Outsourcing your Business Processes to a Virtual Assistant: What You Really Need to Know

The truth about finding and working with virtual assistants with No Bullshit

Over the years I’ve seen a lot of information published about outsourcing your business processes to virtual assistants and other virtual professionals. Some of the information is good. A lot of the information isn’t.
There are a lot of reasons why so much of the information about working with virtual assistants sucks. Much of it is generalized, giving just a simple overview with no real detail at all. This type of information tends to be written by virtual professionals looking to expand their client base. It’s a “look at me! I can help you!” tactic. And while the information may be valid, it’s not going to go into much detail about services that particular individual doesn’t provide or delve into how to assess just what traits and experience you may need in your particular situation.
The other type of information is written by other business people selling the dream of getting tasks done while paying the least amount per hour possible. These informational pieces are all about finding your help offshore or on freelance sites where you can choose the lowest bidder. The information shared really doesn’t fit for businesses searching for highly specific or highly qualified assistance with certain aspects of their business.
I’ve found over the years that the majority of businesses don’t benefit much from either one of these types of information. In fact, it doesn’t really help or clarify the situation at all, leaving many people to find themselves in bad virtual assistance situations or standing still with their heads spinning not sure how to proceed. They are lost in an endless loop of bullshit.
Yes, I said it. The majority of the information available about working with virtual assistants is bullshit.
For years I offered the Introduction to Virtual Assistance for Businesses, a short ebooklet with a few basics. Then I was pulled in other directions; teaching a course on working with virtual assistants at Solo Practice University, creating a learning program that would give solid training to new virtual assistants and providing services to my own clients.
In the meantime technology advanced, business changed and so did the information I had to offer. The ebooklet no longer cut it, so I took it down and swore I’d get around to updating it and adding new, more useful information. Information that was based on truly answering questions and giving businesses specific steps to take when considering working with a virtual assistant.
That’s when the No Bullshit Guide to Virtual Assistants for Businesses was born. It started as a simple rewrite but quickly morphed into something a whole lot more. A true guide for businesses looking for the type of assistants that are committed to the success of your business, not former receptionists looking for an easy way to work from home or workers in another country.
This guide leads you from preparation to building a whole team of highly skilled, highly professional virtual assistants. There is even a downloadable workbook that goes along with those steps that will make the entire process a bit easier.
If you thought the type of help your business needs could only be found by hiring employees, think again. Finding and working with individuals with the skills and training does require a different approach than choosing the lowest bidder on a freelance site, but it’s worth the time and effort to build a relationship with someone committed to your business.
So yes, I’m doing a little ‘selly sell’ as Chris Brogan likes to put it. I’m asking you to check out my eBook. But only because I believe it, and the information it provides is different from the rest. I believe it will change the way you think, search for and work with virtual professionals. I believe it will make a difference.
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This is a wonderful post, I still get the impression that some people don’t even think virtual work is a real job or real experience. If you can’t see them, they must not be working, which would probably fall under the category of BS info about virtual assistants.
maria chilson That’s definitely something I address in the book, plus the fact that just because you can see someone at a desk, doesn’t mean they are actually doing work. 🙂 I worked in traditional offices long enough to know that warming an office chair does not necessarily make a productive worker, no matter who can see them.
I have to agree with you here and wish I’d have found your book before. I decided to go through one of the freelance recruitment sites to hire a VA and was matched with someone who’s price was cheap but when it came down to it we had language problems, work was late because of the time difference and things went a bit pear-shaped. I didn’t have enough work to justify hiring a full or part time member of staff, so I felt I still needed to use a VA. I searched the web looking for individuals and companies offering the service but all were quite expensive. A few months ago I came across a company, their prices were good and they have a free consultation so I gave them a call to see if they could do what I needed and they were ticked all the boxes. They’re pretty indispensable to my business as it stands and I’d definitely recommend their services to anyone looking for a VA.