I just hired an amazing in office assistant to handle all my e-mail, scheduling, etc. And, yes, I am still working with my online business manager – who helps me with Infusionsoft, copywriting, blog challenge managing and other things. Hiring Serena made me think back to when I started my business and someone first suggested I get some help. As a 25 year entrepreneur of a medium sized business – I understood the need for help. I just didn't feel like I needed it at the *very* beginning of my business. So, I decided to go it alone – and was quickly overwhelmed.
I decided to outsource and honestly had to try a few VAs before I found a good fit (don't be afraid to try people out). But, once I did, I can honestly say being able to focus clearly on my clients helped me quickly build a multiple six figure business. You can't do that if you are downing in the details. So, what are you waiting for?
If you are like most people – your first answer is time to come up with a plan to teach my assistant what to do. Great. I can make that easier for you. Here is my system for getting clients to a place where they can delegate.
- Write down EVERYTHING you do for the next week or so. Include both business tasks and life maintenance tasks (cleaning house, walking the dog, cooking dinner).
- Now that you have the list – write down everything that only YOU can do – or where you add unique value (working with your clients, playing with your kids, creating partnerships, speaking)
- Now, go through the remaining tasks and figure out if there is a faster way to get that task done – either by delegating it to an assistant or even just outsourcing it via a service like Elance or Fiverr. If you hire the right assistant – they can manage a lot of the outsourcing for you – saving you even more time.
- For even more complicated tasks that can still be outsourced – write a Standard Operating Procedure that goes through the system step by step. Once you have done that, you can hand the process over to your virtual assistant. At some point, you can even put your assistant in charge of creating the systems.
The next question I get is how do I find a good assistant?
The very best way to find someone good is through a referral. If you post on any Facebook group that you are looking for good help – you are likely to get a few amazing recommendations. Most seasoned virtual assistants fill their practices completely through referrals. If you are looking for someone local, ask around at your local networking groups – or post an ad on Craigslist. There are plenty of people who would jump at the chance to learn online marketing. If those avenues don't work – two great places to look for higher level virtual assistants are AssistU or the International Online Business Managers Association.
How did you find YOUR assistant? Leave us a comment and let us know. If you ARE a virtual assistant – feel free to comment and let us know how to contact you.
