If I asked you if you would like to have virtual support to help you build your coaching business, I’ll bet the answer would be, YES!
Who wouldn’t want support to lighten the load of day-to-day tasks? I know, I sure do!
I’ve been running my online coaching business for 12 years now and I am acutely aware of how important the virtual team I have in place is to my success. Without each of them, I could never do what I do.
However, that wasn’t always the case.
For the first 3-4 years of running my business, I was chugging along, barely keeping my head above water, because I was doing it all myself. (Insert stories of overwhelm and burnout here. 🤦♀️)
At the time, I thought I needed to operate my business as lean as possible to maximize profits. What I didn’t realize is that I was actually sabotaging profits because I was spending most of my time completing tasks someone else could have handled for me, and not enough time coaching new clients. 🤷♀️
Take it from me, maximizing profits does not start with you overworking yourself or wearing all the hats in your business.
5 STEPS TO TAKE WHEN HIRING A VIRTUAL ASSISTANT
Here are 5 steps to consider when you hire a virtual assistant for your health coaching business.
Step #1 – Determine your business needs
While it would be great to outsource almost everything in your business there are some things that only you can do. The flip side is that there are certain tasks that should be outsourced because your time is better spent elsewhere.
To figure out where you should begin, start by making a list of day-to-day or one-off tasks that you would like support with. This will not only help you get clarity about where you want help, it will also help you decide if there is overlap between tasks so one person could handle more than one thing.
Step #2 – Set clear objectives
In order for you to establish a win-win relationship with your virtual assistant, you need to set clear objectives from the start. When I first began my journey in hiring a VA I tried to find someone that could do it all for me. The idea of having one person that knew the ins and outs of my business felt like a dream come true. But I quickly realized that not only is it unrealistic to expect one person to be an expert in all things, it also set the virtual assistant up for failure. Not a great way to kick things off.
Now, when I hire someone, I look for someone that specializes in a certain area that meets the needs of my current objectives. The clearer you can be about your job description, due date, and pay structure the more likely all of your objectives will be met and you’ll find the perfect person to support you.
Step #3 – Check their communication skills
Searching for virtual support is now a global opportunity. You have the ability to connect and work with people from anywhere in the world. That is a tremendous opportunity as long as there is clear communication between the two of you.
One of my favorite ways to make sure we’re a good match is to do a test project. As an example, when I was searching for a new social media manager I posted a job description, went through the applicants’ previous work history as well as the portfolios they submitted, and then I chose my top 3 candidates. I reached out to each of them and asked if they would be willing to create 3 social media posts and graphics for my Instagram account. I offered to pay them 1 hour of wages, based on their preferred hourly rate from their application, and I gave them a due date.
Believe it or not, one gal missed the due date and never reached out to me. When I contacted her the next day she offered a reason why she was late so I set a new due date for her. Once again, she missed the deadline. When she did finally submit her posts and graphics I already knew that she was not a good fit for me. Communication is key and at no time did she take the initiative to let me know she was going to be late in submitting her posts. Not a great first impression. The test project was key to me avoiding making a bad hire.
Step #4 – Ask for their portfolio and/or references
One of the easiest ways to find a great virtual assistant is to ask your colleagues for references.
If the work you want done is something visual, like social media graphics, PDF creation, or video editing, then it’s easy to ask them to provide a portfolio that includes multiple examples of projects they’ve completed in the past. If they are truly a professional virtual assistant they will already have this created ahead of time which means they can supply the link easily.
If you’re looking for general virtual support with things like email management, calendar bookings, organizing Dropbox, customer service replies, etc. then that’s not as easy to put into a portfolio. This is a great opportunity to ask for references. References are people that you can reach out to that have worked with this person in the past that will share their feedback about what they think of your potential hiring candidate. Being prepared with a few questions ahead of time, that you can ask the reference, will make this process go more smoothly.
Step #5 – Start small and build your skills as a project manager
In any good employer / virtual assistant relationship, both people need to bring their A-game to the table for it to be a win-win. I’ve found that oftentimes, the quality of the work being delivered to me is determined by how well I’m doing my job as the business owner and project manager. That’s why I like to start with smaller projects and progress from there over time as we build a relationship.
Looking for more tips? Download my FREE guide: 10 Steps To Hiring Virtual Support That Save You Time and Money
HOW TO HIRE FOR HELP IN YOUR WELLNESS BUSINESS
We live in such an amazing world where we all can monetize our gifts and talents in many ways. I believe that everyone has a zone of genius and when you have the option to put that to work for yourself and get paid to do what you love it’s a great way to live your life.
There are thousands of people in the world that want to work from home, have incredible organizational skills or are artistically gifted and they want to help you bring your business to the next level through virtual support. They want to put their zone of genius to work for you and get paid for it.
That’s why, in episode 308 of The Wellness Business Podcast, we’re teaching you how to Get Help Sooner Rather Than Later – 5 Steps to Take When Hiring a Virtual Assistant.
In this episode, you’ll discover…
- The 5 steps you should take when hiring a virtual assistant that will set your working relationship up for success right from the start
- A list of questions you can ask past references to get a feel, ahead of time, if this virtual assistant is a good fit for you
- Our very best pro-tips that you should consider when hiring a virtual assistant whether they will be filling an ongoing support role or taking care of one-off tasks for you
Links/Resources mentioned on the show:
10 Steps To Hiring Virtual Support That Save You Time and Money
Links to resources:
