18 Tasks You Should Give Your Virtual Assistant Today!

If I had a £1 for every time I was asked this question, I’d be retiring at the age of 35!

It is such a common thing amongst small business owners to know they need help but not have a clue as to what they want help with, what they can hand over and what a Virtual Assistant can actually take on.

The first thing I tell my clients is to spend 1 week writing down all of the tasks they complete on a daily basis. At the end of the week go through the list and highlight in Red all of the tasks that have to be done by them. Then highlight in orange the tasks they actually really enjoy doing. Everything left on the list is what they start to pass my way.

The truth is a Virtual Assistant can support you by doing anything that doesn’t physically have to be done by you.

Most VA’s won’t/don’t work ‘onsite’ however if they are local and you build a good relationship with them, they may make exceptions and agree to work from site, or visit on a regular basis.

Virtual Assistants are self-employed and therefore they will dictate when and where they work to meet their deadlines, so it is essential that you find someone who fits with you and your business, someone who understands your needs and your goals so they can work with you to achieve them.

Every Virtual Assistant will have their own speciality and niche, from web support, Social Media management, property management, HR, Finance, Bookkeeping, etc. The list really is endless.

Personally I specialise in the more traditional PA style tasks. I love to organise people and keep them accountable to their goals. I can be tough but ultimately I have my clients’ best interests at heart.

So still need inspiration?

Here’s 18 tasks that you can consider outsourcing:

1 – Data Entry – such a simple task but so time consuming. Why spend your precious time doing it when you can get someone else to do it?

2 – Research – whether this is market research for a new venture or narrowing down your bucket list into a realistic plan.

3 – Setting up electronic filing systems – Even in this digital world out filing can still be chaotic.

4 – Preparing Training Material – Your mind is spinning with all of your ideas, documents, work examples – why not dump that on someone else to make sense of it all for you?

5 – Travel Planning – comparing prices and facilities can take an age. You know where you want to go and what you want to do/see, why not leave the finer details like car hire, transfers, meeting venues etc to your new VA?

6 – Documents, Formatting, Reports – You have the facts and figures, let your new VA make it presentable for your next meeting.

7 – Creating and Managing Spreadsheets – From tracking sales/engagement or even your team’s annual leave or training completion – your VA has you covered.

8 – Type up Policies, Procedures and Manuals – You’re starting to grow and you’re taking on your first few team members. Let your VA put together an employee handbook to keep everything clear and organised.

9 – Recruitment Admin – Save the costs of using agencies by asking your VA to upload vacancies, screen applicants, complete telephone interviews and complete all relevant paperwork.

10 – Letter writing – Do we even write letters in this day and age? Using templates to send client correspondence or respond to enquiries, your VA can pick this up for you.

11 – Email Management – Daily monitoring, screening, filtering, categorising and responding to incoming mail. Leaving you to focus on the high priority correspondence.

12 – Ordering supplies – As a Small Business Owner, it is unlikely you will have an Office Manager to do this for you but why do it yourself? Set your VA up with the authorisation to order on your behalf.

13 – Create Forms – Whether you require hard copies or digital completion, your VA can sort this for you.

14 – Follow up on quotes or enquiries on your behalf

15 – CRM Database Management – Importing your new contacts, setting up newsletters, email campaigns, landing pages and keeping you GDPR compliant.

16 – Diary Management – If your business requires a large amount of meetings, training sessions, face to face or online appointments, let your VA manage your time, arrange venues, transport, accommodation, refreshments, manage incoming requests and ensure you still have time set aside for other tasks or family time.

17 – Log expenses – Whether you use an app like Quickbooks or you still have a traditional log book and box of receipts, let your VA get it ‘Accountant Ready’ for your end of year returns.

18 – Event Planning and Coordination – You have a vision, an idea, a passion, you focus on the details, the content and let your VA bring it all together, venues, decorations, music, food, invites, staffing, your VA can manage the lot.

BONUS TASK!

I know I said 18 ideas but what can I say, I love to over deliver…

19 – Not everything has to be business related. Many of my clients have requested a number of more personal tasks to be completed. From arranging extra curricular activities for the children to arranging a surprise going away party for a loved one. I’ve even been asked to make and chase up on a complaint following a bad experience at a spa with a family member.

This list of possible tasks is by no means set in stone, whatever you need, I can guarantee there is a VA out there with the skill and experience you need to get it done.

So many of these tasks can be considered ‘quick jobs’ so why pass them over when you can get them done yourself?

Well, let me ask you, how many ‘quick jobs’ do you complete each day? 5? 10? Now add up that time – 6 x 10 minute jobs per day, that’s 1 hr per day, 5 hours per week, 21.5 hours per month, 260 hours per year. Just imagine what you could achieve in that time. How much higher would your income be? How much further along would your business be?

Only you can decide what that time means to you. What’s it worth?

If you have any questions at all or would like to discuss your needs, please complete the enquiry form. I would love to make your life just that little bit easier.

If you are interested in my Virtual Assistant Services or Accountability Coaching Programme, you can contact me here. Also, don’t forget to like me on Facebook.

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