8 Tips on How to Work Efficiently with a Virtual Assistant

“It’s not always that we need to do more but rather that we need to focus on less.”

When we think about this productivity quote by financial expert Nathan Morris — virtual assistant comes into mind; the absolute productivity game-changer in today’s digital-savvy business environment.

VA’s take care of the easy tasks so that you can focus on the harder ones that need urgent attention. In this way, you can accomplish more by taking advantage of every opportunity.

Even better, these online workers are less expensive to hire compared to a full-time employee, and have very flexible contracts while offering a specialized skill set.

So, if you are a business person or a professional who can’t focus on being productive because you’re so busy, a virtual assistant is a godsend.

Think about it; the more your business scales, the higher level the responsibilities are. Thus, in choosing to work alone, you’d be in a constant state of being overwhelmed.

Outsourcing a reliable VA will save you a lot of time, money and energy, and even give you some peace of mind — but these are only possible if you know how to effectively use your talents.

As you read this blog post, you will learn helpful tips on how to work efficiently with a virtual assistant.

What Is a Virtual Assistant?

A virtual assistant is a contractual offshore worker who supports a business owner or an entrepreneur by offering business-related services.

The role a virtual assistant play is highly dependent on current needs, expertise and the industry.

Some virtual assistants who specialize in marketing or content creation focus on a specific industry, while others, who are known as the general VAs handle a variety of tasks in many industries.

How To Use a Virtual Assistant?

What a virtual assistant can do for your business operation is quite limitless.

That said, the tasks that you can delegate to them are not set in stone.

But here are some of the common ways you can use a virtual assistant to boost your company’s productivity.

To Filter Communication

Did you know that an average professional spends 28% of the workday managing inbox?

The thing is, not everything in your mail is worth reading or answering — nor does it require your personal attention.

VAs can filter these messages and other forms of communication, so you can only focus on the important ones and avoid being overwhelmed.
To Collect and Organize Data

With more access to data, for sure, you’re having a hard time collecting and managing them.

Data is essential, so you need to keep them organized, and working with a virtual assistant can help you do just that.

You can use them to go over customer data and web analytics; allowing you easier access to up-to-date information without wasting minutes.
To Complete the Menial Tasks

What do data entry and research have in common?

Both take a boatload of time to accomplish.

By using a virtual assistant, you can concentrate on the important items of your business venture, resulting in increased productivity.
To Free Your Time for The Core Tasks

Let’s face it; you might know everything about your business, but you can only wear that many hats.

Working with a virtual assistant, you can outsource the tasks you’re having a hard time with.

Now, you’ll have the time to do high-value activities that directly contribute to the growth of your business.

Virtual Assistant Tips: How to Work Efficiently with a Virtual Assistant

The reality is, as a businessman or woman, you need help to grow your business.

And right now, the most reliable and practical help that you can get is a virtual assistant.

They can be your ultimate key to fast-track business operation success without having to invest much.

But first, you need to learn how to optimally use your best asset with these 8 tips on how to work efficiently with a virtual assistant so you can have productive results.

Communication is Essential.

If you’re vying for success when working with a virtual assistant, you need not just communication, but EFFECTIVE communication.

Since this is remote work, it is essential to provide clear and concrete direction for the task to be completed.

Checking in with your VA on a regular basis during the first two or three weeks of your collaboration is critical.

It is important to make things clear about the project and is also key in building trust and confidence to ensure a lasting working relationship.

Here are some ways to communicate effectively.
- ‍Overcommunicate
  
  This is especially important when you’re collaborating with someone remotely, to be on the same page, you need to emphasize the information.
- Clarification
  
  Don’t be afraid to ask or pretend that you already know —there’s no such thing as a stupid question.
  
  If you don’t understand something, seek clarification.
- ‍Schedule Meetings
  
  It’s important to keep in touch with your virtual assistant, so you’re in “the know” of any development
  
  So, whenever possible, host regular meetings through video conferences.
Assign Tasks

Let’s start off by making a list of the tasks that you would delegate to your virtual assistant.

With their skills and experience, VAs are more than capable of completing any activity that you assigned them to — from bookkeeping and sales calls to marketing research. That said, drafting this task list wouldn’t be too hard.

Once you’ve finalized, you can delegate accordingly. Just make sure that your virtual ally is all set up to complete said task.
Create an Online Calendar

With an online calendar, you can keep tabs on the deadlines for the tasks that you are and will be working on.

Thus, we say, making use of this tool is the easiest route to be productive. You can systematically take care of your assignments for the day and arrange them based on priority.

This is truly helpful in keeping track of the daily office chores with efficiency.
Recognize a Job Well Done

Recognizing employees for a job well-done is a great incentive to boost engagement which also leads to your virtual assistant putting more value on such a task.

For instance, if you praise your VA for creating powerful content, they’re more motivated to perform better.

You, on the other hand, will be more inclined to make suggestions to amplify processes and results.
Share Expectations

When collaborating, it is critical to share expectations, in terms of goals, priorities or even deadlines.

So, if you have a clear vision for your content for social media, you can communicate this properly to your VA.

By doing so, they will be smart about doing their work; understanding what to prioritize.
Establish a Bond

Remember, a bonded team is a trusting team that leads to a higher level of productivity — ergo, how do you build camaraderie online?

When you’re a remote worker, you’re often getting left behind. And that won’t do, you need to put in the time and effort to create a healthy/friendly working environment.

Take the time to meet up, even if it’s just through Skype; ask personal questions or even host online movie nights to help you build that connection.

When your VA feels included and appreciated, they’ll spread that love for your brand and your cause, even if they’re no longer working for you.
Set Up Shared Records

One of the easiest ways to save time and avoid stress when you’re working with a virtual assistant, in the beginning, is to set up shared records of passwords and payment details.

Of course, you want your VA to have access to the important things with ease and clarity and having a shared record will provide that.

This is similarly relevant when managing ongoing projects. You’ll have a place where you can share ideas, updates and feedback.

Such that, you can indicate which tasks need to be prioritized while your virtual assistant can mark the ones completed.
Document Processes

Documenting processes is pretty time-consuming, but rest assured, all that tedious work will be paid off in the long run.

Here’s the thing, documenting reduces room for error and allows faster training for new hires.

So, when you are creating new processes or want to improve the existing ones, process documentation will be your guide.

In the long run, this will affect the quality of work of your VA.

Productivity Success with a Virtual Assistant

No question, working with a virtual assistant has profound benefits; allowing you to be productive on almost all fronts of growing your business; in terms of money, time and effort.

Using these tips on how to work efficiently with a virtual assistant, you will ensure a successful partnership with fewer resources wasted.

By moving forward together, success will take care of itself.