Do You Need the Help of a Virtual Assistant?

Running a business, whether large, small or in your home, is full of challenges. Getting the day-to-day tasks completed, e-mail, faxes and telephones answered, bills and statements sent out, reports run, schedule updated, travel arrangements made, marketing pieces and website updated, as well as a plethora of other tasks, can be downright daunting.

In swoops the "Virtual Assistant" to handle these and many other tasks for you and help your company's bottom line. In case you're still working out of a cave (as you may be if you're still doing it all yourself), a Virtual Assistant, who has been touted as one of the must-haves of the modern entrepreneurial arsenal of time and money-saving tricks, is a highly skilled independent contractor who handle their client's administrative (and sometimes personal) needs in a large variety of ways.

Because Virtual Assistants (VAs) are business owners themselves, they have a vested interest in your company's success -- your success leads to their success. They really aim to please because their business depends on it. And who better to understand the trials and tribulations than another business owner? Also, most VAs came from the corporate world and were executive or administrative assistants (secretaries), customer service managers or representatives, paralegals, project managers or coordinators, database administrators, or bookkeepers.

Here are just some of the services a Virtual Assistant can provide:

Typing / Word Processing,
Database Management and Entry,
Proofreading and Copy Editing,
Accounts Payable and Receivable,
Calendaring / Scheduling / Reminder Services,
Travel Arrangements,
Customer Service (including answering forwarded phones, making outgoing calls and answering e-mails),
Presentations,
Event Planning,
Research,
Web Services,
Ordering Supplies and Equipment,
Project Coordination / Management,
Marketing Projects,
Incoming and Outgoing Mail,
Expense Reports,
Reporting.

You have a lot of work you could delegate to a Virtual Assistant, but you're still not convinced one would be right for your business. According to Hackett Group, a Hudson, Ohio consultancy, "outsourcing, in general, can cost 50% less than hiring a full-time employee." Because your VA is an entrepreneur and not an employee, you don't have the extra expense of paying additional taxes, providing insurance, purchasing office supplies and equipment, updating software, sick, vacation and personal time, office space to provide, and you only pay for the time the VA actually works (you're not paying for coffee breaks, downtime, etc.).

Hiring a temporary can come with a whole host of problems including their lack of skills, the need to provide equipment, supplies, and office space, as well as going through several temps (or agencies) to find one that can adequately provide the skills you need! Also keep in mind that temporary services normally take about 1/2 of the monies you pay them -- when the temp only receives $7 - $11 an hour, you really can't expect a high quality person. If you still think it's best to do it yourself, you'll find that your time is much more profitably spent on revenue-generating activities. Outsourcing to a Virtual Assistant adds to up increased profits for your business.

Work is transmitted via e-mail, fax, mail, overnight service, etc. -- they will coordinate with you to provide the work to you in the most timely and inexpensive manner possible. You can also keep in touch via telephone, e-mail and instant messaging.

Costs of a Virtual Assistant run from $15 - $50 per hour (depending on the scope of the work and their skill level) and some work by the project or on a monthly retainer. I know of a few VAs that are willing to barter for the right products and/or service. Always read any potential Virtual Assistant's website and take a look at their testimonials, client list, etc. If you notice grammatical and spelling errors anywhere on their site or newsletters, you can be assured that your work will come back with spelling and grammatical errors. A highly skilled VA will be very detail oriented and will not put out work with these errors.

I recommend contacting a few VAs via e-mail, then by telephone to see if the rapport is there, which is very important for anyone you work with. The one you are most comfortable with that charges a reasonable cost is the one to try first. You may want to keep the contact information of your second pick where you can easily find it in case your first pick is unavailable for any reason. Then give them a small project and work up from there.

Soon you will find that a dependable, accomplished VA will become your indispensable partner for years to come.

(c) 2005 Nita Helping Hand? - All rights reserved

You are free to use this material in whole or in part as long as you include the following:

About the author: Nita Ammon is a professional proofreader, copy-editor and the President of Nita Helping Hand? Please visit Nita's website for additional information about proofreading, copy-editing and other administrative needs available at http://www.NitaHelpingHand.com or contact her at info@NitaHelpingHand.com. Nita is your 'Partner In Perception'.

---

Franchising and Royalty Payments

If you are thinking of turning your current into a... Read More

How to Curb Antique Shop Theft Inexpensively

If you have ever had your antique shop or mall... Read More

Pressure Washing; How to Bid Concrete Cleaning Jobs

Remember the cleaning business is all about time ratio to... Read More

3.5 Million People And A Possible UK Home Business Opportunity

Has this ever happened to you... 'John, you have a... Read More

Encouraging Your Customers to Pay On Time

Nothing can drive a business down faster than customers who... Read More

Market Makers Play a Significant Role in Reverse Mergers

One overlooked individual in the process of taking a company... Read More

FFP vs. CPFF Contracts

SBIR Corner: FFP vs. CPFF contracts:In the SBIR/STTR world, the... Read More

Why Small and Medium-Sized Businesses Should

As the owner or an employee of a small-to medium-sized... Read More

What are the COSTS Associated with joining Leads Groups?

When it comes to cost, how much can you afford... Read More

Small Business Operators - 7 Reasons You Should Change Your Accountant

A recent survey showed that only 28.7% of small business... Read More

Starting a New Business in a Small Town

Q. I am a former pastor who left the ministry... Read More

Pressure Washing Companies; Pricing Dock and Deck Cleaning

If you own a Pressure Washing Company and wish to... Read More

How to Give FREE Advice and Make Money

When is advice free and when should you charge for... Read More

Postcard Marketing Your Small Business

One of the best marketing strategies a business or organization... Read More

California Department of Corporations Attempts to PR Their Benefits to Consumers

On Monday the Department of Corporations in California revoked franchise... Read More

5 Small Business Management Questions to Help Choose Marketing Programs

As small business managers, we juggle limited resources in a... Read More

Start a Technical Writing Service

Technical writing services are employed to explain the details of... Read More

Who Does Over Disclosure Really Hurt In Franchising?

Costs of over regulation and over disclosure end up hurting... Read More

Collaborative Negotiating: A Win-Win Strategy

COLLABORATIVE NEGOTIATING:Collaborative negotiating is a win-win strategy that can focus... Read More

Buying a Business

Start thinking about buying an established business if you want... Read More

Pressure Washing of Paving Equipment and The EPA

Many pressure washing companies will be glad to take on... Read More

Bringing Home the Bacon

In general, all of us know how to accomplish the... Read More

Are You Ready to Own and Operate a Business?

How often has someone thought of starting a business based... Read More

Do I Have to Do EVERYTHING Myself?!

The air in my client's office nearly crackled with her... Read More

Small Business Owners - Form a Relationship with Your Bank Manager

It's just like a marriageTo expect a bank manager or... Read More

Selling Your Business, Entrepreneurs Role

$elling $elling $ellingWhat makes a great sales person? Well, the... Read More

Choosing A Business Thats Right For You

Q: I really want to start my own business, but... Read More

Top 10 Rules for Small Business Success

1. TargetYou are not all things to all people. Decide... Read More

Are You Making the Most of Your Intern?

KEEPING INTEREST HIGH: Supervision is key to the success of... Read More

The Failures Guide to Small Business Success

How many "get rich schemes" have you joined? Or have... Read More

Self Serve Car Washes in the United States

In the 2003 Auto Laundry News Survey it was determined... Read More

7 Tips to Improving Your Cash Flow

Cash is King... That is what everyone tells us and... Read More

Setting Up a Pressure Washer Rig to Clean Concrete

Maximum efficiency in the cleaning industry is a key to... Read More