By Lauren Gall with VaVa Virtual Assistants
Delegation can be one of the most challenging tasks a business owner takes on. As a business owner, you have developed the foundation and are responsible for anything and everything that happens: coordinating business meetings, creating mailers and documents, marketing, and much more. Perhaps you realize that you have to start outsourcing in order to be effective, but have not taken the next step to do so.
You are the CEO and founder, simply making a wise decision for your company so that you are able to focus more on the next level of success for your business. Leave the administrative tasks to someone who will be able to complete the tasks at a quicker pace, who is an expert for the specific assignment, or who enjoys working at the support level. Here are some guidelines when employing a virtual assistant:
- Effective Communication – excellent communication is key to running your business efficiently. Praise her success and be open with your VA. Honesty and praise go a long way when working virtually because you are typically working from a distance.
2. Follow up – Follow up with one another. Your VA will typically be working with
numerous clients, so she may have more efficient ways of handling your assigned task. Performance is key. If your VA promises a 24-48 hour turnaround time, make sure that you are receiving just that. If there are tactics that need to be changed, explain how you would like things done in the future.
- Availability- When a client relationship is first built, know that there will be
questions that need answered. It should be a two way street. Your VA should be available for you, and you should be accessible to your VA. When you assign a task, be open to having your VA reiterate in her own words the given task, so that there is no confusion which may result from electronic communication.
- Skype or record- Have a meeting or record an audio file of what you would like
done, attach it to an email, send to your VA. This can save both time and energy. Electronic communication can often be perceived in many different ways, so recording what you would like accomplished is a great way to start.
- Make an agenda and be clear– Make a list of the tasks you would like done, send it
overto your VA with a timeline of completion no less than 24-48 hours unless otherwise discussed. Use bullet points and concise wording.
Outsourcing with a virtual assistant can cut your workday in half. Our job is to make your job easier, and once you see the difference it makes in your business you’ll be satisfied. Your additional free time will allow you to focus on getting your business to that next level.
