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I Wish I Had Time
Benefits of Partnering with a
Virtual Assistant
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Would you
like a few extra hours per month to spend with your family,
read a good book, or indulge in a hobby? Want more time to
devote to the income-generating aspects of your business?
Tired of spending hours handling routine paperwork and mundane
tasks? Consider retaining the services of a Virtual Assistant
(VA).
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Typical Virtual
Assistant Services
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Appointment Scheduling
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On/Offline Marketing
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Article Creation/Submission
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Travel Coordination
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Document Processing
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Event & Conference Planning
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E-zine Management
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PowerPoint Creations
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E-book Creation
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Database Management
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Email Monitoring/Response
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Desktop Publishing
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Order Fulfillment
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Project Management
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Teleseminar Preparation
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Seminar Transcription
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Vendor Management
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Website Design/Maintenance
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Shopping Cart Management
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Much, Much More
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A
Virtual Assistant is a skilled and knowledgeable virtual work
partner providing professional administrative support and
specialized business services from an outside location.
It
may be difficult to grasp the concept of retaining
administrative and office support services “virtually.” Most
entrepreneurs are familiar with brick and mortar services,
someone sitting in front
of your office door, answering phones and processing
paperwork. However, with the advent of new Internet
technologies and software enhancements, an offsite assistant
can be your technology guru and problem solver, providing
administrative, secretarial and executive assistant support
services from her or
his home office.
Cost
Effective Choice
It can be
cost effective to work with Virtual Assistants (VAs). Why? You
pay for time worked and schedule work only when you need
assistance. Staffing agencies often require a minimum hourly
commitment while VAs offer several service options:
-
Partnering (retainer) relationships
—
client contracts based on a retainer arrangement for a
specific number of hours
of service each month.
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Special
projects
—
clients use the VA on an as needed basis, as projects arise.
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Co-op — VA acts as a
multi-task project coordinator and shares tasks with other
Virtual Assistants.
If your
estimated earning rate is $200 or more an hour, the value of
the time you spend performing administrative tasks is also
$200 an hour. But if you pay a Virtual Assistant $50/hour,
that same $200 can garner four hours of professional
administrative support services and provide time for other
activities such as servicing your clients. And when you factor
in no benefits, overhead, equipment costs or training, it is
an even more attractive option. |
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Minimum #Hours/Day |
# of Productive Hours/Day |
Hourly
Rate |
Cost |
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Onsite Staff
(including benefits) |
8 |
6 |
$50.00 |
$400.00 |
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Temporary
Staffing
(including fees) |
6 |
3 |
$50.00 |
$300.00 |
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Virtual
Assistant
(no hidden costs) |
3 |
3 |
$50.00 |
$150.00 |
Check Credentials
Like most
businesses, not all virtual assisting firms are created the
same and some online businesses outsource assignments to
offshore, low cost workers. When choosing your virtual work
partner and to avoid potential problems consider the
following:
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if
the candidate is in a different time zone, will it influence
when you will receive your finished product;
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if the
candidate's language is not their first language, will your
work require additional editing;
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what
will happen if the candidate does not complete and deliver
the project on time.
The staff
of some firms have been tested and credentialed by various
accreditation organizations. You can save yourself from
anxiety by checking the credentials and experience of a VA you
are considering.
Consider Your Options
Whether
you opt for a temp agency, hired staff, or partnering with a
Virtual Assistant, administrative support is a worthwhile
option to consider. It could be one of the most valuable and
cost effective business decisions you make.
Sharon Williams
©Sharon Williams All Rights
Reserved.
About the Author
Sharon Williams, MVA, PREVA, is president of
The 24 Hour Secretary
and provides administrative, secretarial, marketing and
internet-based support services for successful but sometimes
overwhelmed executives and busy entrepreneurs. Subscribe to Smart Business =
Success, the free monthly ezine stocked with business
tips for the busy professional. Contact Sharon by email at
info@the24hoursecretary.com.
You have
permission to reprint this article electronically or in
print, as long as the text
and byline remain unedited. A courtesy
copy of your publication
would be appreciated.
Link to I Wish I Had Time
Benefits
of Partnering with a Virtual Assistant
If you feel that this article,
has been helpful to you and that it may also be beneficial to
others, please consider adding it as a resource link on your
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I Wish I Had Time
Examples of how working with a
Virtual Assistant can create time for family, friends, and the
ability to concentrate on profit-making responsibilities
associated with your business.
www.the24hoursecretary.com/had-time.htm
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