How to Get Your Business Ready to Hire a Virtual Assistant
You've finally decided to take the plunge and hire a virtual assistant (VA) to help with all those business tasks you no longer want to do. Congrats! This is a big step in delegating and growing your business. But before you start the hiring process, there are a few things you need to do first to get your business ready.
Define the tasks you need help with - The first step is to make a list of all the tasks you need help with. Be as specific as possible. This will not only help you delegate effectively, but it will also help your VA hit the ground running from day one. Examples of business tasks that can be outsourced to a VA include, but are not limited to:
Answering customer emails
Scheduling appointments
Bookkeeping
Data entry
Social media management
Set up systems and processes. Even if you're only hiring a VA for a few hours a week, it's important to have systems and processes in place so that they can hit the ground running when they start working with you. This might include creating templates for commonly used documents, setting up folders in your email account, and creating task lists in your project management tool.
Set aside time to train your VA - Once you've hired your VA, you'll need to set aside some time to train them on how to do the tasks you've assigned them. This training will be an ongoing process as your VA gets more comfortable with their new role. But don't worry, VAs are professionals and they're used to being trained by their clients. They'll catch on quickly!
Create clear expectations and boundaries - In order for your working relationship with your VA to be successful, it's important to set clear expectations and boundaries from the start. For example, agree on how many hours per week they will work, what days/times they will be available, and what method of communication (email, Slack, etc.) you will use to keep in touch. By setting these expectations early on, there will be no confusion later down the road.
Hiring a virtual assistant is a big step in delegating and growing your business. But before you start the hiring process, there are a few things you need to do first to get your business ready, including defining the tasks you need help with, setting aside time to train your VA, and creating clear expectations and boundaries. By taking care of these things ahead of time, you'll set yourself (and your new VA!) up for success from day one.
Thinking about hiring a virtual assistant? Click here to schedule your free discovery call.
