Outsourcing to a Virtual Assistant (VA) for the first time can be daunting. When you’ve built the business from the ground up, letting go of even the tasks you’ve always hated doing can be hard.
I get it – I’m a business owner too, so know how much love, time, and hard work you’ve poured into building your business. And, if you’ve never worked with a VA before, you’ll undoubtedly have lots of questions (I know I did!)…
🤔 Will they do things as well as I do them?
😬 How do I feel about loosening my grip on my business?
🤯 What on earth am I going to pass over to them to do?
All this is probably enough to make you want to forget the whole idea; to convince yourself that you’re doing just fine and that the never ending burden of business admin is totally manageable.
And this might be the case. But what if it’s not?
Think about WHY you started your business.
Think about the passion that drove you to becoming the successful entrepreneur you are today because, unless you’re a VA, I’m willing to put money on the fact it wasn’t admin.
So why outsource?
Every business owner has those tasks that they absolutely love doing, that they spring out of bed for in the morning. But, before that, they also have what can often feel like hundreds of admin tasks that they don’t enjoy nearly as much. These sap your time and energy, so passing them on to someone who actually enjoys admin (like a VA) can take the pressure off whilst you focus on other more important things.
Outsourcing these tasks not only means you have far more jobs ticked off at the end of the week, but also help to keep the momentum going with the jobs you’ve decided to stay accountable for.
What tasks could a VA help me with?
An easier question to answer might actually be ‘what tasks can’t a VA help with’ because a VA can help with a whole multitude of business admin!
Narrowing down which tasks you want to outsource first is a great starting point, so here are a couple of ideas to get you started…
- Inbox and diary support
- Arranging meetings and travel plans
- Drafting and scheduling newsletters
- Social media support
- Proofreading and editing copy
- Following up with prospects
- Issuing invites and reminders for events
- Invoicing clients
Why not check out my Services page for more ideas on what you can delegate to your VA. Most will offer tailored packages, so even if the task you’re looking to outsource isn’t on their website, it’s always worth asking.
A few tips to help you along the way…
👉 My number one tip is to find a VA you get on with and who shares your values and work ethics. That ‘know, like and trust’ takes time but a good rapport during an initial discovery call is always a great starting point.
👉 It’s important you understand the core elements of your business and the jobs you want to delegate. Being able to give clear instructions to your VA will mean you get better results.
👉 Communicate regularly and make sure your VA feels part of your business. Your VA is there to add value so involve them from the outset and make them feel part of your team.
👉 It’s OK to start small. Be comfortable with the things you delegate. As the relationship between you grows, you’ll feel more confident about handing stuff over.
Building a strong working relationship is a two-way process and takes time and effort. But if you do it right, you’ll soon have the freedom to dive back into the things you love doing in your business.
How to get started?
If you’re tired of doing everything in your business, let’s arrange a free discovery call to chat about your options.
