What does a virtual assistant do, and how can hiring one benefit your spa and wellness business? If you find that meeting the demands of your solo spa practice has become challenging, it’s time to consider outsourcing to one. But before you start your search, you should know a few things.
What Is A Virtual Assistant?
For starters, it’s essential to understand what a virtual assistant is. A virtual assistant is an independent contractor or freelancer to whom you can outsource time-consuming tasks and projects. They may work part-time, performing recurring tasks for your business. Or they can be project-based and work for a specific time, for example, during the busy holiday season.
What a virtual assistant will do when working with you depends on what you need help with. Typically they assist with administrative tasks and digital marketing needs.
What Does A Virtual Assistant Do As An Admin Assistant?
As administrative assistants, they are responsible for helping you with the backend tasks of your business that have become challenging for you to manage alone. You can outsource everyday administrative tasks such as inbox management, calendar management, CRM (customer relationship management), and digital file management.
Inbox management involves having your virtual assistant manage and organize your emails. They can answer and respond to general queries and appointment requests. And they can create structure in your inbox by classifying, labeling, and categorizing emails. Additionally, they can check spam/junk mail, unsubscribe from marketing emails, create email templates, and set inbox rules and filters.
When your virtual assistant manages your calendar, they can schedule appointments and help you manage your day. This is especially helpful if you’re tied up with an in-person client and someone is trying to reach you via email or text to schedule your appointment. Equipping them with the ability to manage this task is a time saver that will keep you booked and your clients happy.
Customer relationship management isn’t exclusive to large businesses and corporations. It’s also vital for independent spa owners. But instead of trying to manage this task yourself, you can assign it to your virtual assistant. They can help you with basic CRM tasks such as following up with clients and requesting reviews.
Have you taken the leap and gone digital with your filing and paperwork? If so, your virtual assistant can help you maintain these files. If not, you can get their help transferring to a digital filing system and managing those files.
Of all the administrative tasks, bookkeeping is one of the MOST important. However, outsourcing tasks such as invoicing and payment processing, recording income and expenses, and creating financial reports frees you up to focus on performing services for your clients.
What Does a Virtual Assistant Do As A Digital Marketer?
As virtual marketing assistants, they are responsible for marketing and promoting your business utilizing digital technologies, media, and platforms. This can be accomplished via digital advertising, email marketing, social media marketing, and content marketing.
You can task your virtual assistant with managing your digital advertising and have them create ads for Facebook, Instagram, and Google, which are fantastic ways to create leads for your business. In addition to making these ads, they will be responsible for tracking analytics, A/B testing, and following budget guidelines.
If you place them in charge of email marketing, they can manage all the promotional email campaigns you send to your clients. Additionally, they can build your email list with a lead magnet designed to entice potential clients to subscribe to your mailing list. Thus, generating leads for your spa.
Having them manage your social media accounts is a great way to increase brand awareness, market and promote your services and generate leads. Additionally, they can create relevant content your followers and potential clients want to see. Thus, improving engagement and growing your account.
Content marketing via blogging is another fabulous tool your virtual assistant can use to increase brand awareness, connect with your potential client, market services and products, and drive traffic to your website.
Why You Should Hire A Virtual Assistant
The best reason for hiring a virtual assistant is to gain freedom in your business. Running your own business means you have zero work-life balance. You’re working long hours and have little time for yourself. But think of all the time you could save by outsourcing areas of your business to someone else.
In addition to gaining time and freedom, hiring a virtual assistant means you can focus on scaling your business. If you’re ready to take it to the next level delegating to a virtual assistant allows you to shift your focus onto income-generating activities.
These activities increase revenue in your business—for instance, creating new services, hosting an in-house event, or networking. Spending more time on these activities ensures your business can increase cash flow, flourish and grow.