People hire assistants to help them with a variety of duties.
Administrative labor is basic, time-consuming, and vital, so it’s easy to outsource. Administrative chores are among the most typical virtual assistant roles.
Virtual assistants, on the other hand, may do much more than take messages and book appointments.
Some virtual assistants have particular abilities that enable them to take on extra responsibility. An assistant with experience in marketing, data research, or customer service is often available. These experts price a little extra, but their knowledge is well worth the money.
Here’s a list of things you should delegate to a virtual assistant.
Email management
Email is undoubtedly one of the most time-consuming activities for most entrepreneurs. Imagine you’re deep into a task, completely immersed in it when a fresh email notification appears.
You open the email to see what it’s about, and before you know it, your flow has been disrupted. Refocusing and getting back into the zone takes an average of 23 minutes.
Interruptions wreak havoc on your productivity. How many hours have you lost only because of email interruptions? The time you spend being distracted is rarely worth the time you spend not being productive. Using a virtual assistant to manage your mailbox can save you hours each week and allow you to focus on more important activities.
While providing someone else access to your email inbox may appear frightening at first, there is little risk. For virtual assistants, managing email is a regular
Teach your assistant how to respond to your most common emails. Create standards for how to answer frequently requested questions from clients, for example.
It’s also a good idea to establish a promotional messaging policy. The fewer times they ask you what to do, the more time you have to do other things.
Don’t expect a virtual assistant to immediately mimic your conversational style. Allow them time to become familiar with your communication style. Give them frequent feedback so they can see what they’re doing right and where they can improve. You’ll begin to wonder how you ever managed your inbox on your own after a while.
responsibility. You’re unlikely to have any problems if you work with a trustworthy company or contractor.
Most simple requests and spam letters can be handled by your VA. They’ll attract your attention if anything is urgent.
Answering the phone
Phone calls, both personal and professional, cause you to be interrupted in the same manner that emails do. So that you can keep concentrated, delegate these minor interruptions to your virtual assistant.
It’s preferable to have a live person answer your phone calls rather than having them go to voicemail.
Your callers will appreciate the fact that they were able to speak with a real person when leaving a message, and your virtual assistant can answer most basic questions without interrupting you. They can contact you promptly in the event of an emergency.
Keep in mind that directing your calls to your assistant during business hours necessitates hiring someone who is available at that time. VAs from other countries should anticipate working asynchronously. If you want your assistant to handle phone calls, be sure they’ll be available throughout the day.
Management of the schedule
The use of back-and-forth emails to schedule meetings is inefficient. Meeting scheduling software is great, but you must remember to keep it updated or people will book appointments that conflict with your other objectives.
A virtual assistant is a more suitable option.
They keep track of your concentration-time, organize your appointments for maximum efficiency, and remind you to prepare ahead of time. If you have off-site meetings, your assistant will ensure that you have enough time to get from one location to the next.
Your assistant can contact everyone involved and arrange a new time if you need to reschedule. They’ll make certain that everyone gets the information and that the new time is convenient for everyone.
Meetings should be denied sometimes. Your VA can assist you in filtering requests such as “I’d like to buy you a cup of coffee and pick your brain” so that you can focus your limited time on the most critical visits.
Entry of data
One of the most tiresome and repetitive sorts of jobs is data input. There’s no reason why you should waste your time doing it if anyone can do it.
Virtual assistants who specialize in data entry are plentiful. They’re quick and inexpensive.
A virtual assistant can aid you in gathering, sorting, and entering all of your information into the software of your choice. A VA can also assist you with document digitization if you have a large number of papers to digitize. They excel in removing all of the time-consuming yet important activities from your plate.
Bookkeeping
Even if your virtual assistant isn’t an accountant, they can assist you with bookkeeping responsibilities. For example, they can use software like Xero or Freshbooks to reconcile transactions and keep track of your finances.
Your VA will send you reminders to assist you to remember to pay all of your bills on time. They may also produce and mail invoices, as well as follow up on unpaid bills to ensure that you get paid on time.
Because bookkeeping entails handling sensitive information, look for a reputable VA with a long list of references. This is something that some virtual assistants specialize in. Request that they sign a nondisclosure agreement if necessary.
Research
To keep your business running well, you undoubtedly do a lot of research. Research is both vital and time-consuming, whether you’re starting a new project, keeping up with business news, or seeking articles like the one you’re reading now.
A virtual assistant can be of assistance. They can, for example, gather information about your prospects prior to a sales presentation. Some people may be able to conduct competitor analysis and other types of in-depth studies.
Some research projects are still in progress. Request that your assistant gathers any relevant news, keep an eye out for announcements concerning items or services you use, and keep an eye on pricing swings. You must still study all relevant resources in order to learn, but having someone else filter out the irrelevant information saves you a lot of time. Spend your attention on the issues that are most important to you and dismiss the rest.
Relationship management with clients
A personal touch may make a big difference. Sending birthday cards, thank you notes, and other small presents to your valued partners and clients is a terrific idea. Keeping track of all those dates and people, on the other hand, maybe a genuine pain.
Delegate the majority of the job to save time and creative energy.
Allow your virtual assistant to handle the details. You are in charge of the budget. Your VA can help you select the right present, write a personalized note, and ensure that it arrives on time.
Your virtual assistant can also aid you in keeping track of personal dates and events. Request that they send you reminders about upcoming birthdays and anniversaries.
Travel Planning
If you’ve ever flown, you know how difficult it can be to locate the greatest plane ticket rates.
Rather than constantly checking airline websites to see if ticket costs have fallen, hire a virtual assistant to do it for you. They can also assist you in locating and booking accommodations.
A skilled assistant can accomplish more than that. The majority of your vacation may be planned by your virtual helper. They’ll arrange for your flights, vehicle rental, and hotel accommodations, as well as dinner reservations and event tickets.
You’ll never want to travel in a different direction again. You’ll soon want your assistant to help you arrange your trips as well.
If you’ve ever flown, you know how difficult it can be to locate the greatest plane ticket rates.
Rather than constantly checking airline websites to see if ticket costs have fallen, hire a virtual assistant to do it for you. They can also assist you in locating and booking accommodations.
A skilled assistant can accomplish more than that. The majority of your vacation may be planned by your virtual helper. They’ll arrange for your flights, vehicle rental, and hotel accommodations, as well as dinner reservations and event tickets.
You’ll never want to travel in a different direction again. You’ll soon want your assistant to help you arrange your trips as well.
Social media management
Do you devote a significant amount of time to social media? You may save up a lot of time by delegating if you spend hours every week answering messages, reacting to comments, or publishing to grow your digital presence.
Whether you want to outsource your company’s social media management, your personal social media accounts, or both, make your decision. In addition to their firm, business entrepreneurs frequently establish a brand around themselves.
Your assistant may write and schedule posts for you, as well as interact with your followers. You may also ask them to act as a moderator, ensuring that improper remarks aren’t posted on your social media accounts.
They’ll double-check that all of the information on your social media accounts is current. If they specialize in social media, they could be able to assist you in maintaining a consistent brand image across all platforms.
If you’re going to assign social media to a virtual assistant, make sure you offer them precise instructions. They shouldn’t need to know everything about you. Your brand’s voice and tone, your target audience, and the sorts of content you’d want to see on your sites should all be included in these guidelines.
Look for a virtual assistant (VA) that specializes in this sort of job, especially if they can publish on your behalf. For this expertise, expect to spend a bit extra.
If you want someone to manage your whole social media strategy or marketing efforts, rather than outsourcing it to a virtual assistant, you should hire a social media marketer.
Content writing
If you despise writing yet need to produce content for your company, consider employing a virtual assistant to handle all of your content creation.
Blog articles, newsletters, press releases, ebooks, and other written content can all benefit from the assistance of a virtual assistant. They may help with proofreading and editing, as well as adding material to your website.
You can ask your VA to perform the research if you don’t want to subcontract the full content producing process. They will be able to locate all of the necessary information for you to produce the material on your own.
Another alternative is to phone your VA and discuss a certain issue, after which you may have them ghostwrite an article based on your feedback.
Keep in mind that high-quality material is more expensive. The majority of virtual assistants do not work as full-time writers. They can fill in the gaps, but if you need someone to manage a large amount of material for your company, you should engage a professional.
Video editing and graphic design
Basic picture and video editing may be learned by anybody, but not everyone has the time. Even minor changes can take many hours. If you haven’t done it before, it will take much longer.
Some of these creative activities can be delegated to your virtual assistant. Inquire whether they’ve ever created social media graphics or edited YouTube videos.
A virtual assistant may also aid you with the creation of flyers, brochures, and other printed materials for your company.
This is a talent that not every virtual assistant possesses. You may, however, ask them to assist you in finding a fantastic freelancer to do these tasks. Ask them to manage the process with a budget and some basic criteria.
Customer service
Overflowing support can be alleviated with the aid of a virtual assistant. While they may not be able to provide additional assistance, they can assist with some of the duties that your support agents are responsible for.
A virtual assistant, for example, may keep an eye on your inbox for new emails from potential or existing clients and pass them to the appropriate recipient. They may also be able to assist by doing escalation research, processing reimbursements, or following up with consumers once a problem has been handled.
Virtual assistance is provided by several virtual assistant agencies. If you work with an agency, see if this is a possibility during your busiest season.
Simple website maintenance
You generally don’t need a developer on staff to maintain your website up to date if you utilize a software-as-a-service platform for your business. That isn’t to say you won’t have to conduct some maintenance. To keep your site safe, most platforms and plugins require frequent upgrades.
This is when virtual assistants come in handy. They keep an eye on your site for changes and to ensure that everything is functioning properly.
Your assistant can also handle backups so you don’t have to worry about losing important information.
Request that they examine your website for broken links and technical difficulties on a regular basis. If they find any, they can either correct them or bring them to your notice if they’re minor.
What does it cost to hire a virtual assistant?
A VA can do a wide variety of activities for you, and there is a large range of rates you may pay for that job. Your virtual assistant’s hourly rate might range from $1 to more than $100. The average hourly wage is approximately $15.
What are the best places to look for virtual assistants?
There are a variety of websites that provide virtual assistant services or advertise freelance virtual assistants, for example, Moo socialplus.com. We provide quality service at an affordable price. Click here to get started