“Trying to do it all is overwhelming,” said the e-mail in my inbox.
Yep, it is.
The lawyer who sent the e-mail asked about finding a way to get things done. He just started his practice about nine months ago, and he’s getting really busy.
“What is a cheap way to shift the support functions?” he asked. Even via e-mail, I could hear the panicky tone. He’s drowning.
He wants some help.
My answer?
Hire a virtual assistant. Hold off on hiring an employee until you’ve got the steady revenue to support the addition.
What Is a Virtual Assistant?
The key elements of “virtual assistant” are:
- “Virtual,” meaning the person works remotely. You’ll communicate via e-mail, instant message, and audio/voice. You don’t have to house the person, and he or she is usually an independent contractor rather than an employee.
- “Assistant,” meaning he or she gets your stuff done. It can be anything from clerical and transcription to accounting and marketing or even legal work.
Typically, you pay by the hour or by the task. Arrangements vary, and you might commit to a particular minimum fee or simply pay for the time/services you use.
The assistant is often highly motivated as the owner of his or her own business and wants to keep you happy in order to get the next service request.
I’m a big fan of the virtual assistant concept.
Here’s what I like:
- You can tightly control your expenses.
- You’re forced by the limited communication to develop your systems.
- You can find the right assistant for the right task. No need to use a generalist.
You have little to lose in trying out a virtual assistant. It’s a worthy experiment.
Where to Find a Virtual Assistant
You can find a virtual assistant with a Google search or on Craigslist. It’s easier (but more expensive) to use an agency. We’ve had good luck with these:
These agencies match you up with the right person for your specific use case. Use my name with these folks, and you may get some benefit (or maybe I’ll get some benefit).
What You Need to Know Before Hiring a VA
I’ve written quite a bit on this topic previously, especially on the tendency to hire early. Wait. There is a specific number that tells you when you need to hire help. In fact, I talk about that number all the time.
Virtual assistants can provide a broad range of services. Here’s a link to my article explaining a few of the ways we’re using virtual assistants. Here’s a long list of other things we’ve outsourced.
At its core, using a virtual assistant is simply delegating work. Delegation is a skill. As usual, nothing goes exactly as planned. That’s why Delegation Won’t Save You Time…Initially. Here’s my article 10 Tips to Help You Delegate Work.
I wanted the inside scoop on VAs, so I interviewed Andrea Cannavina on this podcast. She runs LegalTypist and provides the services we’re discussing. It’s interesting to hear things from the other side.
The most helpful virtual assistant advice I’ve found is by Jeff Widman. His post How to Hire And Work With a Virtual Assistant is fantastic. Keep in mind that even virtual assistants have to be managed. Here are 13 Easy Ways to Make Your Assistant Happy.
Trying to do it all is overwhelming. You don’t need to take it all on yourself. When the time and the money are right, bring in a virtual assistant to ease your load. That’ll free up time for you to focus on the highest-value activity.
