You have so much to do that you are only doing bits and pieces of each thing and accomplishing nothing. You aren’t alone.

Many business owners believe they have to do it all rather than ask for help, not realizing if they could better manage their time and delegate tasks they could actually save money. I was as guilty of this as some of my clients. It’s doesn’t have to be a difficult step to actually outsource some tasks you really don’t have the time nor the expertise.

Not knowing how to do everything for your business is nothing to be ashamed of. There isn’t a business owner alive who can do it all. In my case it’s bookkeeping. I would like to think I can take care of invoicing, accounts payables and accounts receivables but when I was faced with a controversy with a client I found that I hadn’t kept track as well as I thought I had. Working with a bookkeeper right from the start could have saved me hours of stress that could have been better spent in building my business. I now know that bookkeeping is not one of my strengths. However, I am good at many other things involved in my business and now spend my time on those rather than wasting my time on things I should outsource.

What can a Virtual Assistant help you with?

1.  Managing your schedule – tracking appointments, goals, and tasks.
2.  Screening emails, responding where possible and prioritizing the rest.
3.  Invoicing your clients and taking care of following up with unpaid accounts.
4.  Manage your website updates, blogging and your client lists
5.  Customer service issues – responding in a timely manner
6.  Correspondence – write letters, memos, etc. – ready for signature
7.  Create company forms, marketing material or manage to have it outsourced
8.  Writing a business plan or marketing plan – establishing goals.
9.  Order supplies and arrange for delivery.
10.  Project Management – ensure projects are managed properly to completion.
11.  Design a newsletter and create a monthly campaign.
12.  Establish a social media networking campaign, setting up social networks, posting and setting up a schedule for your involvement.
13.  Creating your logo, business card, stationery and brochures
14.  Manage your affiliates
15.  Help you create a company “Brand” with your signature – establishing an online presence.
16.  Write and publish press releases

The above list is obviously just a small sample of things a Virtual Assistant can do for you while you are operating your business. Remember a VA is virtual and they supply their own work space, equipment and also pay for their own benefits. You only pay for the actual work done. I think it’s pretty obvious that you can only benefit by the assistance of a VA. Quit wasting your time!

                          

When speaking to other VA’s I have heard that a frustrating part of doing business with their clients is their lack of understanding as to how these VA’s can help them. Running into this problem myself I honestly believe it comes down to lack of communication. We must ask the questions that will bring the answers we need to better serve our clients. Have you been clear as to what your needs of your VA are?

Knowing where you need help.

Is your Virtual Assistant aware of all that you do? Are you utilizing her expertise to the fullest? Are you communicating? Do you know what your needs are?

Knowing where you need assistance to ensure your business operates profitably and efficiently can be a challenge. I quite often recommend to my clients that they take the time to track what they do each day for a week. It may appear to be a daunting task to keep a record of what you do each day but this information can be very insightful. It possibly will surprise you as to the many things you do that are an actual waste of your time.

You could in fact better utilize your time operating your business while your VA takes care of some of the mundane duties that need to be done. She can be operating behind the scenes taking care of many things that may not have even occurred to you that a VA can do. By reviewing together the tracking sheet of your schedule and by communicating your needs to your VA she may better serve you.

Sharing information with your VA

Share your information with your Virtual Assistant and discuss everything with her. You might be amazed as to what she can take care of to create more time for you to do what you actually need to do to ensure your businesses success.

No matter what your business is, a Virtual Assistant can be of assistance. Realtors have their VA’s take care of their website, listings, fact sheets and a hundred other little things that need to be done when buying or selling homes. Insurance sales persons utilize their VA’s by having them take care of correspondence, scheduling, etc. Speakers or trainers have their VA’s organize speaking engagements, tracking registrations, responding to inquiries. Many lawyers take advantage of the skills of many Virtual Assistants with legal experience. All business sectors should utilize the social media skills of their VA to create a campaign that will enhance their online exposure. You too can benefit by having the assistance of a Virtual Assistant.

Your VA has a vested interest in you and your business.

If you find that you are not fully taking advantage of the skills of your Virtual Assistant communicate with them. Have an established routine for communicating with your VA, discussing what is happening with your business whether it is about your achievements or your challenges. Your Virtual Assistant has a vested interest in your business and wants you to succeed thus enabling her to succeed. See what a little communication can do for you? It will help your business grow and flourish. Give your VA a call regularly.

                          

Many entrepreneurs these days know the value of having a virtual assistant. But what about multiple VAs? Perhaps Mr. Edison was onto something. Now, I’m not suggesting you go out and get twenty-one assistants, however there is a plus side to having more than one VA.

Strength In Numbers
Not all VAs are created equal. Some offer a wide variety of services while others specialize in one or two specific areas. One person might love bookkeeping while another loathes it. It’s important to know when searching for a VA not only what types of services a she offers but also which ones she is good at and enjoys doing. You may find that you partner with a VA for certain projects and later decide that you would like her to do other projects as well. That’s great but she may not enjoy doing those new tasks or even know how to do them. Could she learn? Sure, but time is money and you need the work done sooner rather than later. This is why having multiple VAs that specialize may be beneficial.

A Team of Experts Means Peace of Mind
I have one client who has a team of six or seven VAs including myself. Does she do it to brag? Not at all although she is very successful at what she does and consistently tells the world she couldn’t do it without the support team she has in place. Part of her criteria for seeking the services of a VA is that they need to specialize in a particular area. She wants any person she partners with to be good at a lot of things but great at one thing. This is because when she delegates a project she wants to trust that it is being done correctly and efficiently without having to worry about it. She knows it is being handled by an expert in that area and she can willingly hand it over and move on to the next thing.

More Is Less
Is it costing my client any more money to have so many assistants? Absolutely not! Remember she is only paying for the work that is done and it would cost her the same amount of hours for her various projects to have one person do it than it does to have multiple people. Perhaps even less since each person is specialized in their area of expertise, there is less back and forth, correcting mistakes and waiting for questions to be answered which means she could actually be saving money by having more people on her team.

Is a VA Team Right For You?
Having a team of VAs can be a great asset to your business but it’s not for everyone. If you are not good at managing priorities or people then it might not be in your best interest to have a VA team. Having more than one VA may also not be for you if you’re not good at communicating. Communication is key when working with one person much less a multitude of people. It is essential to have regular team meetings via phone or other means as well as to have individual conversations with your VAs. Doing so will ensure that everyone is on the same page with your business objectives and everyone clearly understands what they need to do.

Your business is your baby and you want it handled properly. Putting together a team of highly skilled individuals who have your best interest at heart might be just what you need to take your business to the next level.

                          

1. Good Communication
   Since your Virtual Assistant will not have a physical presence in your office, it will be important to establish and follow a good communication plan. Determine whether you would like your Virtual Assistant to contact you with updates daily, weekly, monthly or as needed. When providing your Virtual Assistant with instructions ensure they are always direct, precise and understandable. Also ensure your VA is aware of your preferred method of communication (telephone, e-mail, facsimile, etc.).
2. Be Open
   First and foremost, in order to have a successful working relationship with your VA you must be open to the concept. Also, be open to any ideas or suggestions your VA may have and offer reasons why or why not you think the ideas are worthy of further consideration. Remember to give your VA time to answer your inquiries because although they may not have the answer, they do have the resources to find the answer for you.
3. Trust the Partnership
   Just like any relationship, trust must be earned. When working with a VA it will be especially important to trust that when they say they are working for you they truly are. Try starting your relationship off slowly to “test the waters” and gradually work up to larger, more demanding assignments.
4. Have Patience
   Remember to give your VA time to learn your business and your preferences. Provide your VA with the guidance they need and remember they may have a lot of questions as they learn how and why you and your business operate. The end result will definitely be worth all the time, patience and understanding you devote to making the partnership succeed.
5. Give Up Control
   I know you have been wearing many of the hats for awhile, but don’t be afraid to hand over some “control” to your VA. Just remember by allowing your VA to handle your administrative headaches you gain the opportunity to focus your time and energies elsewhere. By giving up control you can “hand off” all those tasks you dread, knowing they are being handled professionally and accurately.
6. Be Respectful
   Remember that your VA is likely to have boundaries you should be aware of. Be respectful of your VA’s office hours, turnaround time and how they wish to receive instructions. Through mutual respect and appreciation, your VA can become a vital part of the success and growth of your business.
7. Plan Ahead
   Please try to remember that in most cases, your VA has other people they work for so keep that in mind when scheduling when you provide them with work. Don’t leave things until the last minute.

Now that your VA is handling your administrative headaches it is time to concentrate on the things that matter to growing your business. These are the things that attracted you to your business in the first place. By partnering with a VA, you gain the opportunity to spend more time on the things you enjoy doing. Spend more time with your family, wine and dine a new client or try a new marketing strategy. By partnering with a VA, you can concentrate on truly growing a thriving business.

                          

With the speed of business today, one can be left behind with the simple click of a mouse.   If you’re not on top of your game, your competition will be. How do you get the jump on the competition? The secret is to hire a VA on the other side of the planet – or the country, or simply in another time zone.

Why does time zone matter?

Being on a different time schedule than your VA can actually benefit some businesses. A local VA will likely work the same type of hours as you do. Workflow takes a few days, as shown here:

• Day 1:               Assign the work to VA
• Day 2:               VA does the work
• Day 3:               Completed work returned and ready to use

If, however, your VA is hours away, it can take a day out of this scenario. While you sleep overnight on Day 1, the work is being done and will be on your desk ready to use on Day 2. This gives you a full day’s jump on your competition; if they use local talent.

Don’t misunderstand, I’m not suggesting you send work and expect it done immediately. A VA isn’t on call 24/7! You must have a prearranged working agreement with your VA that they will do the assigned work in a set time frame. “On demand” work assignments can wreak havoc on a successful VA-Client relationship.

The time difference is very beneficial when your VA does work via remote log in to your computer.   Suppose you have a VA updating your contacts twice weekly. You fax copies of the business cards, the VA logs in to your computer and enters the information directly into your Contact Management System. If you have a VA who lives in a time zone with a 5 hour difference; remote log in and updating can be done while you are sleeping – freeing up your computer for your workday. Or have your VA doing bookkeeping or checking your email for spam 3 hours before you wake up in the morning.

Get a jumpstart on your competition and get your work done earlier!

VAnetworking has the largest database of Virtual Assistant websites worldwide – you can find a VA anywhere in the world; from Australia to Nova Scotia, or Texas to the United Kingdom.   Time zones can aid immensely in helping you and your VA work together and efficiently, while being far apart!

Check out the Virtual Assistant Search Engine to find one in any locale!

                          

For example (I have no scientific data to back this up) I believe most entrepreneurs get bored at some point. Bored with their own businesses. You live, breathe, sleep and eat your business and some days it’s hard to find the motivation to do it another day. Sometimes you feel like you’ve become complacent, and that you’ve already “done it all” when it comes to your marketing – that there’s nowhere else to go. Of course, I believe this is just a symptom of burnout.

One thing that many of my clients have complimented me on is my ability to get them excited about their businesses. As a Virtual Assistant, I have worked with dozens of entrepreneurs and they all do things a little differently. I have a large pool of experiences to draw from because I’m learning from so many different people. Don’t get me wrong here – I don’t run around giving away confidential information or spilling top secret marketing tactics, but I can’t help but learn.

I only work with people who have businesses that I can get excited about and my life is richer for it. I can’t help but share ideas and research my clients’ industry to learn as much as I can. This all spills over into the VA/Client relationship and it’s one of the most rewarding parts of partnering with a good Virutal Assistant. (I have my own Virtual Assistants who help keep me excited about my enterprise!)

Are you excited about your business? Are your feet hitting the floor every morning eager to get your day started, or does your stomach turn with that 5:00 Sunday evening dread that most of us felt back when we had j.o.b.s?

If you’ve lost your ‘mojo’ so to speak, see if you can find yourself a Virtual Assistant. Look for someone who matches your personality, who you think can lift you up and inject some new life into your business. When you find the right person, I promise you won’t regret it.

In essence, what I’m saying is that you can even delegate motivating yourself to a Virtual Assistant!

                          

“I’m ready to put a shopping cart on my website, I should really learn how to do that.”

“I know I should be putting out a newsletter but I don’t know where to start.”

“As soon as I get a minute to figure out Facebook, I’ll put up a profile.”

“I’ll get my bookkeeping straightened out when I get around to learning how to use QuickBooks.”

In all honesty, are you ever going to get around to learning how to do all those things while you’re working in your business? Maybe, but at what cost?

If you have a Virtual Assistant already, have you thought about asking them if they would learn how to do any of these things? Or have you thought about asking for referrals for other Virtual Assistants they network with who already know how to do the things you keep “meaning to get around to.”

If you’re actively searching for a Virtual Assistant, keep in mind that a lot of VAs would be very happy to learn a new skill for you. You don’t necessarily have to find one person who can do all 30 things you want to delegate. It’s kind of tough to find someone who can do everything. But I’ll bet you can find a person who can do 15 things, learn how to do a couple more, and help hook you up with someone great who can do the rest!

Stop putting all those important things off. Outsource learning a new skill. Hey, why not?!