Virtual Assistant Assistant: The Ultimate Guide to Finding, Hiring, and Working with Virtual Assistants

I started a consulting company a year ago and am far too busy. I bought this book to see if I could glean any insights into getting a virtual assistant. Now only did I get insights, it is nearly a complete how-to manual in just a few short pages. It covers things like: The kinds of things for which a VA can help you Web sites and services to find virtual assistants Pros/cons of domestic vs. international VAs Price ranges for different kinds of VAs, domestic and international Software that can help them give access to your systems without them knowing all your passwords So often I read a 200-page book and think, "This as good, but they could have done this in 50 pages." In the traditional book market, your book has to have a certain thickness for it to be considered serious. I think that this often leads to stretched out content that just wastes your time. This book is short, to-the-point, and doesn't leave any questions as to why/how/how much/where/etc. Even if you don't need a VA, after reading this book, it is clear that this is a HUGE future trend - and is something worth reading just to be aware of. Nick Loper is clearly ahead of the curve and there is a lot that we can learn from him.

What would you be prepared to do to regain control of your life at a surprisingly low cost? If you have never considered a virtual assistant (VA,) it might well be worth your while to consider one. A VA is someone who works for you remotely. In our connected, global society with relatively low telecommunications costs, a VA can assistant you from almost everywhere, with almost anything that does not require a physical presence. Having a VA is a way to get what you need to be done more effectively than you could. They come in three types: the task-based, the project-based, and the virtual employee. A task-based assistant usually sells a monthly package that includes a set number of requests. These could be arranging meetings or adding contact addresses. A project-based virtual assistant is usually a freelance contractor who helps you with a one-time project. You might need a website designed, some articles written, or an iPhone app programmed. The big projects attract more money and require a more careful review of the candidate. A virtual employee is a part-time or full-time worker in the business. They bear a similar resemblance to an in-house employee, except that they work remotely. “I had trust issues over letting someone new into my operation and trade secrets,” Confesses the author, Nick Loper. “I thought whoever I hired would do poor quality work - or worse - copy my idea!” In the nine years he has used outsourced part or full-time VAs, he has “never once had this be an issue.” If you have concerns about letting a stranger see your trade secrets, you can always insist on a non-disclosure or non-compete agreement. With a home-based VA, the only security you have is a person’s integrity. However, an unreliable individual is as likely to reside at the end of your corridor as on the other side of the world. There is always a need to interview the candidates, and technology has made this easier. You could confirm the person’s credentials on Google, LinkedIn, Facebook, or Twitter by what other people say about them. Then there is always Skype for the face-to-face interview. It is on Skype that you can uncover any potential language barriers and misunderstandings. Interviewing candidates for a VA position is no different to interviewing an in-house candidate. VAs are best used for work that can be broken down into specific activities. They, too, can be given tasks to perform to see how well they execute on these tasks, exactly as you would with an in-house candidate. The rule that “you get what you pay for” generally applies, so hire the best talent you can afford. That is not to imply that there are not any high-value, bargain VAs on the market. What should you outsource first? You would need to “know yourself,” what you are good at and what you dislike, what makes you money, and what does not. Start with those chores you do not enjoy, and from which you do not make money. Outsourcing is about using resources efficiently. The author reports that he “spends a week tracking how I spent my time. I wrote down each activity and the amount of time I spent on it. Try it for a day; you might be surprised with the results.” This is a good way to identify what should be outsourced. He lists 168 items. The debate in the field centres about using an agency or going directly to a home-based VA. An agency is clearly preferable in the case of tasks that are intermittent, and time-based. An agency will employ a number of people who are available; a home-based VA may not always be available. If you are employing a full or half-day VA, then the only advantage is the security of tenure, which is in your hands. The book lists many sites for home-based VAs as well as agencies. There are a number of South African agencies, but they tend to specialise in telephone answering and transcription. Distance is not a problem as location is virtually irrelevant. It undoubtedly takes time to hire and train a new VA, but it takes as much time to do so with a person who will sit in your office. With a VA, by contrast, you will not be paying for space, and not for a computer. VAs are not only able to perform basic tasks; they can as easily be engaged to do research and develop a marketing plan. The only difference is the time spent on the training, which is, if you intend a long-term relationship, worth the effort. “If a virtual assistant can save you even an hour a day wouldn’t that be worthwhile?” asks Loper. It is a question worth considering. Readability Light +---- Serious Insights High ---+- Low Practical High -+--- Low *Ian Mann of Gateways consults internationally on leadership and strategy and is the author of Strategy that Works.

He seems weighted toward using companies who have a 'stable' of virtual assistants, but also has worked with individuals. He has worked with and can speak about virtual assistants in many countries; both men and women. Loper addresses many concerns about security with solid advice as well as certifications and organizations that represent credibility for the virtual assistant. While there is no doubt that rates are important and we all know the differences in standards of living can lead to some lower and higher rates, I wish he hadn't used numbers. Figures change constantly and the numbers he used can become a 'standard' that new business people expect when beginning to work with virtual assistants. Loper also implies it is common to hire someone at low rates, but only barely discusses the point that the lower rate people may also be offering services that have demanded a lower investment in time and equipment for them. He recommends asking the virtual assistant applicants to do some tasks as an experiment. These are not necessarily free work, but more of a test. He uses the term resume and most virtual assistants use the term profile, but I believe this isn't a deal breaker once the need is defined. Clients need to know where and how a virtual assistant has or has not worked. The author wins all five stars for me in other similar reviews because he devotes a large part of the book to way an entrepreneur can sensibly take charge of business and the virtual assistant relationship. The leadership people I've worked with have been other virtual assistants as a subcontractor. Clients right out of the box have not been able or willing to do this and it has left me at a disadvantage more than once. Beginning at the beginning, Loper recommends working out a mission statement for the business, then building a management manual so that the plan is all worked out before the virtual assistant comes on board. The plans are all living and expectations are for change, but there are fewer surprises with a system of some sort in place. I found the book to be sensibly structured from first learning what a virtual assistant is and that outsourcing is not a dirty word through the analysis of need and the structure of a sound leadership plan that doesn't leave anyone hanging. It is sweet that he recommends appreciation, bonuses and fair pay practices for the virtual assistant. It would almost seem there could be a place for a personnel virtual professional who could help a business get set up for a virtual assistant, then perhaps hand off the tasks to a different person and move on to the next business. Or stay and help build a strong business. While this book was written for the client, I read it because I wanted some more information that could make my virtual business stronger and help me in better marketing practices. Even as some details may become more dated or obsolete, there is a useful foundation in the book for readers. I'm glad I have it and recommend it for those reasons. I'm sure I will be referring to parts of it in the future. I will be writing reviews of the book at BarJD.com and at GoodReads, while I have reviewed the book at The Naked VA.

If you are planning to work with virtual assistant this is a very useful and focused book to start with.

Great book, that has a lot of experience and Know-how inside. This Author knows what he is talking about. You learn about the advantage, tools and get the most important tipps you need to work Succesfull and efficient.

I'm about to move into the world of outsourcing and I found this book to be a really useful handbook of what to do and what not to do. Clear,realistic and easy to read....I'm ready to take action now. Thanks.

When I bought this eBook I wasn't really looking for a VA; I was just vaguely interested in the possibilities. Having read it, I have decided to start an active search for such a person; this book has motivated that decision and will also help my search greatly. The structure seems logical to me and the writing style is excellent. I do have a criticism but it is small. The book seems to be quite US-focused, so that at one point Mr Loper says that in the US you can find a VA for $x / hr but "overseas" it would be a much lower figure, say $y / hr. The lower figure might well be based on an average cost in the Philippines, well-known as a leading source of low-cost VA contractors. However, there are many developed countries outside the US (e.g. the UK, where I live), where the costs are not lower than the US; higher in some cases. This could be something to bear in mind for the next edition, as the benefits of VAs are starting to be recognised here. Finally, a formatting point. Mr Loper presents the many uses of a VA in tabular form; as there are so many of them, he uses three columns, and the text thus ends up so small it's hard to read. Changing the font size on my Kindle has no effect on this table. Maybe I can find a way to solve this. However that isn't a big deal; this excellent book has already given me at least ten reasons to hire a VA and also shown me the way to conduct the search.

Its a short read and covers all the basics. Might have included a bit more to avoid the necessity of buying another book on the subject. I'm happy with the purchase and I know its only intended as a starter book so met my original aims and therefore I might be a little harsh in dropping a star but left me wanting to know more so a future edition might just expand a bit.