Everything You Ever Wondered About Hiring a Virtual Assistant (And More)
As an entrepreneur or busy professional, your time is your most valuable resource. Yet if you‘re like most, you likely spend countless hours each week bogged down in repetitive, administrative tasks instead of focusing on big-picture strategy and growth. In fact, a survey by Workplace found that the average office worker spends over 3 hours per day on mundane tasks like answering emails, scheduling meetings and inputting data.
But what if you could reclaim those lost hours and redirect them to revenue-generating activities? Enter the virtual assistant (VA).
Once a niche solution, virtual assistants have exploded in popularity in recent years as technology has made remote work more accessible and businesses have become increasingly globally. The global VA market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 11% from 2023-2030 to reach $4.12B as more companies embrace outsourcing.
In this ultimate guide, we‘ll dive into everything you need to know about virtual assistants – what they do, signs your business needs one, how to find and hire the right VA, and pro tips for working effectively with your new team member. Plus, I‘ll share some insider knowledge on finding specialized VAs for specific industries like real estate.
Ready to take your productivity to the next level? Let‘s get started.
What Does a Virtual Assistant Do?
A virtual assistant is a remote worker who provides administrative, technical or creative services to entrepreneurs, businesses and executives on a contract basis. VAs can help with a wide variety of tasks and projects, with some of the most common including:
- Calendar management and appointment scheduling
- Email and communication management
- Data entry, database management and CRM maintenance
- Travel booking and expense reporting
- Research and data analysis
- Social media management and content creation
- Proofreading, editing and formatting documents
- Preparing presentations and reports
- Project management and task coordination
- Bookkeeping and invoicing
The idea is that by outsourcing these types of repetitive or time-consuming (but essential) tasks to a VA, business owners and employees are freed up to focus their energy on higher-value work.
For example, let‘s say you‘re a solopreneur spending 10 hours per week answering customer service emails, formatting blog posts, and scheduling social media content. At an average billable rate of $100/hr, that‘s $1,000 worth of your time going to low-value activities instead of client work or sales. By hiring a VA at $25/hr to handle those same tasks, you could save $750 per week while freeing up 10 hours to focus on profit-generating priorities.
3 Tell-Tale Signs It‘s Time to Hire a Virtual Assistant
Not sure if your business is ready to outsource? Here are a few key indicators you should start looking for VA help:
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You‘re consistently working over capacity – Busyness and overwhelm are early warning signs that you‘ve taken on too much and your business is suffering as a result. If you‘re regularly burning the midnight oil, missing deadlines or letting important tasks slip through the cracks, it‘s time to bring in reinforcements.
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Tedious admin work is draining your mental energy – You‘ve likely heard of ‘decision fatigue‘ – the deteriorating quality of decisions made after a long session of decision making. The same concept applies to focus in general. Switching between menial admin tasks and mentally-taxing strategic work depletes your cognitive resources and leads to sub-par performance on both. Delegating things like inbox and calendar management lets you preserve brainpower for where it counts.
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You‘re approaching (or are in the midst of) a growth period – If you‘re getting ready to scale your business, now is the time to start systematizing and automating before you‘re drowning in added work. A VA can help you get processes in place, organize files and assets, and take some of the day-to-day off your plate so you can focus on growth priorities.
VA or Employee: How to Decide
Hiring a VA isn‘t right for every business or every role. Here‘s a quick checklist to help you decide whether a VA or in-house employee is the best fit:
| Factor | Virtual Assistant | In-House Employee |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | More affordable hourly rate, no benefits or tax obligations | Higher salary, benefits and overhead costs |
| Commitment | Flexible, contract basis (10-40 hrs/week), easier to scale up or down | Full or part-time set hours, longer-term commitment |
| Specialization | Highly-skilled in a specific service area (e.g., marketing, web design) | More of a generalist or jack-of-all-trades |
| Availability | Harder to get in touch with during off hours or for last-minute tasks | In the office and available during set work hours |
| Company culture | More removed from team and may not be as invested in company mission/values | Immersed in company culture and likely more engaged with big-picture goals |
| Supervision | More independent and self-directed, requires less direct management | More direct oversight and management required, especially in early days |
As you can see, VAs are best suited for companies that need specialized help with a defined set of tasks, have limited budgets, and don‘t require someone in-office full-time. If you need a more constant presence or someone to wear multiple hats, an employee is likely the better choice.
Where to Find Qualified Virtual Assistants
One of the benefits of hiring a VA is that your talent pool is global – you‘re not limited to candidates in your immediate area. However, with so many VA marketplaces and freelance platforms out there, finding a high-quality VA can feel overwhelming.
Here are some of the best places to start your search:
- Upwork – One of the largest global freelancing platforms with VAs spanning a wide range of skill sets and specialties. Prices vary widely.
- Zirtual – US-based virtual assistant company providing dedicated VAs for admin, marketing, and operations support. Plans start at $449/mo for 12 hours of task work.
- WoodBows – AI-powered virtual assistant platform that matches you with pre-vetted VAs based on your specific needs. Plans start at $500/mo for full-time support.
- Fancy Hands – On-demand virtual assistant service with a unique pricing model – purchase monthly blocks of ‘requests‘ (e.g., a flight booking = 1 request) instead of hourly. Plans start at $17.99/mo for 5 requests.
- Time Etc – Provides US-based virtual assistants starting at $290/mo for 10 hours of task work. All VAs have a college degree and average 12 years of experience.
- Belay Solutions – Hires only US-based VAs with a minimum of 5 years experience. Services include admin support, bookkeeping, social media management and website maintenance.
My recommendation? Start by getting clear on your specific needs and budget. Then, identify a few potential platform matches and browse assistant profiles to get a feel for the caliber of talent available. Read reviews, ask for references, and don‘t be afraid to start small with a test project before committing to a long-term contract.
Specialized VAs: Real Estate Edition
For certain industries and roles, a jack-of-all-trades VA won‘t cut it. You need someone who understands the unique ins and outs, lingo, and daily demands of your line of work. Real estate is one niche where a specialized VA can be a true game-changer.
Real estate VAs help agents, brokers and teams with duties like:
- Formatting and posting MLS listings
- Creating CMA (comparative market analysis) and listing presentation collateral
- Scheduling showings and coordinating open houses
- Assembling buyer packets and property flyers
- Managing transaction paperwork and contracts
- Collecting testimonials and requesting online reviews
Some advanced real estate VAs may even be licensed themselves and able to help with things like prospecting, lead qualification and follow up, and referral outreach. Having this type of targeted support allows agents to spend more face time with buyers and sellers and close more deals.
According to a survey by Inman, agents who use a VA save an average of 13.4 hours per week – that‘s over 53 hours a month to focus on revenue-generating activities!
Some of the top companies providing real estate-specific VAs include MyOutDesk, BrokerAssist and TimeMaker Solutions.
Making the Most of Your VA Relationship
Hiring a VA is a big step, but it‘s only the beginning. To get the most ROI from your new team member, you need to set them up for success from day one. Here are my top tips for building a productive and long-lasting VA relationship:
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Start with a detailed onboarding process – Share your company background, team structure, communication processes and any other key details your VA should know. Walk them through the specific tools and systems they‘ll be using and provide clear process documentation for their assigned tasks.
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Set clear expectations and boundaries – Establish working hours, turnaround times, preferred communication channels, and performance metrics up front. Make sure your VA understands your goals and priorities and how their work contributes to the big picture.
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Provide regular feedback (positive and constructive) – Don‘t wait for an annual review to share kudos or course-correct. Schedule weekly check-ins to share what‘s working well and where you need them to pivot. Remember that it takes time to find your groove, so be patient as long as you see steady improvement.
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Treat them like a valued team member – Just because your VA is remote doesn‘t mean they should be isolated from team culture. Include them in relevant meetings, CC them on team communications, and look for opportunities to make them feel valued and included. A little appreciation goes a long way in loyalty and engagement.
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Have a backup plan – Even the most reliable VAs get sick, have emergencies, or decide to move on. Make sure you have a plan B in place (whether that‘s another VA, a team member who can step in, or a temporary pause on certain tasks) so you‘re not left in the lurch.
Delegate More, Stress Less
Being a business owner doesn‘t have to mean doing it all yourself. Virtual assistants are a game-changing resource for entrepreneurs looking to save time, reduce overwhelm, and fast-track growth.
Whether you‘re drowning in admin work, struggling to keep up with day-to-day operations, or simply spending too much time on low-ROI tasks, a VA could be the secret weapon you‘ve been searching for.
Use the tips and insights in this guide to find the perfect VA match for your needs and budget. With the right support in place, you‘ll be amazed at how much more you can achieve in your business and life.
Ready to take the first step towards a more productive, profitable future? Start browsing virtual assistant profiles today. Your future self will thank you.
