Maximize Your Time by Hiring a Virtual Assistant
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Concentrate on the areas of your business that require your attention when delegating day-to-day as well as administrative duties to an VA.
Trudy Stewart was out of work for over six months following sustaining an injury that was serious. After a period of time and rehab she wanted to get her real estate virtual assistant companies back on track however, she realized she'd require some assistance. She decided it was time to employ a virtual assistant, someone who works remotely and offers professional support for technical, administrative or creative tasks.
"It was magic from the start," says Stewart who is a broker associate at Keller Williams NW in Tampa, Fla., of her appointment. "After my first meeting of hers, I was certain that she was the perfect candidate. There was an emotional connection. She kicked her butt so hard."
In the first month of being an assistant virtual, Stewart has sold her most expensive home and in the span of four months she made four million dollars in sales. She is convinced how she has been able accomplish this much in the shortest amount of time due to the fact that the VA helped her organize and allowed her to concentrate. The VA was able to take on a large portion of the administrative work Stewart would have handled and freed her time for her to concentrate on finding clients.
Stewart who has attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, finds that tasks like email, for instance, can send her whirling. If she's required to locate an email or a reference then she'll be in the best intentions to do however, she gets distracted and is lost for hours or even more. The virtual assistant she had, Ally, helped her by creating folders, and then putting emails into appropriate folders, so that Stewart is able to locate them quickly and without risk of getting distracted.
"That alone has saved my life," she explains.
If you're thinking of hiring virtual assistants Here are some tried and tested ways Stewart along with two brokers throughout the country have taken to get results:
Also Read: Why collaborate with a REVA or Real Estate Assistant?
Step 1: Make Sure You Know Which Tasks Can Be Delegated
Virtual assistants could save valuable time, for real estate professionals so they can concentrate on what makes their businesses money: selling homes and assisting agents.
A VA can take on most of the administrative duties that brokers wish to let go however, it's essential to ensure that the tasks you're delegating require the use of a license.
The website of the National Association of REALTORS(r) website has the following list of State Statutes and Regulations for non-licensed assistants across a variety of states. It outlines rules and guidelines on what assistants may and should not do when aiding you in a real property transaction.
For example for instance, for instance, the North Carolina Real Estate Commission states that assistants with no license are not permitted to show properties available for sale to prospective buyers, or solicit management contracts or listings from prospective customers or talk about deals, offers or listings.
In that state, an employee who is not licensed is able to perform tasks such as receiving and forward phone calls as well as messages, and submit and modify Listings to the Multiple Listing Service, put up For Sale and For Rent signs when required, and also request public records documents such as deeds and tax information.
Step 2: Determine What Tasks You Want to Offload
As AnnMarie Janni decided a few years ago that she was in need of an employee She recorded all the jobs she was not a fan of and the ones she didn't have to perform.
"That is where your job description starts," says Janni CRS the founder and team director for the Element Realty Group at Allen Tate, REALTORS(r), located in Cary, N.C.
Janni employs two virtual assistants who assist her in roles like scheduling, responding to customers and service partners, as well as making sure she is on the right the right track.
One "researches my crazy ideas, too," she says in explaining that the company recently moved into an historic property where she hoped to hold more events.
"It's a great space for client events," Janni states. "I've been thinking of lots of ideas for that like events like an Easter egg hunt and entertainment under an oak tree and even photo shoots with clients. One of the VAsconducted extensive research on these, including the costs involved, and what permits are required."
The VAs keep the client database tidy and up-to-date, assist in helping organize client events and also send out mailings. They aid in keeping on top of her personal schedule, too thanks to the time she's getting due to administrative tasks being completed, Janni has more time to go to the gym and also volunteer in her children's schools.
Step 3: Understand the Cost of Hiring a VA
Just like everything else it's true that hiring a VA isn't cheap, and it's crucial to know the expenses associated with hiring them. VAs are available through various sources, including job boards, family members and friends as well as word of mouth. VA-specific organizations. The place you locate your VA the most, how long they are employed and the nature of their work are all crucial in the pay they receive.
For instance Stewart's VA, Ally, who is located in the Philippines and is remote for 20 hours a week gets paid $800 per month. Stewart utilized Cyberbacker an agency that is dedicated to providing administrative support as well as virtual assistant support to locate Ally.
Ally is so efficient with her focus that Stewart discovers that she doesn't have enough projects to take up her time So another real estate agent in Stewart's office employs Ally too. They divide the fee of $800 equally.
Janni mentions that when it involves hiring the services of a VA the quality of service is paramount which is why it's important to choose the one who's value is equal to the cost.
"If you are trying to pay just $2 an hour, that's what you are going to get," replies Janni. "Some VAs out there charge that."
Two virtual assistants are Janni's she is paid by the customer care manager approximately $400 per transaction that is closed.
"She is paid per close and also per listing. This is great for us since even if we're not in a rush and have no clients, we don't get the guarantee of a salary we must make," the agent adds.
Step 4: Start Your Search for the Right VA
Terry Lajoie has been using virtual assistants for over 10 years. She joined because of an accident that killed her in 2012.
"I needed to find an avenue to continue my businesseven though I was unable to complete a variety of tasks. I needed help with administration," says the associate broker of the Lajoie Home Team which is owned by eXp Realty in Amherst, N.H.
Her VA who is the team member she works with is a stay at home mom who needed a little extra money. Lajoie phoned her to inquire whether she'd be interested in working for her remotely. During the conversation Lajoie discovered she had a photographic experience and so they came up with an agreement that covered photography-related and administrative tasks.
Concerning pay, Lajoie observes that rates differ too. Because VAs are part-time, and contract, they typically have their own pay system.
"I've experienced people who worked hourly, at a rate of $10 to $15 per hour. I've also used services that cost $500-$1,500 monthly for 20-40 hours. In addition, they will send someone in another country. Photographers and transaction coordinators are usually paid per job or transaction."
Lajoie discovers that the advantages are greater than the cost. She says that she owes the growth of her company to the use of an VA. Due to the time she's saved through delegating administrative duties and gaining a better organization her business has grown from an individual producer of $3 million to having two other agents, and generating $30 million.
"That's the real benefit of the virtual assistant. The only caveat is that the virtual assistant you hire gives you an abundance of hours back. Make use of that time to create more revenue," she says.
You may not know someone personally looking for an opportunity as VA VA There are numerous places to begin your look.
- Get recommendations from people who you know, specifically those working in the real estate industry who have worked with VAs before. You could also put up an open position in your local association.
- Join local social media groups or advertise a job vacancy via social media sites.
- Search for virtual assistants and staffing agencies like fiverr, Upwork, Boldly, Work at Home Vintage Experts, FlexJobs.com, Cyberbacker and We Work Remotely.
Step 5: Get Started With a clear and confident voice
Communication is a key factor between you and the VA. It's also crucial to understand that just as with any other employee the situation will not always be productive. Set clear expectations and make sure you communicate frequently, especially when you are beginning the relationship. Janni recommends to others working with VAs at the beginning to give an extensive job description and to establish high expectations. It is also important to make clear the terms of pay as well as cadence, process and pay.
It could take a few months to establish the rhythm of your life, so make sure that you're in the right frame of mind. Find out how often they'd like to communicate with you, and what method of communication and platform they prefer. Make sure you schedule regular communication. If it is necessary to schedule a Zoom phone call or call is required, block it out on one of your calendars.
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