What Kind Of Virtual Assistant Does Your Business Need?
When it's time to move away from your DIY business strategy it's a big decision.
First, congratulations this is a big step!
It's probably been a road to get to this point. Whether you have a case of controlitis or have been waiting for your budget to allow for it, you recognize it's time to grow, and doing all of the things yourself is holding you back. Or, even worse, you have a stagnant business, working looong hours, missing out on the three f's; (family, friends, and fun), or finding that you've lost your passion for this business ownership thing you were so excited to do and know you want to dig in and find some help. Either way, it is a pivotal moment so let's celebrate you!
Business help in the virtual world and assistant contractor roles are getting a bit confusing these days. Choosing the wrong role for the help you need, where you are in your business, or personality type can be costly. Understanding a bit of insider information can cut down on the confusion and get you moving forward faster.
So you say you want to hire a Virtual Assistant!
The term "Virtual Assistant" is so broad and overused that it's time for you to move it out of your mind and start recognizing that if you hire Tony Robbins himself at $30,000 for six weeks of coaching, technically he is a virtual assistant.
Since moving into remote work and online services any role at this point can be considered a virtual assistant so let's ditch it, shall we?
Let's talk about the WHAT and go from there.
When looking for help first ask...Do you need someone to take on delegated tasks to simply free up your time or do you need someone to help you navigate with solutions or skills you cannot do, don't want to do, or is it an area you haven't learned to do? So we separate into two groups: Delegation or Solution.
Delegated tasks: In this scenario, you are the driver of the task, where you want it, what you want it to do for your business, and 95% of the content. You know what you want, what it is, you create it and your assistant implements your brainchild. At the most, they check for spelling or grammar errors.
Example: You have all of your social media post graphics, topics, and social media scheduler setup. You give your assistant access to your scheduling software and access to the graphics that you've made along with the topics and links to the blogs and videos you've made. You then write out your short quippy content that may or may not need light editing. Your assistant then sets up your month or weeks or days of posts prescheduled at a time that works for them.
An administrative virtual assistant is great for this kind of working relationship. They can handle tasks such as spreadsheets, email sorting, even basic FB engagement chatter.
When you need someone to fill your blindspots or is specialized in a particular area you need a bit more help than an administrative assistant.
Solutions Services: You are stuck on a problem or skill for your business to move forward. This is something outside of your zenius, maybe it's something that you could learn but either don't have the time to dedicate or have no interest in learning it at all.
Example: You have a new offering for your business. You've even created it. From here there are so many ways to get it out to your perfect person but you're either not sure which is best or even what those options are. Webinar, course, email funnel, evergreen funnel, the list goes on. You might have some blind spots so much so that you don't know exactly what else or how the content needs are different from one to the next. The list can go on and on. You need to find a person or agency that can fill in your knowledge gap.
A solution-type service will be what you are looking for because although you know your business well, this is something specific you need to drive it. In this category are accountant, social media expert, marketing, technology, heck, even your dog trainer!
So, If you've reached this point and recognize that you have specific tasks that you want to get off your plate and need to delegate them to an assistant, PERFECT no need to read further.
From here I tackle the different ways to find your business solutions to help in areas you are lacking knowledge or know-how.
How to Find the Solution Help You Need To Grow Your Business
When you need business solution help you will want to find a specialist in the area of your blind spot. Here we will cover the many different options out there for any budget.
3 Types of Business Solutions Services
Hire a COACH: You'll get personalized attention from someone who will learn your business needs from the inside out.
Pros:
- Work directly with you on your specific business needs
- They set your timeline and push you to complete it
- Accountability so that you don't drag your feet
Cons:
- YOU are the implementer
- Hiring a coach can get expensive.
Except to pay top dollar here but know that you will be receiving targeted, specific guidance for you, your business, and your niche.
DIY your strategy: Such as a course, a webinar, templates, even all in one combined with a support group.
Pros:
- Coaching content through self-learning
- Variety of ways to learn that suits you best
- Budget-Friendly
- Typically you have access again and again
Cons:
- You will be making all of the big decisions regarding the specifics of your final outcome.
- All problem-solving is left to you
- Expect gaps that the course may have when it comes to your specific niche or needs
- You are the implementor or you will need to hire one
Strategy and Implementation Specialist: Consider this a relationship that maximizes your investment. This person not only understands how to get you where you need to go, but they also handle the details or tasks necessary to get you to the finish line. It's a bit of a hybrid combining expert know-how in a specialized task.
Pros:
- Specialized in a specific area
- Fills the gaps or blind spots in your knowledge
- Completes the tasks so you don't have to
Cons:
- You still need to know your business well enough to pass this information to your specialist
- Cost is higher than an administrative assistant
- There may be more to the task than you imagined
A great way is to look at your business needs overall and decide which role is best suited for what you'd like to accomplish with this hire.
- An administrative assistant is task-oriented and on the more affordable side but not an idea generator or troubleshooter for your business. They complete the system that you've put in place and you provide all the information needed.
- A coach will push you and tell you what to do next, while you are ultimately responsible for how the details are accomplished. This is a great thing for almost everyone I know, especially if you're not quite sure what you want or where to take your business.
- A DIY course provides a roadmap to follow and there are many ways they are offered so you can find one that fits your learning style but be prepared to either do the work yourself (again) or hire someone to do the actual tasks.
- A specialist understands the full scope of what you are looking to accomplish. They know the road, the tasks, what you need in place and will get you to the finish line.
When it is time to bring in help for your business it is important to understand your specific needs and strengths. Equally important is understanding that hiring an administrative assistant is not the same as hiring a social media expert or your dog trainer.
Similar to recognizing that your doctor (general practitioner), is not the person who will fix a broken leg who is also not the person who will rehab you after it is out of the cast.
This is also the case with your business help.
Remember, you are still responsible for the final outcome. To slide into Homebase with a perfectly healed, strong leg, you must take an active role in the process of your welfare. It is the same with your business.
For most, this is good news. Because well, if you've decided to be a business owner in the first place more than likely you have a bit of controlitis..and that's a good thing!
Want to hop on a strategy call to see if my Funnel Building Skills are a good match to help you grow your business? Schedule a discovery call with me.
