Virtual Assistant Task List
The term Virtual Assistant is so overused that it’s almost misunderstood. Not only can it be used as a job description, but it can be used to describe an entire industry of people that provide professional services from a remote location. And, to add to the confusion, those services can spam the spectrum from the most basic of tasks to the most complicated. So, how do you even begin to explain what it means to be a Virtual Assistant let alone how to begin to figure out how to find one when you need one?
So, what EXACTLY are Virtual Assistants doing for business owners?
Well, the answer to that varies, but there are some great examples I can give from my own experiences. Here are 3 real life examples from my life as a Virtual Assistant that only needed basic computer skills, solid organization skills, and the ambition to get the job done. These are only a few of the many things a VA can do, but these are a great way to show actual examples actual client projects that were assigned to me and successfully completed. Click HERE or on the image above to download a more comprehensive list of several more examples of tasks that can be handled by a Virtual Assistant.
Travel Management
I had a client who was moving in with his fiancée and they were both very busy executives. Each had a one bedroom apartment and were in the process of moving in together into a 2 bedroom apartment in New York. So, they hired me to compile a list of their belongings, the dates that they wanted to move, logistics of their buildings and the one they were moving into (elevators, stairs, etc) and a few other details that needed be communicated to everyone involved. The next step was to contact a few moving companies for quotes and availability. I let them know their choices and they directed me which one to use. Together we finalized details, but I was the one doing all of the calling, organizing and follow up. Then, from 1,000 miles away and all over the phone, I organized it all and made sure it all played out the way the clients wanted. They paid me per hour and it all worked out really well.
I have made several moves personally over the last few years, so just my life experience and ability to stay organized and be one step ahead was enough to help them complete their move seamlessly and this busy couple was able to focus on work and not on the details of their move. This experience led me to create my Featured Service - Moving Coordinator which I now offer to clients on a regular basis.
Proofreading
I’m a writer and I kept a blog about my experience being a new mom for five years before becoming a Virtual Assistant, so using that knowledge, I can now offer myself as a Blog Assistant. For me, proofreading and blog management is a way that I can help clients who are managing their own blogs. Right now I have a client who sends me her content and I spend time proofreading it so she can post a more polished version. I offer hourly packages and keep track of how much time it takes me to edit each project.
Proofreading is also helpful for so many other types of clients, there are many professionals who like to have a second set of eyes on their work before they make it public. So, if you have a good command of the English Language and have basic typing and editing skills, you can turn proofreading into a service that you offer.
Data Entry
People that own and run a small business wear so many hats and it always seems that there is never enough time to get it all done. So, it is common to need an extra set of hands to tackle the more menial work so they can focus their time on the bigger business at hand.
Recently, I had a client send me over 200 business cards and had me create a spreadsheet of all the information on the cards. After entering all of that information into a spreadsheet, this business owner has a new list of hot leads to work on to grow his business.
What may seem like a tedious and boring task allowed a business owner the opportunity to reach out more easily to 200 leads that needed follow up.
Another client wanted to switch platforms and was finding that the 800 emails she had saved on one of them were not going to be easily migrated to the other. She needed someone to manually retype all of these emails to make her business continue to run smoothly. But, she also has a business to run and had no time to do tasks like that without having to take time away from the actual client work that she depended on to earn her living. So, she hired me to copy and paste each email. It took me about 8 hours in total, but she was happy to pay someone to do it because it meant that 800 client emails were now accessible on her new platform which meant more business for her. The investment in hiring a VA to complete tasks like this can mean huge payoffs for business owners.
Sometimes what seems like unimportant or boring tasks to some can mean a major difference to a small business owner who is running their own show. Every business has to deal with the small things, but often business owners outsource the basic tasks to get more done in day without hiring more staff. Hiring a VA to tackle these tasks means paying only for productivity and not health insurance, FICA, office supplies, computers, supplies, etc and can be more financially reasonable. In the end, it leads to growing the business and gaining more clients.
I didn’t need to be too tach savvy for any of these tasks, and these are just a few examples of how a Virtual Assistant can support business owners and working professionals. A Virtual Assistant can help with just about anything.
Well, I can’t bring you coffee, but I can arrange to have some delivered!
