There are times we all feel overwhelmed with managing our own businesses. With infinite administrative tasks to tedious financial accounts and invoicing – not to mention actually running your core business – it can be a lot for one’s plate.
After one too many overdue accounts, I finally opted to get a Virtual Assistant. There’s no reason to feel inadequate about needing help with your to-do list and I’ve found that getting help is not as expensive as you might think. It could even help you save money in the long run.
Not only do Virtual Assistants (or VA’s) come in human form, they also come in handy pocket-sized digital form! I’ll explain…
LIVE VIRTUAL ASSISTANTS
Virtual Assistants are people working from remote locations in various countries all around the world. Utilising the power of the Internet in tandem with web productivity tools, VA’s help keep business people on the ball by helping with everything from administrative tasks (account keeping, answering phones, diary management) through to creative and technical assistance.
To begin my search I posted a “tweet” on Twitter asking for recommendations and received a dozen references for qualified candidates in no time. Alternatively, search ”virtual assistant” online. Below are three I found which are worth a look:
www.VirtuallyYours.com.au
www.GetFriday.com
www.KimBeckersServices.com
You can also contact the International Virtual Assistants Association to find a member that is compatible with your needs and objectives by searching their membership directory.
Virtual Assistant fees are usually based either per hour or per project. Hourly rates can run from about AUD $12/hour to AUD $50 (or more) depending on the level of service you require.
Some criteria for picking a VA:
Screen a few to make sure they not only sit well with your business structure and objectives; but more importantly, make sure they are able to work within your time-zone if hiring from abroad.
VA’s should be happy to cater to your business hours, so you’ll want to make sure they will be able to honour this commitment by simply asking them which other locations they’re currently servicing.
Some VA’s specialise in working with companies that exclusively use one operating system over another (e.g. Mac or PC). Others may offer services such as helping maintain your Facebook and Twitter activities – for business and personal promotion, I mean (ha-ha). But if you have that under control and just need someone to keep in contact with your friends, chances are you could arrange that, too! Point being, you only need to search and enquire to find someone offering exactly the type of service you need.
If it’s your first time start small, with a single objective or a few small tasks to get a feel for their working style, which will also allow them to get accustomed to yours.
DIGITAL/POCKET-SIZED VA’s
If hiring a human VA isn’t in your budget for the time being, there are some Web applications you can use as a great alternative. While they won’t exactly perform robot functions to rival a person, they can help organise your daily work life a little better to help make you more productive.
Remember The Milk is one of my personal favourite applications as it is Web based and also synchronises with my iPhone (we’ll get into some handy user-friendly iPhone tips in upcoming articles). RTM is a popular reminder service you can use to automate tasks and setup task lists based on different objectives. This would assist you with keeping all of your tasks in one place which is easily managed from the Web via your computer or on your Web-enabled device such as your iPhone or Blackberry.
Another brilliant alternative is the use of a service such as jott.com to record voice reminders that are then converted to text and sent to you via SMS email or both.
If you need a Virtual Phone System to help you manage and route your calls (in lieu of a nosey secretary) you could try a service like www.OneBox.com or www.eVoiceReceptionist.com.
To get the most out of Web applications, you’ll likely have to use several to round out a suite of tools that would otherwise be handled by a live VA. Which brings me back to my point, that they can be incredibly useful and – for R.O.I – very worthwhile and affordable.
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Any help is a fantastic idea, but for those who need to their have an assistant that is not “virtual” they can utilise the services of a Personal Concierge. My Personal Concierge business Time Squared Solutions http://www.timesquared.com.au was established for this very reason. We can do all that a Virtual Assistant can do and more. If you need to see us face to face or to greet a tradesman when you can’t be at home, to organise your shopping, to help with a move or anything on your “to do list”. When you simply don’t have time for enlist the help of a Personal Concierge.
Thank you so much Peter, for listing my Virtual Assistance service as one worth having a look at. I hope people do have a look and learn a little about the VA industry and the options available to them.
I am always happy to answer any questions anyone may have about the industry, either about hiring a VA or becoming one.
Thanks again
Rosie Murphy
Great article Peter. For those who don’t have the time to do the due diligence you might want to check out the Australian Virtual Business Network (http://www.avbn.com.au/).
This is currently the only network of virtual assistants and virtual business operators in Australia where the due diligence has been done for you. All businesses who are members have been reference checked, had their qualifications checked and have had their skills tested. Clients can be sure that if they partner with any of these members they will be getting what they pay for.
In a time when anyone can say anyTHING on the internet, getting it right the first time will save you a lot of time and money in the long run.
Cheers
Lyn Prowse-Bishop, MVA ASO CAVB
Excellent resources Shelly and Lyn. Thank you for reading and for those references. I’ll be sure to keep those handy. I wish I had known about AVBN prior to writing this article. What a fantastic concept!
All the best,
Peter Venero