What is a virtual assistant?

I had someone just inquire on Twitter what is a virtual assistant. I get this question all the time! Don’t worry if you have  the same question! I have decided to write about what is a virtual assistant (often called a VA), what we can do for you and how we can save you money!

Virtual Assistant – an administrative assistant just like any other assistant, secretary, etc… that you are use to seeing work at someone’s office. Maybe you have even had a administrative assistant before. The virtual portion means we work using technology to complete your assignments, we don’t physically come into your office and work from a desk there. We work from our offices. Usually which are located in our home.

How we work? We can:

  • remotely connect to your office computer (if necessary) to complete your assignments.
  • complete many tasks, such as your newsletter via Constant Contact, 1shopping cart, etc…
  • maintenance your website, blog, etc.. via the web.
  • type your letters, emails, design your brochures, press releases via our computer.
  • make follow up phone calls, send your emails, schedule appointments, etc…
  • maintain your social networking sites, such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.

We complete all of these tasks using some type of technology, usually related to the Internet. We just need a high speed Internet connection, your assignment and we are set to go.

How does a virtual assistant save you money? You do not have to pay for:

  • office space, office equipment, printers, Internet connection.
  • payroll taxes, health insurance, vacation, sick pay and holidays.
  • wasted time spent on breaks, at water coolers and personal phone calls.
  • time to train new staff.

If you want to save time and money by utilizing the services of a Virtual Assistant do contact me. If I can’t help you, I certainly know some great virtual assistants that can.

All virtual assistants have a specialty or passion, mine is Social Media, I help my clients leverage social networking applications, such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter to grow their brand and brand awareness. However, I also do many other tasks for my clients from typing, creating newsletters to scanning business cards.

What I recommend if you are considering hiring a virtual assistant:

  • Define what tasks your virtual assistant can complete for you.
  • Determine what area most of these tasks fall into.
  • Find someone that specializes in that area.
  • Make sure they can also complete the other tasks for you.

Virtual assistants do charge a higher fee in most cases than having someone work for you in your office, however, as mentioned above they are absorbing the cost for all your savings. You are hiring a 100% professional, highly dedicated assistant focusing on you and you alone for the allotted time you pay for. We are not focusing on anything or anyone else for the time we are set to work for you. Tasks get accomplished faster, with accuracy and professionalism.

Do feel free to email me or call if you would like to discuss my services further, or if you need a recommendation for a specialist. I am the organizer of the Virtual Assistants of Dallas Fort Worth Meetup group. Our members range from specializing in transcription, accounting, writing, social media to organizing your junk drawer.

Some VAs only complete certain tasks and not others, do make sure when interviewing a potential virtual assistant you get all the facts, so you can have a one stop shop, vs. going to many assistants for many different tasks!

Comments

11 Responses to “What is a virtual assistant?”

  1. uberVU - social comments on February 17th, 2010 4:26 pm

    Social comments and analytics for this post…

    This post was mentioned on Twitter by LissaDuty: @CyG_People U inspired me to a write a blog post, here is your answer about What is a Virtual Assistant? http://bit.ly/9BpZrw…

  2. CyG_ People on February 17th, 2010 5:08 pm

    well, now we exactly know what VA is.

    We like it. It helps to protect our environment.

    Wish more ‘office’ people would work from home and build local communties …

    It will be part of our network. That’s for sure.

    CyG Network
    be curious

    Thank you

  3. Twitted by vadirectory on February 17th, 2010 6:12 pm

    [...] This post was Twitted by vadirectory [...]

  4. Ana Lucia Novak on February 17th, 2010 9:53 pm

    Hi Lissa, great article. a friend of mine commented a thank you from LinkedIn website. I had to explain what a VA is to a group of people at the meetup last night. Great article, keep them coming in !

  5. Sandy Naidu on February 17th, 2010 11:51 pm

    If you want to work from home then becoming a virtual assistant will enable you to do so. You can also specialize in a specific field – like in transcription.

  6. Robin on April 25th, 2010 4:39 am

    Social comments and analytics for this post…

    This post was mentioned on Twitter by LissaDuty: @CyG_People U inspired me to a write a blog post, here is your answer about What is a Virtual Assistant? http://bit.ly/9BpZrw…

  7. Simon on April 26th, 2010 4:25 am

    well, now we exactly know what VA is.

    We like it. It helps to protect our environment.

    Wish more ‘office’ people would work from home and build local communties …

    It will be part of our network. That’s for sure.

    CyG Network
    be curious

    Thank you

  8. David on April 26th, 2010 3:30 pm

    well, now we exactly know what VA is.

    We like it. It helps to protect our environment.

    Wish more ‘office’ people would work from home and build local communties …

    It will be part of our network. That’s for sure.

    CyG Network
    be curious

    Thank you

  9. Ian on April 27th, 2010 7:46 am

    Social comments and analytics for this post…

    This post was mentioned on Twitter by LissaDuty: @CyG_People U inspired me to a write a blog post, here is your answer about What is a Virtual Assistant? http://bit.ly/9BpZrw…

  10. Eric on April 28th, 2010 1:34 am

    Hi Lissa, great article. a friend of mine commented a thank you from LinkedIn website. I had to explain what a VA is to a group of people at the meetup last night. Great article, keep them coming in !

  11. Tony on April 28th, 2010 8:26 am

    Hi Lissa, great article. a friend of mine commented a thank you from LinkedIn website. I had to explain what a VA is to a group of people at the meetup last night. Great article, keep them coming in !