Entrepreneurship is not an easy journey, so you will need every bit of help to make it successful. You can find many online tools to help you develop your company. However, understanding them and how to use them takes time, which is something that's not always available in the early days. You need to hire someone capable of handling recurring but important tasks for you.
It would be best if you had someone you could rely on to complete tasks and deliver them promptly. You wore (or wore most) of the hats when you started your company. You may have been a solo entrepreneur, and you had to fill every role within the business, from accounting to sales, marketing to administration. If you started your company with a partner or in a small team, then it is likely that you were wearing fewer hats. However, as the business grows, more owners will fill these gaps.
You were a brand-new business owner, and you had complete control over your business operation. This means you knew everything about your company because you managed so many aspects yourself. Now that you have a growing business, it's hard to manage the daily activities and the strategic elements of growth. It's been said that entrepreneurs hire a VA to help them save time.
What Is A Virtual Assistant?
A virtual assistant is a person who performs tasks such as administrative support and customer service for you from a distance. Virtual assistants can work full-time or part-time. They may also be hired on a short-term basis. Virtual assistants are often independent contractors. Others work for virtual assistant firms.
Virtual assistants (VAs) are used to refer to virtual workers that perform administrative tasks. However, VAs do not fit all! Entrepreneurs hire virtual assistants to do a variety of online tasks (or over the phone). However, VAs have different levels of experience and skill sets. There is no way that a single VA can cover every possible scenario. Virtual assistants are divided into two categories: specialists and generalists. Specialist VAs are more experienced in specific business areas, like social media and systems automation. Specialist VAs are classified in a variety of ways. They could be experts in several software or business processes.
We will describe the VAs in each category, including what they do. Remember that we have created five buckets that cover the majority of business requirements. But VAs don't have to be limited by these categories. Some VAs may specialize in lead generation or prospective customer service, while others might describe their industry (e.g. real estate, healthcare).
Why Should You Use A Virtual Assistant?
You can focus on your core business. Then you can focus on what you do best: generating brilliant ideas and winning strategies. When the company's leader focuses on development, it will progress faster. Virtual assistants can also help you with administrative tasks, such as answering questions and arranging meetings. Virtual assistants can also be hired remotely, and they are cheaper than a typical employee.
Who Are Virtual Assistants?
Virtual assistants provide marketing and administrative services for their prospective clients, working remotely. Virtual Assistants are often able to help with tasks such as answering emails, organizing your schedule, researching competitors, setting up appointments, etc. They can work efficiently from anywhere, even if they often do so at home. Virtual assistants can handle a variety of tasks and assignments, depending on the client's specific needs.
Types Of Virtual Assistants
Generalist Virtual Assistant
In most cases, generalist VAs work like the administrative professionals that we see in traditional business environments. A generalist VA can be compared to a virtual secretary or virtual personal assistant. They may perform a wide range of tasks, such as entering data, creating documents and managing appointments and calendars.
Virtual assistants are more likely to manage activities and interactions in a digital setting. In-office assistants, on the other hand, will be dealing primarily with face-to-face interaction and activity. Virtual assistants, on the other hand, are more likely than office administrators to have a greater knowledge and skill set in a wide range of virtual and software tools.
Generalist Virtual Assistants don't typically "own" tasks in a particular "department" or "function" of your company. Generalist VAs are more likely to do tasks in multiple functions, such as bookkeeping and basic marketing. Generalist virtual assistants may have more administrative knowledge than their specialist counterparts. Still, they require more training, something that often surprises owners. Why? They're well-versed and agile but can only learn your way of doing things if you teach them.
What Can Generalist Vas Do?
Business owners can benefit from the services of a generalist virtual assistant in many ways. The list below is just a small sample of what a virtual assistant can do:
- Create invoices
- Create documents
- Transcribe audio/video
- Reports in different formats
- Format blog posts
- Paying late? Follow-up on your payment
- Manage your email inbox
- Social media scheduling
- Topics for research in business
- Book appointments
System Virtual Assistant
Systems virtual assistants are very tech-savvy. They help the business owner to manage their systems and operations. System VAs have a lot of tech knowledge. Systems VAs are very tech-savvy.
What Can Systems Vas Do?
A virtual assistant for systems can perform these tasks:
- Web developer to manage the project for a website redesign.
- Manage and add a live chat feature to your website.
- Install and update website widgets and plugins.
- Create a form that pops up on your website.
- Purchase and install audio and video equipment to podcast and record videos.
- Automate the client onboarding process.
- Learn a new automation software and then teach the owner of a business how to use it.
Content Management Virtual Assistant
By hiring a virtual assistant to manage content, business owners can delegate the majority of their tactics for marketing content. This is worth repeating; the entrepreneur has the responsibility for the content strategy and creation. Content management VAs implement the strategy through the completion of assigned tasks.
Keep in mind that only 20% of the content you create should be used for marketing. The other 80% should be spent on coming up with new ideas, repurposing and marketing the content. Content management executive assistants can provide traffic-generating suggestions to owners, and then they create content based on these ideas. VAs can take over publishing, promotion, and repurposing.
Content management, like social media, is a time-consuming but essential activity for businesses that are growing. Content creation and management is the #1 challenge for 51% of marketers! Consistent, relevant content will help you optimize your SEO and turn more visitors into potential leads or prospective buyers.
Virtual assistants who specialize in content management can help make your website more SEO-friendly. Virtual assistants can handle tasks such as researching long-tail keywords and editing posts so that they include the optimal number. A virtual assistant can also help you with your SEO by building links. Ask them to review your blog posts for links to other websites and to connect concepts to your site.
You can also ask your VA to create the proper structure for your blog posts so that they are optimized in terms of readability and search engine optimization. Yoast is an easy tool that VAs can utilize to determine keyword density as well as heading/subheadings structure. Hiring a virtual assistant to manage your content could change the game for those who find it difficult to stay on top of their content and maintain consistency.
What Can Content Management VAs Do?
What you can delegate to a VA for content management will be determined by their strengths and weaknesses and the amount of training that is available. Hire a virtual assistant to manage content and assign them some or all the following tasks:
- Keywords and hashtags for research.
- Use infographics in your blog posts.
- Trends in industry research.
- Look at competitor websites for ideas.
- Monitor blog traffic.
- Proofread and edit blog posts.
- Blog posts can include images that have alt text and file names optimized for SEO.
- Yoast WordPress is a plugin that allows you to assess readability as well as SEO.
- Repurpose existing content.
Digital Marketing Virtual Assistant
Digital marketing VAs, on the other hand, implement strategies and tactics that are centered around sales and business content. They are also able to handle some tasks related to content management. These tasks can be delegated by the VA to allow the owner of the company to concentrate on their digital marketing strategy and create and optimize sales messages.
Digital marketing tactics require technical behind-the-scenes steps. Instead of spending time on creating the perfect slide deck for a webinar, entrepreneurs can use their time wisely to practice and script a presentation. They then outsource the design work to a virtual assistant. Digital marketing VAs are also familiar with the technology needed to set up automated emails and webinars.
Hiring a digital assistant is the best option for entrepreneurs who would rather spend time optimizing sales copy or educational-based content for marketing (for example, webinars) than setting up their sales process.
What Can Digital Marketing Vas Do?
The following tasks can be assigned to a VA in digital marketing:
- Lead generation: Converting blog posts to ebooks or other PDFs.
- Review and compare webinar platforms.
- Design a webinar landing page (owner provides copy).
- Create a webinar slide deck.
- Create/write a series of emails that the owner of a business can automate.
- Create an evergreen webinar.
Social Media Virtual Assistant
Generalist VAs can help with social media basics, such as creating graphics and scheduling posts. If you want help with more advanced social media tasks, you should hire a VA who specializes in this area.
Social media assistants have a high level of expertise in (or at least a majority) of the main social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn. Some are also experts on a single platform. They not only implement your social media efforts but also schedule posts.
A social media VA allows the owner of the business to remain in charge of the overall strategy while letting the VA handle the media functions. The entrepreneur must make key decisions, such as selecting social media platforms, setting up, and identifying themes or messages. Social media VAs implement the strategies of the owners.
Social media can help scale businesses even without large advertising budgets. It takes a lot of time, which could be spent better on ideal customers and prospects. Many savvy entrepreneurs delegate their social media tasks to virtual assistants.
What Can Social Media Vas Do?
These are some of the tasks that businesses outsource to their digital assistants, who have a specialization in social media:
- Create social media accounts.
- Content calendars.
- Schedule posts using scheduling tools.
- Manage Facebook group engagement.
- Manage content database.
- Report metrics and track them.
- Facebook Contests: Research, plan and Implement.
- Give feedback and summarize the target audience's engagement.
Read More: What Exactly Was A Virtual Assistant And What Do They Do?
The Top Benefits Of Hiring A Virtual Assistant
Virtual assistants have many benefits. They make work easier for you and help grow your business. These are the many benefits that come with hiring virtual assistance:
Efficient Time Management
The virtual assistants are efficient and complete all their work. They can also manage your schedule and meetings.
Improved Productivity In The Workplace
You can let them organize and plan your schedule. You can work uninterrupted and worry-free.
Stress Reduction And More Leisure Time
You are relieved of many administrative duties. You can relax more.
Scale Up Operations
They manage multiple projects simultaneously. The output is increased, and the size of the operation increases.
Reach Out To A Wider Audience
Virtual assistants can help you maintain your online presence, and they will also reach out to customers. Virtual assistants can use hacks and create social media posts to reach out to potential customers.
Improved Customer Service
All critical emails, calls and comments from customers are responded to. It strengthens your relationship with customers.
Cost Savings
Virtual assistants can be cheaper than an employee for your business.
Enhancing Emotional Wellbeing
You can rely on them to take care of both routine and crucial jobs. You can relax when you do not have to worry about the people you will be meeting.
Work-Life Balance: Improved
Your daily tasks and your timetable are taken care of. You can then spend more time on personal goals.
Refocus On Core Business Services
You can stay on task. When you free up space in your task list, it allows you to focus on business ideas and strategies.
What Can Virtual Assistants Do For Startups?
Manage Your Social Media Accounts
The best way to grow your business is through social media. It allows you to stay in touch with customers and keep them informed. It is interactive, which allows you to know the feedback of your customers in real-time. You can then make any necessary changes as a result. It can be detrimental to your business if you don't manage your social media account regularly or if you fail to respond promptly to any customer questions/complaints. This will also create a negative reputation among your customers.
Social media allows you to build relationships with your customers, promote your brand and establish trust. Most businesses should have an active social media presence. Unfortunately, due to a lack of time, this can end up being at the bottom of your priority list.
In this situation, a Digital Assistant will be able to help by handling your social media account and posting updates regularly on social media. They can also reply to comments and tweets. You can use them to create engaging, interesting content for your business.
Cut Operational Costs
Virtual Assistants, as independent professionals, are exempt from additional compensation such as insurance and paid leave. Virtual assistants do not require overhead expenses such as an office, equipment or technical infrastructure. They work from home. This can be an amazing thing for the young entrepreneur looking to save money.
Experts say that using virtual assistants (or remote workers) could reduce the costs of your business by as much as 78%. These savings can also be used to improve other areas in your business, such as your marketing strategy or updating your production facilities.
Create Detailed Reports
Data analysis in detail is crucial to the smooth running of your business and to presenting information to partners and investors. Website analytics can also help identify areas of improvement and increase revenue. You can also use social media analytics to identify which posts are the most engaging and then boost those to improve your visibility and increase revenue.
A Virtual Assistant can help you quickly process data to choose the right course of action. They will create detailed daily, weekly, or monthly reports. It takes a lot of time to analyze and compile data, so having a digital assistant do this for you can save you countless hours.
Increase Your Business Activity
It is difficult to satisfy consumer demands on your own when you start to grow. If you are unable to deliver orders on time, or if they take too long to finish them, customers will cancel the order. It takes time to hire and train new remote employees so you may lose out on a lot of business. It is also necessary to spend money on their training. In less than 24 hours, virtual assistants can scale up your operation as required. Digital assistants are also able to help close leads for sales, which can be crucial in growing your company.
Organize Your Calendar
It is important to check if you have an organized diary. Virtual Assistants can help manage meetings, tasks, and appointments to avoid scheduling conflicts. A VA can ensure that you can manage your commitments and get to appointments on time. They can also serve as reminders for important tasks which need to be done regularly while keeping you on track with your daily schedule. Virtual assistants can help you stay organized if you have a lot of tasks. Hiring a digital assistant will help you manage your schedule efficiently.
Take Care Of Non-Essential Tasks
Businesses have several tasks they need to perform regularly. For example, following up on potential clients' orders and payments. These tasks are time-consuming and repetitive, but they're essential to the growth of your business and smooth financial flow. Virtual assistants are also a great help in this area. Virtual assistants can help you with your customer service. They can, for example, manage phone calls, returns, posts on social media, and emails. You can use the time saved on routine tasks to do something else:
- Prepare a Marketing & effective Strategy for Your Business.
- Finding new suppliers to supply your goods & services.
- Raising funds.
- Team outings.
- Other regulatory duties and tax filing.
- How to achieve a healthy work-life equilibrium.
Hire Global Expertise
Virtual Assistants are now more than just secretaries. They can do a variety of specialized tasks. High-speed internet makes it possible for virtual assistants anywhere to offer a variety of technical and specialized skill sets. You can hire professionals to handle almost any job that involves specialized skills or knowledge. The following are some of the roles Virtual Assistants specialize in:
- Website Design.
- Social media post design.
- Blogs.
- Copywriting.
- Digital Marketing.
- Online Inventory Management.
- Market Research.
- Transcription services.
Top Skills Of Virtual Assistants
Virtual assistants have many benefits. Their impressive capabilities are the reason for this. Multitasking, communication, organizing, and attention to detail are just some skills a virtual assistant can bring to your business. These are the skills of a virtual Assistant:
Excellent Organizational Skills
Virtual assistants excel at completing projects and meeting deadlines. They are well-organized. Virtual assistants can handle multiple projects at once. Virtual assistants use apps and tools to help perform their tasks.
Prioritizing And Multitasking Skills
Virtual assistants have a different day every single time. Virtual assistants keep a list of things that must be done and organize them according to their priority. It's vital to your schedule. They can also manage multiple tasks at once without any problems. You can then spend more time on your job.
Attention To Detail
Virtual assistants are very detail-oriented, as they have to respond quickly to emails and messages from clients. Also, they correct grammatical or factual mistakes in reports and payrolls. Virtual assistants keep a checklist and make sure all tasks are completed on time.
Ability To Handle A Flexible Work Schedule
You have a calendar full of meetings and events. Every day, new tasks are added. How can you keep up with all the new tasks? Your schedule is flexible with a virtual assistant. The virtual assistant arranges all events and meetings according to your preferences and what is possible.
Always Available
They must be able to depend on their group. It is important to have people available in times of crisis. Virtual assistants are available 24/7 to assist you with your inquiries and questions. You may have to do extra work if you are facing a deadline.
Planning And Managing Time Well Are Essential Skills
Virtual assistants who are good at their job know what they excel in and where they fall short. The virtual assistants know the amount of work that they can accomplish in one day. It helps you, and they manage your time. Virtual assistants plan and forecast results. They then make sure that the work gets done without delay.
Communication Skills That Are Impeccable In Both Verbal And Writing
Virtual assistants excel at written and oral communication because they act as your representative. The virtual assistants are well-versed in grammar, and they can write emails with impact. A virtual assistant can also type fast and with intelligence and contribute to articles, blogs and landing pages.
Interacting With Executives And High-Profile Clients
Virtual assistants communicate via email and telephone with clients and executives. The virtual assistants know how to sound polite but also firm. A virtual assistant also knows much about the business and its customers. They can communicate more clearly.
Computer Applications Knowledge (Ms Office, G-Suite And G-Suite)
You spend most of your time preparing presentations, writing reports and sending emails. Virtual assistants can help with your tasks by using computer programs like MS Office. Your virtual assistant can create your reports and make presentations for you. Office management procedures and systems are essential for any office manager.
You may have to input customer data or client information into your company's CRM. Virtual assistants are familiar with such systems. You can have them collect data and input it for you when necessary.
Conclusion
Virtual assistants can help your company grow and be more efficient by working from a distance. They are a valuable asset to any company because of their diverse skill sets, the ability to grasp and learn things quickly, and cost-effectiveness. You must prepare your human resources in advance as the world moves towards a hybrid or working-from-home environment.
Virtual assistants make your life simpler. Virtual assistants take care of your administrative duties so that you can focus on growing your business. They will help you communicate, plan meetings and do bookkeeping. Virtual assistants become your right hand at work and allow you to be at your best.
Given that distance is no longer a barrier to obtaining the best employees for your business, using virtual assistants can be a good first step. Hire virtual assistants around the world is the best way to improve the dynamic and strength of your organization.
