Owning a business can feel like performing a juggling act while riding on an express train. The days fly by and there are so many things you must stay in control of and accountable for.
It’s no wonder so many business owners reach the end of the day feeling flat and exhausted.
Juggling all those balls becomes a habit and it is easy to get into the mindset that ‘nobody can do it better than I can’. But is this what you really wanted for your life? To be going at 1000 miles per hour and have an endless to-do list?
Many business owners fail to realise that by stepping back and delegating, they can not only reclaim their time, they can start making more profits.
Yes, the idea of bringing on your first staff member, or even someone who is solely dedicated to supporting you, can be daunting. But there is a world of people out there ready to help, and this is a lot more affordable than you may think.
Hiring a virtual assistant
At Business Blueprint, we have a dedicated team here in Sydney and one in the Philippines. These dedicated staff members have enabled us to grow our business, help more people and expand our team even further. They are multi-talented, responsive and incredibly reliable.
The reason we look to the Philippines for virtual staff is for a few reasons:
- They speak excellent English
- They have reliable internet and are easy to connect with online
- The time difference is easy to accommodate
- They are cost effective
Hiring a virtual assistant in the Philippines can cost as little as $6 – $15 AUD per hour. Even if you only find someone for 20 hours per week, this can completely revolutionise how much you can achieve.
What your virtual assistant can do
Depending on your needs, you can find a virtual assistant to help with almost anything. Things they can take care of include the following:
- Responding to emails and managing your diary
- Website updates
- Graphic design
- Social media management
- Data entry
- Website analysis and data reporting
- Customer service
- Accounting and invoicing
When you search for a virtual assistant, you can request specific skills and provide an outline of what will generally be expected of them. After a trial period, you can both agree on whether to continue the relationship.
Finding and managing your virtual assistant
There are many virtual assistant services in Australia, which can be helpful if you need a great deal of written content which must suit an Australian audience.
Many business owners are incredibly pleased with their Philippine-based VA, having found them through a specialist online service.
You can advertise for a VA the same way you would for any job, by outlining the job description and selection criteria. Sort through your applications before interviewing candidates via video call.
Once you have recruited your VA, it is important to provide the necessary training. By creating policies, procedures and systems, you will be able to show them once how to do something, share a document with the instructions and then hand over the responsibility.
At Business Blueprint, we take care to treat our virtual staff as valued team members. This includes regular performance reviews, great working incentives and a little bit of fun! We have gotten to know them personally and love having them on board.
By hiring a VA, you can hand over those time consuming jobs which do not require your expertise to be completed. This frees you up to devote yourself to bringing in more business or providing the specialist service which generates money for your business.
Business Blueprint members receive specific instructions on how to find, hire and manage their Virtual Assistant. Why not apply today?
