Virtual Assistants - What are they and why do I need one?

Outsourcing to a Virtual Assistant to deal with admin tasks, social media/marketing, bookkeeping and various other time consuming jobs, can be a great way for a time-poor business to relieve the pressure on it’s directors/senior staff members.

"What actually is a Virtual Assistant?" I hear you ask.

A Virtual Assistant (otherwise known as a VA) is a person who provides various services to entrepreneurs or businesses from a remote location.

What do they do?

Well there is no one answer to that as there are a host of things VAs can do including:

• Managing calendars, appointments and emails
• Financial services
• Social media management
• Event management
• Preparing reports
• Digital Marketing
• Personal – booking hotels, flights, restaurants etc.

They can do ‘virtually anything’…badoom tish!

Ok, so bad pun but they really can.

Using a VA can be a great way to save time and fill a skills gap without the commitment or cost of taking
on a permanent employee. They use their own equipment and can work a varied number of hours
depending on what is required each week or month?

The three main reasons why you need a virtual assistant

If you’re not convinced that you need a Virtual Assistant yet, then let me give you three main reasons why you do (there are many more of course but we’ll keep it brief):

1. Maximize Productivity

Many entrepreneurs let themselves get bogged down in things that yes are very necessary, but don’t actually help their businesses grow. By getting a VA to manage your day-to-day tasks, you’ll have more free time and as a result, you’ll be able to work on the things that make a bigger difference to building your business.

2. Decrease Operational Costs

Full-time employees can be expensive. As well as salary payments, you’ll also have to contribute to NI, pensions, workplace consumables and so forth. A key benefit of hiring a VA is you
pay a monthly package rather than an annual salary. This gives you a reduced long-term commitment, which also results in less risk.

3. Access the Best Talent & Skillsets

Many of the best PAs have switched to become VAs, there is a rich talent pool out there and with each one bringing a different skill set to the table, meaning all areas of business are
covered. Sometimes even with just one person. Yes, they are that good.

Not forgetting the impact it will have on your family/social life, meaning you can still have these whilst creating your empire.

Quite simply put, a Virtual Assistant is a PA/administrator/secretary/lifesaver and a MUST have! More so than ever as the way we work has changed over the course of the pandemic and continues to going forward.

They may not be there in person – but they’ll be a vital part of your business.

Blog by ProfessionalVA