This isn't the first time I have mentioned the importance of outsourcing and how hiring a virtual assistant can grow your business. Summer is the perfect time to take a closer look at the tasks you can outsource, and to help you with this I brought back my virtual assistant, Tracy Noble of Virtual Office Resources, to once again chat about how you can get started outsourcing for your business.

Why Outsource this Summer?

If you find yourself working late nights or on holidays instead of enjoying this beautiful weather or time with your family then it may be time to look into hiring a virtual assistant and outsourcing those tasks that are keeping you at your computer late into the night.

Summer is a short season; you should be outside enjoying it and not worrying about how you will get everything done.

What tasks can you outsource?

You can outsource just about anything in your business! Virtual assistants are no longer just administrative assistants! Many offer administrative services as well as social media marketing services, email marketing services, graphic design, technical assistance and so much more!

The key is to make a list of the tasks you need done and then decide how much you can afford or want to spend on outsourcing those tasks. Qualified and experienced virtual assistants offer competitive rates.

Start small when working with a virtual assistant! Summer is a perfect time to experiment with what tasks you are comfortable outsourcing. Some ideas are: your social media posting, email newsletter writing, editing or scheduling, sales page creations, webinar set up and maintenance - any tasks that will free up time to get you outside.

How do you find a virtual assistant?

If you are an entrepreneur or business owner chances are there is someone in your network that is working with a great virtual assistant, so ask around in Facebook Groups, Mastermind Groups, and anywhere else you can think of. Chances are someone is working with a great virtual assistant and will happily recommend them.

Otherwise you can submit a RFP or search the membership databases on various virtual assistant associations such as the International Virtual Assistants Association (IVAA).

Do you have to hire a virtual assistant full time?

Absolutely not. While some virtual assistants only accept clients on a contractual basis, some are more than willing to complete a one-off project for you (such as writing content for your website) or if you only want to outsource one task, for example your weekly or monthly newsletter - you can do that too! When you are looking at working with a virtual assistant be clear on what it is you want to outsource and ask as many questions as it takes to be comfortable working with them.

What will you outsource this summer? Is it time to get started? Leave me a comment and let me know!