Housing prices are up, and people are getting desperate to buy! This isn’t clickbait hype, these are facts. The real estate market is in a weird place right now, with everything going on in the world. And few professionals are feeling the weirdness more than mortgage loan officers. But thankfully there is an answer to the added pressure those in the real estate industry are facing, and it involves virtual assistants. More and more brokerages are turning to virtual assistant services like ours to fill out their staff with experienced professionals, capable of handling a variety of tasks. Now, this is not about how a virtual assistant is a replacement for a loan officer. Nope! This is to educate any interested parties about how to support their existing loan officer, with a real estate experience virtual assistant. Because that is the killer combo that is shaking up the industry for the better.
Let’s get right to it because time is money, and in real estate that’s as true as it gets. It’s important to understand that a virtual assistant could never replace the role of a loan officer. A VA(virtual assistant) is best for a company when they are combined with your existing workforce, as a supplement to facilitate growth. They do this by learning how you do business, fitting in with your team, and performing like they’re just down the street, rather than across an ocean. The perfect VA will be doing the work that was slowing down your local team. There are always tasks that are a bit less top-level or expertise-specific, and those tasks are often doable remotely. So why not have someone remote knock out that busywork, so your local staff are freed up to be the experts they’re meant to be?
Let’s go over some of those tasks that will differentiate your loan officer from the virtual assistant…
Loan Processor
Quote interest rates
Interact with clients
Go over different loan programs
Shop different banks
Negotiate point fees
And other in-person or specialty tasks
Virtual Assistant to Loan Processor
Compile information for the loan application
Research and correct errors in applications
Review documentation
Order appraisals
Complete loan package
Review title
Send reminders
And any other paperwork/data tasks that can be done online
It’s A Win/Win
As you probably noticed from those different duties across both lists, the VA really is like a supportive lifeline. A loan officer has a lot on their plate and often can feel stretched thin, especially when juggling different clients. Having an experienced real estate virtual assistant on your team to back them up is a win/win scenario for everyone. By hiring a VA to assist them you not only increase the productivity and accuracy of that role, but you save at least 50% on the cost compared to if you had hired a second traditional loan processor, locally. That’s because a MyOutDesk VA is just one flat rate per month to our clients. We handle all of the other fees associated with their employment; benefits, PTO, insurance, etc. And these VA’s are proven, skilled, and experienced people with a drive to work hard. They speak fluent English, and don’t need to be hand-held or monitored to ensure productivity. A remote assistant for the loan officer is just one example of how VA’s are changing the way we run our companies. There are so many other applications that just make sense, we could go on and on(and we have!).
If you’re on the fence, or just have a few questions, don’t hesitate to click that button below. You can request a FREE one-on-one consultation with one of our experts. We’ll hear you out first and understand what your business needs, then we’ll discuss a plan to help with even just one of our proven virtual assistants. Remember, time is money, and we don’t intend to waste either of those.
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Do you need help with using Zillow? Here’s how virtual assistants are changing the real estate business by helping out realtors.
Zillow and a Virtual Assistant: 5 Ways to Easily Use This Realtor Website
The real estate market is an ever-expanding industry that you should take advantage of. Getting into it is difficult, but with the right people and tools, you can make it big. With a virtual assistant helping you out with tools like Zillow, getting in shouldn’t be a problem.
A virtual assistant makes it easier for you to understand the market through provided data. If you need an assistant for a Zillow tutorial, then you’ve come to the right place. Read our list of five ways to learn how to use Zillow with a virtual assistant.
Zillow is a great way to generate leads on real estate houses you want to sell. With over 7 billion visits in the past year, your chances of getting a listing seen are bound to increase. The more listings you put, the higher the chances of generating more leads!
Setting up leads is easier if you have a virtual assistant helping you out. A virtual assistant can help get housing details for you to list effectively. Furthermore, a virtual assistant takes care of lead generation so you can focus on productive tasks.
2. Data is King
To use Zillow with a virtual assistant, the best thing you can do is compare data. Knowing relevant data such as the average housing price keeps you competitive. Use data published on the site to price correctly and get the best returns.
Additionally, by studying the data published on the website, you will gain market insight. An example here is knowing the price ranges for different locations. You can set a virtual assistant to comb Zillow data instead of doing it yourself.
3. Network and Expand
An alternative way to use a virtual assistant with Zillow is to network and expand your business. A virtual assistant can easily do that by setting up your appointments and following up with calls. A clear schedule for networking saves you time and expands your growth and market share.
4. Check Reviews
Going through hundreds of reviews will burn through your time and energy without generating progress. Instead, have a virtual assistant do that for you on Zillow by collecting and following up on client reviews. Use that feedback to make correct decisions for the benefit of your business.
5. Marketing Forward
The best way to market your business is to have a marketing team. On Zillow, a virtual assistant is as good. Use one to send emails to potential leads and buyers. A good virtual assistant can even set up promotional material such as marketing videos and house tours.
Use Zillow Today!
Real estate is always a bit tricky without the proper tools. If you need to get into the real estate market, Zillow is your best bet, and a VA is your best friend.
Are you looking for a reliable virtual assistant? Contact us today and find a virtual assistant to ease your troubles. Get one now and focus on expanding your business!
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MyOutDesk can save you up to 70% on employment costs
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5 Things to Know About WordPress Blogging With a Virtual Assistant
Don’t have enough time to handle the intricacies of WordPress blogging?
Blogging is a great way to attract new customers to your site and to keep your existing ones interested, too. However, it’s not as simple as typing away your thoughts and sharing your expertise.
It’s not something you can do on a whim; you need to be consistent in churning out content after content. You can’t, however, spend all your time doing this.
A virtual assistant is a great solution to your blogging problems. Here are five ways a virtual assistant can help you streamline the blogging process:
1. Content Planning and Management
You can spend time writing the content yourself or delegate the task. Either way, a virtual assistant will help you stay organized and take some of the tedious work from you.
Regular blog publishing can result in a significant increase in page visitors. A virtual assistant (VA) can help you with the following:
create editorial calendars to keep track of your posting schedule
assist in content planning
organize topics, giving priority to content your target customers want
This way, you won’t have to worry about having a day where you missed uploading content to your blog. It’s a good way to stay consistent for your readers.
2. Technical Assistance
The WordPress platform releases regular updates to keep sites secure. Even themes and plugins must be up to date. Spending time to do these technical aspects can place overhead on your time.
A virtual assistant can help you upgrade these components. They can even delete obsolete plugins that are slowing down your site.
Your VA can perform regular backups for your entire site. In case of unforeseen events, you’ll be able to restore from the latest backup. This will also result in increased uptime for your site.
3. Marketing Solution and Implementation
A virtual assistant can also help with market your blog. They can do so through different means, but social media is often the best. This is because there are at least 3.5 billion people on social media at any given moment.
They’ll help by promoting your blogs to the right people or groups. This way, you can generate more traffic to your blog site.
4. Blog Interaction
When they love your content, readers usually leave notes on your post. Reader interaction is essential to help build loyal followers and potential clients.
However, as your content grows, it can become harder to respond to all these comments. Your VA can help you stay connected with your readers by handling this task.
5. Search Engine Optimization
Making your blog content stand out on social media platforms is not enough. You also need to make your posts visible in search engines.
Getting your articles to rank on page one will yield a lot of organic traffic. Specific techniques can optimize your content so that it will rank higher.
Finding a qualified VA that can help you with this ensures the longevity of your blog. They can help by researching keywords for you to implement into your content. You can also have them optimize on-site page elements, increasing your organic search rate.
Improve Your WordPress Blogging with a Virtual Assistant
A highly-qualified virtual assistant can be effective in boosting your online presence. You’ll be able to grow your business faster without burnout. Improve your WordPress blogging with the help of a virtual assistant service today!
Do you want to hire a virtual assistant that can perform all these tasks? Contact us and we’ll help you find the VA that’s perfect for you.
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MyOutDesk can save you up to 70% on employment costs
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Working with a professionally vetted virtual assistant from MyOutDesk is one of the easiest things a growing business can try. But did you know that the Microsoft Team app can make working with a remote virtual assistant even easier? Learn 5 tips for getting the most out of MS Teams and your VA!
5 Tips for Using the Microsoft Team App With a Virtual Assistant
Microsoft Teams has been around for several years but the rise in remote work due to the COVID pandemic drove major growth. The number of active users increased by 50 percent from April 2020 to October 2020.
Because of Teams’ popularity, Microsoft is constantly adding new features, making the Microsoft Team app a perfect solution for working with a virtual assistant.
Let’s look at 5 tips for getting the most out of Teams.
1. Use the Whole Office 365 Suite
If you’re not already using all of the apps available in Microsoft’s Office 365 suite, consider switching from whatever platform you’re currently on.
Teams works better with Microsoft’s own applications than any other office suite, giving you a much stronger integration between your documents and communication.
2. Use Microsoft Team App Integrations With Other Tools
While Teams integrates tightly with Office 365, that doesn’t mean you can only use it with Microsoft applications.
Microsoft provides a large selection of apps for MS Teams that integrate with other services. You can connect Teams to tools like Trello for project management or Twitter for customer service, for example.
3. Treat Teams Meetings the Way You Would Treat In-Person Meetings
While Teams can work like a chat tool or email, it’s best not to treat it as a “social” tool. Set expectations for your virtual assistants upfront and treat virtual meetings through Teams the same way you would treat in-person meetings.
Expect people to be on time, to be on camera, to present themselves professionally, and anything else you would expect of an employee working in your office.
4. Take the Time to Learn How to Use Teams Effectively
Learning how to use the Microsoft Team app effectively gives you all kinds of options for working with your VA. It offers a lot of powerful features, not all of which are obvious.
For example, you can use the screen sharing feature in Teams to show your virtual assistant what you want them to do. And if you use the meeting recording feature to create a recording of that session, they’ll have a training video they can refer back to while they’re getting up to speed with your processes.
5. Use Planner to Stay Organized
The Planner feature in MS Teams is a perfect way to break down a project when you’re working with virtual assistant services. You can set up “buckets” which are essentially projects, each with a list of tasks to be completed.
You can assign those tasks to different people, including your virtual assistant, and get notifications as they complete their assigned tasks. You can also chart the project’s progress with the built-in reporting features in Planner.
Build a Stronger Relationship With Your VA Through MS Teams
The Microsoft Team app will help you communicate with your virtual assistant as well as plan and track the progress of any projects they’re working on. This gives you a better picture of your business and helps your VA have a clear idea of your expectations.
If you’re looking for a virtual assistant to help grow your business, MyOutDesk can help. We offer a range of virtual assistant services for businesses of all sizes.
Do you need help managing your CRM? If you’ve struggled to do it on your own, here’s why you need a virtual assistant to help you out.
Did you know that getting a new customer costs 5 to 25 times more than keeping one of your existing ones? For this reason, CRM tools are very important to your business.
But, it can be hard to find the time to invest in your CRM tools. This is where a virtual assistant can come in.
While you deal with the important daily tasks you have to do, a virtual assistant can take care of your CRM tools. Your CRM will be better with it, too.
If you’re looking for CRM help, here’s why a virtual assistant should be your first choice.
Virtual assistants can handle your CRM tools. In fact, many virtual assistant services involve managing the CRM itself.
When searching for the right person, you can look at their background. You can find someone who has worked with different CRM platforms before, or you can train the assistant to work on your chosen platform.
As long as you provide them with the proper tools and resources, your virtual assistant can accurately and easily handle the job.
What Are Some Tasks that A Virtual Assistant Can Complete for My CRM?
The great thing about hiring a virtual assistant to handle your CRM is that they can fully manage the system. They’ll become your full CRM manager.
Virtual assistants can help to automate your system so that you can stay in contact with your customers. This will help to retain them and keep a good customer relationship.
Keeping your CRM up to date and accurate is very important. A virtual assistant can help to verify and correct anything that is no longer valid. Keeping up with this will help to benefit your system in the long run.
If you’re ever in need of reports, a virtual assistant can help you download the ones you need. They’ll know how to set the parameters and get you the most accurate information available.
By hiring a virtual assistant to handle your CRM, you’re investing in your customer’s relationships with your business.
There are many benefits of hiring a virtual assistant who handles your CRM. One of the most important is that you can spend time doing other important tasks, while the assistant handles the system.
By hiring a virtual assistant, you also save money. You don’t have to hire another full-time employee, and you can outsource the work to your assistant.
Knowing the value that a virtual assistant can provide for you, it’s easy to see how they can help with your CRM. It’s an important part of your business that deserves attention.
At MyOutDesk, we can match you with a virtual assistant that can handle your CRM tools. You’ll see your customer relations improve and get better with time.
If you’re looking to hire a virtual assistant to give you CRM help, reach out to us personally! You can click the button below for a FREE one-on-one consultation with us. We’ll listen to you first, and understand your problems or concerns, then see what we can do to help.
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Do It, Document It, and Delegate It to a Virtual Assistant
Hiring a virtual assistant may seem daunting if you’re considering the “training” period. It’s true that your assistant can’t work effectively if they’re not familiar with your expectations, the software you use, and the everyday workflow.
However, there’s a method to increase productivity and ease the training period by paying attention to your work processes.
With this in mind, read on to learn all about process documentation for a seamless work environment!
Identify the Tasks
One of the hardest aspects of beginning documenting processes is compiling all the tasks that you expect your virtual assistant to handle. This is because you want to choose the tasks that you expect your assistant to handle on a daily basis and eliminate the unnecessary tasks.
Document Procedures
Your next step is to document, step-by-step, the procedure to execute each task. It’s important to be as clear and thorough as possible. This will enable your virtual assistant to confidently refer to you for assistance when they’re just getting started, boosting business productivity as a result.
You can document these procedures in a simple Word doc or use one of many process documentation tools in order to speed up your workflow. Here are a few commonly used tools:
We recommend opting for a tool that you’re already familiar with–this can greatly speed up your business documentation. Remember that you can use screenshots and video capture to make your processes even easier to understand.
Your work isn’t complete after writing down all your procedures. Next, it’s important to test all the procedures you’ve documented to ensure that each step is covered. For instance, if you want your virtual assistant to document all the calls created in your CRM software, you’ll want to include how to use that software after the call has taken place.
You’ll also want to include when you expect a task to be done. Updating your CRM platform every time a phone call or email is placed may be important if your assistant will be interacting with multiple clients a day.
Delegate the Tasks
Documenting these work processes is helpful even before you even hire a virtual assistant. This is because you’ll be aware of exactly the kinds of skills needed in order to confidently complete your processes each day. You’ll also be in a better position to communicate your expectations and find the right virtual assistant for you.
As you delegate tasks, remember that it’s important to still stay open to feedback. Update your documents over time so that your assistants are being trained with the best practices.
Process Documentation Tips for Productivity
It’s possible to increase productivity and reduce friction when it comes to onboarding a new virtual assistant with detailed process documentation. Take your time to consider the tasks you’d like your assistant to handle each day, with special attention placed on repetitive tasks.
Once you write them all out, your assistant will know exactly what you expect of them. They can also refer back to the document as they get accustomed to their new role with your business.
Ready to save time and money with the aid of a virtual assistant? Schedule a free one-on-one consultation today.
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“You get out what you put in,” says Dan Smith, of his experience onboarding a few virtual assistants(VA’s) from MyOutDesk. Dan is the Operations Manager at ‘Modern Lending’, a young but fast-growing mortgage company. He’s a firm believer in investing your time and effort into something, or someone, to improve the results you expect in return. Basically, if your input is the bare minimum then your output will match it. That’s one of the reasons Dan had no issue turning to us for a few virtual assistants to help his company with administrative work. Besides of course the positive word of mouth, proven track record, and competitive prices.
Dan and his team needed more helping hands with various company duties, but finding people with the knowledge he required was tough. Not to mention expensive, when you’re hiring freelance or from a temp agency. Dan knew that no matter where he decided to hire from, some degree of training was going to be required. So why not hire some people who’ve already been screened and evaluated, thus eliminating some of his headaches. While still being a blank-slate enough that he can build them from the ground up to fit his company needs! After all, their mission at Modern Lending was to make the entire home buying experience as positive and stress-free as possible. Buying a house is the most expensive purchase the average American will ever make, so you should come out of it happy, not just relieved it’s over.
“Anyone can fool you for 30 mins in an interview. Then you get them in here and it’s like what happened to that other person? We haven’t had to deal with anything like that at MyOutDesk.”
Modern Lending currently has 6 VA’s supporting their in-house loan processors. They started with just a few, whom Dan personally trained for several hours a day during the onboarding process. This might sound like a lot of effort, compared to hiring someone who already knows what they’re doing, but do they really? Every office works a little differently and has specific strengths, goals, and processes. Dan wanted whoever was going to be handling these sensitive tasks to not just know how to do them but to understand why they were doing them. What the importance of every step was, and how it affected someone else down the line. Over time the results were so satisfying, that they hired a few more VA’s from MyOutDesk. Eventually expanding their duties to involve increasingly high-level responsibilities, as they became more adept and trusted.
“I’ve had zero issues, ever, with MyOutDesk itself. Everything we needed, we got it, often in less than 24 hours.”
High Value, Low Cost
In the end, Dan and his team have been beyond satisfied with their experience hiring VA’s to support their processors. Not only were they able to secure six hard-working professionals as soon as they needed them, but they saved money doing so. Dan says he expects they save at least 60% of the costs they would have incurred had they hired elsewhere. In other words, the blended model of virtual assistants supporting his local staff has only helped their company continue to grow and be successful. If you’re at all curious how you can have a similar experience of success and savings, follow the link below. We’re happy to schedule a free consultation where we can assess any business problems you might have. Then we’ll determine how one of our VA’s might solve them.
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MyOutDesk can save you up to 70% on employment costs
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We’ve talked about what differentiates our virtual assistants from the AI virtual assistants you may be familiar with, before. There are various reasons to go with one of our human professionals to assist you in scaling your business successfully. But consider this the definitive, top five reasons why you should ditch the AI robot world of assistants, in favor of our very real and very skilled virtual assistants. Read on and be convinced…
1. Don’t forget what AI stands for; artificial intelligence. I don’t know about you, but I prefer my coworkers to be not artificial. Natural intelligence is much more useful and reliable than intelligence that is by definition fake. Sure, not all of your coworkers may be all-natural themselves, but whatever work they may or may not have had done is none of our business! What is our business, however, is… our business! And real business needs real intelligence to get the job done right. A real-life, not-fake virtual assistant will always be smarter than an artificial product because AI can’t compete with the complexity of a real human brain.
You Don’t Have To Yell at Us
2. Do you ever yell at Siri or your Alexa device? When I say “Alexa, turn off the living room light” I don’t want to hear back “Rain Wilson plays the character of Dwight on The Office”. I don’t need another reason to watch re-runs of The Office, I need the living room light turned off. That’s another problem with AI, which is you can’t always rely on it. With a human assistant, especially those from MyOutDesk, you CAN always rely on it. You don’t need to repeat yourself to our VA’s, and should never have to yell at them either. Please don’t yell at them. They will learn what you need and execute exactly that because they have ears and brains… not speakers and circuit boards.
3. AI doesn’t truly work for you. Think about it(with your human brain); an AI is just code, algorithms designed by someone else to handle general tasks. That someone probably isn’t an expert in the specific area you’re working in. So why rely on pre-determined routines from some stranger in another world? Don’t! Instead, put your very sensitive and important tasks in the hand of a human being who wasn’t designed, but has learned through experience what you need. Someone who is getting paid to do those very specific tasks you require and understands why they need to be done and how.
AI Isn’t Alive, Humans Are
4. The increasing reliance on AI to help us with tasks reminds me of machine assembly lines. Once upon a time, the advancements in machine technology resulted in people losing their jobs to “robots”. The modern-day equivalent is kind of like shifting human jobs to AI automation. Hard-working, experienced, skilled people are losing jobs to AI that didn’t earn that job. AI that isn’t loyal, understanding, passionate, or reliable. If you’re reading this you’re a human(I hope!) so stop stepping on your fellow humans. Stop aiding the inevitable rise of our machine overlords. This leads me to point 5…
Don’t Fuel the Apocalypse Fire
5. We’ve all seen The Terminator movies. Do you remember how well it worked out for the people in that world? They kept advancing their AI technology with reckless abandon. They never stopped to consider what eventual repercussions could come from putting our livelihood in the cold, artificial hands of an emotionless entity. But you have the chance to consider that right now! Don’t chance your precious business on someone else’s disconnected creation, that comes with no guarantees. Work with a real-life human who wants to work for you, and comes with assurances. Worst case, they don’t work out and you find someone else who’s a better fit. A machine may not give you that choice.
And there you have it, folks! If you were unsure before about human VS AI assistants, you’re probably pretty clear now. These top five reasons should be all you need to see how much better it is to go human. All cuteness and jokes aside, nothing beats the results you get from one of our highly-skilled, human virtual assistants. Because our VA’s aren’t software with limitations and defects, they’re individuals with specific skills and experience. And we take pride in matching them up with our clients to very specific roles and watching them fit right in and work hard. An AI isn’t going to become a respected member of your team and work culture, but our VA’s will. If you enjoyed this little eye-opener of a blog and would like to see if one of our VA’s can help your business, follow the link below and schedule a free consultation.
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When you own a business, it can be exhausting trying to keep up with all the different duties and keep your business on a path to grow. And many times, hiring an employee is out of the question because of the costs associated with it.
That’s why many businesses are beginning to hire a virtual office assistant instead to help take some of the workload off. According to a recent estimate, hiring a virtual assistant can save business owners up to 78 percent in operating costs throughout the year.
Keep reading this guide to learn exactly what is a virtual office assistant and the benefits of hiring them for your business.
As a business owner, you know how valuable free time can be. It can help you accomplish more or even give you the ability to spend with your family and friends. Virtual office assistants can help take some of the responsibilities you have throughout the day and accomplish them with little to no oversight.
Some of the virtual office assistant job duties include:
Payroll and accounting
Booking clients
Managing appointments
Responding to email & phone
Developing spreadsheets
Organizing calendars
These individuals can also help you with more advanced roles, such as a marketing virtual assistant to help manage your social media, create content, and advertise to help grow your online presence.
2. Professional Style
When you hire virtual help, one of the best benefits is the high level of professionalism they already possess. However, since virtual assistants work for themselves in many instances, they must maintain a professional style to be rehired by clients.
Unlike when you hire a traditional employee, you won’t have to train a virtual assistant to work in a professional setting.
3. Saves You Money
The best part of all is hiring a virtual assistant to save you money that you can put back into the business. You don’t have to pay for things such as a new desk, office supplies, computer equipment, etc. Like you would with an in-house employee. Another thing to consider with virtual help is that you can go right online and hire a virtual assistant, saving money on the costs associated with the hiring process.
4. Business Growth
Virtual assistants can help you grow your business in several different ways. First, they take a portion of your obligations, so you have more time to focus on the core business operations.
Secondly, they already know the job you hired them for. So it won’t take much time if any, for them to start contributing.
5. Build up an Online Presence
If you haven’t already, expanding your online presence can pay massive dividends to your business. With 93 percent of Americans on the internet, it can be a huge opportunity for you to grow your market.
Virtual office assistants specialize in search engine optimization, content creation, and social media marketing to expand your business’s reach and grow your brand.
Hiring a Virtual Office Assistant: Is It Right for You
These are just a few of the top benefits that hiring a virtual assistant can help bring to your business. These digital helpers can make your life much more manageable while also giving you the ability to scale and grow your business. So don’t let burnout and fatigue hold your business back from its full potential.
If you are considering hiring a virtual office assistant, schedule a free call with us today, and we can help you get started.
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MyOutDesk can save you up to 70% on employment costs
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The mortgage world is on fire right now! And we mean that in both the good and bad sense, as it’s a volatile world right now. Mortgage loan rates have been hitting incredible lows, while the prices of homes have been hitting surprising highs. Is it both a buyer’s market and a seller’s market at the same time? Madness! Wherever you’re at in this unprecedented time for the real estate market, we’re sure you could appreciate a good meme. Who doesn’t love a funny meme when you’re brain is tired of working overtime? It’s important to step away from the grind, if even for just a few minutes, and destress with a laugh. Or at least a chuckle! Here are some we thought were worth sharing…
9. Loan officers are really in the spotlight right now, aren’t they?
10. Now is the time! Don’t miss your exit!
All Jokes Aside, Let’s Get Busy
All these jokes about professionals in the mortgage industry being busy should make you wonder; how do they keep up? Some of them barely can, and that’s why they should look into a virtual assistant. The popularity and acceptance of virtual assistants will grow over the next decade. It is estimated that, in 2020, 40% of the entire US task force were virtual professionals. Today’s use cases for these task-oriented professionals are vast. “Freelance virtual assistant services” will be one of the biggest industries in terms of employment and global revenue by the end of the decade.
So why not jump on the bandwagon and make use of a virtual professional yourself? If you’re feeling the pressure of a growing workload, take a moment to evaluate what is taking up so much of your time. We guarantee there are things you could be delegating to a trusted outside professional so that you’re free to focus on the things you’re really passionate about. So now that you’ve giggled off some nerves, follow the link and see how we can help you make the most of this opportunistic time.
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You’ve been finding yourself overwhelmed with work and know you need someone to help. You start your search for a new hire when you see it, lots of calls for virtual assistants.
But what is a virtual assistant?
Virtual assistants are a part of the movement for a more remote workforce. They are becoming the beating heart of all business models.
Why is the demand for virtual assistants growing? How can a virtual assistant help your business?
Keep reading to learn how hiring a virtual assistant is the key to any business’s growth.
Virtual assistants work from home to give you the support you need. You won’t have to worry about finding a way to squeeze one more person into your office space.
To hire an all online assistant means you have hired someone who has a flexible schedule. Virtual assistants have no set hours. They will be able to produce more quality work because they work off deadlines.
No set hours also mean virtual assistants are more available to you. If you get home from the office and find you forgot about a task, no need to worry. Send what needs to get done to your virtual assistant.
A virtual assistant will be able to take on what needs to get done whenever it needs to be. Unlike office assistants, they aren’t restricted to their working hours.
There are also many different types of virtual assistants for you to hire. You can hire a remote assistant as a freelancer. Virtual assistant pricing for a contractor is affordable.
If you hire a freelance virtual assistant you will make a big difference in your budget. Don’t worry if you are in the market to hire a virtual assistant as a regular employee of your company.
You can create a virtual assistant listing for your business. You will still have all the benefits a freelance virtual assistant would offer.
When a business hires a virtual assistant they can explore flexible options. Hire a virtual assistant that will suit your business’s needs.
What They Can Do
Virtual assistants’ have many helpful skills that will make your business’s workflow smooth.
All virtual assistants have the basics of what makes a good assistant. Virtual assistants will work on small tasks that make a big difference. That way you will have more time to keep making your business better.
Virtual assistants can manage your calendar. They will keep your life on track. They will be sure to keep you in the know about your busy schedule.
They have excellent writing skills. Virtual assistances will send well-worded emails without typos on your company’s behalf. They will make accurate reports to keep your business on its toes.
Virtual assistants will be able to handle calls. They can keep your clients and business associates happy on the line. They will take your calls and conference you in.
The job of a virtual assistant is to make your work better and your life easier.
The skills listed before are the foundation of virtual assistants. Some virtual assistants have even more to offer.
Look at the virtual assistant jobs listed on any job board. You will find calls for virtual legal assistants, social media assistants, and more. There are as many virtual assistants with specialized skills as there are companies.
Are you a finance company? Make sure to search for a virtual assistant that will keep track of your clients’ interest rates.
An up-and-coming news outlet can find a virtual assistant for their needs. A virtual assistant can help them manage sources. They can trust a specialized virtual assistant to do all their fact-checking.
Is your marketing firm on its way to the top? A virtual assistant will help you get there faster. Use a virtual assistant to help your company create new and exciting copywriting.
There is a virtual assistant who can help you no matter what your company does. Virtual assistants can build off of basic business skills to offer you more. It’s one of the many reasons they are in high demand.
They Will Complete You
The biggest reason virtual assistants are in demand? Hiring a virtual assistant will mean you will have more time.
With your new time, you will be able to do more. You will be able to keep your company moving towards the bigger picture. You won’t find yourself dragged down by simple things.
Everyone in business knows not taking care of small tasks will stop the whole production. A virtual assistant will keep your business running. You will keep your business thriving.
You will be able to maintain a healthier work-life balance. You will be able to make more time for other projects. While you are, you won’t have to worry.
A virtual assistant with solid skills will take care of everything so you don’t have to.
Don’t Get Left Behind
Virtual assistants are the future. They will help your business run and save you valuable time. The demand for virtual assistants in the business world is high and is going to continue to grow.
It’s time to hire a virtual assistant. Make sure to check out our website. We’ll match you with the perfect virtual assistant with our virtual assistant service.
Do you want to find out more about how virtual assistants can save your company’s time? Read our post on how virtual assistants are changing the time management game.
Experience The Difference
MyOutDesk can save you up to 70% on employment costs
Claim a free business strategy consultation & ‘Grow Virtual’ Guide
Growth and efficiency were the top two priorities for property managers in a recent survey. If you’re looking for ways to grow your business and increase efficiency, CRM software can help.
How do you know which CRM company has the best product for your needs?
This Bitrix24 CRM review will tell you what you need to know about one of the top CRM software providers for property management companies.
CRM for Property Management
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is the strategy a company uses to manage interactions with customers and potential customers. CRM software helps you improve business relationships. It gives you tools for contact management, sales management, productivity, and other tasks.
A growing number of businesses are seeing the benefits of CRM software. Analysts expect the global market to be worth $50.81 billion in 2021.
Property management companies have surprisingly few industry-specific options for CRM software. However, some all-purpose systems have the functionality you need. You want a system with features that will help with tasks like:
Monitoring new leads
Communicating with renters
Identifying customers and properties that need attention
A CRM system makes it easier to manage daily rental management tasks. Automated tasks and workflow through CRM software help you provide the best possible service.
Bitrix24 CRM works well for small to medium-sized businesses. It has the communication, collaboration, and management tools you need.
Bitrix24 is more than CRM. It offers solutions that include:
Social intranet
Project management
File sharing and document management
Sales team management
HR management
Calendar and planning
Email and phone
The CRM lets you manage leads, contacts, deals, invoices, web forms, and sales reports.
Features of Bitrix24
Bitrix24 CRS provides five main categories of services. In addition to CRM, you have communications, tasks, a contact center, and websites.
CRM
The Bitrix24 CRM offers a variety of tools. You get funnel management tools and pipeline management. Your sales team can see who is moving through the funnel and who isn’t.
Bitrix24 has sales automation tools. You can generate sales reports.
You have many ways to promote your brand, including email marketing, text messaging, calling, video, social ads, and voice broadcasting. The Bitrix24 platform tracks your marketing costs and calculates your return on spend.
Communications
One area where Bitrix24 stands out is its communication tools. The activity stream is designed to improve your company’s internal communication and make it easier.
You can chat using video, chat room, and workspaces. You can create individual workgroups to let teams communicate through the platform. The communication features work well in-house and remotely.
You’re aware of the current activities that you’re involved in. You can see task notifications, new messages, comments, files, and other activities.
Tasks and Projects
Bitrix24 has task management tools to help you plan and complete tasks. You can make sure that everything stays on track more easily.
For example, you can monitor the time spent on projects. You can see who is working on what at any point. You can also track how many tasks were completed on time without objections.
You get a more accurate view of the group and individual performance.
You can add roles like a responsible person, participant, or observer for each task. Each role has specific authorizations. For example, the responsible person can change task deadlines and approve the task once it’s complete.
Each task has a comments section for real-time feedback and questions.
Contact Center
The Bitrix24 contact center lets you have a live chat on your website. Your CRM saves all the dialogs. The system will recognize returning customers.
The contact center also gives you social networking tools to help you communicate with customers. You get all of your social media business profiles in a single hub. You can monitor customer activity and reply to messages.
Bitrix24 has a visual website builder. Free domains and hosting are included.
You can easily create landing pages and e-commerce stores. No coding is required.
You can choose from more than 100 industry-specific templates. They’re all optimized for mobile and include pre-made cookie consent forms. You can customize any of the templates to create a website that matches your stylistic and marketing needs.
Easy Integrations
Bitrix24 CRM integrates with many applications your business uses. A few of the options include:
DocuSign
Dropbox
Gmail
MailChimp
Microsoft 365
OpenOffice
If the integrations you want aren’t automatically included, you can add other features from the Bitrix24 marketplace.
Bitrix24 performs many tasks natively. Timesheets and invoicing are just two of the functions that other CRMs need integrations to do.
Bitrix24 CRM Pricing
Bitrix24 CRM has a free version that includes many of the features of their paid plans. They recently opened the free version to unlimited users.
However, you’re limited to 5 GB of online storage. You don’t have access to features like CRM analytics, built-in telephony, or the ability to add task roles.
For more complete features, you’ll need to upgrade to a paid plan.
The first tier of cloud-based plans has three plan options. They differ in the number of users you can have as well as the available features. The higher-tier business plans have two options.
The plans are priced per month, but you’ll get a discount if you commit to a year. You get a 30-day free trial of the paid plans.
Pros and Cons of Bitrix24
Bitrix24 CRM offers a large number of features. It’s more than CRM. For property managers or management companies, Bitrix24 has advanced automation features for managing many of the tasks necessary in the rental process.
Figuring out how to navigate all of the features may require a steep learning curve, though. The user interface isn’t the most intuitive. If you need help, getting support can be difficult.
Getting Started with Bitrix24 CRM
Overall, Bitrix24 CRM is a good choice for property management CRM software. It has the features you need at a reasonable price.
When you’re looking for other ways to work more efficiently, MyOutDesk has property management assistants who can help. You can delegate repetitive administrative tasks. This lets you focus on closing deals and leasing properties.
Schedule a free strategy call today. Find out how we can help take your property management company to the next level.
Experience The Difference
MyOutDesk can save you up to 70% on employment costs
Claim a free business strategy consultation & ‘Grow Virtual’ Guide
Inside sales and sales prospecting are essential parts of any business. These departments can be the key to your success if you know how to hire them from the right sources.
This article is specifically about what sales development, inside sales, and prospecting are. We’ve also included a few pointers on where these roles overlap with each other and some of the success stories of people who have excelled at them.
The role of sales development is to find companies who may be interested in our product or service. This can be done by cold calling, emailing, sending a postcard, and even attending trade shows, conferences and meetings.
One might think that sales development is a simple job. But in reality, it’s not. Selling your product over the phone can sometimes be extremely difficult as most people don’t hold their calls very well on the phone, which makes this job tense and nerve-wracking; especially if the business you are calling is huge or something big that may affect your project in one way or another.
But what if the business you are calling is actually interested in your product? Well, then you would need to build a relationship with them. You would need to tell them more about your product and services, the value it offers, and what it can do for their company.
Once they are interested in your product, you would have to introduce them to someone who can actually close the deal on your end, such as a salesperson or a business development manager.
The role of the inside sales is to book appointments with leads over the phone. This requires you to have a very friendly and optimistic voice that can directly influence the potential customer in a positive way. Inside sales usually require a lot of communication with various departments inside their companies.
The inside sales usually work from a customer relationship management platform or CRM. However, you can also find them in various different departments inside of their companies such as the technical support or even a marketing department.
Opportunities: Inside sales often talk and communicate with other departments inside of their companies which makes it easy for them to introduce customers to other departments inside of their company. They may also possess certain skills that would allow them to influence certain departments to make more sales for the company, such as finance and development.
Because they have access to more information than other people who work outside of their company, they can easily pitch products or services that are related to the department they are talking about over the phone.
Famous inside sales professionals:
Dave Ramsey, Ramsey Solutions
Dave Elkington, InsideSales.com
Prospecting
Definition
The role of a prospect is to find customers that may be interested in buying our product or service. This can be done by cold calling, emailing, sending a postcard, and even attending trade shows, conferences and meetings.
We’ve been taught from an early age that it’s best to stay away from strangers and to only talk to people you know rather than strangers. In a perfect world, this would be true. But in real life, we make mistakes and it’s important that business owners learn from our mistakes rather than learn from the mistakes of others.
This is why developing relationships with people before you approach them is of utmost importance for any type of sales job. People you go to school with can introduce new clients to you which may soon lead to new opportunities for your business not only through that relationship but also through that person’s friends and family members as well.
Communicating in writing is effective because you can show people how enthusiastic you are about your product or service while also setting expectations regarding what your product or service was made for and what their needs are.
Every sales job has a different degree of prospecting that needs to take place. Some jobs might require a lot of prospective calls or emails while others might require the customer to do it. Prospecting is an art all in itself and takes years to perfect.
Prospecting is a continuous process and the more you can stick to your plan, the better your results will be in the long run. As I mentioned above, an email is the most effective way to communicate for a sales job.
You just have to make sure that your prospecting process is set up properly and that you don’t get sucked into the trap of spending too much time on one person.
If you’re sending out hundreds of emails and only getting one response, then you must think about how you can improve your process so that more people respond.
#2: Have a clear target market for new prospects.
Think about who your ideal customer is and write it down on paper. Are you looking for older women, young girls, middle-aged professionals? Write down as much as you can about your target demographic. If you need some help with this check out this article here.
#3: Tie your dream into some larger ambition.
A lot of people who are starting a business have dreams of quitting their day job and using their business to retire early or travel more. When I started my first business I was single and living with my parents, but I knew that having an online business would allow me to build some financial independence for the future.
How virtual assistants can help in sales development
Virtual assistants can manage day-to-day tasks that don’t require specialized knowledge or experience. This allows the sales team more time for their primary responsibilities. They can fill in the gaps of the team and help to make sure that all the details are covered.
MyOutDesk offers relentless talent matching for career-oriented virtual assistants — with proven track records & digital expertise — at up to 70% less than the cost of a traditional employee. Add a new hire to your team— without the headaches of payroll, taxes, insurance, retirement, office & equipment costs.
Calls:
Virtual assistants can conduct research for calls or appointments, making it easier to answer specific questions that prospects may have. They should have experience with customer service call Scripts and be able to create presentations for each call. Virtual assistants can schedule calls using online scheduling tools, such as Google Calendar or Outlook Calendar. They should be able to handle appointments with prospects via email or phone. This includes reminding them of upcoming meetings, sending directions and parking information, and organizing files that need to be reviewed ahead of time. Virtual assistants can also help in organizing and managing documents that need to be reviewed or sent to prospects during the sales development process.
Presentations:
Virtual assistants can help with the organization of presentations. This includes scheduling, sending reminders, and helping with collecting information from the prospect via phone calls or e-mails. Virtual assistants can also maintain the database, or CRM, that will be used for reference during calls.
Other factors:
Companies that want to outsource their sales development team can save time and money by hiring a virtual assistant. Sales development professionals can focus on creating sales for the business while outsourcing the other details to this team member. Virtual assistants can create calls or appointments automatically, saving valuable time. They also have experience with researching useful information online. They would be able to provide research that would be relevant to the conversation during a call or appointment.
Persuasive
Persistent
Excellent communicator and listener
Good at reading/understanding people
Prospects on a regular basis
A virtual assistant working with SDRs will make calls and send emails to prospects. This can include sending emails to companies directly and making calls to decision-makers when necessary. This person should also be able to confirm appointments via phone or email and manage appointment schedules for follow-up purposes. It is also important for this person to be able to track contacts through a CRM system like Salesforce. So, they can provide updates on the current status of sales leads when needed.
So, you should be asking yourself if virtual assistants can help you grow your business & team.
“Outsourcing makes the hustle better — because you’re not burdened with many/growing expenses that you’ll need to figure out how to cover and hit profit”
Focus on your growth & scale your operations
ENVISIONING OF A NEW REALITY FOR YOUR MARKETING BUSINESS
Simply put, MyOutDesk equips entrepreneurs & marketing agencies owners with tools, strategies, and virtual employees – and when combined, businesses have a competitive edge and find growth while efficient systems and processes are put in place.
MyOutDesk proudly provides additional free business growth guides, books, and strategy calls.
See what we are about, and schedule a free consultation with us. We’ll take the time to learn more about your business and offer solutions to foster top talent and lower operational costs for your company.
Experience The Difference
MyOutDesk can save you up to 70% on the employment cost
Claim a free business strategy consultation & ‘Grow Virtual’ Guide
Did You Know? MyOutDesk’s origin story is set during the last global financial crisis of 2008. Yes, that’s right — our business started by scaling businesses with virtual assistants during a recession! Our first client in 2008 went from five to seventeen VAs with a completely revamped organizational model in short order, and he told MyOutDesk, “Our virtual professionals have shaved $250,000 off our monthly overhead.”
The lack of competent staff (those who can handle the capacity) is the number one reason why small businesses fail, and crossing these two essential categories off your list can help prevent that. But how do you know which one you need? The following will tell you everything you need to know about Executive Assistants and Marketing Assistants, so you can make an educated decision.
Executive Assistants and Marketing Assistants: What You Need to Know
Specialized Knowledge
You may think that all an Executive Assistant needs is typing skills, but there is much more to it than this. Executive Assistants must possess specialized knowledge on how to run a business so that they can handle day-to-day administrative needs; for example, they may need to recommend outside vendors or handle the checkbook if you are not confident doing that. They also manage time and schedules, create presentations, draft letters, follow up on emails and phone calls and more. On top of that, an Executive Assistant must have strong communication skills and be able to multitask.
Executive Assistants are usually hired by small businesses who either outgrew their Office Manager position or just don’t have one. It is essential to know exactly what you need and how much time it takes, so you do not hire above your head.
Marketing Assistants are usually hired by small businesses that need assistance on marketing, whether it be graphic design or content creation. They are hired to assist with social media, website updates and email campaigns but need to have at least an associate’s degree in Marketing in order to be qualified for the role. A Marketing Assistant must know a variety of marketing and promotional strategies such as how to craft a compelling headline, improve a website and create marketing material like flyers and brochures.
Advantages of Hiring an Executive Assistant vs. a Marketing Assistant
It’s easier to attract qualified applicants when you are looking for an Executive Assistant vs. a Marketing Assistant because they require different skill sets, business knowledge and training. While Executive Assistants can also be hired for Marketing Assistant roles, they are generally hired for the former positions because they provide a much greater number of benefits.
There are more jobs available in an Executive Assistant job description than a Marketing Assistant because there is a higher demand for Executive Assistants. There is a market for both, but employers need to know how to differentiate between the two positions before making job postings and hiring decisions.
While each role requires different skill sets, it is important to note that most Executive Assistants and Marketing Assistants do not necessarily have extensive college degrees. Many workers with more specialized expertise have successful careers as an Executive Assistant or as a Marketing Assistant even if they do not have formal training or certification from educational institutions.
Both positions offer similar benefits including paid time off, steady income and a chance for an upward career. However, the former position offers more advantages in comparison to the latter because Executive Assistants can offer more opportunities for career advancement. More experienced Executives may be able to provide you with guidance on hiring a Marketing Assistant since there could be potential conflicts of interest between Marketing Assistants and their employer, or where they could be working at another organization in the future.
Although these two roles are similar in many aspects, certain differences that employers should look out for include writing skills, education and experience.
Choosing the Role That Is Best for Your Team
Before you start searching for a Marketing Assistant job, determine why you want to be associated with an organization. Be sure that you are truly suited for a Marketing Assistant role before applying for one.
Many people choose to work as a Marketing Assistant because they don’t have the skills or experience for an Executive Assistant position, and they are looking to get into marketing or communications in another company to begin their career. Others hire a Marketing Assistant because they would like to take advantage of a part-time job while pursuing their Masters in Communications, Banking or Accounting.
If you are seeking an entry level position in marketing, technology, communications or media, then a Marketing Assistant position could be your foothold towards a successful career. If you already have the proper skills or education and simply need more experience, an Executive Assistant position might be the right fit for you.
You can find Marketing Assistant jobs by using one of those online job search engines that are available on the internet, or by placing a job advertisement in newspapers.
Another approach is to browse through professional networking websites to get access to employment opportunities listed there – and then apply for them online.
Tenured. College-educated. Career Virtual Assistants
With industry expertise in:
Property management, PR/Publicity, Real Estate, Mortgage & Lending, IT & Technology, HR, Insurance, Marketing, Finance, Retail, Inside/Outside Sales, and much more.
You can acquire top talent for your daily needs even while cutting your costs, saving you up to 70%of the cost of a traditional employee. Professional virtual assistants can grow your everyday capacity.
See For Yourself: A Closer Look at Virtual Assistants
The popularity and acceptance of virtual assistants will grow over the next decade. It is estimated that, in 2020, 40% of the entire US task force are virtual professionals. Today’s use cases for these task-oriented professionals are vast. “Freelance virtual assistant services” will be one of the biggest industries in terms of employment and global revenue by the end of the decade.
“Outsourcing makes the hustle better — because you’re not burdened with many/growing expenses that you’ll need to figure out how to cover and hit profit”
Focus on your growth & scale your operations
ENVISIONING OF A NEW REALITY FOR YOUR BUSINESS
Simply put, MyOutDesk equips entrepreneurs & business owners with tools, strategies, and virtual employees – and when combined, businesses have a competitive edge and find growth while efficient systems and processes are put in place.
MyOutDesk proudly provides additional free business growth guides, books, and strategy calls.
Experience The Difference
MyOutDesk can save you up to 70% on employment cost
Claim a free business strategy consultation & ‘Grow Virtual’ Guide
Did You Know? MyOutDesk’s origin story is set during the last global financial crisis of 2008. Yes, that’s right — our business started by scaling businesses with virtual assistants during a recession! Our first client in 2008 went from five to seventeen VAs with a completely revamped organizational model in short order, and he told MyOutDesk, “Our virtual professionals have shaved $250,000 off our monthly overhead.”
If you are serious about your growing enterprise, chances are you have heard of virtual administrative assistants. They are assistants that go beyond just being your traditional receptionist duties. If you want to take your career to a whole new level, these virtual assistant jobs might be the answer for you! But how do these jobs work? What do they do all day? Read on for all the answers and more!
Virtual Administrative Assistants
What can a virtual administrative assistant do?
An office is not complete without a secretary/administrative assistant, who helps make sure everything runs smoothly while making sure important tasks get done. Virtual administrative assistants fill the same role, just over the phone or the internet. They make sure calls are made, emails are answered and tasks are completed while making sure your business is always running smoothly.
You will be able to delegate tasks that you want to be completed to your virtual assistant. They will take care of them and make sure they get done correctly in a timely manner.
Quick list of what can be done by your virtual administrative assistant (Admin VA):
Take incoming calls from customers who need information or have questions about your products and services. Your Admin VA will make sure to answer the phone professionally and provide you with any information that is needed.
Set up appointments for you. These can be in person or over the phone.
Create and maintain contact lists.
Schedule and confirm meetings, events, training, etc. -Manage your email inbox and respond to emails on your behalf from customers or employees.
Speed to Lead
Responding to all emails quickly is very important for your business because it shows that you care about responsiveness and quick communication with your customers. Your virtual assistant can do this, so you don’t have to! They can also schedule a time during the day specifically for you to check email if you prefer that method of communication instead of phone calls or meetings.
Creating a Solid Image
It is important to have a good image. Exude professionalism when speaking on the phone and avoid sounding flustered. Nothing will make your business look worse than having someone answer the phone that sounds like they just woke up from sleeping! Your virtual assistant can be sure your business has a professional voice over the phone at all times.
Time Management
Time management skills are very important for any employee, but even more for you as a business owner or executive. Staying organized is key for staying efficient and maintaining an image of professionalism and success for your brand. A virtual assistant can stay on top of their workload in order to meet deadlines and ensure tasks are done correctly and on time.
All while saving you up to 70% less on traditional costs of an Administrative Assistant.
Are you feeling like your business needs a little housekeeping?
Someone to come in and remove the clutter, sweep up the floors, and wipe the counters?
How would it feel to KNOW that your business is running efficiently?
That’s what an Administrative Executive Assistant can do for you. We handpick our talent, searching for those that carry elite traits and skills of an amazing Administrative Executive Assistant that can have you feeling great about your business.
Tenured. College-educated. Career Virtual Assistants
With industry expertise in:
Property management, PR/Publicity, Real Estate, Mortgage & Lending, IT & Technology, HR, Insurance, Marketing, Finance, Retail, Inside/Outside Sales, and much more.
Industries, Experience, Skills, and Roles for an Administrative Assistant
Legal, Accounting, Medical
Marketing & Promotions HR Legal, Accounting, Medical
Athletic, Fitness Industry & Experience
Healthcare Administration Services
Insurance
Human Resources
IT Software
Sales
Manufacturing
Technical Sales
Transportation & Logistics
Business Executive Assistant
Administrative Assistant
Administrative Executive Assistant
Executive Assistant
Office Assistants
Administration & Office Management
Human Resource Bookkeeping
IT Project Management
Payroll/Tax
Occupational Health Therapy
Medical Insurance
Customer Service
Marketing/PR Public Relations
Social Media/SEO Social Media Marketing
Virtual Assistants
Public Relations Office Management Reception
Office Assistant
Event Coordinator
Assistant Bookkeeper
Concierge, Coach, Coordinator
Customer Service
Digital Marketing
Events Coordinator
Executive Assistant
Event Planner
Financial Analyst
Global Market Development
Housekeeping
Human Resources
Information Technology
Inventory Control
Legal Secretary
Live Streaming
Member Events/Presentations
Member Services
Online Marketing
Photo Retoucher
Program Director
Program Manager
Recruiter
Receptionist
Resident Services
Staff Assistant, Supervisor
Webmaster
You can acquire top talent for your daily needs even while cutting your costs, saving you up to 70%of the cost of a traditional employee. Professional virtual assistants can grow your everyday capacity.
See For Yourself: A Closer Look at Virtual Assistants
The popularity and acceptance of virtual assistants will grow over the next decade. It is estimated that, in 2020, 40% of the entire US task force are virtual professionals. Today’s use cases for these task-oriented professionals are vast. “Freelance virtual assistant services” will be one of the biggest industries in terms of employment and global revenue by the end of the decade.
“Outsourcing makes the hustle better — because you’re not burdened with many/growing expenses that you’ll need to figure out how to cover and hit profit”
Focus on your growth & scale your operations
ENVISIONING OF A NEW REALITY FOR YOUR BUSINESS
Simply put, MyOutDesk equips entrepreneurs & business owners with tools, strategies, and virtual employees – and when combined, businesses have a competitive edge and find growth while efficient systems and processes are put in place.
MyOutDesk proudly provides additional free business growth guides, books, and strategy calls.
Experience The Difference
MyOutDesk can save you up to 70% on the employment cost
Claim a free business strategy consultation & ‘Grow Virtual’ Guide
Did You Know? MyOutDesk’s origin story is set during the last global financial crisis of 2008. Yes, that’s right — our business started by scaling businesses with virtual assistants during a recession! Our first client in 2008 went from five to seventeen VAs with a completely revamped organizational model in short order, and he told MyOutDesk, “Our virtual professionals have shaved $250,000 off our monthly overhead.”
Do you have a virtual administrative assistant to pick up the pieces?
If you are overwhelmed and find yourself struggling to keep up with the hectic pace of your work, office, or life in general, an admin assistant may be just what you need. Admin assistants can help with a variety of different tasks, from scheduling meetings and reading messages to researching information for you. They also help keep track of your personal appointments so you don’t have to scramble when someone is waiting for an important meeting. They can even book your travel arrangements or other important events!
It’s no secret that a remote working environment can increase both productivity and company loyalty. We’re in an age of technology, so why do we keep people at desks when they could be productive from the comfort of their own home?
The benefits are clear for both employees and employers, but it may not be right for every company. A business owner should take their personality into account when considering how to implement remote work policies. There are personality tests designed to test various aspects of an employee’s personality, which can help weed out those who aren’t suited for remote employment.
This post covers free personality tests that can help to indicate whether your employees are best suited for the work-from-home lifestyle.
We include a few that are worth looking into: Predictive Index (PI) Behavioral Assessment, The Meyer Briggs Test, and DISC Assessment.
Remote Work Compatibility based on the Predictive Index (PI) Behavioral Assessment
The Predictive Index (PI) Behavioral Assessment is a free test that measures certain aspects of an employee’s personality. It counts eight different factors, which are all designed to predict the degree to which an employee will work remotely.
It takes approximately 15 minutes to complete, and it requires employees to answer questions about their motivation for working. Questions include things like: Do you feel satisfied working? What motivates you? What accomplishments do you know about your co-workers? Do you prefer working in a group or solo?, and Are there things you can’t do well?
Key findings
According to PI, certain personalities are more suited for remote employment than others. You’ll be happy to know that the majority of employees who participated in this test are more than capable of working from home. Notably, workers who are motivated by success, and who are confident in their skills, do well in a remote position. Based on this test, they’re also more likely to stay with the company.
It’s undoubtedly worth looking into this test if you’re going to consider implementing remote working. It can save time in the hiring process and identify good candidates who aren’t likely to leave your business in the near future.
Remote Work Compatibility Based on the Meyer Briggs Test
The Meyer Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) test is another personality-based test that measures certain characteristics of an employee. It takes approximately 30 minutes to complete, and it requires you to answer questions about whether you have a preference for close or independent team members.
The MBTI Test is also a free personality test that can be given to employees, and it will give you an idea of what factors are important to their work style. It’ll ask some serious questions about the way they perceive certain situations in their life (for example: “It irritates me when people ignore facts”).
Key findings
Based on the results of this test, some employees may not be suitable for remote work due to their inability to realistically view the work environment from home. On the other hand, some employees may be more adaptable to working remotely because they have a strong need for social interaction. The test offers different types of profiles, such as the ESTP personality (Action-Oriented), ISTJ personality (Responsible Confident), INFP personality (Compassionate Idealistic), etc.
You won’t find this test to be difficult or time-consuming, but it’s a simple way of determining whether remote employees will be able to perform well in the office environment. For example, an employee who scores high on Extraversion (E) may be more suited to work in a face-to-face environment. This is because E-scorers have a higher tolerance for noise and busy social environments. On the other hand, employees who score high on Introversion (I) may be less likely to excel in the same environment. This does not necessarily mean that those that score high on Extraversion can’t be good remote workers. In fact, they may be better suited to remote work because they can feel comfortable in a down-to-earth, quiet environment.
Remote Work Compatibility Based on DISC Assessment
DiSC stands for the four main personality profiles in the DiSC model: (D)ominance, (i)nfluence, (S)teadiness and (C)onscientiousness. Personality is an important issue for company owners. It’s important to have the right personalities on your team, especially in remote teams where social interaction is scarce. While these personality tests do not provide a perfect picture of your employees, they will give you a good idea of how well they will fit into the field. DISC assessments are also helpful if you want to make sure certain personality types are not assigned to certain projects or tasks.
Key findings
While DISC assessments are not as in-depth as the Myers-Briggs test, they do offer insight into potential traits that can be beneficial or detrimental to your business. For example, someone who is very persistent and has a high need for achievement may be a good fit for sales positions where deals are closed quickly.
Most remote employees will find this test simple and easy to complete online. DISC assessments are more detailed and can cover a wider range of topics. They provide personal insights and strategies on how to get along with others. DISC tests result in a four-letter professional profile, which is a good way to understand your “type.”While some employees may not fit perfectly into one category, there is usually significant overlap between types.
For most people — and especially those working in a hybrid business model – a virtual assistant may just make sense. Virtual assistants used to be considered something only larger companies could afford to invest in, but this isn’t really true anymore. Due to the platforms available today, even solopreneurs can hire a virtual assistant.
The thing is, every business has different needs and preferences regarding an outsourcing partner. Which personality test do you think is best for your business? Let us know in the comments below.
Key Takeaways:
Be on the lookout for a personality clash if you’re working with remote teams.
Personality tests can reveal your employee’s strengths and weaknesses, which will benefit your business overall.
In the end, ask your employees what they prefer. If they’re not happy, it could cost you in the long run.
Hiring virtual assistants can be a great way to scale your business and grow your revenue.
If you’re going to hire someone for a remote position, make sure they have the right personality for that job.
Most importantly, if your employees are getting the job done, then don’t worry about their personalities too much!
In the business world, there are many different personality traits that can be considered important for success and happiness at work. Some of these traits can be measured using an online assessment tool, such as DISC assessments or the Myers-Briggs test (MBTI). The results will tell you a lot about your employees. Based on the results, you can tell whether your employees are well suited to working remotely.
“Outsourcing makes the hustle better — because you’re not burdened with many/growing expenses that you’ll need to figure out how to cover and hit profit”
Focus on your growth & scale your operations
ENVISIONING OF A NEW REALITY FOR YOUR BUSINESS
Simply put, MyOutDesk equips entrepreneurs & business owners with tools, strategies, and virtual employees – and when combined, businesses have a competitive edge and find growth while efficient systems and processes are put in place.
MyOutDesk proudly provides additional free business growth guides, books, and strategy calls.
Experience The Difference
MyOutDesk can save you up to 70% on the employment cost
Claim a free business strategy consultation & ‘Grow Virtual’ Guide
Did You Know? MyOutDesk’s origin story is set during the last global financial crisis of 2008. Yes, that’s right — our business started by scaling businesses with virtual assistants during a recession! Our first client in 2008 went from five to seventeen VAs with a completely revamped organizational model in short order, and he told MyOutDesk, “Our virtual professionals have shaved $250,000 off our monthly overhead.”
The foundation of any professional empire is recruitment and retention. Because people are the material that makes up your business, and that material needs to be strong and long-lasting. In this webinar recording, you’ll be encouraged to reflect on this topic, and how it pertains to your specific company needs. Nowadays remote work is the new normal, and believe it or not, it actually has gotten easier to implement remote services to help you recruit the right people. All the while saving you up to 70% of the cost of a traditional employee!
R&R has a different meaning from 9 to 5, and it isn’t rest and relaxation; it’s recruit and retain. We talk about exactly how to best do that, here in this webinar series with Dan Stewart, president of Happy Grasshopper.
[Virtual Success Webinar Series] This mastermind webinar shows you how to:
Leverage recruitment strategies. What you need to know to attract instead of recruit. Attract competitive talent without seemingly “recruiting.”
Nurture & break the cycle.Break the churn-and-burn cycle & nurture productivity with your current team.
Scale business & improve processes. Understand the entrepreneur’s scale strategy. Build an engine to efficiently process recruits & new hires.
Use VIRTUAL best practices.Metrics, tools, and filters. How to recruit remotely.
Key Takeaways
Identify, Attract, Retain. If you’re more certain of what you want, you WILL get it!
Know the Power of Questions. Slow down and think about the right questions to ask. What’s the purpose of your prosperity? What’s your overall GIANT GOAL?
QUESTIONS lead to… CONVERSATIONS … which lead to RELATIONSHIPS … then to OPPORTUNITIES … and lastly to SALES. (Read more)
Recruitment is a process of EXIT and ARRIVAL EXIT. Receives a signal that they’ve outgrown their former life ARRIVAL – In a new, fantastic adventure, opportunity, career, or way of thinking. Ask yourself, “Are you going to be the HERO of the story, or the GUIDE, the MENTOR?” — YOU ARE THE GUIDE!
2 Recruiting Styles. 1) OBI-WANs recruit and depart. They show up, and then they’re gone! 2) LUKEs stay on a mission with the recruit, someone they go to battle with. They stay on the mission together.
Dan Stewart is a veteran of multiple startups with over 10 years of experience in helping businesses save more money, while also making more money.
Now that we’ve established the importance of recruiting and how to keep good talent around, let’s talk about the best way to achieve all of that. In a world quickly becoming increasingly remote, it pays to lean into that trend. This is why it’s become highly recommended to look into virtual staffing solutions, like MyOutDesk. Let’s take a look at an easy-to-digest list of exactly why a virtual professional can be right for just about anyone…
Recruitment Duties Solved by Virtual Assistants
Industries: Professional Services, Healthcare, Retail, Mortgage & Lending, Real Estate, Residential Services, Cannabis, HRO & PEO, Insurance, Finance, Creative Agency, IT, Web, Technology, and more!
Prospecting
Outbound Prospecting recruitment calls and follow-up
Cold calling
Pre-screening
Recruitment cycle coordination
Calendaring and appointments
Example Real Estate Recruitment Duties Solved By Virtual Assistants
Calling realtors/agents & set up appointments with brokers
Check-in with monthly RE exam passers
From the initial interview to an office visit
Example Healthcare Recruitment Duties Solved By Virtual Assistants
Healthcare-educated staffing solutions
On-boarding paperwork
Director of Traffic
Virtual reception
Business leaders, take your time back & let virtual assistants grow your company talent!
Company growth potential with virtual recruitment assistants
Successful individuals and businesses often do not have the time it takes to hire and train a talented individual properly. You should be leveraging this job to experts who have already mastered recruiting and training. Imagine only having to sit back and observe as your expert recruiter leads a deep dive into three impressive candidates’ personalities, operating styles, successes, failures, learning experiences, and more… Then having the confidence that they’ll pick the one who’s the exact right fit for your business needs.
The math is simple with an enormous ROI. A full-time Recruiting Virtual Assistant will lower your costs, reduce overhead, save time, and leverage professional talent for your company.
MyOutDesk’s Commitment to You
We’re in the business of helping you find the best solutions for ‘hybrid’ virtual & physical offices. If you need help or want to explore some ideas, you can schedule a free Grow Virtual Strategy Call with us today.
Experience The Difference
MyOutDesk can save you up to 70% on the employment cost
Claim a free business strategy consultation & ‘Grow Virtual’ Guide
SEO is an acronym for Search Engine Optimization. It refers to how you can optimize your website or webpage so that it ranks more highly in search engines such as Google, Bing, and Yahoo.
SEO is one of the most popular and effective marketing techniques used by companies today. In the past decade, search engine marketing has been one of the fastest-growing industries in North America and Europe and it is only a matter of time before it becomes ubiquitous worldwide.
Search engine optimization’s particular popularity will only be amplified with its affordability due to Google’s algorithm changes which have led to lower cost-per-click advertising rates for business websites with higher quality content than ever before.
There are several elements, outlined in this article, that can be used to improve your site and boost rankings. Although the first priority is to make sure that you have good and relevant content on your website, there are several other effective strategies for improving your site’s SEO.
Marketing Efficiency in a nutshell:
ROI
The return on investment generated by using their SEO services is quite higher than that of other advertising methods. A study has shown that there is a 40-60% conversion rate when it comes to search engine traffic. If simply put- if you place an ad on the internet, only 10% of those potential customers will click your link, but if you rank in the search engine results, 40 – 60% will visit your website.
Reduce Costs with Marketing Virtual Assistants for SEO:
SEO and its processes are commonly managed by virtual assistants. These virtual assistants optimize your online presence, undertake SEO activities, and help with other important elements of the business. This means that you can cut down on around 70% on costs by hiring qualified marketing virtual assistants.
Search Engine Optimization:
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the practice of changing your website or webpage to make it more appealing and improve its ranking on search engine result pages (SERP).
In a nutshell, SEO is how you get your website, higher-up, on the search engines’ pages. It involves creating SEO-friendly content to make it easy for the search engines to find and rank you in their results. There are many factors that go into where a website ranks within the search results.
The content that goes into each webpage has an effect on two areas: relevance and ranking. With the exception of a blog’s content, the entire webpage should make sense and share a link with your target audience, which is why social media is extremely important as a tool for SEO purposes.
SEO can be broken down into two parts: On-page optimization and off-page optimization.
SEO: On-page optimization
On-page optimization involves making sure your web pages are optimized for search engines (i.e., having keywords in the title, listing pages with relevant keywords for each page of your website).
SEO: Off-page optimization
Off-page optimization involves making sure that links to your website are showing up on other websites which can help increase traffic to your page. There’s also an aspect of link building or backlink submission to SEO.
Schema in SEO:
The Schema in SEO is a better way to let Search Engines know about your business. It adds a Rich Snippet on your website – which increases Click-through rate and Conversions.
You can add your location, contact information, hours of operation, directions, and ratings. All this information gets added to the search engine results page (SERP) and it improves your click-through rate because the searchers get more information about your business immediately without having to click on links or go anywhere else.
Keyword research:
In order to find the best keywords for your website, you should look at different search engines to see which ones are getting the most traffic and how long a term or phrase is ranking for. This will give you ideas of keywords that are important to your target keyword and what phrases people are looking for. You can also do a simple search in Google, Yahoo, Bing, or any other search engine that you have an account with.
Learning SEO for improving content on your website
After the content is written, there are several things you can do to optimize your content. This is more technical and is called on-page SEO. Use this to improve your rankings in search engines.
Title tags:
Title tags are either the first thing that people see or the only thing that people see on your website. They are very important because they let people know what your site is about and where it is located in Google.
Keyword density:
Keyword density is the percentage of times a keyword appears in relation to other words on a web page. There has been a lot of debate about keyword density, but it still plays an important role in search engines being able to properly understand each page and rank them accordingly. If you are writing a web page, it is best to have the keyword appear in the first paragraph of the text and 2-3 times throughout the rest of the content. However, if you are using a third-party automated article spinner, you can adjust this setting based on the length of your spun articles.
Page titles act as anchor text for search engines to identify each page on your website. Your keywords should be within 50 words of your page title and should not contain any numbers or special characters.
Meta description:
Meta descriptions are HTML tags that search engines use to display information about each web page within search results pages. The meta description should also be 100-150 characters. Backlinks are important in SEO, but it’s not clear if they should influence the content of the meta description or if they should simply be descriptive.
On WordPress:
WordPress is a Content management system (CMS), and there are many ways to write your content. There are also settings that will allow you to choose from different themes for your blog, which is customized for different industries. Themes allow you to customize your layout, colors, fonts, and layout in a way that works with your brand name and is relevant to the industry you specialize in.
SEO Tools & Learning Guides:
There are some tools you can use in order to improve your site’s ranking within search engines, including search console features and website analysis tools (Google Webmaster Tools). You can also find SEO learning guides that will contain many of the SEO tips and best practices for your own site. Many free learning resources are available on Youtube, such as tutorials with step-by-step instructions for improving your on-page optimization, keyword analysis, and other technical aspects of improving your rankings within search engines.
1. Google intent to demote sites for lack of fresh content.
2. Google Webmaster will consider search metrics in the assessment of sites’ value and relevance.
3. Google is testing a new Page Layout algorithm, to improve search results for layout inconsistency and poor conversion rate.
“There’s nothing wrong with pages that may perform less well in a core update. They haven’t violated our webmaster guidelines nor been subjected to a manual or algorithmic action, as can happen to pages that do violate those guidelines. In fact, there’s nothing in a core update that targets specific pages or sites. Instead, the changes are about improving how our systems assess content overall. These changes may cause some pages that were previously under-rewarded to do better.
One way to think of how a core update operates is to imagine you made a list of the top 100 movies in 2015. A few years later in 2019, you refresh the list. It’s going to naturally change. Some new and wonderful movies that never existed before will now be candidates for inclusion. You might also reassess some films and realize they deserved a higher place on the list than they had before.
The list will change, and films previously higher on the list that move down aren’t bad. There are simply more deserving films that are coming before them.”
Focus on content
As explained, pages that drop after a core update don’t have anything wrong to fix. This said, we understand those who do less well after a core update change may still feel they need to do something. We suggest focusing on ensuring you’re offering the best content you can. That’s what our algorithms seek to reward.
A starting point is to revisit the advice we’ve offered in the past on how to self-assess if you believe you’re offering quality content. We’ve updated that advice with a fresh set of questions to ask yourself about your content:
Content and quality questions
Does the content provide original information, reporting, research or analysis?
Does the content provide a substantial, complete or comprehensive description of the topic?
Does the content provide insightful analysis or interesting information that is beyond obvious?
If the content draws on other sources, does it avoid simply copying or rewriting those sources and instead provide substantial additional value and originality?
Does the headline and/or page title provide a descriptive, helpful summary of the content?
Does the headline and/or page title avoid being exaggerating or shocking in nature?
Is this the sort of page you’d want to bookmark, share with a friend, or recommend?
Would you expect to see this content in or referenced by a printed magazine, encyclopedia or book?
Expertise questions
Does the content present information in a way that makes you want to trust it, such as clear sourcing, evidence of the expertise involved, background about the author or the site that publishes it, such as through links to an author page or a site’s About page?
If you researched the site producing the content, would you come away with an impression that it is well-trusted or widely-recognized as an authority on its topic?
Is this content written by an expert or enthusiast who demonstrably knows the topic well?
Is the content free from easily-verified factual errors?
Would you feel comfortable trusting this content for issues relating to your money or your life?
Presentation and production questions
Is the content free from spelling or stylistic issues?
Was the content produced well, or does it appear sloppy or hastily produced?
Is the content mass-produced by or outsourced to a large number of creators, or spread across a large network of sites, so that individual pages or sites don’t get as much attention or care?
Does the content have an excessive amount of ads that distract from or interfere with the main content?
Does content display well for mobile devices when viewed on them?
Comparative questions
Does the content provide substantial value when compared to other pages in search results?
Does the content seem to be serving the genuine interests of visitors to the site or does it seem to exist solely by someone attempting to guess what might rank well in search engines?
Beyond asking yourself these questions, consider having others you trust but who are unaffiliated with your site provide an honest assessment.
Also consider an audit of the drops you may have experienced. What pages were most impacted and for what types of searches? Look closely at these to understand how they’re assessed against some of the questions above.
The tasks that marketing assistants can do to boost SEO
In the world of Digital Marketing, SEO is one of the cornerstones. It is important for businesses to gain high positions in search engines in order to generate more sales.
When you effectively delegate tasks to a marketing assistant, they can help you with SEO by way of their technical skills. (They do not have to be an SEO expert!)
Use virtual marketing assistants to maintain the above steps.
Delegate marketing assistants to boost social media presence, campaign management, and content production.
Foster a solid SEO website by hyper-focusing on various marketing functions per assistant.
Virtual marketing assistants can be a great boon for a business expansion. They are software savvy and up to date with all the latest trends in the digital world. They can use their analytical skills to suggest you new strategies that work well for your business visibility. Find someone who can understand your brand essence and provide you insightful tips that help you gain higher visibility on all major search engines.
Social media is a great platform for business visibility. Marketing virtual assistants can improve a business’s presence using social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn, or Pinterest. They can use their creativity and communication skills to take a brand’s visibility up a notch by posting & sharing content over these social platforms. Using these platforms, a marketing assistant can help businesses significantly increase their social media presence.
Marketing virtual assistants can help to create and edit content such as blog posts, video scripts, and adverts. This will help to improve your site’s ranking on search results pages, which in turn increases the chances of new customers finding your website.
Content writing and content creating for the website is considered one of the main parts of Search Engine Optimization. It involves the creation and updating of content to create a rich keyword-focused website. This type of analysis allows marketers and SEO specialists to work with social media and keyword research. Doing so brings traffic through search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo.
Marketing virtual assistants are the right choice for businesses, who have limited budgets and cannot hire an in-house marketing campaign manager. Marketing virtual assistants work with your leadership to execute marketing strategies that will boost their website’s visibility and increase sales. A campaign assistant can help them with their tasks. This includes writing SEO-friendly content and building social media presence. They also conduct market research and do many more such activities that make your business more efficient.
“Outsourcing makes the hustle better — because you’re not burdened with many/growing expenses that you’ll need to figure out how to cover and hit profit”
Focus on your growth & scale your operations
ENVISIONING OF A NEW REALITY FOR YOUR BUSINESS
Simply put, MyOutDesk equips entrepreneurs & business owners with tools, strategies, and virtual employees – and when combined, businesses have a competitive edge and find growth while efficient systems and processes are put in place.
MyOutDesk proudly provides additional free business growth guides, books, and strategy calls.
Experience The Difference
MyOutDesk can save you up to 70% on employment costs
Claim a free business strategy consultation & ‘Grow Virtual’ Guide
Did You Know? MyOutDesk’s origin story is set during the last global financial crisis of 2008. Yes, that’s right — our business started by scaling businesses with virtual assistants during a recession! Our first client in 2008 went from five to seventeen VAs with a completely revamped organizational model in short order, and he told MyOutDesk, “Our virtual professionals have shaved $250,000 off our monthly overhead.”
Companies often experience rapid growth in their early years, which can lead to a need for larger physical space and infrastructure. In order to keep up with the increased demand, it’s important to have an understanding of how scaling affects your business and its performance. This post will introduce you to what scaling is, how it relates to your company’s success and steps that you can take in order to prepare for it.
Why should I care about Scaling?
One of the first things that most enterprises learn when they grow is that they start running out of space. It may be a little misleading to compare tiny startups with large established companies, but you can still get a sense of how large your company is by checking out its physical location. If you’re one of the many startup entrepreneurs who often find themselves stressing about all of the extra space that needs to be created, understanding where your space is going will help you better prepare for it. You should also realize that these resources can be used in other ways as well and if you are already using them appropriately, scaling up will not require much additional expense.
If you’re currently renting or using shared office space, you will probably need to know about scaling before deciding on a location. Maybe you’ve already moved your startup into a larger building at this point and it’s time to move out. You may have already taken the next step and decided to find a bigger office building with an available lease and permanent location in mind. Either way, if you’re thinking about the possibility of growing your business, sooner or later you’re going to have to consider how much larger space is going to be required by your company. You should also realize that different companies will need different types of physical locations depending on their specific needs.
At the core of scaling a business is the management of supply versus demand. This can be difficult to manage when you’re initially trying to predict how much space your business needs, or how many employees it will need at various points in time. For example, you might have two possible scenarios for scaling up from an office to a building: adding another floor or adding additional areas on each floor. Which scenario is going to be better for your company depends on its particular needs and time frame. When making decisions about resource allocation, most startups do not take into account that these resources could be leveraged in other ways over time and actually cause more business value than if they’re being added at this particular point in time.
You’re starting to get more work than the resources around you can handle. You need to get more talent, fast — maybe call another freelancer to help you and your team finish a project in time for an important deadline. When you add this new person, the workload is distributed more evenly across your entire team. Now that there are more hands-on deck it becomes easier to get back on track with the project, but everyone is feeling the pressure of staying on schedule. With everyone working together and keeping each other focused on moving forward, you help each other achieve your goals and complete a successful project.
Full-Time Virtual Assistants — A perfect fit for scaling:
Filling your office with virtual assistants (VA’s) is one of the best ways to scale a business. Coupled with remote collaboration, what VAs bring to the table can save you time and money while streamlining your business processes and increasing overall efficiency. When it comes to the cost-benefit analysis, VA’s are often one of the strongest tools in a scaling entrepreneurs toolkit.
On one hand, they can be used to create an additional value proposition for you as a small business or startup. If your company grows at an exponential pace, by scaling up on remote professionals there is less need for expensive offices and expensive real estate that could otherwise be steered toward expanding product development and improving customer experiences.
“Outsourcing makes the hustle better — because you’re not burdened with many/growing expenses that you’ll need to figure out how to cover and hit profit”
Focus on your growth & scale your operations
ENVISIONING OF A NEW REALITY FOR YOUR BUSINESS
Simply put, MyOutDesk equips entrepreneurs & business owners with tools, strategies, and virtual employees – and when combined, businesses have a competitive edge and find growth while efficient systems and processes are put in place.
MyOutDesk proudly provides additional free business growth guides, books, and strategy calls.
Experience The Difference
MyOutDesk can save you up to 70% on employment costs
Claim a free business strategy consultation & ‘Grow Virtual’ Guide
Did You Know? MyOutDesk’s origin story is set during the last global financial crisis of 2008. Yes, that’s right — our business started by scaling businesses with virtual assistants during a recession! Our first client in 2008 went from five to seventeen VAs with a completely revamped organizational model in short order, and he told MyOutDesk, “Our virtual professionals have shaved $250,000 off our monthly overhead.”
CoStar Group Inc. closed on its acquisition of Homes.com. The company plans to combine its real estate marketplace, Homesnap, with the home buying website to create the most seamless experience possible for home buyers and sellers.
CoStar Group Acquires Homes.com
Homes.com is a service that maintains a database of homes for sale by real estate brokers across the country. Homes are listed with photographs, floor plans, and descriptions of what makes each home unique.
Zillow and Homes.com Comparison:
Direct competitors of Homes.com include Zillow, a site that also provides home listings, maps, floor plans, public records, and home value estimates. However, Zillow and Homes.com are not direct competitors in that they provide different services for different markets of consumers with different needs.
Homes.com provides a venue for consumers to view homes for sale including photos of the property as well as floor plans and descriptions of the features that make the home unique. Consumers can search by geographic location or may search all homes or a specific price range. The company’s goal is to assist homeowners in finding their dream home from anywhere in one central location.
Lead generation in the Real Estate Market — Insights for Agents:
According to National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) CEO Bob Goldberg, “today’s real estate agents obtain leads from more places than ever before, but market inefficiencies too often lead our members in the wrong direction – costing valuable time and resources.”
Why “Lead Generation”
Lead generation is the process of generating prospective customers or contacts — a.k.a. leads — and directing them toward a sales funnel or conversion process from awareness to sale or lead. Lead generation is paramount to the success of any business, especially real estate agents, and provides evidence that there is significant demand for your products or services. Without leads, there are no sales.
What Leads Are Useful For
Ideally leads should be qualified before they enter the sales funnel so that time and resources are spent on those prospects most likely to convert into paying customers. Qualification can be done in a number of ways including geographic location searched, socio-economic data provided (e.g. credit score, income level), and the type of property searched (e.g. square footage, type of purchase).
Consider hiring a full-time, professional real estate virtual assistant — often times up to 70% less in costs from a traditional employee. Allow your talent to coordinate lead generation efforts. Use your website visitors, mailing list subscribers, and social media followers as active contacts through which to generate leads. Get creative with the tools you use; tap into other channels you use to promote or recommend your business; leverage apps to provide additional functionality; connect with online influencers. There are many online lead generation tools that provide free leads — many of which are built for real estate agents.
• Do your research
Conduct a market analysis to identify the top markets for your product or service so that you can focus your lead generation efforts on those regions and markets with the highest potential.
• Maintain good inventory
Inventory is critical! Make sure you have a current list of active buyers and sellers posted online so that leads can be directed to the correct person/s when they fill out their profile information.
• Set a good foundation
A credible website with the right look and feel. Setting up your website with industry-relevant keywords for your property search, good photos of your listings, and concise descriptions of the properties will reduce search time and increase the chance that a lead will contact you.
• Reach out to those in your network:
If you have a social media presence then be sure to make use of it. Interact with members on sites like Facebook, Twitter, etc., especially if you are using it as a personal page, share useful information/resources that will encourage your network to be active in these areas (ex. offer referral links or special deals having to do with your business).
What can an agent do to improve their lead generation efforts?
There are two ways to generate a lead. The first is to search MLS (Multiple Listing Service) sites, but the problem with MLS sites is that they only provide contact information for sellers. The second way is to contact people, and this can be done by leaving an email message or having a phone conversation with a person on the list.
Full-Time Virtual Assistants — A perfect fit for scaling:
Filling your office with virtual assistants (VAs) is one of the best ways to scale a business. Coupled with remote collaboration, what VAs bring to the table can save you time and money while streamlining your business processes and increasing overall efficiency. When it comes to the cost-benefit analysis, VAs are often one of the strongest tools in a scaling entrepreneurs toolkit.
On one hand, they can be used to create an additional value proposition for you as a small business or startup. If your company grows at an exponential pace, by scaling up on remote professionals there is less need for expensive offices and expensive real estate that could otherwise be steered toward expanding product development and improving customer experiences.
“Outsourcing makes the hustle better — because you’re not burdened with many/growing expenses that you’ll need to figure out how to cover and hit profit”
Focus on your growth & scale your operations
ENVISIONING OF A NEW REALITY FOR YOUR BUSINESS
Simply put, MyOutDesk equips entrepreneurs & business owners with tools, strategies, and virtual employees – and when combined, businesses have a competitive edge and find growth while efficient systems and processes are put in place.
MyOutDesk proudly provides additional free business growth guides, books, and strategy calls.
Experience The Difference
MyOutDesk can save you up to 70% on employment costs
Claim a free business strategy consultation & ‘Grow Virtual’ Guide
Did You Know? MyOutDesk’s origin story is set during the last global financial crisis of 2008. Yes, that’s right — our business started by scaling businesses with virtual assistants during a recession! Our first client in 2008 went from five to seventeen VAs with a completely revamped organizational model in short order, and he told MyOutDesk, “Our virtual professionals have shaved $250,000 off our monthly overhead.”
