What is a Virtual Assistant or a VA?
Many moons ago, the world wide web began. At some point, someone had the brilliant idea to start virtually assisting others, thus, creating a virtual assistant. In short, a virtual assistant is someone who remotely assists someone else.
Wait. What?
The concept of a virtual assistant is hard to grasp the first time most people hear about it, but it’s really simple. A person who assists others remotely can be labeled a virtual assistant or a VA. It usually works in one of two ways: administrative or specialized. An administrative VA is one who assists an individual or team with general administrative tasks or needs (think an online administrative assistant). A specialized VA is one who assists an individual, team, business, or organization with a specific need (think an online expert). There are some VAs who have a specialty and serve administrative tasks.
What kind of jobs can a virtual assistant do?
Virtual assistants can do a variety of jobs, but they are remote. Some examples include
- answering/responding to phone calls
- email management
- communication management
- document management
- social media management
- website management
- bookkeeping/financial management
- planning/organization
- writing/editing
The list of tasks that a VA can do is endless.
Where can I find a Virtual Assistant?
A Virtual Assistant can be found in a variety of places.
- Job board site (Upwork, Fiverr, Glassdoor)
- Social media groups (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter)
- Word of mouth/references (friends, professional connections)
- Agencies
Job board sites take a portion of fees from both the business looking for a VA and from the VA. Social media groups have some requirements, and you never know what you’ll get, but it’s a great place to start (search Virtual Assistant groups). Word of mouth and references are free, but we all know how references go. Your friend’s sister’s best friend “creates websites,” but by the time you get down to it, that person doesn’t know what to do, tainting your opinion and wasting your time. Agencies are ideal because they vette the VA and match up the VA with the client. They also act as a single point of contact, so business owners have less stress.
How does it work when hiring a VA?
Depending on the outlet you use to find a VA, your process might be different. If you’re posting on a job board, you’ll have to input information, interview potential virtual assistants, and comply with the website’s policies and procedures to work with a VA. If you’re looking on social media, you’ll create a post with details, discuss your needs with those who respond, and work from your mutual understanding. If you’re using a reference, most often, you’ll ask for a reference, chat with the individual, and work from that mutual understanding.
Agencies take a professional approach. For example, at Avrah Virtual, we take the time to listen to your business needs and come up with a plan that takes some of this burden off your shoulders.
Our process:
- Meet one-on-one either through a consultation phone or video call
- Assess your known and unknown needs
- Build a customized plan for you
- Increase your productivity using the right tools
- Carefully monitor progress and growth
We believe in open communication, and will continually monitor progress & growth while communicating with you and with our professionals. We cannot guarantee that every agency will provide the same process or experience that we at Avrah Virtual provide.
What is the benefit of having a virtual assistant?
There are a lot of benefits to having a virtual assistant. A VA is
- Flexible
- Efficient
- Professional
- Supportive
- Economical
- Focused
- Intuitive
- Responsible
- Organized
There are also a lot of benefits to having a virtual assistant instead of an in-person assistant. Since a VA is often as needed, you won’t have anyone sitting around without work. A VA is also efficient because he or she is focused on getting the job done as quickly and impressively as possible. A VA also has strategies and techniques that a business owner may not have thought of, so they often teach the business owner as well.
How do I get started?
At Avrah Virtual, we recommend you start by
- making a list of your day-to-day tasks and responsibilities
- establish your short-term and long-term goals
- gather your business documents (mission, vision, SOPs)
- give us a call to get started today!