Far more important than rates and almost equally important as skill when selecting a Virtual Assistant, is personality.
If you need website updates, assistance with your Internet marketing efforts and database management, you can find handfuls of VAs that provide those services and most will fall within the same price range.
How do you choose after you’ve narrowed it down to a couple?
The best thing for you to do is chat with each of these VAs on the telephone. It’s important for you to get a sense of what it will be like to work with this person. You will learn more from a telephone conversation with these VAs than you would by looking at a page on the Internet. Some people have personalities that just don’t work well together. It’s better to find that out in the beginning than a few weeks down the road.
Many VAs will want to conduct a phone consultation with you to let you know how they operate and to get a sense of the services you require. This will be a great way to get to know one another and it’s an extremely important step.
You should look out for this when you’re searching a virtual assistant. Those VAs that conduct phone consultations with their clients are going to be confident in their services and help you tremendously during your transition to working with a Virtual Assistant.
I make it a policy to conduct phone consults with all potential clients. It is an excellent way for each of us to learn a little about each others personalities and work style. Also since many new clients have no experience working with VAs it gives them information on how things work as well as the reassurance that I know what I am doing.