Want your business to grow? What kind of question is that, right? Of course you do. Unless of course you're already making all the money you want and have all the free time you need. But then who in business ever has enough of either? That's right - business owners are ambitious people who are always looking for more, more, more.
So what can you do to make more money and gain more free time? How about putting your virtual administrative assistant to better use for starters? Quite often we find that even though our clients are very interested in and concur with the virtual-working concept, they don't quite know how to use their virtual administrative assistant to his or her fullest potential
Avoiding the "it's-easier-to-do-it-myself" syndrome
It's important to first remember that your virtual assistant is there, period. And she's there to assist you. To take things off your plate that keeps you from contributing to the bottom line. This can be difficult when you don't see her smiling face each morning. Here are some ideas to help you remember that your virtual assistant is there:
When your virtual assistant sends her daily reporting to you, use that as a trigger to think of other tasks she could be doing to free up your time to sell more, make more deals, or spend time with family.
Keep a journal of your daily activities. It's simple to keep a notebook with you and jot a couple quick notes about each task you do throughout the day. Even a small tape recorder works well. Look (or listen) back through those notes and take a critical look at what items you shouldn't be spending your time on. Then decide which ones your admin can do instead.
Remember: a virtual administrative assistant can do almost anything that an in-person assistant can do. It's just a difference of how you send tasks to her.
Getting work to your virtual assistant should be easy. Instead of buzzing the intercom button, program her number into your speed dial. Instead of walking a paper folder to her office, hit the attach button in a new email and send it to her.
One of the biggest traps is thinking that "it will just be quicker and easier to do this task myself". Not so. Yes, it will take you a few minutes to show your virtual assistant how to do that particular task. However, the next time it needs to be done, all you need do is say "Jane, please do task XYZ - just like I showed you last time." Voila, time saved!
As for teaching your virtual assistant how to do a new task, it doesn't have to be difficult or time consuming. For instance, you can email the instructions to her in a step-by-step format. This way you can chip away at the procedure whenever you have a few spare moments. What about taking 10 minutes on the phone while you're on your way to a meeting, or soccer game with the kids, or on your way to play golf? You can speak the instructions and your virtual assistant can jot them down. Just ask her to send you a recap of the instructions you gave via email so you can check them over and make sure you conveyed them correctly and she understood them correctly.
About your virtual assistant
Virtual administrative assistants are also eager to do more work and are flexible about when they can be reached for additional training, i.e. weekend or evening for an hour or so.
Ask your virtual assistant! You might be surprised at what they know or what they might recommend. A few minutes of conversation might save YOU some time and money.
As you send "step by step" procedures to your virtual assistant, she can keep the instructions for each task and compile them into a business manual that can be continually updated as she performs new and different tasks. A business manual such as this can become an invaluable tool for you and your business.
As you can see, there are a wide variety of tasks that your virtual administrative assistant can do to help you make more money and save you time. It's all in the "how" and consciously remembering that she's there to help you grow your business. If you're ever unsure of how to make good use of your virtual assistant or what things you can have her do, don't hesitate to talk to your sales rep, admin, or client services rep. We're all here to serve you and help you get the most out of working with Team Double-Click®.
You are welcome to reprint this article as long as the following byline is included: Team Double-Click® provides virtual assistance for small and home-based businesses. Visit Team Double-Click's Web site at http://www.teamdoubleclick.com or phone 888.827.9129.
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