LD Staff Writer
If you’re an entrepreneur or small business owner, you are almost certainly doing too much work. It’s easy to have multiple responsibilities pile up – to the point where simple tasks become burdensome.
Stop worrying so much about handing things off! Do yourself a favor and delegate as much as possible to us.
There are many facets to successfully delegating work to your virtual assistant, and choosing the right tasks is the first step. We’ll cover what you need to know to make the process of delegating that first task as smooth as possible. You have the power to make everyone’s lives much easier by doing just a bit of prep work before you delegate.
The other side of the coin, of course, is that without some preparation, delegating is more difficult than it needs to be!
Before We Start
Before we can get moving on your task(s), we’ll need some information…
State exactly what you need done (what are we doing?)
Take a moment to clearly explain what problem you need help with. A few sentences should be adequate – we’ll make it into a detailed process later.
Define the end result (what are we trying to achieve?)
Tell us what the final result should look like. Be sure to point out any specific information you need included, as well as the format you want it presented in. Sometimes this is simply an email saying “we’ve checked your inbox,” or as complex as a multiple-page report with dozens of parameters. To make sure we’re on the same page, describe your ideal end result as specifically as possible.
Determine task schedule/time limits (how long does it take/when do we do it?)
How long do you expect it should take to complete the work? Keep in mind that the first few times we do a task, it may take a bit longer as we learn the ropes.
How often should the work be completed? Daily? Once per week? Every workday at 9am and 2pm? Only once?
The more clearly defined your schedule and expectations for time use, the better we can fit your task into our routines, meet your time use estimates, and make sure your work gets done precisely when it needs to be!
Compile all accounts, logins, documentation, etc. (what do we need to complete your task?)
Make a list of all the accounts/logins/documentation/FAQ, etc. – anything we will need to do the work.
You may need to create new accounts in your system/software with proper access levels. Try to get everything ready BEFORE you send the request. Provide more detail than you think is necessary.
Document everything!
Once We’re Rolling
Provide follow up/ongoing communication for new issues (help!)
Once your assistant takes the wheel, they are likely to have some questions. We’re good at what we do, but we can’t read your mind! There are probably going to be specifics that only you know – and we’ll have to get them from you.
It may take a few iterations of a task to nail down the process or find any quirks. Be prepared for some follow-up or clarifying questions, especially early on.
Keep us informed of changes (what’s new, pussycat?)
We’ll continue to execute ongoing tasks according to the process in place – until we hear otherwise.
If you no longer need a certain task done, want to adjust the schedule, or just need to update a part of the process, be sure to let your Team Lead know!
We’ll update everything on our end, and continue your ongoing work with updated guidance.
Trust the process (we’ve got this.)
We do a ton of work for a huge range of clients. The key to success is creating and maintaining a process that can be precisely followed. With the guidance laid out, there shouldn’t be anything to worry about.
The more you can provide us with from the outset, the better we can do our jobs – and if we’re keeping each other updated along the way, delegating repeatable, ongoing tasks will be a breeze!
Want to learn more?
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