What is a virtual assistant and what do they do
If you run a coaching business, you know that your time is best spent serving your clients. But what if you could have more clients by hiring a virtual assistant?
A virtual assistant is a highly skilled professional who provides administrative, creative, and technical support to clients from a remote location. In other words, they’re your very own personal assistant, but without the need for having a full time employee, an office or physical space. Virtual assistants can do everything you need to support your coaching business, from setting up and managing your social media accounts, automating your business, and looking after website updates.
Basically, if there’s something you need help with, there’s a good chance a virtual assistant can take care of it. And the best part is that you don’t need to offer the same commitment, as when hiring a traditional full time employee. So, if you’re looking for ways to free up your time, generate leads and lower your costs, consider hiring a virtual assistant.
How to find and hire a virtual assistant
How do you find a qualified virtual assistant? And what should you look for in a potential hire? Here are a few tips to help you get started.
First, consider what type of tasks you need assistance with. Do you need someone to handle customer service inquiries, take phone calls and manage your diary? Or are you looking for someone to manage your tech tasks, such as your CRM, manage your website, set up online courses and look after your social media presence?
Types of Virtual Assistant:
Administrative Support – If you need help with things like calendar management, travel plans and data entry type work then a more traditional Virtual Assistant will be exactly what you need.
Executive VA – An Executive VA will look after all of the tasks above but will also be able to take care of your email management, research, more complex administrative tasks, basically they can assist with your day to day life both as a business coach and also from a personal viewpoint.
Technical Virtual Assistant – A Tech VA will be able to set up and manage all of your online and more technical requirements. Things like integrating calendar software into your website, setting up lead generation automations, sales funnels, sales pages, new systems, and software. They can also manage basic website administration, adding pages, funnels and updating plugins. Some will also have design capability and can produce creative work such as your social media banners, designing webpage layouts etc. They will basically leverage technology to automate as much as possible for you.
Social Media Manager – If you need help with your social media accounts, then a dedicated social media manager might work best for you. They can look after content planning, creations, and repurposing, some will even be ‘you’ online, although personally I don’t really like this approach unless they know you incredibly well.
So, you can see that not all Virtual Assistants are created equal.
Once you have a good idea of the type of help you need, start your search, use social media, Google searches and by asking for recommendations from your network of business and life coaches. The costs and skill requirements will vary depending on the level and complexity of support that you need. Most will offer an initial phone call so that you can discuss your exact requirements first.
When reviewing potential candidates, be sure to ask about their experience and skills, examples of administrative tasks or more complex projects they have been involved in.
Also, be sure to set up a trial period so that you can see how well they perform before making a commitment, it can be difficult to delegate tasks at first, even non-essential tasks. But by passing on this type of work, you can focus on making money whilst they look after the rest.
Some will work as many hours as you need but be mindful of giving them enough hours for it to be worth them working with you. Virtual assistants can often take on all the tasks you need and a whole lot more that you didn’t even realise. So be open and honest with them, they may be able for example to look after onboarding of new clients for you, there is a whole range of tasks that good virtual assistants will be able to take off of your plate.
The benefits of using a virtual assistant
As someone running a coaching business, it can no doubt be difficult to keep on top of everything.
From work and family commitments to maintaining a social life, there’s barely any time left for ourselves. That’s where virtual assistants can be a lifesaver for a business coach.
By taking care of mundane tasks, technical or time consuming work virtual assistants can free up valuable time in your day. In addition, they can often provide insights and ideas that you may not have thought of yourself. And because they’re not bound by geography, you can hire someone from anywhere in the world. So, if you’re looking for ways to streamline your life, consider hiring a virtual assistant. You may be surprised at just how helpful they can be.
How to work with your virtual assistants to get the best out of them
You’ve just hired someone or even multiple virtual assistants, congrats! Now it’s time to get down to business and start getting things done. Here are a few tips to help you get the most out of your new assistant.
First, take some time to clearly communicate your expectations. What tasks do you need help with? When do you need them completed? By being clear about what you need, you’ll help your assistant hit the ground running and avoid any confusion later on.
Next, establish a regular check-in schedule. Whether it’s weekly or monthly, check-ins provide an opportunity to give feedback, ask questions, and make sure everyone is on the same page. These check-ins will also help you build a strong working relationship with your assistant.
Finally, don’t be afraid to delegate. Virtual assistants can handle a lot of different tasks, so don’t be afraid to give them work that may have been previously taking up too much of your time. The more you delegate, the more free time you’ll have to focus on other areas of your coaching business.
Tips for training a virtual assistant for your online coaching business
A virtual assistant can be a great asset whether you are a business or life coach they offer a variety of skills and experience that can be useful, but it’s important to take the time to train them properly. Here are a few tips to get you started:
- Clearly define the tasks you expect your virtual assistant to perform. The more specific you can be, the better. This will help them understand your expectations and avoid confusion down the road.
- Create a training manual or set of instructions for each task. This will serve as a reference for your virtual assistant, and make it easy for them to get up to speed on your procedures.
- Schedule regular check-ins with your virtual assistant. This will give you an opportunity to provide feedback and answer any questions they may have. It will also help you gauge their progress and identify any areas where additional training may be needed.
By following these tips, you can ensure that your virtual assistant is properly trained and positioned to provide valuable support for your business.
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