Today, we’re talking about the first hire for many of us small business owners and solopreneurs: Virtual Assistants.
Yes, we’re talking about those magical beings who can literally help you catapult your business to the next level, reclaim your precious time, and let you focus on your zone of genius.
So, let’s get real for a second. When it comes to hiring a virtual assistant, you are certainly not short on options.
I mean, these rockstars can do everything from managing your email to running your entire marketing strategy. There are virtual assistants for just about any tasks, in any niche, you can think of.
But, for your first hire, I recommend sticking to one of these three types of virtual assistants:
- Someone who can handle recurring tasks and processes,
- Someone who can offer customer service support,
- Or someone who manages your social media.
These roles serve as a perfect introduction to the world of outsourcing and will provide immediate relief in your day-to-day work.
Keep reading to find out why these three categories are the golden ticket to reclaiming your time and sanity.
1) Recurring Tasks and Processes
The first type of virtual assistant I recommend is an admin VA, that can take care of recurring tasks and processes.
Do you find yourself getting weighed down with tasks that show up like clockwork? I’m talking about those nitty-gritty duties, like updating WordPress plugins or approving new members into your Facebook group.
A virtual assistant is your go-to solution for this.
Action Item
Grab a notebook and jot down every recurring task you do for the next week. Yes, even the ones that take just a minute or two.
At the end of the week, look at your list and decide which of those you can comfortably outsource. You’ll be amazed to see how much time you’re spending on tasks that could be someone else’s job.
2) Customer Service Support
Ok, so raise your hand if you’ve ever felt like your inbox owns you and not the other way around. Customer service might be where your heart is, but it can be insanely time-consuming, especially as your business grows.
Having a VA manage your customer service can significantly free up your time. Imagine no longer having to individually respond to every query, freeing you to focus on strategy and growth.
And, with proper brand guidelines and a tone-of-voice document, your VA can nail your brand voice, making the customer experience seamless and authentically you.
In fact – I have a product in the Beautiful Template Shop that is perfect to use in conjunction with a customer service virtual assistant.
It is called the Customer Support Script Library, and it includes a set of pre-written templates and snippets, so you can confidently respond to the most common questions and situations that arise with clients, potential clients, fans, and followers.
You can use these scripts yourself, or you can hand them to your virtual assistant with confidence knowing your voice and brand will be preserved, and that there will be consistency in your communication.
One of my clients runs an online coaching program and also sells digital courses. She used to spend hours answering queries about the programs, troubleshooting tech issues for clients, following up on failed payments, and more.
Once she hired us to take care of her customer support, she was free to focus on content creation and strategy, and her revenue soared as a result.
Action Item
Create a FAQ document or a knowledge base that your VA can use as a starting point for customer service queries. It’ll serve as a great training resource and ensure consistency in your brand’s voice.
3) Social Media
Alright, let’s talk socials. Posting, liking, commenting, researching hashtags—it’s basically a full-time job, isn’t it? Now, imagine having a VA who can do all of that for you.
From crafting the perfect caption to setting up a month’s worth of Facebook posts, a VA skilled in social media can be a lifesaver.
Know a business owner who’s crushing it on Instagram but also seems to have a life? Chances are, they’ve got a VA handling the heavy lifting of social media management.
Action Item
Take one social media platform that you’re active on and create a content calendar for a week. Document each step of your process, from ideation to posting.
This will serve as a blueprint you can hand off to your future VA, making the transition smoother when you’re ready to delegate. Start with one platform at a time.
And that’s a wrap for today’s episode. We talked about the practical benefits of bringing a Virtual Assistant into your work life. We focused on three core areas: handling recurring tasks, offering customer service support, and managing your social media.
Each of these roles can offer you more time to focus on the strategic and creative parts of your business.
Don’t forget the action items we covered. Make a list of your recurring tasks, set up a basic FAQ for customer queries, and sketch out a one-week content calendar for one social media platform.
Taking these steps now will make it that much easier when you’re ready to bring a VA into your team.
