The impact of a Virtual Assitant on small business.

Whoops! Did one of your hats just slip?

Somehow, many of us have picked up the notion that if we want something done right, we have to do it ourselves. And we've carried that idea into our small businesses too.

We're marketers, writers, designers, salespeople, production managers - most of us try to do it all without any help. But there comes a point where there are just too many hats to juggle, and something slips.

Have you ever considered the impact of a VA on small business? Maybe it's time to give up one of those hats and accept some help that can grow your business.

It's a common misconception that VAs are an unnecessary luxury for small business owners. But many business owners who use VAs find that their VA actually helps them make more money, and develop in ways they could never do on their own.

Hiring a VA can free up your time so you can spend more time on creating and developing your business. 

Not only can they handle tasks you don't like or don't have time for, but a VA can help you work out new ideas and come up with ways you can work more efficiently.

If you still think you can't afford to hire your own VA, look for one who caters to small or home business owners. Some of these VAs will keep their fees low because they know their clients can't afford high-priced help.

A lot of VAs offer retainer packages, and will charge you less per hour, the more work you give them.

They also specialize in the same areas you need help with, so they can get the job done in a lot less time than you can do on your own.

What impact could a VA have on your small business? Imagine for a minute....

What is the one business task you don't like doing? That niggling thing that needs to be done, but you put off as often as you can. Or maybe you can't avoid it (like checking your e-mail), but you always feel a little resentful of the time it takes away from creating or developing other parts of your business.

Now, think about how many hours you spend on that task every week. Not just the time you spend doing it, but the time you spend thinking about, the minutes you spend preparing for it, rechecking it after it's done, and wondering if you missed anything.

That's how much time you're losing each week doing something a VA could do for you. And time you could be spending creating or developing other areas of your business.

If you're still not sure you're ready for a VA of your own, try giving up just that one task you thought of earlier. Even if it's one hour a month, that's 12 extra hours a year you can spend on developing your business - and keeping a firmer grip on the rest of your hats.

Photo©iStockphoto.com/Steven Kratochwill

Comments

[Virtual Assistant]

Virtual assistants provide ease in terms of cost because they are getting paid by the hour and flexibility

[Cathy Scalise]

Joyce, Great post. I hadn't spent much time thinking about this until you brought it up. Great idea.

Thank you.

Cath

[Joyce Lucas]

Susan, we need a virtual assistant to research for us!

Thank you for leaving your link Kimberly.

[Kimberly]

I am a virtual assistant with over 20 years experience. Please click on my name to discuss how I can assist you. My rates are very reasonable.

[Susan * Etchings of the Heart]

Good topic Joyce! I'll have to do more research on this.

[Joyce Lucas]

Thank You Janet. I think that we'll see more and more use of VAs. I'm excited about the possibilities.

[Janet Bernasconi]

Hi Joyce,

I really enjoyed your article about virtual assistants. I never thought of using one because I wasn't sure if I could afford one,but now you have me thinking that this would be ideal for my business. Thank you for this useful information. I will look into it.

Have a very pink day!
xoxo
Janet Bernasconi
Janet's Creative Pillows