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Business man wting Thank you

3 Things Your Business Should Be Thankful For – And What If You’re Not?

It’s that time of year when we try to reflect on everything we’re grateful for in our lives. Honestly, we should reflect like this throughout the year but nobody’s perfect, right? We’re busy professionals! We don’t have time to stop and smell the roses! Although, if you had a few virtual assistants helping you out, you probably would have time for that. Just saying! But I digress. With Thanksgiving fast approaching(wow this year flew by!) it’s the appropriate time to take a look at the year behind us and reflect on how it got us here. The decisions we made, the people who helped, and everything that stood the test of time. I’m sure you have plenty of personal things you could list that might get you feeling all warm and fuzzy, but for the sake of dry eyes let’s focus on the business stuff. After all, our business is your business. 

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Thankful For New Technology

This is an easy one. We’re all thankful for the advancements in technology that have… well, advanced our lives. From being able to deposit a check by taking a picture with your phone, to ordering cat food online with 2-hour shipping; life has gotten super convenient. But how has technology improved your business? Maybe you launched an app this year that made it easier for your clients to schedule appointments or get support. Maybe you implemented a new software at the office that helped automate something and improved your productivity. In any case, technology surely helped you this past year. With so much of the workforce staying home, you had no choice but to embrace technology. So even if you didn’t try some new tech gadget, you at least relied on technology in some way to keep your business running. Which means you likely had people supporting it with you. Researching new tools, testing them, training your team on using them, implementing them into your existing processes, etc. A lot of us wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for advancements in technology. And for that, we’re forever thankful.

 

Thankful For All of The People

All of the tech in the world is nothing without the people behind it. Be that the people who came up with it and designed it, and built it. Or like I mentioned previously, the people who help bring it into real-world use at companies like yours. Surely you have a team of folks you’re thankful for because you can’t imagine making it as far as you have without them. If you’re doing things right, then your employees should be just as focused on your vision as you are. They believe in your company mission and most importantly they believe in you. We’re nothing without our teams; as they support our efforts, bring new ideas to the table, and hustle to accomplish the tasks set forth. Never forget the human behind the numbers.

 

Thankful For Flexibility

If your company is still kicking then you’ve likely been at least somewhat flexible during these unprecedented times. This could mean ‘trimming the fat’ where you saw it necessary, loosening the reigns on your employees a bit, embracing remote work, even trying new things as you tried to adapt to an ever-changing professional world. Of course, part of being the boss means being rigid sometimes, stubborn, and firm with your decisions. But it also means being open to new ideas, change, and evolution. Our bodies stay in shape when we constantly move them, put them through strained exercises, and then stretch so as to facilitate healthy growth. Being flexible is an important part of improvement. Our businesses are no different. So cheers to having the luxury of flexibility at a time when it’s most important.

We’re Thankful For You

These are just a few of the things we’re thankful for, not to mention you the reader. We’re thankful for you too! Whether you’re just browsing this blog and have never used our service, or you’re an existing client. Either way, this blog is being written because of you. Never lose sight of how and why you got to where you are now. When we fail we’re quick to pick apart everything that leads us to loss. We want to assign blame to someone or something so we can say “that’s why it didn’t work! It wasn’t just me!”. We don’t often enough do the inverse when things are successful. Now is the time to assign praise, instead. Point to the people and things that made it all possible. The last couple of years haven’t been easy, and we’re sure you couldn’t have done it alone. 

 

If while reading this, at any point you hesitated to relate, then something needs to change. Because those three things should be the minimum of what any successful company is thankful for right now. And believe it or not, virtual assistants have a direct impact on all three of them. Maybe you need help adopting new technology, and further help maintaining it. Maybe you need some extra hands on deck for customer support, scheduling, billing, etc. Or perhaps your team is overwhelmed and needs some backup so they can have less stressful holidays. Even just one of our experienced, educated, reliable virtual assistants can be something you are thankful for in any of those cases. So don’t hesitate to reach out via the link below, and request a free one-on-one consultation. We’ll listen first and then propose an action plan. We guarantee you’ll be thankful you did.

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Daniel Ramsey photo from the video

Industry Leader Gets Personal with Entrepreneurs Guide to 2022

Are you ready for 2022? It might be hard to imagine anyone being truly ready for a new year, after the tumultuous couple of years we’ve had as of late. Nonetheless, anyone seeking success needs to have some kind of plan mapped out for the upcoming year, and entrepreneurs are no exception. After having a conversation with a fellow entrepreneur, someone very successful and established, Daniel realized that not everyone has a solid plan. At least not one for themselves! We often hear people discuss their plans for things like their business and financial goals, but rarely discuss their personal plans to support themselves. We have to remember that our plans are meaningless if we aren’t in a position to execute them in a healthy manner. That led Daniel to record this helpful little video for any entrepreneur out there who needs a little nudge in the right direction, as this year winds down. 

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We’re only a couple of months away from 2022, so there is no time like now to start preparing for its inevitable arrival. It’s easy to assume that because someone is an entrepreneur and seems successful at it, that they must have everything figured out. But not always! And that’s who Daniel hopes to target with this content; the people without a solid plan or support system. The people who might be banging their head against the wall, burning themselves out and wondering why. Perhaps with a bit of insight into Daniel’s own entrepreneurial routines, someone might realize that missing piece of their own puzzle. So read on for a summary of Daniel’s advice, and watch the short video above for even more details. It might just save your year!

 

Get Layered Up

Daniel thinks of his own support system as having layers, each with a different purpose but all working together to reach a common goal: keep Daniel sane and effective. These layers have varying consistencies, which we’ll highlight for each. Let’s go over those layers…

 

Layer One: Peer Groups.

Having people to confide in and exchange words of advice with is invaluable. It’s especially important in this context that they share some experience with the path you’re on. A peer group should have people doing similar things that you are, pursuing similar goals in similar fashions. You can vent to them, and they can give advice when appropriate. You also have the opportunity to hear their struggles, give your own advice and reflect on it all. It’s therapeutic, without the therapy bill.

Schedule: Accountability meetings: weekly. 

Strategy meetings: quarterly.

 

Layer Two: A Coach. 

This layer is often one, maybe two people. What differs the coach from a peer, is this should be someone who’s “been there, done that”. They aren’t really on the same path as you right now, because they already walked it. Your coach should be someone knowledgeable and experienced with what you’re going through. If you’re climbing a mountain do you want to hire a guide who read about mountain climbing once or someone who already climbed a mountain? In this case, they should already confidently understand high-level leadership, sales, marketing, etc. They’ve built something before, and now they’re in a position to help others build too. 

Schedule: Monthly meetings.

 

Layer Three: Advisory Board. 

Also referred to as a “business advisory group”, this is a source of people in your industry. People who understand your model and may have similar experiences. Similar to the peer group, except these folks typically should be a bit more versed in your specific industry. These aren’t folks with “book knowledge”, but rather hands-on experience. They may be slightly ahead of the curve from where you’re at and are typically composed of 3-7 individuals. 

Schedule: Quarterly meetings.

 

Layer Four: Therapy/Spirit Coach.

This is probably the most controversial layer, as not everyone believes in the value of therapy. Nonetheless, Daniel does and he has found it immensely valuable on his journy. Whether you call it a therapist or a spirit coach, this is someone not necessarily involved in entrepreneurship the way you are, but more so an expert on mental well-being. Someone you can just talk to about all things non-professional, for mental stability. Think of it as going to the gym for your soul. Never underestimate the value of mental health and never take it for granted.

Schedule: meet weekly.

 

Support Yourself

There you have it; four layers of support that any and all entrepreneurs should at least consider. It’s all part of having a healthy routine in your life, a rhythm if you will. These weekly, monthly, and quarterly meetings are just as important as your daily routine. You do have one of those, right? For instance, a Daniel Ramsey day consists of waking up early, hitting the sauna, grabbing some coffee, journaling, setting aside some “thinking-time”, and getting on his feet to do something physical. Never forget that last one; it’s important to regularly get up and sweat. Keep the blood pumping in your body and your mind. Combine a daily routine with layers of support much as Daniel does, and you’ve got a healthy support system for any entrepreneur. 

 

Support Your Business

One last tip for anyone trying to go themselves and their company is the utilization of virtual assistants. While you’re busy practicing that layered approach to entrepreneurial support, your business needs to be supported too. And what better way than to hire some helping hands for your local team, at up 70% less than the cost of a local hire? A virtual professional who can do all the same things someone down the street can, only they’re much further away. If you care to learn more, click the link below to request a FREE one-on-one consultation with one of our experts. We’ll listen to you first, hear you out and understand your situation. Then we’ll discuss an action plan for how a virtual assistant might help, with no obligation.

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The Virtual Assistant Turns Personal Assistant: A How-To

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It’s safe to say that a lot of professionals would love to have a personal assistant. Having someone you personally employ, there to make sure your day-to-day runs as smoothly as possible sounds like a dream. But not everyone knows just how attainable, and truly helpful, having your own personal assistant really is. They often get caught up in a couple of reasons why they think they shouldn’t, or can’t hire an assistant. Well, this here is a short and to the point breakdown of why you should, and how you can, hire your very own virtual personal assistant. The keyword there being “virtual”.

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businessman assistant working in car with laptop

The Why

There are two big reasons why hiring a virtual assistant to be your personal assistant is an absolute no-brainer…

  1. Cheaper.

  2. Reliable.

Of course, there are many reasons why a VA(virtual assistant) makes the perfect PA(personal assistant). In fact, we’ve covered that in previous articles that went more in-depth. But to boil it all down to the most important and undeniable facts, you’d end up with the cost and the reliability. Over the years, our customers have reported up to 70% in savings by hiring a VA compared to if they had hired a traditional, local employee. This is because a majority of the financial responsibilities associated with hiring an employee fall on us, being as our VA’s are still technically our employees. You just pay a flat rate monthly, per assistant. We handle PTO, insurance, benefits, etc. 

Then there is the reliability factor. We only hire true professionals, who bring their own experience and skills. We test their knowledge and then categorize them based on industry/skillset. Meaning we always have the right person for the right job. Someone who will join your team with the necessary tools to understand what you need and hit the ground running. That’s not to say you don’t have to train them though, of course. As with any new hire, you’ll need to give them a rundown of what you do and what you expect them to do. So you can expect some time at the start spent getting them up to speed and established in your new processes. But the offset here is you didn’t have to waste time posting, searching, interviewing, and evaluating candidates. You just came to us, and we gave you what you needed.

Pro-Tip from Daniel Ramsey

“When you onboard a virtual assistant to be your personal assistant, obviously you’re going to train them on their duties right away. But I suggest you run them through the same training again, 6 months later. By then they’ll have a better understanding of not just how to do it all, but why they’re doing it. What they’re doing effects, what it means and to who. This will serve to strengthen their performance, increase productivity, and you’ll notice the improvement. Do it again after a year and see the difference.”

The How

So you may be wondering how a personal assistant can be so valuable, then they’re remote. It’s quite simple, being as the professional world is becoming increasingly remote these days. More and more offices are embracing remote or at least hybrid work models, as systems and technologies evolve to support that culture. On top of that, most of the things you really need a truly professional personal assistant for can be done online anyways. Digital applications like Google Suite, and OneNote are the most popular around our offices. Not only are they free, but they can be catered to fit just about any organizational need. Here are just a couple tips from Daniel on how to get super organized and efficient with both Gmail and OneNote…

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Gmail

“My personal process is I have my virtual assistant keeping track of all activity in my inbox. They record where every email comes from; is it a client with a concern, a potential business relation, or something high level that I need to personally respond to. They will start writing the reply for me, after categorizing and assessing what’s most appropriate. Then they keep it saved under my Drafts. When I log in the first thing I do is go to the Drafts, and go down the list. Review everything my assistant prepared for me, make edits as needed, and send off. This saves me so much time.”

OneNote

“Context has to be given when you have a personal assistant. The better understanding they have of what’s going on, and where it falls in your ongoing hierarchy, the better they can work for you. I love OneNote because of how organized it makes all of this for us. I have five categories that fit all of my needs. “

  1. Agenda: The preparation for a meeting.
  2. Projects: Something we’re actively working on.
  3. Someday: Anything not pressing that you’ll get to… someday.
  4. Waiting For: Things you’re waiting for someone else on before you can progress with it.
  5. Archive: What’s done is done, archive it.

Business woman holding her personal laptop

 

I hope this little advice piece is enough to help you consider utilizing a virtual assistant as your personal assistant. Because it’s not about what you have to do, it’s about what you won’t have to do anymore. Hiring a remote working personal assistant is fast becoming the norm, and we’d hate to see any serious professional get left behind. Save money and save time, when you hire a virtual assistant like ours. If you have more questions, or just want to hear even more details about how this can work for you… follow the link below. We’ll do a FREE one-on-one consultation with you, and see how we can get you started.

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Talking to Entrepreneurs: As Told by Entrepreneurs

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If you could sit down with someone you really admire and interview them about whatever you wanted, how do you think it’d go? Would it flow like a casual conversation between two friends? Or would it be fast-moving and direct, with a series of specific questions? What would you hope to walk away having learned, after this interview? These are things you should be considering before you try to pick the brain of someone you look up to, or they may end up looking down on you. Talking to someone whom you hope to learn from isn’t as simple as just reading off a list of questions; there is actually a professional way to go about it that will benefit not only you but that expert you’re trying to learn from. Andrew Warner is an accomplished entrepreneur who wants to give other entrepreneurs something he wished he had years ago; an easy way of talking to each other. Because when you’re building something yourself, few things are more valuable than talking to someone else who already built something successful. And why stop here? Talk to several people who did what you’re trying to do, because different success stories have different beginnings. 

 

In this podcast our CEO Daniel Ramsey sat down with the highly successful Andrew Warner, to talk about the art of, well, talking! And to plug his amazing new book, Stop Asking Questions, which drops on October 18. Watch above, or read the breakdown below…

Screenshot of the webinar

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Get Your Beauty Sleep

Andrew Warner got his big break when he founded a successful electronic greeting card company which he later sold for millions. After doing so, he learned a valuable lesson that is worth passing on here: don’t be afraid to take a break. The entire experience of managing an exit from a successful business completely wore Andrew out. He had been operating at 100% around the clock, constantly in that mindset of “the hustle never sleeps”.  They say if a shark stops swimming it dies; he was in the mindset of some kind of entrepreneur great white! But that isn’t the way. Taking time to yourself, to reflect and grow outside of the daily grind is incredibly important. So after closing that sale he finally had the opportunity to step away. Andrew took the time to ride his bike all over, read more, and travel. He came back from this time-off refreshed, energized, and with a whole new idea. An idea for something he wished he had back when he was getting his start.

 

“Life is full of moments that have more value than we can imagine.”

 

Knowing =/= Doing

Enter his new venture, Mixergy. A platform he started in 2004, specifically for entrepreneurs to get together with other entrepreneurs and help each other. The business had its ups and downs, it wasn’t an overnight success. But it found its footing eventually, ironically with a bit of helpful advice from a fellow entrepreneur. Today it’s a place for successful entrepreneurs to teach other ambitious upstarts. They do remote interviews, podcasts, and even teach courses. It’s a stark contrast from those entrepreneur coaches that often leave a lot to be desired. Andrew recalls paying one of those business coaches for lessons in how to grow a million-dollar business. He didn’t find it as helpful as he’d hoped, largely in part because this coach had never made a million-dollar business themself! How can you teach how to do something that you’ve never done yourself? If you wanted to learn how to rock climb, would you pay someone to teach you if all they’d ever done was learn about it on YouTube? Heck no. The future of your business is no different from climbing that mountain, so don’t trust it to someone who’s never even gone hiking.

Come Prepared

Another interview tip Andrew mentioned, was actually something he noticed Daniel was already doing himself! And that is being prepared, with a clear direction and goal for your interview. This doesn’t simply mean having your questions written out in a list. While that helps, if you rely on that too much then the interview starts to feel mechanical. This leads to people feeling bored, and might be less forthcoming and natural with their discussions. It’s good to know what you’re going to ask, but you should also know how you’re going to ask it. You sound needy and come across as whiney if you keep pestering your mentor with questions. For example, instead of “How can I grow my sales team?”, reword that to something like “How did you grow such a successful sales team?”. You’ll get virtually the same answer, except it’ll probably be even more informative and helpful. A simple rephrasing can go a long way towards getting the answer you need, not the answer you think you want. It should be clear from the start what you hope to accomplish from this talk. Where is this conversation going? What are we teaching each other and possibly others with this discussion? Who benefits from this and why? If the conversation feels aimless, or robotic, you’re not gonna have a good time. Motivate this person to want to engage with you and give you the answers and content you want. An entrepreneur who’s hustled their way to the top of their respective business doesn’t want to sit and answer 21 questions to give some other entrepreneur a shortcut. Give them that “motivated moment”. They have to have a reason to want to be there, answering your questions and talking it out with you.

Pro Tips for Pros

There you have it! Pro tips from actual pros. We hope this advice anyone out there, entrepreneur to otherwise. Sitting down and talking to someone in a professional capacity is something almost everyone has to do at some point. Be it an interview for a job, a podcast, business research, etc. No matter the case, these tips should prove beneficial to all. We at MyOutDesk love opportunities like this, to talk to other experienced professionals and learn from them. And in some cases just simply validate what we already know! We pass this knowledge onto our followers, our customers, and even our own employees. Because offering a wide variety of virtual assistants means having a wide variety of skill sets and knowledge. If a company wanted to hire a virtual assistant to help them conduct interviews of any kind, these very lessons would be common knowledge to any VA we provided them. If you’d like to talk more with us about how virtual assistants fit into this, and how they could benefit your own business, follow the link below. We’ll schedule a FREE one-on-one consultation whenever is convenient for you. Thanks for reading!

 

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Do It, Document It, and Delegate It to a Virtual Assistant

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An experienced virtual assistant can improve productivity and reduce complications through process documentation. Learn how it’s done in this guide!

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VA working with multiple hands showing fast multitasking

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.

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myoutdesk executive assistant working

Test the Procedures

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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real estate virtual assistant

Likeable Agent Likes Virtual Assistants For Lead Generation

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If you’ve used one lead generation service, then you’ve used them all. Except that’s not true in the case of Likeable Agent. They’re a lead generation company that goes the extra mile for their clients, and they couldn’t do it without virtual assistants. In this testimonial our CEO, Daniel Ramsey had a very insightful chat with John Reh, the founder of Likeable Agent. John has been utilizing virtual assistants since 2016, to help him and his team with a wide variety of tasks. Ranging from simple inbox management to conducting research, his VA’s(virtual assistants) have become happy, productive members of his team. Read on, and watch above, to learn exactly how he was able to find so much success employing professionals halfway around the world.

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Hire The Person, Train The Skills

John had years of experience as a recruiter before he founded his own business. That experience came in handy when turning to MyOutDesk for some virtual assistants. We talent match our people to fit specific business needs, but finding the right person goes way beyond just skills on paper. John actually finds more value in finding the right personality first, then building up the necessary skills. Because anyone can learn how to do just about anything, but not everyone is reliable, friendly, passionate or motivated. And John wanted someone he could count on as well as get along with before he trusted them with valuable business duties. Luckily we value personality as well when we hire. Every VA we’ve assigned has not only got the job done well but got along great doing it.

 

 “Consider where you can use help. What can I do and what should I do? Those are often different things; could I be doing something that’s more productive?”

 

What brought John to MyOutDesk was the realization that he was spending too much time doing work that should be delegated out. He needed reliable help with the busy work so that he could focus his experienced time on more dollar-productive tasks. Like focusing more on client relations, personally. Onboarding his new VA’s was easy because his company already had created templates for most of the tasks they’d be handing over. One such task was able to exist because of the VA’s; customer support. They created an inbox and a text message line specifically for existing customers to reach out to for help. The VA managed incoming questions and resolved issues accordingly. 

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Happy MyOutDesk Virtual Assistant

 

They Walk So You Can Run

One of the ways Likeable Agent sets itself apart from other lead generation companies is the quality of leads they provide. They don’t just hand over a list of cold calls, they take time to curate those leads and organize them based on viability. This is another area that our VA’s came in handy; doing the research needed to better understand those leads. They do the homework to learn about every lead and determine who is warm and who is cold. This frees up people like John to focus their time on those warm leads, so they can be sure the leads they provide are truly valuable. And on the flip side, they have VA’s handling new customer intake. Building up the accounts of new clients, welcome them to LikeableAgent while local employees focus on getting more clients. It’s a beautiful cycle. 

 

“They show up early and stay late. Very, very dedicated and I appreciate that a lot.”

 

It’s now been several years since John and his team at Likeable Agent started using our VA’s, and the success continues. All of the busy work is handled in an organized, efficient manner. Meanwhile, John is free to focus on building relationships and save money while he’s at it. He claims his income quintupled in the first year after onboarding a couple of VA’s. That’s wild! If you’re at all interested in a similarly wild story of success for your growing business, don’t hesitate to reach out. The link is below, it takes seconds to schedule a free one-on-one consultation. We’ll discuss the problems you’re facing and determine if a VA might help solve them.

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VA working with multiple hands showing fast multitasking

Marketing Firms Use Virtual Assistants To Scale Up

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“I have a day off now!”, is just one of the proclamations made by a very satisfied customer of ours. His name is Aaron Shishilla, and having a real day off is exciting for him because he has two jobs! He’s the Marketing Lead and Owner of WolfPack Advising; a marketing company that Aaron started as a side hustle. His primary gig is that of Marketing Manager at Waypoint Property Inspection, based out of Tampa, Florida. Clearly, he has a lot on his plate, juggling two major roles at two successful and still growing companies. The vision Aaron and his team share are that of empowering businesses with the tools necessary to grow. All while being a thought leader themselves, who uses their experiences to elevate everyone. Basically, both companies he works at are in the business of helping other businesses see calculated, positive results. But what about their own growth? Who’s helping them see successful results? Virtual assistants are.

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What can a va do? Digital marketing

Good News Travels Far

Aaron had heard about MyOutDesk via word of mouth, from other connections who spoke highly of their experience using our VA’s(virtual assistants). He found himself spending too much time juggling non-dollar-generating tasks while trying to fit in his higher-level responsibilities as a leader in two different marketing roles. This was proving a major speedbump while they were trying to grow the company beyond their local region. It was time to seek assistance from the outside, which led him to follow his colleague’s advice and seek remote help. A little over six months ago Aaron came to MyOutDesk and we matched him with a couple of VA’s hand-picked to help him and his team with those side-tasks that were bogging them down. The experience was immediately satisfying.

 

“I’m so incredibly impressed because I can say something to her and she knows to take notes, and add it to her guidebook. And the next week she’s on it. And I’m like this is amazing!” 

 

Aaron is a very organized, and forward-thinking person. So he knew before our VA even started that they would need the proper guidance and toolset to ensure they were set up for success. He took the time to prepare a guide using Google Docs, with a list of tasks, timelines, etc for the VA to use as a reference once they started. This ensured the person we assigned had everything they needed from the get-go, and the support from Aaron to hit the ground running. From there it was just a matter of checking in with them over Slack when necessary. Because our VA’s are educated in the English language, coupled with opposite work hours than ours, it makes for perfect professional synergy. 

 

myoutdesk social media marketing virtual assistant

“They speak better English than I do! They are just perfect, their grammar is better than ours because they have studied it for so long.”

The Freedom To Focus

Now Aaron and his colleagues have more time to focus on important duties that run the business, like focusing on the service they provide their clients. Meanwhile, our VA has been handling administrative tasks and social media duties. This has been a great help while they expand their brand outside their region, and focus on customer relationships. All while saving money! The average all-inclusive cost of a VA from MyOutDesk is roughly $21,000 a year. Aaron says had they gone with a local specialist to assist them, they’d easily be paying double that.

 

“There is stuff that you do every day that is repetitive. That you can easily scale, having a VA handling it for you, so that you can focus on something else.”

 

Aaron Shishilla came to MyOutDesk seeking virtual assistants to help his two growing companies. It ended up being the kind of success for him that just drives us to keep at it. Our mission is to help grow other businesses, be they small and getting started or huge and well established. Your success is our success. So if you’re at all curious about utilizing a VA for your own business scaling, don’t hesitate to reach out. Follow the link below to request a free one-on-one consultation where we’ll evaluate your needs and determine how we might be able to help.

 

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Virtual Assistants Pay Off For Modern Lending

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It’s Mutually Beneficial

“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.

[Considering a Virtual Assistant?]

two hands shaking over a table and exchanging cash

 

Your Input Shapes Their Output

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. 

 

a myoutdesk virtual assistant working at his laptop

“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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Virtual Assistants Are Evolving Marketing With SMS

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What if you could reach your target audience before they even got out of bed? Start their day with your product or service already on their mind, without even lifting a finger! You can, and it’s as easy as a text message. According to a survey conducted by ReportLinker, about half of Americans(46%) say they check their phone as soon as they wake up. That statistic comes from 2017, so you can imagine it’s only gone up since then. More than half of Americans check their phone an average of 160 times a day. America is attached to their phone, so use that to get them attached to your product.

Now you’re probably wondering, “But how? Who has the time to text all day!? Luckily we have the answer to that; virtual assistants. Text messaging(SMS) marketing is an often underrated and underutilized practice with a ton of proven potential. On top of that, the utilization of virtual assistants is growing in its acceptance by the professional world due to the increasing demand for remote work. I guess you could say SMS marketing is the recipe for massive gains, and virtual assistants are the secret ingredient that makes it a 5-star dish. But enough analogies; let’s go over exactly how and why SMS marketing with a virtual assistant will change the way you do business.

[Considering a Virtual Assistant?]

SMS > Email

You’re probably already familiar with email marketing; drip campaigns, follow-ups, promotions, etc. You may not be familiar with this statistic though; the open rate for email is about 20%, whereas the open rate for text messages is 98%. That’s a huge difference! Why send a prospective customer an email that gets lost in spam, or buried at the bottom of their inbox? A text message goes right to the top of their communications, and it likely gets a push notification on their screen. They can’t miss it! Furthermore, 75% of surveyed Americans said they’d be happy to receive an offer via SMS. That’s practically an invitation to market to them! That actually leads me to one important point; you can’t cold message them. An SMS marketing campaign needs to be directed at people who’ve already expressed interest in some way, or straight up opted in to receive your messages. So keep it legit, or you risk not just pissing off the customer, but the law too.

Here’s an example of persistent and informative SMS marketing…

Marketing Synergy

The big gap in open rates doesn’t mean you should abandon email marketing altogether. In fact, SMS and emails can work together sometimes. For example, sending a follow-up text asking someone if they got your previous email can increase the open rate by as much as 30%. The inverse can work as well; sending an email that lets people opt into more direct and beneficial SMS service. This is a great way to generate leads, with a growing list of potential customers or existing customers who are hungry for information, updates, offers, etc. Another benefit to the SMS is the immediate delivery, compared to the “who knows when” delivery of an email. Send that update text, “Hey, did you get my email?”, and watch them feel more personally connected to you and thus more likely to go check for that email. As you can see it’s not a one or the other situation, it’s more of a cohesive family of marketing tools.

[Considering a Virtual Assistant?]

A Direct Connection

Notice how I mentioned it feeling more “personally connected”. Because an SMS is always more personal and direct feeling than a long email they know was sent to a faceless list. With an SMS, you’re restricted to the 160 character limit typically, so your messaging needs to be more direct and inclusive. No fluff, no overpowering graphics, and banners, etc. Your message to them should feel like a friend reaching out to ask them a quick question, or give them a quick update about something important. You should use more words like “you” and “I” when writing your little message, so it feels like you thought of them randomly and cared enough to message them, specifically. Even if you didn’t . . .

Let Someone Else Manage

To get the most out of this marketing tactic, you shouldn’t be the one sending those messages. This doesn’t mean they are any less personal or sincere, it just means you’re a busy person with a business to run, so you delegate this to someone else. This is where the virtual assistant comes in! While you’re handling more high-level, valuable business needs, your VA(virtual assistant) is going down a list. Sending customized text messages to different groups of people, following up on leads, responding to their replies, answering questions, sharing links, and setting up appointments. They’re keeping people updated, educated, and connected… to you. And yes there are applications you can sync with your SMS campaigns to track how effective your texts are, just like with emails. Utilizing a virtual assistant to be the conduit for all of your SMS marketing needs is such a perfect fit, it almost feels too good to be true(don’t worry, it’s not!).

You Have One New Message

As you can see, SMS marketing is a simple marketing tactic that anyone can do. And if they have an assistant who can manage that tactic on their own, then they’re really primed for success. Because there are two hard facts here; 1. SMS marketing is powerful and worth the effort, and 2. Someone else should be doing it for you while you do what you do best. MyOutDesk is proud to offer virtual assistants with marketing talents and technology skills perfect for this role. So if you’re at all interested in upping your marketing game, securing more leads, and closing more deals, you’re in the right place. Reach out via the link and schedule a one-on-one consultation, where we’ll assess how one of our virtual assistants can do exactly that for you.

 

Experience The Difference
MyOutDesk can save you up to 70% on employment costs
Claim a free business strategy consultation & ‘Grow Virtual’ Guide

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‘A Better Contractor’ Prefers A Better Virtual Assistant

They say you can never get too much of a good thing. When it comes to hiring virtual assistants, David Perry might be inclined to agree with that statement. For over three years David has been the Director of Finance at ‘A Better Contractor, LLC’, the premier hospitality industry contractor in the nation.  Over the past year, however, they’ve been making efforts to diversify their clientele so as to continue growing in the contractor business. Despite the global pandemic they’ve continued to experience growth, supporting the likes of the hotel industry as they too grow and evolve to support the changing times. But that’s not to say the journey of success is without its obstacles. Luckily virtual assistants are really good at breaking down obstacles…

[Considering a Virtual Assistant?]

If You Want Something Done Right

David and his team had existed processes in place that utilized local admin assistants. However, they were beginning to notice a lot of QA(quality assurance) discrepancies. Eventually, they were faced with the tough decision to take over administrative duties themselves. To ensure the administrative tasks were done correctly they had to divide the work among their own management team. This stretched the management team thin, as they had to juggle a wide variety of duties. Someone on their team suggested looking into employing a virtual assistant, from a company like MyOutDesk. Because this would be a big change from what they were used to, David admitted to some initial hesitation. After some deliberation, the decision was made to try out one VA(virtual assistant) and see how it fit their administrative needs.

“We gave it a shot, and not long after doing so we were like ‘well crap, that was easy!’

myoutdesk virtual assistant working home

The initial uncertainty about hiring someone entirely remote to take over their admin assistant role was due to how valuable they hold that position. David and his team believe in equal reciprocation with anyone they hire; be they in-person or virtual. They like to bring a positive change not just to their business, but to the life of whoever they hire. David believes that any member of the team should be happy to be there because they genuinely feel like they fit in. After all, a happy worker is a hard worker. Luckily, that first VA we provided fit right in and hit the ground running. They were able to take over those administrative duties themself and alleviate some of the pressure from management.

“Our VA’s have migrated to bill payments, a lot. Time value of money is important in all aspects, and our VA’s have contributed to that level of accuracy. It’s just a beautiful thing.”

More Is Better

David and his company were so pleased with their first foray into the virtual assistant game that they eventually hired the 2nd one only months later.  They now have two VA’s juggling administrative duties without any issues. Allowing management to have peace of mind while they focus on their customers. And they plan on hiring more, as needed! That’s the magic of hiring assistants from a company like MyOutDesk; because we evaluate their experience and skillset so you don’t have to. That way when a company like David’s comes to us for help, we can match them up accordingly. If you’re curious how you can have a similar experience of success, reach out via the link below. We’ll set up a one on one consultation and evaluate your problems, to see if a virtual assistant can solve them.

 

Experience The Difference
MyOutDesk can save you up to 70% on employment costs
Claim a free business strategy consultation & ‘Grow Virtual’ Guide

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Virtual Assistant or Executive Assistant? Choose right!

“What’s the difference between a virtual assistant and an executive assistant? And which one do I need?” These might seem like simple black/white questions, but answering them for your business is a bit more complex than you think. That’s why we decided to put together an FAQ list with our experienced answers, to help you understand what’s best for your company. With these top 5 frequently asked questions and our expert answers, we hope to clarify the main differences between an executive and a virtual assistant. So as to help you decide which, if not both, is best for your business. “Do they require training? What’s their schedule typically like?” We hope this sheds some light on the matter for anyone who was considering hiring an assistant but had a hard time figuring out which to look for. Sometimes confusing terminology and misunderstood expectations can get in the way of understanding something that is actually quite simple.

[Considering a Virtual Assistant?]

Virtual Assistant In Magnifying glass

Top 5 FAQ’s

1. What will the assistant do for me?

The main difference between a virtual assistant and an executive assistant is their physical presence. If your business needs involve a lot of errand running, paperwork copying, filing, office upkeep, etc, then an executive assistant is what you want. However, if your primary needs are more digital/online, then a VA(virtual assistant) is your go-to. A VA specializes in assisting with business needs that can be done remotely. Some basic duties they can offer include answering phones, returning calls, managing emails, data entry, and billing duties. A certified professional from MyOutDesk can go even further and offer more complex assistance like sales, marketing, and recruitment. So in short, an executive assistant is more in-person, hands-on duties. A VA is everything else that keeps your business running smoothly, and only requires a computer and internet.

2. How do we maintain productive communication?

This is a tricky one because it’s very reliant on your personal preferences. Is looking someone in the eyes important to you? Do you prefer to have someone physically present when discussing tasks, and nearby to check in on when you feel like it? You might want to lean towards an executive assistant in that case. If you’re more content to utilize applications like Zoom, Facetime, or Hangouts to touch base and go over things, then a VA is all you need. In fact, a VA from MyOutDesk is probably going to be even more accessible to you, because their entire role is based around serving your needs during the agreed-upon hours. They are always a Zoom invite or a direct message away. They know how important it is to be available and timely with communications because their entire role is to alleviate stress from your job. Not add to it. No running around the office asking people if they’ve seen your assistant. No waiting for them to get out of traffic when they left to run an errand. Instant access, consistent updates, and accountability are the VA way.

3. How flexible are they with my team?

One typical caveat of hiring an executive assistant is that they are hired for you, specifically. The expectation is often that they report to you and therefore assist you exclusively. Feathers can get ruffled when your assistant starts taking on requests from other people around your office. With a VA, the expectation is much more flexible and open-ended. They are essentially an assistant to the company’s agreed-upon needs and not any one individual. They’ll attend team meetings virtually, and go over tasks that need attention, and check in with your staff on how they can help. If it can be done online, then you can typically assign it to your VA’s task list. Of course, you’ll need to stay within the initial expectations of the role. Meaning you can’t ask your front desk assistant to come up with a marketing email campaign. But if you need that too, hire another VA with marketing expertise. MyOutDesk has it all!

4. How does someone remote come with any assurances?

To get certain assurances you’ll have to go through a reputable virtual assistant service like MyOutDesk. No other service comes with the experience or reputation that we do. The assistants we recruit and employ to businesses like yours are hungry for work. They’re fiercely loyal and anxious to gain more experience than they already have. We foster that loyalty with competitive pay and benefits, regardless of what continent they’re on. We also utilize our own proprietary software called MyTimeIn which helps you track exactly what your VA is doing, at any given moment they’re clocked in. When did they start that assignment, what websites did they visit, when did they clock out, etc. It’s all tracked and available to you for monitoring. No wondering where that assistant walked off to, or if they came back from their break yet. Despite all the physical distance, our VA’s are closer to you professionally.

5. What’s the cost difference between the two types of assistants?

The fee difference is noticeable. You will most definitely pay more for an in-person executive assistant, compared to a virtual assistant. When you hire an assistant to be at the ready, in person, that comes with accountability. Like insurance, misc. benefits, more potential for overtime, etc. With a VA, especially one from MyOutDesk, you only pay the subscription fee with us. We handle the VA’s pay, benefits, PTO, etc. By outsourcing our VA’s we are able to still offer them competitive rates and benefits they can’t find elsewhere, while still passing on savings to our customers. Our VA’s report to us that we save them up to 70% over typical costs!

[Considering a Virtual Assistant?]

Gotomeeting and virtual assistants

It’s Crystal Clear

There you have it, folks. The top 5 questions and answers about the difference between executive assistants and virtual assistants. We hope this little FAQ helped you understand not just the differences between the two, but the benefits of each for different needs. Although by now it’s probably pretty clear how beneficial a VA from MyOutDesk can be for any growing business. From professional assurances to massive savings, maybe it’s time to see if a VA is right for your business! Follow the link below to schedule a FREE consultation, where we’ll assess your business needs and help determine if and how one of our VA’s can help you scale up.

 

Experience The Difference
MyOutDesk can save you up to 70% on employment costs
Claim a free business strategy consultation & ‘Grow Virtual’ Guide

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