When you’re building your business, the fastest way to grow is to focus your energy on tasks that attract clients and bring in money. I recommend hiring a virtual assistant (VA) to move things along more quickly and help you with some of the day-to-day busywork.
Many of my students aren’t sure about adding this expense too early. Yet, there are so many tasks you do that can be delegated. This frees up your time to concentrate on money-making activities.
Some of my students complain about finding qualified help, and I know hiring staff can be tricky. If you are having a difficult time connecting with the right VA, a number of possibilities could be causing you problems. This may not be easy to accept, but the problem might start with something you are doing wrong. Are you…
• Clearly communicating your needs?
• Describing the position accurately?
• Fishing in the right pond for help?
• Interviewing properly?
• Willing to pay enough?
You’ve got to be crystal clear about what you need and how you communicate these needs. When you aren’t clear, it’s like hiring a chef to make you dinner and saying, “I’ll have whatever you make and I’ll love it.” Then the chef brings out stuffed peppers with cashews and you say, “I don’t like peppers and I’m allergic to cashews.” No one wins in this scenario!
How can you improve your ability to find the right VA? Try these seven strategies to hire the help you need:
1. Make a list of everything you do in a week and figure out what you can easily delegate.
2. Prioritize the task list in case you can’t afford to get help with everything right away.
3. Write down the skills a VA will need to accomplish these tasks (things like knowledge of WordPress, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.).
4. Decide how many hours per week you need.
5. Determine what you can afford per hour and in total per week or month.
6. Ask colleagues who they use or if they know anyone. A referral can make a huge difference in finding a good match.
7. Don’t wait until you’re in desperate need.
Strategy #7 is essential. When you’re in a time crunch, trying to find help can be extremely problematic. It takes time to get into a “groove” with a new VA. You need to get to know each other to discover how to communicate well and work together. When you are in crisis, there’s no time to take chances and find out you or your VA misunderstood.
Your Client Attraction Assignment
If you’re looking for help but are not ready to hire a VA, you do have other options. Check out elance.com and fiverr.com. These sites provide access to people who offer a variety of services without needing to hire anyone long-term. Don’t forget to connect with other CABS students as well to discover who they work with and recommend. Once someone you trust handles repetitive tasks, you’ll be able to concentrate on projects that attract clients and grow your business.
This is just one of the many best practices we dive deep into with the students of The Client Attraction Business School, the premier training school for growth-minded entrepreneurs looking to quickly attract more clients and make more money. If you’re interested in finding out more, visit www.ClientAttractionBusinessSchool.com for more details. To speak to an enrollment coach, click here.
