Chances are you’ve heard the phrase “freelance virtual assistant” at one point or another, but many business owners may not fully grasp what the role can be or the benefits it can offer. In this short article, we’ll define what a freelance virtual assistant is, the types of services they provide, what they can do to help streamline your business operations, and how to find the right VA for you. Interested in learning more about why and how to hire a freelance virtual assistant? Let’s dive in.
What is a Freelance Virtual Assistant?
A freelance virtual assistant is a remote independent contractor who provides operational administrative support for your business, typically on a flexible hours basis. Virtual assistants are often the ideal choice for small businesses, entrepreneurs, solopreneurs, and busy professionals who need support with the non-core tasks running a business requires that they don’t have time for or lack the skillset to complete themselves.
Now that we have answered the question about what a virtual assistant is, it’s time to discuss the types of virtual assistants and the services they can provide.
Common Freelance Virtual Assistant Roles
If you’re looking to hire a freelance virtual assistant, there are three main categories available for you to consider: generalists, specialists, and executive assistants. Generalist VAs have a host of administrative skills and can complete a variety of tasks. Specialist VAs can also complete a variety of administrative tasks but also choose to focus on one or two areas such as marketing, bookkeeping, or an industry. Executive assistants or EAs are typically more experienced in providing higher-level, professional administrative support for the executives of a business
Below we dive into four of the top service categories and skills that VAs can provide for your business.
4 Popular Focuses for Freelance Virtual Assistant Support:
Administrative Support
- Admin operational tasks (answering phones, email management, contact management, etc.)
- Calendar management and appointment scheduling
- Meeting coordination
- Travel planning
- Internet research
- Template-based communications
- Transcription
- And more
Data Entry:
- Obtaining and organizing data
- Data entry into data management systems (e.g. CRM)
- Pulling reports from systems
- And more
Bookkeeping:
- Financial recordkeeping
- Data entry into bookkeeping systems
- Expense management
- Invoicing and payment processing
- And more
Marketing Support
- Social media administration
- Copyediting
- Posting prepared content to the website
- Newsletter support and administration
- And more
Though these are some of the most common skillsets sourced, VA offerings can expand beyond those listed above.
Virtual Assistant Benefits and How to Choose the Right One for You
Freelancers offer a variety of benefits by providing essential operational support and the flexibility to scale up and down more cost-effectively.
To recap a few of the major benefits of using a freelance virtual assistant:
- Increased productivity to get more done
- Ability to focus on the high-value core work of your business
- Access to skills you need, for just the time you need those skills
- Reduced labor costs and expenses
- Increased flexibility
When choosing to hire a freelance virtual assistant, you should begin by first considering the tasks that you need to outsource, the skills that you need, the level of expertise, and the rates that you are willing to pay in exchange for the value you’ll receive. Identifying the core vs. non-core work can help streamline delegation.
When it comes time to search, you can find resources on your own through an online job platform. When taking the do-it-yourself approach, it’s important to be clear on your needs, read reviews, and check references before hiring someone. While taking a DIY approach can seem tempting, it can also take your time and focus away from business growth initiatives, often requiring a significant upfront time investment and can ultimately cost you more if the resource doesn’t work out.
The second approach involves partnering with a recruitment service. Outsourced recruiting solutions help you clearly define your needs and mitigate hiring risks and mistakes by eliminating the guesswork. Recruiting services do the work for you: they assist with building job descriptions, offer expert advice, and find and interview candidates based on your specific needs.
Find a Virtual Assistant with ResultsResourcing
Working with freelance VA talent can help you deliver the service your customers have come to expect from you, and ResultsResourcing works to give you a choice of freelancers best-matched for your business with satisfaction guaranteed.
ResultsResourcing’s On-Demand Virtual Assistant Talent Service matches you with a virtual assistant or EA from our talent pool of US-based, pre-vetted freelancers, typically in about 24-48 hours so you can get the help you need. On-Demand teams are skilled in a range of business services, so you can add support in various expertise areas, as you need it. Easy, fast, flexible, and your satisfaction is guaranteed.
Ready to learn more? Book a discovery call to learn how ResultsResourcing can find the right virtual assistant for your needs. Ready to jump right in and hire a virtual assistant? Register for free on our platform to begin your search!
