First, when looking for a VA, use someone you know or ask friends and business associates who they use and get a recommendation. You can't tell a good book by its cover.
Second, remember that most really good VA's have long and varied careers in all types of business, some of them very large. They aren't just useful for the services they offer but for the experience and underlying knowledge that they have. Make friends with your VA and benefit from everything they have to offer.
Third, remember that you aren't employing someone. You can't tell them what to do, when to do it or how to do it. What you can do is agree with them what you want doing, by when and with what desired outcome. Then let them decide the best way to do it.
Third, you can have different types of arrangement with a VA. Some tasks, like book-keeping, frequently require a regular amount of time each month, whereas if you are asked to do a presentation at a conference and you need a PowerPoint and 150 accompanying packs prepared, this would be a one off. You might want someone to help with your marketing and this tends to be a mixture of some regular and some occasional work. Negotiate the arrangement that best meets your needs.
Fourth, look for people with experience. 5 years experience is worth its weight in bronze, 10 years is worth its weight in silver, 15 years is worth its weight in gold and ant more than that is almost impossible to value. Don't assume that someone with 30 years experience is out of touch and out of date!
Finally, most really good VA's are interested in looking at their Client's holistically. They genuinely take an interest in the Client as an individual as that influences how the business works. They want to understand the business in its environment and look at the big picture. When you find a good VA, treat them as a remote "Partner". Don't be afraid to use them as a sounding board. Find out what they know and utilise it to help your business thrive and grow.
At the end of the first year, the turnover had increased by a factor of 5 with the average job valued at £7,000, nearly 10 times what it used to be.
