What is a Virtual Assistant?

What is a virtual assistant? (VA)

A virtual assistant, or VA, is a person who provides administrative, technical or creative assistance to others from a remote location. In other words, VAs work virtually and are not direct employees of the companies for which they perform tasks.

VAs can be hired to handle a variety of business-related tasks that don't require physical presence in an office. Examples of services VAs provide include scheduling appointments, creating email campaigns, responding to emails and phone calls on behalf of clients, managing social media accounts, writing blog posts and more.

If you need help with your business but don't have the budget or space for another employee (or simply want to trim costs), hiring a VA may be right for you.

Why do you need a virtual assistant?

As a business owner, you can’t do everything yourself. You may be great at what you do, but no one is good at everything. As your business grows, it’s important to focus on what you do best. Hiring a VA will help leverage your time and allow you to spend more time on the core of your business.

6 Reasons to hire a VA for your business.

• A virtual assistant helps you be productive.
• A virtual assistant helps you make more money.
• A virtual assistant helps you have more time for your business.
• A virtual assistant helps you have more time for your family.
• A virtual assistant helps you have more time for yourself.
• A virtual assistant helps you have more time for other interests and hobbies that bring balance to your life

How do you find the right, reliable, competent and trustworthy person to help you?

The most important step to finding the right VA is to make sure you know what type of work you're outsourcing. If you are trying to get your business organised, it's not going to help you much if all a VA can do is edit writing. On the other hand, if they have too many skills and charge more than you're willing or able to pay, then they aren't going to be very helpful either. You need someone with specific skills who meets your budget. Finding a good fit will take some research on your part.

Remember, as with any employee, doing background research on potential VAs is key when looking for a person who fits in well with both your project and organisation style. This will help ensure that things go smoothly in the long run. It makes sense that the more time you spend on this process up front, the better off you'll be down the road!

If possible, talk directly with them so they know exactly what kind of help is needed from day one; this could mean interviewing several candidates over Skype or by phone before making any decisions about hiring them full-time!

It's also smart to ask around among friends/family members—especially ones who have used virtual assistance services themselves—for recommendations and referrals before deciding which service provider might be right for your needs (and budget). The best way? Ask people for their recommendations and referrals! Virtual assistants are often connected through social media groups like LinkedIn or Facebook groups where people post their own experiences working remotely together - don't hesitate to reach out there because there may just be someone looking out for new clients like yourself!

Lastly: if money allows it, consider offering an hourly rate instead of paying per task completion so that both parties feel comfortable during negotiations about how much work should be done each week/month without feeling bogged down by large amounts due upfront without any guarantees regarding scope hours worked on later down at end-of-month billing cycles .

How much does it cost to hire a VA?

Most VAs charge either an hourly fee or a per-project fee. Rates vary, of course, but since it's virtual and you're probably hiring someone in a different country, they can be very affordable!

Hiring a VA may be cheaper than hiring a web designer or developer. You'll get more value out of your money because VAs can do more than just one thing (like designing websites). They are also less expensive than personal assistants. Here's why: if you need to hire a PA, they'll have to be physically there with you--this costs you not only the salary that you pay them, but also the cost of giving them space. A VA can do the same things that PAs do without requiring any added expenses for your business. If you want to hire someone for tasks like content writing and social media management (which don't require specific technical expertise), it's best to go for a VA rather than hiring contractors or employees.

Hiring a VA is an especially good idea for the ADHD entrepreneur

If you’re running a business, it helps to have someone who can help you shift from your personal to your professional mode. When you have quick tasks or mundane things that need to be done, but you don’t want to do them – or need the extra time. Maybe you want to try something new in your business and are looking for the right person who can help you implement it. Maybe because of ADHD, your mind is going a mile a minute…and having someone manage all those little details that pop up in your head during the day will really benefit you.