts.

Element 7 - Test Results

I did mention this a little bit earlier but it's very important that you keep an eye on what is working and what isn't. Now you don't need to get all crazy with testing and tracking but you do need to know what works for you and your business and use that to make your outsourcing decisions. There are so many tools and programs available on the internet there really is no excuse for not tracking.

So there you have seven key elements to check before choosing a virtual assistant to work with. Use these as a guideline and you'll be well on your way to establishing a profitable working relationship with a new team member who can be a very valuable asset to your business for years to come.

Benefits of having a Virtual Assistant

With the help of the internet, small entrepreneurs can now avail of the services and resources that only the big business owners have access in the past years. And, this is to be able to hire a Virtual assistant.

What is a Virtual Assistant? A virtual assistant is a person who can provide services and solutions to business owners without working in the actual conventional working environment. Instead, they work at a remote location which may be their office or their home.

If you own a small business and your business is in need for administrative support or other services you will surely love the benefits of hiring a virtual assistant. This is because Virtual service providers can deliver the work with the same quality as the work office employees or even better.

The most outstanding benefits of hiring a Virtual assistant is that you can get the same service without having to deal with screening and sustaining a full-time employee. This means you will have fewer expenses and more savings.

And because they work in the comforts of their own homes you would never have to worry about providing them a physical workspace. They have their personal workspace on which they can handle jobs more efficiently. This is most convenient for companies who lack space in their offices.

Also, when you employ the services of an online assistant you won't have to worry about paying for taxes, pensions or health benefits. You will only pay them for the time they would take up to finish the project. They wouldn't mind not having these additional benefits because you will already be paying them for a higher rate than usual. It is up to you if you would want to add bonus benefits to further motivate them.

There are a lot more advantage of hiring a Virtual Assistant and even big companies have already recognized this. In fact the work-at-home trend is rapidly spreading with the help of the internet. Try getting the services of an Online Assistant and see how much impact it would bring to your company.

What to look for before Hiring a Virtual Assistant

As a business owner, you must understand hat you cannot perform everything yourself. Your time is valuable and any good business owner understands that he or she must focus on events which are priority while generating revenue for their business. Outsourcing a virtual assistant makes it easier for your business to gain the needed support minus having to hire business employees.

Virtual assistants are experts with the administrative needs of your business. I wanted to offer some tips on how your business can find the right virtual assistant for the needs of your business.-:

View websites -:

You will want to search for virtual asst. websites. Any competent virtual helper will have one with portfolios of their work as well as proving their competencies. You must look at the overall portrayal of the website. If the website contains misspelled words or horrible writing, you can rest assured that is the type of service you will receive from that particular virtual helper.

You want to look for relevant content on their website. You want to view their organizational skills as well as their command of spelling and punctuation. If you are not impressed with the website then you should begin your new search for your virtual helper.

Set up a consultation -:

You want to set up consultations with your possible new virtual assistant. As a business owner, you want a virtual assistant who you can work well with. You will want to gain insight if this person can offer the skills and services you need for your business. Schedule a consultation with the virtual assistant and then wait for the response and this will be the mitigating factor of hiring them or not.

Did the virtual ads respond in a timely fashion? How did they answer the phone? Were they prepared on the phone while discussing the needs of your business? These are important questions any business owner should ask themselves when setting up a consultation with a virtual helper.

How does the virtual assistant handle the consultation? -:

You will want to view how the virtual assistant handles the consultation. You want a virtual assistant who displays great business sense as well as someone who you feel you can work with professionally. You will want to ask about a clear overview of show the virtual helper works with clients. What services does he or she offer? What is his or her value's as well as expectations of both of you working together?

Ask about experience -:

You will want a virtual assistant who has experience. You want someone who will display great administrative skills as well as become a part of your team in running your business. You must ask how long the virtual ads has been in business. What is the skill level of the virtual assistant? You will more than likely want to hire someone who has performed upper level positions. You want the virtual helper to discuss their skill levels as well as qualifications. This will aid you in determining if they are the best person for the job in aiding you with the needs of your business.

ase-Up Your Business Requirements with Virtual Assistant Services

You couldn’t reply to an important mail on time because you were stuck with other tasks. This was crucial for your business but managing all the administrative tasks is a real headache… to avoid such issues, you may take the facility of ‘Virtual Assistant.’

Virtual Assistant is a creative idea of providing practical solutions to business houses as well as individual professionals, by outsourcing the facility. In the present scenario, Virtual Assistants have become the need of almost every entrepreneur or organization, as they promise to offer the service anywhere and everywhere. These assistants are playing a great role in increasing the profitability of a business. Apart from this, there are many more reasons to hire a VA.An eye on some of them-

• More advantageous than a personal secretary – During the commencing period of the business, everyone wants to spend less and earn more. At such moment, hiring a personal assistant can be quite costly; therefore, Virtual Assistant Service has emerged as a great alternative. They not only aid you in completion of your important tasks but also offer the facility on a much reduced cost.

Why Approach a Virtual Assistant

Some people will ask what a virtual assistant is. A virtual assistant (VA) is a person who owns a business while providing wide ranges of services, "virtually" from their office. This type of industry is growing fast and each VA brings their experiences as well as skills. There are many professionals who exist and as a business owner, you have heard the term virtual assistant but you are probably wondering how this type of assistant can aid you with your business.

If you feel you are far too busy to even think about hiring such an assistant then you definitely need to hire a virtual assistant. You need to consider giving someone else part of the workload. Delegating some of your work to an assistant is a great way to begin your time management techniques which are important for any business owner to consider.

Do you have lists of things to do which never get finished? If so, then you might want to consider a new marketing technique such as social media. A virtual assistant can implement new marketing strategies for your business. VA's do come with experience which can only aid your business with new and creative marketing techniques.

Let's face facts here, we all have things to perform on a daily basis which we literally hate performing. A VA can perform those tasks which you absolutely hate performing. You can give those particular tasks to the assistant while concentrating your time and efforts on things which you enjoy performing. This proves for a more fun-filled work day for you as a business owner.

As a business owner, do you simply want more time for your family or your life in general? Who doesn't want to let loose and have some fun here and there? If you hire a virtual assistant, you can maintain your social life while still expanding your business. The assistant can handle many different arenas of your business while aiding your business in streamlining many different processes for you as a true professional.

If you can relate to any of the scenarios aforementioned in this blog, you should seriously look into hiring a VA. Analyze your business while looking for parts of your business which can be completed by yourself and which parts of your business you feel should be delegated to a virtual assistant. You can even speak with a VA while asking him or her how to best delegate tasks within your business. These types of assistants are very worthwhile and can only aid you with not only the success you are craving but the life in which you want to live on a daily basis.

Advantages of Hiring a Virtual Assistant

If your business is growing as well as profiting you might find that time can become scarce. You might think about hiring someone to assist you with every day office duties. If your business is truly successful, you might find time scarce to even hire somebody else. What do you do? Now is the time when you must decide on hiring an additional employee for your business or a virtual assistant. I want to stress the benefits of hiring a virtual assistant which can save you not only time, money and your judgment.

Got a last minute project? -:
Virtual assistants are available at any time you need them. If you only need help for twenty hours or eighty hours a month, these assistants can accommodate the needs of your business. These assistants will perform virtually any project you throw at them to take account of last minute projects which you completely do not have time to perform. Virtual assistants are available for last minute projects when actual business employees would not be able to perform such tasks.

Save time and money -:
You can save expenses while paying a virtual assistant merely for their time and materials for specific projects. When assigning specific projects to actual employee's you might have to place aside particular hours and even if the project does not stem for those allotted hours, you will still have to pay for them. With a virtual assistant, you will only have to pay for the time and materials on that specific project. This will save your business money in the long run.

No need to worry about office space -:
You will not need extra equipment nor worry about extra office costs with virtual assistants. As a small business owner, you might not have the extra space of an extra employee within your business this is where virtual assistants prove their weight in gold. These assistants do not need space in your business to work, virtual assistants work primarily out of their own homes. This saves you not only time but valuable space in your business. Virtual assistants have their own equipment as well as workspace in order to aid your business with any project you throw at them.

No tax and benefit worries -:
You will not have to pay business related taxes, insurance fees, benefits or vacation time for virtual assistants. Virtual assistants are independent contractors therefore; you do not have to worry about providing any of these things to them. You do however have to pay them for their services and the agreed contract price.

Make sure you research for the best virtual assistant for your business -:
Make sure you perform your research for the best virtual assistant for your business. You will want to interview while asking many pertinent questions. How much will you charge by hour? Can I pay you per project? What types of services does the virtual assistant offer? Ensure you enter everything into a contract. This will protect not only your business but this will protect the virtual assistant as well. Legal is the best way to go.

Are you in search for a virtual assistant?

If you are looking for a virtual assistant, you have to look for some exacting stuff. If you are seeking an assistant for executive duties as well as other administrative measures for your business, you must seek an assistant who has performed in an upper level position within the executive field. You want an assistant with a high-level of expertise which will greatly become a benefit to your business.

Virtual assistants are independent contractors and not business employees. You want to inquire about the training and certification of the virtual assistant. If you need competent and professional help from your assistant, there are qualifications which you must look for.

Certifications are nice however, as a business owner, you should not place too much stock into certifications. It is not difficult to become certified through many ludicrous professional associations as well as programs. Certifications can prove misleading therefore, why it is more important for you as a business owner to concentrate on the training of the virtual assistant as compared to the numerous certifications which they might contain.

You want a virtual assistant who is literally in business for themselves. This shows commitment and a desire to succeed and you can rest assured that they will show this toward your business as well. You also to view if the virtual assistant has poor communication skills or long periods of unavailability's.

Ask the virtual assistant how long he or she has been in business. Do they work on a full-time or a part-time basis? There are questions which are very much pertinent in forming the decision of hiring a virtual assistant. Is the assistant confident? Is their business thriving? Request testimonials from the virtual assistant. You want to view if customers have been satisfied with their services. Testimonials speak volumes for the quality of work the virtual assistant more than likely gives as well as offers.

Lastly, you want to inquire about pricing. Most virtual assistants typically charge anywhere within the price range of forty dollars to seventy-five dollars an hour. This may like steep pricing however, you must understand that you do not want a ten dollar an hour virtual ads working for you and your business. You truly get what you pay for and this rings true with virtual helper.

In letting the price of the virtual assistants soak into your brain, you must think about how your services are not cheap. You feel that you offer quality products and services and that customers receive a great bargain for the quality of the products and services which you offer. Now, aim this mind frame toward hiring a virtual assistant. Get the picture?

As a business owner, you want someone you can work well with as well as someone who can offer great customer service while representing your business. You also want someone who is going to stick around therefore seek quality and value when searching for a virtual helper and the investment will prove worth it as you view not only the increase of your profits but the success of your business.

Virtual Assistant Service - Get Online Assistance to Enjoy a Cherished Business

Virtual Assistant Service - Get Online Assistance to Enjoy a Cherished Business
By Stella Ferrero

Not able to manage your tasks by your own and looking for a personal assistance without blowing lots of bucks... how about the idea of hiring a virtual assistant? Also known as online personal assistant, they can help you in concluding numerous tasks and interestingly, you will be paying only for the hours, your VA worked for you. Virtual Assistance services are offered to cover extensive genre of tasks. Read on to know, where you can make the best use of virtual assistance services.

Appointment Scheduling & Management - In this genre, they assist clients in accomplishment of numerous professional tasks, including online appointment scheduling and management. They take care of your meetings in your absence too by informing the second party about your absence and scheduling it for later.

Blog Management Services- Virtual assistants help you in enjoying a better online business. They create interesting blogs to boost traffic influx of your online business. This is impactful in increment of monetary benefits too.

Calendar Management - Calendar Management task is all about dealing with diary updating with the crucial information. A managed calendar or diary is the best reminder that helps you in attending meetings on time and also concluding the assignments much before the deadline.

Email Management - You find it almost impossible to check all the mails which have made entry in your mail inbox. What is the solution for this? You can ask your personal assistant to do this. Your online assistant would take care of all of your mails. He/she would check it, prepare a reply for it, forward it and flag it for your overview.

Internet Research - Virtual assistants can provide you a comprehensive research on any topic, you wish... You can get the research within a short span in a cost effective manner. Some of the VA providers prepare documents to give you the complete synopsis of the research done... nonetheless, most of the time, these are done on web only but online service providers do their best to feel you satisfied.

Not only this but also virtual assistants offer their service in completion of many more assignments. Some online Virtual assistance service providers present the facility of presentation making. This deals with preparation of power point presentations in accordance with customers' requirement. You can also ask your virtual assistant to provide telephone answering service. They can do numerous tasks for you including, order taking, online reception etc. When you are privileged with such services in a minimal cost, why to hire an actual personal assistant

Stell Ferrero is a Virtual Assistant for 5 years, strong in basic administrative skills, has high business acumen, and well honed people management skills. Currently associated with Connexxions Info Tech. Follow me on my blog at online virtual assistant.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Stella_Ferrero
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What are Virtual Assistant Services and its offering?

Virtual Assistant Services is one of the service industry which is growing at a fast pace in today’s business environment. VA is of great assistance when it comes to handling different administrative and executive needs of small and medium enterprises.

Virtual Assistance is a service offered all the way through an online virtual assistant, operational at a remote place, to run and raise your business resourcefully. They are experienced people who have worked before as an office manager/supervisor, executive assistant, legal assistant, secretary, legal secretary, etc. They utilize their own equipments and capability to enhance smooth execution of your businesses process.

A Virtual Assistant is a professional who has specialization in providing administrative support and expertise. A VA can fulfil all the job profile requirements of office assistant, personal assistant, receptionist, and secretary. The qualifications and skills that they possess as VAs enable them to be experts in their fields, as substantially as in their profession as entrepreneurs. You obtain more than administrative support, you have someone you can consult with, snap ideas, brainstorm with, and utilize some of their business practices.

The VA’s has to offer different services as per your business needs which includes appointment scheduling, calendar management, email management, telephone answering, travel management, document processing and many more.

Since virtual assistants are professed entrepreneurs, they are fairly versed in business operations. You won't have to be concerned for most of the time-consuming tasks, a virtual assistant can help you give an edge to your professional face.

Although the VA industry has existed for almost 10 years, VA is suddenly in high demand as they scale down your business expenses. They are independent contractors not employees. The demand for virtual assistants is rising because they can handle various administrative functions for your business and in turn create more time so that you can concentrate on other goals like marketing strategies, decision-making and giving more time to your social life.

Reasons for their increasing demand:

• On Demand 24x7 Assistance:

As per your business requirements, you may not be in a need of a part time or a fulltime employee but some limited or an occasional secretarial support. In a situation like this, a virtual personal assistant will provide you the perfect solution by working as a remote secretary.

• Outsourcing benefits:

When you employ a virtual personal assistant you take pleasure in diverse benefits of outsourcing like tax and benefit issues, employer liabilities, attached with dependability and faithfulness of the company's executive personal assistant.

• Privacy and space:

You do not need additional space for an online virtual assistant who will be using his own resources and administrative centre. Also you will not have to pay any additional capital to him but just for the hours he will work for you.

• Cost Effective

As a small and medium enterprise one is always concerned about the operating cost, hiring a virtual assistant is just like a cost effective solution for your personal and secretarial support.

What and why about VA and Virtual Assistant Services

Today, when business is not dependent on a particular time-schedule, you may require to accomplish your important tasks and schedule appointments at any moment, without bothering whether its 1pm or 3am. It is a hectic schedule but now you can relax, as you can take service of online virtual assistant. These assistants are creative and virtual transformation of real virtual assistants. They offer their service either via phone or web. Most of the virtual assistant service providers offer their service round of the clock.

In the present scenario, Virtual Assistants are considered more advantageous than a personal secretary is. It is very effective during the initiation period of the business, as everyone look for a way that should deal with fewer expanses and more profit… At such point of time, hiring a personal assistant can be quite costly but you need to accomplish all the administrative tasks without depriving the focus on revenue generation. Virtual supports are wonderful substitute of personal assistants. They not only assist you in completion of your important tasks but also help you in saving your money.

If you are looking for a better online virtual assistant, you must rely on web, as internet is considered the best place to single out best virtual assistants.

Introduction to Virtual Assistant