The truth is, you can't afford NOT to delegate to a Virtual Assistant. Of course, for entrepreneurs - your business is your baby. And I know that, because mine is, too. It's easy to get into the mindset of "It will be faster just for me to do it" or "I am afraid I will forget to tell an important detail." I've also hear clients say "I am too much of a perfectionist" or "I have no idea what to delegate". That probably sounds very familiar to some of you.
Experts say that in order to have your business grow, you need to continue to grow a solid, proactive, innovative team. I know that as entrepreneurs and small business owners, we like to do it all - and I am confident that you can - but the reality is, it does not make any business sense to do so.
Delegating does not have to feel like handing over the authority to someone else - and working with the right Virtual Assistant will make you not feel that way. The key here is to make it as organized as possible for your Virtual Assistant to perform the task. Here at Virtual Assist USA, we have a "Task Requisition" form. This is a web-based survey where clients can submit tasks. It's very easy for them and it tells us everything we need to know without any of that back and forth. The form outlines the deadline, the output requested (Word, PDF), any samples to follow, user names/passwords necessary for access and the client's overall objective.
Now, I want you all to stop making excuses and start delegating - and you will see your business soar!
1. Decide what goes where: Figure out what your strengths are - is it building client relationships? Think of where you are contributing to your business in the best way, to make it the most successful. Whatever that task is, keep doing it. It's something you're good at. But for the rest of it - bookkeeping, say - if you are not an expert, and someone else can do it faster than you, by all means, delegate! Think long and hard about this - I have a client who really loves, and is good at, maintaining client relationships. However, he cannot spend everyday sending short emails or calls just to check in with clients. So he delegated his "keep in touch" contacting to one of my Virtual Assistants, and now, he just handles the biggest and most important on his list. Take a 5 day period and write down everything that you do. Highlight what you can delegate and share that with your VA.
2. Be Detailed: Consider exactly how you want the work to be completed. Be specific, and detailed. You only have to do this once. In this case, take some time to create a process. Just like Virtual Assist USA's task requisition form, determine what the final output and objective should be, and outline specific steps to get there.
3. Give accountability: Let your VA know that they are being held accountable for the end result of the task. Give them that responsibility and have them own it. Think about exactly what you want the deliverable to look like at the end, and then explain that to your VA. It's helpful, oftentimes, to assign numbers or metrics to tasks. For example, "Get me speaking engagements" could be "Get me 3 speaking engagements per month." Include goals and results and you will be sure to get them.
4. Have good communication: Check in with your VA - and it doesn't have to be everyday. They should be sending you weekly reports - take the time to go over them. Set the times that you will check in before hand - say, 15 minutes every Wednesday morning. This keeps you in the loop and also lets the VA know that your work is a priority to you.