TAKE QUIZ: Is Now the Right Time (Or Not) To Hire A Virtual Assistant.
A Tale of Consequences When You Need A Virtual Assistant But Are In Denial.
Let me share a short story with you….
Up until about 8 years ago, I prided myself as being “uber” self-sufficient and handled all aspects of my job alone.
As an introvert who loves checklists and staying organized, it was often gratifying to burrow down in my office, close out the rest of the world, and be able to accomplish work tasks both big and small.
I frequently declined offers of help regardless of the source.
Family, vendors and clients always seemed surprised by just how much I was able to get done as a one-woman-show.
But little did they know that I had become the duck. You know…the duck…the one who appears to be calmly gliding across the lake, but who’s fins are vigorously working underneath to stay afloat.
Yes. That was me. And it was completely exhausting.
THE LIGHTBULB MOMENT
After a year and a half of increasing responsibilities, it dawned on me that just because I could do all the work tasks around me, didn’t mean that I should. I finally admitted to myself and others so much more could be accomplished – and at a higher quality level – if I got some help.
And while intellectually I knew this to be 100% true, I still continued to operate in the same old solo “on steroids” fashion for yet a few more months.
Maybe it was pride? I didn’t want to give up being known as the “doer of all things”.
A little fear? What if I got help and they made mistakes?
Control issues? I believed that I was the only one who knew the work and thus no one else could do it like me.
And finally, why would I pay someone else to do for the business what I could simply do myself.
All of these reasons not to get help and more kept popping up for me which prevented me from taking any action.
In hindsight, I now know that I waited way too long to get the help I needed.
Related Post: Self Reflection Can Make You A Better Leader
By the time my mind and my heart were finally aligned, the consequences of procrastinating were already evident– client service suffered, I had to turn away interesting new business because I was over capacity, and things started to fall between the cracks because there was simply too much going on.
If you are an entrepreneur or small business owner and any of this sounds familiar, you are not alone.
Three Major Benefits Of Getting Help From A Virtual Assistant.
#1:TIME
It was mentioned earlier in the post and it is worth repeating again – Just because you can do the work yourself, doesn’t mean you should.
Many entrepreneurs start and run businesses by themselves and the initial benefits are plentiful.
Not the least of which is intimately knowing all aspects of business operations.
But there is a point in the development of a small business where one person doing all tasks begins to result in diminishing returns.
Bringing on a virtual assistant allows you to assign operational tasks and free up your time for aspects of the business that no one else can do.
This often includes things like speaking engagements (if you are the face of your brand), new client acquisition and strategic planning.
#2:COST
A virtual assistant is probably one of the most cost effective, low stress ways to start building your business team. Particularly if you opt to go the freelance or part-time virtual assistant route.
If getting general administrative support is your priority, hourly rates for high quality assistance are usually very reasonable. (Of course, if your needs include specialized areas such as accounting, large scale project management, etc., then associated rates will be on the higher end).
But still, as the virtual assistant talent pool continues grow, the market it is at a place where there are more virtual assistants than opportunities and rates remain competitive.
It is also worth mentioning that unlike with a regular payroll employee, virtual assistants come with minimal to no overhead expenses. There is no need to pay for employee benefits, workspace, or hardware. Most virtual assistants take care of these items themselves.
#3:PEACE OF MIND
With the right virtual assistant on board, your peace of mind may be the biggest return on investment you receive.
There is immeasurable risk when a business’ ability to generate revenue and service clients depends on a single person. Because if anything happens to that single point, everything crumbles.
A strong virtual assistant can, in many ways, serve as your business contingency resource in addition to their regular responsibilities.
Final Thoughts On Making the Best Decision for Your Business.
If you are still unsure about whether now is the right time to hire a virtual assistant, take our quick quiz. The results will help you make the best decision for your business.
If now is the right time, then be sure to join our How to Boost Your Business With A Virtual Assistant webinar. More details will be shared in the next few weeks. Space will be limited so if you haven’t already done so, be sure to join TheChangeDoc community of movers and shakers to be the first to learn more.
And if now isn’t the right time for your business to hire a virtual assistant, we still encourage you to join the webinar. We will be providing valuable information and tools to support you in finding a great virtual assistant whenever you decide the time is right.
