Your “Virtual” Key to Business Success: What a Virtual Assistant Can Do for You
Hiring a Virtual Assistant is no longer a new concept, but is it one that will help you grow your business? This article gives you information about how a VA may be able to help your business flourish.
Are you ready to move your business to the next level? Do you find that you are overwhelmed with details? Do you have to stop doing what you do best in order to research other areas of your business that must be handled? Is there absolutely no one else to handle it for you?
Perhaps it’s time to investigate Virtual Assistance – the entrepreneur’s “fast track” to business growth.
Virtual Assistants (VAs) are independent entrepreneurs offering skilled services on an “as needed” basis for their clients. VAs work from their own technologically advanced office to provide needed services to their clients via the Internet, phone, fax and post. Virtual Assistants offer creative, technical, and administrative services. These services include (but are not limited to):
- Web Page Design Services
- Internet and Traditional Marketing Services
- Database Creation and Management
- Accounting and Bookkeeping Services
- Writing Services
- E-mail Distribution Services
- Web Site Optimization Services
- Logo Development
- Contact Management Services
- Newsletter Design and Content Services
- Customer Service
- Word Processing and Spreadsheet Services
- Business Consultation Services
- Digital Presentation Creation
… and many others.
Employing a VA frees up your time to do what you do best, while enabling you to employ a specialized professional to handle other areas of your business to keep things running smoothly and keep your business looking its best. Utilizing a VA means your work is done on a contractual
basis and you pay only for the “time on task” without paying for the office space, equipment, benefits and taxes for an employee.
Some VAs work locally, others work nationwide and even worldwide. The advance in technology in recent years has boosted the growth of this virtual industry and has encouraged record growth in the past five years.
Real Estate Agents, Personal and Professional Coaches, Financial Services Providers and other industries have embraced and promoted their symbiotic relationship with the VA Industry.
Other small, medium and large corporate offices utilize VAs for special projects and to take over the duties formerly done by onsite staff. Recent economic fluctuations have encouraged companies to seek new solutions and the VA Industry has stepped up to offer those solutions.
Using a VA is like having a specialist “on call” for your needs whenever they arise. Flexible, professional, and available – these Virtual Assistants and other remote professionals are becoming invaluable to their clients.
If you believe that your business would benefit from the Virtual Assistant option, you may learn more by visiting the International Virtual Assistants Association at www.ivaa.org. This not-for-profit professional organization is the largest VA organization in the world and offers a free Request for Proposal (RFP) system to help potential VA clients located the best Virtual
Assistant for their needs.
Isn’t it time for you to be able to answer the question “Who’s your VA?”
© Copyright 2004 by Angela Allen Parker
This article first appeared in The Guardians’ Voice Newsletter, published by Bridge Builders in March/April 2004. This Newsletter is distributed to attorneys, guardians, guardians ad litem, and social services contacts in Washington State.
