Working remotely with a virtual assistant (VA) can be incredibly productive and mutually beneficial. Working with a virtual assistant is more than just outsourcing mundane administrative tasks. It’s about partnering with a dedicated expert who can take on the day-to-day responsibilities of your business. At the same time, you focus on the big-picture strategy and other essential tasks that keep you from progressing. As the demand for virtual assistants grows, more people are becoming VAs. There are many benefits to working with a virtual assistant, but not everyone is cut out for this kind of work. If you’re interested in learning how to work effectively with a virtual assistant, read on for some useful tips.
Just-in-time assistance
Some VAs are generalists who can do a bit of everything, while others are specialists with extensive knowledge and experience in specific areas. If you’re looking for just-in-time assistance with your VA, you may want to hire someone with a specialized skill set. If you have a project that requires a wide variety of expertise – say you need an expert who excels in graphic design and video editing while also having extensive experience with SEO and marketing. You don’t have a full-time employee with these skills in-house, so you may want to hire a generalist VA. A generalist VA can be more affordable than hiring a specialist for each skill, and you can hire them for just the hours you need them for a project.
Hire with care
When hiring a virtual assistant, ensure they’re the right person for the job. Take care in the hiring process to avoid needing to replace them in the future. Be sure to conduct reference checks and ask for samples of their work as a means of screening candidates. You could even hire someone on a trial basis to see how they work out before making a long-term commitment. Test your VA and see how they perform. You may consider having them do a “test drive” with a small project before you hire them full-time.
Define clear roles and responsibilities
Before you work with your first virtual assistant and start delegating tasks, you must determine your VA’s role and responsibilities. You also need to determine how you will communicate with them and the expectations. For example, will you be hiring your VA for administrative tasks, such as answering emails, scheduling appointments, and creating and managing social media profiles? Or will you hire them as a virtual bookkeeper and/or financial manager? Make sure you clearly understand your needs and communicate those to your VA. Communication is the key to making your VA relationship work.
Set effective communication expectations
How you communicate with your VA can significantly affect the quality of work they produce and your overall productivity. Depending on your VA’s work, you may need to communicate with them via email, text, phone, or video calls. When you communicate with your VA, ensure you are consistent in your approach. For example, if you decide to communicate with your VA via text messages, try to avoid using email altogether. Emails are easy to overlook and can be misconstrued or go unread. In addition, text messages are much more immediate, so there’s a greater chance that your VA will see them. That being said, don’t over-text your VA. Once a day is plenty, and you don’t want to come off as being overly aggressive or annoying.
Utilize the appropriate tools
Working with virtual assistants can be challenging if both parties aren’t using the appropriate tools. There are a few key tools that you should utilize when working with your virtual assistant. The first is a project management tool like Asana or Trello. This will help you keep track of tasks that need to be completed and delegate them to your VA as needed. Another helpful tool is a screen sharing tool like Zoom or Google Hangouts. This will allow you to see your VA’s screen and collaborate with them more easily. Finally, a good communication tool like Slack or Skype will help you stay in touch with your VA and ask them questions as needed.
Establish check-in procedures
You should check in with your VA regularly. The frequency of these check-ins will depend on the type of work your VA is doing. For example, you may want to check in with your VA every week or two to discuss progress and make necessary adjustments to their workload. You may want to check in with your VA daily if they are doing administrative tasks, such as managing your email inbox. This will help you stay on top of your emails and avoid letting them build up. When you check in with your VA, you may want to consider using a “five at five” approach. Each day, you can check in with your VA around 5:00 p.m. to discuss their progress and any challenges they may face. This will give them ample time to wrap up their day and prepare accordingly.
Don’t micromanage your VA
Once you’ve hired a virtual assistant and you’ve established a good relationship, don’t micromanage them. You hired them to solve problems and help you progress forward. Virtual assistants can contribute to your business in many ways, and you don’t want to be micromanaged. When you micromanage, you’re robbing your VA of the freedom and creativity to do their job. It’s important to trust that they have the skills and knowledge to do the job you hired them for. Give them the freedom to work, and they’ll likely surprise you with their results.
Provide ongoing training and skill development
As your relationship with your VA progresses, you may want to consider providing ongoing training and skill development. This can help your VA become more productive and encourage them to take an active role in their development. In addition to providing training, you can also encourage your VA to participate in peer-to-peer mentoring. This can help level the playing field and provide greater opportunities for VAs working remotely.
Appreciate the job
Working with virtual assistants is a mutually beneficial relationship, but it can also be a little lonely. Therefore, you may consider reaching out to your VA from time to time and telling them how much you appreciate their work. You can do this by providing positive feedback on their work and asking how they are doing. Showing your VA that you appreciate their work can go a long way in building and maintaining a positive relationship.
Conclusion
Working with virtual assistants can be a great way to scale your business. But, you must be careful in choosing the right person for the job and ensure that you hire them correctly. Follow the tips outlined above, and you can work effectively with your VA and ensure that the relationship lasts for a long time.