The benefits of hiring a virtual PA

Guest blog post by Kristen Clague from AVirtual.

As an entrepreneur starting your own business and moving into a new office space, you’ll most likely find that you’re spending too much time working in your business rather than on it. Setting up a business is one of the most daunting tasks a person can possibly face. You’ve got this incredible idea, you’ve seen a gap in the market or you’ve found your niche. But the reality is before you can even begin with the exciting part you must get through a world of admin.

From picking the premises, setting up an office space, creating a business plan to getting your finances into shape, deciding on a budget and even building a website or deciding on a legal entity. These things require a lot of attention and can take up a big chunk of your time.

In the modern age, there are solutions to this which are a lot simpler and way more economical than you might expect. One of them is hiring a virtual assistant to help with the nitty gritty of getting your new venture off the ground.

We'll briefly be touching on why one of AVirtual’s VA’s should be your first hire and what it entails.

Struggling with time management and prioritisation?

You don’t have to.

There’s only so many hours in a day. You don’t have to be the one trawling property listing sites for office space or searching the web for bargain buys. Kitting out your new home away from home can be tedious. Our VA’s will work with consultancies like Search Office Space to find out exactly where the space should be based, the style and feel you’re looking for, even picking out the décor and colour schemes that reflect your personality and represent your business. Because let’s be honest, if you’ve just embarked on a new enterprise, you’ll be spending way more time at work than at home.

The thought of financial management getting you down?

It can literally take hours to manage your cash flow and balance the books. You should be spending more time on growing the actual business, networking and keeping an eye out for any exciting opportunities. You’re going to miss them all if you’ve got your head buried in ledgers! Our virtual assistants have a vast understanding and are experienced in finance administration. Be it book-keeping, expenses data capturing, debtor management or credit card reconciliation. Let someone else you can trust deal with it.

Are you equally as passionate about work and your family responsibilities?

I’m sure you are. The thing is, the two clash constantly! Work and life separation is near impossible. I say near because we may not be able to help control the emotional side of things. But we can help bare the load by taking care of the more practical tasks. Need help with managing your calendar, appointments, and reminders? It can most certainly be done, to the point where you just pitch up.

It’s 18:30 and you’ve just realised you forgot to book a reservation for your five-year wedding anniversary dinner! Not a chance, your VA secured a spot, with an ocean view, months ago! There really is so much that can be taken care of on your behalf, with your personal touch of course. From booking flights to organising accommodation. The best thing about it is that it’s completely virtual. By using apps such as Skype, RingCental, Yammer or whatever your preference, stay in touch with your assistant throughout the day and honour all your commitments.

Have you managed your online presence?

Not only can this be a headache in terms of outsourcing website development/maintenance, digital marketing and SEO optimization to three separate entities but it can also prove costly and extremely time-consuming. Our sister company Prime Pixels can create and manage social media profiles for your company, and through our talented team of writers, create original and engaging content for blogs, newsletters, and marketing materials. Whether you’re looking to build a website or maintain and optimize one that already exists, their team of webmasters can deliver the big agency service at a low cost and it’s all in-house!

It’s simple, we offer four plans: Basic, Plus, Pro and Enterprise. Rates are affected by whether you take out a monthly, quarterly or annual package. We’re also able to put together a bespoke package based on your specific needs and criteria. Starting a business or moving office really doesn't need to be as stressful as it once was.