Also, consider if you need a specialist. Many VAs have specialties. For instance, I work with Mac users and Eco entrepreneurs who need basic admin. assistance and social media support.

Using a VA who specializes will enable a quicker comprehension of your needs by the VA and he/she will be able to give you faster results.

You’re right – it can be a challenge. There’s definitely a learning curve and you do need to change the way you think about your business.

When you’re looking for work to outsource, look in 3 places: - Things you hate to do - Things that have the potential to generate revenue that aren’t getting done now - Things that are time-consuming but simple to explain

Then screen that initial list to see which tasks meet the following criteria (because this is what you need for an ideal starting project):

• Can someone do this work without knowing a lot about your business?
• Can you easily define the steps they need to take?
• Can you get them what they need to do the work easily?

Hope this helps…

• Data entry of 50 contacts into Excel
• Create a PowerPoint presentation
• Balance monthly statement
• Update & manage online calendar
• Create PDF’s for company documents

I hope this gives you some ideas on what jobs to outsource.

Viki Garrison, owner Need help? Ask Viki!

This is a great discussion. I am a Virtual Assistant and have been for almost 7 years now. Most all business can use the services of a VA. I have found that the East Coast seems to be a little bit slower that the West Coast in accepting Virtual Assistants and what we can accomplish from our home offices.

A lot of Virtual Assistants come to the table and offer Admin services and that’s fine, but when you find a VA who offers a specialty like web design, newsletter creation and distribution and even graphic design, they have taken extra steps to develop their skills. I know a lot of Virtual Assistants will work with new clients on a trial basis, I personally offer a (4 hour) trial contract for those who want to try my services and not be tied into a long term contract.

I know that IVAA has an RFP system and so does VAnetworking.com I have gotten a lot of my clients from VAnetworking.com Just visit the site and you can check out their RFP system and see it it’s for you.

As a VA, all I can say is “Try us, you’ll like us.”

Kathy Zengolewicz http://www.thevirtualindependentcontractor.com

Nice discussion. I’m a virtual assistant from the Philippines and although my rate is only $5/hr. I can say in all honesty that I deliver excellent work.

Being multi-skilled, I usually do things like designing and updating blogs in WordPress, graphics design, link building, article writing, research, Squidoo and Hubpages creation and anything that my clients would feel they can trust me with.

The relationship of a VA with his or her clients grows overtime and in the process, more and more work gets delegated because they get to know each other. I enjoy the trust that my clients give me and I make it a point to value that trust by being reliable and consistent with the quality of work I deliver.

However, each VA has their own qualms about some task where they don’t feel comfortable enough to tackle. For my case, I don’t like making calls and my clients respect that because I can contribute a lot in other areas of their business.

I try to learn more about my client’s business along the way because I believe that a VA should be proactive. The client must feel that you are a valuable part of the team and that he or she can trust that you will use your own judgment in making decisions and finding ways to promote their interests.

This, like most business decisions, is about time and money. But there’s a rub:

Most of the time, deciding to outsource something (ESPECIALLY something “important”) feels like giving up control.

Tough love: Get over it.

VAs are a great way to take care of the stuff that’s getting in the way of your success, and without either the commitment or liabilities that employees bring.

Finding the right one can be a trick-and-a-half, but you got to where you are by trusting your instincts, and my guess is that continuing to do so will serve you well.

BTW: self-serving as this comment is, I have to agree with those who said you should steer clear of the $5/hr folks for most things. There’s a place for shopping price (my company jobs certain work out to Pakistan and India, for example), but usually doing that brings on a level of project management that you probably don’t wish for . . . meaning you just replaced one task on your plate with another. Leave use of the cheap guys to the professionals; we know how to do it.

Jeff Yablon President & CEO Virtual VIP

Not being am employee means that business owners are not responsible for taxes, benefits, equipment, office space, etc.

VAs being independent business owners themselves, means that we “get” what our clients are going through and can ease their pain. Yes, I am “into the business” of running my practice – that means that I work to create a business that sustains me intellectually and financially and in the process of doing that, my clients get great value from my support. Yes, I have an agreement that clients sign – it protects both of us in our working relationship and clearly outlines expectations for both of us because clear, direct communication is essential to our success.

Whether you are an entrepreneur seeking administrative support or a virtual assistant seeking to add clients to your practice, please remember that the connection you make – the fit – is the most important factor in deciding to work together.

Also, as Linda mentioned, head on over to AssistU.com. There aren’t thousands of VAs there, but the ones you will find are screened and trained more thoroughly than anywhere else.