So, you're at an exciting stage in your business and there is a great demand for your products or services. CONGRATULATIONS, this is wonderful news!
However, as a result:- The volume of work across all areas of your business has increased beyond what you can comfortably manage;
- Staying on top of the every day tasks means your overall productivity is slowing down;
- You need to learn a skill set to manage a new area of your growing business but don't have the capacity.
It is definitely time to enlist some additional support but you feel a little nervous about the process. It is completely normal to feel cautious about handing over parts of your business. You've worked hard to build it up and you need to know it's still in good hands whilst you turn your attention to other areas. A Virtual Assistant will confidently take care of the tasks you no longer have time to do.
Here are just a few of the positive changes you can expect from working with a VA:
BUSINESS RESULTS
Using a Virtual Assistant helps to relieve areas of pressure where the workload builds up, gets out of control, stresses you out and in particular takes your eye off your larger business goals. With your VA at hand you can delegate some of those essential, but time-consuming, tasks to free up your day and focus more clearly.
EFFICIENCY
Being efficient doesn't mean doing everything quickly - it's about being as productive as you can be in the time you have. As a VA I manage multiple clients, projects and timescales and over the years, have fine tuned my time management skills by using digital tools and proven techniques like time-blocking. For me to get the most out of my day and to support my clients in the most efficient way, the key is knowing the WHAT, HOW and WHEN and then it's all down to the planning.
INITIATIVE
It is part of my service as a VA to be your go-to person; someone that knows your business well so that you can bounce ideas off me. Rather than just being reactive and sitting back waiting for you to delegate tasks, I enjoy being proactive, collaborative and can make my own suggestions to help your business succeed and grow. The chances are that working with a VA will introduce you to systems and ways of working that you wouldn't have thought of yourself.
ORGANISATION
A varied work load requires me to be methodical and I'm comfortable juggling lots of tasks and changing deadlines. I use project boards in Trello and Asana to organise my workflow. These systems allow me to collaborate effectively with my client as they are able to view progress and add/amend tasks, giving them the involvement and visibility they want without the need to micro-manage.
ATTENTION TO DETAIL
Liaising with important clients, handling financial data, managing diaries and events, booking travel - these are all tasks that require accuracy and attention to detail. As a VA, I know that it's the little details that make the biggest difference each day so will always go the extra mile to check and double check to make sure everything is in order and correct. I am a true Completer-Finisher (ISTJ if you know, you know!).
SIMPLICITY
Simplifying means to eliminate the unnecessary. For a VA this translates to identifying pressure points and improving workflows such as your monthly bookkeeping, diary management or social media scheduling. Over time, I love identifying areas that can be simplified and helping my clients implement new systems to automate business processes which make your life easier.
REASSURANCE
Lastly, your success is my success. As your Virtual Assistant one of my main priorities is to provide all my clients with the reassurance that their business processes are in good hands.
If you're still getting your head around HOW and WHAT to outsource to a Virtual Assistant, then a couple of my past blog posts may be helpful and these can be viewed at the links below:
Working with a Virtual Assistant
Tasks to Outsource to a Virtual Assistant
If you're considering hiring a VA then I hope you have found this post helpful and reassuring. If you have any questions about working with a VA then do drop me a line, I'd love to chat!
Ellie Lane
Fast Lane VA Ltd
E: ellie@fastlaneva.com
M: 07814 456740
