Comments on: The Poor Web Worker's Virtual Assistant

By: Words on a page » A few links for the end of the week

Words on a page » A few links for the end of the week — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 10:01:13 +0000

[...] Need a virtual assistant? If you don’t have the budget for one, here are some alternatives [...]

By: Virtual Assistant

Virtual Assistant — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 06:37:31 +0000

There are ways in finding affordable and reliable VA you just have to know where to search them. But you don’t have to rely all the work to be done by the VA and not knowing how he/she does it. It is essential that you know what the VA is doing and keep monitoring and everything he/she does.

By: The Writer

The Writer — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 22:16:19 +0000

So does anyone have any recommendations for *budget* VA services especially targeted towards the needs of web workers? (For those of us who are just slightly above poor)

Perhaps another article?

By: Taryn Merrick

Taryn Merrick — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 15:47:55 +0000

Most people don’t realize that they can share a Virtual Assistant. So that is a surefire way to jump start your utilization of one.

I’m also curious, do any of you that don’t feel you can afford a Virtual Assistant have employees on board? I have actually seen this scenario! With VAs you don’t have to provide office space or equipment, or pay employee related taxes or give vacations, bonuses, etc.

You will never really be able to tell how much a VA can help you until you try one. Most of my clients have told me that it has freed up about 30% of their time. Time which they are able to utilize to market their business, network, or advance their own skills.

A good VA can actually help those clients who are afraid or don’t know how to delegate. It’s a gradual process built on trust, but a most effective one.

By: Sharon Trombly

Sharon Trombly — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 18:19:19 +0000

Celine, great post! You are so right about the need to “know how to delegate”.

No worries though, an experienced VA will be able to pull your non-core competent tasks away from you, so you can focus on the big picture.

Over time, and with the development of a working relationship with a VA, this will become easier.

By: Simon Mackie

Simon Mackie — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 10:15:50 +0000

@Anelly I wouldn’t write it off so quickly. Effective use of VAs can be a great way to improve productivity for some people, by outsourcing tasks to which you’re not best suited and concentrating on those areas that generate revenue.

By: Anelly

Anelly — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 09:05:26 +0000

I never thought at a virtual assistant and this is because i don’t need one. I can’t see which is it’s purpose at this moment.

By: Tracey D'Aviero

Tracey D'Aviero — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 03:41:47 +0000

Hiring a VA doesn’t have to be as expensive as you think – because a VA doesn’t charge you for time NOT working on your projects/tasks, you can save money that you would pay to a normal assistant. I am a virtual assistant, and if a task takes 15 minutes to complete, that’s all my client pays for. If you take the time to find an established VA, they can take care of tasks faster than you probably can yourself!

By: Becki Maxson

Becki Maxson — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 03:30:32 +0000

Another free option that works great is hiring an intern from Craigslist or word of mouth. Especially if you’ve got a project that just needs temp help, or if your tasks are internet related, a lot of people would like to add skills to their resume & you can get them to intern in trade for learning something new for say 10 wks.

Becki

By: nhickmarin

nhickmarin — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 08:18:09 +0000

Not yet, that’s why I’m still using those free services mention above. Who knows, maybe someday..