So, Let’s Recap…

Hopefully, you read our prior post on what a virtual assistant (VA) can do and what you should do before hiring one. In this installment, we will discuss what superpowers skills you should be looking for and how to onboard a VA successfully. 

Class is in session. Read on to learn more. 

What Skills to Look for in a Virtual Assistant?

When looking for a virtual assistant, you should consider the following:

Their ability to follow instructions and work independently.
Do you have to micromanage? Or can you give an assignment, with parameters, and let them do what they do best?

Their ability to work with the tools and technologies that you use.
If they only have worked in a Microsoft workplace, but your company operates on a Google Workspace platform – are they quick learners? What platforms should they know?

Their ability to maintain confidentiality, handle sensitive information, adhere to data privacy and security practices.
Do they have good security measures, like two-factor authentication, to ensure your information isn’t compromised? Are they willing to sign a contracts that require non-disclosure or confidentiality.

Their clear and respectful communication style
Are you able to communicate effectively and do you have similar communication styles?

Their ability to be proactive and think critically
Do they wait for you to assign tasks or do they think ahead and come to meetings with a list of items that need to be reviewed?

Their rate and overall cost and payment structure.
Do they make you buy hours for the month or bill you at the end of the month? Do you pay monthly or bi-weekly? Do they accept direct deposit, CashApp, PayPal, or something similar? 

Their skill set and experience in the areas you need help with.
There are plenty of VAs in the market, but it can be difficult to find a good one that also meshes well with you and your team. You should be good to go if you do the pre-work mentioned in the prior blog! 

Their availability and flexibility to work with your schedule.
Does time zone matter to you? Do you really need them available 8 am – 5 pm? 

Their communication skills and ability to understand your needs.
Are they familiar with your industry, lingo, and jargon? Are they comfortable communicating via text, WhatsApp, or other channels? 

Their reliability and trustworthiness.
Can you trust them with your firstborn? Well, maybe it’s not that serious, but think, “do I trust this person to represent my company, my brand, and even myself when I’m not around?”

Done taking notes yet? It’s time to actually onboard your VA!

Ok, so you found your VA. Congrats! Let’s set them (& you!) up for success! 

Onboarding a virtual assistant involves introducing them to your business, providing them with the necessary tools and resources to perform their duties effectively, and establishing expectations and guidelines for their work. Here are some steps you can take to onboard a virtual assistant successfully:

1. Define their role and responsibilities: Before onboarding a virtual assistant, it’s essential to clearly define their role and responsibilities, including the tasks they will be responsible for, the tools and resources they will use, and any guidelines they should follow.
2. Establish communication protocols: It’s important to establish clear communication protocols with your virtual assistant, including the channels they should use to communicate with you, your preferred response times, and any specific procedures they should follow.
3. Provide access to necessary tools and resources: To perform their duties effectively, your virtual assistant will need access to various tools and resources, such as project management software, communication tools, and shared documents. Make sure to provide them with the necessary access and training to use these tools effectively.
4. Set expectations and goals: Establish clear expectations and goals for your virtual assistant, such as performance metrics or project deadlines. This will help them understand what is expected of them and provide a clear framework for their work. Provide ongoing support and feedback: Once your virtual assistant is onboarded, it’s important to provide ongoing support and feedback to help them grow and improve. Schedule regular check-ins to discuss their progress and provide feedback on their performance.

Your VA should look like this after a successful onboarding – confident!

If all of this sounds good but you just “ain’t got time for that,” – here’s a shortcut for you

You’re busy, and I get it! The shortcut is that we can do all of this for you!

To get started, book a free 15-min discovery call. In this meeting, we craft a preliminary job description and then submit a proposal to you for your review. Before you sign the proposal, you will meet your VA.

Baby Bird Design clients have the option to either purchase hours in bulk or be billed for hours every two weeks or at the end of the month based on the tasks that have been completed in that month.

Some of the tasks our VAs can handle include:

Marketing: Website updates, social media management, newsletters, video editing

Graphic Design: Flyers, Powerpoints, social media graphics, reports

Administrative: Scheduling, proposal writing, workflow automation, research, booking travel, organizing documents online

Our VAs skill set also includes experience with:

• Both Microsoft and Google Workspaces (Outlook and Gmail)
• Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Publisher)
• Slack, Asana, Trello, Notion
• Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, InDesign, Lightroom, Premiere)
• Website builders: Wix, Squarespace, Weebly, WordPress, Webflow, Shopify
• Other tools (WildApricot, Salesforce, Canva, among others)

Our VA squad is pretty amazing. 

Remember, to get started, schedule your 15-min. call and we look forward to working with you!

Feel free to drop a comment to let us know what you would like to see next. 

What is a Virtual Assistant?

A virtual assistant person, also known as a remote or online personal assistant, is a human professional who provides administrative, technical, or creative assistance to individuals or businesses remotely. Virtual assistants typically work from their own location, communicating with clients via email, phone, video conferencing, or messaging platforms.

Your life with a *good*  VA

What Does a Virtual Assistant Do?

The services provided by a virtual assistant can vary widely depending on the needs of the client. Some common tasks that a virtual assistant person may perform include:

1. Administrative Tasks: This may include managing emails, scheduling appointments, booking travel arrangements, data entry, and other general administrative tasks.
2. Social Media Management: Virtual assistants can help clients manage their social media accounts, including creating and scheduling posts, responding to messages and comments, and monitoring engagement metrics.
3. Customer Service: Virtual assistants can handle customer inquiries and support requests, such as responding to emails or chat messages, troubleshooting technical issues, and processing returns or refunds.
4. Content Creation: Virtual assistants can help with content creation, such as writing and editing blog posts, creating social media graphics, and producing videos or podcasts.
5. Research: Virtual assistants can perform research on various topics, such as market trends, industry news, or potential clients or partners.

A VA helps you recover more time in the day.

Overall, a virtual assistant person can help individuals and businesses save time and improve productivity by taking on tasks that can be done remotely, allowing clients to focus on their core activities.

What Should You Do as a Business Owner Before Hiring a Virtual Assistant

Before hiring a virtual assistant, as a business owner, there are a few key steps you should take to ensure that you are making the right decision and setting your virtual assistant up for success. Here are some important considerations:

1. Define your business needs: Take some time to identify the specific tasks and functions that you need help with. This will help you narrow down the skills and experience required for the virtual assistant you plan to hire.
2. Identify the scope of work: Define the scope of work that the virtual assistant will perform, including the hours of work, the frequency of communication, and the deliverables expected.
3. Determine your budget: Consider your budget for the virtual assistant’s compensation, and the frequency and mode of payment.
4. Determine the type of virtual assistant: Decide whether you want to hire a virtual assistant who can handle a variety of tasks or someone with specialized skills.
5. Choose the right hiring platform: Research and select a reputable platform for hiring virtual assistants that meets your needs.
6. Develop a clear job description: Create a clear and detailed job description that outlines the duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required for the position.
7. Conduct interviews and assessments: Take the time to conduct thorough interviews, assess relevant skills and qualifications, and conduct background checks as necessary.
8. Establish communication protocols: Ensure that you have clear communication protocols established, such as the mode and frequency of communication, the use of project management tools, and the expected response times.

Take some time to think about how a VA can help support you to ensure an easy onboarding.

By taking these steps before hiring a virtual assistant, you can ensure that you find the right person for the job and set them up for success in supporting your business. Our next blog post will talk about what to look for in a VA and how to onboard. 

Feel free to drop a comment to let us know what you would like to see next. Thanks for going on this journey with us.