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2721 839 4839 karen@karenwessels.com
Outsourcing is at it’s height this year. Here’s why

Outsourcing is at it’s height this year. Here’s why

Outsourcing is at it’s height this year. Here’s why

Being a Virtual Assistant right now is the best thing you can do

If you are currently a Virtual Assistant or you are thinking of starting your own VA business, man oh man, have you entered the market at a very hot time!

Here’s the thing, stats say that by 2020 more than 50% of the workforce will be working remotely. This also means that more and more business minded people will look at hiring Virtual Assistants to help them run their business and even get through their secular job! More and more employers are encouraging remote working.

Being a VA Agency owner I have witnessed firsthand how this industry has grown and matured over the last decade. Not to mention how much more in demand Virtual Assistants have become over the last 2 years. Outsourcing is becoming a big thing and as more businesses clamp down on costs and look at efficient ways to get the help they need, the more in demand you, the VA, becomes.

I’m blessed to run a very successful managed Virtual Assistant Agency, in fact, Africa’s largest Virtual Assistant Agency. So much so, that I am inundated with inquiries every day to help VA’s out with where to start, how to target their market, to join my team, to be coached and mentored, and how to close more deals. This is one of the reasons why we started VAASA, the Virtual Assistants Association of South Africa. The Growth Academy will also be launching soon, with it’s very first course focusing on starting your own VA business (more about this in my upcoming blog).

Becoming a Virtual Assistant in 2018

Been thinking about leaving your full-time job to enjoy the beautiful world of outsourcing? This can be a tough one. You’re looking at leaving your cushy corporate job, where you know what your pay will be at the end of the month, for months of stress and pressure, not knowing where your first client will come from and how you’re going to pay for everything until then.

Welcome to the world of entrepreneurship!

I always tell my coaching students that everything comes with a sacrifice. In order to see the stars the darkness is required. With light comes dark, it is the flow of life. To celebrate your passion, dictating your own rates and time is awesome, however, with it you will need to sacrifice something, be it sleep, your lifestyle, your social circle, the list goes on.

Know this though – being a Virtual Assistant and running your own business is deeply rewarding and highly fulfilling, especially when you do it right.

Start with your Why

Perhaps the greatest starting point is understanding why you want to do this. Simon Sinek’s Golden Circle is a great way to understand the why of your purpose and business, before anything else. I guess you could say if your why is right, that it is aligned with your vision and purpose, the teething and growing pains of starting your business becomes reduced in scale.

For the Entrepreneur Hiring a Virtual Assistant

I often have the opportunity to do keynote talks on Outsourcing. I reckon it’s one of the best inventions since, well, sliced bread! 🙂

International business owners have been outsourcing admin related tasks to Virtual Assistants for years. On our South African shores this has only recently become quite the phenomenon and I’ve seen the rise in inquiries for Virtual Assistants in the last 2 years.

How to make the outsourcing process easy

If you are new at hiring a Virtual Assistant, or even a dab hand at it, let’s show you some steps on how to identify the right VA for you and your business.

  1. Is the Virtual Assistant online? It should go without saying, all Virtual Assistant should have an online presence, how else will they be found?
  2. Credibility and testimonials. Does the VA’s website and online presence speak to you? Does their website share client testimonials? If the VA’s website doesn’t feel credible and trustworthy it’s going to be a tough task to bring them in on your team.
  3. Is the business owner easily accessible? I make sure that any potential clients have easy access to me as the business owner. I represent my business’s brand the best and I want to be sure that you can reach me.
  4. Can you speak directly to your potential VA before getting started? Remember, you are bringing this Virtual Assistant into your inner circle, giving them access to confidential information and IP, so can you chat with them before getting started? With my VA Agency I often assign the VA directly to the account thanks to years of practice, however, for those clients that wish to interview a shortlist I welcome them to do so. We also feature all our VA’s on our website, again establishing that credibility and trustworthiness.
  5. Energies and visions need to align. If the energy of your potential VA does not speak to you, or feel there’s no alignment with their vision and yours, move on. You are hiring an important team member and you need to be absolutely sure that this person fits your bill.

Last but not least

Outsourcing offers a great solution to both the Virtual Assistant and the business owner. Virtual Assistants can now work from the comfort of their own homes, choose the clients they wish to work with and the hours they want to work. For the business owner you now have the flexibility to get the help you need that is within your budget helping you to become more efficient at business.

I’m a firm believer to work within your strengths and to always have fun. As the Virtual Assistant and as the business owner, play within your strengths, outsource the rest and keep it fun!

About the Author : Karen has facilitated and hosted many sales masterclasses, workshops and training sessions to not only boost sales confidence however to also instill sales skills and tools that are personalised to each individual.

Karen is also a sought after speaker at Sales Conferences & Seminars, Secretarial Conferences & Symposiums and Entrepreneur Conferences & Workshops, where she engages her audience with story-like presentations of sales, outsourcing and business.

To learn more or to book Karen, visit her website.