Running a business takes up a lot of time and a lot of energy. So sometimes, it helps to have an extra hand. Maybe you’re in denial, still, and think you can do it all on your own. However, take a look at this list below. If any of these ring true, you may want to consider hiring a virtual assistant:
1. You spend too much of your time with busy work.
You find yourself spending a disproportionate amount of time at the post office or cleaning out your Dropbox. You spent the last hour adhering stamps to letters and stuffing envelopes. Is this really the best use of your time? Did you know that someone else could be trusted with these simple (yet important) tasks? Lighten the workload and start delegating!
2. Your social media campaigns could use some attention.
At the end of the day, the last thing on your mind is sending out that tweet. Having a social presence for your business is critical, whether you’re B2B or B2C, but for one reason or another, you fail to make it a priority. Having someone to manage your Facebook page, Twitter account, LinkedIn company page, and other social accounts will help your business stay relevant while being less stressed out about how to properly use a hashtag.
3. You are double booking appointments.
This is a big red flag. If you can’t keep your calendar straight, it’s time to delegate appointment making to someone else. Is there further explanation needed (nope!)?
4. You can’t keep up with your inbox.
The emails keep piling up, and the worst part is, 75% of them aren’t junk—they’re work emails, and they need to be answered ASAP. A virtual assistant can weed out the spam, categorize your emails for you, and answer the ones that you feel comfortable with them answering. Wouldn’t that be nice?
5. You could use an extra eye on those speeches, eBooks, whitepapers, etc.
Maybe, you’re a big picture guy. You aren’t always the best at paying attention to the details, e.g., making sure your commas are in the right place or that that sentence really makes sense outside of your brain. Ask your VA to proofread these documents for clarity; it’ll make that speech or eBook that much more impressive.
6. You want more time so you can attend your kids’ soccer games and spend more time with your spouse.
This kind of goes with #1. If you are spending less time doing that busy work, you’ll be able to prioritize your tasks and still leave sufficient time for your loved ones. This downtime is critical to your health and happiness, so never neglect it.
7. You feel creatively drained.
Innovating is your #1 priority. So at the end of the day, if you can’t feel the creative juices flowing, something is wrong. Maybe it’s time to delegate some of those tasks that you’ve overburdened yourself with to someone else. Make room for creativity—it’s your job!
