So why do I preface this post with that phrase, because it signifies an experience I just had that, to me, personifies what partnering with a Virtual Assistant means. Let me expand.

In my world as a Virtual Assistant, last week was “one of those weeks” where you question the decision you made (in my case 3 years ago) to enter the world of the self employed. A situation happened that could have either helped solidify the client/VA relationship I had OR it could have severed the ties.

The Situation:

Client is a WordPress Developer ( I’ll call him Jim)

Virtual Assistant (that’s me) but to Jim my role is  ”Development and Client Care” which essentially means I help format and develop the WordPress site for the client and communicate directly with them to move the project forward.

The Story:

I received a phone call from the Jim’s client (let’s call him Bob) as I needed some clarification on some content to the wordpress site. Since I am somewhat new to Bob’s industry I had some questions that seemed very reasonable on my end but, as I found out, were not to Bob. The conversation became very one-sided with Bob literally becoming somewhat rude and insulting. His voice was raised and I could hear and feel the frustration but also felt very belittled as his tone was very condescending. I couldn’t get off the phone fast enough. I immediately had to explain to Jim what had happened with a lot of apprehension I might add – could it have just been me, could I have been more clearer etc. etc.

So, three scenarios could have resulted from that conversation I then had with Jim.

A. Jim could have taken Bob’s side in the matter.

B. Jim could have just ignored the situation.

C. Jim could have supported me.

Essentially, the whole direction of how our VA/Client relationship would move forward was held in the balance awaiting a response. My goal was never to “rock-the-boat” but

So what was the outcome???

My respect and admiration for Jim was solid to begin with but now I am convinced our VA/client relationship could last for a very long time.

So why did I tell you this story, definitely not to show you my weaknesses or cry over spilt milk, I was trying to demonstrate that:

1. Virtual Assistants: be open and honest with your clients

And

2. VA Clients: Support your team whole-heartedly and stand up for them.

If you do this, they will be “loyal to the bone” day in and day out.

Do you have a story like this to share, add your comments below so we can hear from you.

                          

First of all, it must be clear that a VA is not an employee. They are self employed business owners providing various types of services that usually relate to helping other business owners run their businesses smoothly.

Types of Services

The types of services offered by VAs vary depending upon the expertise of the VA but they generally apply to providing administrative services. However, the work performed by a VA is not restricted to word processing or other secretarial duties. Most have specialty services they offer depending upon their expertise and skills. The types of work performed by a VA are endless and will make the life of a business owner much easier and help him or her operate their business smoothly.

Depending upon what the business owner requires to help them in their business will determine what skills they are looking for when searching for a Virtual Assistant. Many are extremely talented in creating marketing material, or writing business plans, setting up contact management information, website design, article marketing, correspondence, concierge services, project management, event planning, making travel arrangements or even personal shopping.

Benefits

The benefit of contracting the services of a VA is that they work from their own office communicating with their clients via email, telephone, fax, snail mail, delivery service or other methods of communication. Because they work from their own office they have their own equipment and supplies necessary to perform the work they offer. This includes their own computer, fax machine, and office supplies, and they look after their own needs regarding benefits and taxes.

When you hire a Virtual Assistant you don’t have to worry about payroll, sick leave, providing work space or equipment. Payment is for actual work done at the rate both agree upon in advance and the VA will invoice the client for compensation. How much easier can it get?

Quit struggling

To determine how a VA can help you, think about what part of your business you are struggling with and if it would be more beneficial to hire a VA to look after those details. Why not use your own expertise to ensure your business is a success. Maybe it’s the day to day scheduling, or marketing, or project management you need help with. Whatever you establish your needs to be; there is a Virtual Assistant who can help you.

                          

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.

                          

I’m not sure if Dr. Bach ever had a virtual assistant but I like his thought process. Bach made it his purpose to increase his appreciation and understanding for those he had interactions with. This makes me think about how cultivating creativity in business allows open discussions of any and all solutions.

As virtual assistants (or VAs), clients look to us to be solution finders . . . or solution providers. Working as partners equally invested in the successes of the business, VAs get excited about where the company is headed and that satisfies their personal interests in making a valuable impact along the way. The enthusiasm brought to the table can be a catalyst for creativity that sustains a project or breathes new life into a vision that may have dried up.

Working together with the approach that there are no wrong approaches in the process opens so many doors. It’s not to say that common business sense doesn’t apply but it removes the perceived limitations and encourages out-of-the-box thinking.

So, how does the creativity cultivation process take place?

It begins with the business owner’s realization that a company of any size cannot sustain growth on the back of one person. It is vital to the health of the business to have support, loyalty, trust, and a continual stream of ideas. It’s in these moments that the business owner becomes the client and a virtual assistant alliance is formed.

Think about those brainstorming sessions that are judgment free. The ones where ideas are flying and soon a thought is piggybacked onto something else that was said and then . . . “Shazam!” The birth of a new fresh idea was just witnessed. Those free-wheeling brainstorming sessions can be electrifying and that’s when the magic really begins to happen. Each idea sparks off another as the two collaborate together. Simply put it’s “synchronicity in action.”

Both the client and the VA come away energized. Ready to get the ball rolling. Ready to tackle any hurdle that comes up along the way of this new solution. I encourage business owner’s who become clients to be the pipeline rather than a chink in the creativity that is brought to the table by a forward-thinking virtual assistant. It’s not the time to squash creativity like a bug but time to watch the wings of the idea open and unfold before your very eyes ready for you to take hold and give it flight.

                          

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!

                          

Print this list off and tape it to your desk. You just never know when you might have to turn down another opportunity to grow:

1. I’m really not a planner. If I hire a virtual assistant I will have to think about why I have a business and what I want to achieve this year and even 5 five years from now. Otherwise I’m just wasting her time and my money. And that just wouldn’t be fair to either of us.
2. How can I trust a VA with my business? I mean, I’m over here and she’s over there, way over there. How these VAs get any work done without someone looking over their shoulder is beyond me. It’s just not good management. Besides, if I can’t micromanage the details what will I do all day?
3. No one could possibly do it as well as I can. (And the way I do it is quite unlike anything you’ve ever seen.) I started this business because I have something unique and special to offer my adoring public. To think a virtual assistant could step in and competently assist with anything related to marketing or administration is, well, it’s crazy talk.
4. I don’t have time to explain everything to a VA. I’m too mired in paperwork and marketing and answering emails and God-knows-what-else to actually waste an hour or two a month with something as tedious as delegating. And like I said, what I do is complicated. Mysterious in fact.
5. I can’t afford to hire a virtual assistant. Nope, not a single dollar left in my budget for getting the right things done at the right time. Heck, this computer system alone cost me thousands. I’d be nuts to spend another three hundred bucks this month on administration when I could just do it myself for nothing. I mean, the sales aren’t exactly pouring in right now. (Though I’m not sure why.)
6. Bonus Excuse: Maybe next year I’ll think about hiring a VA and getting ahead with my business. Right now I’ve just got too much to do.

There you have it. Six of the most widely used and abused excuses for not outsourcing all the crap that’s getting in your way. Why choose silly things like productivity and purpose when you can defer to much easier choices like chasing your tail and working yourself to the bone?

Don’t let a VA stop you from getting what you really want out of your business. It’s just not worth it.