10/04/2023
How to Choose the Right Virtual Assistant? (5-step guide)
Kimberley Zagyva
EXECUTIVE VIRTUAL ASSISTANT | Supporting established CEOs, with their backend admin, implementing systems & client support. Co-founder of The Break Lounge- community for EU based female service providers
7 articles
Following
October 5, 2022
Open Immersive Reader
Hiring a virtual assistant has so many benefits, but it can also be a bit scary at the same time. Especially if you’re doing it for the first time. There are so many VAs on the market, with different skills, experience, and prices. So, how to choose the right virtual assistant for you?
That’s a great question!
I mean, you don’t want to give access to your business baby to just about anyone! Here’s a compact guide to help you with your dilemma. It will tell you everything you need to know and take you through the process step by step.
Let’s start!
1. Decide Which Tasks You Want to Outsource
Your first step should be defining what you need.
What are your priorities?
Get clear on what kind of tasks drain your time and energy the most, but don’t really have to be done by you. Virtual assistants are great for tasks that are repetitive and not direct money-makers. Maybe you feel like you waste too much time answering emails or posting and engaging on social media. Perhaps chasing late payments or event organization gives you anxiety? Or you get so caught up in work that you forget to order lunch or attend a meeting.
Take some time and create a list of tasks you’d be happy to get rid of. Track how you spend your time for a few days to see which tasks are time or energy drainers. If you need some ideas, read more about what a virtual assistant can do for you.
Whatever it is, you can make your life simpler by just letting someone else do it for you.
2. Do Your Research
Yes, do your research!
Don’t just hire the first VA you bump into. Check out Facebook groups, Instagram and LinkedIn. People there often share their experiences, both positive and negative. Ask other business owners for referrals and recommendations, especially the ones who are in the same industry as you. Chances are that you have similar needs, so you’ll know that the recommended VA knows their way around your specific industry.
If possible, choose virtual assistants with strong track records. After all, you don’t want to give access to your business or files to just about anyone! Plus, more experienced VAs are less likely to make mistakes.
If you can’t get your hands on a personal recommendation, look for credible testimonials!
3. Choose a Virtual Assistant with the Right Skillset
This is where knowing what you need helps you choose the right virtual assistant for you.
A lifestyle coach will have much different needs than, say, an e-commerce business. And not only needs! Tools, systems, and modes of work are all different. That’s why you should try to choose a virtual assistant who has the skills and experience suited for your business and industry.
If you need someone to talk to clients, reply to emails, chase late payments and engage with followers on social media, then choose someone with great communication skills who can represent your brand and handle conflict well.
Make sure that your VA has enough experience with the systems you need so you can save time and money on training!
4. Hop on Discovery Calls
Discovery calls aren’t just sales calls where people just try to get some money out of you.
A good VA will never force you into working with them!
It’s simply not in their interest.
Besides confirming that the VA really does have all the required skills, discovery calls also serve as a way to get a feel for the person. Are they professional and easygoing or serious and distant? See if their personality agrees with you. Check if you have some shared values or a similar work ethic.
They don’t have to be just like you, of course. But it’s always nice when you can work with people that are pleasurable and trustworthy.
Ideally, you’ll feel like the two of you have ‘clicked’. It will really make for a more pleasurable collaboration!
Discovery calls are usually free, so use them to learn more about your potential virtual assistant.
5. Find Your Sweet Spot
Before you make your final decision, make sure you’ve explored multiple options.
Think about your budget and the amount of work that’ll be offloaded from you. Take some time to figure out how much that’s worth to you and find a realistic price range that suits you. Learn more about how much virtual assistants cost. This will help you understand what realistic price ranges are on the market, as well as the factors that make up the price.
And finally, put everything on paper and pick the VA who offers the best ratio of skills, experience, and expertise for what you need.
The best part of hiring a virtual assistant?
You don’t have to hire them full-time! If you just have a few hours worth of tasks per week to outsource, then hire help for just those hours. The flexibility you can have with a good VA is amazing.
And the job still gets done! Plus, you lower your expenses and get more time back.
Follow these 5 steps and you’ll know how to choose the right virtual assistant for you!
Report this
Published by
Kimberley Zagyva
EXECUTIVE VIRTUAL ASSISTANT | Supporting established CEOs, with their backend admin, implementing systems & client support. Co-founder of The Break Lounge- community for EU based female service providers
Published • 12mo
7 articles
Following
Hiring a virtual assistant has so many benefits, but it can also be a bit scary at the same time. So, how to choose the right virtual assistant for you? Here’s a compact guide to help you with your dilemma.
