Carly Ries
Before hiring a virtual assistant, I had a general idea of the benefits I would receive based on assumptions and stories from other people. I assumed I’d:
- Save time and money
- Feel less overwhelmed
- Get more done
And so on, however, I have to say, there were far more perks than I had anticipated. In fact, I don’t think I ever fully made all of the correlations between hiring a virtual assistant and running the type of business I wanted until now, and looking back, I am truly amazed at how much they have contributed to my success as a company of one. I know I’m not alone in saying this and I also know you can experience the same benefits if you decide to pursue working with a virtual assistant as well.
I was really surprised at some of the changes in my business and my life that resulted from getting a virtual assistant. I bet you will be too.
6 Unexpected Benefits of Working With A Virtual Assistant
1. Created Improvements In My Personal Life
When you think about hiring a virtual assistant, the benefits that can occur for your professional life are typically clear.
What I did not anticipate, however, were the cause and effect that led to a better personal life. Hiring a virtual assistant not only gave me time back to focus on the growth of my business but time to focus on family, friends, hobbies, etc. as well. There was a clear ripple effect that led to a much better work-life balance simply by getting a few things off my plate.
2. Viewed My Business In A More Positive Way
OK, as much as we say we love our business and are incredibly passionate about it, the fact of the matter is, it can drive us crazy sometimes (or often). It can suck the life out of us and be all-consuming. Quite frankly, there are days when it would just be easier to give up and work for somebody else again.
But hiring a virtual assistant can change all of that. By delegating tasks that you dislike or simply don’t have the time to do, you can focus on the areas of your business that you actually enjoy doing. Getting up to work on something you’re excited about is a total game-changer for your motivation and productivity, and it can help you remember why you started the business in the first place.
3. Received Regular Reporting and Improved Business Optimization
I spent so much time working for my clients that I often neglected to work on my business and optimize the areas that needed attention.
I had my virtual assistants report flaws in processes, monitor where people drop in the sales and marketing funnel, and review social and website analytics. At the end of each month we’d discuss what was working and what wasn’t for the business itself, and then put a plan of attack together moving forward.
When I originally was handling all of this, I always pushed this type of stuff down on my priority list because the clients' needs always came first. Having a virtual assistant allowed me to see things I wouldn’t have seen otherwise.
Like getting the inside scoop on how to be a successful solopreneur? Join our free community of solopreneurs to learn a thing or two, get your questions answered, share knowledge with others, and build your network.
4. Found really skilled and specialized talent
While I’m embarrassed to admit it now, I was quite naive as to what a virtual assistant could actually do before I started working with them. “Administrative tasks” would be my go-to thought for what I could pass off to a virtual assistant.
Wrong.
The amount of talent I’ve come across with specialized skills has quite frankly blown my mind. I had no idea that there were true specialists in:
- SEO
- Social media management
- Content development
- Podcast and video editing
The list goes on (and on). I have learned so much from the virtual assistants I’ve worked with and they’ve been such a value-add to my business.
5. Increased Revenue - And Fast
I knew having a virtual assistant would help me save on costs, but I didn’t quite realize how it would help me increase revenue as well. A win-win! As mentioned, my virtual assistants helped me optimize certain areas of my business, but they also allowed me to focus on what really matters and on things that only I could do. By working on those areas that we identified as needing optimization, I would go and implement our discoveries which often led to more clients because I could add on to my schedule with my newfound efficiencies. It was great!
I also just want to note that your time equals money. So the more time you save with a virtual assistant, the more money will actually end up in your pocket.
6. Formed Friendships
Let’s be real for a second. Running your own business can get lonely. No more water cooler talk. No more Friday night happy hours with the team. You’re kind of on your own island.
Working with a virtual assistant not only gives you a person to help with your workload, but it can also help with the isolation that comes along with being a solopreneur. I’m not saying you’ll become instant besties with this person, but having somebody to chat with throughout the week can be great for you mentally, which in turn can help increase motivation and productivity.
When it comes to running your own business, the perks you get from working with a virtual assistant go beyond the surface-level ideas of what you typically hear from others.
For those of you who have worked with virtual assistants in the past, what other types of hidden benefits have you experienced? We’d love to hear about them!