5 Tips for Using a Virtual Assistant

A virtual assistant can help you stay organized in business and at home. If you are considering hiring someone, please follow these 5 tips for using a virtual assistant.

1. Use Several Assistants for Your Different Tasks
You may want to use different assistants, depending on the task at hand. For example, some assistants may be great at organizing certain electronic files, while others may be great at contacting people via email. Since assistants are in demand, you may also want to use more than one, just in case one fails to meet a deadline. Eventually you will find a multitude of assistants that are competent and trustworthy.

2. Don’t Give Your Assistant Too Much at Once
If you are just beginning to work with assistant, make sure to give them a few tasks at the beginning to see if their work is up to par. You do not want to give them too many tasks, only to find out later on that their work does not meet your expectation. If you find a virtual assistant, increase his or her workload slowly. Give the assistant smaller tasks in the beginning and gradually increase the tasks as his or her work product increases.

3. Be Specific as Possible
When you have a project for your assistant, make sure to be as specific as you can with the instructions. This will cut down on your frustration of having to correct mistakes in the end.  It will lead to a more accurate work product in the end.

4. Don’t Necessarily Go With the Cheapest Assistant
You know the famous saying,“you get what you pay for.” Make sure to pick an assistant that has experience as a personal assistant. Many times, the ones that charge more are the ones who are the most efficient at their job. Since most assistants work on an hourly budget, you may be saving money, time and frustration if you go with the assistant that charges more but completes the task in half the time.

5. Rank Activities Based on Importance
Keep an open and honest relationship with your assistant and let them know which items are more important than others. Don’t send the assistant a long list of items to complete, only for him or her to disappoint you by concentrating on the least important. Have the assistant complete the more pressing task quickly, and then move to other ones.

Assistants can be a great way to become more efficient not only in the work place but also in your personal life. Make sure to have reasonable expectations for your assistant and be patient during the learning process.

About the Author:
Cadi Jordan is founder of Jordan Consulting. She works with, but is not limited to, Spas, Training Facilities, Life Coaches, Nuritionists and Naturopaths to provide business, managment and social networking solutions. Cadi has enjoyed speaking at the Forum for Women Entrepreneurs, Women’s Enterprise Center, Impact 99 2011 as well as hosting events with Scott Stratten of UnMarketing and Jason Sadler of I Wear Your Shirt. Cadi was recently published in the Spring/Summer 2012 issue of Spa Inc Magazine.

Some local Vancouver/ Lower Mainland Assistants I have used are:
The Social Boutique Website coming soon – http://thesobo.com/  https://www.facebook.com/thesocialboutique
Double You Business Services – http://doubleyoubiz.com/
Kairos Business Solutions – http://www.kairosbusiness.com

Tagged business, content management system, entrepreneur, facebook, marketing, mompreneur, social media