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We’ve spent the last two days talking about signs that your small business is ready to hire help, and considerations for hiring help in your Silhouette or Cricut based business. We are going to wrap up this short series with a quick discussion on virtual assistants.
What is a virtual assistant?
A virtual assistant is someone that you hire to help you with business tasks. They work remotely from their home and can be anywhere in the world.
Are virtual assistants permanent employees or temporary?
The wonderful thing about virtual assistants is that you can set up different arrangements depending on your current needs. You could choose to hire a virtual assistant for a few hours a week, full time Monday through Friday, weekends only, or just to help one time at a special online event.
How can a virtual assistant help me in my Silhouette or Cricut business?
Virtual assistants can post and coordinate social media efforts, edit product photos, respond to customer emails, list products for sale online, design products, answer phones, place supplier orders, organize lists of supplies, price supplies, research trends, and so much more. Basically, they can do any task that you assign that can be completed with a phone or computer.
Where can you find virtual assistants?
They are many sites online where you can connect with people looking for at home work. My current favorite is Hire My Mom, by Lesley Pyle. If her name seems familiar, you might have seen her on Fox News, or read about her in various magazines including Redbook, Parenting, and All You (among many others.) Her website connects small businesses with people looking to work virtually. It’s free for employers to register. Additionally, a Google search will also yield more listings for virtual assistants. As I mentioned in the last post, don’t forget to ask around in your circle of friends.
How much do you pay virtual assistants?
Like any other job, virtual assistants should be paid based on their job duties. I’d recommend no less than $10 per hour.
What else do I need to know about hiring a virtual assistant?
Virtual assistants should be treated the same way you would treat an employee. You will need to interview them and choose a good candidate. Then, your new employee will need to be trained in the tasks you would like them to complete, scheduled to work, and paid regularly.
If you hired a virtual assistant, what tasks would you have them complete in order to free up more time in your Silhouette or Cricut based business? Leave a comment and let me know!
Hi Christine, is a V.A. like hiring an in house employee, i.e. needing workers comp, etc.?
No, you would generally set up a VA as an independent contractor and issue a 1099-MISC at the end of the year. No benefits or worker’s compensation needed.