Time is the one resource we simply cannot control, and in business time can slip away with the numerous tasks we need to complete as a business owner.
But it isn’t all doom and gloom, as there are various ways to work smarter and more efficiently without being constantly glued to a laptop. One method I would like to highlight to you, is to outsource to another a business. It may sound daunting, but in reality just like you are a professional in your business, there are plenty of experts in various fields and one being admin is a Virtual Assistant.
A Virtual Assistant specialises in looking after others admin, as weird as it may sound to some, you will find a VA is great at sorting out inboxes, diaries, social media and even invoices.
But you may question why outsource it?
Well, there are quite a few perks to hiring a VA, which I will discuss as we go along but the top two benefits to bear in mind are time and money.
With the two benefits kept in mind, let’s look at your business. You’re doing really well, business is booming as they say! but you have a problem with this newfound success. You are working all hours to meet the demands of your business and customers needs, which is tiring you out and causing a problem at home with the family.
What was the reason you started your business:
- Was it to have more time with the family?
- To be your own boss?
- To have the freedom to work flexible hours?
- To follow your passion and create your own success?
Well success comes at a cost supposedly, but you don’t want to go back to being an employee in a dead-end job.
A VA is the perfect option if you’re looking to reduce your hours on admin tasks and focus on the important things. Whether you want to simply unload the boring, repetitive tasks or you want assistance on helping with a project that needs some manpower, a VA has you covered. Your family will enjoy having your back and you will get time back to do hobbies, holidays, business growth, or simply some self-care.
Ok, so we discussed why you should outsource, but what are the benefits?
Money is the first answer, yes you will pay the VA to do the work, but you are saving loads on the recruitment costs, and the continuous overheads of having an employee sitting in your office. To put it simply, the VA will clock their time and invoice you for those hours, which means no breaks, or chit chats being paid for with your money.
The normal overheads for recruitment include:
- Recruitment costs
- NI
- Pension
- Sick pay
- Training
- Office Space
- Computer Licences
- Holiday or illness cover.
That’s quite a substantial amount of money to pay out for a member of staff, now look at the overheads for hiring a VA:
- Time clocked against the task
Bit of a difference there!
Time, as I said before is the one resource we cannot control, and with businesses needing constant work and development we often lose a lot of hours. Taking on a VA enables you to reclaim your time as the tasks will be taken care of and you won’t need to sit for hours working on the jobs you dislike.
With the removal of tasks from your To Do list, you have freed up quite a bit of time. So, what do you fancy doing with all that extra time?
Scaling your business, having afternoons or days off, or implementing better working practices with your clients. The list could go on, after all its your time and you have worked hard to achieve it.
Work/life balance, something we all dream of but don’t always know how to achieve. We are more aware of our time being spent away from family and doing the things we love since the pandemic. The idea of having more freedom to not be sat at a desk 9 to 5 is pushing business owners to seek out ways to combat the work. VAs are a great option for this as by taking on your work on a regular basis helps them pay the bills and allows you to go out and enjoy your hobbies.
VAs excel in an admin challenge, so if you’re looking to work smarter and get back to the family quicker then ask your VA to review your working methods. Templates, programmes and simply taking tasks off you are all key areas a VA will look at to improve your business work systems.
Finally, we have flexibility – outsourcing to a VA creates a flexible workload for you to contend with, if you want to have the afternoon off you can. If you’re working on a monthly retainer service, your VA will be keeping all their tasks in check and probably be asking for more!
So, if you want to develop your business or delve into a personal development project you can without feeling guilty. The beauty of outsourcing your admin tasks really does lie in the relationship you and your VA has.
What to look for in a VA?
Deciding to outsource to a Virtual Assistant for admin support is an exciting but also daunting task. Your entrusting someone to look after your business which is essentially your baby!
But I want to share some thoughts and tips on things to consider, before you start the search for the perfect admin partner in crime.
- What is it you want to achieve with outsourcing?
- Is there a specific area you want to outsource e.g. diary organising, email campaigns, bookkeeping, social media.
- When deciding on the company to help, do they ‘get you’? They will be representing your company so do they match your company ethos.
- Do you click? Could you chat for hours on end, if you have a great relationship with your VA you will become an amazing team.
- Do you have the time to go through what you want done, to begin with this could take some time to set up. VA’s are super people in their own field but they need to understand you and your processes before being able to achieve the outcomes you want.
- Has the company your looking at got many referrals/ testimonials?
- What method of communication are you going to use, as for me I like to give you a quick update on Whatsapp so you know the job is dealt with.
- What kind of hours are you wanting to have? most VA’s will have a minimum hours package you can have. But you need to decide if you want support, will you choose a one off (single project/ piece of work), retainer or project work (over so many months).
- Are you up for a trial to see if the VA fits your style?
There are many factors to consider but take your time to find the best possible person or company to support you. Just remember there are plenty of VA’s out there to support you so if one doesn’t quite work, there will be another that just makes everything right.
I hope this gives you a flavour and food for thought on how a VA can help your business. There are many factors to consider and it all comes down to personal preference as you need to get on and trust them.
If you would like a free discovery call to find out how Team B can help you claim back your time, please get in touch.
Take Care
Rachel