What tasks do you use Virtual Assistants For?

Question

I'm considering hiring a virtual assistant to take care of some task for my REI. What are some things you guys use VAs for? I would also be interested in interns but I don't really have a curriculum for them to learn from. Do you have any recommendations?

Account Closed · Answer

Instead of hiring VAs for your business, you should seriously consider hiring interns. Instead of paying them an hourly wage, I just pay them on a commission base (20-50% of the profits of the deals that come through them). I work with several interns (about 13 and counting) across the country. Now, I'm really starting to see the value of interns and how building a team of them can really take your business to a whole new level.

VAs can be a big waste of time and money. The great thing about interns is, the worst that could happen is that you get a bad intern (I've had quite a few.) But in that case, just hire another one (or a couple more.) There's no limit to how many you can work with and you don't need to pay them unless they make money (in which case you both make money.)

I have a recently been helping other people hire their own interns by giving them all the files and resources that I use to hire and manage my interns (job descriptions, interview script, email templates, list of tasks, etc.)  I'd be more than willing to share any and all these files with you or anyone else that

April Sullivan · Answer

I'll take the other side of this topic.  As a Real Estate Virtual Assistant, this week I have:

-Pulled all MLS activity and added it to my client's monthly market update flyer - using a template I created 6 months ago
-Contacted leads via email for another client that are emailed to me daily
-Added said leads to client gateway in MLS and drip in Top Producer
-Added new listings to the wordpress site that I built for another client
-Coordinated the closing of 3 files for another
-Added listings to vflyer, postlets, craigslist etc. for multiple clients
-Designed a Prezi and a new newsletter (this was over the last 2 weeks)

This is a typical week in my company, with 2 VA's working together to bring high quality results to agents - hopefully it helps you decide the best way to work with a VA!

Marie Madsen · Answer

I hired a home based virtual assistant to do my schedules, emails and sometimes to proofread some blogs that I had before. Those tedious tasks, they did for me. I'm also planning to include social media management for them soon. I don't have time for it.

Danica Balaga · Answer

Virtual Assistants will make your life easier and will give you more time to focus on the important tasks.

Here are the few benefits of having a virtual assistant

• Screen your e-mail and respond on your behalf
• Schedule and confirm your appointments
• Book your travel arrangements
• Make calls on your behalf
• Perform miscellaneous research
• Fill out expense reports and track reimbursements
• Create invoices and post payments
• Manage any projects you don’t want to handle

The best part of it is that you have the option of hiring a part time or full time VA depending on your load work.

Ben Wilson · Answer

We currently have 2 VAs working for us.  One that does internet research and data entry - probate leads, vacant house leads, craigslist leads, etc.  She's in the Philippines and we pay her about $1.50/hr.

The second listens to all our seller voice mails, sets them up in our database, makes the first call to gather most of the info, and occasionally makes some follow up calls to get add'l info or see how flexible they are on price.  She's in Argentina and we pay her $4/hr.  We found both on odesk and have been extremely pleased with the results.

Joel Owens · Answer

I have looked at places like www.odesk.com

You can find low rates for like 1.50 a hour.Problem is some are from other countries.

I don't feel comfortable giving that kind of information.There are some local people but there rates are what I consider high.

So for now I do on my own.It might be better for me to hire someone full time but then I have insurance and taxes etc. which drives costs way up.

For now I am kind of stuck with doing nothing with it.

Brooks Conkle · Answer

In the last few months I've used a VA to:
-type up a 5 page contracts from .pdf (we needed to make changes to it)
-research buyers on public records

My experience has had ups and downs but I would like to integrate VA's into my business on a more consistent basis.

I will give more feedback as I have the experience to do so :)

Chris Walker · Answer

I have a VA for

* Audio transcription.
* PDF to Doc conversions.
* Data research to fill in blanks for spreadsheet.
* Translation of documents to 2nd language.
* Setup of virtual events.

I've got a growing list of what I will share with my VA, but slowing adding tasks as I feel comfortable with VA skill level.

I have had some failures and wasted money.

Joshua Dorkin · Answer

Vickie - 
You might find these articles helpful:
- 4 Key Lessons I Learned From my Rotten Virtual Assistant Experience
- Six Helpful Tools Your Virtual Assistant Can Use For Your Real Estate Business

I'm sure others have feedback as well...

What tasks do you use Virtual Assistants For?

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