Companies that outsource tasks to virtual assistants have continuously increased in the past decade. The cost savings, diversification of the talent pool, and flexibility that VAs bring to the table are of great benefit to businesses, especially if you want quality work without breaking the bank.
If you’re looking to hire a virtual assistant to help in your business, you’re probably wondering where to begin. There are a lot of choices to pick from. Discover the best place to find a virtual assistant based on your set goals and budget!
Is a Virtual Assistant Right for You?
Virtual assistants are people who can work anywhere in the world provided they have internet access. They can handle any task a full-time employee can handle but there are pros and cons.
A big pro is that it can help cut operational costs. Because they are working from home, you can typically offer less than you would need to offer a full-time employee commuting to an office. You also don’t need to meet them in person to manage them, which is more convenient for you.
Some of the cons of finding a virtual assistant include being unable to do physical tasks, or potentially being in a different time zone than you. These challenges can be mitigated with the right collaboration tools for remote teams.
If the work you need to be done can be accomplished on the computer or phone, it’s likely the right call to outsource tasks to virtual assistants. You’ll save money, they will be easier to manage, and you’ll get the same results.
Where to Find a Virtual Assistant for Your Business
There are a lot of options to find a virtual assistant. You just need to consider the tasks you want to outsource, as well as the time and money you are willing to spend. Here are the top three picks for the best place to find a virtual assistant:
Ask Family and Friends for Referrals
Asking family members and friends can be a great option when looking for a virtual assistant. Your friends will have insight into the candidate’s skills and will be able to refer someone specifically to meet your needs.
If this works for you, you’ll save money over hiring a recruiter or agency. The downsides are, it’s a manual process so you’ll need to handle all of the HR work yourself. Plus, your friends and family may not have a lot of recommendations for you.
Search on Online Job Websites
Using an online job site like Indeed or Monster allows you to be more hands-on in finding a good virtual assistant since you’ll be posting the job ads and screening the applicants yourself.
This option gives you the most control. Because you’ll need to do everything yourself, from posting the job ad to scheduling interviews with potential candidates, it can take a lot of time. You will also need to take on the HR work to properly hire and pay your assistant.
Hire Through a Recruiting Agency
Appointing a recruiting agency to find a virtual assistant for you will speed up the hiring process. They will take care of sourcing and screening candidates for your business. You only need to give them the job description and the skills of the assistant that you’re looking for.
After the agency screens a set of applicants, you’ll interview a shortlist of candidates. They will also take care of everything HR related such as sourcing, hiring, payment, etc. The main tradeoffs are the additional cost of the agency and that you’ll have less control of the hiring process.
Customize Your Virtual Team Based on Your Needs
High-Impact Tasks to Outsource to a Virtual Assistant
There is no doubt that more and more businesses outsource tasks to virtual assistants. VAs will be a game changer for many business owners and leaders in different industries.
Be that as it may, many still hire virtual assistants for low-impact tasks such as admin work to save time. Over the years, however, we’ve seen just how far and wide the skillsets of VAs reach.
Before you expand your remote team and check out the best place to find a virtual assistant, make sure you know how to maximize their skills. Below are some high-impact tasks you can outsource to a virtual assistant:
Automate Your Lead Generation Funnel
Lead generation is more than just managing a list of leads in a spreadsheet. It means constant communication, follow-ups, and focusing on low-hanging fruits. It is a time-consuming yet necessary activity for a lot of businesses.
Here are some specific lead generation tasks you can start with:
- Reach out to leads on your behalf
- Schedule calls
- Remove unqualified leads from your CRM
Improve Customer Experience
Failing to respond to customers on time can lose you money. With VAs, you can build a fully-operational, 24/7 customer support hotline as you scale up. Some customer support-related tasks you can outsource are:
- Answering sales inquiries across a variety of platforms
- Technical and after-sales support
- Creating a knowledge base
- Regularly engage your community with product updates.
Set up a Reliable Accounting System
A reliable accounting system is key to making the right business decisions and VAs can help you in this area. Allow them to help organize your cash flow and free yourself from mental clutter. By delegating these time-consuming tasks, you can focus on the bigger tasks at hand.
Here are ways VAs can help your accounting department:
- Create and send invoices;
- Update your cash flow and expenses;
- Follow-up on receivables;
- Settle accounts.
Minimize Distractions
VAs can take on tasks that you consider a “time-suck,” so you can focus on the mission-critical items on your list. Here are some ways virtual assistants can help increase your personal productivity:
- Get you to inbox zero;
- Schedule meetings on your behalf;
- Plan your travel and events;
- Some VAs can even run errands for you!
Gain Multiple Business Perspectives
Virtual assistants have come a long way from simply executing tasks given to them. Nowadays, many virtual assistants operate their own businesses, and do so successfully, with the skills they’ve acquired.
Consider the opinions of an assistant on your team. Include them in discussions and their insights could prove valuable at the end of the day.
Outsource Tasks to Virtual Assistants With Magic
Look no further for the best place to find a virtual assistant! Magic will help you source, screen, and qualify the right virtual assistant based on your specific needs.
Starting at $10, you can outsource tasks to virtual assistants to make a lasting impact on your business. Our Magic Virtual Assistants can support you and your team across administrative, sales, customer support, and bookkeeping tasks.
Tell us what you need and get started right away!
