What Are Virtual Assistants?

“Virtual Assistants” – a word you probably keep hearing about a lot these days, especially if you’re a business. So let me break it down for you. Virtual assistants (VAs) have become essential for businesses looking to delegate tasks and focus on growth. Whether you’re a small business owner or a busy executive, a virtual assistant can help you offload menial tasks and improve efficiency. But what exactly is a virtual assistant, and how can they help your business thrive?

What is a Virtual Assistant?

A virtual assistant is a remote professional who provides various administrative, technical, or creative services to clients. Unlike traditional employees, VAs work from home or other remote locations, making them a cost-effective and flexible solution for businesses. From managing your inbox to handling social media, virtual assistants can take on a wide range of tasks, allowing you to focus on your core responsibilities.

Where Can You Hire Virtual Assistants?

You can hire virtual assistants through a variety of platforms and agencies:

Freelancing Websites

Platforms like Upwork, Fiverr, and Freelancer offer freelancers for hire, including virtual assistants. While these platforms provide flexibility and a broad talent pool, you may need to sift through numerous candidates, and quality control can be challenging.

Virtual Assistant Agencies

Agencies like Sidekick pre-vet and train their virtual assistants, ensuring you only get the best of the best. Hiring through an agency saves time, reduces hiring risks, and offers dedicated support throughout the partnership.

Job Boards

Sites like Onlinejobs.ph and LinkedIn allow you to directly post job openings for virtual assistants. While this method offers more control, it also requires more effort on your end for screening and interviewing candidates.

Different Types of Virtual Assistants

Not all virtual assistants offer the same skill sets. Depending on your business needs, you may require specialized types of virtual assistants. Here are a few common types and the specific tasks they can handle:

1. Administrative Virtual Assistants

These virtual assistants specialize in general administrative tasks, including:

• Calendar management
• Inbox management
• Data entry
• Document preparation
• CRM updates

2. Sales Virtual Assistants

Sales virtual assistants are ideal for supporting your sales team by handling tasks such as:

• Lead Generation: Researching potential clients and building lists to feed your sales funnel.
• Appointment Setting: Reaching out to prospects, qualifying them, and scheduling appointments for your sales team to close deals.

Note: Sales virtual assistants should focus on lead generation and appointment setting. The closing of sales should remain with your internal team for better results.

3. Social Media Virtual Assistants

These VAs focus on managing your social media presence, allowing you to grow your brand online. Common tasks include:

• Content creation
• Post scheduling
• Community management
• Engagement tracking
• Analytics and reporting

4. Customer Support Virtual Assistants

A customer support VA ensures your clients are happy and taken care of. They can assist with:

• Answering customer inquiries
• Troubleshooting issues
• Managing helpdesk software
• Handling live chats and support tickets

5. Specialized Virtual Assistants

For niche industries or specific tasks, you may need a specialized VA. This could include:

• Paralegal Assistants: Supporting legal professionals with research, drafting documents, and managing cases.
• E-commerce Virtual Assistants: Managing product listings, order processing, and customer inquiries for online stores.
• Marketing Virtual Assistants: Assisting with email campaigns, SEO, content creation, and paid ad management.

Hiring with Sidekick

At Sidekick, we understand the importance of finding the right virtual assistant for your business. We interview hundreds of candidates to hire only the top 1%—those with proven skills, reliability, and experience working with Western clients.

Here’s why hiring with Sidekick makes a difference:

• No Hidden Fees: What you see is what you get—our pricing starts at $9/hour, with no hidden costs or contracts. Learn more about the cost of hiring a Filipino virtual assistant.
• Highly Vetted Talent: Our assistants are carefully selected and rigorously vetted to ensure they meet the highest standards.
• Ongoing Support: You’ll receive 24/7 after-sales support, ensuring your business runs smoothly.
• Flexibility: Scale from 1 to 100 assistants quickly, with discounts for multiple hires.

Partnering with Sidekick means that your business is in expert hands. Our founders have over 15 years of experience, so you can trust that we know what it takes to find the right assistant for your needs.