Skipping meals? Late-night office work? Whatever your opinion, you can’t deny that you’re feeling overwhelmed. With a growing business comes big responsibilities. That means you can no longer do it by yourself as you did before.
Small business owners like you often struggle with too many tasks and too little time. Brace yourself, because the challenges will only intensify as the demand continues to increase.
Rely on a virtual assistant for small businesses to beat these pain points. Remote professionals can offer a cost-effective way to deal with your daily grind, so you can finally focus on what truly matters.
Do you know why the popularity of virtual assistants has been surging over the past few years?
Many companies are seeking ways to save money without compromising on quality work. They want to invest in a more modern approach with flexible arrangements. Guess what? A virtual assistant excels in those situations.
Of course, that’s just the icing on the cake of what a remote professional is truly capable of. Let’s break down the best advantages of having a VA in your team, starting with…
Virtual assistants are often employed as contractual workers. They’re not traditional employees, which means they don’t carry the same costs associated with them, such as office space, equipment or benefits.
These remote assistants provide services to your company offshore, which reduces overhead expenses significantly. You hire them on an as-needed basis and only pay for the service you use.
Overall, you’ll be pocketing 78% operational cost savings in a year.
Your virtual assistant can handle a wide range of tasks, from administrative to the creative aspects of your business. This allows you to streamline operations and redirect your attention to growth projects.
Leaders such as yourself are not the only ones who can take advantage—your team members thrive with regular assistance from your remote workers.
Your sales manager, for instance, can focus more on boosting sales when they can delegate answering phone calls and processing orders to someone else.
Small businesses have difficulties scaling due to budget constraints. Thanks to a virtual assistant, they now have a cost-effective staffing solution that allows them to scale up and down as needed.
Yes, you can scale your VA support with no trouble based on your current needs. Remote professionals can handle the surges and plunges of tasks without heavy financial consequences.
Virtual assistants come from all parts of the continent, bringing diverse expertise in areas like customer service and digital marketing. This means you can easily find the skills that might not be available in-house or in the local market.
Simply put, VAs can amplify your efforts and push you beyond expectations.
Topic you might be interested in: AI for Small Businesses
Here are the most popular virtual assistant services that you can leverage to grow your small business:
Email management, calendar scheduling, travel arrangements, data entry and document preparation…these tasks don’t need your personal attention because they can be done by anyone.
But even though they’re simple, you still have to do them well. To do that, you need to hire someone who’s an expert in handling routine tasks—enter a remote administrative assistant.
With a remote professional keeping up with your administrative tasks, you and your team can concentrate on core functions with real value.
Social media is so widespread and has become part of our lifestyle. Despite extensive use, you still fail to see its real value. Why? Because social media management, content creation, blog writing and email marketing take so much time.
A virtual assistant who specializes in these things can make all the difference. They can deliver quality content consistently and ensure you’re making enough online noise to build your brand.
Based on the study conducted by Microsoft, 96% of consumers factor in customer service for brand loyalty. You know customer service is invaluable, but still, it comes as your second priority. You risk losing potential buying customers because of bad customer support.
Having someone who can answer phone calls and respond to inquiries promptly can positively impact customer experience with your brand.
That someone can be a virtual assistant—these remote sidekicks can increase satisfaction and improve your company’s reputation.
Tech support is critical in making sure daily operations run smoothly. It’s not just about fixing glitches but preventing issues from interrupting the steady flow of operation.
A technical virtual assistant can ensure the effective use of technology in your organization. They have the expertise in the tech field, like website maintenance, graphic design and basic IT support. With their support, you can avoid downtime and raise productivity.
Now that you know the advantages and the tasks delegable to a virtual assistant, it’s time to start the search.
So, where do you begin?
Well, you have to look for places that are hotspots for skilled VAs.
Did you know that there are about 12 million freelancers on Earth? These remote talents are mostly found in mainstream online marketplaces like Upwork, Fiverr and Freelancer.
However, finding VAs on these platforms isn’t without difficulties. For one, you’re going to have to do the legwork, from screening to onboarding.
Chances are, because the talent pool isn’t vetted carefully, you might bump into an incompetent virtual assistant. That’s why we recommend checking their background and skills thoroughly before offering a contract to avoid a bad hire.
Working with a virtual assistant company is perhaps the best way to hire virtual professionals for small businesses efficiently. Agencies like VAV can provide you with top-notch VAs who can keep up with your changing business needs.
We do it all for you, giving you easy access to remote talents all over the world. Even better, we also provide training and coaching so your freelancer is always prepared to take on any tasks you throw at them.
You’d be so surprised at the number of virtual professionals hovering on social platforms like LinkedIn and Facebook groups.
Start this search party by listing the service you need and breaking down the details of the role. Afterward, you will be slammed with offers from skilled remote professionals.
If those three methods don’t work out for you, you can always ask for a referral from your network. Asking the people you already know for referrals is a great way to hire virtual assistants for small businesses.
Your social circle understands your needs; therefore, candidates are somehow pre-vetted by the one recommending them. Take note, they only refer prospects who can fit into your company culture and can integrate well with your organization. This makes the hiring process a lot faster and more targeted.
Read further: What Businesses to Start in 2025?
Finding the right VA is half the battle; now, you have to be able to manage them successfully.
Clearly outline the responsibilities that you expect your virtual assistant to complete on your behalf. Once you’re done listing the tasks, determine the skills and experience required to be great at this role.
For example, a marketing position will need a VA with strong communication skills, marketing knowledge and computer proficiency.
Always start with the scope of the work and provide guidelines on how you want it to be handled.
Cost is a major draw for hiring remote workers. By far, virtual professionals are the cheapest staffing alternative to keep up with your escalating workload.
However, you must know that VA rates vary based on different factors such as location, skills and tasks. Without a budget, you might end up breaking the bank and spending more than intended.
Therefore, you have to determine how much you are willing to compensate your assistant per hour or project. Be transparent with your project to avoid any misunderstandings and fallout.
Your virtual assistant can be residing in any part of the continent. That’s why it’s paramount that you consider the time zone difference so you and your assistant can seamlessly collaborate. You also have to set your preferred communication channel that best benefits your business to ensure regular interaction.
The last thing you want is to land a bad hire and incur losses to your company due to disrupted work.
Running a background check on your virtual assistant can improve workforce quality. It allows you to cover the work history of your candidate and their previous clients’ experience with them.
You can use platforms with review systems to assess the quality of potential virtual assistants. In doing so, you can increase your chances of getting an excellent VA candidate.
To truly collaborate effectively with your virtual worker despite physical distance, establish clear communication channels and expectations from the beginning. Taking this step results in a smooth working relationship.
Without face-to-face interactions, it becomes challenging to stay on the same page. But by setting strong communication lines, you can minimize misunderstanding and foster trust.
You can also regularly offer feedback to address opportunities for improvement and ensure your VA is meeting expectations. Trust us, your assistant will appreciate your honest input and put in more effort.
Your virtual assistant is not just someone who does the tasks—they’re an extension of your team from miles and miles away. That said, you'd better treat them as one and involve them in team meetings and discussions.
By integrating them into your workflow and system, you create a unified vision and promote positive and productive working relationships.
Like all the other in-house staff you might have handled in the past, a valued VA is a loyal member of your team. They share your purpose and are more invested in your success.
Virtual assistants are more than your workers from far, far away. Although they don’t directly impact your bottom line, they are part of the foundation of your company. They take on the necessary routine tasks so you and your team can drive your business forward.
Give them the proper direction, and they can revolutionize your processes. Then again, you have to pick them right first.
Partner with a trustworthy VA agency like VAV, and let us help you transform your workflow.
