FAQ: How Do I Find a Virtual Assistant?
What Facebook Objective Do You Suggest for Lead Magnets?
How Do I Get to Be an Insider's Club Case Study?
Help! My Facebook Leads Aren't Converting
What Is the Best Way to Convert Leads to a Sale?
How Do I Earn $300 Per Month with Your PLR?
How Do I Avoid Subscriber Confusion with Multiple Mailing Lists?
Q: Any ideas on how/where to find a virtual assistant (VA) to help implementing the on-going technical side of things on my website?
A: One of the best ways to find a VA is through word of mouth. Ask your fellow online business owners who they use. You can also ask in the Publish for Prosperity Group and we even have a list of service providers here.
Personally, I've always had the best results through word of mouth, but there are other options available to you as well:
Make sure you have a good list of the types of tasks they'll be doing and what type of software/platforms they'll be working with, so you are able to find a qualified person. Give them a few tasks to start with an see how they handle them, paying attention to accuracy, speed or anything else that is relevant to the task.
How much you'll pay for a VA will vary greatly and will depend on a number of things including:
- Geographic location. You can find very inexpensive VAs in non-English speaking countries for just a few dollars per hour. Personally, I haven't had much luck with that, unless I'm giving very basic tasks. If I'm looking for a VA who fully understands what is expected of them, doesn't require a lot of checking on and even takes initiative to see where improvements can be made, I am prepared to pay them very well. I'd say you can expect to pay $25-50 per hour for quality help...or more if you have very technical work. But you can also hire very capable students at $15 per hour. But it's a global economy. How much you will pay varies a lot. I'm more interested in finding the right person than worrying about their hourly rate.
- Experience. A very experienced VA will charge more and that's just the way it goes. But be careful of experience because sometimes (not always) I find that higher priced VAs are very set in their ways and expect you to follow their protocols, use their communication systems and want to complete the work according to their own methods. For me, the VA works for me and will communicate with me and will complete tasks according to my specifications. But that's because I already have my established ways of doing things. If your business is new, having the experience of a VA with established systems might be perfect for you.
Now it might seem like a lot to pay $25 per hour or more, but remember you do have options for lower priced VAs and you probably aren't hiring someone full time. It is very much worth it to me to pay someone well to help ensure their loyal service and quality work.
In the end, hiring a VA is an investment in your business that will pay you back manifold. As an entrepreneur, you are too busy to be worrying about the small tasks that you don't know how to do or take up too much time. It's important for you to be seeing the big picture of your business and planning the direction you want it to go in. When you are bogged down in all the little tasks, it's difficult for you to be the CEO who determines the success of your company.
~ Alice
My Leads Aren't Converting. I Got 300 Through Facebook, but No One Bought