We all know that virtual assistants add value to businesses, but hiring one may not necessarily be the right choice for you at the moment.
So how do you know whether you should hire one or not?
Here I’m going to list down the five most common reasons why hiring a Virtual Assistant may not for you. And how you can avoid them.
1. You can’t let go of micromanaging
Some business owners find it difficult to relinquish control. It’s important to keep in mind that micromanaging every task can be a recipe for disaster. You have to trust your employees especially if they are trained.
Delegating is essential for a successful business. Make sure to adjust your workflow and learn to let go of the reins and focus on the bigger picture.
2. You don’t have a budget
Hiring a VA means you need money to pay them, obviously!
But if you don’t have a budget, then you may not just be ready yet.
However, there are methods to hire a VA without going bankrupt.
- Audit your business expenses and see where the money goes
- Figure out which expenses should go (the ones that don’t bring in value or ROI)
By letting go of some expenses that aren’t bringing in a return on investments, you can use that money to hire a VA.
3. You don’t know what you’re hiring them for
Maybe you thought you needed an assistant, but then you realized you needed a social media manager. And perhaps a blog manager, too. And maybe a writer.
The hiring process might end up a nightmare if you don’t know what you’re hiring them for.
First, you need to figure out what services or tasks you need to hire out. You might end up realizing that what you need is not a virtual assistant after all.
4. You don’t have a company SOP
If you don’t have a company SOP, that means you’re not there yet.
I’m not saying it should be documented. But if it is, the better. (And yes, you should be documenting it.)
What I’m saying is, your business has a system in place; a workflow.
Once you have this, hiring a VA would be easy. If you don’t have a system yet, even if you’re a solopreneur, you’re not yet ready for a VA.
You’re VA is not going to create that system for you unless you’re hiring them for that reason.
5. You can get help from A.I.
Of course, AI assistants still need human supervision but there are some things that AI can do a good job at.
Here are some apps that are powered by AI that may help you with your business:
I’m not saying AI can totally replace humans though. But maybe getting AI assistance can help you figure out which virtual assistance tasks you actually need to hire out.
For example, instead of hiring someone to edit your articles for grammar, maybe you can use Grammarly for that. And hire someone to manage your blog instead.
6. You don’t have the right mindset
The five reasons I discussed in this article are practical and logical reasons. VA Staffer can even help you overcome some of those reasons. But the single biggest reason you might not be ready yet for a VA is something you have to overcome yourself.
And that is your mindset.
It takes guts to hire someone, to lead, to train, to get out there and invest in someone. It takes a lot from a person. And if you’re not there yet, hiring a VA may not just be for you.
I’m on several Facebook groups and I can’t tell you how often I see business owners complain about how freelancers charge money for their work. It makes me cringe. If you’re a business owner and you have this mindset that other business owners can’t charge money for their services then maybe you need some introspection.
Make sure you have an entrepreneurial mindset before hiring a VA.
Final Thoughts
Having a virtual assistant can do wonders for your business. You’re not only saving time. By delegating tasks, you allow yourself to focus on the bigger picture so you can grow your business and make a bigger impact on your community.
