There Is A Perfect Virtual Assistant For You - -But Where?

Before you even begin the search for this perfect assistant whom you’ll probably never meet face-to-face, you must decide WHY you need her/him. What do you need assistance with? Start brainstorming – take a piece of paper or open a blank document on your computer.

Without stopping to think about details do the following:

Quickly make a list of the things you hate to do in your business.

Now make a list of things you don’t mind doing, but they are time wasters – they are not at the core of what you should focus on.

Next make a list of great ideas you’ve had, but never got the time to even start.

Go back through the list. Highlight every task that could be done by someone off-site as long as they had the proper equipment &; skills.

There you go – you’ve answered the “why” question. Remember, a virtual assistant supplies her/his own equipment and supplies, is hired as an independent contractor, gets paid only for hours worked, and does not expect benefits. You know why you need a virtual assistant, and that it makes sense, cost-wise, to hire a virtual assistant.

The challenge lies in finding the RIGHT virtual assistant. There are individual virtual assistants who market themselves online and agencies or companies that provide teams of virtual assistants. I just googled “virtual assistant” and came up with 4,180,000 results. As I said, the challenge lies in finding the right virtual assistant!

I have worked virtually since I retired from full-time work in 2004. I have a master’s degree in Career and Human Resource Development and my full-time work involved career services in academia. The following are suggestions and tips that will make the “virtual hiring process” much more reliable for you.

1. Although I’m sure there are many qualified virtual assistants working individually, I believe it makes more sense to work with a team of virtual assistants. In this case, you are not at risk of having a project or task ignored because of illness or emergencies. The team covers for each other. If you feel that you are not “clicking” with one assistant, you can request that a different assistant be assigned to you.

2. Working with a company that offers the services of dozens or even hundreds of virtual assistants gives you more advantages. You may need a graphic designer for one task, a writer for another and a web guru for yet another. No problem, in this case the company pulls together the team of virtual assistants needed and seamlessly delivers the finished project to you.

3. Another advantage of working with a company that offers virtual assistant services is that the company has already screened qualifications of these assistants and has a proven track record of their work. You do not need to be concerned with resumes and interviews.

4. Make sure that the company or team has a point of contact for you so that you are not expected to reach each and every assistant working on your project. One key person should be coordinating your projects to keep communication simple. On the other hand, you should be kept totally in the loop and have the option to talk with any assistant working on a task if you wish.

5. Geography makes absolutely no difference, but communication is critical. When you email or call the virtual company or assistant, you should receive an answer within hours (unless of course you emailed in the middle of the night, then the next morning is fine!) Ask how and when you will be contacted regarding your work. Will you have the option of communicating through your preferred methods such as phone, email, on-line conferencing, Skype, etc.?

6. Find a company with virtual assistants who focus on the real estate profession. You will save time and money working with people who already understand the language and marketing of real estate.

7. Find a virtual assistant company that has references and testimonials. Take the time to call some of the clients who have provided testimonials.

8. Make sure the team or company provides a written contract showing how many hours of work you will get for a specific price, assurance of confidentiality, tasks that will be completed, and how you will be billed.

There are still thousands of companies online calling themselves “virtual assistant providers to real estate”, so some research is necessary. The old fashioned “asking around” still works in the virtual world. You can email other Realtors(R) you meet on sites such as ActiveRain, Broker Agent Social, or Facebook.

Using the 8 tips listed above, you will have a head start in choosing the right virtual assistant for you and your agency’s success. One of the first places to start is Best Agent Business. Steve Kantor, President, will gladly provide you with a free consultation to answer your questions and provide his advice regarding assistance to benefit you. Schedule a call with Steve Kantor today.

Blog contributed by Beverly - Best Agent Business