When do you hire a Virtual Assistant?

Hiring a virtual assistant often puts entrepreneurs in a chicken and egg situation, which one comes first?

You’ve probably done your research and read up on all the benefits of hiring a virtual assistant and all the signs point towards them being just what the entrepreneur ordered. Virtual assistants will reduce your workload and help you move away from being a busy fool to doing the things that really matter, business growth.

But should you have hired a virtual assistant from the launch of your business, or should you bring them on board when you are getting too busy to handle the administrational tasks?

Knowing when to hire a virtual assistant can be really difficult to judge and if you get it wrong, it could cost you and business time and money in the future. Here’s how to use a 5-step process to see if you’re ready to hire a virtual assistant:

Things To Consider Before Hiring a Virtual Assistant

Firstly, you should understand if you’re being limited by a lack of support.

If you are struggling to make time in your busy schedule to focus on sales growth because you are too busy on tedious administrational tasks, then this is an indication that you should be looking to outsource to VA.

However, you should also consider and understand what a virtual assistant will do for your business.

If you haven’t taken a few steps to define which tasks you want from a virtual assistant, and how they will help, you could find yourself with more headaches and an ineffective VA. Virtual Assistants are task masters and are highly productive when they are given clear instructions and understanding of the activities that are required.

With that in mind, let’s assess your situation together and see if a virtual assistant can help!

Are You Ready to Hire a Virtual Assistant?

In addition to simply needing support, there are a few other questions to consider before hiring a virtual assistant:

Question #1: How Established Is Your Business?

If you’re still in the ideation and business planning stage and haven’t actually started the business yet, it’s likely too early to hire a virtual assistant for your business.

However, if you need extra help with managing other tasks like emails or other time-wasting tasks, a virtual assistant might be useful. But in that case, you wouldn’t be hiring them to help you manage the routine tasks related to your business. They’d be more of a personal assistant (PA) than a business assistant.

Normally, when hiring a virtual assistant from the beginning, you will struggle with clearly defining their tasks and responsibilities. This will make it feel like there is a negative impact on your workload and productivity. This in turn, will create added financial stress on your business.

The perfect time to bring a virtual assistant into your business is once you’re established, I.e. when see some revenue pouring in so that a virtual assistant is a justified expense, and there are tasks for them to handle.

Question #2: Are You Trying to Outsource Critical Tasks?

Business owners & Entrepreneurs often want to deal only with the tasks they feel well-equipped to do.

In practice, this often means wanting to bypass early-stage marketing and sales tasks.

However, when you’re first starting a business, marketing and sales (cold-calling included) activities are absolutely critical, and only you should do them.

No one understands your business like you do. And in the early stage, it’s paramount that you’re the one getting in touch with prospective clients and marketing your products or services.

Question #3: Do You Feel Stressed, and Why?

If you feel stressed or unsystematic because you tend to procrastinate, then a virtual assistant might not help you.

If your time management skills are up to par, and you feel that you’re stressed because you don’t have enough time to work towards your business growth goals, then a virtual assistant can help you clear the deck.

In general, if you know you’re managing too many important and routine tasks that aren’t giving you enough time to focus on growth, then you can safely say that yes, you’re ready for a virtual assistant.

Question #4: Are You Spending More and More Time on Time-Wasting Tasks?

Customers are at the centre of any business and constant contact with your leads and customers on social media is important. But, it’s not a task that only you can do:

Spending hours upon hours on social media responding to Direct Messages and looking up those hashtags that relate to your business, is a huge distraction and not what you should be investing your time and energy in.

Yes, it’s important, but this one that can be tasked to a Virtual Assistant.

The same applies to emails. How much time do we spend every morning, afternoon or even evening times, trying to stay on top of your inboxes? If you are getting a high level of emails then a VA is the solution to prioritise and manage that inbox.

Question #5: Have You Identified Specific Tasks You Need Help with?

Consider what you really want help with, is it:

· Emails or Online Chat

· Making or receiving calls

· Online Shop management

· Creating Invoices or filing paperwork

· Managing your social media content

If you find yourself spending more than 30% of your day on these sort of tasks, then a virtual assistant can help.

Furthermore, you might not be the best at social media or online shops. These are not critical tasks of any entrepreneur, but as your business grows, get a virtual assistant who is competent in completing these activities.

Other Signs You’re Ready to Hire a Virtual Assistant

In addition to the main five reasons, hiring a VA gives you time to enjoy your work-life balance.

As an entrepreneur you are probably already committing twelve hours a day regularly (this isn’t uncommon) and finding yourself agitated and exhausted when it’s time to focus on your free time and your family.

Family and friends are important and if you are like me, I am confident that one of the main reasons you are going into business is for financial freedom that you can share and enjoy with your inner circle?!

If this is true, then a Virtual Assistant will be a fundamental hire and asset to you and your business.

.Are You Ready to Hire a Virtual Assistant?

Normally, just feeling stressed and overworked as you’re growing your business is reason enough to hire a virtual assistant.

However, it’s important to know what you need their help with. When you’ve identified the tasks you need them to complete, you’ll be able to find the virtual assistant with the right skills.

Once you’ve checked all the boxes, it’s time to start thinking about the tasks you’ll delegate. Reach out to RAW Corporations VA services and lets help drive your business forward.