If you are thinking about hiring a virtual assistant and need to grow your business, here are five tips and things to think about before you dive in.
Food Blogging from Hobby to Business
If you’re anything like me, we start things as hobbies and never think our little endeavors could turn into anything more. Then one day you realize, “I could make money doing this!” and your focus changes to monetizing and sponsored posts and making this little hobby into a business.
Every good business needs employees, right? But, taking that step to hiring your first independent contractor can be daunting. Today we’re talking the basics of how and when to hire a virtual assistant.
When to Hire a Virtual Assistant
If you’re overwhelmed with the number of tasks it takes to keep your “hobby turned business” blog afloat, it might be time to hire a VA. If you’re finding that there are tasks that you loathe, but know they need to be done…it’s definitely time.
Make a list of the tasks you think you could hand off to someone else; email management, social media posting, post editing, photo editing, etc.
Remember, nobody is great at everything. Focus on the tasks you do well and outsource the rest.
How to Hire a Virtual Assistant
Finding someone that you work well with can be tough. Here are five steps to take in the road to finding a great employee.
- Ask around. Your close blogging friends probably have connections somewhere to someone they’ve heard raving reviews about.
- Next, set up a phone interview. In my business, I always like to connect with potential clients via phone before we move forward. Hearing someone share their expertise and being able to discuss your needs will help ease some of the first-time hiring jitters.
- Go over the expectations of the job and talk numbers. How much are you able to pay your first VA? Remember that hiring someone for the first time might mean stretching your budget a bit. But, remember, you’re buying back your time. Almost all of our Pinterest Management clients say that outsourcing their Pinterest account management has increased their revenue and given them time to do what they do best; create great content.
- Think long term. When you free up your mind and your plate, you’re able to focus on things that will build your business and increase your revenue.
- Not spending time on social media these days? Update older post photos and SEO for a fresh content push. Not answering emails all day? Get a head start on that sponsored post you just landed.
Finding More Information
The possibilities are endless when we realize that we can’t do it all on our own! Find a solid, trustworthy virtual assistant and watch your blog grow! Learn more here on how to turn your blog into a full-time business with Michell Tam. Finding a great employee is the first step, but learning to work as a team should be a priority. Check out our discussion here on building a blog while working as a team.
Article by: Christie Hill – helping bloggers and businesses manage their social media voice.
