As a business owner or executive, you've likely faced moments when it seems like there simply aren't enough hours in the day to complete everything on your to-do list.
Have you found yourself asking, "Do I need help? Do I need a virtual assistant?" We're here to help you decide.
We've compiled a list of 23 unmistakable signs that it's time to consider hiring a virtual assistant (VA).
Whether you're struggling to keep up with emails, falling behind on important tasks, or feeling overwhelmed by the volume of work, our guide will help you identify when and how virtual assistants can benefit your business and allow you to focus on more essential tasks.
It's Okay to Ask For Help From a Virtual Assistant
There’s this trap some people fall prey to, especially ambitious entrepreneurs, small business owners, and busy professionals.
It goes something like this: You have a great idea or project that could dramatically impact your business, but you keep putting it off for later.
- You think, “If I work hard and fast enough, I can get it all done”.
- You think, “No one can get it done better or faster than I can”.
What usually happens after that is nothing. You keep doing what you are doing, putting things off for later!
News flash!
Sure, you can do it all yourself for a while, but even the best leaders and the most successful business people and entrepreneurs reach out for help at one point or another. It’s not only crucial to the growth and success of your business, but it’s also essential for a happier more balanced work and life.
As the 17th-century English author John Donne once said, “No Man Is an Island”.
It’s just common sense to get help, and most of us know it. Knowing when, how much, and what kind of help will most benefit your business needs is the trick.
In some cases, hiring a full-time employee is a must, but it isn’t always the case. Hiring a person who can work remotely as a virtual assistant might be a better solution. Most virtual assistants can take over your mundane tasks so you can focus on the core tasks only you can do.
If you're asking the question, "Do I need a virtual assistant?" read through the signs below and see what resonates with you.
23 Signs You Need to Hire a Virtual Assistant
Work-Related Signs!
- You’re overwhelmed with administrative tasks.
- You have big ideas for your business but no one to help you implement them.
- You have exciting projects but no time to do them because you’re too busy running your day-to-day business.
- You regularly work 10, 12, or 16 hours a day to keep up with all the work you have but still feel like you are behind.
- You are bogged down with a million tasks that might be more appropriate for another person.
- You have routine tasks and work-related things to do that you hate doing
- You want to spend more time on your core business.
- You work weekends and nights just to keep up with administrative tasks.
- You're spending more than 15 minutes a day scheduling meetings yourself.
You’re Losing Sales And Missing Opportunities
- You are losing sales because you have no up-to-date client and prospect database because you’re too busy to enter the necessary information into your CRM yourself.
- You keep missing deadlines to follow up and missing out on business opportunities.
- You don't have time to spend on social media marketing, digital marketing, and other daily tasks that help your business grow.
Your Happiness Or Lack Of it
- You are stressed out all the time.
- You want to be more productive instead of putting out fires all day long.
- Your work-life balance is suffering.
Signs You Should Hire A Virtual Assistant Over A Physically Present Assistant
- You have a small budget and can’t afford to pay all the operating costs of hiring a personal assistant, executive assistant, or administrative assistant, not to mention their salary which can start at around 35K. More if you live in a metropolitan area like the San Francisco Bay Area. (Virtual assistants cost significantly less than a regular employee)
- You don’t have the office space to house a physical employee.
- The work you want to delegate can be done with remote workers.
- You need someone who can wear many hats and is flexible.
- You don’t want the hassle of providing a computer to a worker.
- You don’t want the hassle of dealing with health insurance, benefits, and all that HR stuff.
- You only need someone to help a few hours a day and can’t find anyone local who can afford to work so little.
- You don’t want the hassle of hiring or training a person. Many VAs are trained in special fields and certain software. For instance, one of the many online tools and software that Prialto's virtual assistants are trained to use is salesforce CRM software.
Read More:
Do You Need a Virtual Assistant?
If you answered yes to just a handful of the signs above then maybe you should consider delegating work outside of your company and find a virtual assistant or at least consider hiring one because if you really want to move forward, you can't keep doing the same thing and expect a different result!
You need a virtual assistant!
The good news is hiring a virtual assistant is much easier than hiring a full-time employee in-house. No daunting HR paperwork to fill out. No month-long time period trying to hire someone. No messy unemployment to deal with. No employee benefits to worry about. Plus you'll save money over full-time employees.
Just hire a trustworthy managed virtual assistant service that can manage all that for you. Any good virtual assistant service will most likely have many virtual assistants who are ready to get started within just a few days.
They really save time and make hiring virtual assistants simple.
Read More: Where to Hire a Virtual Assistant
When to Hire a Virtual Assistant
Okay, you know you need help. But how do you know when it's time to hire a virtual assistant?
Your answer will depend on several factors, and executives and teams of all sizes utilize a VA's skills. Here are some sure signs you need an assistant:
- You're scaling up your company on a budget
- You're spending as much time (or more!) on admin work as you are on your core work
- You're struggling to manage your calendar, inbox, or projects
- You're feeling overwhelmed and burnt out
- You want to streamline your workflows and processes
At the end of the day, any time can be the right time to hire a virtual assistant. As long as you have repeatable tasks you need to tackle, a virtual assistant can help!
Virtual Assistants Make Life Better
Virtual assistants work to make your life easier by taking on essential tasks that are easily delegated but take up too much of your time.
Think of how much time you'll save and business growth you'll experience by letting your virtual assistant handle time-consuming tasks such as:
- Calendar management
- Data entry
- Answering phone calls
- Social media management
- Preparing documents
- Manage your to-do lists
- Email management
- Travel planning
- and many other tasks
So, instead of asking yourself why you need a virtual assistant, maybe you should ask yourself why not hire a virtual assistant?
Need to hire virtual assistants? With Prialto we are a fully managed service and take care of all of the hiring, training, and managing of your assistants to give you more time in your day without the hassle.
Book a call with us today and let's discuss your virtual assistant needs.