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Business Makeover: Hiring a Virtual Assistant (VA)

Wow, I actually hired a virtual assistant (VA) to help me get things organized with my business makeover. This was a hard decision because I’ve always been the hands-on business owner and releasing control is hard. Don’t get me wrong, I can delegate when the need arises but to actually had over tasks that I’m used to doing, has been hard.

To help me determine who I should hire as my VA, I chose to ask for references from my mentor Mari Smith (@MariSmith) and she gave me 5 VA names. I immediately contacted them via Facebook but the strangest thing is that only one of the persons responded to me. I thought this was strange because if you are in business and someone contacts you about your services, it’s customary that you respond. So I communicated with the person who responded and now she and I are developing a working relationship.

What are some of the lessons that I learned from my experience in hiring a VA, hmmm let me share:

  • Ask people you trust for referrals
  • Make sure that you know what you are looking for in a VA
  • Hire someone who is professional
  • Hire someone who is prompt in responding to you
  • Be prepared to sign an agreement, if they don’t have one then you should be concerned
  • Be open to suggestion from the VA in how they can best assist you
This has been an interesting process but I feel that I am going to become more organized and streamlined as I partner with my VA to manage my business. I just have to remember to…release, relax, & relate to the fact that I now have someone who will help me be a better business owner. Is it hard? No, just that I have to become more open to change. <smile>
Do you have additional suggestion regarding key things that business owners should keep in mind when hiring a VA? Please feel free to share them so that others can benefit from your experience.
Posted in Business Makeover, Business Strategy, Kim Beasley, Social Media Marketing, Social Networking, Twitter | Tagged , , , , , ,
  • http://dicksonfields.com Carol Dickson-Carr

    Kindred spirits, we are, Miss Kim! Great tips. :)

    I was just thinking about what my ideal VA would look like as I was driving my kid to day camp this morning (besides the obvious qualities of being trustworthy, conscientious, efficient, and reliable).

    Since a number of new web sites are gestating and on the verge of being “birthed” in my neck of the woods, someone who is web-savvy and highly technical (knows their way around 1SC too!) would stand out above the rest in my evaluation.

    It seems that many of the VAs who have a lot of clients tend to backlog a bit so it’s a balancing act of choosing someone with experience but also not overbooked as well–especially if you need something done fairly quickly (says the results-driven gal).

    Carol “The Productivity Professor”

  • http://www.advantagevirtualassistant.com April

    Excellent tips! I’m a VA and your advice is right on the money.

    I would also add that communication is absolutely essential to choosing and working with a VA. Be clear about what it is you will need from your VA and ask questions.

    Definitely look for a VA who has the skills you need as well as the type of personality you prefer. This is someone with whom you’ll be working very closely so its important that you actually get along with them.

    Also, don’t be fooled by certifications and such. There is no industry standard right now, although some do come highly recommended.

  • http://sheaproducts.info CeeCee

    While I do not need a VA right now, it seems to be the way I will be going in the future. Interesting to see how Facebook is becoming the new online place to market yourself!

    CeeCee

  • http://www.keybusinesspartners.com Teresa Morrow

    Kim,

    Love your list you have done. These are all great things to really take into consideration when hiring a virtual assistant. Also, it is best to know your goals before you hire a virtual assistant so they can help you better reach them. Interview a virtual assistant thoroughly, ask the questions you need to get the answers to and don’t be surprised if the virtual assistant has a few questions for you too.
    Be sure that you interact well together. You will know if it doesn’t “fit” and if it doesn’t, that is fine and move forward.

    Great list for hiring a virtual assistant and congratulations on your new VA.
    In appreciation,

    Teresa Morrow

    Teresa Morrows last blog post..Tuesday Minute Tip: Resolving Issues

  • http://www.thenaturalwriter.com LaTara

    Great job locating a VA and congrats on the addition to your Team!

  • http://www.SCAeAdmin.com Jennifer Smith

    When searching for the VA, asking for references was a great place to start. However, depending on only one media such as Facebook may be as limiting as using your local newspaper. I am a VA and although I set up a profile on Facebook, I just was not impressed. I prefer LinkedIn, Twitter, various VA forums, yahoo Groups even MySpace to spend my networking time. If you had sent me anything through Facebook I may or may not have ever gotten it as well. Anyone researching a VA should probably visit their site directly to really get a feel of who they are. If you like what you see then contact them directly rather then hoping they receive a message through a social networking site they may not keep up with. Just my 2 cents. Best of luck in your partnership with your VA!
    Jen
    SCA eAdmin
    Eco-Office Gals

  • Kim Beasley

    Thanks for all the great comments about hiring a VA. One thing I want to point out is that my selection of using Facebook as a means to finding my VA was done on purpose because one of my goals is to develop my Facebook presence. I figure that if I found someone on Facebook who was actively doing business there then they would have what I needed to make my Facebook activities successful.

    I so enjoyed the process of finding a VA it helped me to define my business support needs and also showed me were I need to have my VA concentrate her efforts. Once again thanks for the feedback and I look forward to more feedback.

  • http://multimediava.com Christina Lemmey

    You have awesome tips for finding a VA! Glad you found someone you’re happy with.

    Another suggestion I would make is to conduct a phone interview with your potential candidates. It’s one thing to spruce up a website with testimonials but quite another to have a conversation and get a real feeling of how you would work together.

    Also, clients should be as clear as possible when delegating their work. Give a specific deadline and job details. Asking a VA to “find me a list of article directories” with no other direction will only frustrate your VA and frustrate you when the list doesn’t meet your needs.

    Congrats on building your team!

    Christina Lemmeys last blog post..Detailed Notes Can Save Your Sanity

  • http://wahmcart.com/blog Regina Baker

    Great post Kim and the responses are awesome as well. I never thought of seeking out a VA who is not only administrative savvy but social networks savvy as well… great point! Thanks for sharing and congratulations :)

    Regina Bakers last blog post..Building Quality Backlinks

  • http://blog.myforgivenesskit.com JuletteMillien

    Hi Kim,

    I’m so impressed with this entire project. You have thought it through completely and I do appreciate your honesty.

    Delegation is tough – especially for a hands-on business owner. It’s so good to hear your clarity about it being a business requirement. It is after all the only way to grow a business.

    I taught delegation to managers in an earlier life – corporate trainer and more often than not, the managers were willing enough to try the delegation process as it did bring real personal and department benefits. They ran into problems when the tasks weren’t done as perfectly as they would have liked – they lacked the patience to work through the process of bringing the person up to speed. Then there were those who were threatened by their staff out-performing them…it’s tough to let go.

    Congratulations to you for taking control and making those tough decisions.

    Oh, and I hope those personal goals listed on day 1 (or was it day 2?) are being achieved as well. That’s where the lasting prosperity rests.

    Will send you info on our Success Habits in 21 days program – FREE and starting on Monday.

    To your Success!
    God Bless,
    Julette Millien

  • Kim Beasley

    Julie thanks for reminding me to check my to do list so that I can check to see if I’m accomplishing my tasks. :)

  • http://www.hostchatblog.com Cheryl

    Kim,

    Your blog is looking really good. I admire you for your obvious dedication to striving for excellence in what you do. Keep it going girl!…( ya know like that energizer bunny lol!) Take Care, Cheryl

    Cheryls last blog post..DiscountASP.NET Partners with Richer Components – WebHosting.Info

  • Pingback: Successful Tips to Explode Your Business» Blog Archive » Using Virtual Assistants (VA) to Grow Your Business

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Social Media and WordPress are the life-blood of my business. I enjoy helping business owners develop their online brand so that they can successfully reach their ideal customers. Main tools used are Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and many other social media website to grow their businesses online. Connect with me on Google Plus, click here.
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