Have you ever wondered how personal assistant services might just revolutionize the way you do business? Because if you’re an entrepreneur following best business practices, you probably want to save time, and also money anywhere you can. Simply put, your time and energy are valuable, and you shouldn’t be wasting them on non-core tasks in your business.
You might find that the answer to your time pressure is simpler than you think. And so, a skilled virtual personal assistant can fulfill an impressive list of tasks for you.
The Rise of the Virtual Personal Assistant
In the past, if you employed a personal assistant, you were probably a successful business executive in a large company. Now, thanks to the internet, you can also enjoy access to virtually any service at a truly affordable cost. Author and entrepreneur Tim Ferriss was one of the first people to take the concept of outsourcing mainstream. He wrote the bestselling Four Hour Work Week, a manifesto showcasing the benefits of personal assistant services.
Now, you can also take advantage of decentralized business models and a budget-friendly virtual workforce. Because it’s simpler than ever to hire a personal assistant for business and personal productivity.
How exactly can a virtual personal assistant help you? Here are some options you might want to consider.
A Personal Assistant Services List
A virtual personal assistant often brings a surprising range of skills to the table. As well as working with clients across a range of industries, they also have a good working knowledge of business practices.
Business Operations
You can rely on your virtual personal assistant to perform several functions that are time-consuming but can be outsourced. These include:
- Filing and record keeping. Because you need accurate and up-to-date business records, without the hassle of doing it all yourself.
- Your assistant can do competitor research, as well as supplier comparisons, and much more.
- Project Management. You can get regular updates, pass on instructions, and also save time by using personal assistant services to manage projects.
- Because your personal assistant can check your mails, presentations, and even blogs or web content they can ensure that there are no errors.
- Job descriptions and manuals. You can rely on a virtual assistant to compile ‘how-to’ documents for your employees or even customers.
Management Assistance
A personal assistant can help you by monitoring and reporting on operations, or by helping find qualified employees:
- Your assistant can provide you with reports and feedback on sales performance, critical operations, and even employee or business KPIs.
- A virtual assistant can handle the sourcing and initial screening of potential employees.
Business Development
Your business should be growing, and there are several personal assistant services that can aid the development of your business:
- Lead generation. An assistant can research and cultivate business leads for you. Platforms like LinkedIn are ideal for identifying and targeting business clients.
- Social media. Your social media accounts are vitally important customer contact points, and a virtual assistant can monitor or even run these for you.
- Presentations and pitches. Perhaps you don’t have time to submit a proposal, but it’s something a personal assistant can do professionally on your behalf.
Managing Your Calendar
You’re a business owner, and time is your most precious resource. Here, a personal assistant is an excellent way to leverage your time:
- Calls and appointments. Your assistant can schedule and confirm appointments, while dealing with the back-and-forth calls that chew up your energy and attention.
- Often, the unexpected happens, or you just need a better time slot. Your assistant can handle it for you.
- Protecting your time. Tired of endless calls and interruptions? A personal assistant is a fantastic gatekeeper!
Email Management
According to the Harvard Business Review, the average professional spends up to 28% of each day attending to email. Personal assistant services can change that for you, by:
- Screening your mails. An assistant can sift through your mail load and help you by responding to certain mails while escalating or discarding others.
- You get to decide what’s important – and prevent overwhelm by letting your assistant forward you the most critical ones first.
- Updating or adding contacts. Your virtual assistant can develop updated contact lists for you, as well as managing your lists or groups in order of importance.
Invoicing and Basic Bookkeeping
Managing day-to-day cash flow is important, and so are your accounts. An assistant can easily perform basic accounting functions for you:
- Sending out invoices to clients.
- Facilitating supplier payments.
- Following up on late or outstanding payments.
- Keeping basic financial records.
Travel Management
Depending on your business, you may need to travel regularly. You know just how much time and preparation this can take. And also know how frustrating it can be when something goes wrong. A personal assistant (or even a dedicated virtual travel assistant) can handle everything from planning and similarly research bookings and backup services for your trip.
Non-Business Tasks
Personal assistant services aren’t just ideal for your business requirements. In fact, having a personal assistant to help manage your personal life can be just as rewarding. From household management to creative gift sourcing, an assistant can leverage your time and availability in some helpful ways:
- Restaurant reservations. Because they have your personal preferences in mind, an assistant can set everything up for that magical evening out.
- Find and send gifts. Looking for something unique or inspired? Let your assistant research the options, and also find the best prices, as well as arrange delivery.
- Online shopping. From essential groceries to bespoke household items, your assistant can also do the online heavy lifting for you.
- Family schedules. You’re busy and focused – and it makes sense to have someone who can manage your family calendar while coordinating everything for you.
- Paying bills and accounts. Let your assistant deal with the time-consuming online bill run, while keeping meticulous records for you.
- Events and appointments. From PTA meetings to vacations and doctor’s appointments, you’ll never need to worry about forgetting anything again.
Flexibility and Convenience
You can increase your productivity while freeing up time and mental bandwidth – simply by making use of professional personal assistant services. There are several advantages to keep in mind:
- You’re only paying for the hours you book, so there are no other employee-related expenses.
- Because a virtual personal assistant is knowledgeable and versatile, they adapt easily to your requirements.
- And by having someone attend to your non-core tasks, you’re also freeing up time to work on the more important aspects of your business.
Ready to discover how much value personal assistant services can add to your business?
Book a discovery call today and claim your free trial, with a professional virtual assistant matched to your requirements.
