Surprisingly not many people have heard of virtual assistants. It’s the people who have never heard about us are normally the ones we can help the most.
When you describe a virtual assistant you normally use the term personal assistant which then gives the impression that it is an expensive resource. People normally associate Personal Assistants with company Directors and celebrities but this is not the case anymore.
There are lots of virtual assistants out there and we are all different. There are ones, like myself who are on their own and started as self-employed. There are franchises and larger companies which have freelance or contracted VAs working for them. Also, there are companies who employ their VAs and could be based here in the UK or, overseas to bring the cost down. All have their pros and cons which, if you are looking to hire a VA you need to have a think about who would work best for you.
VAs, like people and companies also have their own strengths and specialities. Different people specialise in different clients areas (mine are tradesmen and women) and also specialise in what they can do for you. My key areas are bookkeeping, CIS (Construction Industry Scheme), self-assessments, social media and general administration. There are other services I can provide however, they are not my key strengths so I would rather pass on clients to others which are better at those services to ensure the client gets the best service. It’s important to spend time looking for a VA who will provide you with the best possible service to ensure you get the most value.
Instead of using the term VA I’ve gone with Organiser as my main aim is to help organise a business to ensure it runs efficiently as possible. I work on the tasks within the business that the owner either does not enjoy or cannot do themselves. Most people set up their business as they have a strength in a core trade / work and not to spend days doing admin. This is where I come in. As the admin is my strength and my trade I will be able to be more efficient in completing the tasks so clients can some more time on their trade and what they enjoy – their strengths.
I also work with people at home whether it be household admin or things hence the term ‘Organiser’ which some Personal Organisers do (see my previous post about Personal Organisers here) which again is the same principal. It is all about helping people and doing the tasks on their to do list which they avoid or do not enjoy doing. By giving these tasks to an Organiser you get the contented feeling of things getting done but save so much time which in turn gives you more time to do the things you enjoy whether it be a hobby or spending time with friends and family.
By hiring a virtual assistant or personal organiser it should make your life easier and take any worries away.
Feel like you can relate to this and need some organisation, get in touch via phone – 07772 773992 or e-mail – sarah@starfishorganisers.com If I am unable to help, I can find someone who can.
