A Virtual Assistant is great for business

Running a business can be exciting, challenging and draining, both physically and mentally. There are so many things to remember and not enough hours in the day to get everything done. Thankfully business owners don’t need to carry on getting more and more stressed because there is help at hand. The solution is to outsource wherever possible, or to be more specific, hire the services of a virtual assistant (VA).

What exactly is a virtual assistant?

A virtual assistant is someone with a specialist skillset who provides business support whilst working remotely. With the advancement in technology over recent years, small businesses realised they didn’t have to employ someone to help with specific business duties when the less expensive and equally effective option would be to hire a virtual assistant

There is a perception that virtual assistants only specialise in administrative duties and although that is one of their main areas, there are numerous other ways in which they can help businesses. Here are just some examples:

• Office administration
• Bookkeeping
• Data entry
• Secretarial work
• Report writing
• Event coordination
• Database management
• Social media marketing
• Translation and transcription services
• Website management
• Concierge services

The benefits of hiring a virtual assistant

A virtual assistant will be able to hit the ground running and cover the key areas wherever help is needed in a business. Their positive impact on a business is immediate, which frees up time for owners and managers to focus on higher-value activities to make money and grow their business. As a result there is an improvement in efficiency and greater productivity, which is what every business owner strives to achieve.

Virtual assistants are ideal for startups and small businesses who either don’t have the financial resources to employee someone full-time or don’t even have business premises.

Entrepreneurs, especially during their early years, are reluctant to delegate or outsource any work and believe they have the energy, knowledge and skills to do everything. This could mean that due to the number of different roles they take on, their business isn’t operating as effectively as it could.

If it continues like this then the business could fail, so it is time to face facts and admit that a VA will do a better job in certain business disciplines than the business owner trying to juggle everything just to keep afloat.

A startup may have been successful in its infancy and is now struggling to grow but by allocating specific duties to a VA, the budding entrepreneur can operate like a bigger and more established business, making it more competitive.

Another advantage of outsourcing work to a VA is the flexibility it offers. You can hire a VA for a one-off project, on a short-term contract or secure their services on a retainer basis.

How to hire a virtual assistant

Don’t worry if you are struggling with everyday tasks and are always pressed for time, because you can find help here at Business Butler. Start by making a list of all the tasks you can’t do and prioritise them in order of importance - maybe your social media accounts are being neglected or you need help with invoicing. Then you need to find an experienced VA who specialises in those relevant areas. To find out more and to speak with one of our virtual assistants, please click here.

Business Butler is an on-demand talent platform that connects users with a panel of vetted business experts who specialise in a range of disciplines including marketing, law, finance and human resources. To find your ideal expert please click here.