How To On Board Your Virtual Assistant The Smart Way

The Life of a Small Business Owner

I know this is something all small business owners are guilty of - wearing all the hats at one time! Yip, not wanting to delegate tasks or outsource work at this stage, you find yourself wearing multiple hats throughout the day, trying to make this business work and then you end up facing burn out and a business that you resent.

So why do we do this to ourselves?

More than likely because we believe we don't have the budget nor the capacity to bring additional team members on board. And yet, if we really looked at it, if you bring on an experienced Virtual Assistant on board you start realising the benefits of delegating tasks and understanding where your focus should lie. This means freeing up your time to do what you love, whether it is sales, new business development, networking, planning new product ideas, attending expos and so forth.

In this publication I want to show you the smart way of on boarding your ideal Virtual Assistant so that you always find value in outsourced help and that you can get on with building a business that you love.

Common mistakes to avoid when on boarding your Virtual Assistant

1. Don't assume that by merely taking on a Virtual Assistant all the issues are ironed out in your business. You still need to pro-actively run your business and give your VA the proper attention to ensure she understands the role she plays in your business success.
2. Don't treat your VA like another employee. Virtual Assistants are outsourced consultants and should be treated as such. They come with a wealth of knowledge and experience, and are there to help you implement processes and take the burden of specific tasks off your hands.
3. Don't think that you cannot communicate too much with your Virtual Assistant. As your VA is working remotely communication is of paramount importance and the clearer your expectations and instructions are the better service she can provide.
4. Don't leave your VA to her own devices, especially not in the beginning. It is a good idea to have a training manual or SOP of sorts ready for when you on board your Virtual Assistant. This will reduce training time on your particular system(s) and products, and will be your VA's go-to manual in those times when you are travelling or in meetings.

Smart ways to on board your Virtual Assistant

1. Screen your prospective Virtual Assistant properly so that you ensure you hire a great match for you and your business. This will also alleviate possible problems down the line.
2. Ensure that your brief (job description) is clear and the Virtual Assistant has the skills required to do the job effectively.
3. Be open-minded to new suggestions / ideas to implement in improving your business processes, like task management tools (Trello, Asana), communication tools (Slack), online invoicing (Xero) and so forth.
4. Schedule weekly check ins with your Virtual Assistant, not only to find out how she is doing, but also to stay on top of your business. As a business owner you need to know what is going on in all aspects of your venture. This way of communicating will very quickly highlight any possible hiccups in the business.
5. Give praise where praise is due. If your Virtual Assistant is doing a great job, tell her! Let her know how much value she is bringing to the table and make sure that she feels like a valued team member at all times.

Bringing it together

As with anything in life, crafting a business you love takes time, energy and focused attention. You honestly don't need to do everything yourself, so the very least you can do is to take a look at what options are available when it comes to outsourced help.

I'm a firm believer of working within my strengths and allowing others to shine in theirs. Do what you love and outsource the rest!

About the author : Karen Wessels is the CEO and co-founder of Africa's largest and most successful managed Virtual Assistant Agency. Thanks to over 10 years in the field, Karen truly understands the best way you can work with your Virtual Assistant to drive the most value.

Visit her VA Agency website to understand the different packages available or simply pop her an email to book your free chat to discover whether a Virtual Assistant is needed in your business on karen@vaconnect.co.za

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