It can sometimes feel easier to outsource tasks where you don’t have any expertise than to outsource what you understand and feel familiar with.
But if you keep those tasks to yourself, it will ultimately limit your capacity to work with clients and build your business.
So here are 5 client management tasks that you know how to do, but can instead outsource to a virtual assistant to free up your time.
1. Invoicing and contracts
This is one of the most commonly outsourced tasks, probably because it only requires passing on some basic information. And many people find it completely tedious.
Getting a virtual assistant to send and chase invoices, and to create and track contracts, is a nice simple thing to take off your plate.
2. Reviewing your client pipeline
How often do you remember to track and contact potential and past clients? Do they only spring to mind when you realise that your client work is running low?
Having a virtual assistant regularly review your list of potential and past clients can help to maintain those vital relationships. The virtual assistant can then use your criteria to either contact them directly, or to hand you a list of the top prospects and past clients you want to keep in touch with.
3. Inbox management
My biggest tip when handing over your inbox management is to create a new email address for yourself, and give your old address to the virtual assistant. That way you get a shiny new inbox, which nobody knows about until you decide to tell them. You have complete control over who you hand this coveted contact information to. Think of it like having a customer service address and a new CEO address. It’s a big step to separating yourself from every single task in your business.
Then you have to decide:
- Is your virtual assistant going to reply to emails as you, or as themselves? Check out my blog on ‘Should a virtual assistant manage your emails ‘as you’?’ for some thoughts on this.
- Which emails can your virtual assistant respond to on their own, and which need escalating to you? This will likely change over time as you get to know your VA, and they get to know how you and your business runs.
4. Research for proposals
If you need to create proposals for larger pieces of work, then you can ease the time spent here by getting help with the research. A virtual assistant may not be a specialist like you, but with proper instructions and excellent research skills they can save you some time.
5. Helping to choose and set up software
Choosing a new piece of software can be a minefield. But armed with a clear set of criteria, a virtual assistant can research what you need and talk you through the options. And as they’ll also know your new software pretty well by the time they’ve finished their research, they will be in a good position to set it up for you and help you understand how to use it.
Obviously, this isn’t limited to client management software, but there are certainly a lot of options for those: booking systems, CRMs (client relationship managers), client portals, invoicing systems, contract, quote and proposal systems…
If you’re ready for help with one of these tasks, I can recommend some excellent virtual assistants (and I can help with number 5!)
But of course every business is different. So while this list is a starting point, I can work with you one on one to discover which client management tasks are ideal for outsourcing in your business. Find out more about Level Up Your Client Management here.
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