by Rachel Smith
01 February 2017
I know you and Leo have written before about how, as freelancers, you have to wear a lot of ‘hats’ but I struggle with all that. I hate doing my accounts and sending invoices (and even remembering to do so), my calendar is a mess and I’m constantly behind on my admin. I’ve come to the conclusion that while I’m a good writer and get enough work on that end, I’m a really crappy business person. Do you think I need a VA? Someone suggested this, but what do you think? Where do I even go about finding a good one? Peta
I think it sounds like a great idea, if you can afford it. I know two journalists who have hired virtual assistants and one very successful creative entrepreneur who swore by her VA in really helping take the mundane tasks off her desk. And, VAs can offer a wide range of services and often have very different skills, so finding the right one can take time.
Jonelle, whom many of you will have had dealings with or received newsletters from, is our VA, handling a range of tasks for Rachel’s List from her home office. She does, however, live over in the next suburb from me, which makes it easy to catch up for the occasional face-to-face meeting – but I know most VAs are truly remote (and often overseas). If you go that route you’ll undoubtedly pay less, and of course that’s your choice. I prefer having a VA close to home!
In terms of using a VA for a small business, Jonelle’s biggest job is managing our email system – we get a lot of very similar emails and these take a lot of time to answer. She’s established systems to help our members (you guys!) quickly, and to ensure job-poster queries are dealt with promptly. She also keeps track of our accounts, our receipt systems (a massive job in itself), the newsletters to all the different groups we send to, and all the batching and scheduling of the social media posts we write.
If you’re a freelancer and you get a good VA, they can do other tasks, too – including basic research for articles you may be writing, hunting down sources, and coordinating interviews. They can create templates for stories you regularly write, handle your social media, moderate and answer comments on your website, send invoices on your behalf and chase up outstanding payments. They can also handle all those niggly admin jobs that you never have time for, like creating comprehensive databases of sources and experts you’ve used before (and on which stories), meaning you have those details right at your fingertips if you need them again. For a writer who has a specific niche, that kind of thing can save you heaps of time. (It’s the kind of thing I’ve been meaning to do for years and have never gotten around to!) At a pinch, they can also proofread something – even if they don’t have editing or proofreading experience. Another pair of eyes on a story you’ve looked at too many times can only be a good thing, right?
In short, they can take a lot of distractions off your plate, leaving you free to write – and to chase more work.
Finding one can be tricky. I notice more and more in blogging groups that people are offering VA services which is great because if you have a website (or handle client websites), knowing your VA can do some coding or knows their way around a CMS is invaluable. Similarly, you want a VA who is letter-perfect in emails and can emulate a similar tone to yours. Typos or too casual a tone to clients is not great.
I’d start by making a list of what you need in a VA, then going to Facebook groups first off. Asking people in the Freeline group, or even on the Rachel’s List Facebook page or other freelancer groups, is a good place to start because a journo who has a good VA might be keen to recommend them (and they might have all the skills you, as a fellow journo, need). I’d also look at putting an ad on Airtasker, being very specific and offer a decent rate – between $20-30/hour for basic admin is about right, although some VAs charge up to $50/hour if they have specialised skills such as marketing, social media etc. If they’re remote, a Skype interview is a must or a face to face if you can manage it. I’d also establish a trial basis to see how you click and whether you’re compatible working together. Good luck!
Do you have a VA? Where did you find him/her and what would be your advice for Peta?
