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.

                          

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!

                          

I realized this is not unlike an entrepreneur deciding to work with a Virtual Assistant.

As a small business owner, you have goals for your business that you probably know how to reach, but just don’t have the time or knowledge necessary to take the steps that must be taken to reach them. When you work with a Virtual Assistant, you have someone in your corner with a vested interest in seeing that you reach those goals and the professional know-how it takes to get you there.

Just like my personal trainer created a plan for me in accordance with my fitness goals, your Virtual Assistant can draft a plan in accordance to your business goals. In most cases, this VA can also do what needs to be done to get you there.

Most of us start our businesses intending to do everything it will take to make us even more successful, but life can get in the way and when we’re lucky enough to get very busy with clients and customers it becomes very difficult to do what it takes to reach higher levels of success. A Virtual Assistant will be there for you when this happens and s/he will ensure that you stay on track.

Just like my personal trainer was a sound investment in my physical health, a Virtual Assistant will be a sound investment in the long-term health of your business!

                          

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!