1.
How to Grow Your Business by
Outsourcing to a Professional
Virtual Assistant
By
Jo Saunders

2. P a g e
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2
Wildfire
Social
Marketing
©
2014
-­‐
How
to
Outsource
to
a
VA
Disclaimer
This
e-­‐book
has
been
written
by
the
author
with
input
from
individual
contributors
to
educate
business
owners.
All
views
expressed
in
this
document
are
the
views
of
the
authors.
They
are
not
meant
to
be
a
substitute
for
professional
services
or
advice,
nor
can
it
be
guaranteed
with
regard
to
its
accuracy
or
reliability
with
any
recourse
to
the
contributors.
Their
examples,
stories
and
content
are
provided
as
a
general
guide
only
and
all
links
are
for
informational
purposes
only.
The
articles
have
not
been
warranted
for
content,
accuracy
or
any
other
implied
or
explicit
purpose
and
the
contributors
do
not
accept
liability
for
misuse
of
content
in
this
e-­‐book.
If
further
information
is
required,
readers
are
encouraged
to
seek
professional
advice.
Copyright
All
content
included
in
this
e-­‐book
is
copyright
and
the
intellectual
property
of
the
author.
Apart
from
fair
dealing
you
cannot
claim
the
author's
content
as
your
own
or
reproduce
the
articles
in
any
form
without
express
permission
from
the
author.
As
the
reader,
you
may
quote
from
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e-­‐book
and
refer
to
the
contents
remembering
to
acknowledge
the
author
when
doing
so.
The
e-­‐book
can
be
printed
for
the
use
of
any
or
all
stories
for
educational
purposes.
The
contents
must
acknowledge
the
contributing
author
with
their
contact
details
as
listed.
Further Contact
Each
contributing
author
has
their
own
particular
expertise
in
business.
If
you
want
any
further
information
please
feel
free
to
contact
them
individually
using
their
details
as
listed
on
Contributors
page
at
the
rear
of
the
book.
Editing
and
proofreading
by
Linda
Harachi
of
My
Australian
Secretary.
Copyright
©2012
Jo
Saunders,
Wildfire
Social
Marketing

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3
Wildfire
Social
Marketing
©
2014
-­‐
How
to
Outsource
to
a
VA
Contents
How
to
Grow
Your
Business
by
Outsourcing
to
a
Professional
Virtual
Assistant
.....................
1
Disclaimer
.................................................................................................................................
2
Copyright
..................................................................................................................................
2
Further
Contact
........................................................................................................................
2
Introduction
.............................................................................................................................
6
Why
me?
..................................................................................................................................
6
The
Business
Growth
Gap
........................................................................................................
7
What
is
a
Virtual
Assistant
(VA)?
.............................................................................................
8
What
is
an
Offshore
VA?
..........................................................................................................
9
Virtual
Assistant
Basics
...........................................................................................................
10
Will
I
save
money
by
using
a
VA?
....................................................................................
10
What
is
the
standard
rate
for
a
VA?
...............................................................................
10
Can
one
VA
take
care
of
all
my
support
needs?
.............................................................
10
Who
does
a
VA
work
with?
.............................................................................................
10
Are
VAs
always
female?
..................................................................................................
10
Does
a
VA
work
office
hours?
.........................................................................................
11
What
systems
does
a
business
need
to
have
in
place,
to
enable
a
VA
to
be
as
effective
as
possible?
.....................................................................................................................
11
Communicating
with
a
VA
......................................................................................................
11
What
is
the
best
way
to
communicate
with
a
VA?
.........................................................
12
Do
you
need
to
meet
with
a
VA?
....................................................................................
12
Email
best
practice
..........................................................................................................
13
Confidentiality
and
Credibility
................................................................................................
13
How
can
I
trust
the
VA
is
working
on
my
tasks?
.............................................................
13
Should
a
VA
supply
a
résumé
or
CV?
..............................................................................
13
How
does
a
VA
demonstrate
these
qualities:
reliability,
meeting
timelines,
and
being
professional
in
the
delivery
of
service?
..........................................................................
14
How
do
VAs
protect
their
clients
confidentiality?
..........................................................
14
Is
there
ever
a
conflict
of
interest
where
a
VA
works
with
the
same
type
of
client?
.....
14
Getting
Started
.......................................................................................................................
15
How
do
we
start
working
with
a
VA?
..............................................................................
15

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Wildfire
Social
Marketing
©
2014
-­‐
How
to
Outsource
to
a
VA
How
do
we
pay
a
VA
for
services?
..................................................................................
15
What
tasks
can
a
VA
take
care
of?
.........................................................................................
16
Here
is
a
list
of
example
tasks
a
VA
or
specialist
virtual
business
can
do:
.......................
16
Article
Marketing
............................................................................................................
16
Audio
Transcription
........................................................................................................
16
Blogs
................................................................................................................................
16
Bookkeeping
...................................................................................................................
16
Customer
Relations
Management
..................................................................................
17
Customer
Service
............................................................................................................
17
Database
Management
...................................................................................................
17
Desktop
Publishing
.........................................................................................................
17
Email
Marketing
..............................................................................................................
17
Email
/
Postal
Services
....................................................................................................
18
Event
Organisation
..........................................................................................................
18
Graphic
Design
................................................................................................................
18
Legal
Secretarial
..............................................................................................................
19
Meeting
Support
.............................................................................................................
19
Personal/Executive
Assistant
..........................................................................................
19
Personal
Services
/
Personal
Concierge
..........................................................................
19
Personnel
Management
.................................................................................................
20
Power
Point
Presentations
.............................................................................................
20
Research
.........................................................................................................................
20
Recruitment
....................................................................................................................
20
Secretariat
Services
.........................................................................................................
21
Spread
Sheet
and
Charts
.................................................................................................
21
Social
Media
....................................................................................................................
21
Telemarketing
.................................................................................................................
22
Website
Management
....................................................................................................
22
Word
Processing
.............................................................................................................
22
Zzzzzzzzzzzz
.....................................................................................................................
22
How
to
Work
With
a
Virtual
Assistant
/
Specialist
.................................................................
23
Working
with
a
Virtual
Team
Checklist
..................................................................................
23

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Wildfire
Social
Marketing
©
2014
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How
to
Outsource
to
a
VA
7
Tips
for
Working
with
a
VA
..................................................................................................
24
Where
do
I
find
a
VA?
............................................................................................................
25
VA
Organisations
....................................................................................................................
26
A
Clayton's
Secretary
VA
Directory
.................................................................................
26
Alliance
for
Virtual
Business
............................................................................................
26
Australian
Virtual
Business
Network
...............................................................................
27
International
Virtual
Assistants
Association
...................................................................
27
Virtually
Yours
Virtual
Assistants
....................................................................................
28
VA
Portal
.........................................................................................................................
28
Other
Useful
Links
and
Resources
..........................................................................................
29
Summary
................................................................................................................................
30
About
the
Author
...................................................................................................................
31
Contact
Details:
...............................................................................................................
31
Contributors
...........................................................................................................................
32
SPECIAL
OFFER
.......................................................................................................................
33

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6
Wildfire
Social
Marketing
©
2014
-­‐
How
to
Outsource
to
a
VA
Introduction
Inspiration
for
writing
this
book
came
whilst
preparing
to
present
to
a
local
networking
group
about
what
a
Virtual
Assistant
is
and
how
they
can
help
small
business.
Hearing
the
confusion
around
what
is
understood
about
the
role
of
a
Virtual
Assistant
and
being
around
the
industry
for
a
number
of
years,
I
took
the
presentation
and
kept
adding
to
it,
going
from
a
3
page
document
to
this
book.
The
aim
of
this
book
is
to
educate
and
reveal
just
what
a
professional
Virtual
Assistant
is,
how
they
work,
what
they
do
and
how
you
the
business
owner
and
organisation
can
leverage
their
skills
and
experience
to
help
you
grow
your
business.
Why me?
I
started
my
business
part
time
while
employed,
in
the
event
management
and
marketing
field.
When
I
took
the
leap
to
focus
on
my
own
business
full
time
in
2009,
I
joined
the
Virtual
Assistant
industry
and
offered
business
support
services
to
my
clients
who
were
mostly
organisations
and
event
providers.
I
bundled
my
event
management
and
marketing
skills,
along
with
graphic
design
and
extensive
administrative
experience
into
my
business
model.
In
building
my
business
I
found
much
support
from
the
various
virtual
business
organisations
and
forums,
attending
the
annual
Online
International
Virtual
Assistant
Convention
(OIVAC)
and
the
Australian
Virtual
Assistant
Conference
(AVAC)
in
Melbourne.
I
went
on
to
establish
a
group
for
virtual
business
in
Western
Australia
-­‐
WA
Virtual
Business,
to
network
and
support
each
other.
I
was
invited
to
join
the
founding
Steering
Committee
of
the
Australian
Chapter
of
the
Alliance
for
Virtual
Business
in
2011.
I
facilitate
a
monthly
Virtual
Roundtable
for
Alliance
members,
whereby
we
discuss
various
industry
topics.
I
also
joined
the
organising
committee
of
OIVAC
for
2012.
In
2011
I
rebranded
my
business
to
focus
on
helping
clients
leverage
online
marketing,
by
planning,
executing,
training
and
managing
their
social
media
and
email
marketing.
I
run
workshops
helping
professionals
use
LinkedIn
to
build
their
brand
and
speak
on
social
media.
I
have
used
a
variety
of
Virtual
Assistants
myself
and
now
via
this
book,
aim
to
help
other
busy
people
grow
by
leveraging
the
expertise
of
a
Professional
Virtual
Assistant.
Jo
Saunders
Get
a
FREE
Social
Media
Marketing
Plan
template
by
pasting
this
link
into
your
browser:
http://www.wildfiresocialmarketing.com/wildfire/freebies

7. P a g e
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7
Wildfire
Social
Marketing
©
2014
-­‐
How
to
Outsource
to
a
VA
The Business Growth Gap
Are
you
feeling
overwhelmed
and
tired
trying
to
do
everything
in
your
business?
Are
you
in
that
place
between
starting
out
and
needing
to
employ
help
but
can’t
see
how
to
get
there
or
what
to
do
in
the
meantime?
With
an
employee
comes
a
huge
overhead,
in
financial
terms
and
management
terms.
It
may
not
be
the
space
you
wish
to
be
in,
or
you
may
be
in
this
space
but
find
you
still
don’t
have
enough
help
at
hand,
particularly
relating
to
specific
skills.
This
is
where
a
Virtual
Assistant
can
step
in
to
bridge
the
gap.
Having
a
professional
Virtual
Assistant
on
your
team
means
you
can
get
things
done
and
focus
on
the
things
you
need
to
focus
on,
in
order
to
grow
your
business.
The
full
cost
of
an
employee
is
much
greater
than
their
salary.
You
are
obliged
to
pay
superannuation,
workers’
compensation,
find
space
in
your
office
for
them
to
work,
provide
them
with
all
the
equipment
required,
and
organise
regular
training
at
your
cost.
The
cost
of
an
employee
can
be
2.5
times
their
salary
and
you
are
locked
into
providing
ongoing
work
to
meet
the
employment
contract
needs,
unless
they
are
a
casual
employee,
and
then
there
are
minimum
requirements
to
meet.
You
may
consider
using
a
Temp
Agency,
but
once
again
there
is
a
commitment
to
minimum
hours
of
engagement
and
a
much
higher
hourly
rate.
You
may
need
to
train
them
and
will
need
to
provide
them
with
equipment
and
a
physical
work
space.
If
you
want
the
same
person
again
they
may
not
be
available.
A
Virtual
Assistant
may
be
a
better
solution
to
your
support
needs.

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8
Wildfire
Social
Marketing
©
2014
-­‐
How
to
Outsource
to
a
VA
What is a Virtual Assistant (VA)?
A
professional
Virtual
Assistant
or
VA,
is
a
highly-­‐skilled
independent
contractor,
an
entrepreneur
with
many
years
corporate
experience,
who
provides
remote
administrative,
technical
or
creative
business
support
to
clients,
from
their
office.
They
build
an
alliance
with
their
clients,
from
solo
entrepreneurs
to
medium
enterprises
and
organisations.
They
can
develop
long
term
relationships,
to
create
the
benefits
of
continuity
and
loyal
service.
They
have
a
commitment
to
training,
often
hold
industry
certification
and
are
members
of
professional
Virtual
Assistant
organisations.
VAs
have
extensive
experience
in
administrative
support
and
management
roles,
spanning
various
industries,
in
many
areas,
including
finance
and
accounts,
website
management,
event
management,
desktop
publishing,
secretarial
support,
research,
recruitment,
human
resources,
social
media
marketing
and
traditional
marketing.
They
come
from
positions
such
as
Office
Manager,
Executive
PA,
Legal
Typist,
Copywriter,
Event
Manager,
Marketing
Manager,
Secretary
and
Bookkeeper.
A
Virtual
Assistant
will
invoice
you
for
the
work
they
have
completed,
any
items
relating
to
it,
and
nothing
more.
It
is
a
flat
inclusive
fee
generally
billed
on
an
hourly
rate
or
via
a
retainer
agreement
or
package.
There
are
no
additional
costs
for
insurance,
superannuation
or
leave
to
factor
in.
There
are
no
costs
for
training
and
equipment.
VAs
buy
their
own
equipment,
and
organise
their
own
training
as
part
of
their
business
costs.
A
Virtual
Assistant
is
one
term
in
use,
but
there
are
many
others
being
used,
depending
on
the
service
being
provided
to
particular
markets,
such
as
Virtual
Business
Manager,
Virtual
Business
Consultant
or
Online
Business
Manager
among
others.
For
the
purpose
of
this
book,
we
will
use
the
term
VA,
but
we
actually
mean
a
specialist
covering
many
support
roles.

9. P a g e
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Wildfire
Social
Marketing
©
2014
-­‐
How
to
Outsource
to
a
VA
What is an Offshore VA?
The
term
VA
is
often
confused
with
the
“offshore
VA”
who
is
generally
an
employee
operating
from
a
call
centre,
rather
than
a
professional
business
owner.
Offshore
VAs
operate
in
various
locations
around
the
world,
such
as
India
and
the
Philippines
and
offer
many
services
for
a
fraction
of
the
cost,
via
sites
such
as
Elance
and
oDesk,
but
be
sure
they
can
indeed
meet
your
needs.
The
type
of
work
and
level
of
risk
may
dictate
whether
this
is
the
right
solution
for
your
needs.
A
professional
Virtual
Assistant
adds
value
to
your
business
and
understands
what
running
a
business
is
like,
because
they
too
run
a
business.
They
are
responsible
for
their
business
operating
costs,
taxes,
insurance,
equipment
and
training,
leaving
you
less
to
worry
about.
Being
informed
about
which
model
of
VA
you
are
working
with
will
impact
your
decision
to
engage
a
professional
VA
or
offshore
VA.
Do
your
homework
and
check
whichever
VA
you
engage
has
the
skill
set
you
require
to
perform
the
tasks
and
has
the
experience
to
meet
your
needs
as
a
professional
business
partner.
Professional
VAs
will
have
a
LinkedIn
Profile,
Facebook
Business
Page
and
website
where
you
can
get
a
feel
for
their
work,
view
testimonials
and
recommendations,
validate
their
experience
and
view
their
service
offering.
A
professional
Virtual
Assistant
adds
value
to
your
business
and
understands
what
running
a
business
is
like,
because
they
too
run
a
business.
They
are
responsible
for
their
business
operating
costs,
taxes,
insurance,
equipment
and
training,
leaving
you
less
to
worry
about.
Further
reading
about
the
offshore
model
–
Virtual
Freedom
by
Chris
Ducker.
www.chrisducker.com
To
find
offshore
staff;
www.virtualstafffinder.com
www.ezyzva.com.au
www.elance.com
www.odesk.com
www.fiverr.com

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Wildfire
Social
Marketing
©
2014
-­‐
How
to
Outsource
to
a
VA
Virtual Assistant Basics
How
can
you
work
with
a
VA?
Here
are
some
common
questions.
Will
I
save
money
by
using
a
VA?
Partnering
with
a
professional
VA
and
having
them
take
care
of
the
tasks
you
don’t
enjoy,
don’t
have
the
expertise
in
or
skill
to
undertake,
or
really
don’t
need
to
be
doing,
will
free
up
your
time
to
focus
on
other
things,
such
as
core
business,
marketing
and
networking
to
grow
your
business.
Having
strong,
reliable
support
will
also
allow
you
to
take
time
out
of
your
business,
giving
you
the
lifestyle
you
want.
What
is
the
standard
rate
for
a
VA?
VAs
each
set
their
own
rate
as
a
business
owner
and
specialist.
Certain
skills
are
priced
in
a
higher
bracket
and
some
VAs
operate
under
a
package
model.
Rather
than
look
at
the
price,
look
at
the
value.
As
in
any
business,
choose
the
most
appealing
specialist
for
the
task,
based
on
skill,
experience
and
price,
rather
than
just
on
price
alone.
Can
one
VA
take
care
of
all
my
support
needs?
Be
sure
to
partner
with
a
VA
that
fits
you
immediate
needs,
which
will
make
for
a
better
relationship
and
provide
maximum
value.
You
may
need
to
engage
various
VAs
to
meet
all
your
needs.
Initially
start
with
a
few
tasks
and
increase
as
needed.
Who
does
a
VA
work
with?
A
VA
can
support
any
business
or
organisation,
including
small
business,
non-­‐profits,
Consultants,
Coaches,
Speakers,
and
other
VAs.
Some
tend
to
have
a
niche
market
they
work
with,
so
you
may
come
across
a
VA
who
is
a
specialist
in
your
industry.
Are
VAs
always
female?
While
the
majority
are
female,
due
to
the
nature
of
much
of
the
work,
and
the
fact
that
many
come
from
secretarial
and
Personal
Assistant
backgrounds,
who
are
traditionally
women,
there
are
some
males
in
the
VA
community.
Many
male
VAs
have
an
IT
or
project
management
background
in
addition
to
general
administration.

11. P a g e
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11
Wildfire
Social
Marketing
©
2014
-­‐
How
to
Outsource
to
a
VA
Does
a
VA
work
office
hours?
This
will
depend
on
the
individual.
Given
a
VA
is
not
an
employee
but
a
business
owner
themselves,
they
will
communicate
hours
of
work,
turn-­‐around
time,
additional
fees
for
‘rush’
jobs
or
out
of
hours
work
in
the
Agreement
provided
to
the
client.
Some
VAs
will
work
in
the
evening,
without
charging
you
extra,
because
they
choose
to
work
this
way.
Other
VAs
may
operate
9am
–
3pm
to
suit
their
needs.
If
they
are
not
available,
a
system
will
be
in
place
to
leave
messages.
Check
the
Agreement
the
VA
has
supplied
and
work
with
them
to
come
up
with
mutually
agreeable
terms.
Don’t
expect
your
VA
to
be
‘on
call’
unless
this
is
set
out
in
the
Agreement.
Additional
costs
may
be
incurred
for
that
level
of
service,
if
it
is
available.
That
service
may
not
be
available
with
all
VAs.
It
may
take
time
to
adjust
from
operating
with
an
employee
who
is
available,
to
becoming
the
client
of
another
business
and
not
having
instant
access
to
support.
Having
a
clear
communication
method
and
process
is
important.
What
systems
does
a
business
need
to
have
in
place,
to
enable
a
VA
to
be
as
effective
as
possible?
A
VA
will
have
their
own
system
for
working
with
clients.
Some
use
online
project
management
tools
such
as
Huddle,
Basecamp
or
Client
Spot
and
other
cloud
solutions.
Having
a
clear
idea
of
the
services
required
and
any
processes
you
need
the
VA
to
manage
will
help.
Having
a
communication
process
and
nominating
the
preferred
method
of
contact
is
crucial.
Communicating with a VA

12. P a g e
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12
Wildfire
Social
Marketing
©
2014
-­‐
How
to
Outsource
to
a
VA
What
is
the
best
way
to
communicate
with
a
VA?
A
professional
Virtual
Assistant
operates
remotely,
therefore
they
will
communicate
and
share
information
in
many
ways
such
as
via
email,
Skype,
phone,
social
media,
online
project
management
tools,
file
sharing
such
as
Dropbox,
or
even
fax.
Establish
your
preferred
methods
of
communication
at
the
start
of
the
relationship
and
always
schedule
any
meeting
times
if
relevant.
Be
clear
and
concise
in
communications
and
communicate
deadlines
well
in
advance.
Specify
upfront
as
to
when
a
project
or
task
needs
to
be
completed
by,
give
clear
instructions
for
specific
tasks
and
projects,
and
establish
at
what
stages
you
need
to
be
consulted
or
informed
of
the
status.
If
expectations
are
upfront
and
clear,
they
can
be
managed
easily.
Be
sure
expectations
are
realistic
especially
in
relation
to
turnaround
time.
Be
aware
that
a
VA
has
other
clients
and
work
needs
to
be
scheduled,
so
good
planning
and
clear
communication
is
crucial.
Do
you
need
to
meet
with
a
VA?
If
you
use
a
local
VA
you
may
actually
meet
in
person,
but
this
isn’t
the
way
a
VA
generally
operates.
Some
VAs
can
work
with
clients
years
before
meeting!
Being
virtual
shouldn’t
limit
the
relationship
and
having
a
clear
communication
plan
will
assist
the
relationship.
Establish
monthly
goals
around
tasks
and
projects,
establish
a
way
of
reporting
if
required,
and
make
time
to
‘meet’
on
a
regular
basis,
be
it
monthly
or
quarterly
.
It
may
also
be
relevant
to
invite
your
VA
to
your
regular
team
meeting
if
you
have
an
ongoing
relationship
with
them.
If
it
is
a
physical
meeting
at
your
office,
have
them
attend
via
Skype.
Just
as
you
are
paying
your
staff
to
attend,
your
VA
is
also
working
therefore
this
will
be
included
in
their
invoice.
It
may
be
a
good
use
of
time
to
keep
communication
open
and
keep
them
in
the
loop
just
as
you
would
with
other
team
members.
It
all
depends
on
the
type
of
relationship
and
how
involved
they
are
in
your
business.
Do
remember
though
that
they
are
not
an
employee.

13. P a g e
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13
Wildfire
Social
Marketing
©
2014
-­‐
How
to
Outsource
to
a
VA
Email
best
practice
Keep
emails
to
one
topic
per
email
where
possible
unless
it
is
a
task
list
or
update
from
a
meeting.
Addressing
one
topic
per
email
will
provide
clarity
and
a
clear
path.
In
the
subject
include
the
topic
and
action
required.
Eg
FYI:
“topic”,
For
action:
“topic”.
Communicating
in
the
same
way
as
your
VA
will
improve
the
communication
process.
Confidentiality and Credibility
How
can
I
trust
the
VA
is
working
on
my
tasks?
In
a
nutshell
trust
will
come
over
time.
Switching
from
employer
mindset
to
being
a
client
is
a
big
shift.
A
professional
VA
does
not
need
to
be
micro-­‐managed.
Obtain
an
estimate
on
time/cost
initially
and
seek
clarification
if
there
is
a
variation.
Agree
on
the
scope
of
work,
preferred
communication
method,
timeframe
and
rates,
and
let
your
VA
get
on
with
their
work.
A
VA
will
set
their
own
hours
of
work,
so
be
sure
to
check
when
they
are
available.
Keep
in
mind
that
they
will
schedule
the
work,
which
may
be
done
after
regular
office
hours,
but
this
is
their
prerogative.
Should
a
VA
supply
a
résumé
or
CV?
A
VA
is
a
business
owner
and
isn’t
an
employee.
Therefore
a
résumé
isn’t
standard
practice.
Most
VAs
would
have
a
LinkedIn
profile,
an
‘About’
section
of
their
Facebook
page,
an
‘About
Us’
page
on
their
website,
or
a
Biography
available.
Between
these
resources
and
testimonials,
as
with
any
professional
business,
you
will
get
a
feel
for
their
skills
and
history
to
give
them
credibility.

14. P a g e
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14
Wildfire
Social
Marketing
©
2014
-­‐
How
to
Outsource
to
a
VA
How
does
a
VA
demonstrate
these
qualities:
reliability,
meeting
timelines,
and
being
professional
in
the
delivery
of
service?
Check
the
prospective
VA’s
social
media
channels
such
as
Facebook
Page
and
LinkedIn.
Check
their
website
and
blog
and
look
at
their
terms
and
conditions.
Ask
for
testimonials
and
samples
of
their
work
and
test
out
their
service
with
a
small
job
to
get
a
feel
for
their
customer
service
skills,
professionalism
and
reliability.
How
do
VAs
protect
their
clients
confidentiality?
Professional
VAs
will
operate
under
terms
and
conditions
generally
specified
in
their
Agreement
or
Contract.
Because
they
are
a
business
owner,
they
need
to
protect
their
own
business
as
well
as
the
client
relationship,
which
would
include
confidentiality
and
security
of
client
files.
Is
there
ever
a
conflict
of
interest
where
a
VA
works
with
the
same
type
of
client?
VAs
operate
under
a
code
of
ethics
as
detailed
in
their
Agreement
of
Contract.
Some
VAs
carry
the
Ethics
Check
Certification
and
others
link
to
a
VA
organisation’s
Code
of
Ethics
such
as
this
one
http://www.administrativeconsultantsassoc.com/ethics.

15. P a g e
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Wildfire
Social
Marketing
©
2014
-­‐
How
to
Outsource
to
a
VA
Getting Started
How
do
we
start
working
with
a
VA?
Create
a
list
of
tasks
that
you
don’t
need
to
do
or
want
to
do.
Establish
which
one
you
could
start
to
outsource.
Make
contact
with
2
to
3
VAs
and
determine
which
will
be
the
best
fit.
Once
you
have
selected
a
VA
to
perform
the
tasks
required,
the
VA
will
generally
provide
you
with
an
Agreement
or
Engagement
Letter
to
commence
a
business
relationship
and
outline
the
terms,
services
and
fees.
Once
signed,
the
relationship
can
start.
First
work
out
the
tasks
you
want
to
outsource
and
the
process
your
VA
will
use.
Most
importantly
be
willing
to
let
go
and
develop
a
relationship
with
your
VA.
How
do
we
pay
a
VA
for
services?
VAs
either
take
payment
upfront
or
after
the
project.
Some
will
set
up
a
retainer
package
to
suit
your
needs
with
payment
due
before
starting,
some
issue
invoices
at
the
end
of
the
month,
and
others
at
the
completion
of
the
task
or
project.
Payment
terms
and
methods
will
be
detailed
in
your
Agreement
and
on
the
invoice.
Most
common
methods
of
payment
are
direct
deposit,
PayPal
or
credit
card.

16. P a g e
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16
Wildfire
Social
Marketing
©
2014
-­‐
How
to
Outsource
to
a
VA
What tasks can a VA take care of?
A
VA
can
perform
many
tasks
from
general
administration
to
highly
specialised
tasks.
Here
is
a
list
of
101
Ways
To
Use
a
Virtual
Assistant,
from
the
International
Virtual
Assistants
Association.
Here
is
a
list
of
example
tasks
a
VA
or
specialist
virtual
business
can
do:
Article
Marketing
• Submit
your
articles
to
article
directories
• Write
base
articles
for
you
to
tweak
Audio
Transcription
• Transcribe
recorded
audio
files
Blogs
• Set
up
and
manage
your
blog
• Create
blog
posts
from
supplied
content
• Moderate
comments
• Link
to
your
social
media
• Create
social
media
posts
to
drive
traffic
Bookkeeping
• Data
entry
• Accounts
Payable
• Accounts
Receivable
• Debtor
follow
up
• Invoicing

17. P a g e
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17
Wildfire
Social
Marketing
©
2014
-­‐
How
to
Outsource
to
a
VA
Customer
Relations
Management
• Research
best
CRM
solution
for
your
needs
• Set
up
of
an
online
CRM
• CRM
management
and
data
entry
• Enter
details
from
business
cards
collected
at
events
• CRM
training
• Create
a
'Client
Feedback
Survey'
and
distribute
to
your
clients
• Analyse
responses
to
your
survey
and
provide
you
with
a
summary
report
• Coordinate
a
client
mail-­‐out
including
print
and
postage
Customer
Service
• Send
introduction
letters
to
new
contacts
• Client
liaison
/
nurturing
• Organise
client
gifts
• Provide
virtual
reception
services
Database
Management
• Create
and
manage
an
Access
database
• Import
and
export
of
contacts
Desktop
Publishing
• Document
scanning
and
conversion
to
PDF
• Design
certificates
• Document
template
design
• Design
and
print
labels
• Design
of
client
newsletters
• Design
of
fliers,
brochures
and
price
lists
• Design
of
invitations
Email
Marketing
• Set
up
email
marketing
client
• Import
current
database
• Manage
your
email
lists
• Create
email
templates
• Create
subscriber
forms
for
web
and
social
media
• Create
and
distribute
your
eNewsletters
• Provide
email
marketing
reports
on
open
rates
and
click
through
rates
• Source
newsletter
content
• Create
auto-­‐responders

18. P a g e
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Wildfire
Social
Marketing
©
2014
-­‐
How
to
Outsource
to
a
VA
Email
/
Postal
Services
• Manage
your
business
email,
such
as
@admin
or
@enquiries
email
address
• Email
screening
• Respond
to
first
level
enquiries
on
your
behalf
• Forward
emails
that
require
attention
• Collect
your
postal
mail
-­‐
collect
local
mail
or
have
your
mail
forwarded
to
us
• Scan
and
email
of
your
postal
mail
• Vacation
mail
service
• Design
and
upload
your
email
signature
Event
Organisation
• Seminar,
workshop
and
conference
planning
• Social
/
networking
event
planning
• Create
and
mail
invitations
and
manage
RSVPs
• Create
registration
forms
• Set
up
and
manage
online
event
registration
• Venue
research
• Venue
and
catering
management
• Create
marketing
material
• Create
press
releases
• Manage
advertising
• Social
media
marketing
• Design
and
print
name
badges
• Create
and
print
handouts
and
workbooks
• Create
slides
from
supplied
content
• Create
a
feedback
form
• Collate
feedback
results
• Create
and
send
confirmation
and
reminder
emails
• Source
marketing
products
• Set
up
the
event
on
Facebook
and
LinkedIn
• Share
event
info
via
Facebook,
LinkedIn
and
Twitter
• Create
a
schedule
of
Tweets
and
posts
to
promote
the
event
Graphic
Design
• Logo
design
• Print
design,
such
as
business
cards,
brochures,
newsletters
• Pull
up
banner
design
• Vehicle
branding
• Web
custom
graphics
• Photo
editing
• Profile
image
creation

19. P a g e
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Wildfire
Social
Marketing
©
2014
-­‐
How
to
Outsource
to
a
VA
Legal
Secretarial
• Prepare
correspondence
and
court
documents
from
your
dictated
recordings
• Conduct
property
searches
• Confirm
appointments
Meeting
Support
• Prepare
agendas
and
distribute
to
attendees
• Create
reports
• Attend
meetings
and
take
minutes
• Prepare
minutes
from
your
notes
or
recordings
• Arrange
resources
including
meeting
venue
and
catering
Personal/Executive
Assistant
• Manage
your
diary
• Send
client
gifts
for
birthdays
or
special
occasions
• Send
Christmas
cards
and
gifts
to
your
clients
and
colleagues
• Pay
your
bills
or
send
you
reminders
when
they
are
due
• Assist
in
locating
seminars
and
conferences
for
you
to
attend
• Proofread
your
articles/documents
before
you
post/send
• Order
your
monthly
stationery
supplies
online
• Obtain
quotes,
coordinating
ordering,
delivery
and
payment
• Take
care
of
travel
arrangements
(including
flights,
car
hire,
accommodation)
• Prepare
a
comprehensive
itinerary
• Manage
your
business
while
you
are
on
holidays
• Project
management
• Design
filing
systems
• System
design
• Decluttering
Personal
Services
/
Personal
Concierge
• Do
your
online
shopping
(from
ordering
gifts
to
online
grocery
orders)
• Assist
in
the
planning
of
personal
events
(weddings,
parties
or
travel)
• Book
appointments
• Manage
your
calendar
• Manage
your
help
such
as
cleaner
or
gardener
• Research
purchases
• Research
and
plan
holidays

20. P a g e
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Wildfire
Social
Marketing
©
2014
-­‐
How
to
Outsource
to
a
VA
Personnel
Management
• Develop
and/or
update
your
Employee
Handbook
• Create
Policy
and
Procedure
manuals
• Prepare
welcome
packages
or
orientation
material
for
new
employees
• Prepare
employee
review
templates
and
send
you
reminders
to
conduct
review
• Research
training
providers
and
book
staff
training
identified
in
your
training
needs
analysis
Power
Point
Presentations
• Design
PowerPoint
templates
• Create
a
PowerPoint
presentation
• Create
hand
out
documents
• Create
a
web
version
of
presentations
and
upload
to
SlideShare
Research
• Research
prospects
• Research
venues
• Research
suppliers
• Research
potential
purchases
and
obtain
quotes
• Research
software
• Research
competitors
• Research
gifts
Recruitment
• Professional
résumé
writing
• Prepare
job
descriptions
and
place
advertisements
• Take
enquiries
&
review
applications
• Conduct
preliminary
phone
interviews
and
compile
a
short-­‐list
• Research
candidate
online
presence
such
as
LinkedIn
Profile
• Conduct
reference
checking
and
verify
past
employment
• Schedule
interviews
with
candidates
• Prepare
and
send
unsuccessful
letters
/
emails

21. P a g e
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21
Wildfire
Social
Marketing
©
2014
-­‐
How
to
Outsource
to
a
VA
Secretariat
Services
• Acting
as
the
first
point
of
contact
for
organisations
• Governance
• Public
Officer
• Managing
new
members
• Managing
member
renewals
• Annual
General
Meetings
and
special
meetings
• Event
co-­‐ordination
• Minutes
and
Agendas
for
Board
Meetings
Spread
Sheet
and
Charts
• Create
basic
spreadsheets
• Create
complex
spreadsheets
• Design
templates
• Produce
charts
and
reports
Social
Media
• Create
your
custom
social
media
plan
• Determine
suitable
platforms
to
meet
your
needs
• Set
up
your
Facebook
Page
• Set
up
Pinterest
and
Pin
your
web
/
blog
images
• Set
up
your
LinkedIn
Company
Page
• Review
your
existing
social
media
presence
and
strategy
• Design
cover
images,
profile
images
and
tab
icons
• Design
Twitter
and
YouTube
backgrounds
• Research
and
install
appropriate
Facebook
apps
to
extend
the
page
functionality
• Create
custom
Facebook
tabs
• Integrate
email
marketing
• Provide
buttons
for
use
on
your
website
to
encourage
traffic
• Provide
training
on
Facebook,
Twitter,
LinkedIn,
Pinterest,
YouTube,
Google+
• Create
a
content
calendar
and
marketing
plan
• Create
content
from
your
blog,
newsletter,
interviews
or
e-­‐Book
for
updates
• Schedule
posts
and
Tweets
using
social
media
management
tools
• Add
events
to
Facebook
and
LinkedIn
and
share
via
Twitter
• Review
your
social
media
plan
and
provide
reports

22. P a g e
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22
Wildfire
Social
Marketing
©
2014
-­‐
How
to
Outsource
to
a
VA
Telemarketing
• Call
prospects
from
supplied
databases
/
list
• Create
effective
phone
scripts
that
work
• Create
follow
up
email
templates
for
various
scenarios
• Book
appointments
and
manage
online
diaries
• Report
on
results
Website
Management
• Create
a
WordPress
website
• Mange
and
update
your
website
• Manage
plugins
• Report
on
web
traffic
• Manage
your
hosting
• Manage
or
order
your
domains
Word
Processing
• Typing
(create
letters,
reports,
style
guides,
tenders
and
contracts)
• Develop
and
/
or
update
manuals
• Create
template
documents
and
spreadsheets
• Refresh
old
template
documents
• Editing
and
formatting
of
reports,
manuals
and
other
documents
• Format
and
author
e-­‐books
• PDF
conversion
-­‐
web
optimisation
• Write
tenders
• Legal
and
medical
typing
• Minute
taking
and
agendas
Zzzzzzzzzzzz
• Helping
you
sleep
easily
and
more
often!

23. P a g e
|
23
Wildfire
Social
Marketing
©
2014
-­‐
How
to
Outsource
to
a
VA
How to Work With a Virtual Assistant / Specialist
1.
Find
the
best
person
for
the
task
2.
Sign
a
clear
agreement,
including
Terms
of
Service
3.
Agree
on
rates
and
invoice
terms
4.
Have
a
clear
outline
of
the
tasks
/
project
work
required
5.
Establish
preferred
method
of
communication
6.
Agree
on
task
deadlines
Here
is
a
list
of
what
one
VA
needs
from
her
client:
• a
clear
written
brief
on
what
particular
task
is
required
to
be
undertaken
• an
indication
of
a
time
frame
so
work
load
can
be
prioritised
• enough
notice
to
be
able
to
complete
the
task
• supply
of
all
the
information
needed
in
order
to
complete
the
task
• be
available
within
a
reasonable
timeframe
in
case
questions/problems
come
up
• preferably
use
an
online
file-­‐sharing
tool,
e.g.
Dropbox
or
Google
docs
to
make
sharing
files
and
communicating
more
efficient
and
streamlined
Working with a Virtual Team Checklist
o Find
the
best
person
for
the
task
o Sign
a
clear
agreement,
including
Terms
of
Service
o Agree
on
rates
and
invoice
terms
o Have
a
clear
outline
of
the
tasks
/
project
work
required
o Establish
preferred
method
of
communication
o Agree
on
task
deadlines

24. P a g e
|
24
Wildfire
Social
Marketing
©
2014
-­‐
How
to
Outsource
to
a
VA
7 Tips for Working with a VA
1. Communicate
with
clarity
around
expectations
at
the
beginning
of
your
project
to
avoid
misunderstandings.
2. VAs
don’t
necessarily
work
‘standard’
business
hours.
Be
assured
that
work
is
being
done
but
not
necessarily
during
the
day
on
a
week
day.
3. Communicate
your
availability
so
the
VA
can
reach
you
at
appropriate
times
if
a
phone
call
is
required.
Having
a
communication
plan
means
reasonable
expectations
can
be
agreed
upon
and
managed.
4. Plan
ahead
and
communicate
your
deadlines
so
your
VA
can
schedule
effectively.
Your
VA
will
do
their
best
to
accommodate
urgent
tasks
but
be
aware
it
may
not
always
be
possible.
5. Understand
that
a
VA
is
not
an
employee
but
instead
a
business
owner
who
will
view
your
business
from
a
different
perspective
-­‐
they
should
be
seen
as
a
business
partner.
6. VAs
are
experienced
specialists
in
their
field
and
do
not
need
to
be
micro-­‐managed.
7. If
things
aren’t
working
so
well,
communicate
with
your
VA.
Schedule
a
regular
virtual
meeting
and
set
monthly
goals
around
tasks
and
projects
to
be
sure
you
are
both
on
the
same
page.

25. P a g e
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25
Wildfire
Social
Marketing
©
2014
-­‐
How
to
Outsource
to
a
VA
Where do I find a professional VA?
You
may
find
VAs
at
local
networking
events,
social
media,
online
directories,
or
have
a
look
at
these
VA
related
organisations:
• http://vadirectory.net/
• http://www.avbn.com.au/
• http://www.virtuallyyours.com.au/
• http://allianceforvirtualbiz.com/
• http://www.ivaa.org/
• http://www.VAnetworking.com/
• http://www.BeMyVA.com/
There
are
other
organisations
around
the
world,
these
are
ones
we
know
and
use.
Many
organisations
and
networking
groups
have
online
directories
of
their
members.
The
above
VA
groups
list
their
members
and
areas
of
expertise,
which
can
make
it
easier
for
you
to
find
help
for
specific
tasks
and
projects.
Many
local
groups
will
also
have
a
member
directory
with
services
listed,
and
you
may
be
surprised
to
find
a
local
VA.
Other
than
using
Google
to
search
for
a
VA
with
the
skill
set
you
require,
consider
the
following:
• Local
networking
groups
• Local
business
organisations
• Word
of
mouth
referrals
from
VAs
or
clients
• Referrals
from
a
Business
Coach
• Online
networking
groups
• Online
business
directories
• Yellow
Pages
• Social
Media
o LinkedIn
groups
o Facebook
o Twitter
o YouTube

26. P a g e
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26
Wildfire
Social
Marketing
©
2014
-­‐
How
to
Outsource
to
a
VA
VA Organisations
A
Clayton's
Secretary
VA
Directory
Overloaded
with
your
admin
needs
and
don't
know
where
to
start?
Frustrated
with
the
time
you
need
to
spend
doing
your
general
business
'housekeeping'?
Here's
why
you
should
use
our
services:
• No
need
to
make
several
calls.
Fill
out
the
form
at
'post
your
job'
and
you'll
have
3
-­‐
4
of
our
Virtual
Assistants
contacting
you.
• Tell
us
only
once.
Your
message
will
go
out
to
our
whole
team
so
you
won't
need
to
keep
repeating
yourself
to
find
help.
• Experience.
All
of
our
members
have
minimum
5
years'
working
experience
with
many
20+
years.
• Informative.
You
can
view
the
profiles
of
all
of
our
members
to
find
the
right
VA
for
you.
• One
stop
shop.
You
don't
have
to
keep
looking
in
many
places,
we
have
all
the
support
you
need
here.
• Free!
No
agency
fees
for
finding
the
right
VA(s)
for
you.
http://www.vadirectory.net
Alliance
for
Virtual
Business
A4VB
Australia
is
the
Alliance
for
Virtual
Businesses’
chapter
in
Australia.
The
role
of
the
host
organisation,
A4VB,
is
to
provide
appropriate
information,
education,
coaching,
training,
networking
and
mentoring
for
up
and
coming
and
also
existing
virtual
businesses.
A4VB
is
about
learning,
sharing
and
networking
to
support
each
other
in
our
business
goals
and
needs.
The
A4VB
is
also
about
building
relationships
to
enable
us
to
work
together
to
further
grow
and
develop
our
businesses
and
help
them
to
become
strong
and
profitable.
The
Alliance
is
also
a
place
where
existing
business
owners
can
find
their
perfect
match
when
looking
for
their
virtual
business
needs.
If
you
are
an
aspiring,
emerging,
or
seasoned
virtual
business
we
invite
you
to
join
our
community
and
share
your
knowledge,
experience
and
expertise
with
other
encouraging
entrepreneurs.
http://a4vb.com.au/rfps/

27. P a g e
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27
Wildfire
Social
Marketing
©
2014
-­‐
How
to
Outsource
to
a
VA
Australian
Virtual
Business
Network
AVBN
is
the
only
Australian
network
to
fully
prequalify
and
skills
test
its
applicants
before
they
join
to
ensure
that
they
meet
minimum
requirements
for
virtual
business
operators
in
the
areas
of
experience,
skill,
ethics
and
professionalism.
So
the
hard
work
of
due
diligence
has
already
been
done
for
clients.
The
above
is
a
primary
point
of
difference
between
AVBN
and
other
networks
together
with
the
fact
that
it
is
comprised
of
only
the
best
Australian-­‐only
virtual
businesses
since
membership
criteria
is
so
strict.
However
we
do
not
accept
membership
from
agencies
or
companies
who
employ
staff.
AVBN
is
not
an
agency
so
clients
are
not
charged
to
be
partnered
with
a
virtual
business
service
provider.
http://www.avbn.com.au/
International
Virtual
Assistants
Association
The
International
Virtual
Assistants
Association
(IVAA)
is
a
non-­‐profit
organisation
dedicated
to
the
professional
education
and
development
of
members
of
the
Virtual
Assistance
profession,
and
to
educating
the
public
on
the
role
and
function
of
the
Virtual
Assistant.
The
IVAA
provides
continuing
education,
networking
opportunities,
member
benefits
and
optional
certification
to
its
members,
as
well
as
provide
a
member
directory
and
Request
for
Proposal
(RFP)
system
for
parties
interested
in
utilising
the
services
of
member
virtual
assistants.
Are
you
in
need
of
some
specialised
or
occasional
assistance
to
grow
your
business?
Working
with
a
Virtual
Assistant
can
be
the
perfect
solution
when
you
need
ongoing
help
(but
don’t
need
a
full-­‐time
employee)
or
when
you
need
a
specialist
for
an
important
project
or
two.
From
general
administrative
support
to
creative
and
technical
projects,
search
our
member
directory
or
submit
your
own
Request
for
Proposal
(RFP)
to
find
the
perfect
match
for
your
needs.
http://www.ivaa.org/

28. P a g e
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28
Wildfire
Social
Marketing
©
2014
-­‐
How
to
Outsource
to
a
VA
Virtually
Yours
Virtual
Assistants
Virtually
Yours
(VYVA)
connects
you
to
Virtual
Assistants.
Our
Virtual
Assistants
are
independent
business
owners
with
their
own
business
plans
and
rates.
We
take
the
legwork
out
of
finding
the
perfect
Virtual
Assistant
for
you
and
your
business.
• Are
you
looking
for
a
highly
skilled
Virtual
Service
Provider
to
help
your
business?
• Need
help
finding
time
to
do
what
you
do
best?
• Want
to
offload
the
tasks
you
hate
to
do,
but
know
what
must
be
done?
–
Bookkeeping,
Transcription,
Social
Media,
Web
Management
and
so
on?
• Want
to
find
out
about
working
with
Virtual
Providers
and
handy
tips
for
business
management?
If
you
find
yourself
wasting
a
lot
of
time
on
administrative
tasks,
because
you
either
lack
the
skills
or
haven’t
got
the
resources
to
hire
a
full-­‐time
secretary,
then
working
with
an
Administrative
Virtual
Assistant
is
the
solution
you
have
been
looking
for!
If
you
are
looking
for
a
service
provider
who
can
support
you
virtually
(off-­‐site)
with
other
services
such
as
Author
Support,
Event
Management,
Speaker
Support,
IT
Support,
Copywriting
and
Editing,
you’ve
come
to
the
right
place.
Virtually
Yours
Virtual
Assistants
do
all
your
work
remotely
while
you
go
about
running
your
business,
saving
you
time
and
money!
http://www.virtuallyyours.com.au
VA
Portal
The
portal
is
a
multi-­‐VA
business
which
means
we
have
a
team
of
hand-­‐selected
VAs
already
checked
and
ready
to
be
utilised
without
having
to
search
the
net
and
other
networks
trying
to
source
the
VA
who
has
the
expertise
required.
Of
course
from
time
to
time,
there
will
be
tasks
that
we
don’t
have
the
skill
set
for
but
Debbie
will
be
only
too
happy
to
find
a
suitable
candidate
amongst
the
many
forums
she
and
Colleen
belong
to.
http://virtual-­‐assistant.com.au

29. P a g e
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29
Wildfire
Social
Marketing
©
2014
-­‐
How
to
Outsource
to
a
VA
Other Useful Links and Resources
• http://blog.execstress.com/2011/08/outsource-­‐or-­‐insource-­‐things-­‐to-­‐consider/
• https://www.facebook.com/WAVirtualBiz
• http://www.wavirtualbiz.com/what-­‐is-­‐a-­‐virtual-­‐assistant-­‐business
• http://www.absolutelyvirtual.com.au/Successful-­‐relationship-­‐with-­‐VA.pdf
• http://www.virtualassistantforums.com/
• http://www.vanetworking.com/
• http://australianvaconference.com/
• http://www.administrativeconsultantsassoc.com/
• http://www.flyingsolo.com.au/working-­‐smarter/outsourcing/working-­‐virtually-­‐a-­‐
definition
Get
a
FREE
Social
Media
Marketing
Plan
template
by
pasting
this
link
into
your
browser:
http://www.wildfiresocialmarketing.com/wildfire/freebies

30. P a g e
|
30
Wildfire
Social
Marketing
©
2014
-­‐
How
to
Outsource
to
a
VA
Summary
If
you
are
planning
to
take
your
business
up
a
level,
here
is
a
way
to
do
so
with
suitable
support,
which
is
cost
effective,
and
means
you
are
not
locked
in
to
the
conditions
of
taking
on
an
employee.
Create
your
virtual
team
of
professional
support
specialists
so
that
you
can
be
more
productive,
profitable
and
be
able
to
have
more
time
to
invest
in
things
which
are
important
to
you,
whether
business
related
or
personal.
Create the team you need and
have the lifestyle you deserve.

31. P a g e
|
31
Wildfire
Social
Marketing
©
2014
-­‐
How
to
Outsource
to
a
VA
About the Author
Jo
Saunders
is
the
Creative
Marketing
Strategist
of
Wildfire
Social
Marketing,
a
Perth
based
marketing
consultancy
specialising
in
social
media
and
online
marketing
strategy,
implementation,
support
and
training.
Wildfire
Social
Marketing
help
our
clients
get
fired
up
and
found
in
the
online
media
space,
by
leveraging
the
right
social
media
tools
to
promote
events,
build
your
profile,
increase
your
brand
exposure,
grow
your
business
and
increase
profits.
We
offer
training
and
coaching
in
the
use
of
LinkedIn
and
Facebook,
to
small
business
and
organisations
in
Perth,
Western
Australia
and
beyond,
face
to
face
or
via
webinar.
With
20
years’
experience
in
office
management,
design,
marketing
and
event
management,
Jo
brings
passion,
creativity
and
innovation
to
the
table.
Jo
was
invited
to
join
the
Steering
Committee
of
the
Australian
Chapter
of
the
Alliance
for
Virtual
Business
and
facilitated
the
Virtual
Roundtable,
a
mastermind
group
for
virtual
professionals.
She
organised
Global
Virtual
Assistant
Week
in
Perth
in
2011,
was
on
the
Online
International
Virtual
Assistant
Convention
Committee
and
ran
a
local
networking
group
called
WA
Virtual
Business.
Wildfire
Social
Marketing
is
a
Certified
Australian
Virtual
Business,
and
Jo
was
nominated
for
the
Thomas
Leonard
International
Virtual
Assistant
of
Distinction
Award
in
2011.
She
is
a
speaker
and
loves
to
write.
Check
out
her
blog
via
the
website
below
or
look
out
for
her
Chapters
in
this
book:
“Getting
Your
Business
LinkedIn”
http://amzn.to/PRELtp.
More
books
are
in
the
works,
so
subscribe
to
keep
up
to
date.
Contact
Details:
Address:
PO
Box
11,
North
Perth
WA
6006
Phone:
0422
431
039
Email:
jo@wildfiremarketing.com
Website:
http://www.wildfiresocialmarketing.com
LinkedIn:
http://au.linkedin.com/in/josaunders
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/wildfiresocialmarketing
Twitter:
@joatwildfire

32. P a g e
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32
Wildfire
Social
Marketing
©
2014
-­‐
How
to
Outsource
to
a
VA
Contributors
A
Clayton's
Secretary
http://vadirectory.net
Kathie
M.
Thomas
pioneered
the
Virtual
Assistant
industry
in
Australia
and
established
the
first
VA
network
in
the
southern
hemisphere.
Through
a
desire
to
work
at
home
and
be
present
for
her
family
of
5
daughters,
she
registered
her
business
in
March
1994
and
took
it
online
in
January
1996.
Kathie
has
written
many
articles
online
and
has
been
published
in
books
and
magazines.
A
Clayton’s
Secretary’
was
created
as
a
home-­‐based
secretarial
support
service
in
1994.
As
the
Virtual
Assistant
industry
developed
‘A
Clayton’s
Secretary’
changed
its
focus
from
entirely
secretarial
to
administrative
and
other
services,
to
encompass
the
virtual
needs
of
all
clients.
Absolutely
Virtual
http://www.absolutelyvirtual.com.au/
Monika
Newman,
Principal
of
Absolutely
Virtual,
has
more
than
20
years
experience
in
secretarial,
Personal
Assistant
and
administrative
positions.
She
has
worked
with
a
variety
of
companies,
ranging
from
small
to
large
multinational
enterprises;
they
include
import/export,
travel,
government,
major
oil
companies
and
independent
consultants.
Absolutely
Virtual
can
work
with
you
in
an
ongoing
capacity,
for
long-­‐term
or
one-­‐off
projects.
This
will
be
achieved
through
effective
communication,
ongoing
education,
monitoring
outcomes,
and
continued
improvement
in
delivery
of
client
services.
Absolutely
Virtual,
giving
your
business
that
professional
edge.
AKA
Virtual
PA
http://www.akavirtualpa.com.au/
AKA
Virtual
PA
is
your
one-­‐stop-­‐shop
for
all
of
your
secretarial
and
administrative
requirements.
Specialising
in
Associations
(Secretariat),
Coaches
and
Public
Speakers.
Running
your
own
business
can
be
stressful
and
time
consuming,
so
don’t
spend
valuable
time
on
tasks
that
you
can
outsource.
Focus
on
your
own
business
requirements
and
have
the
freedom
to
grow
your
own
client
base.
Enjoy
the
flexibility
of
having
your
AKA
Virtual
PA
as
close
as
an
email
or
phone
call
away.
You
can
have
peace
of
mind
that
your
work
is
being
done
by
an
accredited
office
professional
with
many
years
experience
in
the
secretarial
field.
My
Australian
Secretary
http://www.facebook.com/myaustraliansecretary
Linda
Harachi’s
experience
with
secretarial
and
administrative
support
spans
20
years.
She
began
her
career
by
completing
a
Diploma
in
Secretarial
Studies
and
has
worked
overseas,
in
the
private
sector
and
in
the
Western
Australian
state
government.
Linda
has
also
run
a
successful
VA
business,
My
Australian
Secretary
which
has
a
new
focus
on
the
horizon.
MJS
Virtual
Business
Support
http://www.mjsvirtual.com.au
We
provide
a
reliable,
efficient
and
flexible
virtual
business
support
service
for
small
business
and
solo
entrepreneurs.
We
help
to
streamline
your
business
processes
so
you
can
really
take
your
businesses
to
the
next
level.
Partner
with
MSJ
Virtual
Business
Support
and
receive
personalised
service
and
high
quality,
professional
support
that
you
can
rely
on.
My
Own
P.A
www.facebook.com/MyOwnP.A
Based
on
the
Gold
Coast,
the
Principal
of
My
Own
P.A,
Sarah
Cronin,
possesses
12
years
of
experience
within
the
legal
sector
as
an
administrator
and
paralegal
as
well
as
over
two
years
as
a
VA.
With
exceptional
organisation,
a
flair
for
the
written
word,
high
attention
to
detail
and
a
firm
commitment
to
completing
projects
on
time,
My
Own
P.A
is
dedicated
to
consistently
providing
services
of
the
highest
standard.
..."Life
just
got
easier"!

33. P a g e
|
33
Wildfire
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©
2014
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