What is Outsourcing: 3 Types of Virtual Assistants

3

Types of Virtual

Assistants You can Hire

for your Business

Project-based

virtual assi

stantsTask-based virtual

assistantsVirtual employees

There are generally 3 types of virtual assistants you can hire for your business.

What are the differences?

Project-based Virtual Assistants

Project-based virtual assistants are hired for the short-term for one-time projects. For example, you might hire a web designer to update your website, a developer to build an app or a writer to create articles for your blog. The person is hired as a freelance contractor.

You can hire someone for as little as $5 or as much as $10,000+ for a project---it all depends on the size, scope and timeline for the project.

Project-based Virtual Assistants

Some of the best places for finding this type of virtual assistant are through global freelance sites like oDesk, Elance, Freelancer.com and others. These sites allow you to create an account and post a job for free.

Then you receive bids from contractors across the globe and you can select the one you like best. You can review the contractors' portfolios and reviews to decide which one is a good match for your job.

Your payments are managed securely through the freelance site.

Task-based virtual assistants are similar to the project-based assistants except they specialize in short, one-off tasks.

These are usually smaller admin or personal tasks like research, booking appointments, making travel arrangements or finding online gifts.

Task-based virtual assistance is often sold as a monthly package, where you pay for a certain number of tasks per month. There's a group of assistants available to complete your task rather than one contractor you work with on a larger project.

Task-based Virtual Assistants

Task-based Virtual Assistants

Monthly packages average around $25-$40/month with companies like Fancy Hands, My Tasker and Efficise.

You can also find virtual assistant companies on freelance sites like oDesk or Elance, but it can be hard to quote your job since it isn't a one-time project or on-going employment.

Virtual Employees

Finally, we have virtual employees which are often the most affordable and effective solution for optimizing your business. A virtual employee works for you part-time or full-time as an on-going position, and you build a relationship with them like you would any physical employee.

They learn about your business and become a dedicated resource for your business.

You can negotiate working hours, timing and salary to fit your budget and needs. Your virtual employee can help you with almost all the same tasks an in-house employee would. Hourly rates vary depending on geographic location, experience and areas of expertise.

Virtual Employees

You can negotiate working hours, timing and salary to fit your budget and needs. Your virtual employee can help you with almost all the same tasks an in-house employee would.

Hourly rates vary depending on geographic location, experience and areas of expertise.

In my own business, I've worked with all three. My preference is virtual employees, because this allows both parties to grow together and become a

team.

As the relationship builds and you become comfortable with one another, your business can evolve in a completely new direction.

For more tips about outsourcing to a virtual assistant or to get help finding, hiring and training your VA, visit http://www.OutsourcingDoneForYou.com.