| Most small business owners wear many hats: | | | | business. |
| they are the marketing, the accounting, and the | | | | 5. A VA is self employed. There is no need to |
| admin person. Most are home-based and work | | | | pay for benefits, Workman's compensation, |
| from an office in their basement. But at some | | | | Employment Insurance, vacation and sick days or |
| point every business needs outside help. | | | | other expenses associated with traditional in-office |
| There are a few options to consider, like hiring a | | | | employees. |
| full or part-time employee, a temp from an | | | | 6. A VA is a business owner themselves, and |
| agency or ask a family member to help out. | | | | therefore knows the dedication and hard work |
| Hiring, training and housing an employee is not | | | | required to run a successful business. Their |
| viable due to the costly investment required. You'll | | | | ultimate goal is to grow your business, because |
| need to buy more equipment and can you fit | | | | the more you grow the more their business |
| another desk in that corner of the basement? | | | | grows. |
| And with family members, well they are only | | | | So, what is on your to-do list this month? All of |
| helping out, so your business might not be their | | | | those items can add up to 2 or more hours a |
| first priority. | | | | week, and in excess of 10 hours in a month. |
| So what is a small business owner to do? My | | | | However, they are business necessities. But, if |
| suggestion is to hire a Virtual Assistant or a VA | | | | someone was looking after your to-do list, what |
| as they are most often called. | | | | would you do with those extra hours? Attend |
| 1. A Virtual Assistant works on an | | | | more networking events to meet potential |
| as-needed-basis, generally billed by the minute. | | | | clients? Create more products? Spend quality time |
| They use time tracking software, so you will not | | | | with family? |
| be charged for lunch breaks or other personal | | | | How much is your hour worth? Is it the best use |
| activities. | | | | of your time to be retrieving voicemail and e-mail? |
| 2. A VA has a fully equipped home office. There | | | | Is it the best use of your time to be managing |
| is no need to purchase additional office furniture, | | | | your social networking sites, Ezine, submit articles |
| computer equipment and software. You will also | | | | to Websites or typing that non-client/non-revenue |
| not need to pay for repair costs of equipment | | | | generating document? A Virtual Assistant can look |
| and software updates or upgrades. | | | | after all these things for a fraction of the cost |
| 3. VA's have the education and experience in their | | | | and time that it would take you to do it. |
| respective field, so there is minimal training and a | | | | In short, partnering with a Virtual Assistant gives |
| low learning curve. They continuously upgrade | | | | you more time to get the important things done |
| their skills, without any additional costs to you. | | | | and generate more revenue. Focusing on the |
| 4. VA's have an extensive support network. They | | | | Tasks that you are excellent at versus the ones |
| are well connected with a network of other | | | | that you are "so-so" at is the key to ultimate |
| Virtual Assistants who are always ready to | | | | success both in your business and in your life. Is it |
| answer questions about almost any topic that can | | | | high time that you hire a partner in your business? |
| come up in the day-to-day running of your | | | | |