Types of Virtual Assistants: Everything you need to know about Virtual Assistants
I'm sure you've heard of Virtual Assistants countless times before. Even before the pandemic when the world switched to anything online and virtual, this type of work was already thriving.
What do they actually do?
Virtual Assistants are professionals who can help you accomplish your daily tasks in a timely and effective manner. The majority of their tasks and deliverables are done online.
Not all Virtual Assistants are the same, each has its own unique skills and expertise. Depending on their background and experience, they can potentially assist different types of businesses and industries.
In this article, let's explore the different types of Virtual Assistants and the many ways they can help your business run smoothly.
1. Admin Virtual Assistant
This is the most common one, but don’t underestimate this role. Administrative virtual assistants can provide a wide range of business activities such as operations support, back-office support, and customer service support.
Key Tasks:
Answer and direct phone calls and Email inquiries
Organise and schedule an appointment
Plan meetings and take detailed minutes
Write and distribute memos, letters, forms, etc
Maintain filing system
Liaise with executives, employees, and other members within the organisation or business.
2. Social Media Virtual Assistant
Social Media Marketing-related tasks alone take up 6 to 10 hours of your time in a week. From research, content ideation and creation, down to posting and managing your page, social media virtual assistants can be handy in handling this time-consuming task.
Key Tasks:
Social media management
Research on fresh content
Content creation
Post or schedule Posts
Engage and connect with potential customers
Create metrics and analytics to measure the effectiveness of marketing initiatives
3. Bookkeeping Virtual Assistant
Bookkeeping is one of the crucial parts of keeping the business running. This particular task alone demands both time and skills. With the use of secured accounting software, many businesses can now work with bookkeepers remotely. This can effectively help business owners cut down costs and increase productivity.
Key Tasks:
Record keeping and bookkeeping
Cash flow/bank reconciliation
Payroll and bills processing/management
Budgeting
Extract financial reports
4. Real Estate Virtual Assistant
Real Estate VAs are professionals who have niche expertise in the Real Estate Industry. They have knowledge and training about various real estate terms, rules, documentation and transactions. They can be very helpful for real estate agents, brokers, or agency owners.
Key Tasks:
Real estate ad management and data scraping
Liaising between property inspectors, appraisers, and other real estate professionals
Communicating with potential buyers/sellers
Calendar management
Transaction coordination
General admin support
5. E-commerce Virtual Assistants
If you are running an E-commerce, you can take care of tedious tasks for yourself or your business by getting yourself an assistant that is well-versed in managing an E-commerce business.
Key Tasks:
Order processing
E-Commerce inventory management
Customer service
E-Commerce website maintenance
Product sourcing and listing
6. Research Virtual Assistant
A Virtual Assistant whose expertise is in research can help you piece together the correct information and material you need for your business.
Here are some of the types of research a Virtual Assistant can do for you:
Data visualisation
Comprehensive market research
Competitor analysis
Internet research
Business research
7. Data Entry Virtual Assistant
Data entry tasks are one of the tasks that many entrepreneurs often overlook or simply lack the time to handle. Data entry virtual assistants can help businesses manage this area with ease.
Key Tasks:
Data Entry
Data Processing
Data Typing
Data Management
Hiring a virtual assistant is a great way to finish your tasks diligently and efficiently. It also gives you an alternative option especially if you are saving on costs and don’t have time to undertake the long hiring process. Experience all these benefits and consider hiring your Virtual Assistant.
Sources:
https://www.wework.com/ideas/professional-development/business-solutions/what-is-a-virtual-assistant
https://www.expressvirtualassistant.com/research/