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Have you dreamt of hiring a virtual assistant (VA)?
Great! Because there comes a time where your small business hits a turning point… where you MUST grow your team or you keep it small.
The GOOD NEWS is that it’s never been easier to build your team without massively growing your payroll.
You see, a virtual assistant is NOT a 40-hour a week employee.
And that’s a good thing.
Here’s why:
- They get work done faster. No downtime, no paying someone who’s just scrolling through Instagram while on the clock.
- They are highly skilled talent who are specialists in 2-3 areas.
- And since you hire them for a small handful of hours per project or task, you’ve now got access to this talent without blowing the bank… or having to pay for insurance, benefits or vacation pay.
I have to be honest, the first time I hired a Virtual Assistant, it was a wee bit scary.
Bottomline, trust issues.
“Who can really do it as good as me?” is what I thought. “I’m the one who turns the crank on this business, I’ve got to DO IT ALL or something will drop.”
NEWS-FLASH MARY: when you tried to do it all, you DID in fact drop super important balls! How silly was I!!?!
Don’t be like me.
Well, don’t be like OLD me.
Here are my 3 simple tips on how to hire your first VA:
1. What to look for (your next VA must possess the following qualities…)
- They are an excellent communicator – They have a pre-built system to keep you updated on their progress with the work assigned and they have a simple way to ask/answer questions. They work independently and on their own hours, but they know how to keep you up to speed with simplicity and ease.
- They are super organized – Their sock drawer is a thing to be admired. And their spice cabinet. And their Google Drive folders, too. This talent translates in the quality of work they provide you, which as we all know… will help you drop your shoulders and say “ahhhhhhhhhh” in satisfaction.
- They know their stuff – They don’t need to know ALL things, they just need to really, really know their specific niche or skill. Whether that’s managing your schedule or helping you create systems & processes or stepping up as your superhero webmaster, they are experienced and this type of work totally LIGHTS them up.
- They want to see you WIN – They see you as their client, not as their boss. This is a really important paradigm shift. Your VA wants to deliver impeccable customer service and exceed your expectations. Why? Because when you win, they win. Because when you see results, trust is built and then you’ll outsource more projects to them. Get this relationship right and you’ll never feel like you’re having to hold your teammate’s hand ever again.
2. How to ensure you’ve got a good fit
Before you say YES, make sure the following are true…
- You click – Trust and Respect are the two pillars to success. This doesn’t happen unless you’ve got rapport that grows over time, project to project. Trust your gut when you work with your VA (… and remember, most times, you’ll likely meet them via a video call and never meet in person!) Are you both aligned, vibing and on the same page? Give them a small task and see how they do with it. Once completed, if it’s not a match, ask to be reassigned to a different person for the next project/task. If it IS a match, keep going!
- You accept help – It sounds silly but as a card-carrying Type A Control Freak myself, this one is really important. You could have the ultimate unicorn of a VA, ready to help you, but if you can’t let go (bit by bit) of the nitty-gritty tasks that weigh you down by handing it over to them, this isn’t going to work. Face the fear, go karaoke the Frozen song and get over it. Your business is BEGGING you to outsource the boring stuff. Your mental health is whimpering, too. Listen and accept the help!
- You feel less stressed, not MORE – We’re all about simplifying over here at The Simplifiers. Yes, there is some ramping up at the beginning of working with a new VA. That’s come to be expected. But if days (or weeks later), this relationship is causing you more stress than less, there’s something wrong. That’s the beauty of hiring a VA in 5-hour blocks… you simply wrap up that project and move on to a different Simplifier on the next task. When you hire a FT employee, you sink tons of cash, training and resources into this one person. That’s why so many dread having to hire an employee… it’s a pain to have to find a new person, you waste cash and most importantly, you waste your time. And say it with me… ain’t nobody got time for that!
3. Define what you’re delegating
Woohoo, you’ve hit your turning point, you’re ready to outsource! So, umm, now what…
- Gain clarity, write it down – Set a 7-minute timer and write at the top of your journal two columns: HECK YEAH and HELL NO. I want you to brain dump onto paper every single task you handle currently in your business. If it’s something you LOVE doing and it totally energizes you, put it in the first column. If it’s something that drains you, feels soul-sucking or depletes your creativity, it’s a HELL NO, friend. All the answers sit inside you. It’s time to journal it out on paper to gain clarity.
- Make a choice – Ok, so looking at your HELL NOs, can you bundle these into categories? Maybe like: Admin Machine Work, Social Media, Graphic Design, Website Maintenance, something else? Okay, now I want you to rank them. If you could delegate ONE category or task off today, which would you GLADLY let go of, right here and right now? Congratulations superhero, you now have clarity on what to outsource first.
- Keep it simple & small – Brilliant. The next step is to write up a simple, concise creative brief on that task or project, outlining the specifics on the work. Think bullet points, not research paper. Imagine you’re describing it to an 8 year old. Simple, simple, simple. If it looks like a BIG project, how can you break it down into smaller bites?
- Schedule a FREE 15-minute call with me – Now it’s time to Hire a Simplifier! But before you say YES to us, let’s jump on a discovery call and chat about your upcoming tasks and projects and I’ll give you my advice of how many hours you’ll need and if we’ve got someone on our team that can help you. If there’s a better resource out there, I promise to point you in that direction. CLICK HERE to book your free 15-min call today. I’m here to simplify your life, let’s get going, friend!
I’ve never been so excited about a service offering by The Simplifiers as I am about this. It feels like the culmination of 16 years of running a successful small business that has lead us to this point to ultimately help you simplify.
My passion is all about scouting out, training up and mentoring incredible people to become Simplifiers on my team. It’s something I pride myself on. Finding dynamic, bright, organized and clever people is one of my superpowers. Why should I keep this gift for myself?
My team is now your virtual team
They understand what weighs you down and are ready (and waiting) to run alongside you. They are entrepreneurs, they are mature, they totally know what you’re going through and they’re eager to help you get organized.
Hire a Simplifier.
Simplify.
Take back control of your life and your business. Get back to being creative and thriving… delegate the nitty gritty admin work to my virtual team.
Give yourself and your business this gift.
This is the sign you’ve been waiting for.
Let’s do this!
Resources I recommend:
- The One Thing by Gary Keller & Jay Papasan – helping you remember to focus on that ONE thing you do well and delegate the rest!
- PODCAST: Episode 016 featuring Nigel Collin – How to Grow Your Small Business, Inch by Inch:
What would it FEEL like if you could take back control of your to-do list and your life?
Have you listened to our latest podcast episode? Our CEO – Mary Baird-Wilcock, CSEP helps you simplify in life and in business.
FIND ALL OF OUR PODCAST EPISODES HERE!
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