Behind the Scenes: What does it look like to work with a virtual assistant?
PICTURE THIS: you wake up to the birds chirping on Saturday morning and not to an alarm like you normally do on the weekdays. You get out of bed and make yourself some breakfast, and get ready for the day. All of a sudden, you get a text from a friend asking if you want to go out for lunch; of course you want to say yes but all the tasks that need to get done for your business looms over your head. You say that you need to check to make sure everything is done for the back end of your business before you agree to anything. You log on to your computer to see that all your emails were already answered for the week, your social media posts for the next week were already created and scheduled to be posted, and your weekly newsletter was written and being scheduled to be sent off on Monday. You close your laptop, text your friend and say that you are all good to do that lunch date. You got to spend your Saturday the way YOU wanted to all because you hired a virtual assistant to help you with these tasks.
So how exactly did you do to get to this point? Let’s talk about it!
If you are anything like me, you like to do your research before making any investment decisions. You want to make sure that whatever you’re investing in- a new car, new tech, travel itinerary- gives you the best quality for the best price. Investing in a virtual assistant should be no different, friend!
To invest in a virtual assistant, it’s important to know more about the process of working with one. I can’t speak for every virtual assistant’s process, but I CAN give you an example of how mine works!
Initial Communication
You are thinking you would love to hire a virtual assistant AND you’ve done the research and you think you’ve found a virtual assistant that you might connect with. YAY! The first step you would take is to reach out through Instagram DM or submit an inquiry through their website. You’ll fill out a short contact form with some general information about your business and services you are looking for. Not long after, the virtual assistant will send an intake questionnaire through your very own client portal through a site like Honeybook. This questionnaire will ask you to dig a little deeper and elaborate on your specific needs. It will help the virtual assistant be fully prepared for when you meet face to face on a discovery call.
Discovery Call
This is likely the first time you’re meeting your VA and getting to chat face to face. So exciting! Your VA will lead the 30-60 minute meeting, asking questions about your business. You’ll discuss business struggles, short and long-term goals, budget, timing, as well as specific services you require. The discovery call is a great opportunity for you to ask questions and determine if this person is the right fit for your business.
Proposal, Contract, & Invoice
After the call, you’ll receive three things through the same client portal. All three of these documents will be sent together for you to read and complete them at your own pace. The proposal will detail all of the services with the timing discussed during the discovery call, as well as the package price. Some virtual assistants do hourly pay while others (like myself) do pay based off of package price. This is the time to contact your VA if you have questions, concerns, or would like to make changes to anything! If you’re happy with everything, you can sign the contract and pay the invoice. Once you’ve done that, you’ll be sent a link to schedule your kick-off call.
Kick-Off Call
To start your project off on the right foot, you and your VA will have a kick-off call. This is where you will give your VA access to the appropriate accounts (like email or social media) and discuss specifics about what tasks they will be completing the first week as new partners. Then they’re off, working hard to complete your to-do list! The only thing left is to have check-ins!
Weekly and Monthly Check-Ins
Of course, you can contact your VA whenever you need to. But weekly and monthly check-ins are a perfect way to stay connected and ensure everything is progressing as planned. During monthly calls, you can discuss projects, identify areas of improvement, and walk through new goals or services to grow your business even more.
Now that you know exactly what it looks like to work with a virtual assistant like me, if you have any more questions about the process or services, feel free to reach out!
I’d love to chat!
