Do you find that you never have enough time to get everything done? Are you brimming to the top with ideas you just know will make your business a thriving success, but can never find the time to implement them?
This can be incredibly frustrating. I know. I’ve been there. There is an answer however and it’s one you probably already know.
It’s time to outsource.
It’s all well and good knowing that you need someone to relieve you from some of the workload, but if you haven’t ever hired or managed anyone before, this might feel overwhelming and could stop you getting started.
It doesn’t need to.
If you are running your business mostly from your laptop (or would like to), then Virtual Assistants are the perfect choice for you. There is an abundance of VA’s all over the world looking for work and ready to assist and support you with your business. Many are qualified, more than capable and eager to do a great job!
You can choose to hire full time or part time and can select candidates according to the exact skill set and experience required for your role, just like any other job.
You can hire freelancers for one-off tasks or projects, or you can hire a virtual assistant to fill a position in the business. The options are there for you to create a role and attract an applicant the fits your business model, your job requirements and you.
Here are 10 tips for a smooth outsourcing experience (although I do have many more…)
You can hire freelancers for one-off tasks or projects, or you can hire a virtual assistant to fill a position in the business. The options are there for you to create a role and attract an applicant the fits your business model, your job requirements and you.
Here are 10 tips for a smooth outsourcing experience (although I do have many more…)
- Plan your work. Before placing an advert and certainly before hiring, make sure you know exactly what you want your new VA to do. What will help support you the best? What admin or repetitive tasks do you find yourself doing that could easily be handed over to someone else? What have you been ‘meaning’ to do but never got around to doing? Structure the work and the tasks so you know exactly what you want done and the results you are expecting
- Get used to the idea of letting other people do things for you. This was the hardest thing for me as I am guilty of having an ‘oh I’ll just do it attitude’. You might think it’s easier and quicker for you to do it, but if you applied that thinking to everything, you would never have any time. Start thinking ‘who’ not ‘how’ without any guilt or concern for the cost. Is the cost of outsourcing the work less than your hourly rate? Is this person likely to do a better job thank you (be honest!)? Will it leave you to focus on revenue generating tasks that can take your business to the next level? If you answer yes to any of these questions, then outsource it!
- One hat doesn’t fit all. Everyone has a different skill set and whilst some might claim to be a jack of all traders, they are still likely to be stronger in some areas and weaker in others. Look at the work you want to outsource and think about whether it is a job for one or whether it should be broken down into two or even three roles, to get the best possible results. I hired one person for Business development and a completely different person for social media. Both jobs required a completely different person, knowledge and skills.
- Location, Location. Think about where you want to hire your VA from. If you want to hire from the Philippines for example, you will outsourcing at significantly lower hourly rates than the UK and USA - but time differences could be an issue, Internet speeds are slower and whilst many are have excellent English skills, your role might require a native English speaker. That said, many are hardworking, loyal and efficient.
- Be prepared. Before you post your advert, make sure you have your job description, job offer and contract (including KPI’s and payment terms) all ready to go. Make sure you have an application form set up and ready to start taking applications (Google forms is great for this!)
- One step at a time. If you’re not ready to hire a full time VA or even a part time VA, start with a small one off job to get familiar with the process. Fiverr is a great place to start for simple one off tasks (although you will get what you pay for!). It will ease you into the outsourcing process and help you see what other Tasks and functions you could outsource for your business.
- The outcome is as good as the instruction. It’s really important to get clear when giving your VA instructions for a particular task or role. Remember, they have not worked for your company before or with you. They might not have done these particular tasks before so you need to be very clear in telling them what they need to do. Give them useful instructions that are easy to follow and if you’re explaining something a little more complicated or providing instructions on how to use a piece of software, a video of your screen and voice instructions will go a long way. It won’t take long and will be worth it for your VA to do the job right first time.
- Allow time for training. At first it may feel as though managing someone is taking up time that you don’t have, but consider the bigger picture. Investment at the beginning will pay dividends sooner than you think! Give your VA support and help when they need it and they will shine for you. When they are familiar with your company, your way of working, your set up and their role they will take the reigns.
- Get to know your VA. They are human after all and many have a great sense of humour. If you want them to enjoy a long and fulfilling working relationship with you, spend a little time understanding who they are and what makes them tick. It will benefit you in the end.
- Just get started. The sooner you get started the easier it will be. Don’t over think it like I did. I hesitated for far too long and suffered massively from it. Outsourcing was the best thing I could have done for the business and just knowing that I have people working for the business everyday and consistently gave me instant relief and made the initial training and management well worth it!
Have a great day! 😃
Laptop Lifestyle Living
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