Since more and more business people rely on the internet for their day to day activities, there has been a need for outsourcing tasks that continue to grow at an alarming rate. Businesses, whether big or small, stand to gain by hiring a virtual assistant.
This is because a virtual assistant, who is self-employed and works remotely, can perform different kinds of administrative tasks to enable a business to operate smoothly. Some of these tasks include:
- Online Marketing
- Article and content writing
- Copywriting
- Social media management
- Transcription
- Blogging
- Online research
- Graphic design
- SEO
- Proofreading, editing, and typing services
- Data entry
- Email management
So why hire a virtual assistant in 2020?
There are many varied benefits of delegating tasks to a virtual assistant, especially now that, globally, activities have been affected by the COVID 19 scourge, and many have been forced to work online.
A virtual assistant is an online personal assistant who is tasked with offering assistance in managing clients; hence is an asset to any business. This is because they are skilled and keep updating themselves with new technology.
Who needs a virtual assistant?
Startups established businesses, or entrepreneurs, whether sole proprietors or partnerships, can benefit from hiring a virtual assistant to help in inbox management, social media content and management, online client support, and other administrative tasks.
Why is a virtual assistant important?
A virtual assistant is an important addition to any business by ensuring any business operations are done professionally in the following ways:
Setting up systems
Disorganization and inefficiency affect businesses negatively owing to losses in revenue, and part of this is caused by not having proper systems in place. A virtual assistant can assist in setting up, without you having to struggle doing it yourself.
Organizing data
Data about your business is important in projecting plans and goals. Hence, a virtual assistant can collect and organize all your web analytics and customer data and present it to you in a simplified manner. This will ensure that you have the specific and appropriate information you require without doing time-consuming research yourself.
Task delegation
Some tasks, like data entry, online research, typing, proofreading documents, and reports, can be time-consuming and do not necessarily require top management members’ attention.
However, they are still essential for your business. They can be delegated to a VA to ensure that they are completed on time, ensuring that deadlines are met without spending significant time from employees who need to concentrate on other responsibilities.
Specialization
Most business owners have a field that they are gifted in and would rather concentrate on and specialize in. However, as a business owner, you may have to handle other aspects of your business like book-keeping, data entry, or marketing.
If you are not knowledgeable in handling these tasks, you may run into losses through trial and error or may end up wasting a lot of time learning.
By hiring a VA, you will ensure that tasks are managed competently, freeing up your time concentrating on aspects of the business that you are good at.
Save time
If your business is a sole proprietorship, you can benefit a lot by spending time building your brand instead of being bogged down by day-to-day operations of running the business.
Some of the circumstances that influence entrepreneurs in hiring a virtual assistant are many, including any of the following listed below:
- Professional assistance in managing social media sites for their brand.
- Plenty of documents that need typing, proofreading, and e-mailing.
- Transcribing audios
- Content for websites or blogs.
Overwhelmed by workload and cannot afford to hire a full-time employee.
Improve productivity by focusing on key aspects of the business.
Reduce expenses by hiring on a contract basis.
4 Essential Reasons Why Your Business Needs a Virtual Assistant
Availability
A virtual assistant is readily available since they can fit into your work schedule at your convenience.
That eliminates the inconvenience that comes with interviewing, shortlisting, training, and recruiting staff since there are many job-related platforms where job seekers place their resumes and employers can make appropriate selections as per their preference.
Affordability
Virtual assistants are very affordable since they are hired on a contract basis bearing in mind that their service is required mainly for only a few hours per day, unlike salaried full-time employees.
Flexibility
Virtual assistants have flexible working timetables and can offer assistance when needed, unlike full-time physical employees who have fixed working schedules.
Whether you need hourly assistance daily, help with specific tasks on a contractual basis, or one-time assistance with a project, a virtual assistant, can meet your specific needs.
Saves time
Time-consuming tasks such as sorting out piled work are outsourced, ensuring you have enough time to network and meet clients, spend quality time with family, and also have time for rest. All this is done with minimal or no supervision from you.
Who needs a virtual assistant?
5 signs indicating that you need a virtual assistant
Too little time and too much to be done
If you discover that you are always reluctant to take time off since there is always too much to do and too little time to do it, then you need to consider sub-contracting some of the tasks to a virtual assistant.
Your business requires skills that you lack
You could require help in managing your social media pages, or you may need assistance in the article or copywriting services for your blog and website, or you may have audios that need to be transcribed.
When you spend more time on administrative tasks than the main business itself
It is difficult to concentrate on expansion and development, especially if most of your time is spent replying to e-mails, invoicing, or making phone calls. Administrative tasks are important, but unfortunately, they are a distraction that drains your energy, preventing you from concentrating on the core business.
Disorganization
If you are always behind schedule, late on appointments, missing meetings, or postponing deadlines causing you to lag in reaching your goals, because you are always too overwhelmed and busy, you need to re-strategize.