Some Things You Should Consider Before Hiring a Virtual Assistant

A lot of new and veteran business owners get really excited when they learn that they can hire someone overseas at a very low-cost to help run their business. The problem is that they don't sufficiently plan prior to hiring. Because of that some really big issues start to occur and ultimately the person that they thought was going to take their business to the next level now becomes a financial burden. In order to avoid this, if you follow these simple steps, you'll be able to hire a virtual assistant without hurting your business.

The first thing that you should do prior to hiring anyone is to write our all of the tasks that you do in your business. It doesn't matter what it is, if you do it at some point during the day or week, you need to put it on paper. This lets you see the big picture of what's going on in your business. Sometimes we get so engrossed in what we are doing that we tend not truly see just how much actual work we accomplish on a daily basis. By writing it all out we can see the mundane tasks and the items that move our businesses forward.

The next thing you need to do is take all of the tasks that you've written down and classify them as either value-added tasks or operational tasks. Operational tasks are things that must be done in order for your business to function properly. However, they do not necessarily make you more money. They are things like bookkeeping, managing your calendar, email, and so on. On the other hand, value-added tasks push your business into new frontiers, generate revenue, and provide you with greater opportunities.

Lastly, start looking at what tasks you can assign to your virtual assistant. While it's hard, you want to assign as many value-added tasks as possible. Sometimes this is impossible, I know, but the more you see your virtual assistant making money for you, the more apt you'll be to continue with the relationship. A good rule of thumb to keep in mind is that if the task requires a strategic business decision, don't delegate it. You need to be the strategist, not your virtual assistant. Let them handle the tactical end of the business.

Having a virtual assistant can propel your business tremendously. However, they are not a quick fix. If your business has deep problems, then you need to fix them. But with a little bit of creativity and focus, a virtual assistant can help you to take your business to the next level.

Dean soto is a business owner that's passionate about entrepreneur ideas. He also provides tools to help you make your first sale. Download his simple but effective business proposal template!