Archives for February 2022

Employ Virtual Administrators: Prices, Tasks, Benefits

February 2022

Running a business necessitates the management of a vast number of small components in order for everything to run smoothly. Administratively, midsize and large businesses have employed administrative assistants to handle much of the chores since this is out of small company owners’ means.

Today, though, it is not necessary to pay someone to work from your office, as virtually all admin tasks may be done remotely. Hiring a virtual admin costs far less than employing a regular office assistant, making this option available to even small business owners. Furthermore, there are several other advantages with this approach.

How Much Does a Virtual Admin Cost?

Virtual admin workers are among the least costly of virtual employees because their activities are generally straight forward. However, depending on variables like language expertise and experience, they may charge varied fees.

As a result, you should budget at least $10 per hour for virtual admins from the United States and other English-speaking nations, although the average fee is between $12 and $25. Virtual admin fees begin at around $6 for those with little expertise.

You may anticipate somewhat higher costs if you hire a virtual admin through an agency. This is due to the fact that you will get more services and advantages as part of the bargain. For example, you might have access to special tools, it’s conceivable that having another virtual assistant would help, and someone else may be able to fill in for your regular administrative assistant in the event of an emergency, for example.

What Administrative Tasks Can You Delegate?

A virtual administrative assistant can perform any task that does not require a physical presence in the office. The majority of activities fit into these categories.

Routine Office Tasks

Delegating any office work that has nothing to do with your job title is acceptable. Administrative assistant duties such as inbox management, purchasing presents, customer service, and formatting papers are examples of this.

Office Management

A virtual admin may control your office and employees as well. Your virtual admin assistant, for example, might deal with financial activities like invoices, payroll, and expense reports, as well as oversee initiatives.

Scheduling

Executive assistants with prior experience can assist you in improving your productivity by optimizing your schedule. Your virtual admin will understand your routines and working style in order to develop a calendar that will keep you organized and on track. If you must travel for work, your virtual administrative assistant may also handle all the arrangements.

Communication

Administrative support includes all of your contact with clients, employees, coworkers, and suppliers. Your virtual admin can take phone calls, answer emails, and proofread important communications.

Research

Research is a time-consuming job that should be outsourced. Whatever your company does, you’ll almost certainly have some research needs. For example, a virtual admin might keep track of what your competitors are up to (what product they’re selling, what new services they’ve introduced, and even which social media posts are getting interaction).

Virtual assistant may also analyze consumer patterns in your industry as a whole, discover new possibilities for your company, and even determine the best layout for a new sort of document.

You’ll get all kinds of administrative services, as you can see. These are simply a few of the examples of administrative assistance that you’ll receive. A virtual admin

Benefits of Hiring a Virtual Admin

Of course, you may complete all of the above or delegate it to your staff or employees. Hiring a virtual admin, on the other hand, might be beneficial.

Spend Less

You’ve previously seen how much a virtual admin might cost you. But how does that compare to performing the task in-house? It’s certainly less than paying for a full-time assistant, as you may hire a virtual admin for just a few hours each week.

However, you may believe that having a virtual administrator will cost more than collaborating with your teammates, after all, it’s another expense. When you consider the amount of time you’ll save, you’ll definitely be saving money.

You’ll save money on training expenses. Although you will need to train your virtual admin, this consists of simply instructing him or her how you want each activity done and providing information specific to your company. Virtual admins continue to enhance their skills on their own timetable.

Focus on Your Specialty

Every member of your team has a vital role to play and administrative work takes away from that goal. Many admin duties are tedious and lack any talent. They’re not only disheartening, but they’re also a waste of your time in terms of how essential they may be.

Customer support and project management are examples of occupations that need some skill. In these situations, an expert admin assistant may be able to achieve the task at a higher level than you can.

Finally, handing off these chores makes it simpler to stay focused. Your virtual administrative assistant may handle requests from customers for assistance. If a supplier needs to postpone an appointment, your virtual admin can schedule the best time for you and even manage all of the communication.

You’ll also never need to worry about inventory, getting the best rate on a hotel, ensuring that your employees are paid on time, and so much more because you’ll be able to focus entirely on one thing at a time. You will not have to deal with other concerns that might arise while you’re multitasking.

Another method to save money is to cut back on office space and resources. To do the task, your virtual admin must locate a location with a fast internet connection and buy all of the equipment needed.

Take a Break

Taking time off occasionally is essential to avoid burnout. There’s no need to be concerned about your company crumbling while you’re gone with a virtual admin. Someone will handle all of the below-the-line responsibilities, and your virtual administrative assistant can even notify you if there are any critical issues that develop.

Who Should Consider Hiring a Virtual Admin?

A virtual admin assistant can help any company, no matter how big or little. The likelihood is that you’ll need a virtual admin in the future. This is especially true if you’re a:

  • A small business owner: To add to your workload, admin chores should be avoided. Allow yourself more time to focus on going up another level in your company.
  • Entrepreneur: Experience the thrill of establishing your own firm without having to deal with the tedious details.
  • Executive: You have far too much time on your hands to waste it on menial administrative work.
  • Sales professional: Every minute you spend on admin may be time spent converting clients.
  • E-commerce seller: Find someone to handle all of the menial details of selling online, such as data entry and order management.
  • Blogger: With administrative assistance for tasks you find difficult, you may turn blogging into a full-time job.

Consider if any of the following scenarios apply to you to help decide whether a virtual admin is the best solution for you:

Productivity at Your Company Is Suffering

Whether you bring your job home with you or your team on a regular basis, productivity is lower than anticipated. You must take action to enhance efficiency in the face of this problem. Admin duties can be reduced (or at the very least eliminated) to free up time for your staff to complete all of their tasks — and give you lots of extra time, too.

Hiring Another Employee Would Be Too Expensive

A virtual admin may be outside your budget, but a virtual admin is still reasonable. It’s not necessary to delegate all of your administrative responsibilities right away; simply select the ones that consume the most of your time or even those you despise the most.

As your business grows, you’ll see that you’re saving money because your staff is more productive, and you’ll have more time to focus on important matters.

Your Workload Varies

There’s no need to pay a virtual admin for the same number of hours every week. Many virtual admin assistants are adaptable and may work on an as-needed basis. If you have less work one week, you can let your virtual admin assistant work fewer hours.

On the other side, if you have less time than usual to conduct basic business activities, simply request that your assistant pick up more hours. This is something only outsourcing can accomplish.

Virtual administrators are so useful since they can do nearly all tasks. Virtual assistants come in a wide range of skills, experience levels, and pricing, ensuring that you can discover the ideal match for your needs, whether you’ve been in business for years or just started a new firm.

At Veta virtual, you may discover your virtual admin. Our VAs are reasonably priced, capable of handling a wide range of responsibilities, and available to work for the hours you choose. To discuss your requirements in further detail, schedule a consultation with us.

Based in Toronto - serving all of US and CANADA

Why After Hours Answering Service Boosts Sales?

February 2022

An after-hours answering service guarantees that your consumers will have someone to talk to after your company closes for the day. Having a 24-hour answering service offers a number of advantages, including significantly enhanced sales rates.

Customers will appreciate the fact that they can always contact someone, whether it’s to ask a question or purchase a product. An answering service may help you improve your sales in this article, we’ll explain exactly how.

After-Hours Answering Services Give a Personal Touch

One of the most appealing aspects of a responsive after-hours customer service is that it allows your consumers to talk to a person. Customers almost always choose to converse with a human rather than an automated answering system, according to marketing research.

Even if the responding service takes only a message, speaking with a real person leaves your client in a better state than before they called. you can also use receptionist services for after-hour answering.

Every time a consumer calls your firm and speaks with a genuine person, they have the opportunity for a mutually beneficial customer service encounter. This is extremely useful in sales since customer emotions and sentiments are frequently decisive in determining whether or not they will buy something.

After meeting a consumer, they will come away feeling as if your firm genuinely cares about them. The personal touch enhances your company’s reputation. Customers will perceive you as a trustworthy and reliable friend rather than an impersonal business.

24 Hour After-hours Assistance Allows Sales to Continue Working

A responsive answering service might help you sell more. Not all businesses will provide the types of services that allow for late-night purchases. However, if your call center has consumers who place straightforward and basic orders, it may be able to take orders after hours.

Customers with questions regarding refills or placing orders may be able to get assistance from highly skilled customer support representatives.

You can use this to boost your sales volume right now. Customers have more alternatives for making purchases, resulting in increased sales volumes. After-hour answering services allow clients to purchase whenever it is most convenient for them, you can use virtual assistant for this case.

When a client is contemplating ordering from you, your answering service can finalize the transaction. A customer who can only do business at unusual hours may pick to work with you rather than your rivals since your firm is accessible to take orders at the proper moment.

Customers Can Get Access to a lot of Information From the After Hours Call Center

A responsive answering service allows you to give a script for agents to learn. Agents have many chances to assist consumers after learning your script.

Customers may have concerns about your products that they would want to discuss with a representative, and this may result in additional purchases. Your answering service can inform consumers about things like order volume, product color, delivery time, special offers, and more.

After interacting with an virtual receptionist, a potential customer is more likely to place an order. Customers can still be motivated to buy after-hours answering services are not generally staffed with salespeople, even though they are not always staffed with salespeople.

A customer who is undecided about the size of product they require may get useful information from the after-hours call center, for example. This might cause them to place an order online right away, allowing you to make sales without ever opening your doors.

After Hours Answering helps Schedule Call Backs

An answering service may keep track of customers that try to contact you after hours. You may then utilize these logs to follow up with interested consumers. The answering service can take a message or schedule another call for clients who wish to talk with a certain employee.

In today’s world, when the majority of individuals will not pick up their phone unless they know who’s on the other end, this is crucial to your company.

Customers may not always inquire about a second call, but the answering service can still notify you if someone is thinking about buying your product. This allows your skilled salespeople to call back later and close the deal.

Callbacks may improve sales rates, according to studies. By calling a customer multiple times, you ensure that your company comes to mind when they are looking for a product.

Based in Toronto - serving all of US and CANADA

Important Skills for Executive Assistants

February 2022

There’s no way an executive can accomplish everything on their own. It’s not just that the workload is too much for one person to handle; it’s also the fact that some of your responsibilities may well fall outside of your skill set or be a waste of your time and this is especially true in administrative work.

To address this issue, most companies hire administrative assistants to handle the bulk of corporate paperwork, freeing up executives for more important tasks that require your time and attention.

However, in order for the investment to be worthwhile, you must pick someone who is able to complete a variety of jobs as well as keep up with your fast progress. As a result, seek for someone who has executive assistant abilities and qualities.

What Is an Executive Assistant?

To begin, what is the role of an executive assistant? Because no two executives need the same things, this is flexible. Executive assistants give high-level administrative and other types of assistance to whomever they work for. Communication with clients, conducting research, receptionist duties, and even personal errands are all possible options.

Although the responsibilities of an executive assistant are comparable to those of a personal assistant, they are quite different. A personal assistant assists with just about any business professional. An executive assistant, on the other hand, only works with executives. Because it implies that an experienced executive assistant has a knowledge of company conditions and can deliver more specialized help, this is a level up from a personal assistant.

An executive assistant must possess a variety of key talents and qualities in order to carry out his or her responsibilities.

1. Communication Skills

Communication is the most important attribute for an executive assistant. An executive assistant must be able to communicate with coworkers, subordinates, customers, suppliers, and anybody else who has contact with the executive. This includes both written and verbal communication.

The executive assistant must be able to communicate a message in clear and concise terms to prevent confusion, act in a professional manner while representing the executive, and maintain positive working relationships with other personnel.

Many executives’ executive assistants spend a lot of time on writing letters and memos. Even if the assistant only produces drafts, the text must be error-free, grammatically correct, and punctuated properly to cut down on the amount of work left for the executive.

When it comes to oral communication, the executive assistant should be fluent in both speaking and listening, particularly when dealing with client issues or complaints.

2. Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence is a key component of effective communication, in addition to numerous other responsibilities. A good emotional intelligent executive assistant understands how people are feeling from paying attention to non-verbal cues. This data is utilized by the assistant to tailor a message appropriately.

3. Organizational Skills

Executive assistants cannot keep up unless they have excellent organizational abilities. Executive assistants must handle two calendars: their own and their employer’s. These should be in sync, free of double bookings, and (in the case of the executive’s calendar) accommodate personal commitments and preferences.

An executive assistant must be able to prioritize and rearrange items as soon as a new development arises. Organized assistants have a personalized system and a neat workplace (both physical and digital).

An executive assistant who claims to be a multitasker, on the other hand, is a big warning. Almost no one can multitask and any assistant that tries will almost certainly fail, resulting in substandard work, errors, and productivity.

4. Time-Management Skills

Organizational skills are only useful if executive assistants also know how to manage their time. Your executive assistant should be aware of how much time each activity takes and learn to adjust if your working style differs from what he or she is used to.

Executive assistants should also be able to keep track of their time and avoid being lured by diversions or procrastination.

5. Discretion

It’s only worthwhile hiring an executive assistant if you can trust them with confidential information. Over time, seasoned executive assistants should be able to perfect discretion.

They know who to talk with and when to seek permission from their employer, thanks to years of experience working for successful individuals. An executive assistant that participates in office chatter or displays anything less than total professionalism at work is more likely to be indiscreet.

6. Tech Skills

It’s tough to be tech-savvy in today’s business climate, and this holds true for every sector. Your executive assistant should be familiar with the most popular tools and software for project management, office communication, event preparation, and contact information storage at a bare minimum.

If you want to use any program the assistant isn’t already familiar with, make sure your executive assistant can pick up how to use it fast.

7. Passion for Learning

Ideally, your executive assistant should be interested in learning a lot more than just about technology. A dedication to gaining new abilities and fine-tuning current ones will enable your executive assistant to keep up with your ever-changing demands and support you over time.

8. Positivity

Positive energy is significantly more pleasant to be around. Because the optimism will extend beyond you and your company, it’s critical that your executive assistant projects confidence. Other workers will feel welcome and optimistic, which makes them more creative, productive, and innovative.

Executive assistants who can maintain their optimism in the face of adversity are an asset to any company. Because work as an executive may be stressful, even with the greatest support, maintaining a good attitude is crucial. When there are substantial issues to address or tight deadlines to fulfill, an executive assistant that stays cool can make a significant impact.

9. Diplomacy

The greatest executive assistants aren’t simply there to support you during your toughest times: they actively participate in managing your difficulties. They are excellent negotiators who know how to deal with the most difficult circumstances in a diplomatic way so that everyone is satisfied.

Most significantly, though, they utilize their negotiation abilities to assist their bosses in obtaining what they desire.

10. Teamwork Skills

You’ll need an executive assistant who can collaborate with you and others at your firm on a wide range of projects. This necessitates excellent teamworking abilities, including the ability to manage several personalities as well as the talents to achieve success when working with new people.

11. Initiative

In a similar way, you’ll need an executive assistant who can work alone without supervision. If your assistant is constantly asking questions, you’ll accomplish significantly less than you would if they didn’t exist.

12. Critical Thinking

Your executive assistant should have excellent critical thinking abilities, whether working in a group or alone. This might imply anticipating an issue before it develops and taking measures to prevent issues from occurring.

A good executive assistant should be adaptable and able to come up with innovative ideas. The finest assistants of all are those who can think quickly and have the skills to develop long-term plans.

13. Networking Skills

While your executive assistant will primarily carry out standard activities, there will always be some curveballs. For instance, you could need to contact someone from a different firm, get tickets to an exclusive event, be the first people to try out a new service, or do anything else that isn’t readily accessible to the general public. This necessitates networking on the part of your executive assistant.

It’s important to realize that only opening accounts on numerous social media sites and websites is never enough. Your executive assistant must be active constantly developing connections and relationships until he or she can request favors and obtain recommendations. This takes time, effort, and, most importantly, skill.

Remote Executive Assistant

Executive assistants in the past would also work alongside their bosses at the workplace. With more individuals working from home, hiring a virtual assistant has become increasingly popular. The benefits of virtual assistant include that you won’t have to provide office space for your assistant, and you may even employ someone from abroad to save money.

You also have the chance to go a step further and contract a virtual executive assistant from Veta virtual. Rather than hiring someone to work for you full time, you can request just the hours you need. Plus, you’ll eliminate the time-consuming hiring process. We’ll match you with someone who has the exact executive assistant skills you need.

Based in Toronto - serving all of US and CANADA

What tasks does virtual assistant do?

February 2022

You may be contemplating hiring a remote assistant but aren’t sure how it will benefit your firm. What exactly does a virtual assistant accomplish, anyway? In reality, there are several reasons why businesses and professionals opt to outsource tasks to online assistants rather than hire regular employees. To begin with, there’s the fact that you can outsource almost any work to them. But let’s take a look in detail at some of the main reasons why you should consider hiring an assistant, and how your firm might benefit from doing so.

Not only that, but hiring a VA is also more cost-effective. They generally charge an hourly rate of $10 to $26 per hour, depending on the skills required and the task at hand. When you include benefits, taxes, and other costs, a full-time employee may end up costing 50% more than a remote assistant. For many businesses, this is an important factor.

So many companies pick virtual assistants because it’s a no-brainer, but let’s look at some of the key advantages in more depth.

Save Money

Every company has to worry about reducing operating expenses. You only pay for the time that your assistant works when you outsource operations to her. There are no holidays, sick days, or inactive hours. Furthermore, because they operate from home, you won’t have to spend on office space.

Reduce Training Expenses

Most employees require at least some training, which means they are costing you money before they’ve even started working. An online assistant who already has the skills and knowledge to meet your needs is a better alternative. Other than a basic introduction about how the firm works on a daily basis, no other training is required.

Improve Employee Efficiency

Achieving maximum employee productivity is one of the most difficult tasks for a manager or company owner. By assigning administrative duties and reporting to a virtual employee, you can assure that your employees are only focused on jobs they can do. It relieves the pressure off everyone’s shoulders by assigning administrative activities and reporting to a VA. It’s a win-win situation.

What Tasks You get done?

Virtual assistant can carry out a variety of activities, including administration duties. They may also take on far more, such as:

1. Email management

If you dread opening your email inbox every morning, you’re certainly not alone. Taking the time decide on the priority of emails, reading them, and responding can take a toll on your productivity for the day.

A better option is to delegate this task to a assistant, who will make sure your inbox is always organized and uncluttered. An assistant can flag the most important emails that require your attention and even reply to emails for you.

2. Research

Research is essential for your company’s development, but conducting research yourself is time consuming and, most importantly, tedious. Your employees are already busy enough. Instead of performing research on your own, outsource it to a virtual person so you can focus on the broad picture activities that will help your business grow.

3. Phone calls

Do you wish your phone would stop ringing after you’ve answered it a couple of times? Forward any calls that you don’t want to take or aren’t able to answer to your VA.

4. Managing calendars

The phrase “Either run the day or the day runs you” is a common one. Having someone else organize your to-do list and calendar allows you to stay on track and never miss a meeting or appointment.

5. Travel bookings

It can take a long time and energy to plan a business trip. Leave the organization of your company trips, lodging, and transportation in the hands of your VA.

6. Event management

Every company holds an event once in a while, but organizing one is no simple task. Your virtual receptionist may help you and everyone else involved tremendously.

7. Reports

One of the most time-consuming and draining processes on your to-do list is producing reports. Your VA will handle your financial statements, research reports, analytical reports, and meetings notes. At Veta virtual, we have got best virtual assistants

8. Social media management

In today’s market, no business with a shred of credibility can afford to neglect the power of social networking. It is important that you take your social media presence seriously. If you don’t have an in-house social media specialist on staff, outsource the management of your social media accounts to a professional virtual assistanc

Based in Toronto - serving all of US and CANADA

Best Guide To Become a Virtual Assistant without Experience

February 2022

The advantages of having a job with flexible hours that work around your other obligations have never been greater. Being a virtual assistant is a fantastic way to put your skills to use. You’ll be able to assist entrepreneurs, small business owners, and executives in activities they are unable to complete on their own because of a lack of time.

The problem is how to become an assistant with no prior experience. The most difficult part of establishing any new career is finding your first job. It’s much easier to locate clients who need your services after you’ve had a few employment stints. Fortunately, there are several things you can do to get hired without any prior work experience.

How Much Can You Earn as a VA?

Working as a VA may quickly turn into a full-time job. Although you might begin by charging between $10 and $60 per hour, once you’ve gained experience, you may be able to charge up to $60 an hour.

What Do I Need to Become a VA?

People from a wide variety of backgrounds can become virtual assistants. However, there are a few things you need:

  • The necessary equipment. A computer is required to work. A laptop or desktop computer will suffice, but a phone or even a tablet is insufficient. If you’ll be taking phone calls, consider investing in a decent headset with a microphone as well.
  • A fast internet connection is required. You may need to conduct video chats with your clients. The last thing you want is for your connection to go down. Also, the speed of your internet connection may have an impact on how quickly you’re able to get work done.
  • Agility, communication, resilience, and creativity are all essential skills in business. Here are the soft skills that VA’s need: trustworthiness, attention to detail, and organizational abilities. Clients want someone they can rely on since you could be handling private information such as financials.
  • The right kind of motivation is important. You’ll need to be dedicated. You may like some activities and despise others; you must put in the same amount of effort into all of them. Tasks that your clients don’t want to do themselves might be a large portion of your work, such as data entry or customer support services. If you can’t stand performing these kinds of tasks, becoming a virtual assistant might not be for you.
  • It’s likely that you’re familiar with the phrase “tech savviness.” As you’ll be working from home, it’s important to be tech-savvy enough to stay in touch with clients and complete work. Many customers will expect you to use particular tools. There’s no need to have prior expertise with all of these applications, but you should be familiar enough to use them when needed.

How to Become a VA for Free

There are a number of specialized abilities that will help you succeed. You may learn much of what you need to know by watching video lectures and utilizing other free materials such as online courses.

Skills to Learn

The more talents you have, the more chances you’ll have. It’s a good idea to fine-tune skills you already have in order to build an area of expertise. There are several fields where you should consider studying or improving.

1. Social Media Management

Many businesses require a social media presence, but many owners lack the time to maintain their accounts themselves. You’ll be able to develop content, post at the proper moment, and interact with consumers if you grasp the intricacies of each platform.

You’ll need to stay on top of all the newest modifications in social media to provide a great customer experience. It’s also critical to track what’s popular so that your clients’ messages have a better chance of going viral. Finally, you should study how to utilize some of the most popular social media platforms, such as Buffer and Hootsuite.

2. Blogging

Some VA’s create blog articles, but there are a variety of other blogging-related abilities that a customer may need. This involves managing comments, posting schedules, increasing SEO, and creating an editorial calendar for new content.

The greatest thing to do if you want to improve your writing skills is learn how to use WordPress. Get acquainted with the layout and understand the fundamental functions.

3. Transcription

Clients require transcription skills to transform videos, podcasts, webinars, and other audio material into written content. Anyone can learn transcription, but it takes a long time to get good at it. You should be able to type 60 words per minute in order to transcribe well; if you don’t have access to one, they’re not necessary and you can hire a typing service.

4. E-Commerce

Business owners that need an assistant may find themselves working with one. To help an e-commerce firm, you must be familiar with how to handle data though spreadsheets. Customer service abilities are also essential, as is tracking orders and inventory management.

5. Email Management

Clients that get a lot of emails on a daily basis find it beneficial to have their inboxes sorted by a virtual person. You’ll need to categorize messages, file spam, and maybe respond to specific sorts of communications, such as questions and refund requests. To offer this service, you’ll need to know how to manage email effectively.

6. Bookkeeping

Many customers want a virtual bookkeeper due to the time-consuming and precise nature of financial operations. Bookkeeping may be a good fit if you have previous experience managing your personal finances or working with numbers in a past position. Learn how to create bills, handle payroll, and process payments in order to provide a variety of financial services.

How to Become a VA from Home

You may locate customers without leaving your house most of the time. You’ll usually be able to complete all of your tasks from the comfort of your own home. There are two primary methods for finding clients: looking for employment or applying for a job at an agency.

Searching for Jobs

When you’re just getting started, working as an independent contractor is usually the best choice. You may establish your pricing low for your first jobs (just to get your foot in the door) and seek customers seeking for services that you could provide without much trouble.

Job sites have a high level of competition, so freelancing platforms like Upwork and Freelancer are better alternatives. Clients are searching for individuals who can work remotely and post new jobs every few minutes. Plus, you may create an account, which allows clients to quickly determine whether you fulfill their needs. These Upwork profiles of the top virtual freelancers make a great starting point for creating your own.

Applying to an Agency

VA firms will want you to show that you have particular key talents. You may also need some VA experience. As a result, it’s probably better to apply to agencies only after working with customers as an independent contractor for some time.

How to Become a VA Without Experience

When you begin looking for work as a VA, you’ll come up against experienced VAs who have years of expertise. The good news is that the market for virtual assistants is expanding; it is expected to be worth more than $21,500 million by 2026.

You’ll need to be patient and have modest expectations in order to see achievement. You’ll need to be prepared to take small tasks at first and charge a low hourly rate while you build your reputation.

Instead of attempting to provide every skill imaginable, concentrate on a select few areas in which you feel confident and wow customers with your work, like virtual receptionist. With time, you’ll be able to charge more for your services while doing less work.

Based in Toronto - serving all of US and CANADA

Most Common Interview Questions To Ask Virtual Assistants

February 2022

The last thing you want is to hire the wrong virtual assistant. Not only will this be a waste of your time and money, but it might also result in having to correct job or even prevent damage. Then, you’ll have to start over from the beginning when you discover that mistake.

The greatest strategies to avoid a terrible encounter are to ask the proper VA interview questions. This will help you evaluate candidates’ experience and skills while also determining whether your personalities would be compatible.

Additionally, it’s a good idea to have skills test done. This will tell you whether applicants are telling the truth about their abilities.

Common Interview Questions for a Assistant

Depending on the position you’re searching for, you may want to ask different questions during an interview. Nonetheless, most businesses believe that these frequent inquiries are helpful in evaluating prospects.

1. What Are Your Areas of Expertise?

There are a number of different kinds of virtual assistants. VAs come in a variety of specialties, including general assistants who do mostly administrative work and specialists who specialize in areas like bookkeeping, graphic design, and sales.

However, even general assistants may have a specialty; for example, social media, correspondence, or even taking calls. It’s critical to hire someone who specializes in the specific responsibilities you need.

2. How Did You Become a VA?

Many assistants have diverse backgrounds. They frequently have prior experience as a VA and bring considerable expertise with them. Furthermore, this type of question allows candidates the opportunity to elaborate, and it may reveal something new.

3. How Long Have You Been a VA?

If you just need someone to do simple duties, it’s acceptable to employ a candidate who has never worked as a VA before. However, if you’re seeking for high-quality or speedy service, experience of many years will be beneficial.

However, consider the VAs’ response to the above. Some individuals may be just getting started as remote assistants but have prior expertise that makes them even more qualified than someone who has worked as a VA for several months.

4. Which Tools Do You Like Using?

Time management, scheduling, file sharing, and graphic design are just a few of the duties that experienced VAs take care of. Discovering which tools your candidates prefer will provide you a better idea of their working methods. Plus, if a candidate names several tools, it’s an indication that they have a wide range of experience.

It’s also beneficial to inquire about prior experience with the tools you want to utilize. Keep in mind that if a VA knows how to use a broad range of technologies but nothing specific, he or she will be able to learn how to utilize new tools quickly and without much training.

5. What Security Measures Do You Use?

If your VA will be handling sensitive information, you’ll need to make sure they have appropriate security measures in place. This might include using two-factor authentication on critical applications, only using secure connections, and running up-to-date antivirus and malware software.

6. What Hours Do You Work?

This is a crucial issue, regardless of who you’re hiring. You may believe that VAs in the same time zone as you will be accessible during business hours. People frequently opt to work virtually due to their flexibility, however this isn’t always the case. Other commitments or simply a preference for early morning or late evening employment are possible reasons behind the flexibility.

You must ask yourself whether the VA’s availability is critical. Do you need to speak with your remote assistant on a daily or weekly basis? You may even be able to complete tasks for your VA without speaking at all.

7. What Is Your Availability?

It’s possible that even candidates who work the same hours as you will be inaccessible from time to time. Top online assistants have a lot of other clients on top of yours. This implies they won’t always be able to respond to phone or message right away. If you have frequent emergency projects, it would be worth hiring a VA with a flexible schedule.

It’s important to note that asking candidates how many clients they have isn’t very effective. A VA may have five additional clients who require just two hours of work each week or only two customers that need ten hours of labor every week.

Before you start asking, figure out how many hours a week (or month) you’ll need and how you’ll distribute them. You may then inquire whether they’re able to stick to your timetable.

8. How Do You Prefer to Communicate?

It’s fantastic to discover someone who uses the same communication style as yours. If you prefer video chats, you may not get along with a VA that prefers to communicate through short messages on Slack.

9. How Do You Prioritize Your Work?

One of the most significant talents that virtual assistant may have is organization, particularly VAs with many customers. Learn about how candidates assess what jobs are the most important, how they avoid taking on too much work, and what they do if they realize they will not be able to complete a deadline.

10. Why Do You Want This Position?

According to the difficulty of the tasks, VAs may provide interesting answers to this question. Of course, if the position is mostly data entry or another identical activity, you can’t expect a VA to be overly enthusiastic. Candidates in these situations will generally be seeking for extra money only.

However, if you have skilled work to offer, potential employees may say they would enjoy doing the tasks or that they want the opportunity to develop. Some applicants, on the other hand, may be intrigued by your industry or the type of work you do, particularly if you are a startup with an innovative idea or a non-profit.

11. How Do You Want to Progress with Your Career?

VA’s are always eager to learn new things and improve their existing talents. Many will have a clear idea of what they want to do next. It’s good to know this, since you might be able to teach your VA to conduct extra activities. The remote assistant will be more energized, and he or she will most likely charge less than someone already comfortable with the tasks.

12. What Would You Do If You Received an Assignment That Didn’t Know How to Complete?

Every VA has had the experience of being given a task they don’t know how to accomplish at some point in their careers. The best candidates will tell you that they’d attempt to figure it out on their own first, but that if necessary, they would ask their customers for further information or assistance.

When it comes to finding the ideal virtual assistant for your needs, choosing Veta virtual is a no-brainer. We’ll do all of the legwork for you by vetting prospective remote assistant and virtual receptionist. To discuss your requirements in detail, please contact us immediately.

Based in Toronto - serving all of US and CANADA

Reasons Why You need a Blogger Virtual Assistant

February 2022

When you first started out, blogging may have been just a pastime or a source of extra money. However, as you’ve advanced, your business may have evolved into a full-fledged enterprise, making it impossible for one person to handle on their own.

If you find yourself in this scenario, you might wish to consider hiring a virtual assistant for blogger to assist you with your numerous projects and tasks.

Advantages of a Blogging Assistant

Most likely, you started blogging because you like writing and want to share your expertise or thoughts about your area of interest. However, maintaining a successful blog necessitates much more than simply putting words on the page.

There’s marketing, negotiation of advertising agreements, strategy for growth, and just keeping up with your emails.

There may be aspects of running a blog that you despise, such as things in your field of expertise or activities that consume hours of your time. For example, you could be unsure how to interpret statistics or have difficulty with graphics design.

You can delegate any of these activities (and many more) to an experienced professional, leaving you free to focus on what you do best. It’s possible that being able to devote more time to core functions will enable you to post more frequently or improve the quality of your material.

You can also devote more of your time to devoted followers and discover new possibilities. This all implies that your blogging business will expand, and you’ll see an increase in income.

What Can a VA for Bloggers Do?

Assistants, also known as virtual assistants, can perform just about any activity that does not need them to be in the same room. This might include the following for bloggers.

Coming Up with Blog Post Ideas

You may hit a wall when it comes to fresh material. A blogger VA can offer suggestions, or you may come up with them together. It’s usually beneficial to have someone to bounce ideas off of, especially if the blogging remote assistant has expertise in your field.

Your VA can then construct an editorial calendar once you’ve accumulated a sufficient quantity of suggestions. This will ensure that you stay on track, as you’ll always know what needs to be done and how much time you have left until your deadline.

Researching Topics

An online assistant may also aid you in the next stage of the blogging process: research. This might involve finding out what your audience wants to know, looking at what your competitors are doing, or performing keyword research.

Writing First Drafts

If you don’t have the time to write your own blog post, you may hire an assistant to do it for you. All you have to do is provide your VA with the details of the article. After your assistant has completed the first version, you can add your voice and make any other necessary modifications.

Editing Posts

You can also give your blogger assistant a completed article to work with. This is useful if you’re unsure about grammar or want someone else to double-check your text before you post it.

Another technique to make use of a blogging assistant for editing is to make sure the article is properly SEO optimized. If you don’t have a strong grasp on SEO, you’ll notice a significant difference in the amount of visitors your blog gets.

Your remote employee will check to see whether you used keywords correctly, that your content has the correct tags and headers, and that your meta description is relevant. For this, your virtual person may utilize a tool like Yoast SEO.

Graphic Design and Photography

Writing is likely your forte, yet not graphics. If you want people to click on your blog postings, they must include pictures. An assistant can help you create these images.

Your VA may also create the graphics you’ll need, such as a logo for your blog and social media profiles, infographics to add visual appeal to blogs, and images for long-form content like eBooks and presentations. Your blogger assistant can also take photographs of any items you wish to sell or advertise.

Analytics

Turn to analytics to help you enhance your blog. Analytics, on the other hand, don’t do much unless you know what the figures are saying and how to make use of them.

A VA with knowledge of Google Analytics can utilize metrics like benchmarking, assisted conversions, and cohort analysis to improve your strategy.

Support with Advertising and Affiliate Marketing

There are methods to increase the earning potential of your blog. If you don’t yet have a VA, your consultant can look at the most suitable alternatives based on your target audience. This might be direct or pay-per-click advertising, as well as pay-per-impression ads. Your writing assistant will also deal with communication with the advertisers as your middle man.

Affiliate marketing is another alternative. An assistant for bloggers might discover the ideal affiliate program for you and select items that match your brand image, allowing you to promote them.

Finding Guest Blogging Opportunities

Guest blogging is a tried and true method for extending your reach. It’s the ideal assignment for an assistant because it involves looking for alternatives and negotiating agreements with other blog owners, both of which are time-consuming and don’t require your knowledge.

Your VA can submit ideas, create a structure, and check the final post to ensure it meets all of the other blog’s criteria.

Creating Email Newsletters

An email newsletter may provide readers with the news they’re looking for, and it’s a great approach to stay in touch. If you enjoy composing your material yourself, your VA can simply create the layout and handle automation. Alternatively, you might delegate the job to your VA while concentrating only on blogging.

Social Media Management

As much time as blogging, maintaining social media accounts takes. Worse, unless you have prior experience with social media, you’re almost certainly adrift without a proper approach.

An assistant for bloggers can develop a plan for all of your platforms, as well as create accounts on additional platforms to broaden your reach. Your VA can also schedule postings to go live when your audience are most likely to engage and interact with you.

Administrative Tasks

Some of the most time-consuming activities that you must perform belong to the domain of administration. An assistant for bloggers can handle it all, from taking phone calls to addressing emails and blog comments, scheduling your appointments and building a content bank.

Technical Support

There’s a lot of technical work necessary to operating a blog, which you may not be aware of.

For instance, A blog virtual assistant can keep your WordPress up to date, install useful plugins for security, and remove useless plugins that might be slowing down your site. Your VA will also backup your blog on a regular basis to avoid data loss.

How to Find the Perfect Blogger VA

You’ve learned why you require a blogging assistant now that you know what it is, and all you have to do now is locate the best VA for you.

Where to Look

On-demand VA’s may be found on job sites, social media, and freelance sites. You could also hire a blogger assistant through an agency.

Skill Set

Because VAs may accomplish a wide range of activities, you must first decide exactly what you need before beginning your search. You can then look for someone with the necessary skill set.

Rates

If you just need assistance with basic activities like administration, a general VA may cost between $10 and $15 per hour.

However, if you’re searching for someone with SEO expertise, a remote assistant who can write first drafts of your material, or a VA with Google Analytics experience, you’ll need a specialist. You should budget anything from $15 to $40 an hour.

Questions to Ask During the Interview

By conducting an effective interview, you should be able to select the finest individual for the position. Some questions you might want to ask include:

  • Have you worked as a blogger assistant for other people or only as a general VA before?
  • What services you provide to bloggers?
  • Do you have any special skills that may help us out?
  • When do you plan on working? (If you’re hiring someone from another country, make sure your calendars are in sync to a degree. Especially if you want to talk with your VA in real time.)
  • What do you understand about my niche?

There’s no need to wait until managing your blog on your own becomes too difficult before hiring a blogging assistant. Finding a VA early will assist you in staying on track and expanding the business you’ve built around your blog much faster than if you attempted it alone.

Choose Veta virtual and we’ll match you with a blogging-specific virtual assistant for individuals who need the abilities you want. Schedule a consultation to know our services.

Based in Toronto - serving all of US and CANADA

Best Guide To Hire an Amazon Virtual Assistant

February 2022

Although it may begin as a small business, selling on Amazon might quickly consume a significant amount of your time. Many of the activities you must perform are likely to be ordinary and require little knowledge about your company.

You could wind up spending hours on these duties, time that could be better spent developing your business. There is a solution to this problem: hire an Amazon virtual assistant.

In this comprehensive Amazon assistant hiring guide, Veta virtual team will look at when and how you should employ one. We’ll also go through how to handle the person you hire and whether the assistant you pick is appropriate for your company.

What Does an Amazon VA Do?

An Amazon VA is a person who works remotely for any tasks related to your Amazon company, full time, part time, or just a few hours each week. An assistant may also assist with activities that you are unable to complete on your own.

1. Administrative Tasks

Administrative tasks are a large part of running an Amazon company. You may use an Amazon VA to help you with things like order processing and FBM orders management.

2. Customer Service

Depending on your company, you may spend many hours dealing with customers or you could hand it all over to Amazon. If you rely on Amazon for customer service, you might be losing out on a chance to see significant development. An assistant can assist you by performing duties such as:

  • Creating templates to input into the message system
  • Answering queries in a timely manner with accurate information about your products, shipping procedures, and anything else customers want to know
  • Responding appropriately to reviews, both positive and negative
  • Matching reviews to orders and taking any necessary action
  • Dealing with refunds

3. Product Sourcing

It’s tough to find a good supplier for your company. After all, it requires time and effort. If you want an assistant to handle this task for you, be sure they have some expertise or are ready to devote some time teaching.

Even better, you may be able to locate someone who knows new strategies for purchasing wholesale items and who is skilled at negotiating with vendors. This might be the key to growing your product variety while decreasing expenses.

4. Market Research

You may get a better idea of how to develop by performing market research. A remote assistant can look at what your rivals are selling and which Amazon goods are doing the best.

Your virtual employee will also keep an eye on your listings. This is useful for determining whether sales of a certain product begin to drop, when it’s time to lower your prices, and how you might increase sales.

5. Copywriting

A copywriting-focused assistant will be an incredible assistance in generating new product descriptions. The VA can also help you improve your Amazon listings to make them more appealing to customers and boost your visibility.

A good understanding of keyword research is essential for an Amazon seller assistant who is appropriate for the task. The VA should also understand how to integrate keywords into product descriptions in such a manner that the copy still seems natural.

Even better if you can locate an assistant who has prior email marketing expertise. Your VA may also create and send customers who want further information about your products or new releases a newsletter.

6. Translating

If you want to sell on an Amazon market for another nation, a virtual person who is fluent in more languages than just English may be able to help. This might include interacting with consumers as well as translating product descriptions.

6. Photography

Customers notice the photograph of a listing first. An assistant with expertise in photography can take superior pictures, edit your current photos, and increase the amount of photographs for each of your items.

8. Amazon Ad Campaigns

If you advertise on Amazon, you’ll reach a wider audience. A virtual person with campaign-building expertise could be quite helpful.

This can be done by utilizing Amazon’s seller tools. They’ll set up campaigns using Seller Central software, add negative key words to cut unneeded spending, monitor analytics to assess campaign performance, and make necessary ad adjustments.

9. Fulfillment

An Amazon FBA assistant may do a whole lot more than just ship items to Amazon for shipment. Inventory management, tracking packages, downloading barcodes and shipping labels for objects, and confirming that there are no missing aspects are all part of the job.

When Is the Right Time to Hire an Amazon VA?

If your firm requires the services of a VA, you should consider doing so.

If you’re still not sure if it’s worth hiring an Amazon assistant, make a list of everything you do every week and the amount of time you invest on each. Now consider which of these tasks you could outsource to a VA. Sum up all the time you’d spend on these items normally, this is additional leisure time that may be devoted to generating even more income.

How to Choose Which Tasks to Outsource

Using the same list, determine where you need the most assistance. Consider:

  • What consumes the most of your time?
  • Which tasks are the most monotonous?
  • What activities someone else could do better than you?

Clear understanding of what tasks you want your Amazon assistant to complete will help you locate someone with the proper skills. If you have a large number of tasks that span a broad range of topics, it may be advantageous to hire more than one Amazon VA.

Where to Find Amazon Virtual Assistant’s

After you’ve decided that you require a remote assistant, the next step is to locate the best one for your company. This leads us to Amazon’s remote assistant hiring procedure. The first step is to look in the proper places:

1. VA Agencies

There may be a large number of prospective candidates, such as experienced Amazon FBA virtual assistants, available through a VA organization. Hiring through an agency is also a safe and sure option, with the assurance of high-quality results. The greatest benefit, however, is that you may replace your VA at any moment.

2. Freelance Platforms

Use a freelance platform if you’d prefer to do the vetting yourself. You’ll be able to search for someone who has the abilities you require and read reviews from other firms that utilized the VA.

3. Direct Hire

Your last alternative is to look for a direct hire. Job sites, social media, and recommendations are all good places to seek for individuals.

How to Interview Amazon VA’ s

The interview process varies depending on where you choose to find your assistant. You may often avoid the interview procedure if you hire through an agency.

You won’t have to research several VAs on your own; instead, you’ll tell the agency what duties you need an Amazon VA to perform. You will then be matched with the best person for the position.

In the scenario you work with a freelancing platform, make a job posting that specifies the key duties of the VA. It’s a good idea to include some questions in your job post.

Candidates may answer these questions to demonstrate that they are qualified for the position. It will also show that they’ve read the whole post. Both users may apply for a job on platforms, and you can search for them yourself.

Once you’ve discovered a few people, interview them. Inquire about their experiences and abilities in greater detail. You may be required to conduct the interview on the platform itself, whether just through messages or with video chat.

It’s similar to hiring a freelancer through a platform, in that you have the option of creating a job ad and weeding out unsuitable prospects. However, you have greater leeway in how you conduct interviews.

You may even request that the assistant communicate with you on Zoom Or you can ask to provide virtual receptionist services. This is useful for ensuring that the VA has a decent internet connection, which may be required depending on your needs.

What Should You Expect to Pay an Amazon VA?

The cost of an Amazon VA is determined by several factors, such as the kinds of work you want to outsource, the experience of the assistant, and where the VA resides. You should anticipate to pay someone in another country $5 per hour at a minimum, while someone in the United States will charge approximately $15 an hour.

VA’ s are a good fit for this sum because they can help you with administration, fulfillment, and customer care responsibilities. You’ll pay more for tasks that need talent and experience, such as photography, market research, and developing ad campaigns.

Managing a Remote Amazon VA

All you have to do now is hire the perfect remote assistant once you’ve found one.

Training

If you have a particular method for accomplishing tasks, your virtual assistant will require some training. A list of directions may be sufficient for simple projects or you might want to make a tutorial film for more complicated jobs.

You’ll also need to provide your VA with information about your company and its products. If you’re going to have a VA carry out customer service activities, this is especially important.

Communication

It’s critical to determine how you and your remote assistant will communicate from the outset. Using a business communication solution, particularly if you must frequently reply or involve other members of your team in conversations, may be beneficial.

If the VA is responsible for a large number of duties, project management software might be beneficial. Email and video conferences may enough while delivering more regular work.

Time Tracking

Time-tracking software is frequently used by small business owners with their Amazon seller assistants. This will show you how much time your VA spends on each activity and ensure that you only pay for time spent working.

Paying Your VA

If you hired your VA through a third party, such as an agency or freelance service, the payment is straightforward; you can pay with a credit card and there are no international payments costs.

There’s also no need to be concerned that the VA will vanish after you’ve paid for it, since funds will only be released to the VA once the work is done.

You’ll have to talk about salary and compensation plans with the VA if you hire a direct hire. If both of you are in the United States, a bank transfer is the easiest choice.

Paying someone abroad is now far easier than it was previously. You have considerably better alternatives than Western Union or PayPal when sending money across borders. With newer services

Time Off

There’s no need to negotiate time off if you’re hiring an Amazon online assistant for a few hours each week. However, if you want your VA to work full-time or part-time but for set periods of time, take into account your needs.

If you’re hiring a remote assistant from abroad, keep in mind that she may want to take several days off per year and will most likely demand time off for national holidays. Keep in mind that these holidays will differ from your own if you hire someone based outside of the United States.

How to Tell If Your VA Is a Good Fit

When you’ve worked with the same Amazon seller VA for a while (perhaps weeks, maybe just days, it depends on the workload), it’s time to examine if they’re a good fit for your requirements.

You’ll also need to provide the VA with adequate time to master the procedures. However, if the VA is having difficulties, making errors, or taking longer than you would on a task, consider hiring someone else.

When you hire through an agency, everything happens quickly and easily. Simply request a new assistant, and you’ll have one immediately. There is no downtime, and the agency will choose someone who is competent in all of the areas you require.

It is slightly more difficult to hire a freelancer on a platform. You’ll have to post another job (you may want to modify the description from last time to avoid running into the same issues), search for prospects, and hold interviews.

The entire procedure is expected to take a few days, during which you’ll need to deal with your existing VA as opposed to concentrating on your business.

The most inconvenient of all is a direct hire, as you may be forced into a contract. It might take up to a month for you to find someone else to take your VA’s place.

Hiring an Amazon assistant is a fantastic approach to expand your business. At first, you might outsource only the most repetitious activities, but as you acquire responsibilities, you may wish to delegate more work to the VA.

You should also consider investing in more specialist services, such as translation, market research, and Amazon advertising campaigns. This may provide your company with fresh and innovative possibilities.

Based in Toronto - serving all of US and CANADA

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