| Dear Rick:
You betcha! In fact, help
is just a few milliseconds away. Thanks to the Internet,
there is a whole new category of talent available to you called
"Virtual Assistants" (sometimes also referred to as
virtual consultants).
Let's say you need someone to
help you with a new e-mail marketing campaign that involves
targeting the recipients, creating the content, building the
list, executing the ongoing mailing, and measuring results.
Now imagine you could hire the
former Marketing Director of a Fortune 1000 company who has
"retired" to start raising her family. However,
she has the time, talent, and willingness to take on challenging
projects from the comfort of her home over the Net, and at a
price far below her previous salary! So, where do you find
these virtual godsends?
Have Modem, Will
Telecommute...
Well, if you limit your search to
just your community, you will probably be disappointed --or pay
too much. If, like the example above, the job/project you
have in mind does not require physical proximity, then you have
the whole world open to you.
Before you start looking for and
hiring these digital gunslingers, it is important that you are very
clear about the following issues:
- Job Description - when
working with someone at a distance, you don't have the
luxury of being vague or general about what needs to get
done. You are much better off being very
explicit and exact (in writing) about what needs to be
accomplished.
- Position vs. Project -
does the job require someone who will work with you on an
ongoing basis or just on a project by project basis?
- Proximity -
is it important that your virtual assistant be located in a
particular geographical region? Will face-to-face
meetings occasionally be needed? These requirements
can severely limit your search.
- Autonomy -
most virtual assistants are used to working autonomously.
The question is: are you ready to let someone take a
project and run with it, without the ability to hover over
them?
- Benchmarks & Milestones
- since with a
virtual assistant you will not have arbitrary access to work
in progress, it is important that you layout specific
expected timelines, benchmarks, and milestones for any work
that needs to be completed. Remember, it can be
difficult to work through misunderstandings with someone who
is 2,000 miles away.
- Fees -
know what fee range you are willing to pay
The above is a good start, but of
course there is more to consider. Such as what kind of
computer and software do they need to have, what kind of
Internet access, etc.. Fortunately, most of the online
resources below allow you to screen for these kinds of
requirements.
Your Virtual Assistant
Marketplace
As you might expect, there are a
number of online resources that cater to matching up virtual
assistants with prospective employers:
StaffCentrix
- has a listing of Virtual Assistants in 56 different
experience categories including REALTOR support. They
have a free matching service that allows you to be very
specific and comprehensive regarding your needs. This
site is also a wealth of information about the how, what, and
whys of using virtual assistants.
AssistU.com
- not as well laid out as StaffCentrix above, but does have a
comprehensive matching service as well (once you find it!)
that includes screening for people who specialize in helping
real estate professionals.
FreeAgent.com
- much more of a real "Dot Com" company (i.e. has a
"commercial" feel to it), this site is a good one to
check out for project oriented jobs, rather than those
requiring ongoing assistance.
IVAA
- International Virtual Assistance Association. This
group is has set up standards (theirs...) for telecommuters
who want to become certified Virtual Assistants. This
appears to be a "work in progress" as it appears
they have relatively few members currently.
Your Virtual Organization
Virtual Assistants, along with
the very rich online means to connect and communicate with them (see
the "Let's
Do Virtual Lunch" Ask Mr. Internet! article for October
1999), form the foundation of your burgeoning online
"Virtual Organization".
Imagine running your business
through the Internet using high powered talent from all over the
world. You save time (it's all done in Net speed
and you eliminate many needless meetings), money (virtual
assistants are independent contractors), and effort
(virtual assistants don't require high level management).
This is exactly how I run my company, working quite effectively
with people I have never even met!
Virtual Assistants broaden the
possibilities for your business in ways that are just not
possible in traditional modes of doing business. A warm
and cozy thought indeed when you think about all your
competitors who haven't quite figured it out yet!
|
