Virtual Assistants, Part 2 of 2: So You Hired a Virtual Assistant… Now What?

Happy Monday, and welcome back to our 2-part blog series. This final blog will discuss what types of work you should consider assigning to a Virtual Assistant after you’ve done the legwork of finding someone to hire.

There are many tasks in your firm that can probably be completed by an offsite employee that you may not even be aware of! To ensure success with your new employee, be sure to set an upfront agreement about your expectations of them. Some things to be clear about before your VA starts work:

• How many hours will they be expected to work?
• What hours will they be working? Do you expect them to work the same hours you and others in your firm are working, or will you give them a lists of tasks to complete at hours they designate? Be very clear about your expectations of how their work hours should work. If you expect them to be working the same hours you are working but they aren’t used to that type of arrangement, you may run into some issues down the road.
• How will you be communicating with each other? Will you use Skype or Slack? Or is email fast enough for both of you?
• How will you manage projects? Be clear about what tools, platforms, and software will be used so you can both keep an eye on progress being made.
• Does your VA have the same versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc. that you do? You’ll want to make sure you are operating with the same versions so files aren’t corrupted during your exchanges back and forth. If your VA needs to upgrade their software, be sure you have a clear understanding of whose responsibility it will be to pay for and procure it.
• If your VA will be making calls on your behalf, do they have a landline to use? If they do not, and you expect them to have a line specifically for your firm, you will need to discuss how that will work.
• If you expect a daily report from them of what they worked on or completed, when do you expect that to be delivered to you? What kind of information should be in that report (hint: you should have them send you a daily report, at least until you are comfortable working together)?

After you’ve ironed out all the details of working together, be sure you have an outline of tasks your VA will be responsible for completing. Here’s a list to get you started thinking about what tasks to assign:

• eNewsletter setup and delivery
• Prospect emails for updates, new, and invitations
• Client appointment confirmations
• Review meeting invitations and confirmations
• Social media management and monitoring
• Document Production (keep in mind that they’ll need access to your server, which may be a hurdle that’s not worth the hassle)
• Proofing law firm materials (if they have a knack for proofing and writing)
• Seminar reservation reminder phone calls
• Creating and managing your firm’s marketing calendar
• Updating your law firm website (educational alerts, press releases, announcements, seminars, testimonials, etc.)
• Researching and creating a networking hit list for your firm (CPAs, Financial Planners, young family groups, social workers, nursing homes, realtors, etc.)
• Manage your marketing tracking (whether you’re a Member using CounselPro™ or another tracking software)
• Manage invitations, registrations, and participation for webinars hosted by your firm
• Finding seminar venues (someone will still need to go visit them in person, but your VA can do some research to find places that should be a good fit for you)
• Submit press releases to online news outlets
• Update marketing materials with upcoming seminar information (flyers, invitations, postcards, social media posts, etc.)
• Develop online networking relationships (LinkedIn, Facebook) with groups, organizations, non-profits, healthcare providers, social workers and employers who can host endorsed seminars and send referrals to you
• Maintain vendor relationships (Direct Mail, printers, etc.)

Keep in mind – this list will change and grow as your relationship with your VA grows. Don’t be afraid to try something with your VA – if it doesn’t work out, you can always bring the task back in-house!

Have you had success with a VA? We’d love to hear about your experiences!

Happy hiring!

Kathryn Adams
Practice Building Consultant
American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc.
9444 Balboa Avenue, Suite 300
San Diego, California 92123
Phone: (800) 846-1555
www.aaepa.com