Category: Virtual Assistants

If you are unsure about outsourcing billing services, then this post is for you. We love outsourcing billing services, but before you choose to do the same, you need to weigh the pros and cons. Sometimes, it’s wise to outsource certain billing tasks, but not others. We’ll go through the main ones, and the costs of outsourcing them, to help you decide if this is a good solution for you.

What Are the Top Billing Services or Tasks to Outsource?

You might want to outsource some billing services, but not all. Below are the most common billing tasks that we think are best outsourced.

Invoice generation

Creating invoices can actually be automated for the most part. This is especially true for subscription billing. What you want to outsource here is setting up clients on your invoicing system, and checking invoices for errors. An assistant can enter the details of each client into your system for you.

This is basically data entry work, and you don’t need to spend your time on it. Just look for someone who has experience with your software and an eye for detail. Before invoices go out, have them check that each draft is free of errors. They can make any needed adjustments, too.

Payment processing

Like invoicing, payment processing can be mostly automated. Once an invoice gets paid, you can have an assistant verify the amount and the transaction. Most invoicing and outsourced accounting software tools have the option to note payment details. Just make sure that you are hiring someone who cares about accuracy.

For outgoing payments, you can still outsource manual payments, but be careful. You must know that you can trust the person you are giving access to. Make sure that you have all the possible bank account safeguards in place. 

Accounts receivable / payable management

Outsourcing billing services like this to a bookkeeping virtual assistant is a great idea. A bookkeeper knows exactly how to balance these items. They will be able to help you manage it and avoid falling behind.

You don’t want to end up ruining vendor and supplier relationships because you forgot to pay. Even worse, you might not have enough money because you didn’t follow up on payments due to you.

Data entry

A lot of billing tasks are actually data entry work, like entering client information, financial details, and keeping records. You can hire a bookkeeper to keep all of this sorted out.

A bookkeeper knows how to handle all of this data. That does not only mean what needs to go where. They know all about keeping sensitive information safe and making sure that the details are entered accurately. Accounting does not allow for mistakes!

Payment reconciliation

Payment reconciliation is another accounting task that makes outsourcing billing services sound like the best idea ever. This accounting process involves verifying account balances to make sure that all the details in different sets of records are accurate and match up. That’s not a task that most people would enjoy, or be able to manage.

Maintaining records so they stay updated, true, and consistent takes an eye for detail and a love for accuracy that not all people have. Whether you choose to do it daily, weekly, or monthly, you can use some help. The tediousness of this task can lead to mistakes, and you don’t want that. Payment reconciliation helps you avoid missing or failed payments and deposits, reporting and tax errors, and identify fraud. 

Credit control

Sometimes, allowing customers to purchase on credit can make you more popular. As you promote more sales this way, however, you must stay on top of all the payments due to you.

The credit control process helps you track the credit period, the payment terms you offer each customer, the credit standards, and your debt collection policy. It can also keep track of any cash discounts you offer to customers who opt to pay up front.

Attractive payment terms can boost profits, but only if you make sure you are getting paid. Start with hiring someone who knows how to check customers’ credit history so you know who you can reliably extend an offer to.

Billing statement preparation

If you need to provide a customer with an overview of their account activity with your business, an assistant can help. You are most likely not that keenly familiar with every client’s transaction history with your business. And you don’t need to be.

First, you will want someone who can make sure that all these transactions records are properly compiled and stored in case any customer asks for a billing statement.

Then you will have them ready at a moment’s notice. This builds customer trust and loyalty. If you like, you can even have an assistant send these statements out regularly. The same assistant can also help you manage your billing cycle.

Customer billing inquiries

One thing that can really eat up a lot of your time is answering questions. When you hire a bookkeeper or other financial account assistant, they can take over customer inquiries. Every time someone calls or emails with a question, you have an assistant at the helm. This person is properly equipped to give the right answers about their invoice, subscription, change in payment method, etc.

Expense tracking and billing

Another potentially tedious yet vital task, expense tracking is best outsourced. You need to have a record of every single expense your business has. This not only helps you with your taxes, but also gives you a clear and detailed picture of your budget. This way, you can understand what changes you should make to become more profitable.

An experienced assistant can help you decide whether to make adjustments to fixed expenses like rent and utilities, or to fluctuating costs like labor and advertising. Without this, your budget will not accurately reflect what you’re spending, ans possibly wasting.

Refund processing

No business likes to think of issuing refunds. Not only do you have to return someone’s money, but you incur added expenses. You already spent a bunch making that sale, and now you have to spend more reversing it. This hassle can make you ignore the refund process, which is a bad idea.

Customer satisfaction is so important, and refund processing is one of its more vital aspects. With an experienced assistant, you can optimize your refund process so it’s not abused, runs smoothly, and keeps customers happy.

What Are the Pros of Outsourcing Billing Services

1. Cost Savings

You save a lot in general when you hire from overseas. Because most billing tasks are online anyway, you don’t need anyone in-office to do most of the work. The possible language barrier isn’t even an issue for the most part because bookkeepers generally don’t talk to your customers. 

2. Expertise and Efficiency

When you outsource, you are hiring from a global talent pool, not just the people who live in your vicinity. This gives you the best chance of finding the perfect fit for your needs. You can more quickly and easily get the right balance of skills, availability, and even personality when you hire globally.

3. Focus on Core Competencies

Most businesses don’t need full-time help with billing tasks. This tempts most business owners to do them, or ask another team member to take care of them. That is not a good idea, though, because it takes you away from what you do best. You will not do the tasks as well as a specialist would, for one thing. In addition, you might make mistakes because you don’t enjoy the work.

4. Scalability and Flexibility

When you outsource billing tasks, you can hire someone for as many hours as you need. This can easily change month over month, or even week over week. With freelance help, you pay only for the time that they actually spend working. You can get more hours or cut back whenever.

What Are the Cons of Outsourcing Billing Services?

1. Loss of Control

You are trusting another person with your finances when you outsource billing. However, you can put safeguards in place so you don’t get burned. Data security is one major concern. Contact us for help in this area!

2. Quality and Customer Relations

You might think that you can do everything better than anyone else. Most business owners do! While you might be right, the truth is that it’s still not worth your time to do everything. Focus instead on looking for expert help and building strong teams that learn and grow with you.

What Is Outsource School?

Outsource School helps you to unlock the potential of virtual assistants and accelerate your business growth.

This is the exact system Outsource School’s founders, Nathan Hirsch and Connor Gillivan, used to go from zero to 8 figures and 40+ virtual assistants with an exit in 2019.

Since being founded in 2020, Outsource School has helped 1,000+ business owners hire 2,000+ virtual assistants for their companies.

Schedule a free sales call to learn more

Free resources you might like: 

• Outsource School Case Study: How We Scaled to 45+ VAs and 8 Figures in Revenue
• Free VA Calculator | See How Many VAs You Can Afford
• Free Training on 5 Keys to Working With VAs
• Learn Outsourcing 101 | Guides, Downloads, and Checklists

Conclusion

We hope that this post helped you to decide whether outsourcing billing services is a good option for you. The Outsource School founders have certainly found it to be beneficial in their businesses! We want to make sure that it’s the best choice for your business, too.

The process of outsourcing legal work is not much different than any other type of work. What you must take extra care with are the qualifications and other technical details involved. Because of the nature of legal work, you need to meticulously screen and select the right legal assistant. 

Of course, you would have to go through this intricate process even when hiring in-house. So, with outsourcing legal work, you aren’t losing anything. You can actually gain more time because several expert agencies already exist. You widen your talent pool when hiring online, and they have certifications you can easily check and trust.

In this post, we’re going to give you 15 legal tasks you can start outsourcing to an assistant. Let us know which ones helped you the most! We love getting feedback and testimonies!

1. Legal Research

Research is among the most hated tasks because it can be so tedious. Of course, there are a few people who actually love this type of work! As hard as it is to believe that, they do exist! Outsourcing legal work like this – the tasks you hate the most – can return even grater benefits because it alleviates so much stress.

Due diligence is necessary to ensure quality output in the legal field. Any lawyer worth their mettle needs help to avoid having to work 80-hour weeks because of the heavy research load. Legal research tasks include litigation and non-litigation research, statutory research, case law research, foreign law research, regulatory or compliance law research, and legislation research. Getting any of these off your plate can be a huge help.

2. Document Review

Electronic discovery, or eDiscovery, is the process of searching out and collecting electronically stored information, or ESI. This data is then sorted through to identify relevant bits to produce them as a judge might request in a law suit or investigation. The law also requires ESI in other cases, such as furnishing opposing counsel with copies of evidence. ESI can be anything from emails and databases to documents stored online or voicemails stored by phone companies. It can comprise audio messages and other social media or website content as well. 

As you can imagine, looking for and collating this data can be time-consuming. It can also be challenging because electronic documents are more dynamic – they change, unlike hard copies of documents. This means that you need other items such as metadata to get time and date stamps. This is to prove when they were produced or last edited. This also applies to document authors and recipients, as well as other file properties. It can be a lot! So, document review will get expensive and unmanageable if you do it yourself. 

3. Contract Drafting

Outsourcing legal drafting services can be very useful when you deal with a lot of them. These can include employment contracts, lease agreements, sale or purchase contracts, and the like. 

Most small and medium-sized businesses don’t have legal departments. They simply don’t need a whole separate division to handle a legal document or concern here and there. Creating one just to draft documents would be a huge waste of resources. And you don’t want just anyone drafting these important papers because you want to ensure accuracy and compliance. Outsourcing means allowing experts to take care of these needs efficiently.

 

4. Legal Processes

Did you know that even law firms outsource various legal processes? Just like research, many legal tasks can be time-consuming and therefore expensive to do in-house. As the legal industry changes, many firms make adjustments in favor of serving customers better. This means not having to charge them too much for high-quality services. Legal process outsourcing is now a major trend. 

Legal process outsourcing includes legal writing, paralegal tasks, litigation support, legal accounting, and similar work. This can get as granular as multi-jurisdictional surveys, motions, appellate briefs, trial briefs, legal memoranda, complaints, and pleadings. 

5. Deposition Summarization

Depositions can consist of all the information that an attorney gathers for a case. As such, they can be hundreds of pages thick! Even if you have only one witness and their story is only five pages long, though, you still need a summary. The court does not need to, nor would likely be willing to, go through to the whole thing during the actual trial. Deposition summaries have excerpts of the highlights to facilitate the process.

Because these summaries are critical to cases, they must be meticulously prepared. Outsourcing legal work of this level of complexity is wise. You don’t want any error clouding your meaning when your testimony is presented in court.

6. Document Retrieval

Outsourcing legal document retrieval can increase your company’s efficiency. The people who work for you probably already have enough to do. Plus, they won’t likely have any legal know-how. This can make even the simple task of document management difficult. They won’t know what one or another type of document is called. They could skim right past it without a clue.

Legal document retrieval includes obtaining public records, duplicating official copies of legal documents, storing and processing documents, and submitting requested documents to law offices.

7. Transcription Services

Because of the sensitive nature of legal work, outsourcing legal transcription is the best option. Like anything else connected to legal work, producing error-free transcripts is essential. You need someone who can accurately convert audio or video data from discovery sessions, arbitrations, court hearings, depositions, jury instructions, and the like. With all the legal language involved and high emotional volatility expected, legal transcription can be tricky.

8. Client Communication

You can outsource any kind of client communication. It always helps to have someone on board to help in this area. When it comes to legal matters, however, you want to make sure that you’re getting expert help. Because it makes no sense to hire someone for this particular type of conversation, outsourcing works best. 

9. Regulatory Compliance Checks

You are responsible for maintaining the integrity of your operations. This means making sure that you are compliant with all the applicable regulatory requirements. This will keep your business safe from the risks of money laundering and financial terrorism. This takes more than a good anti-virus program, though. When you outsource to a legal compliance firm, you get expert help to uphold the integrity of your business. This way, you can avoid the pitfalls of dealing with criminals and other shady characters. Non-compliance can bring more than hefty fines and damaged reputations. It can actually bring you to the point of closing your business and facing criminal charges.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is outsourcing legal tasks to online assistants secure and confidential?

If you are hiring someone on your own, you are responsible for securing every aspect of their work. If you hire an agency or offshore company, make sure that you read the fine print. They may offer security features, but you need to do your due diligence. Ultimately, you can still be held liable if you do not do all you can to ensure secure transactions and conversations.

How do I choose the right outsourcing provider for legal tasks?

Security is one major consideration. You must also look into their level of expertise and experience, as well as their niche. Not all legal areas are alike. You cannot, for instance, hire criminal law assistance to handle a case involving financial fraud. 

Can I outsource both short-term and long-term legal projects?

You can outsource legal work of any kind, as long as it can be done online. Do make sure that you are hiring someone who has the right knowledge, though. Laws differ from country to country and even state to state, so you need to be very careful to check that you are asking the right people for help.

What Is Outsource School?

Outsource School helps you to unlock the potential of virtual assistants and accelerate your business growth.

This is the exact system Outsource School’s founders, Nathan Hirsch and Connor Gillivan, used to go from zero to 8 figures and 40+ virtual assistants with an exit in 2019.

Since being founded in 2020, Outsource School has helped 1,000+ business owners hire 2,000+ virtual assistants for their companies.

Schedule a free sales call to learn more

Free resources you might like: 

• Outsource School Case Study: How We Scaled to 45+ VAs and 8 Figures in Revenue
• Free VA Calculator | See How Many VAs You Can Afford
• Free Training on 5 Keys to Working With VAs
• Learn Outsourcing 101 | Guides, Downloads, and Checklists

Conclusion

Don’t forget that outsourcing legal work does not mean letting go of your legal responsibilities! You are still liable for the outcomes. So, we highly recommend that you maintain strict oversight of any partner you engage to do any type of work for you. Make sure that you also have a tight agreements, all properly documented. Start with the scope of work you will outsource, assurance of 24/7 access to databases, and strict  confidentiality according to the laws that bind you, not just them. 

 

Looking to outsource QA (quality assurance)? 

There are many essential business processes like QA testing that need attention. However, some of the tasks involved might be beyond you or your internal team’s capabilities. Whether this is a skill gap or a time constraint, quality assurance simply cannot get done the right way. 

Here, we will define QA and QA outsourcing, list some benefits, and provide more information to guide you on your outsourcing journey. 

What is QA Outsourcing?

Let’s start by defining these terms separately, then together. 

QA or quality assurance, refers to processes and procedures developed and maintained to ensure products or services meet a predetermined standard. Quality assurance encompasses all stages of the production process. This can be from product design, to product development, to product testing, and finally, product delivery.  

The purpose of QA is to ensure the reliability, safety and regulatory compliance of delivered products and services.

Outsourcing, involves hiring an outside company to take care of a particular task or entire process for you. The reasons for outsourcing can be numerous and we will talk more about that later. 

Therefore, we can say that QA outsourcing involves hiring a third-party to take care of parts of your quality management system. This process includes both quality assurance and quality control. 

Wait, aren’t they the same thing?

What’s the Difference Between Quality Control and Quality Assurance? 

Because they are parts of quality management, it’s easy to get them confused and use the terms interchangeably. They are both integral to the process, however they are distinct.  

Quality assurance is more about creating systems that lead to quality outputs. These systems and the resulting products must align with safety regulations. The products must also, of course, still work as intended. QA is all about creating processes that prevent defects or other quality related problems from happening. You could say part of QA is to make the job of personnel in the QC department much easier. The goal is the quality control seal of approval every time. 

On the other hand, quality control is about inspection of the final products. They make sure what they manufacture meets pre-established quality guidelines. QC helps prove the efficacy of your QA system. If something doesn’t pass a QC check, they report it. Then, those in charge of quality management as a whole will come together to evaluate. Then they decide if the issue was a problem with the QA processes they had in place, or something else. Then they make tweaks or develop new processes for improvement to eliminate the issue in the future.

Benefits of Outsourcing QA

Access to Expertise and Experience

Let’s face it, not all of us know how to effectively create a quality check process. This is especially true when it needs to both have few gaps and be compliant with all the rules and regulations. For instance, do you know about ISO 9001 – a set of quality standards set by the International Organization for Standardization? If you don’t know what that is, you’re not alone. Most business owners don’t know much about it beyond the name. And that’s ok. It’s not in your job description or your area of expertise, after all.

The great thing about outsourcing QA and all its processes is that you don’t have to learn all the technicalities of quality management. Someone else has already absorbed and applied this knowledge. They’ve also likely worked with other companies in the past. This means they might even have templates already in place for companies in your industry. You don’t need to invest in years of study or reinvent the wheel!

Flexibility and Scalability

A lot of the time, you don’t need a complete roster of QA personnel to run your quality management department. Other times, you want a solution that can grow and scale together with your business. Maybe you wished your staff or department could get bigger only during certain times of the year. This means that the team would feasibly shrink back when you no longer need all that manpower. 

Thankfully, these are all cases that outsourcing can help with. Outsourcing is a much more flexible solution. You get flexible pricing for flexible staffing of an inherently dynamic business and market. 

Time Savings 

With expertise and experience comes efficiency and effective procedures and SOPs. The experts have studied this. Their teams know what works and what fails, and they’ve learned how to turn failures into successes. They’ve done their research, performed their tests, and know how to apply standard best practices. They know how to follow regulations and guidelines, which they have studied diligently.

Improved Customer Satisfaction

What happens when you:

• Get products out faster
• Create products that are better quality
• Deliver products that are consistently good 

That’s right, you get a happy customer and happy investors and stakeholders to boot! A faster Time-to-Market (TTM) means the product gets in front of consumers’ eyes faster. Consistently excellent quality means better reviews and the makings of loyal customer relationships. 

Types of QA Outsourcing

We can divide outsourcing into three main types: onshoring, nearshoring, and offshoring. An easy way to understand this is by thinking of the word “shore” as to where your business is located.

• Onshoring – In this case, this is the type of outsourcing where you keep things national. You source outside help anywhere within your city, state, region, or country. One benefit to onshore outsourcing is that you can more easily conduct and be involved in physical inspections. 
• Nearshoring – As the name suggests, nearshoring refers to outsourcing to nearby countries. Say you live in the US. Popular nearshoring locations would be Brazil or Mexico. With nearshoring, you do get some of the benefit of proximity and lower costs. However, language barriers are more of a conscious consideration now. 
• Offshoring – Offshoring is international. If you are conducting something like software QA outsourcing, you don’t really need to be close to your team. This gives you access to cheaper costs and a larger talent pool. Again, however, you need to factor in cultural, language, and time zone differences. 

Another thing to consider when choosing outsourcing types is the potential for insourcing your business processes. Insourcing is when you choose to accomplish in-house a task or process that was previously outsourced. Consider as well that there can be distinct differences in offshoring vs outsourcing.

QA Roles That Can Be Outsourced

The QA team is responsible for developing quality processes, procedures, and checklists and ensuring businesses adhere to them. They are also in charge of testing the efficacy of these processes.

Here are some common job titles in the quality assurance field:

QA Manager/Director/Etc.

These are the heads of your teams. They usually take on the roles of project managers. The creation, implementation, and monitoring of QA strategies fall under their supervision. They are also involved in training other employees, talking directly with suppliers, and reporting to the higher ups. 

QA Engineer

These individuals play a key role in the development of QA procedures and protocols. They help develop and improve products and the testing and inspection processes they undergo. 

QA Analyst

Analysts are responsible for collecting vital data from various stages of the QA process. They use statistics and generate reports to show to QA managers and other team members. 

QA Tester

A tester is not only responsible for performing the tests, but is also involved in developing them. They work closely with QA analysts to gather data and create crucial reports. 

QA Auditor

These individuals check QA systems and investigate potential issues within. They can then also suggest what course of action to take to correct the issues.  

When to Outsource QA

There are several reasons why you might consider outsourcing sooner rather than later:

• You have budget constraints or you want to reduce costs.
• You want to improve the quality of your offerings.
• Time is valuable and you want to free some up for yourself and your team.
• You want to make better use of all of your skills and other resources, too, so you can focus on other core business objectives.
• It’s time to fill in the gaps in your existing QA procedures and processes.
• The QA team needs to grow to keep up with all the tasks.

Is QA Outsourcing Cost-Effective?

Cost-effectiveness is the major benefit of outsourcing in general, and QA is no outlier. If you counted the costs connected to hiring full-time in-house QA staff, you may likely choose to outsource QA instead. 

To put this into perspective, the salary of a single junior-level quality assurance specialist in the US is upwards of $50,000. That isn’t including all other in-house cost factors like overheads, health and dental benefits, bonuses, recruitment costs, and taxes. So, you could be looking at around $55-60,000/year more accurately. That’s for one worker. 

Now most businesses, especially small ones, don’t need that many workers. However, a proper QA team is still necessary if you want to make excellent products consistently. 

Some may unknowingly think that QA isn’t all that necessary. But a proper QA system in place will already save you money in the long term. Think of all the potential product returns and rounds of testing you could avoid by doing it properly in the first place.

By outsourcing, you would save money on an already money-saving process. For instance, outsourcing QA does not require tax payments or benefits. QA offshore outsourcing rates could have you saving tens of thousands of dollars annually. 

Where Can I Find Reliable People for QA Work?

This can depend on the type of QA outsourcing you go for. 

For instance, if you choose to hire in-country, you can search in local directories for potential QA outsourcing service providers. 

Additionally, you should determine if you’re looking for QA staff to help with products and services or for software QA outsourcing solutions. 

Popular software QA services include PixelCrayons and QASource.

Finding a good outsourcing partner also depends on your niche. For instance, Lodestone is a good option for tech companies who make all kinds of devices like phones, TVs, and more. 

It can be much easier to find the right QA team, the more specific you are with your needs.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I choose the right QA outsourcing provider?

Finding the right fit is all about knowing your needs first. 

Here are a few tips:

• Prepare a detailed job description.
• List down what you are looking for in a partner. 
• Be diligent in your research.
• Look for portfolios or social proofs. 

What is the typical process for outsourcing QA services?

The process for, say, software QA outsourcing or outsourcing QA testing, is similar to most outsourcing processes. The basic steps are bulleted below, and you can always reach out to Outsource School for additional help in this area.

• Identify and specify needs
• Research hires
• Interview
• Select and finalize details (rate, deadlines, meeting scheds etc.)
• Regular check-in
• Delivery of product/project deadline
• Revisions (if necessary)

What are the potential risks of QA outsourcing, and how can they be mitigated?

There are a few risks of outsourcing. 

Like we mentioned, language, cultural, and time zone barriers can be big risks to working relationships and productivity. Communication with remote teams can be challenging. Data risk is also another reason for hesitancy.

Proper research into the company and people you are looking to hire can mitigate a lot of this. Look for companies with excellent reputations, good communication skills, and strong data security measures in place. 

Pick countries that work best with your time zone and business hours. Or, make sure that overseas hires are night owls who perform better working the wee hours.

Set up communication channels ASAP and onboard new hires properly to meet your expectations.

What Is Outsource School?

Outsource School helps you to unlock the potential of virtual assistants and accelerate your business growth.

This is the exact system Outsource School’s founders, Nathan Hirsch and Connor Gillivan, used to go from zero to 8 figures and 40+ virtual assistants with an exit in 2019.

Since being founded in 2020, Outsource School has helped 1,000+ business owners hire 2,000+ virtual assistants for their companies.

Schedule a free sales call to learn more

Free resources you might like: 

• Outsource School Case Study: How We Scaled to 45+ VAs and 8 Figures in Revenue
• Free VA Calculator | See How Many VAs You Can Afford
• Free Training on 5 Keys to Working With VAs
• Learn Outsourcing 101 | Guides, Downloads, and Checklists

Conclusion

If you’re looking to outsource QA, you’re looking at a worthwhile investment. Save time, money, and gain the respect and loyalty of your customers. So, don’t let us hold you up. Go and make this smart business move!

Outsourcing project management is one of the smartest moves you can make for your business. You may like being at the helm, but you are more needed elsewhere in your business. Your position as business owner means that you are more valuable as the one who charts the course. Project management outsourcing allows you to let someone else steer the boat. This way, you can keep making all those great plans that get you to the next and the next level.

What is Project Management?

Project management entails using certain knowledge and skills to ensure the delivery of a product. Coupled with tools and techniques, this product can become of even greater value to the people you intended to serve. No matter what that project is – department expansion, office software, physical infrastructure, social services – properly managing it matters. 

The whole point of project management is creating value for others through various services, products, and processes. These can be short-term or long-term solutions, and accomplished quickly or needing more time to execute. Managing the process is all about setting up the proper structure. This helps you make sure that the people involved can do all the tasks that are part of realizing the project to a high standard.

Even with all the automation options that are available to us these days, you will almost always need someone to take the lead. This person will be responsible for initiating phases of the project and planning the smaller details. They will also check periodically that each phase is executed on time and without compromise. This is important to the success of the project, and in tandem, the success of your business.

Assigning Project Management

Now, you can do this yourself, but we think that’s not the best use of your time or talents. You can also get a partner or department manager to do it. But taking on this new role will usually leave a gap in the role they were previously taking care of. Neither of these is good for your business. 

A third option is hiring a new person to manage your projects. Since the volume and difficulty of projects varies, we cannot recommend hiring someone in-house. You may not have enough work for them to do month over month to justify the expense. This is especially true when you have projects that require different skill sets.

Outsourcing in project management means that you look elsewhere for help. Instead of drawing from your internal resources, you hire someone from outside your company to take on the role of project manager. Still, you may not be able to give them full-time work. This is why outsourcing project management to freelancers is the option we suggest you explore. You hire them for as many hours as you need, and then you part ways clean and clear.

What Are the Tasks And Responsibilities of A Project Manager?

Project management outsourcing may not be the simplest thing, but we can help you do it well. Outsourcing in project management hinges on understanding the role that you are hiring to fill. You want to make sure that you have the right person for the job so you don’t waste a lot of time. 

The first step is to become familiar with the task and responsibilities involved in project management. Then you can start looking for someone to fit the bill in a more targeted way. Here they are, along with the skills a person needs to fulfill them.

Leadership

First and above all, project managers take the lead. They lead in terms of managing  timelines and budgets. They also lead in terms of managing expectations and people on the project team. Managers may not be the ones who set these targets, but they are in charge of meeting them. Everything rises and falls with the leader. So, a project manager must know how to bring all the moving parts together to ensure success at every stage of the project.

That said, we see a few vital responsibilities under this umbrella.

Timeline Management

A project manager needs to handle work schedules within the team. This isn’t just making sure people get to work on time and don’t miss too many days. Different people on a project will often have interrelated tasks to do. This means they do work that is dependent on the work that has already been done by others. If these others don’t finish their tasks on time, then the first group of people will not be able to work. That created a jam that your business will likely pay for. Project management means juggling timelines so that work flows and you aren’t paying for people to sit around waiting for other people to get going.

Budget Management

Timeline management does involve money in terms of the labor hours that you’re paying for. And, yes, people are a big part of the money spent. For example, a project manager will also have some degree of control over personnel. They are on the ground, so to speak, so they know who is needed to do what. If the current roster isn’t cutting it, they can recommend additions and replacements within the project team.

But budget management is a bigger picture than who’s on the payroll. The project budget covers all the tools that each team member uses, down to the last paperclip. It also includes the power that each piece of equipment sucks up, and the space they all occupy for the duration of the project. Computing all this and staying on top of it can be a full-time job in itself for someone who doesn’t know what they’re doing!

Motivation

All of the above plus setting proper expectations is part of this area of responsibility. Project managers care for the needs of the team. How well they engage and direct people often determines how well they perform. And this means better performance from the team as a whole, too. Proper motivation keeps everyone balanced to meet the set project goals without burning out.

Conflict management is in the mix as well. Whenever you put a bunch of people together, there’s no telling how they will all get along. Honestly, unless they’ve worked well together before, chances are there will be some friction. If the manager does not deal with it, you will soon begin to see the effects on productivity.

Outsourcing in project management might seem to present challenges in team motivation. We have found, however, that hiring people who don’t work in the same office can be even better. You can quickly spot the self-starters, who are always better to have on any team. You can also see how everyone makes that much more of an effort to connect precisely because an easy pat on the back isn’t possible. They actually have to find something concrete to compliment each other on, and this works much better as a motivating factor.

Pros and Cons of Outsourcing Project Management

 

Disadvantages

Outsourcing project management means that you are letting go of a greater degree of control. This can be a benefit because it means you can’t easily grab control away from the manager. It can also be among the top outsourcing risks if you are not managing the manager. Yes, you still need to lead because you are still the top leader as the owner of your company.

One setback that you need to watch out for stems from the fact that an outsider won’t automatically understand your business. This means that you’ll need to take some extra time in the beginning stages to help them acclimate. A good freelancer will always do their best to use whatever information you supply them with to learn about your brand and goals. But, you need to fill in the gaps because they can’t learn in a few days what it took employees months and years to get the hang of.

Advantages

One definite advantage of project management outsourcing is the cost. When you hire from outside the country, you usually pay much lower rates. This is because the cost of living is often cheaper elsewhere in the world. So, even if you’re a startup, you can afford proper help from professionals to ensure the success of your projects. 

The level of savings you can enjoy only doubles and even triples when you factor in skills and experience. Just because the cost of living is lower in other countries, it doesn’t mean that intelligence, educational level, etc. are lower, too. In fact, many countries in the third world boast more college graduates than the west! This means you can hire top talent with loads of experience for half the cost. 

Don’t forget the much larger talent pool you get with outsourcing. You can not only find excellent managers, but those with experience in the various niches you need for each project. And when you’re hiring freelancers, you can engage a different manager for each project. This way, if the technical level of your projects requires it, you can get perfect matches in terms of skill sets every single time.

Important Things To Know When Outsourcing Project Management

We have three non-negotiables when it comes to outsourcing project management: infrastructure, communication, and agreement.

By infrastructure, we mean the technology they have available to support their work. The minimum here is a stable internet connection and a reliable computer or other internet-enabled device. This connection and device must of course be capable of sustaining all the aspects of their work. Specifically, this can include the CMS apps you use, and the communications channels you prefer.

For communication, it can be minimal or more complex, depending on your systems. At the very least, as hinted at above, the manager must be able to use the communication channels your business has set in place. This is because they need to be able to keep you updated and promise seamless contact with every member of the team. Communication also touches on working times. They will most likely be in a different time zone, so they will need to have a level of overlap with everyone else to stay in touch.

In terms of an agreement, it again depends on what you’re comfortable with. We just want to make sure that you are doing your best to make sure you are on the same page with anyone you hire. As the business owner, you will set the expectations for the project manager. When you’re confident that you understand each other and know what’s expected, work should go smoothly.

How Do I Hire A Project Manager?

The best way to handle project management outsourcing is through online channels. You can engage a hiring agency, join virtual assistant websites, or reach out to individual freelancers. 

If you go the agency route, you can find agencies that will do everything for you, and you talk to one contact point. You can also find agencies that will simply connect you with candidates. This is more like how a freelance marketplace would work. The difference is that you have more control with an agency. They are better equipped in most cases to provide more personalized service and security. With freelance websites, you have larger talent pools, but not necessarily the highest levels of security.

The owners of Outsource School have hired several project managers for their other businesses over the years. They have mostly gone with these two options. The third option, hiring one on one, is possible, but risky. You are contracting with an individual overseas. You have no third party running verification or backing you up. So, we don’t recommend this unless you got a referral from a trusted associate.

What Is Outsource School?

Outsource School helps you to unlock the potential of virtual assistants and accelerate your business growth.

This is the exact system Outsource School’s founders, Nathan Hirsch and Connor Gillivan, used to go from zero to 8 figures and 40+ virtual assistants with an exit in 2019.

Since being founded in 2020, Outsource School has helped 1,000+ business owners hire 2,000+ virtual assistants for their companies.

Schedule a free sales call to learn more

Free resources you might like: 

• Outsource School Case Study: How We Scaled to 45+ VAs and 8 Figures in Revenue
• Free VA Calculator | See How Many VAs You Can Afford
• Free Training on 5 Keys to Working With VAs
• Learn Outsourcing 101 | Guides, Downloads, and Checklists

Conclusion

Project management outsourcing is definitely not the same as outsourcing for other positions. This is a management role, and it comes along with greater expectations. This means that you need to be more careful when selecting a hiring partner as well as selecting the actual manager. Managers also have access to higher levels of your company, so security around them must become tighter.

If you’re thinking of hiring Latino virtual assistants, we think that’s a great idea! Hiring from Latin America offers a few distinct advantages, which we’ll discuss below. We’ll also give you 11 websites where you can find Latino talent, and why we like them. Each site has its own best features, so choose the one that meets your needs most closely.

1. Hubstaff Talent

Hubstaff is known for its time tracking software. However, the company developed a robust hiring platform over the past few years. We now know Hubstaff Talent as the free place where you can meet the world’s top remote talent. Companies can search for remote hires all over the globe without worrying about markups, hidden fees, or middlemen.

You pay people based on their chosen rates, so pricing can vary greatly. This is mostly due to factors like location and skill level. Of course, you will also expect to pay much less for data entry as compared to project management or consultations.

2. Outsourcely

Outsroucely has been around for some time, and offers talent from over 180 countries. Their goal is to connect you to talent that will benefit your business over the long term. They make it easy to start working with any of more than 400,000 remote workers. All the talent on this platform are competent and reliable in their fields. They focus more on long-term employment and stability, but you can also find some who are willing to do smaller projects or work part time. 

3. Virtual Latinos

If you want to stop spending your valuable time doing various busywork for your business, this is the solution. Virtual Latinos offers virtual professionals to help you focus on growing your business. They hand-pick talent from Latin America to serve business owners and entrepreneurs abroad. They hold the rank of 80th on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies in America. 

These LatAm VAs can take care of your to-do list so you can get out of busyness and into productivity. You can’t have another “you” but you can hire a reliable VA. Virtual Latinos is home to fully bilingual experienced college graduates who live in your time zone and are ready to serve.

4. Near

Virtual assistants help businesses all over the world to grow faster and operate better. Near helps you hire remote VAs from Latin America risk-free and without the common times delays and additional costs. This platform works with a lot of startups, so they understand the need for affordable and reliable help. They also serve larger companies who need greater numbers of experienced talent quickly. You can start working with the VA who fits your description in about three weeks from the time you submit a request. 

Near assists companies through the process of identifying, interviewing, negotiating with, and hiring Latino virtual assistants. They only recommend professionals they already vetted, so you can feel confident. Choose from over 20,000 candidates who will bring high performance to your business to outpace the competition.

5. Upwork

Upwork is arguably the most well-known online marketplace to hire virtual assistants. This means that many businesses and freelancers flock there every day. That makes it a great place to bet on finding the best people to do the job you need done. You can join the platform at no cost to look through freelancer profiles. 

When you register, you can explore projects and book a consultation with their hiring experts. Then you can choose to post a job to attract talent or have the team search through the talent pool for you. Upwork allows you to work with the best while enjoying low transaction rates. With reduced hiring expenses, you can bring your business to the next level faster without compromising on talent. 

6. Fiverr

Fiverr believes that the right freelance service for everyone is available. They exist to draw a variety of services together so you can find the right one right away. They built the platform on the needs they saw, so Fiverr is the best of everything you need when hiring. 

Unlike most freelance marketplaces, Fiverr does not offer hourly pricing. All services are proceed per project, so you can easily stick to your budget. Because it’s project-based, you can also get quality work done more quickly. You engage a freelancer for a fixed price, and pay only when you approve the work. This platform allows you to hire someone at any time of the day or night. You can also access 24/7 support. 

7. Freelancer.com

The world’s largest freelance marketplace has got to be the right place to hire from, right? Freelancer is a forerunner in the online hiring space, and boasts the best freelancers for any job. Top talent loves working through this platform because of their long-standing reputation. Hiring here is secure because you don’t need to pay until you’re happy with the work. You can get free quotes, too, from among more than 60 million freelancers. 

Freelancer shows you work portfolios for prospective hires so you can see samples of their previous work. You can also read reviews from past clients so you can find trustworthy talent. You’ll find them fast, too, since most projects get bids in the first minute they’re posted. Two things we love are the integrated time tracker and the mobile app that lets you track work on the go. 

8. Tecla

You can find vetted, trained, and certified freelancers to hire through this less-known website. The VAs who work here are exclusively from Latin America. They are all fluent English speakers and can work hours that match your time zone. Hiring here works by tiers, where you can engage basic-level VAs for $12 per hour. If you need more autonomous help, able to handle intricate tasks, you can hire mid-level talent for $15 per hour. These virtual assistants have diverse expertise and can work independently. You can also hire specialists at $20 per hour for tasks that require high-level support. This tier offers seasoned professionals with extensive expertise for the budget-conscious.

9. There is Talent

This is one of the few VA hiring companies based in Latin America –  Columbia, specifically. Most others are registered in other countries. This means that There is Talent knows the available Latin talent at a deeper level. 

Entrepreneurs and small business owners can get customized virtual assistance and outsourcing services here. The process involves a free strategy call with the director where she gets to know your business requirements. Then you can meet with the top matches for interviews, and hire the best fit. 

Depending on your needs, you will fall into one of three monthly plans. 10 hours weekly will cost you $499 per month. 20 hours is $799 per month, and 40 hours is $1499 per month. Each plan comes with a dedicated supervisor, onboarding assistance, weekly reporting, and technical assistance. Each VA is bilingual and has a fully-equipped workstation. If for any reason the VA you hire needs to be replaced, you will get a backup quickly and easily.

10. Workana

This site also boasts the top remote talent in Latin America to grow your business with. Their aim is to help you develop your business quickly but also sustainably. You can find thousands of professionals here who speak both English and Spanish. They can work stable hours in your time zone. These features are what has made Workana the industry leader for remote hiring in Latin America. 

Workana values reliability in remote work, and has more than ten years of experience. With that, you can trust them alongside thousands of other companies who are expanding their businesses through the platform. 

11. Valatam

Valatam is short for “Virtual Assistance Latin America,” an agency providing remote bilingual talent. Their remote team members serve busy entrepreneurs and business owners from one side of the world to the other. One unique things about this company is their Impact Hub locations, which are co-working spaces their VAs can leverage. This raises the level of quality control the agency can provide when work-from-home solutions don’t cut it.

The virtual team at Valatam hail from several Latin American countries and boast various professional skills. They are all college graduates and most have previous experience working with international companies. Their aim is to provide expert, dedicated assistance so you save time and money and avoid stress.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why consider hiring Latino Virtual Assistants?

Most Latino virtual assistants are well-educated and eager to work for companies in the US and Canada. They pursue these posts because of the opportunities for growth that come along with the work. So, you get top talent without needing to pay top dollar. 

Hiring Latino virtual assistants is also a nearshore hiring model, which means close physical proximity. This ensures that hires have a greater familiarity with American and Canadian cultures. You will tend to be more aligned than with freelancers from far-flung regions. This applies in terms of work ethic and values as well as business practices. As a result, you can enjoy smoother collaboration and fewer misunderstandings. You will also have more opportunities to meet with them in person because they do not live too far away.

The tech scene in Latin America is growing. This also means a skilled workforce at affordable rates. As time goes by, the hourly savings you enjoy grow even more profitable. You get streamlined operations and positive ROI from increased efficiency and higher productivity.

What language skills can I expect from Latino VAs?

Most Latino virtual assistants are bilingual. Some even speak a third language. This can be of great value to companies in regions where there are large Spanish- and English-speaking populations. Companies that serve these communities can serve them better with staff that can smoothly transition between languages. The rapport and ease that this fosters with customers is invaluable. 

What are the typical working hours for Latino VAs?

Latino VAs usually work during their day, but can be flexible as well. Being in similar and neighboring time zones, they usually have only up to a two-hour time difference from US and Canadian time zones. This makes communication easy because they will usually be working the same hours. You can reach out to them in real-time during your workday. This means no time lags that could potentially interfere with meetings and decision-making processes. They can cover day shifts without additional strain, which is a huge advantage.

What tasks can Latino Virtual Assistants handle?

Latino VAs can handle just about any type of task that you can perform over the internet. Most are highly educated, some coming out of the professional world to seek fresh opportunities. The term “virtual assistant” can carry negative connotations because of the way it has been used. However, it simply means someone who doesn’t live near you and can offer you the help that you need. Many experts in their fields actually prefer to work remote these days, and that does not diminish their skill level.

What Is Outsource School?

Outsource School helps you to unlock the potential of virtual assistants and accelerate your business growth.

This is the exact system Outsource School’s founders, Nathan Hirsch and Connor Gillivan, used to go from zero to 8 figures and 40+ virtual assistants with an exit in 2019.

Since being founded in 2020, Outsource School has helped 1,000+ business owners hire 2,000+ virtual assistants for their companies.

Schedule a free sales call to learn more

Free resources you might like: 

• Outsource School Case Study: How We Scaled to 45+ VAs and 8 Figures in Revenue
• Free VA Calculator | See How Many VAs You Can Afford
• Free Training on 5 Keys to Working With VAs
• Learn Outsourcing 101 | Guides, Downloads, and Checklists

Conclusion

Hiring Latino virtual assistants can be the best decision you make for your business. Latinos make excellent additions to any team because of their similar work times, bright culture, and proximity. With a reliable hiring partner, you can build a team of VAs that bring excellence but won’t break the bank.

When is outsourcing financial services a good idea? 

Perhaps you’ve been doing your books on your own for a while. Maybe you have an in-house team dedicated to your finances, but you want to move them to a different department. It’s possible you want to cut costs and be smarter with your budget. 

Any of the above are good reasons to consider letting someone else take charge of the money-tracking department. 

In this article, we will define the types of financial services you can outsource. We will also go deeper into the benefits and risks of letting a third party take care of financial duties. We will also give you some advice on how to outsource and the best practices to follow. 

What is Financial Services Outsourcing?

This is the process of hiring an outside company to handle parts or the entirety of your business’s financial needs. Financial services is an umbrella term that covers a number of roles, tasks, and responsibilities. 

Types of Financial Services Outsourced

Bookkeeping 

This involves all tasks related to maintaining the general ledger of a business. This is basically a journal of all your business transactions. 

A bookkeeper is responsible for bank reconciliation, recording transactions, categorizing them into the proper accounts, and keeping receipts. They can also manage your accounts payable (what you owe) and accounts receivable (what others owe you). Other common duties include expense tracking, paying bills, issuing invoices, and preparing papers for tax filing. They prepare essential financial statements monthly or as needed including your Cash Flow Statement, Balance Sheet, and Income Statement. They tend to work closely or sometimes under an accountant. 

Accounting

Accountants can typically perform all the duties a bookkeeper can. Though they are qualified to perform a variety of other duties, such as 

• Tax preparation, tax filing, and payment 
• Tax planning services
• Auditing duties 
• Creating and presenting budgets and forecasting 
• Managing a team of bookkeepers and clerics

Both accountants and bookkeepers also tend to use accounting software. This software helps automate certain processes, allows for more accuracy, and makes their lives easier. 

Financial Analysis/Strategies

Bookkeepers and accountants can give you some level of financial guidance. Sometimes, however, you need to bring in the big guns. 

A financial analyst and strategist will gather all financial information, interpret the data, and run analyses. They will view key financial metrics,  create spreadsheets, and run reports. After evaluating the data, they can come up with detailed plans to cut costs, increase profitability, and generally improve the financial standing of the business. 

An analyst will also be able to research and recommend potential investment opportunities and other ways to increase business profits.

Payroll

Need help to pay your employees and calculate taxes and withholdings? You can outsource that too! Those in charge of payroll can automate pay schedules with software. They can set up multiple payment options for your employees. Payroll accountants track time off, paid leaves, holiday bonuses, deductions, and overtime pay. They also make sure payroll tax documentation is accurate and complete for filing. 

Benefits of Outsourcing Financial Services

Cost-effective 

Keeping an in-house team has its benefits, but one of them is not cost savings. Wages and salaries are one thing, but consider other factors such as taxes, overheads, paid leave, and other employee benefits. It adds up. An outsourced team would be lighter on your wallet. 

Not to be stingy with paying workers, but you may not be spending your money very effectively. Ask yourself. Are you really getting the most of your in-house financial team? You may find yourself paying a full-time rate when you don’t actually need them to be active that much. You could get by with fractional bookkeepers who can take care of duties on a project basis. 

Expertise and Experience

Consider also that you are getting experts in the field to take care of your financials. These professionals have already developed systems and processes in place. They know how to spot mistakes right away and fix them quickly. They can bring a level of efficiency to your business. Not only that, but a lot of these individuals and teams have worked with other companies and clients before. This means they likely have experience with businesses of all sizes and know how to apply that knowledge to yours. 

Flexibility 

If finance tasks bog you or key members of your business down, consider outsourcing financial services. This frees up core staff to work on more pressing matters, like sales or advertising. Back-office tasks shouldn’t put the actual operation of your business on hold. By outsourcing financial help, you allow yourself to do what you do best and let them do the same. 

Scalability 

The great thing about outsourcing is the freedom it gives you to upscale and downgrade when needed. Is tax season coming up and you need more help? No problem, hire an accounting team to get that done for you. You can work based on hours or projects and hire them again only when you need them. 

Technology

Another factor to consider is the FinTech infrastructure. Not only can they carry the latest, state-of-the-art software, but they also know how to use it. This saves you monthly subscription fees you would likely have to pay on top of paying for those who will use it. 

Risks of Outsourcing Financial Services

Data Security Concerns

This is probably the risk that most are concerned by. Financial data is very sensitive information to hand off to anyone. 

There are a few ways this can be mitigated. For instance, hire a company that has clear data protection policies and security measures in place. 

However, you still cannot guarantee the complete safety of your data when hiring freelancers. Nor can you guarantee they have well-protected data servers or tight lips around the office! 

Lack of Control Over Processes

You won’t have much control or oversight over the course of the project. You have the authority to evaluate meeting schedules, but it can be challenging to arrange them.. This is especially true if they are from different time zones. 

Communication Issues

Remote team management can be challenging. While time zones can allow you to get work done after hours, it can also cause work delays. For instance, if you’re from New York and are hiring in the Philippines, the gap is 13 hours. 

Sometimes you also can’t guarantee they will have a consistent internet connection on their end. 

How to Outsource Financial Services

Identify Business Needs

Before starting your search, ask yourself these questions:

• What type of financial service do you need? 
• Are you partially outsourcing or are you outsourcing the entire process (BPO)? 
• Do you need a full time, part time, or fractional service?
• Do you want an individual or a team? 

Determine Budget

This is a big consideration. You might start by researching the general cost of in-house vs outsourced services. It will be challenging to get an exact amount, but at least you’ll have an idea of what you can afford.

Consider what you can set aside for trial projects, any associated hiring fees, and the services as a whole. 

Find the Right Partner

We can subdivide this step into four key steps: seeking, sifting, selecting, and starting

Step 1: Seeking

This step is all about research. You need to expect that looking for the right fit will take time. Browse popular lists online for outsourcing services and freelance marketplaces. 

Step 2: Sifting

This stage is all about narrowing down your options. This is where you start comparing price points, services offered, and product benefits. One service may offer a free trial month of bookkeeping. The other might offer better value monthly plans. Maybe you’re looking for a solution that can do catch-up bookkeeping which can seamlessly transition to a regular service. 

In this step you set up initial interviews with your select few.  Do they match your values? Would they be a good fit for your company culture? Do you think they can work well with your team? 

Step 3: Selecting 

Finally, after careful consideration you’ve decided to pick one. This step involves negotiations (rate, schedule, etc.) and where you conduct your remote onboarding process. 

Onboarding is all about getting them up to speed on your business and duties. You also set up schedules for check ins and deadlines. 

Step 4: Starting 

You’re now ready to get to work with your new outsourced worker/team! This stage is all about monitoring their performance and building good working relationships. 

Best Practices for Outsourcing Financial Services

Set Clear Expectations / Onboard Well

Create a list of duties, responsibilities, and qualifications and attach it to your job description template. This way, both of you know the needs of your business. Going through these before and during onboarding ensures that you have those needs met. 

Hire from Reputable Sources

To mitigate outsourcing risks, hire from places that are known. Consider looking at client or customer reviews online. These show you a picture of what to expect when working with these services or people. 

Be Upfront

If we’re talking finances, you need to be straight with your accountants and bookkeepers. Make sure to tell them if you have neglected your books for a while. Give them access to account records and any transaction receipts you have. They can’t help you if you aren’t honest. 

Set Up Communication Channels Early

We love to stress this point a lot because this is a significant pain point for a lot of people. As soon as possible, you want to establish what platforms to communicate with. If you prefer a particular platform, let them know. This way, they have time to learn the ins and outs of that platform. 

Cost of Outsourcing Financial Services

These costs depend on how extensive your financial needs are. Below are some rates for common positions we found based on data from Upwork. 

• Bookkeeper – $11-$25/hr
• Accountant – $12-$32/hr
• Financial Managers – $35-$50/hr

Additionally, outsourced bookkeeping services typically cost around $200-$400/mo. Though others, like our friends over at EcomBalance, will give you a custom quote after evaluating your needs. 

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I ensure effective communication with an outsourced financial services provider?

Establish communication channels early. This also includes clarifying when to meet for regular updates. 

What is the typical process for outsourcing financial services?

The process typically follows this pattern:  Research –> Initial Interview –> Selection –> Onboarding –> Performance Monitoring

Can outsourcing financial services help with tax planning and preparation?

Sure! An outsourced accountant can make sure you have all the documents and papers you need for tax season. They can take the not-always fun process off your plate and save you from tax stress and potential errors. 

Just make sure your accountant is fully knowledgeable about your country’s tax laws. International accountants may not be well-versed in the intricacies of local, federal, or state regulations. This is something to consider if you’re offshoring. 

How do I choose the right financial services outsourcing provider?

What Is Outsource School?

Outsource School helps you to unlock the potential of virtual assistants and accelerate your business growth.

This is the exact system Outsource School’s founders, Nathan Hirsch and Connor Gillivan, used to go from zero to 8 figures and 40+ virtual assistants with an exit in 2019.

Since being founded in 2020, Outsource School has helped 1,000+ business owners hire 2,000+ virtual assistants for their companies.

Schedule a free sales call to learn more

Free resources you might like: 

• Outsource School Case Study: How We Scaled to 45+ VAs and 8 Figures in Revenue
• Free VA Calculator | See How Many VAs You Can Afford
• Free Training on 5 Keys to Working With VAs
• Learn Outsourcing 101 | Guides, Downloads, and Checklists

Conclusion

Outsourcing financial services is a valid choice for businesses looking for a cost-effective solution. They can benefit from the flexibility and scalability this option offers. Though there are a few risks, we can mitigate these through careful selection and planning. Follow these best practices, and you’ll avoid a lot of hurt.

Do you know why you should hire a Kajabi virtual assistant?

Kajabi is a great platform for doing courses and various other content. In fact, it’s the most popular one! It’s pretty easy to use, too. But it has tons of features! If you don’t already know how to navigate them all, you’ll spend tons of time learning! On the other hand, if you hire a virtual assistant who knows the ins and outs, you can take full advantage of this tool immediately.

In this post, we’ll look into the benefits of hiring a specialized Kajabi virtual assistant.

What is a Kajabi Virtual Assistant?

Before we can answer this question, let’s get to know Kajabi a little better. 

Kajabi is a comprehensive platform made to help online creators. These can be anyone from content course creators, teachers, coaches, and other knowledge-based entrepreneurs. They offer multiple solutions, opportunities, and marketing pipelines to grow your business and engage your audience. All of them integrate seamlessly together, making it easy to manage everything in one place. Some of these solutions include:

• Website builder
• Landing page builder
• Email marketing automations
• Contact management 
• Automated campaigns and sales funnels
• Hosting for live webinars 
• Payment integrations
• Analytics

So, now that we have a basic understanding of what Kajabi is. What then is a Kajabi VA?

Well, we know that a virtual assistant is a remote worker that is outsourced to perform a task. So, we can say that a Kajabi virtual assistant is someone who is skilled in using the Kajabi platform. They are someone who can help you bring your business ideas to life through Kajabi.

For this article, we will discuss all forms of Kajabi assistance.

Benefits of Hiring a Kajabi VA

Technical Expertise 

You don’t have to spend time learning the platform or going through the courses. If something goes wrong or you hit a wall, your Kajabi assistant will be able to find a solution. 

Time Saver

Maybe you’re busy writing and editing the course material. You probably don’t have time to actually set up the whole thing. It’s not your expertise! A Kajabi virtual assistant can do the implementation for you. That’s their expertise!

Skills and Qualifications Required for a Kajabi VA

Knowledge of the Platform

This is the most obvious qualification. Kajabi has a ton of free resources that teach people about their platform. They call this Kajabi University. It’s an entire library that will help orient you on all that the site has to offer. These contain hours of material. A Kajabi VA has to at the very least know the info contained within. This isn’t to say they have to go through these courses specifically. But, they should commit to continuing education as the platform grows and updates. 

Real Experience on the Platform 

Ideally, your Kajabi VA should have experience working on real campaigns with past clients. This is more so a requirement for Kajabi advisors and strategists than entry-level assistants. Experience is essential because they will be able to tell you how well certain campaigns performed. They will also track how the audience responded. 

Digital Marketing Experience 

Now, this isn’t a hard and fast requirement. However, the more experience they have with marketing, the more effective they will be. For instance, say you were a food and fitness influencer looking to create a course. They would probably know how to conduct some market research for your target audience. A VA can also analyze successful influencers’ course structure, language use, and attention-grabbing techniques.

How to Find and Hire a Kajabi VA

You can find and hire VAs in many different ways. We recommend that you use online platforms. This makes the whole process quite comfortable. Having a platform partner is also an extra layer of safety for you.

When you begin looking for a VA, start with a job description. Sit down and outline what you need done. Then think about the skills that you expect them to have. You don’t have to know all the intricacies of the job. (That’s why you’re hiring someone to do it for you!) Just list out the practical aspects of the skill level you expect. Then you can add in all the soft skills that you want them to possess. This can be stuff like sending daily work reports, morning check-ins, fluent English, and a positive attitude.

Once you have the job description written out clearly, you can upload it. We recommend starting with the most reputable freelance marketplaces and hiring platforms. If you want some tips on where to hire safely, we have a post on the best virtual assistant websites.  There isn’t any objectively best choice, though. What is going to work best for you is highly dependent on your needs and preferences. You may even have some very specific requirements that only a few niche agencies can provide.

Once you get recommendations from your platform of choice, you can start interviewing. Keep your core needs in mind as you speak to the candidates. Don’t hesitate to ask probing questions about their skills and experience. You never want to settle when hiring a VA but hit all your main targets. Even if you need to pay more to get top quality help, it’s worth it in the end.

How Much Should You Pay a Kajabi VA?

Because this is a niche type of VA skillset, you can expect that will reflect in their rates. Additionally, depending on the type of help you need, the rates will be different. 

Most web design projects will cost upwards of $120. If you’re looking for more of a managerial role for your courses and other projects, that could cost around $40 or more an hour.  

Examples of Tasks That Can Be Assigned to a Kajabi VA

Data Entry 

This is the most basic task. Essentially, what they will do here is obtain the materials from you and put them into pages. They will input the course copy, format it, and arrange information in your specified chapters. A Kajabi VA can also input other information that will show up on your landing pages, emails, newsletters, and such. 

Email Contact List Management

Kajabi has an email list feature that works with their landing page feature. Most of the collection process is automated. You do need the VA, however, for tasks like tagging your customers based on behavior. This allows you to target them better for certain email campaigns. They also update information as needed. 

Email Marketing

A Kajabi virtual assistant can use the built-in email templates to customize your emails. This way, all your content and marketing will fit your brand. They can also set up automations that send out emails when a visitor or lead triggers a certain action. For instance, say someone goes to your landing page and inputs their information. You can set up rules that trigger an email welcome series. Perhaps this email could include promotions or a link to sign up to a newsletter. 

Strategy, Advisory, and Guidance

This is less of a task and more of a role. A Kajabi strategist will give you tips and tricks on how to market yourself more effectively on the platform. This includes coming alongside you while creating your course, plan, etc. They can provide feedback and edits to make sure your offer is as polished as can be at launch. 

Website and Landing Page Design

Through Kajabi’s landing page builder, they can create attention grabbing pages that convert. Their website builder allows you to do sales funnels, too, and implement related strategies.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a Kajabi virtual assistant handle other tasks?

As long as these tasks are Kajabi-related, yes. There is a premium for having expertise in a niche. Having them do unrelated tasks wouldn’t be cost efficient or skill efficient.

However, say you do email marketing through Kajabi and want someone to manage that entire process. Hiring someone knowledgeable about Kajabi might be helpful in filling that role. 

Is it safe to outsource Kajabi tasks to a virtual assistant?

Yes, it is safe to outsource to a virtual assistant as long as you are hiring from reputable or well-known marketplaces. You want to have all the protections that you can get. Make sure there are measures for data and intellectual property protection, too. 

How Do I train a Kajabi Virtual assistant?

There is no official certification or formal training out there. However, if you’re considering having a current VA become a Kajabi VA, Kajabi’s got you. Kajabi University contains a lot of courses and material for free. Your VA can start by going through these and learning about the platform from there. Then, you can conduct a trial run for specific competencies like web design, course creation, email marketing, etc. Note that this training will be at your own expense. 

What Is Outsource School?

Outsource School helps you to unlock the potential of virtual assistants and accelerate your business growth.

This is the exact system Outsource School’s founders, Nathan Hirsch and Connor Gillivan, used to go from zero to 8 figures and 40+ virtual assistants with an exit in 2019.

Since being founded in 2020, Outsource School has helped 1,000+ business owners hire 2,000+ virtual assistants for their companies.

Schedule a free sales call to learn more

Free resources you might like: 

• Outsource School Case Study: How We Scaled to 45+ VAs and 8 Figures in Revenue
• Free VA Calculator | See How Many VAs You Can Afford
• Free Training on 5 Keys to Working With VAs
• Learn Outsourcing 101 | Guides, Downloads, and Checklists

Conclusion

All things considered, the best reason to hire a Kajabi virtual assistant is time. Anyone can learn how to use Kajabi – it’s built that way! However, your time is so valuable and best spent where you excel. When you hire specialized help, you actually pay less considering the time and effort you will save. 

 

Are you in need of a digital marketing virtual assistant?

Online marketing has given so many small businesses a chance to thrive. The online audience is so big that it could arguably be the main place to advertise in the near future. 

In this article, we will go through several ways digital marketing VA can help your business. With proper digital marketing, we know it can reach greater success. 

What is a Digital Marketing Virtual Assistant?

A digital marketing virtual assistant is any VA who helps you advertise your business. They will have your target audience in mind and use a variety of methods. 

19 Ways a Digital Marketing Virtual Assistant Can Help Grow Your Business

1. Social Media Management

These platforms get a ton of users every day. If your business doesn’t have a social media account, you should get at least one. Otherwise, you can’t reap the benefits of getting your brand out to more people. 

Social media managers help you schedule content and post it. They make sure also that the content you post matches the aesthetic, tone, and message of your brand. They can create many types of social media ads from reels, shorts, and other graphics and videos. 

2. Email Marketing

This type of marketing uses one of the most popular forms of online correspondence. An email marketing assistant can help create and categorize contact lists. These are lists of people who have expressed interest in your products and/or services and have given their details. They can send targeted mass emails to segments of this audience. The type of content sent includes: 

• newsletters
• promotional materials
• welcome series emails
• abandoned cart reminders
• transaction emails

They also make use of email marketing automation like Mailchimp. 

3. Content Marketing

This is all about how to put your content out so it’s available and attractive to your targets. The aim is to create engaging content that people are drawn to. This includes copywriting, blog-post writing, and other strategies that leverage content. 

4. Search Engine Optimization

SEO refers to a list of factors that determine your search engine rankings. If you want organic traffic to your website, you need a strong SEO strategy. This involves keyword bidding, linking, on and off-page optimization, and more. 

5. Sales Funnel Creation

A sales funnel comes in many forms.‌ Though it typically has 5 stages: Discovery, Interest, Comparison, Decision and Action.  It functions to help businesses understand how customers think and plan around that. A funnel shows the customer journey from awareness of your brand to considering purchasing to becoming a paying customer. To encourage repeat sales, businesses can offer loyalty programs during the post-purchase stage.

6. PPC Campaign Management

If SEO was organic search engine marketing, PPC is paid SEM. PPC stands for pay-per-click. It is a campaign where you pay a certain amount every time a visitor clicks your ad. This type of paid advertising also involves keyword bidding, testing ad copy, and creating a landing page with a strong call to action. 

7. Graphic Design

Whether it’s a company logo, website, or social media graphics, a graphic designer is a necessity. These individuals are responsible for creating attractive visuals. This can be for grabbing attention, communicating a message, or conveying your brand visually. 

8. Affiliate Management

Affiliate marketing is where third parties promote another brand’s products. They usually get a percentage of the profits from sales from their advertising. Alternatively, they can accept other benefits, depending on the arrangement.

Affiliate managers are responsible for affiliate recruitment. They also maintain relationships and improve the performance of affiliate relationships. They communicate with those in the network and ensure they are well-equipped. 

9. Partnership Management

This is a step above affiliate marketing where two companies combine their efforts and promote each other’s products.  Partnership management is similar to affiliate management. They communicate with partners to ensure mutual and respective goals are being met on both sides. 

10. Analytics and Reporting

Whatever the campaign, your digital marketing virtual assistant can run reports and analytics to gauge its effectiveness. Your virtual assistant for digital marketing tracks crucial metrics and notes any changes after trying out different tactics.

11. Website Management

Your website is essentially the face of your brand. Therefore, you must ensure that everything on your website is well-organized, enhances the customer journey, and represents your brand effectively. A website manager’s duties involve:

• Handling content on a website blog. This includes sourcing engaging images and videos.
• Editing, updating, or removing outdated content 
• Formulating strategies to improve web traffic. They typically have some SEO knowledge to improve web rankings. 
• Making sure all pages are working properly. They conduct website tests and try to improve performance. 
• Hosting and server management
• Coding and other technical duties

12. Video Editing

Video is probably the most engaging form of ads out there. With the advent and popularity of short-form content, a video editor must know how to grab attention immediately. They naturally must be proficient in editing software like Adobe Premiere and Final Cut Pro. These people must know how to adapt to short and long form formats for social media. 

13. Mobile Advertising

This is marketing aimed at targeting mobile users. More than half of website traffic comes from mobile users in 2023. That’s small compared to the fact that over 90% of net users access the web through a mobile device. This is why this form is popular. Your internet marketing virtual assistant can help you reach these users through:

• Social media
• SMS/text marketing 
• Location-based marketing 
• Ads in mobile apps
• Mobile app push notifications 

14. Lead Generation

Lead generation is a key element to consider when outsourcing sales and marketing. This process involves grabbing the attention of a potential customer (lead). This is near the top of your sales funnel. It involves using the various marketing methods discussed to attract prospects.

15. CRM Management

Customer relationship management involves improving your business’s relations with its customer base. This includes creating and implementing strategies to improve customer experience, satisfaction, and retention.  

16. Marketing Automation

Your digital marketing virtual assistant can help you save time and increase productivity via automation. These marketing technologies enable you to automate campaigns based on certain conditions. You can run multiple campaigns across multiple channels simultaneously with ease. These allow you to use customer data in the system and create automatic delivery systems for promotional campaign material.

17. Strategy Building

Maybe you’re happy with the platform you’ve chosen for your marketing. However, maybe you aren’t getting the results you want. Your VA can help you reformulate and reimagine your campaigns. They can lend a fresh perspective and provide helpful insights and tactics. They can improve lead generation, lead nurturing, sales funnel optimization, retargeting campaigns, and more. 

18. Promotions

These refer to certain announcements or tactics implemented by businesses about their products or services. They include commonly known tactics such as:

• product sales
• free samples or free trials
• coupons
• discounts
• limited time offers
• bundles
• membership exclusive deals (loyalty rewards programs) 

These can also include publicity posts for a new product launch or a restock of a popular item.

19. Market Research

Hoping to build your audience? Maybe you want to know which platforms or techniques will be most effective. You want to reach those audiences, right?

Want to know customer behavior, trends within your demographic, and popular marketing tactics? Perhaps you want to peak at your competition in the market and learn from them. 

A digital marketing virtual assistant can actually accomplish all this and more! 

What Skills Does a Digital Marketing Virtual Assistant Need to Have?

Ability to Work Well Under Pressure

The world of digital marketing can be a high-stress, fast-paced environment. Someone who can handle a variety of tasks and marketing campaigns all at once is a valuable asset. With multiple platforms often involved, they need to schedule tasks well so they don’t get overwhelmed. 

Strong Work Ethic

Advertising and marketing management is no simple task. The digital space is ever evolving. With attention spans at an all-time low, businesses must stay on top of their game. If they don’t, they won’t catch their targets’ attention. And they’ll also lose their chances to engage with their audience. So, businesses need to post on multiple platforms practically every day. Your VA needs to juggle these.

Effective Communication Skills

Digital marketers need to communicate their ideas and strategies effectively. This is not only so that the rest of the team can implement it. It’s also so that the company can get behind the idea and give it their full support. The members can also contribute their own ideas. 

Research Skills

A digital marketer needs to know how to find relevant information related to their duties. They must stay current on the latest trends and platforms. They will be researching audiences, competitors, and new advertising opportunities. 

Tips for Working with a Digital Marketing Virtual Assistant

Review their portfolio

An internet marketing virtual assistant should have a portfolio of their previous work experience, graphics, and campaigns. Someone with less experience will have less in their portfolio but may cost less. That’s a risk you need to weigh properly. A portfolio shows you if they’ve worked with similar businesses. 

If working with someone specializing in graphic design, this is crucial. You can view their skill and style and evaluate if they fit with your branding. 

Onboard them well 

Too much information is better than not enough. Make sure they have an in-depth knowledge of your company. This includes the culture, tone, brand, mission, vision, values, and target customers. Provide all details ahead of time, especially if your aim is for a particular aesthetic or style. 

Early Involvement 

Be involved in the process but don’t be domineering. You probably should be involved in approving certain campaigns, designs, ad copy, etc. You should do this at least in the beginning until you have built enough trust to give them more leeway. Once they’ve proven their effectiveness, you can start giving them the reins. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I find a reliable digital marketing virtual assistant?

We recommend popular freelance platforms like MarketerHire, Upwork, Fiverr, and Freelancer.com. 

What qualifications should a digital marketing virtual assistant have?

Anyone can have the skills to promote products without a degree. But you probably want someone who is knowledgeable about popular trends and culture. Good research skills are a must. They must be knowledgeable about the platforms you use for advertising. You might hire a marketer with specialized knowledge related to SEO or PPC. 

How do I train a Digital Marketing VA for my business?

So, you know how to hire a virtual assistant for internet marketing. Now you learn the answer to this question close behind that. We recommend educating VAs thoroughly on your brand. They also need to know what your marketing goals and objectives are. You should also address any skill gaps they may have. For instance, you should orient them on any proprietary or preferred software you use. 

How do I ensure data security and privacy when working with a virtual assistant?

You can mitigate data security risks by hiring through reputable marketplaces. You can also write up legal contracts for extra protection. 

How much does a digital marketing VA cost?

According to several sources, the rates for a digital marketer can range from $10-$35. (These sources include Upwork and Fiverr.) This depends on the specific type of work and level of expertise. More expert level freelancers can charge upwards of $50/hr. 

What Is Outsource School?

Outsource School helps you to unlock the potential of virtual assistants and accelerate your business growth.

This is the exact system Outsource School’s founders, Nathan Hirsch and Connor Gillivan, used to go from zero to 8 figures and 40+ virtual assistants with an exit in 2019.

Since being founded in 2020, Outsource School has helped 1,000+ business owners hire 2,000+ virtual assistants for their companies.

Schedule a free sales call to learn more

Free resources you might like: 

• Outsource School Case Study: How We Scaled to 45+ VAs and 8 Figures in Revenue
• Free VA Calculator | See How Many VAs You Can Afford
• Free Training on 5 Keys to Working With VAs
• Learn Outsourcing 101 | Guides, Downloads, and Checklists

Conclusion

A digital marketing virtual assistant can help bring your brand in front of more people. Are you convinced yet? Hopefully, we’ve done a good job of marketing them to you!

 

You may not realize it, but you may be someone who needs a virtual assistant. 

There are many instances where a VA could be a great investment. Below we’ve listed 11 most popular cases where people may need some remote help. 

1. Overwhelming Email Inbox

Do you have too many emails to answer in a day? Find yourself spending hours replying to people before you even start other work? Are you endlessly scrolling just to find key information within an email buried under a hundred others? If any of the above situations apply to you, it might be time to hire an inbox management VA. 

Some of their email management tasks would involve:

• Organizing emails into folders and applying labels and filters to make everything easy to locate
• Deleting junk emails and setting up spam settings for unwanted newsletters, subscriptions, and the like 
• Managing and sorting your list of contacts for mass emails 
• Responding to emails

2. Administrative Tasks Piling Up

Perhaps you’re looking for an assistant in the more traditional sense of the word. Maybe you need help with a wider array of clerical tasks that require less in-depth knowledge. In that case, you might consider hiring a general VA. They can help you book flights, answer calls and general emails, and compile certain documents. They can also be assistants who assist other VAs and fill in gaps where you need them. 

Perhaps you require someone with a little more managerial experience. An executive virtual assistant can help you organize and implement work as head over other general VAs. They can take charge over internal communications between in-house workers or other VAs. They can take meeting minutes and remind other assistants of their duties. Some executive VAs can also be responsible for onboarding new hires or helping in the hiring process. 

3. Social Media Management Becoming Time-Consuming

Maintaining and building a social media presence for your business is no piece of cake. It requires some marketing, some content creation, and people skills. On top of other tasks like product/service development and sales, this can become overlooked. Either that, or you get overworked trying to keep up with the demands associated with engaging an audience. A social media VA can take these tasks on for you. 

These VAs will know how to manage your Facebook and Instagram profiles through Meta Business Suite. They would also know how to use other social media advertising and marketing tools. 

Their duties include:

• Creating and scheduling posts
• Liking and replying to comments
• Market research and analytics 
• Ensuring posts align with company values and branding

4. Data Entry and Document Management Backlog

The email-backlogged is not the only person who needs a virtual assistant. Other businesses may neglect data and documents too. You may require regularly updated customer records or simply better organization systems for your files. Never again waste time skimming through folders and drives looking for the right information and let a VA take care of that. 

A VA can help you with all your data entry needs, from updating spreadsheets to transferring files across destinations. Quickly access information to share with partners, investors, and your team.

5. Inability to Handle Appointment Scheduling and Calendar Management

If you’re anything like most people, there have been times where you’ve arranged two different meetings at the same time. One of them might have had to be pushed to later in the day or rescheduled completely. It’s an honest mistake, especially if you’re thinking about how to fit other tasks into a busy work-week.

Give a VA access to your calendar and let them take care of organizing your appointments. They can schedule meetings internally and with external parties, like suppliers and other business partners, via call or email. They can also assist with the hiring process and schedule interviews. Use a shared calendar and work together with them to organize your daily, weekly, and even monthly schedules in advance. This way meetings don’t sneak up on you and you have more time to focus on other duties.

6. Unable to Handle Customer Support and Inquiries

One or two customer inquiries a day is manageable. However, if you’re getting enough that you’re spending hours answering simple questions, then you may need a customer service VA. 

These VAs can help you with a variety of customer support related-tasks. For instance,  can hire a live chat VA who will engage customers on your website and help them in real time. They can set up automated quick response chats and direct customers to certain pages like your FAQs. If you don’t have an FAQ section, a customer service VA  may also help you with its development. They can also manage a separate email specifically for customer inquiries. 

Customer service is crucial to growing your business. So, you want to make sure you have enough of an infrastructure to support all customer questions and concerns.

7. Blog Post Writing and Content Creation Backlog

Blog management and content creation is almost a necessity in this day and age. Whether it’s a website or social media, content is important to drawing attention and attracting potential consumers. Another level to that is SEO, which is important if you want your website and its pages to rank on SERPs (search engine results pages).  

Add a content writer or copywriter to your team to create quality, engaging content for your audience. With knowledge of SEO best practices, they can level up your content to cater to both humans and search engines.

Let a blog manager take charge of posting and scheduling on your website. 

Blog managers can:

• Head your team of writers
• Ensure things get pushed out in a timely manner
• Check if existing content needs updating
• Check if there are gaps in your current content collection that might be beneficial to write about
• Make sure there is no duplicate content or plagiarism 

8. Unable to Do Research for Various Projects

Research is a skill. Almost everyone has the internet at their fingertips, but not everyone knows the right sources. Not everyone knows how to find accurate and useful information. We can’t always find information through a quick Google search. Research can take a lot of time. Correction. GOOD RESEARCH takes a lot of time. This is especially true if, for instance, you need scientific evidence to support certain product claims. Excellent research wins the trust of consumers and helps you avoid legal trouble. 

You can hire general internet research VAs. Alternatively, you can also hire VAs with specialized knowledge. Though, that might be more challenging and costs extra. 

9. Not Doing Bookkeeping and Expense Tracking

Financial management is often overlooked. This is unfortunate, seeing as a lot of companies fail due to poor money-management. You might be spending hours on your books monthly. Maybe you have no idea how to do taxes. Maybe, even, your relationship with your accountant is strained because of poor bookkeeping. If this is you, you may be someone who needs a virtual assistant to take care of the financial back-office.

This is where a bookkeeping VA or a fractional bookkeeper comes in. Bookkeepers can help you keep your finances tidy, track your spending, issue invoices, pay bills, and organize key reports monthly. Some can even manage your payroll duties for you.

You can also hire a virtual accountant for needs like tax filing and compliance, budgeting and forecasting, and financial analysis. They can provide financial guidance and share key insights on your financial reports. 

10. Unable to Do Lead Generation and Database Management

You can have the best or service product on earth, but without customers, it only helps you. Lead generation is an essential part of the sales funnel. This is the process of getting the attention of potential customers and nurturing their interest. The ideal end of that customer journey is a conversion or sale.

However, this can be quite a pain-staking process. You can outsource this process to an individual or lead generation team.

These people can help you with

• email marketing
• content marketing
• landing page optimization
• cold calling
• other advertising techniques

They can also maintain and update your customer information database. This database allows them to target customers more effectively. 

11. Unable to Keep Up With or Get More Sales

It’s one thing to have difficulty making a sale, it’s another thing to not be able to keep up with a high sales volume. While the latter is definitely a better problem to have, you probably want it solved. 

You can hire sales VAs and a sales management VA to help get your sales force organized. They can help build your sales strategies, plan for high-volume seasons, and even coordinate with those in charge of inventory management. They work closely with your marketing team to produce leads and are an essential component to nurture them towards conversion. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Is hiring a Virtual Assistant cost-effective?

Absolutely! There are several ways a VA can help you save costs. 

For one, you don’t have to worry about taxes, employee benefits, or other overheads typical of in-house hires. 

A full-time or even part-time salary of an in-house worker will come out to be much higher than a VA. This is because you can hire a virtual assistant on an hourly or project basis. This is more cost-efficient because you only pay for the hours they are actually working. 

Second, the most popular countries to outsource have lower costs of living. This affects the rates of virtual assistants. If you’re hiring from places like the UK or the US, local rates will be much higher. 

How do I find and hire a Virtual Assistant?

We recommend finding a reliable VA through reputable freelance marketplaces like Upwork, PeoplePerHour, and Freelancer. 

Do I need to provide training to a Virtual Assistant?

Not necessarily. A lot of VAs already have a mix of experience, education, and certifications. 

Someone who needs a virtual assistant might want to hire someone with less experience or skill and handle training themselves. Some actually prefer to do this with entry-level freelancers. Because they are more of a clean slate, they are easier to train in certain processes and work habits and culture. However, if you go this route, you  will be the one to shoulder the cost and the risk. 

How do I ensure data security and confidentiality with a Virtual Assistant?

There is always a level of risk when hiring freelancers. However, hiring from reputable places will mitigate this risk. 

You can also have lawyers write up contracts between you and the freelancer. 

Can I hire a Virtual Assistant for personal tasks?

Sure you can! 

A personal general virtual assistant can help you:

• book travel arrangements
• schedule personal meetings
• do your personal finance bookkeeping and accounting, and more

What Is Outsource School?

Outsource School helps you to unlock the potential of virtual assistants and accelerate your business growth.

This is the exact system Outsource School’s founders, Nathan Hirsch and Connor Gillivan, used to go from zero to 8 figures and 40+ virtual assistants with an exit in 2019.

Since being founded in 2020, Outsource School has helped 1,000+ business owners hire 2,000+ virtual assistants for their companies.

Schedule a free sales call to learn more

Free resources you might like: 

• Outsource School Case Study: How We Scaled to 45+ VAs and 8 Figures in Revenue
• Free VA Calculator | See How Many VAs You Can Afford
• Free Training on 5 Keys to Working With VAs
• Learn Outsourcing 101 | Guides, Downloads, and Checklists

Conclusion

So, who needs a virtual assistant? Well, from our list we can see that anyone can benefit from a VA. They can help you save time and provide expertise and efficient processes anywhere from creative tasks to organization. If you relate with any of these situations, this might be your sign to start looking for one.

Feel like we didn’t touch on something you relate to? Please let us know in the comments!

Ever think about outsourcing? Not sure where to start or how it works? You’ve come to the right place. This article goes over the true cost of not outsourcing and unveiling the benefits of having a virtual assistant. 

Alright, let’s talk about being busy – that elusive badge of honor that seems to have taken over our lives.  “I’m busy; therefore, I matter,  and I’’m important.” But let’s cut through the noise for a moment. Being busy doesn’t necessarily mean you’re effective, despite what our overworked culture might lead you to believe. And if you’re an entrepreneur, you’ve probably found yourself buried under a mountain of routine tasks that make you wonder if you’re in the business of being busy or if you’re actually moving the needle. 

The Cost of Not Outsourcing

Many entrepreneurs find themselves swamped with routine tasks that could be easily delegated or doing tasks they simply don’t enjoy. This prevents them from dedicating their time and expertise to more high-value activities. This misconception can hinder growth and progress in business. By not outsourcing tasks that can be handled by virtual assistants, individuals inadvertently focus on low-value tasks that could be easily delegated.  Think back to the last year, the last two years, and the last five years. What actions made an impact on your business? Make a list of those actions and keep it as a reminder of your areas of expertise and what you need to spend more time focusing on. Anything outside that list, think about how and what type of person that could be delegated to. 

We have to stop undervaluing our skills. Time is a finite resource, and how it is allocated can greatly influence the trajectory of a business. When business owners are bogged down by administrative chores, they lose the chance to engage in high-value work – tasks that require their unique skills, experience, and expertise.  Examples of high-value work may include strategic planning, client relationship management, product line expansion, creative problem-solving, and decision-making. By hiring virtual assistants to handle mundane tasks, individuals unlock the capacity to channel their energy into activities that directly impact growth.

What Kind of Tasks Can VAs Help With?

•  Email Management: Sorting, responding, and organizing emails to ensure important communications aren’t missed.
• Calendar Management: Scheduling appointments, meetings, and events to keep your calendar on track.
• Travel Arrangements: Researching and booking flights, accommodations, and transportation for business trips.
• Data Entry: Inputting and organizing data into spreadsheets or databases.
• Research: Gathering information, market trends, or competitor analysis for strategic decision-making.
• Social Media Management: Posting content, responding to comments, and monitoring social media accounts.
• Customer Support: Handling inquiries, providing support, and addressing customer concerns.
• Content Creation: Drafting blog posts, social media updates, or newsletters based on provided guidelines.
• Document Formatting: Creating professional-looking documents, presentations, and reports.
• Appointment Scheduling: Coordinating and confirming appointments with clients, partners, and stakeholders.
• Online Research: Find resources, articles, or contacts relevant to your business goals.
• File Organization: Organizing digital files and documents for easy access and retrieval.
• Basic Bookkeeping: Managing expense tracking, invoices, and financial record keeping.
• Proofreading and Editing: Reviewing documents for errors, consistency, and clarity.
• Inbox Filtering: Sorting and prioritizing emails, flagging important messages for your attention.
• Event Planning: Coordinating logistics for webinars, workshops, or conferences.
• Personal Errands: Handling personal tasks like gift shopping, booking appointments, and making reservations.
• Online Outreach: Reaching out to potential collaborators, partners, or influencers on your behalf.

Imagine a seasoned business owner spending hours every week on email correspondence and scheduling appointments. This scenario highlights the opportunity cost of not outsourcing. While the business owner’s expertise lies in negotiating and strategic thinking, the time spent on administrative tasks detracts from their ability to make higher-value decisions. The monetary value of their expertise far outweighs the cost of hiring a virtual assistant to manage their administrative workload. By not delegating, professionals inadvertently dilute the value they bring to the table. The value of your expertise far outweighs the price tag of hiring a virtual assistant who can elegantly manage those admin waters.

Steps to Take Before Outsourcing

In the world of entrepreneurship, relinquishing control is a strategic move that shouldn’t be underestimated. As business owners, we often feel the need to micromanage every detail, yet this approach can be counterproductive. One person can only do so much work in a day, and if we are working on low-level tasks, we are distracted from making higher-impact decisions. 

Understanding the true cost of not outsourcing is the first step. To harness the benefits of hiring virtual assistants, consider the following action steps:

• Identify Time-Consuming Tasks: Make a list of tasks that consume a significant portion of your time but don’t require your specific expertise. These are prime candidates for outsourcing.
• Evaluate Potential ROI: Calculate the time you’ll save by outsourcing these tasks and estimate the value of the high-impact work you can dedicate that time to. Compare this potential ROI with the cost of hiring a virtual assistant.
• Find the Right Fit: Research and connect with reputable virtual assistant services or individuals who align with your needs and values.
• Delegate Wisely: Clearly communicate tasks, expectations, and goals to your virtual assistant. Regular check-ins and open communication are key to a successful partnership.
• Monitor and Adjust: Keep track of the impact outsourcing has on your productivity and overall well-being. Adjust your approach as needed to optimize the arrangement.

The idea of the perfect assistant is a fallacy that takes away from us taking action and hiring someone. The first person you hire doesn’t need to be the last person you hire.  Many times my best assistants evolved with me over time. The better I got at delegating, the more empowered my assistants became.  If anything, the first person you hire is an exercise in giving up control and a way to practice the skill of delegating. Delegating is a skill. It is not something people are used to doing since in school we are trained to do our work, and anything “delegated” would be seen as cheating and, we would be punished for it. However, in business, delegation is a crucial skill to help us be more productive and focus on our true strengths. 

What to Look For in a Virtual Assistant

One way to find more success with your first hire is to look for a couple of very specific traits— proactive, resourceful, and the ability to think critically. I want to avoid having to micromanage, therefore I make sure to find people who are problem solvers and able to look things up on their own without always needing step-by-step guidance. These traits will save time and headaches in the long run and I have found my most successful hires vetting for these characteristics. 

In a world where time is money, the true cost of not outsourcing goes way beyond dollars and cents. It’s about missed opportunities, underestimating your brilliance, and throwing away precious hours that could be spent on game-changing moves. By shaking off the misconception that being busy equals being effective and embracing tasks that truly matter, you’re making the kind of informed choices that can elevate your productivity and provide greater freedom in your business. 

If any this article on the true cost of not outsourcing resonates with you, shoot me a message. And if you need help hiring for a role, reach out to us!  Contact us at theresa@recruittandem.com or visit our website at recruittandem.com to fill out our start hiring form. We are a headhunting agency that finds overseas talent for a fraction of the cost.

What Is Outsource School?

Outsource School helps you to unlock the potential of virtual assistants and accelerate your business growth.

This is the exact system Outsource School’s founders, Nathan Hirsch and Connor Gillivan, used to go from zero to 8 figures and 40+ virtual assistants with an exit in 2019.

Since being founded in 2020, Outsource School has helped 1,000+ business owners hire 2,000+ virtual assistants for their companies.

Schedule a free sales call to learn more

Free resources you might like: 

• Outsource School Case Study: How We Scaled to 45+ VAs and 8 Figures in Revenue
• Free VA Calculator | See How Many VAs You Can Afford
• Free Training on 5 Keys to Working With VAs
• Learn Outsourcing 101 | Guides, Downloads, and Checklists