People often think of hiring a VA as a cheaper alternative to hiring an employee or on par with working with a freelancer. And while it’s true that VAs offer flexibility and often cost less than hiring someone full-time, nothing about that makes them the budget option.
It makes them the super-smart option.
Working with a virtual assistant is about finding the right support (right person, right amount). That person should be skilled, overrunning with soft skills, and able to make your work and life easier. That kind of partner isn’t cheap labor, but a valuable investment.
Here’s why:
- VAs run their own businesses. This means they know, first hand, what it is to do some of what you do as you run your business. And on top of that, they’re crackerjack at admin and ops work for their clients. You don’t simply pay for time, you pay for capability, experience, honesty, count-on-ability, and perspective gained from experiences with a host of other businesses/clients. Some of them are also well-trained—like our VAs at AssistU.
- Convenience isn’t inexpensive. If you slide into a mini-mart for milk rather than deal with going into a grocery store, you know you’re paying more for the milk. If you order food to be delivered you know you’re paying more for it than if you went and picked it up. When you want someone to plunge into your business with minimal handholding, who doesn’t need to be micro managed, who comes with plenty of resources and ideas that she’s 100% willing to share with you, and who gets your work done on time as a matter of course, you should know you’re paying more for it. That level of ease and independence comes from lots of experience, countless hours of learning, and it’s something you should expect to pay well for.
- Cheap support can be incredibly expensive, because it’s risky. Flip the script on what I wrote above. When you focus on finding the low-cost option, you risk mistakes you don’t notice, missed deadlines, poor communication, and costly rework. A bargain rate doesn’t usually translate into a great experience.
- Low-cost providers don’t last. Many of the freelancers and low-cost VAs don’t even know they’re business owners. They undercharge, underdeliver, and aren’t profitable. Someone who isn’t profitable won’t be in business long enough to be a meaningful partner.
If you want a sidekick, and someone from whom you’ll get meaningful, timely, and thoughtful support, you have to respect the cost of meaningful, timely, and thoughtful support.
It’s not about finding a bargain, but about creating a relationship with someone who invests all she has into supporting your mission and vision.
Need help searching for a great VA? We can help. We offer three options to help you start your search with confidence—check them out here!
