Building and maintaining a successful business takes a lot of work, as we all know. But it doesn’t have to be all-consuming. With the help of the right assistant you can start enjoying the fruits of your labors.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to find an Executive Level Management Assistant or Executive Virtual Assistant (EVA) that was already trained and ready to hit the ground running? One that was available only when you needed her without having to pay for her downtime (unproductive time), vacation time or taxes? Sounds like an ideal situation for you, an independent business owner, doesn’t it? You’re in luck. There are many EVAs out there who specialize in helping to manage their clients’ everyday business affairs. They are specifically trained to help you grow and maintain your business.

Several of these specialists provided some expert tips to help you with your business management needs. For instance, Lisa Morgan with Virtuoso Business Solutions says this, “Whether you’re ready to build a virtual team of support or you already have a couple of Virtual Assistants and providers working with you, you might find that managing the work can be cumbersome and time-consuming. Bringing on an EVA to coordinate all the pieces for you might be the solution you’re looking for. Many EVAs have a management background with project management skills, and will work with the agent to take an aerial view of your business, identify the services that need to contracted out, either submit an RFP (Request for Proposal) for the service or contact someone within their vast network, interview them, and coordinate the contracting of their services. Once a team is in place, your EVA can serve as your point person to make sure processes are being developed and things are running smoothly within your team.

If you’re thinking of starting a sizable project, for example, developing your brand, website, blog, or targeted marketing campaign, your EVA will serve as your project manager, consulting with you on the project specifications, creating a project plan, submitting bid proposals to vendors and contracting with them, serving as liaison between the vendor and the agent to make sure the project is flowing smoothly, answering questions they may have, and coordinating the project to completion.

REALTORS® are often bombarded with product solicitations from real estate product vendors via email, phone calls and at seminars and conventions. It’s so easy to become overwhelmed with questions as to whether this or that product works, and everyone’s looking for the “magic bullet” that will make their businesses thrive and their lives easier. What happens is that the agent winds up spending their hard-earned dollars trying out all the new products, only to leave them “on the shelves” – untouched and unused – which equals money lost. Forward those emails, refer those calls, and send all those marketing materials to your EVA. She will review the information, and if she is not already very familiar with the product, she’ll tap into her large network of Virtual Assistants and other sources to find out whether it’s been useful to other agents, and then help the client determine whether it will be of benefit to them. If it’s not, and a similar product is out there that will be beneficial to the agent’s business in streamlining processes or helping to grow their business, the EVA will provide recommendations to the agent so he or she can make an informed decision.”

Kristi Pavlik of Adonai Business Solutions shares this bit of advice, “The main tip I would like to share is to make sure your VAs document everything they do for you – we call these Process Documents or PDs. PDs are literally step-by-step instructions for how something gets done.

Creating PDs has many benefits including making sure the client and the VA are on the same page for how things are to be performed. Another is for back-up purposes. If the VA is going to be out of the office for any length of time, he/she can give the PD to someone else to get those tasks done, and done correctly. Again, another benefit is if the VA/Client relationship should come to an end, the client can then give the next assistant the PD and save both parties a lot of time.

My company provides strategic planning, strategic marketing, process documentation and VA Team management services.

Strategic Planning: For businesses that know where they want to go, but need help with putting the systems into place to get them there. We look at what current office procedures are in place, if any, discontinue the ones that are not working, and make suggestions for new ways of doing things that will benefit the company as a whole.

Strategic Marketing: Working with clients to establish their branding elements, target markets, marketing plans, drip campaigns and custom marketing pieces.

Process Documentation: Standard Operations Procedures, Office Manuals, The Office Bible, whatever the term you use, it all means the same thing – a step-by-step process for how any, and all, tasks are being performed. We create “how-to” manuals for any size business.

VA Management: For businesses that have several Virtual Assistants working with them or for those that really have no idea where to find the best VAs for the tasks at hand, we can help. By acting as your EVA, we can ensure that routine tasks are being completed as desired, and find the best avenue for completing individual projects.”

Kandra Hamric of Assistant For Real Estate advises her clients by saying, “As a professional real estate agent you are aware of the need to focus on your core competency. Perhaps it’s time to entrust your business to the capable hands of an EVA.

The key points to consider when interviewing potential candidates are:

Coaching Credentials: With verifiable business coaching credentials, your EVA will apply motivational and accountability aspects to your business relationship.

Management Experience: Keeping you and your team organized is the primary goal of your Virtual Assistant team. With the proper management experience, your EVA will oversee all administrative aspects of your business, including managing specialized Virtual Assistants.

Reputation in the VA Industry: It is important to look into the reputation of any Virtual Assistant you are considering. As we all move further into the Internet environment, your VA’s reputation can either enhance your own reputation or, depending upon their business practices, tarnish it.

Education & Training Background: How educated your VA is can determine his/her overall and long-term value to you and your business. Looking into the level of education and training a VA has attained can clue you in on their dedication and commitment to their career.”

Crystal Curran of REVAVille wants to emphasize the importance of communication between an EVA and their clients, especially in the early stages of the working relationship. She says, “I ask all my EVA clients to make this process a priority and schedule a weekly consultation at the same time each week for our success. This is imperative in the beginning, however as systems are put into place; we may decide consultations are necessary only on a bi-weekly or even monthly basis. This is something that is entirely personalized according to the agent’s/broker’s needs.

In keeping with organization for client and VA team, I have a portal that each agent and team has access to. All documentation is uploaded there; write boards are created for developing verbiage for any need; to-do’s and milestones are implemented to keep track of important tasks and drop-dead dates. All team members are encouraged to utilize this portal so agent/broker can keep updated on progress being made as they see fit. This cuts down on missing emails or one team member not knowing about a process along with easy access to members who need to obtain certain marketing items (graphics for web, logos and the like) that are required in several team areas. (Sensitive documents between agent and EVA can be marked high security. Each member can have different security levels).”

She then explains her EVA process in detail:

Strategic Planning (Information Gathering Stage)

• Ask for a list of all programs/services they are (or are not) utilizing. Including but not limited to:
  • Lead generation/maintenance: What they are using for follow up and what success they are/are not having
  • Contact Management: What program and if they are utilizing it to its fullest capabilities or a glorified address list
• • Getting rid of duplicate programs ( i.e. I have often seen where a client may have five different follow up programs and, because of confusion, they are not utilizing any one of them)
  • Suggestion of programs that will better suit their objectives more cost effectively
  • Streamlining the programs suggested
  • Evaluation of contact management use:
    • Taking a look at how they are utilizing Top Producer, On Line Agent, Sharper Agent or even Outlook. Development of categories, follow up, tracking, automated lists in use, templates, campaigns
    • Creation of document  in PDF form evaluating how to improve and systematize contact management
    • Specific Consultation regarding contact management evaluation and how to improve follow up and organization
  • Evaluation of website(s)
    • First we take their most important site (if they have several) and go through a point-by-point analysis of where they need more impact. This includes:
      • 30-point evaluation in PDF form of website including points on targeting/branding, design, content, interactivity between prospect and agent, navigation, ease of use and promotion and tracking along with recommendations of how to improve the site. (I do offer this service for agents who are considering makeovers on their site but are not sure if they are ready for an EVA).
      • Specific consultation regarding what website evaluation is saying and development of priorities to enhance site.

Process Documentation / Implementation

Develop documentation on all systems created. Includes:

• Leads
  • Flow chart that includes:
    • Where leads come from – where or what program they go into – who touches them and when agent is notified of hot lead
  • Outline and document each team members duties and how done
  • Document proper way to utilize each program used.
  • Contact management
  • Develop document for each team member that includes:
  • Process of how all contacts are handled and how they are input
    • Walk-ins
    • Past clients
    • Leads are taken care of above
  • Website
    • Document planning strategies
    • Website priorities developed and documented
    • Develop “how to’s” for other VAs or team members for site
  • Office
    • Office policies and procedures
    • Development of job duty criteria (for assistant and VAs if required)

Develop “Team”

• Evaluation of existing employees if required
• Hiring specialized VAs for tasks
• Establishing direct contact with assistants and other VAs or employees as required
• Training of VAs in certain processes (again, if required)
• Making sure we all stay on track by developing to-do lists, milestones etc, as well as discussing in upcoming weekly consultations.

Maintenance

• Weekly, bi-monthly or monthly consultations to brainstorm/modify processes
• Keeping other members of team on track with drop dead dates, to do’s and implementation of daily processes
• Quality control on all systems
• Hiring other VAs as needed”

It’s important to remember that you and your EVA are business partners. It behooves your assistant to help you succeed in business. After all, there’s no point in using her services if you’re not making money, right? A good EVA will try to come up with creative ways to build and maintain your business. The right EVA can be the best ingredient to your recipe for success.

Evy Williams is our VA QUICK TIPS columnist. She specializes in designing marketing materials to sell homes through her company, BrochuresByDesign.com. She holds a Master’s degree in Administration and is a certified Master Virtual Assistant, Military Spouse Virtual Assistant, Professional Real Estate Virtual Assistant, Real Estate Support Specialist and is EthicsChecked. Contact her at Evy@BrochuresByDesign.com