5 Super Simple Ways to Find the Best Virtual Assistant for Your Business
Have you got your sights set on hiring a virtual assistant? Hiring a virtual assistant doesn't have to be the colossal headache that everyone makes it out to be.
It’s too time consuming. I don’t know what I’m doing. I’m not good at delegating.
Sound familiar?
You’re not alone. Believe it or not, thoughts like these are common when you’re just starting out, and even if you’re a veteran business owner. We all have fears when we try new things.
But they’re definitely holding you back from hiring the best virtual assistant.
When I first hired someone to help me in my business, I was afraid to let go of things. What if they couldn’t really do what they said they could do? What if they couldn’t handle the amount of work I gave them? There were so many what ifs.
Since then, I’ve learned a lot and I can’t wait to share it all with you.
So take a deep breath and settle in to learn 10 actionable ways to achieve peace when hiring a virtual assistant without having to be an expert in hiring.
Yes, you can find the right virtual assistant for you, and I’m going to show you how.
#1. Set Goals for Hiring a Virtual Assistant
When you work towards finding the perfect virtual assistant for you, it can be easy to get lost in the details and forget about the primary goal.
Your primary goal of finding the best virtual assistant to support you in your business should always be front and center. Otherwise, you risk getting lost in the what ifs and becoming discouraged.
Make sure your goal is specific and timely. For example: I am going to hire a virtual assistant to check my email and help me with social media within 3 weeks. This gives you a specific type of virtual assistant to look for and tells you a timeline of when you need to get it done by. This will help you in the long run to make a decision and not put it off for silly reasons.
If you’re looking for a paper planner, I recommend the Panda Planner. You can get it here.
Pro Tip: You may benefit from writing your goal on your daily calendar or near your workspace so you don’t forget about it.
#2. Collaborate with Other Business Owners in Your Niche
Did you think you had to find the perfect virtual assistant all by yourself?
Nobody has to go it alone.
It’s a whole lot more fun – and motivating – when you collaborate with other business owners. Think about Facebook groups or Instagram. Or, look for support groups for people in your business niche.
You can even reach out to specific people you know in your niche who have outsourced their business tasks.
Many of my clients find me by looking into virtual assistants in Facebook support groups for people in their niche. For example, several of my clients are tutors and they have found me by asking about virtual assistants in a support group for tutors.
Here are a few things to keep in mind during your partner search:
First, decide how much you trust the person you are asking for advice. Do you really value their opinion, or would you take it with a grain of salt. You only want to look into leads from people whose opinions you really value.
Second, take a look at your Facebook friends who have similar businesses and interests. Reach out to them to ask them what they have done when they struggled to do their business tasks all on their own. Ask them what advice they have for moving forward and continuing to grow your business.
Third, talk to your accountability partner, mentor, or meet with a group of like-minded individuals who could help you figure out what the next steps to take are and who may know someone who has hired a virtual assistant.
Pro Tip: It may take a while to find the perfect virtual assistant this way. A lot of business owners have had bad experiences with VAs and you may hear many of these stories before you find someone willing to sing the praises of a VA. Don’t let that stop you from looking for the perfect VA for you!
#3. Remember to Keep Your Needs in Mind
You may be thinking to yourself, "I don't have time to hire a virtual assistant, but if you don't keep your needs in mind, you won’t find the perfect virtual assistant for you.
Instead, make sure you have a list of things that are important to you in a virtual assistant.
Remember when your search starts feeling stale that what you want is important and is out there. Don’t settle for a virtual assistant that doesn’t feel right to you, even if they come highly recommended.
You will thank me later when you find the virtual assistant who is perfect for you and your business and you work together seamlessly.
#4. Always, Always, Always Make it Known That You are Looking for a Virtual Assistant
No matter what your end goal is, make sure people know you are looking for a virtual assistant because the more people know you are looking, the more people who can be on the lookout for a good virtual assistant for you.
If you feel weird about this, just remember that sometimes you find the best help or things in life when you are least expecting it.
Here’s how to share that you are looking for a virtual assistant:
Post on your socials. LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook are great places to post that you are looking for a virtual assistant and let people know that you are looking for recommendations from other business owners.
Tell all your business friends and contacts. Maybe send an email, tell them through text, or share with them however you usually communicate with them.
Make a Post in Business-Related Groups Online. Think about where you hang out and where your business “peers” hang out. For example, I’m in a lot of online Facebook groups for business owners. Asking in those types of groups for recommendations on VAs is extremely helpful. People will tell you who to use and who to avoid. It’s pretty great.
Pro Tip: Be specific about what your needs are when asking for recommendations. If someone used a VA for video editing and you need someone for blog writing, they may not be a good fit. Just keep in mind that not all VAs do all the things.
#5. Avoid Going with the Cheapest Option Because They are the Cheapest At All Costs
Online business owners aren’t the only ones who suffer from trying to find the best bang for their buck.
That doesn't mean you will inevitably get what you are looking for at the price that you LOVE.
It’s so easy to want to go with the virtual assistant who costs the least because it will save you money. However, a lot of times these virtual assistants do this as a side hustle and aren’t truly invested in your or your business. Or they are very inexperienced and can’t actually do what you want them to do.
I have had numerous clients come to me and had this experience. They hired someone cheap on Fiverr or somewhere else and had a terrible experience. The VA either couldn’t meet deadlines or wasn’t able to do the work they said they could. Some of them just weren’t serious about the client’s business and what they did. Either way, they ended up coming to me, even though I charged much more, because they knew I could help them get the results they were looking for.
Pro Tip: remember if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
There you have it!
Finding the best virtual assistant for your business takes time, but it isn’t impossible and definitely shouldn’t be left out. You’re busy out there looking for a virtual assistant and Bohannon Virtual Solutions can help. Our virtual assistant services are the long-term solution to helping online business owners like you get more things done with less time so that you can grow your business but still maintain the work-life balance you’re ready for.
With the help of our dedicated virtual assistants, you’ll
Experience even more free time and peace of mind knowing things are getting done without you so that your business can continue to grow and flourish.
Get tailored support from me and my team of virtual assistants who all have diverse areas of expertise, so that you know you are getting high quality work every time, the first time.
Have a trusted partner to run your business ideas off of so that you can make decisions with even more confidence and clarity.
You can get started with us today for as little as $300.
If you’re ready to get more things done in less time and watch your business grow, then sign up for a discovery call here.
Did you find these tips helpful? Share your top tip to stay motivated on the path to finding the perfect virtual assistant for your business in the comments below!
If you still need guidance, get in touch here. There are no silly questions, and I am always happy to hear from people like you.
For more on how to find the best virtual assistant, including how to know if you’ve found the best virtual assistant and what a virtual assistant can do for your business, check out the posts below:
And finally, I created a list of 24 Tasks to Delegate to a Virtual Assistant to help you get started with what you might have your virtual assistant do.
Click here to download 24 Tasks to Delegate to a Virtual Assistant now
