{"id":4180,"date":"2021-11-02T06:39:40","date_gmt":"2021-11-01T23:39:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thecopywriterclub.com\/?p=4180"},"modified":"2021-11-02T06:46:21","modified_gmt":"2021-11-01T23:46:21","slug":"hiring-virtual-assistants","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thecopywriterclub.com\/hiring-virtual-assistants\/","title":{"rendered":"Virtual Assistants For Copywriters: Everything you need to know about hiring the perfect VA"},"content":{"rendered":"

Business owners across tons of industries talk about having a virtual assistant\u2014including big players like John Lee Dumas, Todd Herman, and copywriters like Laura Belgray<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

You might even feel a little bit of FOMO when you hear about \u2019em!<\/span><\/p>\n

After all, who wouldn\u2019t want\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2026a trusty sidekick that can help you level up your business with far less of the behind-the-scenes turmoil that goes with the business-building territory?<\/span><\/p>\n

…someone who can take care of the business-essential stuff that keeps your empire running but is clogging up your time with work that you don\u2019t like doing and probably aren\u2019t good at?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2026the Jesse Pinkman to your Walter White, who will back you up where you need it and finally allow you to shine? Don\u2019t you want to get known for\u00a0<\/span>making the best\u00a0<\/span>scante\u00a0<\/span><\/i>ever<\/span>\u00a0what you\u00a0<\/span>should<\/span><\/i>\u00a0be getting known for?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\"\"\n

Yes, hiring a virtual assistant can do all of that (and even more).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But, for the uninitiated, hiring one can be as scary as getting your income taxes done! And, it\u2019s true that if you don\u2019t do it properly, hiring a VA can be a costly train wreck threatening to derail your business (see what I did there)<\/em>?<\/span><\/p>\n

Fear not. <\/span><\/p>\n

You can hire a VA without all the agonizing and self-doubt, but you need to do the work and follow a process that will improve your chances of getting the right VA on your team.<\/span><\/p>\n

BUT FIRST\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

Why should you listen to me?<\/span><\/p>\n

A few reasons.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I\u2019ve worked as a virtual assistant since 2017, working for one of the best OBMs in the business (you can check out her stuff <\/span>here<\/span><\/a>\u00a0where you\u2019ll learn way more than I could ever teach you. She\u2019s even got a great course that could help you further). Then I started my own business in April 2020 (oh look, another pandemic biz baby), growing and developing my own processes and philosophies all based on what other geniuses have taught me. In short, I know what makes a good\u2014and a bad\u2014virtual assistant.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you\u2019ve dreamed about adding a VA to your team, here\u2019s a good starting point.<\/span><\/p>\n

Today you\u2019ll learn:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

1. What Is a virtual assistant?
\n<\/span>2. Should you hire a VA, an OBM, an employee, or someone else?
\n<\/span>3. What kinds of VA are out there and what can they do?
\n<\/span>4. The money question\u2014how much does a VA cost?
\n<\/span>5. Are you ready for a VA?
\n<\/span>6. 5 steps to hiring the perfect VA for your business
\n<\/span>7. What you can expect from your VA when they join your team
\n<\/span>8. What training will your VA need?
\n<\/span>9. Uh oh\u2014it\u2019s not working out! Can I salvage this?<\/span><\/p>\n

Let\u2019s dive in!<\/span><\/p>\n\"\"\n

What is a virtual assistant?<\/b><\/h2>\n

The short definition is that a virtual assistant is an independent contractor who provides services to clients\u2014usually remotely. They can access necessary tools and accounts online like shared calendars, email accounts, and project management tools.<\/span><\/p>\n

Like you, a VA is an entrepreneur. They have their own business expenses, goals, menu of services, mission statements, teams, and ideal clients.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But, most importantly\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2026the\u00a0<\/b>right<\/i><\/b>\u00a0VA will help you reach your goals with less of the behind-the-scenes turmoil that we often face as business owners.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

Should you hire a VA, an OBM, an employee, or someone else?<\/b><\/h2>\n

When it comes to hiring a VA vs. hiring an employee, it comes down to three things: the volume of work you need to have someone do, skills, and finally, your personal preferences.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Workload:<\/b>\u00a0Don\u2019t hire a virtual assistant if the workload you want to pass off is more than 20 hours per week. Hiring an employee would probably be more cost-effective, and you\u2019d get way more of their time and attention on your business.<\/span><\/p>\n

Skillset:\u00a0<\/b>When you\u2019re hiring a VA, they should already be skilled in what you\u2019d like them to accomplish\u2014and they will be if you are diligent when hiring (don\u2019t worry, I\u2019ve got you covered. More on this in a minute). This is particularly true when you get into the more specialized VAs we\u2019ll talk about later. An employee may need more training and supervision to become proficient in more complicated tasks.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Personal preferences:<\/b>\u00a0Take into account your personality and how you envision building your team. If you are the kind of person who is not comfortable with giving up control of how a task gets done, then I don\u2019t recommend hiring a virtual assistant. A good VA should be able to complete work without too much input from you.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If you want to have a little bit more control over\u00a0<\/span>how<\/span><\/i>\u00a0something gets done, you might be better off with an employee. You\u2019ll be responsible for their training and their work environment.<\/span><\/p>\n

The takeaway:<\/em> With a virtual assistant, you are requesting the\u00a0<\/span>destination<\/span><\/i>, not the road to get there.<\/span><\/p>\n

Note: <\/b>Sometimes, you might not need a VA or an employee at all! You might need a web designer, a social media strategist, an accountant, or another copywriter. Yes, a contractor like this may cost more, but the results will be of better quality than you trying to muddle through it on your own. If you\u2019re looking for someone to help you manage your business, consider an OBM. If you need someone to lighten the menial workload of your day-to-day life (managing your schedule, or running errands), you might need a personal assistant if you\u2019d prefer to have someone in-office with you.<\/span><\/p>\n

Get to know what your needs are first before you start looking.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

What kinds of VA are out\u00a0there and what can they do?<\/b><\/h2>\n

Much like copywriters, VAs have a wide variety of skill sets and specializations. VAs will also have specific niches they work with. Look for someone who\u2019s worked with a copywriter before.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Disclaimer:<\/b>\u00a0Most VAs don\u2019t call themselves by the following names (even though they should). There will often be overlap in skillsets.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Here are some common ones:<\/span><\/p>\n

General Admin VA<\/b><\/p>\n

This is usually how virtual assistants start out and by far the most common type of VA you\u2019ll find.\u00a0<\/span>A General Admin VA can do things like:<\/span><\/p>\n