Introduction
Finding the right tasks to delegate to your virtual assistant can be a real challenge, especially when you don't really know how to get started. This is why it's important to run through a few guidelines before you start bringing in help. Here are some tips on how to delegate effectively:
Know where to find a virtual assistant
The first step in finding a great virtual assistant is knowing where to look. You can:
Use a virtual assistant platform, like Upwork or Zirtual
Hire a freelancer on a freelance platform, like Fiverr or Freelancer
Find an employee through a VA network, like Fancy Hands or Time Etc.; or
Use an online marketplace for finding VAs such as Guru or TaskRabbit
But hiring VAs isn’t for everyone; some business owners prefer working with agencies that specialize in providing quality assistants. In addition to offering up vetted candidates, agencies like Elly are also able to provide training for new hires and help with onboarding and offboarding employees as needed.
Do your research on your potential candidates
A small background check is the first step to trusting your virtual assistant. Here’s what you could look for:
References.
Reviews.
Social media profiles.
LinkedIn profile (if you can find it).
Websites, portfolios, and other online presence or activity.
Give them a project or two and see how it goes before you entrust your business operations with them
When delegating tasks to your virtual assistant, it's important to understand the right way to do so. There are many ways that hiring a VA can go wrong, and it's crucial that you give them the right kind of work so they can do their job well.
Give your virtual assistant projects that are similar but not too alike. If they're doing something very different from what you normally do, they might not be able to fully understand how things work if they're completely unfamiliar with them. On the other hand, if you give them something too similar (such as tasks related to social media), then there won't be much room for growth or learning in their roles as an employee or freelancer working for/with you in this capacity.
Provide regular and thorough feedback to facilitate learning
It's important to give your virtual assistant the tools they need to do the job effectively. It's also important that you provide regular and thorough feedback so that they can learn from their mistakes and build their skillset over time.
If you want your VA to be able to complete a task quickly, clearly explain what needs doing, why it is important, and how long it should take them. You should check their work as soon as possible after they've completed it; this will help avoid any confusion or miscommunication later on down the line. Once they have performed successfully on one task, move on to something more complex by gradually increasing the difficulty of what you assign them until eventually, they are capable of completing all of your administrative tasks within an agreed timeframe (and budget).
Start slow and don't try to do too much too soon
It is important to start delegating tasks slowly and not try to do too much too soon. When you first begin working with your VA, think about what types of work can be delegated and how much time you will need before you can delegate more. It's also important to set realistic expectations for both yourself and your virtual assistant because this will ensure that everyone is happy with the results at the end of each project.
When it comes down to it, don't be afraid of letting go! Letting go means giving up control, which can feel scary but ultimately leads to positive results for everyone involved in the project. This includes both yourself and your virtual assistant—you may have some trouble letting go initially but over time, you'll learn how valuable it is (not just financially) when someone else takes over certain jobs related to running a business.
Make use of email templates for repetitive tasks
Email templates are also a great way to keep your brand consistent. For example, if you’re sending out a newsletter for your business and you have a segment about the latest blog post on your site, you can save time and effort by using an email template. Use the same format each month so that it looks like all of them are from one person. This will help keep customers engaged in what you have to say, even if they don't remember who wrote it!
Templates also come in handy when training virtual assistants because they can see how other tasks should be completed before accepting them. You can set up templates and SOPs (standard operating procedures) with specific directions so that when it comes time for an assistant to do work on their own, they will already know exactly how things need to be done so nothing gets lost in translation between VA and client (or yourself).
Hiring a VA can be a great way to scale up your business, but you should make sure you know what you're doing before you begin.
If you’re like most small business owners, your company probably has a lot of tasks that can be outsourced. You were probably wondering how to delegate these tasks to a virtual assistant in such a way that the process is manageable and efficient for both you and your VA.
There are many possible ways to accomplish this, but above are some general guidelines for delegating effectively.
Try our virtual assistants!
If you're looking for a way to free up your time and make the most of your resources, we recommend trying our virtual assistants! Elly's virtual assistants are trained and vetted to remove the headaches and cut costs of hiring a VA. Our team is also handy if you want help with administrative tasks like managing your email or scheduling meetings; customer support; social media support; and lead generation.
Skip the background checks, templates, and SOPs. We vet, hire, and train your assistant (and their backup) for your needs. If you're hiring a VA for the first time, we can also help you systemize your processes and create those templates and standard operating procedures.
Conclusion
If you're interested in hiring a VA for your business, we'd love to hear from you! Our team has years of experience working remotely and we're ready to help make your business run smoothly.