If you’ve taken the decision to outsource to a virtual assistant… well done, you won’t regret it! But don’t kick back and relax just yet. To ensure a remote working relationship functions to the best of its ability there are a few things you can do right now, from day one.
Step 1: Identify Tasks
What exactly are you going to outsource? There are a few ways of pinpointing what will help you the most.
I recently heard a great analogy – take a look at your business, all the tasks involved in its running, and think about what revenue they bring in: broadly divide them into £1, £100 and £1000 jobs. The £1 jobs are still essential to the running of your business but they are simply not a good use of your time. You should be focusing on the £100 and £1000 tasks – outsource those £1 jobs!
Alternatively, what are the things that take you more than 20 minutes to complete? For many time-poor business owners this list is also known as the “things I never get round to” list.
Or, quite simply, make a list of the things you hate doing!
Step 2: Share your business plans/goals
This is crucial. My first conversations with a new client are so important. I have limited time to get all the information I need to make sure I can make a valuable contribution to their business. These are some of the things I need to understand:
- Your product
- Your client base (and how you interact with them)
- Your business goals
- Your frustrations
- How you like to work
The more you can share with your VA from the outset, the quicker they can assimilate into your business ensuring you are getting extra bang for your buck.
Step 3 : Communicate & feedback
As with any remote working relationship, communication is a cornerstone to success. In the same manner as above, try to give a brief bit of background to the tasks you are outsourcing. What would you like to get out of this? Is it a quicker turnaround? New, or more engaged clients? Information like this can help your VA to be proactive in their suggestions and may unlock new ideas and approaches.
As part of this two-way process I regularly update clients with progress and time spent on their work – far more than I would in a traditional working environment.
Do be honest with your feedback. If something isn’t quite right, it is better for both parties that you vocalise that ASAP so it can be rectified. As a VA with multiple clients, finding the right tone of voice for a particular business can occasionally take a few attempts. But a good VA is adaptable and responsive so early intervention will quickly smooth away any teething issues.
Step 4: Take the leap
Some people like to start tentatively with a VA – give them one or two small jobs to see how it could work. It’s a big deal handing over anything to do with a business you have built up from nothing. I have one client however, who had no fear and said Let’s Do This! We have hit the ground running and they have felt the benefit from month one.
Whichever approach you take, the important thing is to at least try something. As the UK stares down the barrel of stagnating productivity levels, investing a little bit of time at the beginning of your outsourcing journey will help you reap the rewards and see your productivity soaring.