Virtual Assistants...Help is in the Air!

You know you need help but you either don't want to hire an employee or don't know if you have quite enough work for a fulltime person. The solution may be a Virtual Assistant (VA). With this concept, you can buy blocks of time -some as low as 10 hours per month and instantly have an assistant you can call on or e-mail with specific tasks, such as word processing, research, database management, calendar management and appointment setting, etc. VA's work just like an onsite assistant would.

Do a Google search and you'll see that the VA concept is becoming very popular. Pricing averages $25-$45 per hour with discounts available for more hours committed. Here are two good websites to visit for VAs in the United States:

• http://www.virtualassistanceu.com: Click "Find a VA" and then view a list of VAs available for work. Click their individual links to view specific services offered.   

• http://www.ivaa.org : Submit a job description or list of tasks you want completed. Within a day you'll start getting applications by email. Review them and schedule interviews by phone.

According to the "The 4-Hour Work Week" by Timothy Ferriss, you can also find VA's offshore such as in India. Pricing per hour is lower but minimums seem higher. There may be a slight language barrier to consider but the time zone difference means they're working for you while you're sleeping! For VA's offshore, start with these websites:

• http://www.brickworkindia.com:  Click "Engage Us" and you'll see the three models of operation. Then click "Hire a Remote Assistant." After submitting a request, a representative from Brickwork will schedule a phone interview.

• https://getfriday.com: This company offers assistance for both personal and business. For example, if you need someone to plan your kid's birthday party, this company will do it. Click on "Make and Inquiry" and submit your request. You'll receive an email back outlining which of your tasks a VA from this company can complete.

When considering using VA's, keep in mind the following:

• Have a list of very specific tasks and specify a timeframe for each.
• Specify exactly what the deliverable should be and when it is due (Timothy Ferriss recommends setting short deadlines like 72 hours versus weeks).
• Request a status update not far into the project so you know if it's heading in the right direction.
• Ask how the VA handles rush requests (some won't accept them at all or they charge a rush fee).
• For multiple tasks, be sure to prioritize by order of importance.
• Consider splitting the workload between two VA's because if one quits or is unavailable, then you have the other to fall back on.

While the VA concept can be very helpful, it won't work if you don't commit to delegating, which is very difficult for many entrepreneurs! Also, if you have specific systems and procedures, remember that your delegating may involve training time and a learning curve. However, when brought on correctly, a VA could give you your life back.