Swanson Simple Solutions

Tag Archive: virtualassistant

1. Onboarding Process of Working With A Virtual Assistant

   October 24, 2022 7:08 pm Leave a Comment

   

   So, you’re interested in utilizing a Virtual Assistant for your business, but not sure what the onboarding process looks like? I can give you a sneak peek into my onboarding process so you can get an idea of what’s involved.

   After a potential client has contacted me, I typically schedule a time to chat either via phone or via Zoom. This conversation is important for both sides because I’m able to hear from you what tasks you’re looking to offload, and you can hear from me what my specialty is or if what you’re needing help with is not in my wheelhouse. If a task is not in my wheelhouse (hello bookkeeping!) I typically have folks in my network I can refer you to.

   During this all-important first conversation, I also let potential clients know how I keep track of my time, my hourly rate, how I invoice and let them know I need them to sign an independent contractor’s agreement. This agreement, in short, provides my hourly rate, that I will keep all their information confidential, that I’m a contractor and not an employee and that should we part ways, I will return all their information to them. If you’re a Virtual Assistant reading this, I highly recommend having your attorney draft up an Independent Contractor Agreement for you to use with your clients. Often, potential clients reciprocate with an NDA for me to sign.

   Most of the time from this first conversation, I can tell if a potential new client would be a good fit or not (I’ve had A LOT of inquiry conversations!). If I’m feeling good and the potential new client is ready to hand over work (this can be a big hurdle for some folks) then I send off my independent contractor’s agreement for them to look over and sign. Once they do, I also sign and send them a fully executed copy for their records.

   Once all contracts are signed, I begin work! I can dig deep another time as to HOW I work with clients, meaning what applications I use and how I best communicate. But it’s rather simple. If a client communicates best through text messages, I’m here for it. If a client communicates best through a task management system, like Asana, I’m here for it. I’m happy to communicate and work whichever way best suits my client! That’s what I’m here for…to make your life easier!

   So, if you’re on the fence about utilizing a Virtual Assistant because you just don’t understand how to start, I hope this helps explain it a little better and make it not so scary. It all starts with a conversation, and we take it from there!

   If you’re looking for a Virtual Assistant, I’d be happy to have a chat to see how I may assist you! Please fill in my contact form and I will be in touch shortly!

2. How Do You Know When You Need a Virtual Assistant?

   June 16, 2021 10:01 am Leave a Comment

   

   I get a lot of people asking me, how do I know if I need a Virtual Assistant? You may feel like you’re on the brink of needing assistance, but just aren’t quite sure if and when to make that leap into hiring subcontracted virtual assistant help. I’ve come up with a list of tell-tale signs that working with a Virtual Assistant may be in your future.

   1 – New Opportunities Are Lost

   This is a for sure sign that you need administrative support. You’re too caught up in the day-to-day activities of your business that you cannot keep up with or engage in new opportunities. If you have let a new opportunity like a potential new client, a new partnership or even a speaking engagement slip through your fingers, then you should consider working with a Virtual Assistant. While your VA works on administrative tasks, you’re now free to concentrate on those opportunities.

   2 – Long Nights, Weekends, and Holidays Becomes Normal

   If you’re putting in long hours trying to keep up with running a small business by yourself, then that’s another sign you need administrative support. No business owner can do it all. There’s only one of you and you need to do what you do best. You simply cannot wear all of the hats when it comes to running the business. Have you heard the phrase, “entrepreneurs are willing to work 80 hours a week to avoid working 40 hours a week”? Yeah, that’s us entrepreneurs, but if you want to get back to enjoying your nights, weekends and holidays with family and friends, hiring a reliable Virtual Assistant will get you there.  

   While your Virtual Assistant works on administrative tasks, you’re now free to concentrate on new opportunities.

   3 – New Ideas Have No Room to Grow

   As a small business owner, we all have to evolve and keep up with the changing times and if you have an idea that you’ve never been able to get off the ground because you’re so swamped, then working with a Virtual Assistant is in your future. If a small business can’t grow, then what is it? I would say it’s more like a hobby then. You own the business; you shouldn’t be doing the administrative work. If a corporate CEO can have admin support, then so should you. You are after all the CEO of your business!

   4 – You’re Feeling Overwhelmed

   If you’re feeling overwhelmed, then a Virtual Assistant is in your future. Yes, being a small business owner is a big undertaking, but it shouldn’t be overwhelming. What brought you to being a small business owner? Your love for what you do. Get back to doing what you love to do and delegate the rest because being overwhelmed is not a healthy state for conducting business. If you’re overwhelmed, you’re not hitting your goals, potentially losing business, and can’t think clearly. I know, I’ve been there myself. Working with a trusted Virtual Assistant will help relieve small business burnout so you can concentrate on the heart of your business. What matters to you most?

   Working with a Virtual Assistant, you can offload your administrative tasks and finally take a breather. I promise you, that when you start working with a VA, you’ll wonder why you didn’t start sooner. If you’re looking for a Virtual Assistant, I’d be happy to have a chat to see how I may assist you!

3. 4 Ways to Hand Over Tasks to Your Virtual Assistant

   May 12, 2021 10:00 am Leave a Comment

   

   When I start working with a new client, this question always comes up: how do I give work to you? How do I pass along tasks I’d like you to complete? And, of course, these are great questions, because this is the heart of working with a Virtual Assistant. You’ve got work to assign to your assistant, but how do you do it? I’ve put together a short list of different ways you can easily hand off work to your assistant.

   1. Online workspaces – Asana, Slack

   Online workspaces like Asana and Slack, for example, are great ways to not only assign tasks to your assistant, but to communicate with them as well. If you’re unfamiliar with Asana, it is a web-based application where you can assign tasks or projects to your assistant that they can literally check off when they’re done and you get notified. Of course, Asana has many other offerings, but if you’re looking for a great and easy to use task management system, then Asana is an option. Write your task with instructions, assign it to your assistant, and he or she will get notified; then your assistant can respond back with questions or just check it off when they’re done. Easy!

   If you’d like to keep your inbox free of back-and-forth emails with your assistant, Slack is a great option because it has chat features where you and your assistant can be sure to stay on the same page regarding tasks. It also features ways to integrate other services like Google Drive and Office 365 as well as file sharing – more on that below.

   2. Online file hosting sites – DropBox, Google Drive

   Along the same lines, DropBox and Google Drive are just two of many ways you can share documents with your assistant without having to email them back and forth. Utilizing one of these methods also creates a live document so that you can see any changes made immediately without having to wait for an email with the updated document. Here’s an idea: create a Google Doc, share with your assistant, bullet point your tasks with any detailed instruction including due dates and your assistant can go through completing the tasks. Using the strikethrough feature is a way to cross off the completed tasks. Use the comment feature in Google Docs to ask any questions regarding tasks and keep the list going. A document like that creates a way to see what’s been done and what still needs doing. Going back to Asana really quick, it lets you attach a document to your task so the document you need your assistant to access is right there with the assigned task. Pretty cool, huh?

   Once you pick a method of relaying information over, it becomes easier to assign tasks and to think of tasks to assign.

   3. OneDrive

   With OneDrive, you can, along with the others mentioned, access your files anywhere, it has backup protection and about 1 TB of cloud storage. Sharing and collaborating with your assistant in OneDrive is a cinch! Just select the folder you want to share, click the share button and invite your assistant. If you’re a Microsoft 365 subscriber, the chat feature is available to you and, while we’re at it, you can also add an additional email address to your Office 365 account for your assistant which then keeps everything in-house.

   4. Email

   Good ‘ol email! I mean, why not? You can always fall back on tried-and-true email to relay information over to your assistant. This may clog up an already full inbox, but if you’re not ready to try another avenue, just get started here. As you work with your assistant you may see a bigger need for a better system to hand tasks over. Simply create an email to your assistant with what the task is, include any specific instructions, attach any files and click send! Voila! Your assistant will take it from there.

   These are just some methods of handing tasks over. The applications mentioned above all have free versions or paid versions. I always say, start with the free version and then move up from there. Yes, there are other ways, other applications, but I wanted to touch on a few of them to get your creative juices flowing. Handing tasks off to your Virtual Assistant doesn’t have to be difficult or hard. Once you pick a method of relaying information over, it becomes easier to assign tasks and to think of tasks to assign. Watch the magic happen when you give your assistant a task, and poof! It’s done before you know it and they’re ready for the next one!

4. How to Find a Trusted and Reliable Virtual Assistant

   April 13, 2021 10:10 am Leave a Comment

   

   Starting a new venture with a Virtual Assistant can be scary. I get it. Your business is your “baby” and it’s growing. BUT you’ve only got so many hours in a day and so many hands to work in your business. It’s now time to look for administrative support. But how do you find someone you trust enough to hand over work?

   Below I have outlined several ways to find a trusted and reliable Virtual Assistant:

   1. LinkedIn

   LinkedIn recommendations are a great way to read about a potential Virtual Assistant you are interested in utilizing. LinkedIn recommendations are like references without having to reach out and talk to a reference. You can get a sense of who the Virtual Assistant has worked with in the past, how long they’ve been a Virtual Assistant, as well as industries they’ve worked in. These recommendations can also shed light on their expertise in optimizing conversions. LinkedIn recommendations are a great sneak-peek into their world, revealing their skills and capabilities

   2. Ask Your Network

   Ask colleagues and those in your network who they would recommend for a Virtual Assistant. Word-of-mouth referrals are a great way to see who other people are using as their Virtual Assistant, what kind of tasks they hand over and how satisfied they are with their VA. If someone is happy with their Virtual Assistant, you’re going to hear about it. It’s like your favorite dessert at a restaurant, you’ve got to tell people about it!

   Ask colleagues and those in your network who they would recommend for a Virtual Assistant.

   3. Online Presence

   As you start looking into those word-of-mouth recommendations, how does their online presence look? Are they active on their social media? Do they post relevant information from their field? What can you learn about them and their services by their online presence? Do they have good reviews? Doing a quick dive into a Virtual Assistant’s social channels will give you another glimpse into who they are.

   4. Schedule a Call

   Schedule a call with the Virtual Assistant you are interested in utilizing. Nothing beats a conversation! Typically, discovery calls are free, but be sure to have an idea of what you need assistance with and be ready to talk about it. While a Virtual Assistant may not have experience with a specific task you are inquiring about, they may have experience with something related that can easily be adapted to what you are seeking. Don’t put the “kibosh” on a Virtual Assistant if they don’t have experience with a specific task. Some tasks are very specific to certain industries, so if you really like the Virtual Assistant you are talking to, and they have years of experience in a similar area, it may be worth a try! A quality VA will be able to adapt and learn quickly to new tasks and may even offer new ideas on how to streamline your process!

   These are just a few ways to find a trusted and reliable Virtual Assistant. If you are serious about needing help, know what tasks you’d like to hand off, and are ready to take your business to the next level, then I suggest using these methods to find a Virtual Assistant.

   Before you know it, your business will be humming along like a well-oiled machine and you’ll wonder why you didn’t start working with a Virtual Assistant sooner!

5. 5 Tips on How to Have a Successful Relationship with Your Virtual Assistant

   March 12, 2021 10:00 am Leave a Comment

   

   If you work with a Virtual Assistant, I have 5 tips for you on how to have a successful relationship:

   #1 – Trust – Once you have found a quality Virtual Assistant, trust them. Trust that they will have your best interest in mind and that they will do all that they can to support you administratively.

   #2 – Have good communication. Be clear and concise and be ready to answer any questions your Virtual Assistant may have.

   #3 – Create a schedule. Check in regularly with your Virtual Assistant so you know where they are on your projects.

   #4 – Along with the tip above, don’t micromanage!

   #5 – Give valuable feedback. We all have areas we can improve upon. Emphasize your Virtual Assistant’s strengths, but point out areas they can approve upon and a good Virtual Assistant will be open to hearing those areas.

   If you’re looking for a Virtual Assistant, click here to have a chat with me!

6. What’s Your Time Worth?

   January 16, 2021 10:00 am Leave a Comment

   

   More and more people are starting their own small or home-based business. In order for them to maximize their potential, they really need support of all kinds. Working in a collaborative relationship with a Virtual Assistant is an excellent way to get that support. A quality Virtual Assistant will have your best interests in mind.

   Virtual Assistants (VAs) provide administrative support while working in long-term collaborative relationships with only a handful of clients. Using their own equipment while working in online work spaces, Virtual Assistant’s support their clients’ needs from their home office.

   Assigning work to a VA that doesn’t need your attention gives back time and space for an abundance of other things, which may include:

   • Increasing revenue and profits
   • Increasing productivity and stability
   • Growing your business – seeking new clients
   • Spending more time with family and friends

   Don’t waste your valuable time on administrative tasks! If you want to be professionally successful and live a life you have always wanted, then utilizing the service of a Virtual Assistant is a good business decision!

   IF you’re on the fence about utilizing a Virtual Assistant, then let’s have a chat! Contact me here.

7. Want More Time in the Day? Delegate!

   May 12, 2020 2:47 pm Leave a Comment

   

   Every business owner is busy – busy finding new leads, busy with current leads, busy managing current clients and busy managing the day-to-day tasks of running a business like phone calls, emails, bookkeeping, appointment setting, social media marketing, etc. If you would delegate the day-to-day administrative tasks to a professional virtual assistant, what could you do with those free hours? Close on current leads? Increase your productivity? Shine like a rock star with your current clients? Increase your revenue and profits?

   So you’re paying someone to do your administrative tasks? Many business owners, scoff at the idea of paying someone for something they can do themselves. But in the end, how much more money will you have saved by not wasting time on those tasks? You have now freed up that time to work on the part of the business you love…the part that brings in your revenue. Now I would say that’s a smart business owner!

   Giving crucial administrative tasks to your virtual assistant maximizes your productivity and is a win for you!

8. How I Find Clients for My Virtual Assistant Business

   March 21, 2020 2:40 pm Leave a Comment

   

   I started my journey in my own virtual assistant small business 12 years ago. I did this while working full-time in the corporate world. While I loved the benefits of working from home as a virtual assistant, I didn’t realize how hard it would be to juggle family, my full-time job and finding a way to get my virtual assistant business off the ground. The hardest part for me has been finding clients. I am not an extrovert by nature so giving my business a voice was and is tough for me. Over the years, I have tried different avenues on getting my business the face time it needs to get clients interested in me. Below I have listed the different avenues I have taken and how they worked for me.

   In-person networking – While this was the most terrifying for me, it became easier over time and eventually became something I loved. This avenue supplied me with a huge stack of business cards to which I am utilizing today (through LinkedIn) and I can honestly say I have a client from attending an in-person networking meeting. In-person networking is time consuming and can be expensive, but it is not dead!

   Cold-calls – This avenue was another terrifying reach for an introvert like myself. I wrote a script, practiced and eventually made the first terrifying phone call. What I realized though, it’s not so scary once I learned not to take a refusal of my phone call personally. Busy business owners don’t always want to be disturbed by a “sales call.” You will get people like that and you just need to move on.

   Mailings – I made several attempts to send postcards to many of the contacts from my large stack of business cards. I received a few responses from this avenue, but no signed-on client. It’s time consuming to create the postcard and costly to send. Not the best option, for me.

   LinkedIn – This avenue has worked very well for me. I took that huge stack of business cards went through it and connected with those very same people I already met face to face. Sending a message on LinkedIn that I’d like to connect and referring to our previous meeting helped them recall me and made for more connections. Along with those connections, I sent messages reminding them of my virtual assistant services. I also use LinkedIn Premium (paid monthly subscription) and have benefited greatly from their “InMail” services. I can go into more detail on how to use that at a later date, but I have had 5 interested potential clients in one week!

   All of these avenues link together and have given me great exposure to other small businesses. I recommend trying different avenues until you find one that clicks and gets you many hits!

9. Virtual Assistants Are Business Owners

   January 15, 2020 2:54 pm Leave a Comment

   Virtual Assistant Tips #18 – Video Series

   “Virtual Assistants Are Business Owners.” Before asking about fees, please consider what you are getting when you hire a professional virtual assistant.

10. Client Testimonial

    January 6, 2020 2:52 pm Leave a Comment

    Virtual Assistant Tips #17 – Video Series

    “Client Testimonial.” If you are on the fence about hiring a virtual assistant, then you need to hear this client comment.

11. Working with a Virtual Assistant Lets You Focus on the Needs of Your Clients

    December 30, 2019 2:51 pm Leave a Comment

    Virtual Assistant Tips #16 – Video Series

    “Working with a Virtual Assistant Lets You Focus on the Needs of Your Clients.” Don’t give nights, weekends and holidays to your business. Hire a virtual assistant and free up time for the things that matter most.

12. A Virtual Assistant’s Time is 100% Productive Time

    December 17, 2019 2:49 pm Leave a Comment

    Virtual Assistant Tips #15 – Video Series

    “A Virtual Assistant’s Time is 100% Productive Time.” When you hire employees, you’ll be paying for their downtime, holidays, vacations and other unproductive times. With a virtual assistant, you maximize your efficiency and only pay for their productive hours.