Advisors: Consider a virtual assistant

Do you ever wish you could bring in a “to-the-rescue” assistant to help with an overload of work or long wish list of marketing activities?

More and more firms, including ours, have hired virtual assistants to help with everything from special projects to longer-term tasks. The first reaction I get, however, when I mention a virtual assistant is, “Does that really work? How do you know if they’re actually doing work?”

You actually have more control over a virtual assistant than actual employees. You will pay anywhere from $10 to $40 per hour to get very specific work done. You can manage them based on results, and if work is not getting done, you move on. These virtual assistants specialize in administrative tasks like scheduling client review appointments and sending out email newsletters or mailings, all the way to helping with prospecting, research, sales, marketing support and social media data mining. Here are some examples.

• Sales Support 360: For a firm of virtual assistants that can help you grow your business with prospecting and sales support
• Ann Place: For an individual virtual assistant that can help you with scheduling your calendar and other admin and marketing tasks
• International Virtual Assistants Association: For an association of virtual assistants where you can search for just what you need

Note: To have a successful working arrangement between you and a virtual assistant, you need to be organized enough to delegate and communicate. And that requires a little bit of time set aside on your calendar to set up your assistant to succeed. The good news is – you may finally get that work done that has been hindering your ability to grow.