You’re clear on WHY you need a VA.
- Perhaps it’s because you want to increase revenue?
- Or you’re looking to save some of your own
precious time?
- Maybe you’re on the brink of insanity because you’re
so bogged down with work, and you’re just looking for an extra pair of hands to
take on some of the workload?
Either way, knowing you need a VA is the easy part. Working
out exactly what to delegate is slightly trickier… Especially as a lot of small
business owners are very precious about their work and find it hard to hand
over (I totally get it – I’m exactly the same!).
So, as you embark on this journey, where do you start? What
is the best way to get the most out of your VA? Like with any conundrum, a
pragmatic approach will always find you the answer…
Before you even begin to look into hiring a VA, you first of
all need to work out what tasks you can hand over as this will have a bearing
on who you hire for the job. Do you need assistance with more
traditional/secretarial VA services (such as diary and inbox management)? Or do
you need someone who is a creative and strategic thinker?
An obvious starting point is to list all the tasks you don’t
have the skills for. VAs come in all shapes and sizes, and finding a VA with the
right skill-set to carry out these tasks will be the first step in lightening
your workload.
If it isn’t quite as clear cut as this and you’re still
unsure of what to outsource, over the course of the week, write down every task
that you have to do – no matter how big, or small.
Once you have this list, categorise each task:
- What are the tasks that only you can do?
- What are the tasks you’d like to hand over
eventually, but only once you have a solid and trusted relationship with your
VA?
- What are the tasks that you don’t really need to
do yourself?
When you have categorised these tasks, you’ll begin to have
clarity on what to outsource.
Another approach is to list all the tasks that you don't
like doing – when you don’t enjoy doing something, it’s surprising how many
hours you waste procrastinating! Hand these tasks over to a VA and you’ll be amazed
by how quickly they get these done.
Finally, look at the things that you like doing but which
are not good use of your time - are there other things your time would be
better spent on? Perhaps you want to put more time into developing your
business – launching a new product for example, or nurturing your client
relationships?
If you’re looking for inspiration on what you can outsource
to a VA, check out this blog post where I dive into 10 ways you can use a VA.
When outsourcing work, another hurdle that many small
business owners must overcome is delegation itself – it’s hard let go of the
reins when you start working with a new VA, but to succeed in business, delegation
is fundamental. Delegation is the only way you’ll get tasks done without having
to eat into too much into your own time and resources.
The art of letting go is a tough one but when you have found
a reputable VA that ticks all the boxes, you can confidently entrust tasks to
them. And soon enough, you’ll start to experience the benefits of delegation -
leaving you free to focus on the goals and ambitions that usually get
side-lined because day-to-day tasks keep getting in the way.
If delegation still makes you a little weak at the knees, you can confidently
and effectively delegate to your VA by:
- Providing
specific, crystal-clear instructions
- Making
sure that the task is fully understood
- Setting
a time frame/schedule that you’re both comfortable with
When done right,
delegation can be a powerful skill, and the more you delegate, the more
confident you’ll become as you build a trusted and respected relationship with
your VA. And it’s worth mentioning that delegation is a more hands-on approach
than abdication, so if you are a little bit of a control freak you can rest
assured that you will be very much in the loop.
Being clear on how much time you’re looking to save, and
having clarity on your role as a business owner will help you identify areas
which can be delegated. Afterall, a VA’s core purpose is to help business
owners save time and enable them to get on with doing what they do best!
Follow these simple
steps, and you can be confident that you’re delegating the RIGHT TASKS to the
RIGHT VA.
Once you’ve done
your homework and you’re ready to hire external support, feel free to get in touch
- I’d love to hear from you, and I’d be very happy to discuss your needs
further.
