How to Outsource Effectively: A Guide on Making the Most of Virtual Assistant Services for Small Businesses

Outsourcing can feel like a big leap, especially if you’re a small business owner used to managing every detail yourself! You might be plagued with worry about losing control or the quality of work declining. But with the right approach, outsourcing - such as using virtual assistant services for small businesses - can be a game-changer and allow you to focus on what you do best while letting someone else handle the rest.

Identifying Tasks for Outsourcing

The first step to effective outsourcing is to figure out which tasks to delegate. I have written about this in detail here, but in summary - track all your tasks for a few days and then break them into four categories:

• What only you can do

• What you don’t have time for

• What you hate doing

• What you can’t do

Start with the last category and find a virtual assistant (VA) who specialises in these tasks. The reason you start with what you can’t do is because those are the tasks that will frustrate you the most.

Choosing the Right Virtual Assistant Services for Your Small Business

Now it’s all well and good looking for someone who specialises in those tasks you can’t do, but finding the right VA requires a little more than that. Here are some tips to help guide you through the process of finding the perfect VA for you and your business:

Understand Your Needs: Clearly define what you need help with - are you looking for admin support, marketing or something more specialised such as a graphic designer or blog writer?

Research & Referrals: Read testimonials and ask for recommendations from other small business owners - you’ll be surprised how many are using virtual assistants and they’ll be happy to recommend if they have a good one!

Evaluate Skills & Experience: All VAs are specialists in different areas, so be sure they have the right skills for the support you need. Feel free to ask for examples of their work or conduct a small test project.

Align with Your Business Goals: Choose a VA who understands your business - even though they’re not an employee, they will still be part of your business’ future success.

Setting Clear Expectations

I can’t stress enough how important clear communication is when it comes to outsourcing. A communication breakdown is usually the leading cause of issues between virtual assistants and clients, so to avoid misunderstandings, set clear expectations from the beginning. A good virtual assistant will do the same in return! Here are some tips on how to do this effectively:

• Detailed Job Descriptions: Provide comprehensive descriptions of each task you are handing over, including deadlines, preferred communication methods and any specific requirements

• Onboarding Process: Spend the time to onboard your new VA. Explain your business, and your expectations and make sure they have all they need in terms of tools and resources to complete the job to a high standard

• Regular Check-Ins: This is personal preference and you’ll need to check with your VA in terms of whether it will be billable, but scheduling regular check-ins is a good way of keeping in touch. You’ll be able to discuss progress, offer feedback and give your VA the time to ask questions of you too.

Managing Outsourced Tasks

Finding the balance between oversight and trust is something that many business owners can struggle with. It’s hard to let go after all! But it’s vital you do to make working with a virtual assistant a success. Here are some strategies you might consider:

• Use Project Management Tools: Trello, Asana, ClickUp - there are hundreds of different tools you can use to keep track of tasks and communicate efficiently with your VA

• Set Milestones: Break projects into smaller tasks with clear milestones and deadlines. This will help monitor progress, without resorting to micromanagement

• Encourage Independence: Trust your VA to manage their work. Allow them autonomy to complete tasks their own way - as long as they meet the set standards and deadlines, how they do that is not really your concern!

Success Metrics

Outsourcing is a big investment, especially if you’re a small business owner, so you need to make sure it’s working - here are some metrics you might consider:

• Quality of Work: Is your VA meeting your standards?

• Timeliness: Are tasks being completed on time?

• Cost-Effectiveness: Compare the cost of your VA with the time and money saved

• Feedback & Improvement: Regularly seek feedback from your VA and provide your own

Outsourcing, particularly using virtual assistant services for small businesses, can significantly boost your productivity and allow you to focus on what truly matters. By identifying the right tasks to outsource, choosing the right VA with the right skill set and setting clear expectations, you can make outsourcing a powerful tool for your business growth.

Don’t let the fear of losing control hold you back - you’ll just end up watching those who did invest fly. So embrace outsourcing, delegate routine tasks and give yourself the time and energy to focus on strategic growth.