How can an Online Virtual Assistant help your small business?

Business people begin their endeavors with big plans and bold visions. However, it is not uncommon to get overwhelmed with the day-to-day tasks of a growing business empire. Regardless of the business, each company has important tasks that cannot be ignored, and often keep business visionaries from the work they do best. This is where Online Virtual Assistants come in.

What is an Online Virtual Assistant?

An Online Virtual Assistant (VA) is an individual, usually a freelancer, who performs your administrative tasks from a remote location (basically anywhere in the world!). Online Virtual Assistants can handle everything you need to get done -- from answering and sending emails, data entry (spreadsheets and documents), administering your website, and even your social media pages. Since most Online Virtual Assistants are freelancers who work from home, they are flexible and open to discussion about how much or how little work they can do, as well as the hours they can work for you.

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What are the advantages of having an Online Virtual Assistant?

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Saves Time and Money

Being the “boss” and running a business is a seemingly endless array of phone calls, emails, and meetings. After a time, these will eat up your free time, and you will not have time to do the things you love.

Hiring an Online Virtual Assistant is the perfect solution as they can take your hands off most of these tasks, leaving you to focus on the things that matter most.

As you develop your business, the need to hire more people is inevitable. However, not all businesses are prepared to hire full-time employees.

Identify a set amount you’re willing to spend to get tasks done and find an Online Virtual Assistant who is willing to work within that budget. You will not have to stress over tax computations, benefits or long-term contracts (unless of course, you choose to give your VAs those benefits ;) ).

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Reliability

With the development of the freelance industry, finding an Online Virtual Assistant that will suit your needs is not that difficult. VAs often have a lot of work experience under their belt, gained from working with different clients. However, that doesn’t mean they don’t have expertise. Some examples of such expertise are Social Media Management, Administrative Assistance, Facebook/Instagram Marketing, and many more.

Choose the right VA for your needs, and you will not have to worry about not having the right person for the right job.

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A Personal, Professional Relationship

When you start working with a VA, it normal to have them focus on simple tasks such as data entry, email management, or calendar management. However, as you develop a professional relationship, you will learn to depend on them with more tasks. Over time, trust builds and you may entrust your VA with more aspects of your business, sometimes even personal life.

Business owners, especially for small businesses, usually want to be more hands-on in running things. But if you’re starting to pull 80 to 100 hours a week, it won’t do you (and your business any good). Having an Online Virtual Assistant take some of the work off your hands will leave you with time for strategic thinking to devise new endeavors, make big decisions, and find more creative ways to grow your business which your trusted VA might have some input on too.

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Ready to hire a Virtual Assistant?

Starting and running your own business is not easy, and it’s not for everyone. Getting extra hands to help, makes a huge difference, but only if you hire a fantastic, stand-out Virtual Assistant.

When hiring an Online Virtual Assistant, make sure you find someone who works smart, is efficient and organized, and has agreeable work ethics. Do not be swayed by a sensational resume and portfolio alone. Character is what defines a good VA, someone with integrity, is reliable, and resourceful enough to find solutions to any challenge they may face. A good VA will have initiative to look for ways to get the job done.

Just like professionals, an Online Virtual Assistant should know how to get work done in the most thorough but time-efficient way; and finds value and fulfillment in contributing to the success of your growing business.

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