5 Signs You Need a Virtual Assistant

When Should You Hire a Virtual Assistant?As a small business owner, it is always a balancing act between time and work. My work is never done; there are always tasks I could be doing. And now, as my speaking and coach commitments increase, I am facing the dilemma that many of you share: when should I hire a Virtual Assistant?In speaking with Eydie Stumpf, VA virtuoso of Eydie’s Office and e-mail marketer, it became clear that sometimes you must bite the bullet and grow your revenues by first spending money with a virtual assistant. How can you tell when it’s time? Here are a few suggestions:1. When Your Work is Out of Balance - If your list of want to do, need to do, and must do is ever-climbing with no end in sight, it’s your sign. Eydie takes on many administrative tasks that her bosses used to do, but now recognize it is best to delegate.2. If You Truly Dread The Task – We all know that we are happiest doing what we love, so here’s your opportunity to maximize the time spent doing your “thing” and minimizing the things you don’t. Take tasks off of your plate and put them on someone else’s. And, don’t forget that we often postpone our dreaded tasks meaning that small tasks today can transform into big headaches tomorrow.3. If It is Not Your Core Competency – There’s a reason why we are experts in our field: we concentrate, review, read, and analyze data in our little sphere. As a result, we are great at one thing and shouldn’t assume or pretend to be experts in areas where we are not. If you are not a numbers gal, hire a bookkeeper! If you struggle with writing, hire a copywriter! And, if the thought of learning Constant Contact makes you want to vomit, hire an e-mail marketer!4. If You Are Forfeiting or Postponing Paid Work - If you cannot complete your client’s work on time or are turning down assignments because your are too busy with “busy work,” this is your flashing neon sign to hire help today! Yes, your database, filing, and accounting need monthly attention, but these are clearly tasks to be delegated.5. If It is Unprofitable – There are tasks that only you can do: follow-up, close the sale, perform the analysis, give the speech, etc. These are your money-making priorities. If you review your time over the last month and see that too much of your time was spent on activities that DON’T make you money, there is an opportunity to grow your revenues.Until next week…..Liz