Tag: virtual assistant

businessbuildingstrategies

What is a Virtual Assistant and Why Would I Ever Need One?

Genean

Whether your business is a one-man show that’s just begun or an established company with more than one team member, a virtual assistant may be in your best interest. Their purpose is to allow you to focus on what matters most, your passions and running the business you love. 

No matter if your business is completely online, in person, or maybe both- tremendous benefits come along with hiring one. 

Managing a consistent/cohesive brand image across all of your social media platforms, website, local listings, and more can become a serious challenge. Alongside keeping up with all of your clerical/general administration tasks can seem nearly impossible. That’s why Virtual Assistants are there to help you! 

Save Money 

Most brands like to outsource when it comes to hiring someone to handle all of the busy work because it normally results in a profit save. As well as cutting back on things like training costs.  Virtual Assistants are already knowledgeable in everything that comes with the job. 

Save Time

Starting a business can be so exciting and gives you the opportunity to make a profit from something you truly enjoy doing, but will soon be followed by busywork. These amazing assistants truly will take a tremendous amount of pressure off your back so you can stop sweating about the small things and dive deeper into your passion. 

Virtual Assistants are becoming more and more acknowledged today, especially with everything starting to be done remotely. Most assistants work from home allowing a very flexible schedule to fit all of your company’s needs. 

Social Media

  • Content creation 
    • Using your brand colors, the content will be created to match your brand image and engage your following. 
  • Grow Your Following 
    • It’s a proven fact that when business social media accounts post consistent and engaging content- follower counts go up. 

General Admin  

  • Email Marketing / Regular Usage 
    • Including management and cleanup, sorting, scheduling newsletters and general emails, email autoresponders, automations, as well as mailing list setup. 
  • Proofreading 
  • Basic Bookkeeping 
  • Calendar Organization
    • Including management and appointment scheduling, creating daily to-do lists, and creating employee schedules. 
  • Media Creation 
    • Including slides for presentations, word documents, spreadsheets, and more. 
  • Research 
  • Data Entry 
  • Website Management

Life by Design is known for exceptional customer service and guaranteed client satisfaction. Each one of our team members has the same goal in mind – making your life easier while you continue to dive deeper into your passions. Hear from our past clients on our home page where reviews are located. See them here.

2021 can be your best year in business yet, with a little help. 🙂

To your success,

Genean

businessbuildingstrategies

Growing Your Business With a Virtual Assistant into 2021

Genean

As e-commerce platforms are growing in the business world, hiring a virtual assistant is becoming more and more needed. As a virtual assistant myself, I believe that we, as professional VAs, should possess certain qualities to help your business grow.

As the need for virtual assistants is growing, more and more underqualified and inexperienced people are starting a virtual assistant business. When hiring a virtual assistant, it’s imperative that you screen them well, ask many questions about their prior experience, and make sure they have the qualities of the kind of person you are looking for in your business.

I have heard from many business owners who hired a virtual assistant, then soon regretted it because the assistant was not as skilled as they claimed. At that point, it’s a little awkward letting them go, not to mention the business owner is now gun shy on hiring another VA.

There are many quality VA’s out there who will do a fantastic job for your business. Many are looking for work right now! A couple things to ask for is a portfolio of past work, and a referral.  These two things can tell you a lot about the professionalism and quality of a VA.

You also want to ask questions to find out the quality of the person. Integrity and honesty, being punctual, and meeting deadlines are things you need in a VA. Here are 3 more qualities to look for when hiring a virtual assistant.

  • Detail-Oriented. A virtual assistant should always have great attention to detail. A quality virtual assistant is one who does the task promptly, does it correctly, and does it with a positive attitude.
  • Responsiveness. Virtual assistants are just that, virtual. So, it is important to have good communication since they are not in the traditional office setting.  Depending on where your virtual assistant lives, the time difference can be a challenge for both the company and the VA. So, it is important to discuss these issues in the initial consultation, before hire, and set expectations.
  • Effectiveness and Efficiency. Effectiveness and efficiency are critical aspects of making any task successful. When running any business, it is of great importance that all deadlines are met, and all work is completed thoroughly and professionally.

If you are currently in need of a virtual assistant, or maybe you are just window shopping for now, you can see what we at Life by Design VA Services do by scheduling your free consultation here.

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5 Stress Reducing Methods – Busy is Not a Badge of Honor

Genean

It’s become the norm for small business owners to feel very stressed out while running their businesses. If you are a business owner, I’m sure you will agree that it is hard work, and not everything is always going to go smoothly. There are bumps on the road to growth, lots of them. Those bumps cause stress, frustration and lots of pressure.

As a small business owner, there are so many things to get done. If you are a solopreneur or have a very small staff, then you have to do most of the work yourself. This includes taking care of clients and customers, employee recruiting and retention, troubleshooting issues and putting out fires, marketing yourself, meetings and so much more.

However, there are some stress management methods that have been proven to help many business owners who have experienced the pressures of being too busy.

Here are 5 tips for helping with the stress.

Take Breaks

I know, I know. You don’t have time for breaks. Did you know that one reason why many small business owners get so stressed is that they don’t take enough time off? Some take 0 days off in a year. That is not healthy for your body, your mental health, or your relationships. When you spend too much of your time working, it takes a toll. Taking time away from work will help you to recharge your batteries. So take a day off! The business will still be there when you go back!

Self-Care

Self-care is vital for stress management. Again, I know, you don’t have time. If you aren’t eating right and your sleep schedule is off, then you’re going to feel it, and it’s going to affect your health over time. I also know business owners who get so busy that they go all day before realizing they haven’t eaten and it’s now 11pm so they binge eat junk food before going to bed. That’s also not a good idea for the waistline. So, take time to at least get lunch and get enough sleep each night. You should also try to get some exercise in when you can. Yoga/pilates is a great stress reliever and good for the body.

Don’t Neglect Those Most Important to You

Make sure you separate work from home life. I know many business owners, I have been guilty of this as well, who feel like they need to think about work or work on projects even after the work day is over. Many business owners also work from home now, which can lead to even more work. It easy to get lost in constant work when your office is in your home. But when you’re at home spending time with your family, it’s important to leave work at work, even if that work is only steps away to your office. Set business hours and only work inside those hours, unless a business emergency happens.

Focus on the Positive

It’s easy to see the negative things and all of the challenges of running your small business. For some reason, our minds see the negative more so than the positive. It’s normal human nature. But we can adjust our thinking. We can choose to focus on the good. Being intentionally grateful and counting your blessings can make a huge difference in how you feel. Maybe set a reminder in your phone for every single day to stop for 1 minute and say 3 things you are grateful for that day.

Hire a Virtual Assistant

Maybe you are simply doing too much. Maybe your business is growing and you simply can’t keep up anymore and it’s stressing you out. Maybe it’s time to get some help. A virtual assistant is a great way to get some of those general admin, website, social media, scheduling, email marketing, and other tasks off your to-do list, so that you have more time, and more productivity.

Here are a few things hiring a virtual assistant can change for you:

  1. Delegate those time-consuming tasks that keep you from growing your business.
  2. Free up your time to focus on the things that are most important to you.
  3. Check off those tedious tasks that never seem to get done.
  4. Feel calm, productive and a lot less frustrated!

Schedule a free consultation with me today so we can see if what I do as a Virtual Assistant may help you in your business. Let’s Talk.

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The Top 3 Time Tracking Apps for Virtual Assistants in 2020

Genean

If you are a Virtual Assistant who charges by the hour, it’s imperative that you have an easy-to-use, accurate, time tracking program. With over 5 years in the virtual assistant industry, I have tried a variety of ways to track my time. Heck, I have even tried using a kitchen timer once! I don’t recommend it unless you want to almost pee your pants when it goes off! 😉

There’s an easier option that doesn’t make you jump out of your seat. It’s called a time tracking app, and there are many on the market. Some are wonderful and some are meh. Some are very simple and others are a hassle. Some are free and some cost a fee.

First of all, I don’t recommend paying. There are many free options that work just as well as the paid ones. So, there’s no reason to have more business expenses than you have to as a VA.

Today, I want to tell you about my top 3 time tracking apps, even though there are probably a dozen that I like really well, but for the sake of space and time, I’m picking three.

  1. Clockify. This one is kind of new to me, but is my absolute favorite now. I have only been using it for about a month, but I really like it. Super simple, easy-to-use, accurate, and free. This is an all-inclusive time tracking program with an extensive reporting system. This time tracker offers tracking time while you work, manual time entry, you can also add your time in a time sheet, and includes features that help you organize the time you log. The Reports section also offers weekly reports, if you choose to use them.
  2. Toggl. This is the one I have used the most in the past. It was built for speed and easy to use. It has a simple interface that is easy to navigate and learn quickly. It is also free, but there is an advanced paid option, but I did just fine without the paid version. You basically clock in and out on this app as well. You can access it from your desktop or phone. You can also use the data to organize time sheets.
  3. Time Camp. This one also has a free version. It has automatic time tracking with comprehensive and detailed reports. It also has time sheets and can separate by categories. I’ve used a few times and it was pretty simple and easy to use.

When I thought about all the ones I’ve tried, these 3 stood out to me the most as ones I would recommend. It’s important as a VA to make sure you are tracking your time correctly if you charge by the hour. Not only is this for the benefit of the client to make sure you are not charging more than you are actually working, but this is important for you to use a time tracker to make sure you aren’t undercharging for your time.

If you are an employer or have recently contracted out a virtual assistant, these would be good options to use or recommend to them to make sure productivity is what it needs to be. If you yourself are a virtual assistant, any of these would be a great way to help track your time accurately.

If you are a busy small business owner and maybe need a virtual assistant to help take care of some things for you, please schedule an appointment with me for a free 15 minute consultation to see if we are a good match! You can do that HERE.

Genean Roberts – Life By Design VA Services

Virtual Assistant
businessbuildingstrategies

Investing in Your Most Important Asset as a Business Owner

Genean

As a business owner, many of us have a tendency to work too much. It’s easy to get sucked into working ALL THE TIME. If your office is in your home, it’s easy to keep going back in and doing just a little more! Wait…is that just me? It can’t be!

Can anyone relate to the above? If so, I bet you can also relate to burnout, stress, overwhelm and zero self-care. I don’t know about you, but this mom, wife and business owner has been there too many times.

So, what is your most important asset as a small business owner? Duh, it’s you. Yes you! You are your most important asset in your business!

Investing in yourself and taking care of yourself is the most profitable decision you can make, in my opinion. It can help you to be more productive with less hours. Learning new skill sets, setting priorities and achieving a better quality of life are all results you can obtain by investing in you. Putting in effort now can have a big difference in your future in a much more positive way.

So maybe you’re thinking how in the world can I invest time into me when I have a million other things to do? The simple answer is just do it. Seriously, you just have to make a decision that it’s an important aspect of growing and maintaining a healthy life in all areas. Here are 2 things that have made a difference for me. FYI – number 2 should actually be number one.

1. Developing Your Skills. This can take on many forms. The niche you are in will determine some of the skills you should hone in on, but for the most part we all need to invest in personal growth and learning new skills regardless of the industry we are in currently and regardless of how long you have been doing a particular type of work. Things are always changing and to keep up we have to be prepared with new skill sets.

  • People skills. No matter what industry you are in, there are people. The money is in the hands of the people. The marketplace pays for value. Upping your people skills makes you more valuable in whatever line of work you pursue. Consider listening to personal development daily for 15 minutes.
  • Free and paid training that fits your niche – enroll in online workshops, go to live conferences or participate in webinars that fit your industry and the areas you want to see growth in more.
  • Grow your knowledge – Read books. Leaders are readers! Listen to podcasts. Schedule at least 15 minutes a day for just listening or reading positive things.
  • Care for your body. Self-care is so important for every aspect of our life. And it’s normally the one that we put last on the list. For most of us with families and businesses, there is little time left for ourselves. But it is so important that we make it a priority. We cannot pour from an empty cup. It is not selfish to take care of yourself. Take a spa day, get a massage, take a day to binge Netflix, take a drive or even a weekend away. Whatever it is for you, just do it. Make the decision to practice self-care every week.

Investing in you can truly make a difference in your life, your relationships, and your ability to grow in your business and utilize your skills to the best of your ability. The extent to which you invest in yourself, caring for your mind and body, making self-care and learning new skills a priority, can make a world of difference in your entire life.

If you are a business owner who has too many tasks taking too much of your day, it may be time to think about getting some help. A virtual assistant can help you by doing the back-end work like social media management, website management, calendar and email management, and much more.

If you are a business owner who needs a bit of a break, let’s talk. Schedule your completely FREE CONSULTATION here.

Genean Roberts

http://www.lifebydesignvaservices.com

businessbuildingstrategies

The Power of Delegation and Why You Need To Start Now

Genean

Whether you have been in business for yourself for 1 year or 20 years, you probably have felt the need to delegate. Some of us do well at delegating and some not so much. For me, delegating has always been tough. We have all heard the saying ‘If I want it done right, I will just do it myself’. That is normally because we feel like we can either do it better, or we at least feel like we understand it better than anyone else will. That kind of ego can lead to all kinds of problems in our businesses, not to mention our physical and mental health.

As a result, nothing gets delegated and burnout is on the horizon.

The issue in most cases is not that there is no one capable, it is more often that we just can’t delegate well. There are plenty of willing and able potential employees or contract workers out there ready and willing to learn and prove themselves. But it’s normally the business owner that is the issue. Delegating seems hard, and it shouldn’t be.

Here’s my thoughts on how to become a professional delegator

1. Research. It’s important to know you need before you begin searching for it. If you need to help setting up your monthly newsletter, then find someone with experience using Aweber, Constant Contact or MailChimp. Finding the right person for the job is the first important step in delegating the work. Specific skill sets are imperative when hiring and delegating work projects.

2. Plan it out. Write down everything you do in your business each day/week. Then highlight the parts you either don’t want to do or don’t have time to do. Then find someone with those specific skills to do them. Taking a few things off your plate can make a world of difference in your overall well-being.

3. Provide specific information. Once you begin delegating work, be thorough: make sure to include deadlines and guidelines about how you’d like the work to be done. Don’t just assume the person knows. Most people want to do a good job. Set them up for success instead of failure by making sure they have all the details up front.

4. Keep in touch. If you’ve delegated a work project, keep in contact once a day and ask for progress updates. Regular meetings will help with issues and allow for any adjustments needed. It would be awful to get a completed project that has been done incorrectly because you didn’t communicate effectively. Time is money!

5. Build Rapport. When you work with someone you are in a relationship with them. That doesn’t mean you have to be best buds, but it is important to grow that business relationship. Be sure to answer questions about the projects they are working on quickly so that they can stay on track and on time. Your work together will require regular communication – either written or verbal.

Delegating can be a powerful way to leverage your time and grow your business drastically. But you have to be willing to let go and delegate some things to others, whether that be an employee or an independent contractor.

Once you do, you will be able to breathe a little easier, work on the things that grow your business instead of all the busy work, and you may even see your income and business start to explode!

If you are thinking about delegating some things, set up a completely free consultation with me HERE to see if we are a good match!

To your success,

Genean Roberts – Life By Design VA Services

businessbuildingstrategies

Virtual Assistant VS Employee: Which One Do You Need?

Genean

Have you been struggling to make a decision whether to hire an employee or contract out a virtual assistant? Sometimes an employee is a better choice, especially if you need someone to be at a job site in person, but many times a virtual assistant can do anything an employee can do, without the extra hassle. Here are a few ways virtual assistants are more beneficial than an employee.

No Extra Hidden Costs

Did you realize that when you hire an employee for a specific rate of pay, that isn’t the actual pay? You have to factor in those extra costs. There are payroll taxes, worker’s comp, unemployment insurance, vacation days, sick days, holidays, and benefits. Those can add up fast.

That means that many times you are actually paying double an employee’s salary by having them on your payroll. But a virtual assistant’s cost is exactly what was agreed upon in the contract. Much simpler with much less paperwork.

No Wasted Time That You Are Paying For

A virtual assistant only charges for the hours they work, most using time tracking software to keep it as close to the minute as possible. You don’t have to pay them for breaks. No socializing at the water cooler. You only pay for the actual time they are working and for the services they are supposed to provide.

No Overhead

A virtual assistant provides all their own equipment, and their own office in their home. You don’t have to pay electric, phone, internet or office space rental for virtual assistants. The savings there can be monumental!

Many VAs Specialize and Don’t Need Trained

It’s possible to choose a virtual assistant based on their experience and expertise. You choose one specifically for projects you need done, either once or ongoing. In most cases, they already know how to do the jobs you need completed, you just have to show them your particular methods and any specifics they need to know. This saves training time and cost!

Flexible Hours

When you hire an employee, there are normally set work hours. However, a virtual assistant, more often works based on task deadlines rather than set hours. This can be a great time saver as well!

There are many reasons to choose hiring a virtual assistant over an employee, but these are just a few of the top ones. If you are a busy business owner who needs some help with getting organized, lowering your workload, or just getting some things off your plate temporarily, a virtual assistant may be the answer you’ve been looking for.

Schedule your FREE CONSULTATION with me today, so that we can see if what I do may be a good fit for you!

Genean Roberts – Virtual Solutions Specialist

businessbuildingstrategies

4 Reasons Why Your Small Business May Need a Virtual Assistant

Genean

If you’ve been in business for yourself any amount of time, I am sure you have felt the stress of overwhelm. Too much to do, there are not enough hours in the day, and you are only one person. If you’re looking to grow your small business further than where it already is, you may need some help. You are already stretched to capacity, and in time, as your business continues to grow, your time will be stretched even more.

Thanks to the growth of technology and the amazing interwebs, it no longer matters if your virtual assistant is located nearby, you can connect online and grow your business together with a single click. There are many reasons why your business may benefit from hiring a Virtual Assistant, but here are just 4 of my top ideas.

1 You’re too busy

As a small business owner, you have a lot of responsibility. You have marketing, IT, finance, maybe payroll if you have employees, and then doing the actual work of your business niche. It can be stressful, almost to the point where you want to give up. That’s where a Virtual Assistant can come in and help take a few things off your plate. A VA can help you with many different tasks remotely. Many can help with social media, website management, and general admin tasks you don’t have time to do.

2 You don’t know how

Whether it’s a blog, eCommerce store, or website, most likely you’re not an expert in everything. Just running the basics of your business can be exhausting, so if you don’t have time to learn all the things, it’s OK. That’s what a VA does best. They could help spice up your social media profiles and business pages, help with your WordPress website, or handle your Constant Contact email campaigns, among other things.

3 Your Social Media is Blah

Social Media can be an awesome tool for small businesses with everyone and their grandma being on some sort of social media these days. However, if your social media accounts aren’t providing any value, not growing, and not getting the exposure you need, you may need a little help from a VA. With multiple accounts to manage, it can be a full time job – and one that you likely don’t have time for. Again, that’s where a VA can step in and use Buffer or Hootsuite to schedule posts. A VA can place ads or boost posts for you, manage groups, add content and respond to comments or messages daily. These little things can add up to a lot of work. Having a VA to help can make a world of difference for your online presence.

4 You just don’t want to

Maybe you know all the ins and outs of building a WordPress site, and you are a pro at Mail Chimp and Infusionsoft, and you are a social media marketing king or queen! But maybe you just don’t enjoy doing those things, and you really want to do things that spark joy in your life and in your business. That’s why you started your own business right? To do what you love and what makes you happy!

If any of these relate to you, it may be time to consider a Virtual Assistant. And many times you really need one sooner rather than later, before things get out of control and the overwhelm is more than you can handle.

Schedule a free consultation with me HERE.

To your success,

Genean Roberts

http://www.lifebydesignvaservices.com