Your business is growing and you’re starting to wish you had someone to help keep things running smoothly. “Maybe I should hire a VA…” you find yourself thinking. And then you freeze. You realize you have no idea what that means for your business, or what that looks like for you. Lucky for you, this blog will give you some idea of what working with a VA is like, and some tips and tricks to make it easier for everyone. Here are 3 things you can expect when working with a virtual assistant.
1) Great Communication
Being a VA means you must be very good at communicating. As most of my correspondence is done through email (with the occasional video or phone call), I like to be very thorough in my emails. I like to start with my clients by clarifying their priorities and timelines before we even begin. Setting clear expectations and goals makes everyone’s lives easier. Once I have their goals outlined and timelines set, I create a plan of attack. I write these things out in the order that they will be completed and double check with the client that this is, in fact, what they want. Then I get to work. I will send regular emails to my clients to update them on the progress of the project, and to clarify any questions that I may have.
An important part of having great communication skills is being completely, and sometimes brutally, honest. We all know it can be hard to tell someone that the work they’ve been doing isn’t exactly what you had in mind. But believe me when I say that this is the best way for you to get what you need. My job is to execute your vision. Never feel bad about asking for what you want. Don’t like the way that copy is phrased? I can change it. Don’t like the placement of that image on your website? I can move it. Not too sure why you keep getting images of cats sent to your inbox with every client inquiry? I can fix it. But I can only do these things if you tell me that’s what you want. I’m always happy to give my input where clients ask for it, but ultimately, I’m here to help with your business. So, honesty really is the best policy. Your feedback will be greatly appreciated on every project.
2) There will be hiccups!
In the age of instant gratification, we want things to be perfect right out of the gate. I’m going to tell you right now, this is super unrealistic. Any VA will do their best to get it 100 the first time, but there will always be something that needs to be tweaked or changed throughout the project. The first draft should be fairly close to what you are looking for, as long as you used those great communication skills we just talked about, but don’t get too upset if things need to be modified. This is part of the process. Trust the process.
Hiring a VA is supposed to save you time, and I promise you, it will. However in the beginning it can take some time to get to know each other. Although you may not feel like you are saving as much time at first, as your VA starts to understand your standards and expectations and the way in which you work, they will require less clarification and instructions. This will lead to less hiccups and more efficiency, giving you back that time you so desperately need.
3) Your VA will not be available 24/7
This shouldn’t come as a surprise, but a virtual assistant is not the same as a personal assistant. Your VA will likely have other clients to manage and will not be able to drop everything to accommodate your needs. So how can you make the most out of the time your VA has for you? Planning is huge here. If you properly plan out your project, step by step, your VA can know exactly when things can get done and give you an accurate timeline to work with. I know this can be difficult, which is why I work with my clients to plan out a project together in a way that works best for us both. But what if something urgent comes up that can’t wait? Most VAs will allow urgent work, but because it causes them to have to shift their other projects around, this will likely come with a fee. I allow my clients to call or text me with urgent tasks, but I do charge them 1.5X the project rate for urgent work. Urgent work can almost always be avoided by proper planning.
One last thing I want to mention is that finding the right VA can be a bit like finding the right anxiety medication. What works for some might not work for everyone. But with a bit of effort upfront, you can develop a beautiful partnership with your VA and start growing your business more than you ever expected.
If you’d like to set up a video consultation with me to answer any more questions, feel free to contact me!
Good luck!
-Jen Jacobs
Black Cat Virtual Assistants
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