Hiring someone to help you with your business is a big step. Congratulations! I want you to feel confident in your decision so here are some answers to frequently asked questions about hiring a virtual assistant.
Payments & Billing
Great question! Over the years I’ve found that everyone has a better experience when expectations are clear. A contract outlines responsibilities for you, the client, and me, the virtual assistant. This way we both know exactly what we’re getting into.
A month commitment gives us both stability. You are confident you have this much of my time, availability, and virtual assistant services. I know I have three months of dependable income. At the end of the three months we can do another contract period. This is something we will discuss, it will not automatically renew.
If you’d like a trial period, we can discuss your priorities and I’m available for $35/hour.
When you sign the contract, all these billing details will be provided to you. You will be charged your monthly rate for 3 months automatically. For example, if you choose the smallest package at $300/month, you will be charged $300 every month for 3 months.
I use Paypal and Wave for invoicing and payments.
Yes! We can work around time zones. All payments are made in US Dollars.
I’ll begin working once payment for your first month is received.
I’m invested in helping you and your business succeed. Before you commit to a monthly package, we’ll go over your priorities and to do list. I’ve been doing this a few years now and am pretty good at judging how long things will take me. Based on your goals, I will recommend a package to you. If you buy the biggest package and I don’t use all your hours, those will lapse and the clock starts over the next month.
During our initial call, we’ll go over your priorities together and I’ll make a recommendation. Any additional hours are charged at the rate of $35/hour.
Communication
Before signing anything, we will talk on the phone or Zoom to make sure we are both on the same page, that I understand your business priorities, and how you want to proceed. After that you can communicate with me via e-mail, text, or phone. I’ll provide this information to you before we begin working together.
I’ll send you a weekly report letting you know what I have accomplished. If I have questions or need clarity prior to that, I will email you. I’m an open communicator and believe too much information is better than too little.
Security and Confidentiality
Depending on what services you choose, I may need some of your personal passwords to access accounts. I take this responsibility seriously. Your passwords and information will never be shared or used in other ways.
For many programs, such as your blog, you can add me as a user rather than giving me your own personal password. In WordPress, for example, you can add me as a user and even choose which sections of your website I have access to. This is just a good, common-sense business practice. If we find I need additional permissions, I will ask for them.
Other Questions
If you have other questions about hiring a virtual assistant (me!), drop them in the comments and I’ll add them to this page. Chances are high you aren’t the only one wondering about something. If you’re ready to get started, let me know your business priorities here and we’ll chat!