It’s become quite the business buzzword, “VA”. But what exactly is a Virtual Assistant? In simple terms, they are multi-skilled, solution finding administrators who have ninja-like skills when it comes to multi-tasking. They are flexible, they are skilled, they are efficient, and they are virtual. So not only can they serve clients all around the world – opening up a world of opportunity to both the client and VA – but because they are self-employed, there are no overheads or staff costs. They are effectively administrative consultants. What people often don’t realise is that done right, they become an extension of your team.

What does a Virtual Assistant do?

General Virtual Assistants can help with a range of tasks and what often surprises people is the sheer volume of services that a VA can help with. Especially under the umbrella of ‘basic admin’, which is a phrase that really undervalues the effort that goes into effective business management. Example tasks might include:

  • Email and diary management
  • Document production + storage
  • Data management
  • Tracking and creation of invoices, quotes and expenses
  • Research tasks

But that’s just the beginning. Project management, event management, personal assistance (appointment booking, online shopping, travel bookings etc) and executive assistance are also specific skill sets that a VA might offer.

Since the global pandemic, businesses have started to move away from the office-based 9-5 work models, and so Virtual Assistants have seen a prolific rise in popularity. As a result, many VAs are now moving into specialisms, focussing on a niche skill or industry to support.

An example area of increasing growth for VA support is marketing. Outsourcing tasks such as email marketing, digital content creation, social media scheduling, and updating website content is just perfect for small businesses owners and entrepreneurs who wear too many “hats”.  Think about it… how many hats do you wear daily while running your business? Sales Manager, Marketing Manager, Finance Assistant, Customer Service Supervisor, Head of HR, the list goes on. Small business owners notoriously wear too many and as a result, sometimes miss the mark with efficiency. Moving delegation to the top of a burgeoning to-do list might just be the key to fixing that.

Why would you work with a VA?

There is a popular phrase in business that also doubles as a mantra for all Virtual Assistants.

“Do what you do best and outsource the rest.” 

If you have things on your to-do list that have been there for more than a few weeks, then the likelihood is that they are still there for one of three reasons:

  1. You don’t have the inclination
  2. You don’t have the skill
  3. You don’t have the time

In a nutshell, a VA can give you back something we are all looking for more of….time.

That precious commodity that is so limited. Whether it’s time for self-care, time for headspace to refocus your business or more time with your family, the key to gaining more time is delegation. And working with a Virtual Assistant is an ideal way to start. But it’s not always easy.

How to identify tasks for a VA

If you know you need help but don’t know where to start, that’s completely normal. Here are three quick ways to identify tasks that a VA could potentially support you with.

Take the time to think about:

  • Your strengths. If you know what you are good at then conversely, you’ll know what you’re not good at and potentially that’s something a VA can help with; bridging a skills gap.
  • What you enjoy. It makes life a hell of a lot more enjoyable if work is pleasurable. Don’t give up what you enjoy but maybe you could hand off what you hate?
  • What you fail at repetitively. As we’ve already identified, the time factor is huge for business owners so if you have something that you keep failing to do, that keeps falling back down your to-do list, purely because you run out of time, a Virtual Assistant could be your solution.

It’s as simple as this: a Virtual Assistant can help businesses and individuals improve their efficiency and achieve consistency. Whether that’s with a short-term project or through ongoing support for a few hours a week, Virtual Assistants are a flexible solution that can have a huge impact on your business and your life.

If you’d like to know more about working with a Virtual Assistant, please contact Michelle@flowbusinesssupport.co.uk

Website:http://flowbusinesssupport.co.uk/