Today, Discover How A Virtual Assistant Can Help You Grow Your Business More Quickly
by Maria Marsala
Summary: Virtual Assistants are the right hands of on-line or home office business owners. Find out more...
The term Virtual Assistant (VA) was coined sometime in the 1990's. I first heard the term used by Thomas Leonard, founder of Coach U. The first VA I knew, Staci Brice attended Coach U with me in the 1990's. And like me, she worked for Thomas Leonard. Staci started the first VA school, Assist U, now one of the many VA schools in existence today.
The VA profession was to online businesses what executive assistants or personal assistants were to corporate America. And since its inception, the industry has grown to keep up with all the home-based business models.
If I had to describe a VA, I would say it was like having your own executive assistant in the outer office, except you don't have an outer office! It may be best described as a consultant who could perform administrative, accounting, and marketing tasks away from a clients' offices.
It's not surprising that the VA industry has grown to be so encompassing. Home business owners of all sizes, from solo to micro-businesses to small businesses making millions of dollars out of their second bedrooms, can use help, daily.
VA Positives
Hire a VA to do the work you don't enjoy doing, don't have time to do right, and whatever work that's holding you back from doing what you love to do the most.
In most cases (check your state and federal government guidelines on employees) a VA is not your employee instead they are a consultant you hire to work "x" number of hours a month or on a project. They become part of your virtual team. Remember: consultants can be fired without the HR headaches of an if the relationship doesn't work out
If you live in a town or city where the residential codes won't allow you to have employees, you CAN hire a VA! On the other hand, you can also choose to hire a VA who lives in your community so that she/he can do tasks at your office when needed, too, like filing, or getting you ready for a speaking engagement or updating your database with business card information.
Each VA has a different skill-set to provide you and like every hiring, it's imperative to create a job description. Also consider creating a wish list of tasks you want your VA to do now or in the future is extremely important in creating your Virtual Team.
You purchase a VA's time on a retainer basis, hiring them for a certain amount of hours a month. Most Vas will allow you to test drive them for a short time of 1-3 hours.
VA Negatives
There are some Vas that profess to do it all. And like other business owners, if they are doing it all, without their own staff, well, you know the saying, no-one can do it all really well. Nor does every VA like everything they do.
For Vas working on their own, there are just so many clients they can handle. I've seen Vas that took on too many clients and couldn't keep up with their work load. On the other end of the scale, I've worked with a few Vas that lost their one and only client and were left out in the cold.
Some VA's work individually and others may be part of a VA company. VA companies work differently. Sometimes the company owner "manages the project" by dishing out the work, then checking it before it's sent to you. Other times the owner will have, you work with different Vas in their pool. You need to determine your boundaries and do what you feel is best for your company.
Vas are people too, and you may not get along with every VA. Try to find a VA who understands you and how you like to work. It's not only OK to shop around you should shop around.
Hiring a VA
Below is a list of things to consider when hiring a VA:
1. It is quite likely a VA will not live near their clients; although some do live in the same city or state.
2. A VA will work with you when you need extra help even though you might not know how long you need that help. But expect to pay more for "per-hour" hires, than you would pay them on a retainer basis. Rush fees may also apply.
3. A VA might be the missing link in your business, and can be your eyes or ears on the Internet, even doing that time-consuming social networking for your company.
4. A VA can act as a sounding board for your ideas or plans.
5. They can coordinate your work flow, and your schedule.
6. A VA is an independent contractor, consultant, and a business owner, too. Most likely you'll need a W-9 form from them, and will be sending them a 1099 at year end.
7. You'll be charged extra for things that will cost them money, such as long distance phone calls they make for you, mailings, software, supplies, stamps etc. You'd expect that from a regular employee though.
8. Expect to sign a written agreement with your VA on the tasks they'll perform and time they'll spend on your work.
9. Vas may specialize in certain areas or they may generalize. They could be former CPA's, web designers, coaches, executive assistants, personal assistants or they may specialize in the type of client, preferring to work for real estate agents only or specifically for attorneys, etc.
10. A VA's hourly rates range from $30 to $175 per hour, depending on the services they are hired to perform. That may sound expensive, but remember, you are only paying for the time worked on a specific job. You are not paying for vacation time, sick leave, or employee taxes.
Hire a VA to be on your Virtual Team today and start focusing on the rest of your business.
© 2010 Elevating Your Business. Maria Marsala helps remarkable women CEOs get a life and future from their business by providing accountability, support and a (gentle) kick in the a** when needed. Quickly learn which areas of your business scream for your immediate attention and which areas deserve a hurrah! Take our Business Checkup today at www.CoachMaria.com
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE, Blog OR WEB SITE?
© 2010 Elevating Your Business. Maria Marsala helps remarkable women CEOs get a life and future from their business by providing accountability, support and a (gentle) kick in the a$$ when needed. Quickly learn which areas of your business scream for your immediate attention and which areas deserve a hurrah! Take our Business Checkup today at www.CoachMaria.com
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You must not use our articles in your ebook, to teach a class, or during a speaking event, or if you are paid in any way without our written permission, period. Contact Maria for permission.
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