Page 225 - Social Media Marketing

214 Walk Like a Giant, Sell Like a Madman

Here, I layout the argument for adding one or more VAs to your
staff, show you how to determine when you need a VA (or another
VA), describe the types of projects you should farm out to VAs
(and which ones you should never farm out), explain how to go
about choosing the right VA for you and for the work that needs to
be done, and show you how to get the most out of working with
your VA.

What Is a Virtual Assistant?

Virtual assistants (VAs) are freelancers who generally market their
services on the Internet-that's where the virtual part comes from:

• Virtual means they don't need to be where you are to get the
job done.

• A VA is a business owner.
• A VA generally is very knowledgeable about the industry that

he or she specializes in and familiar with marketing on the
Internet.

A VA can do everything from data entry to designing and man-
aging web sites to processing payroll and doing your taxes. Because
they're freelancers, you simply buy as much assistance as you need
and pay a flat hourly fee or by-project fee. You don't have to worry
about paying taxes or unemployment insurance, offering additional
benefits, or paying for vacations. All of that is covered by the fees
you pay the assistant.

Most virtual assistants specialize in a certain field-writing, edit-
ing, Web design, transcription, database management, accounting,
you name it. Each assistant typically has specialized training and all
the resources required to perform a task better and more efficiently
and affordably than you can do it yourself. They can be retained for
one-time jobs or become an integral part of your team, devoting a
certain number of hours to your business every month.