How to Work With a Virtual Assistant
Here are some tips to help you work efficiently and delegate effectively with a virtual assistant.
- Make a list of all of the things that you either a) hate doing within your business or b) are huge time sucks in your business. These are the perfect things to hand off to your new VA. Invoicing, setting up appointments, Zoom calls, updating website, email marketing, invoicing, social media updates… this is just the start.
- Set up a weekly time to connect via video conference. We suggest this for a couple of reasons. Number one, it helps you build a connection with your VA. When working with a team remotely, often the relationship doesn’t develop in the same manner that it would in a traditional office environment. It IS important to foster that connection, and get to know each other. The second reason is that it is also a great way to go over the coming week and hand off tasks and projects while giving clarity. This gives your VA a chance to pick your brain and get feedback from you on work being performed.
- Have ongoing meeting notes that both you and your VA can add discussion points to during the week to prep for your meeting. We like to create notes in our Google Drive and then share them with our individual clients for ease. We attach the meeting notes to the weekly calendar invite as it is easy to access. This also helps keep the meeting on track and focused.
- Decide on a communication strategy. Northern Primrose is a BIG fan of Slack. We have 90% of our clients using it. It serves as an instant message feature without the boundary issue that text messages have. The other beautiful thing about Slack is the ability to create private, client channels. For each of our clients, we have an “operations” channel where the assigned VA’s as well as the clients team has the ability to ask questions, provide feedback as well as share files. Each client also has a “timesheet” channel where they receive a PDF of their weekly hours spent. We have clients that use Voxer and of course, we all use email.
- Use Cloud-based systems. This includes email, calendars, CRM’s, task management systems as well as online storage and invoicing. Accessing your data is hard for a VA otherwise and can cost you unnecessary money and time!
- Become the best communicator! Give feedback quickly and with intention. Be specific as to how you want your tasks completed. If you love the way something was done – tell them! If you want something done differently, explain why and how you want it done the next time.
- Respect boundaries and time. Our VA’s all calendar block time in their calendars each day for their clients. They will respond to messages from you at this time. We are not personal assistants, so we are not “on call”. We keep business hours and support a healthy balance of time in the office and out.
- Don’t be a jerk. Mistakes happen and when they do, immense growth also comes with it! Be respectful when something goes wrong. Provide feedback but do not name call, belittle or demean. We end engagements with people who are jerks.
