5 Huge Discoveries I’ve Made Working with Virtual Assistants!
I’ve worked with 5 different VAs (Virtual Assistants) in the past 7 years. It sounds like a lot but what I’ve discovered is that many times VAs are on a different path and quickly uplevel their skills and move on to other adventures. Here’s what I’ve learned about working with VAs:
It’s important to always have a weekly chat for about 20-30 minutes via phone/Zoom. Talking through tasks and projects helps bring clarity and stops confusion as you work together that you can’t get in an email or a slack channel.
Confirm in writing after each phone/Zoom meeting what tasks are due, by whom and when. So many times as a business owner you have to finish up a piece of work in order for your VA to take action. For example, I have to write up my social media content so my VA can then schedule it for me. Otherwise, it doesn’t happen! I have to be on top of my game and not drop the ball so I can help my VAs do their best. I believe this is one of those truths that is unknown when you hire your first VA.
Know the strengths of your VA, they aren’t experts in everything. A good VA will be upfront if they can’t do a task you ask of them and that’s ok! This is why it’s vital to know what your VA can/can’t do before hiring them.
Make sure you know what you are hiring a VA for. Are you mostly wanting someone to help you with your social media, website updates, editing and proofreading your content, or bookkeeping tasks? Have your list handy (I have a free download for this) when you are hiring and interviewing VAs so you can find the right fit.
You don’t have to sign up for Asana or ClickUp right away. I’ve been using email and meetings to project manage my VA’s work for years and it works fine. Tools like Slack can be great as well. One item that’s been a lifesaver is saving a shared DropBox folder set up so you can share documents, etc. A reminder that this process can be very simple and non-complicated!
It’s ok to share your business with your VA. I’m giving you permission right here! The more insight and developments you can share with your VA week to week, they will definitely be more effective and help provide solutions for you.
What has helped you when you’ve worked with a VA? What is holding you back from hiring your first VA? I’d love to know and help you feel more confident to move forward. I’ve helped consult and coach professionals like you to hire VAs!