Going into internet marketing, there is bound to be detailed “busy work” that just takes an immense amount of time and shifts your focus towards multiple tasks which may lead to an overload of work at best, and a burn out at worst. So I decided to make a beginners guide on hiring virtual assistants so that you are free to work on more important things in your IM journey.
What does a Virtual Assistant (VA) do?:
VA’s take over your simple, detailed tasks, help organize your work in a well-structured manner, give another perspective to your work, and frees up your time so you can delegate them on more important things.
Typical functions of a VA for IM include:
Bookkeeping
Data Entry/Analyzation
Email Management
Account Management
and much more depending on your VA provider
Overseas VS Local:
While overseas VA’s are less expensive that local VA’s, local VA’s have a few benefits that you should consider when tasking one with a job. Local VA’s have benefits such as time zones, no language barrier (this can be a bigger problem that it seems on the surface), available for calls and discussions, and subjectively has more initiative than overseas VA’s.
Local VA’s: google “virtual assistants” in [your area] (There are too many to go through in each area, so you just have to use your best judgement.
Overseas VA’s: onlinejobs.ph, virtualstafffinder, upwork, fivver
When Hiring A VA:
Generally, it’s better to hire more than one VA because you have different skill sets and better reliability. It is recommended to “test” the VA once you have hired them. This can be as simple as having a list of tasks available and assigning like tasks to multiple VA’s. Break down these tasks to the most basic building block as possible. This means use things like checklists, “how-to” videos, and screenshots. Through this, you can see which VA’s are able to give the best quality of work corresponding to urgency and ROI.
Conclusion How to Hire a VA:
Create tasks that a VA can do through “how-to” methods
Choose what type of VA’s can do these particular tasks
Create job listings
“Test” the VA’s that you hired
Follow up and communicate with them for their first task
Fire the one’s that do not work
Request to increase hours on the VA’s that do work
Thanks guys for reading this guide. Let me know if you have an questions or tips!
I wonder how taxes get handled if you hire someone oversee. I would appreciate if someone who has made experiences with that could give some adivce and if there is something special you have to keep an eye on.
i dont think it matters if they are oversees, if you just hire them as a freelancer its just another business expense you can write off like anything else
I think it depends on the laws of the country. If it’s the US for example, my question for you is - are you only telling them what to do what you need done? or are you telling them how to do what you need done in addition to what you need done?
If you’re telling them how or providing them training on the task, then yes, they could be classified as an employee and not an independent contractor / consultant / freelancer.
Are you sure? Why isnt that specified as employee taxes? I mean the payments will be regularly. When I dont have to deal with this extra taxes I would be happy, my mind and my pocket too. But I dont want to miss something out, so that I dont have a big nightmare few months later.
I rly hope you are talking about the acc creation haha
Not 100% sure sadly, but from the small research I did a while ago I think you can still pay them recurring without them having to be your actual employees. I think there is a difference between retainer and payroll or smth, but again, sadly I am not 100% sure…
