The Key to Successful Business Growth Is To Outsource Your Admin

by CJ Virtual PA
10th July 2013

Have you ever considered how much of your time is taken up with tasks you could actually outsource to a professional Virtual Assistant and how much of your own time that could free up leaving you to concentrate on those tasks that only you can manage?

If you are running your own business at some point you will discover that if you try to do it all yourself some tasks at some point will get missed!

At CJ Virtual PA our clients understand the value of delegation.  They are highly intelligent professionals and the key to their business success is that they have realised in order to grow they need to delegate.  Some of them may enjoy getting online and dipping in and out of their Facebook or Twitter accounts but they cannot commit the time to doing this consistently.

They have therefore delegated the management of their online presence to us so they can spend time with their clients and on networking and forming new relationships.

There are several ways you can save time, here are just a few examples of the every day tasks we manage for other clients to free up their time:

1. Checking and responding to email
2. Arranging Meetings and calendar management
3. Travel Booking
4. Online Research
5. Newsletter Creation
6. Transcriptions
7. PowerPoint Presentations
8. Website Updates
9. Pre-programming Tweets (so they don’t stop during holidays)
10. Listing new products on Pinterest

We are always open to new ideas so if you have another time-consuming job which is eating into your week, why not get in touch with us to discuss how we can help.

Make The Most Of Your VA While You're On Holiday

By CJVirtualPA
Let your Virtual PA catch up with the (sometimes) boring but necessary stuff while you're away.

Here are some ideas on what you can delegate before you jet off for your well-earned break:

Email Filing
Ask your PA to set up email folders (using easy to recognise names)  Ensure he or she sends you an email just before you return to let you know in which priority you should check them - We would hope that any urgent messages will already have been relayed to you:)

Hard Copy Filing
Much as we would LOVE it if there was absolutely nothing to file in your office, most of us are a long way from that ideal world. If your VA lives close enough to your office, ask him or her to set up new hanging files in your cabinet or file things away in ring-binders ensuring they are clearly and sensibly labelled.

Follow Us

Tweets
Assuming they know your business well enough, your VA could compile a list of tweets for your approval on your return which can then be posted into Hoot Suite who offer a free 30 day trial.

Articles
No better time than when you're away to ask your assistant to carry out research for new articles - unless he or she has lots of other clients to keep happy, they will welcome the change from working on email, invoices, web updates and presentations.

Finally - Plan Ahead!

Newsletter
Have you thought about your next newsletter?  Know how time creeps up on you?  Give your PA a few ideas on what you'd like to be included and he or she can work on some draft paragraphs and source images for you.

Website
Are you going to be launching new services or products when you get back?  Your VA could be putting together advertising material,  creating website updates and earmarking items for your newsfeed.

Important Dates
Have your VA book time with your important clients.  By getting into their calendars early there is less chance you will be asked to re-schedule!

Have you remembered to give your PA a list of family birthdays, anniversaries and other important events? Ensure they're entered into your online calendar and that you get reminders!

Next Holiday
The best thing about returning from vacation is that it will be time to book the next one!
If you're planning on spending Thanksgiving or Christmas away from home, ask your Virtual Assistant to research online and get you the best deal in plenty of time.  Skiworld are a great company if you want some time out on the slopes.

If you delegate these tasks to your VA, you'll not only be able to relax while you're away knowing everything is being taken care of and your clients have a contact in your absence, but you'll also come back to a very well-organised business.

Like to know more? Check our website

How To Get The Best Results From A Virtual PA

How To Get The Best Results From A Virtual PA 

by CJ Virtual PA

Having worked with many types of businesses and people, there is one simple rule to follow if you want to get the best out of your Virtual Assistant and that is CLEAR COMMUNICATION.

If you think about office-bound PAs, there are lots of opportunities for them to coherse with their employers, from the moment they arrive and say good morning, to lapses between meetings, breaks and even during meetings there are ways to quickly establish clear lines of communication.

When working virtually it is sometimes more difficult to understand exactly what your client wants unless they are naturally very good at explaining their expectations and clearly laying out what it is they want.

I always say to my clients words along the lines of "please feel free to call me any time if there is something you think you forgot to mention or would like to add."  That way they know they are not bothering me as I have given them the go ahead to do so.  This is for selfish reasons as I would far rather get the project right first time than go back and start again from the beginning.  

Some people are naturally good talkers - if only all clients were like that!  Others need encouragement and some even need more confidence to be able to say what exactly it is they need in order for the project to work well and for them to feel comfortable with someone who is not sitting opposite them.  It is also a good idea to tell your future VA that if there is anything he or she is not clear about, they should always feel they can check with you.

If you are thinking of hiring a Virtual PA I would recommend an initial meeting if at all possible so that you can put a face to the name and get to know each other a little.  If however you work too far away from each other, this is no big deal but it is even more important to ensure your expectations are made clear and that the VA you choose to work with has the right experience and is capable of managing those expectations!

For example, if you are a business coach and spend a lot of time in training rooms or in meetings with clients, you will need to either lay out in an email what it is you want your Virtual PA to do before you start your day or communicate a time you can call to discuss your requirements.  Failure to do this could otherwise result in you delaying your communication until you finish your day and therefore result in a rush job for your VA, or you could find you suddenly lose your mobile signal when your train enters a tunnel and again, the moment to communicate that all important message is lost.

I would recommend making a couple of notes the night before so nothing is left unsaid during that crucial phone call or email.

Of course once you and your online PA have got used to working together and understand each other's commitments and deadlines, it will get much easier and, as time goes on, become even easier still.

Top Tip:

It is far better at all times to be clear.  If you are undecided on something, save it until you are certain as this will avoid any potentially costly misunderstandings and good luck!