Having a Virtual Assistant may be new to you, as compared to having your assistant in your office for face-to-face discussions about projects. How can you make your new working relationship effective?

In her recent blog post, Sue Canfield offers three tips:
1. Take advantage of today’s technology by utilizing what works best for you. Do you prefer email, telephone conversations, or another tool as your primary communication method? Consider trying something innovative, such as Skype or eFax. Once you determine your preference, your VA will be able to respond in the fashion that is most effective for you.
2. Decide how often you wish to communicate with your VA. If your project has deadlines, you may require frequent progress reports, especially if your working relationship is new. However, if your schedule is demanding, you may prefer to designate a specific date and time (such as Monday at 8:00 am). Remember that your VA’s role is to offload tasks so that you can utilize your time efficiently.
3. Be clear as to your expectations. You and your VA can team successfully if you both have the same goal.

Applying these ideas should make your relationship with your virtual assistant mutually profitable.

When someone decides to hire a virtual assistant to help them with their business, it is natural to want to hire the most qualified person for the job. Some VAs have chosen to become certified. Is this something you should look for when hiring a VA?

There are many online schools and associations that offer VA certification. Since there is no law that governs what this distinction means, each program or association can decide what is required for their specific certification.

In most cases, this will mean that the VA has passed some exams in things like word processing, web design, internet research, and so forth. It is important to remember that there are no standardized tests and that receives certification from one organization may not be eligible for certification from another organization.

Rather than looking at a certification that may not mean much at all, it is important to look at the VA’s all around background, skill set, and past experience.

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We've all heard the term "cut out the middleman," but sometimes a middleman is just what you need. Once you've made the decision to work to a , you will need to decide how much time and supervision you are willing to invest in following up with the VA, and what the consequences to your business might be if she/he fails to deliver your assignments as promised. Read more

Running your is exciting and exhausting at the same time. While you're living your work-at-home dream, you may also be feeling overwhelmed and daunted by the round-the-clock demands of entrepreneurship.

Nothing stifles creativity and optimism more than the feeling that you'll never get it all done, and nothing thwarts a growing business like the absence of creativity.

Responding to e-mail, prospecting for clients, drafting sales letters, setting appointments - all while managing your personal life - can be more than the most motivated person can handle.

Hiring a can alleviate this burden, and can add a fresh perspective to your business. Read more

According to the Internal Revenue Service website, when considering a or other professional, it is critical that you, the employer, correctly classify the individuals providing services as employees or independent contractors.

Employers must withhold income taxes, withhold and pay Social Security and Medicare taxes, and pay unemployment tax on wages paid to an employee.

Employers do not generally have to withhold or pay any taxes on payments to independent contractors.

If you classify this individual incorrectly, the IRS can hold you liable for taxes for that worker, and impose penalties as well. Read more

A can be a great asset to your growing business. But how do you the various administrative tasks integral to running your business, without the risk of losing control? Excellent communication between you and your VA or resource is the key to avoiding this common pitfall. These 5 tips can help you to have a successful outsourcing experience: Read more

Now that you've decided to hire a to enable you to focus on , you need to ensure that you're choosing the right person for the job. Toni Klym Mclellan offers these tips to help in your decision-making process: Read more

Are you considering hiring a ? Here is some information that may help you make that decision. A VA is a tool that can be utilized by small and large companies who want to continue to generate revenue by growing their customer base but need to balance that growth with maintaining their business. A VA is a highly trained professional and they are generally available to you for any task from to bookkeeping. Read more