An effective entrepreneur realises that they cannot do everything themselves…
When ‘The 4-Hour Workweek‘ by Tim Ferriss was published back in 2007, the discussion often centred around several topics. One of the most popular chapters of this best-selling novel discussed hiring a Virtual Assistant (VA).
While some of his advice regarding work was controversial, critics and readers alike universally agreed that hiring a VA was a great decision overall. However, many people are still hesitant to take the decision and actually find one.
Here are the top 5 reasons any business owner should consider working with a VA.
1.) Many options for hiring.
Many business owners choose to hire VAs from Southeast Asia or South America purely for economic reasons. While it’s true that these assistants charge a lower rate than their European counterparts, some individuals are put off by the idea, or are concerned about English language ability and/or time zones.
The truth is that there are VAs working all over the world, and each one carries a different skill-set. If you need someone working in the US with expert-level skills in Salesforce, someone from Europe who knows their way around MS Office or a WordPress expert from Australasia, you can easily find them. In fact, business owners today have more choice over their hiring than ever before. For instance entrepreneurs can find a themselves a freelancer, either via reccommendation, social networking, an internet search, freelancer sites or online directories. However they go about it, ientrepreneurs looking to engage the services of Virtual Assistants can find the perfect fit for a reasonable investment.
2.) Able to access the best skills.
Virtual Assistant is an all-encompassing term for many professionals working as freelancers or running their own business. I once sat down and compiled a list of more than 50 from Admin Angel to Virtual PA. Match this with my list of 150 Tasks that You Can Delegate to a Virtual Support Professional and there is a wealth of skills and experience avaiable for the savvy entrepreneur.
It’s therefore highly unlikely that one VA will be able to undertake all tasks required, but we have a large network and, with a motto of Collaboration Not Competition, we will be able to find a suitably skilled profession to assist.
3.) You’re doing too much already.
VAs are capable of taking on a larger variety of tasks as many more businesses move online. A good rule of thumb is that a VA can do virtually (no pun intended) anything you can do that doesn’t require your actual presence.
As long as the VA has the appropriate skills, which can range from executive office and online business management; customer service and call handling; social media management; proof reading and copy writing; website maintenance and blog updates; finance; graphic design and SEO etc etc – the list goes on and on – they can get the job done. You may need more than one VA to complete all the tasks that you require, or alternatively, an OBM (Online Business Manager) will manage your team of VAs to ensure all projects are completed. Chances are, you can take back a good portion of your day through hiring the right Virtual Assistant, allowing you to focus on the creative, personal and business-growing strategies that only you can do.
4.) It’s cost effective
VA expenses are, in most cases, among the smallest investments for any particular business operation. As far as return on investment goes, they’re at the highest level of return. This is what makes them such a popular hire for anything from a one-man operation to a massive Fortune 100 company. Many VAs offer retainer packages which enables the entrepreneur to budget.
Each business owner can contract the right level of support for their enterprise and with the flexibility to change this as the business grows, or when sales and workload reduce. With no employment contracts and associated terms required, hiring a VA is a sound business decision.
5.) Business growth
As mentioned, you cannot do everything yourself and the business of an entrepreneur who knows the benefits of delegation, may grow more quickly as a result. Don’t spend time working out how to complete a task that is taking you away from your own expertise, your talent that will enable you to achieve new sales and increase turnover. There are other professionals who can manage the operations and day-to-day tasks of your enterprise so delegate and trust them to support you.
many VAs have supported business owners to the point that their operation has grown so well that they do actually need to employ someone. This is great and the VA can likely assist with the recruitment process before looking out for a new client to support.
Hiring a VA is simply one of the easiest and most effective ways to get more work done in less time. If you’re still not convinced, speak to an entrepreneur already working with a VA, or have an open and honest conversation with an actual Virtual Assistant – most offer a no-charge no-commitment consultation. Have a budget and set aside some funds for a month and see for yourself how a VA can help you improve productivity.
Book direct in my diary for your no-obligation call to discuss how you and your business may benefit from the support of a VA.
Alternatively, for further information and inspiration, check out my two FREE guides: