The internet is an amazing platform, you can run an entire business solely through social media, e-mails, and whatever platform you use for invoicing/payment. Did you know, however, that you can also employ a person to assist you with your business? Someone to run “behind the scenes” while you run the front line. By finding a good virtual assistant, a small business owner (or realtor, entrepreneur, etc.) can delegate tasks and focus more on the front lines of his or her business. Here is a compiled list of the top reasons you NEED to hire a virtual assistant.

1. Administrative Tasks

Administrative tasks can be tedious, time consuming, but all around necessary for the success of your business. Regardless of how vital they are, small business owners tend to ignore them until they are piled up so high that you cannot see over the stack. Simple daily tasks become intimidating and seem impossible to accomplish. A virtual assistant can complete these tasks, they can relieve the pressure off of small business owners. Do not rule out anything as a task a virtual assistant cannot complete.

2. Social Media

As a small business owner, Social Media is crammed down your throat. You need to be all over every platform-Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest…the list goes on. The reality is that being everywhere is not possible for a small business, nor is it profitable. It is hard to keep up with the engagement of every platform while running your business and keeping your customers/clients happy. A virtual assistant can take care of the posting and monitoring for you, while you focus on the relationship building aspect of your business.

3. Bookkeeping

Bookkeeping is one of the most important of all the tasks a virtual assistant can help manage. Keeping up with bills, invoices, payroll, and other financial matters is important to small businesses. By hiring a virtual assistant, it can free-up a large amount of your time each week, it can prove to be extremely beneficial to any small business.

4. Less Hassle and Saves Time

Hiring any person involves a tedious cycle of recruiting, interviews, hiring, training, and sometimes firing which can lead to a vicious cycle of repetition until you find the right fit. This cycle is extremely costly and time consuming. It can also have a negative impact on the office environment as well as with your clientele. Hiring a virtual assistant means you are free from payroll worries, offering (and paying for) benefits, finding office space, as well as purchasing and maintaining equipment. As a person, there’s only so many hours in a day. As a business owner, there’s not enough hours in a day. By hiring a virtual assistant and delegating your tasks to them, your day is free to focus on the more productive tasks, engaging with clients/customers, running the front line of your business, or even spend more time with your family and friends. By delegating the small stuff, you give yourself the option to best utilize your freed time.

5. SAVES MONEY

There is a common misconception that virtual assistants are a luxury that can only be afforded by big companies. It is actually the opposite-more freelancers, small businesses, realtors, etc. are hiring virtual assistants as a solution to delegating tasks. The costs of paid vacations, insurance, and other benefits for employees can be astronomical. Virtual assistants are hired as independent contractors/consultants, therefore you do not pay any benefits. This alone, will save you money on labor related expenses. Along with not paying for benefits, you do not pay for coffee breaks, lunch breaks, or any other breaks that employees are required to take each day. A virtual assistant only invoices you for work that is completed, not for hourly and daily time cards.  Consider all of this, not to mention the operational costs-computer, software, and other tools, as well as electricity bill, no commuting, no overtime pay, etc-when you’re deciding between hiring an virtual assistant versus an employee.

A great virtual assistant can be the ultimate difference between a successful and productive business owner versus an overwhelmed and non-productive business owner. By outsourcing administrative, non-core, time consuming tasks through a virtual assistant, small businesses free up more time and can better maximize their business efforts.

Contact Creative Assistants Consulting for more information, hiring an assistant, or to answer questions!

Christine Smith
Administrative Consultant and Owner
Creative Assistants Consulting
https://www.creativeassistantsconsulting.com