Many people mistakenly assume that a virtual assistant or personal assistant is helpful only in answering calls or arranging your schedule. And whilst they are most certainly useful for those tasks, they can do so much more. Nowadays, a virtual assistant can take charge of and manage your social media accounts, and they can even help you with the creation of a business plan. In addition, they can aid you in graphic design and be of foremost assistance when you need to upgrade and update your website. Because there are more virtual assistants and even virtual assistant agencies today, competition is fiercer –which is a good thing for you, as a consumer, because you can easily take your pick from among the lot and choose the best one. But there’s also the question of using them wisely – so here’s how you can maximize the time of your virtual assistant.
Create a system
A virtual assistant is trained to do what you want them to do – that’s a guarantee. But they will work even better if they have a system they could follow, a set of guidelines and instructions they can refer to time and again. So the experts say don’t hire one until you have developed a system – with specific instructions and formats. This way, the VA you hire can begin right away, and they don’t have to ask you questions on how to do this and that – they can refer to the manual or instructions laid out for them. You can also be assured that the virtual assistant can do their tasks perfectly.
Develop loyalty
Even though virtual assistants are there to assist you, it wouldn’t hurt to make them feel like they are part of the project – to make them feel like they are part of the company, even if they work remotely. Giving your virtual assistant this sense of ownership goes a long way – and it will instill loyalty to your company and make them want to work better and harder. When they genuinely feel like they are part of your team, you can empower them – and expect more from them.
Invest in them
This is somewhat related to developing loyalty – it’s easy to believe that since your VA is working remotely, they’re not part of your team – and therefore not as engaged and as relevant. But if you invest in your virtual assistant – if you communicate with them and keep them in the loop, you can see significant results. It’s a small investment, but it will have massive returns.
Set your priorities
Another way you can get the most out of your virtual assistant is if you can set your priorities early on. Talk with your VA about what matters to you and your priorities, and keep track of what you are asking your virtual assistant to do. Most virtual assistants get buried under a tonne of tasks, and people often ask them to do them as quickly as possible. But if you communicate clearly with your virtual assistant what you need them to do (and when), they will often step up and do the tasks you need them to do right away.
