Entrepreneurs are always excited to develop every aspect of their business, and this is the very reason why they hire professional virtual assistants. Freelance virtual assistants act as online secretary for busy entrepreneurs. Delegating tasks to VA’s allows you to use your time wisely – instead of working on your daily paperwork, you can spend your time planning and strategizing about the crucial aspects of your business. There are a lot of ways VAs can assist you – but they are not superheroes who can accomplish a complex job over night. Just like any other employee, you must do your job as the boss to bring out the best of your virtual assistants.
Start-up businessmen are often overwhelmed to make their enterprise profit-generating. Sometimes they forget that no matter how professional their VAs are, they need time to adjust with their boss and the job in general.
Here are a few things that an entrepreneur should know in working with virtual assistants:
1. First things first. Be realistic about this!
Outsourcing is not a quick-fix magic pill that you can ‘pop’ and expect everything to work perfectly from day one. So, don’t expect too much from your VA right out of the gate.
2. Leverage your time–You know it makes sense!
The number one benefit of working with a VA is saving time, gaining more time and ultimately becoming more productive as entrepreneur yourself.
3. Why entrepreneurs should love freelanced virtual assistants
Hiring home based virtual assistants generally cost 50% less than working with a solutions provider.
4. Don’t make assumptions!
“Assumptions make an ass out of you and me.” Give very clear, distinct instructions on the tasks you’re asking your VAs to perform for you.
5. Invest time in developing your virtual assistant
Make sure you spend time training your home base virtual assistant to the point where they can work unassisted, and to a level that you’re both going to be happy with, so that your relationship becomes a long-lasting one.
6. Set realistic timelines
Think about all the parameters in place on each task and set a realistic task timeline.
7. Build trust with your virtual assistant
Build up trust, don’t micromanage and become a virtual vulture of a boss! Show them that you believe in them and the work they are doing for you.
8. Give praise for a job well done!
Receiving praise makes your VA feel accomplished which is very important to the overall growth of your relationship together.
9. Always pay your virtual assistant on time. Always!
Paying your VA on time will enable them to stay focused on their work and not worry about paying their bills, etc.
10. Have fun with this thing…you’ll learn to love it!
Have fun with your new business relationship and most importantly, utilize your VA properly!
Maintaining a professional and easy working relationship with your VA is important in keeping the outputs well. Virtual executive assistants have the obligation to perform the tasks efficiently. At the same time, the entrepreneurs who hired them must know what to do to keep the VAs on fire in reaching the highest quality of outputs they can make.