With the state of the current economy, saving money while growing your organization is of the utmost importance. In order to focus on the strategy and development required to take your work to the next level you need two key things: time to dedicate to growth strategies and resources.

Time and resources require funding. A cost-effective trend for organization leaders looking to add to their team is the hiring of a virtual assistant (VA). A virtual assistant is the perfect solution for organizations that are faced with a decrease in available employment funding. A VA is a self-employed freelance worker who assists managers with numerous administrative and specialized tasks. This allows managers to focus on revenue-generating activities.

Virtual assistants are a cost-effective solution for organizations requiring additional help. VA’s work remotely from their own offices and only charge for the hours they work. The benefit is that organizations no longer have to pay for insurance, benefits, unemployment, production downtime, training, or office space for an additional employee. The result: higher productivity and decreased office expenditures.

What are the benefits of a virtual assistant?

In addition to the benefits mentioned above here are some key reasons to look at using a VA:

• You are in control. You state what you expect from your relationship and the VA either meets those expectations or they don’t. There are no long-term commitments, and if things do not work out you can easily part ways.
• Gain knowledge. You can rely on your VA’s expertise in certain areas so that you can focus your energy on other tasks. VAs are entrepreneurial and often have a vast network of resources that you can utilize.
• Cost savings. You can hire a VA that works anywhere in the world. The VA industry is competitive and fees and services vary. If you are comfortable with one VA’s marketing strategy and fees, but are not comfortable with them managing your calendar, you can hire multiple VAs to execute different tasks.
• Partnership for success. One factor of success to a VA is that the manager values their work. You have the opportunity to build a mutual relationship with a business owner that cares as much about the success of your organization as you do.

 

How do you find a virtual assistant?

As previously mentioned, the VA business is competitive and a simple Google search will yield you many results. One of the best methods to find a business partner that can meet your customized needs is to post a request for proposal (RFP) on one of the many virtual assistant association sites (ie. cvac.ca, canadianva.net).

Another alternative is to search “virtual assistant associations” and review their online membership directories for someone that has the skill set you require.

Rachel Cleland is the owner of and business support specialist at LAiNE. You can reach her by email at Rachel@laineamp.com or by phone at (905) 617-7059.