How to find the right virtual assistant

Congratulations!  Your business has grown enough that you know you need help.  There’s just a small little problem now–what does that help look like?  How do you know that the virtual assistant you hire will meet your needs?

The following steps will help inform your decision as to what sort of assistant you need to hire.  Answer the following:

1. What are the stress points in your workload? What tasks are constantly being placed on the back burner because you are just trying to keep up with the current jobs at hand? Maybe you put off the bookkeeping until the last possible moment. Perhaps you hate managing your client database or preparing marketing letters or emails. It could even be that you hate answering the phone because it takes you away from the work you are trying to do. Whatever things you want to offload, those are the skills you will want your virtual assistant to possess.
2. What specialized functions do you want your assistant to perform? Will the assistant be answering forwarded phone calls? Do you need Quickbooks entries categorized so they are ready for your accountant? Does someone need to be handling your social media or emails so that you can focus on clients?
3. How does the assistant charge for services? Are you being charged a flat rate whether you use one or 100 hours in a month or are you billed for actual time? Are you charged by the task vs. by the hour? A good assistant will have an accurate and verifiable means of hours tracking to help you understand what you are utilizing.
4. What sort of interaction do you want with your assistant?  Phone, text, email, and video conferencing are all options.  You likely have a preference.  Can your chosen assistant work with that?
5. What sort of systems does your VA have in place to ensure that the work you need completed is done in timely fashion?

Hiring a new assistant of any sort can be a daunting task.  Shoot us an email or give us a call for a free consultation.  We can offer advice to help you on your journey.

Thank you for visiting, and don’t be a stranger!

Sheryl Paulson-Price Owner, CEO Cirrus VA