Congratulations! I know you work hard, even when you don t feel like it because you and I both know a successful business is not built on feelings or

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Amberlynn Ball
5 years ago
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2 Congratulations! I know you work hard, even when you don t feel like it because you and I both know a successful business is not built on feelings or whims of passions, but on systems and your willingness to keep showing up, day after day. In order to keep enjoying a successful business, you first need to make sure you re not completely overwhelmed. Once you get overwhelmed and stressed to the breaking point, your performance will suffer (a.k.a. burnout) and so will your business. Either you downloaded this e-book because you re wondering if you need a Virtual Assistant (VA), or you absolutely know you need one but don t know how to go about it. I m here to help!

3 #1 You Are Wearing All The Hats You started business as a solo-entrepreneur. You are the boss, the admin, the accountant, the social media manager, the photographer, the DIY graphic designer, and more. There are not enough hours in the day to play all of your roles properly, let alone have you time, cook a proper meal or enjoy a social life. Frankly, a business can only go so far as a one-woman team, and if you re married and have children, it will be impossible to balance. If you want to see business growth, offer quality services or products, have happy clients and still have a life to live (isn t that part of why you became your own boss anyway?), then you need to stop trying to wear all the hats. #2 You re Stretched In Every Direction Because you are juggling so many roles, you are stretched thin. You aren t able to hunker down and focus good energy on one or two major components of your business, and it s suffering.

So what is better: saving a few dollars so you can do everything but not get it done as best as it could be or hiring an assistant to help you, so you can focus and get things done well?

4 So what is better: saving a few dollars so you can do everything but not get it done as best as it could be or hiring an assistant to help you, so you can focus and get things done well? The answer is clear. You would most definitely benefit from hiring a VA. Not only will they help you tackle business, but you ll have more time for other things that matter besides work. But before you do, let s look at some of the things you need to know first. A Fair Rate For Quality Virtual Assistance Depending on what you will ask of your VA, the rate can vary. It also depends where they are located geographically. If you hire a VA in a Western country you ll likely pay around $12-25+/hour. If you hire a VA in a developing Asian country, they might ask between $3-8/hour. This is mostly due to the fact that the cost of living in developing

5 Asian nations is much lower than Europe, the United States, Canada or Singapore. Their rate also does not always reflect the quality of their work. Someone might charge $18/hour in America because they expect it, but their work is below par compared to a hard-working Filipino who has a lesser rate. In context, take good care of your VA and they will take good care of you and your business! But first things first. The best way to ensure you hire a virtual assistant who meets your needs is to properly prepare yourself. Picking The Right Tools First, establish how often you will need your virtual assistant: once or twice a week, everyday for 2-4 hours, everyday for 8 hours or only when you have a big project coming up?

6 Next think about how you will work with them via the World Wide Web. is no longer the go-to form of communication when it comes to having a team online. Not only do you need a tool for communication, but you also need to know how you will share documents you re working on together. How will they log their hours, if you require it? How should they store passwords to certain platforms you might both need to use with only one available login (ex: your website back-end)? I have personally enjoyed success using Slack as a communications tool, which also integrates well with WorkingOn for logging tasks throughout the day. As for file transfers, it is fairly easy to utilise DropBox and its Share function. You simply plug your VA s in, they receive an inviting them to access the folder you want to share and they can then help you edit or add new files. If you need an system you can use Gmail along with Google Drive (instead of Dropbox), and take advantage of their calendar for important team dates.

7 Another option is Outlook which easily syncs with all things Microsoft. It too comes with a calendar built within the platform. Explore your options and use what you think will work best for you and your budding business. As mentioned in the previous chapter, you need a better idea of what you will outsource to your VA before you can truly give them an adequate description of the things they can expect to be working on. Let me guide you in which tasks you should keep, and which you can afford to handover: Step #1: Write down a list of ALL the tasks that you have been doing so far, and add the important tasks that should be done but you ve never gotten around to (ex: organising file folders). Step #2: Circle the tasks where you must play the main role (ex: coaching calls with clients).

8 Step #3: Put a square around the tasks which you could easily handover to your VA (after you ve given them a little training). Example: drafting blog posts, finding images for social media, social media scheduling, keeping inbox clean, etc. Step #4: Put a star next to any tasks which have no circle or square around them. Or re-visit them and decide if you have room on your plate to keep them, or you really need to delegate them in order to perform your best (remember: you don t want to stay stretched thin). Step #5: Create a Word document listing the tasks you need your VA to help you with. This will be the foundation for writing their job description. Also include if you require to see some of their past work or 2-3 solid references.

9 What A Good Job Description Looks Like Based on my experience, here is a helpful script that should cover the basics of your VA job description. Feel free to tweak as you require: Looking for a female virtual assistant who can work [part-time/full-time/10-15 hours a week]. You must have [any specific equipment you require of them, ex. stable internet connection, headphone and mic, etc.] You must also be efficient in: list of skills you absolutely need your VA to have ones you won t have to train them on much And be willing to learn and master: skills you are willing to take the time to train them on this is an optional section Please submit your resume and 3 sample works to [your ] with subject: ATTN: VIRTUAL ASSISTANT APPLICATION.

10 Top 5 Places To Look For Your Virtual Assistant OnlineJobs.ph This website is for hiring workers from the Philippines. If you re not from the Philippines, English will be your only common language, make sure they are fluent and are willing to improve (especially if they ll be making calls for you in the future). Here you can quickly browse talented resumes, or simply post your job description. ConnectedWomen.org - Women entrepreneurs hiring women VAs, plus we have an app! This platform is unique in that it matches women entrepreneurs to Filipina VAs. Their meaningful matching focuses on complementary skills, values and cultural fit. With CW you can learn more on how to hire the right VA. Train in the skills you need to properly outsource tasks, and get matched! Guru.com For candidates from all over the world Search for services being offered by freelancers that match your needs. Guru boasts over 1.5 million gurus to help with any technical,

11 creative or business project you might have. You can explore each freelancer s profile and browse their previous work before making any decisions. UpWork.com Very similar to Guru, however applicants will bid for the position. Someone might be fully qualified but only ask for $8 while someone else might have a similar application but bid for $12/hr. Just remember that cheapest is not always best! So some people will apply to work with you, but you can also reach out to VAs yourself. Active Facebook Entrepreneur Groups You might already be part of some Facebook groups specifically for entrepreneurs, in which case you can post saying you re looking for a VA who can do such-and-such. You ll likely get a few comments after just a day or two with recommendations! Short Listing Applicants Now that you have posted your job description on a few select platforms, names, resumes and references will start flowing.

12 Depending on which platforms you used, you might have dozens of applicants gunning to work with you. But more isn t always better. It can be confusing and overwhelming if you don t know exactly what should qualify a potential VA candidate. The list will ultimately come down to what type of person you want to work with. Of course qualities likes punctuality, honesty, and consistency should be a given in any virtual assistant. But if you don t have much time to train a VA, then you need to first eliminate the candidates that have very little experience or didn t bother to include the references or work examples/samples you requested. However, if you re open to training a newbie (or someone you see has a lot of potential) and you have the time to do it, by all means take a good look at their submission. If you don t know how to do accounting very well and absolutely need your VA to specialise in it (which you would mention in the job description) then you would focus your attention on applicants who have that skill. Based on what you need, you ll know which applicants don t qualify. Eliminate them and keep narrowing down to just 1-3 and then reach out to them. Or if your gut is leaning hard towards one very specific VA, them and hash out some details or ask any further questions you might have.

13 Quick Questions To Ask Via To Help Narrow Down The List It happens (not to everyone, but to plenty). They re online VA profile looks incredibly promising, and they have previous work experience with great people or companies. You send an to them, eager to begin communication, but it takes days for them to reply or the English in their s isn t as well-written as it was online. Your hope dwindles and you know you need to keep looking. So you a few more people who show potential, but don t want excessive to-and-fro. Here are some questions you can use to help pinpoint whether a VA is ready for a trial period with you: - I need my VA to work xx hours a week, between 00am-00pm, would this work for you? - Do you have your own internet connection, own a laptop, a mic and have a quiet space to focus? - How many other clients would you have, besides me? - I really liked what I saw of your previous work, do you have

14 more samples you could show me? - If all goes well during the trial period, are you willing to work with me long-term? Of course you re free to tweak the questions however needed, but these help determine if they are available to work with you when it s best for you, if they have the equipment needed, if you will be a priority to them (if this is important to you), and if they are looking for long-term work or if they think of you as just another job.

Before you welcome your new employee, you need to have an interview. No matter how good their resume or application looks, do not skip this part, make time for it.

15 Before you welcome your new employee, you need to have an interview. No matter how good their resume or application looks, do not skip this part, make time for it. 60 minutes is more than enough and should give you a better feel for their personality and understanding of your business. You can easily arrange it via or private message, just let them know what works best for you. If they want the job, they ll make time. Setting The Tone For The First Interview Once you make the call and are passed your initial greetings, the ball is in your court. If you need a bit of leading, a good way to start is by mentioning what you liked about their application or resume, and then ask them what they enjoyed most about their work at [previous employer s]. Based on their reply, you ll most likely come up with more questions.

16 Although I would suggest coming to the interview with a list of questions you need answered. Going through them one by one is a safe way to play it while making sure you learn more about your potential VA. DO be sure to discuss your business pace and culture. This means explaining a bit about how you work personally. Are you fast-paced and quick to make up your mind? Do you like to be more flexible? Explain your work ethic and how you expect a VA to complement that. Once you ve set the tone for what your company pace and culture is like, you can establish a trial period. One month is a good span of time for them to more deeply understand your business, mission and vision, and work methods. It also gives you time to properly assess and decide if they will be a virtual assistant you feel safe delegating important tasks to and one who can help free up your time. Don t make a decision at the very end of the interview. Let them know you ll get back to them within a few days and end with any good feedback you might have left for them.

17 Training Your Virtual Assistant You have a new VA trainee, congratulations! If all works out well during the trial period, you ll have an employee. During training you ll get to experience first-hand what it s like to work with your VA. Here are some crucial qualities to look for during their trial period: - Are they on time? - Do they do good work in the time allotted to them? - Do they communicate well (an absolute key to working with a VA!)? - Do you feel safe delegating a task to them, knowing they will be able to do it to your standard (or thereabouts)? - Do they catch on quick, or do you find yourself explaining basics over and over again? - Do they still require a lot of training from you, only some, or are they truly an expert at what they said they could do? - Since having her, have you had more time to focus on others aspects of your business?

18 Setting Realistic Expectations For Both Parties Mind you, it s important you have realistic expectations for the trial period as well. If you re introducing your trainee to a new communication platform (ex. they ve never used Slack before) they might even need a little tour of what it has to offer! Start with the basics; communication platform, file sharing, /calendar setup (if you want your team to share a primary ). The cold, hard truth is that you need to be patient hiring your virtual assistant, and even more so when first welcoming them into your business bubble. Your virtual assistant won t learn everything in a week, or even two weeks. It took months (maybe years) for you to learn what you know now, and there are still things you might not have had time to learn. So be gracious with your trainee, meanwhile being aware that there is a thin line between a new learner and a slow one. If it takes you 30 minutes to edit and proof an article but it takes them an hour on their first few tries, that is normal. But if after two weeks it still takes them an hour to edit and proof one word

19 article, they re using up too much valuable time to complete a fairly simple task. Along the way, offer your trainee feedback. Are they working well? Do you like their work? Is it too far off from what you asked for? Also take time to understand their learning style. Everyone is different. You might learn by reading an article, but she might learn better by watching you do it (via screenshare) and then trying it herself. Managing The Relationship If you ve ever worked for someone else or been an employee then you know what it s like to have a boss. You might have also personally experienced the significant differences between someone who acts like the aloft boss and a boss who is more of a leader. A boss will tell you how to do it, but a leader will show you how. A boss will take all the credit while a leader will give credit where it is due. To the point, bosses are more focused on getting the job done thinking only of themselves. A leader will take the time to motivate and empower you as you grow in your role.

20 Who would you want to work for, the boss or the leader? Now who do you think your virtual assistant would rather work with? This doesn t mean you let them get away with being late all the time, or always accept excuses for this and that. There is a difference between being gracious and being a pushover. Gentle correction when it is needed it good for anyone, so do not shy from it. If something comes up and you re not sure how to bring it up, treat the issue like a sandwich. Start with positive feedback, talk about the issue, and then finish up with another positive mention. Example: Anne, I want to talk to you about something briefly. I love how you are willing to speak up and offer suggestions for how we can improve as a team. However, your suggestions come off harsh and aren t overly helpful since you don t include more information as to how, specifically, we can improve. It sounds more like criticism. I hope you can work on this. Meanwhile, please do keep up the great work on the [project], I like how it s coming along! Active Listening As an employer, you now have a duty of care. You are not just paying someone to work for you. You are employing another

21 human being who has their own life, family and dreams. You are responsible for more than just their salary (we ll cover a bit of that in the next chapter). Referring back to Richard Branson s quote in Chapter 2, your VA will take better care of you, your business and the tasks you give them as long as they re fit to do so. If they re exhausted and cannot find balance in their life, their performance will suffer. This is not your fault, obviously (unless you re running them into the ground asking for 60 hours a week). BUT, by actively listening to them when you check in on them from time to time, you can help offer them options that help them build a better lifestyle. When you ask them how they are, if they often mention being exhausted, you might like to offer them to come in an hour or two later (but also make up that time by staying later as well). When your VA feels like you re really listening, they will feel cared for and in turn offer their absolute best.

Your method of payment will vary depending on where you and your VA are located in the wide world. A safe, reliable option is to use Paypal. However, many countries also have Western Union.

22 Your method of payment will vary depending on where you and your VA are located in the wide world. A safe, reliable option is to use Paypal. However, many countries also have Western Union. International bank transfers can get tricky and raise some eyebrows, so I wouldn t readily suggest this option. Paypal A trusted platform used by millions of merchants worldwide, Paypal is FREE. Set-up is fairly easy, and all you need to do to attach your bank account of choice is have your name, branch number, transfer number and your account number. You can find that information by looking at your cheques or going in and asking them in person (they don t normally offer this important information by ). There are almost no downsides for the employer as long as you ask your VA to invoice you. However, your VA should be aware that there will be a 3%+ fee deducted when they accept your payment.

23 Western Union WU offers their services in 200 countries! All you need is your ID along with the name and address of your VA. The con for this service is that there is a small fee to pay when you send money, you either pay the small fee yourself or agree with your VA that the fee will be taken from their pay. Also, depending on how many Western Union branches there are where you live, the waiting line might be long. All your VA needs to collect their money is Amount expected Your Name City and country being sent from The MTCN number you send them after you ve sent the money Another option (if you re in the same country) is to do direct deposits. Holidays And Benefits This is something that should be discussed before you officially hire your virtual assistant. Ask them for a list of public+paid holidays in

24 their country and add them to your calendar. If the time comes near to one of their holidays but you absolutely need them to work for whatever reason, ask them well in advance and maybe offer a little bonus or time and a half. If you believe the health of your VA is pertinent to the success of your business, you can also offer to cover part of or the entirety of their health insurance (you can also make this an incentive, you might only start doing this after they ve been with you for half a year and you want to continue working with them). You ve hired a VA before but it didn t work out, or they re moving on and you re looking for another virtual assistant. It happens and now you have the opportunity to fine tune the position. Truth be told, hiring doesn t really get any easier, but you can certainly get better at reading people and tweak the process to make it more efficient.

25 Tweaking The Job Description Did you find there were skills you wanted your VA to already know but forgot to mention it? This is where you get to add to the job description or omit certain aspects which turned out to be less relevant than you thought. The more thorough you are, (hopefully) the more qualified and fewer the applicants! You had a virtual assistant, so you might have a better idea of what you need in a VA. Go over your previous job description and make sure everything you need to mention is there. A job description doesn t have to be constrained to 100 characters. The best job descriptions include not only their works hours and skills, but also the tasks they ll be doing, favoured characteristics or personality quirks, and a mention of the work environment they can expect. Let it be a page long if it needs to be! You can also ask yourself what seems to be taking up your time now, after you had already delegated to your other/former VA? Is it something you should be spending a lot of time on, or should it be

26 delegated? It might be something else to look for in your next hire. If You re Looking For An Additional Virtual Assistant Instead Of A Replacement Your other virtual assistant didn t leave; she s still with you and working hard. You ve realised you d like a second virtual assistant to share the load with your current VA. You re freeing up even more of your time and want to delegate more so you can keep focusing on your main goals. What needs to change? Is it the tools your team is using, do you need to upgrade or look at new options with different features? You will also need to look at who does what. Just because you hire another VA doesn t mean they should be doing the same things. You can split up tasks between them, making each one responsible for different tasks. The more to and fro, the messier things can get. You might also notice after your second hire that VA-2 is better at accounting than VA-1, even though she s been with you longer. Be flexible and don t be afraid to hand it over. This is where you ll notice, even more than before, the strengths of different team members. We wish you well!

BONUS MODULE #2. The Lazy Millionaire

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