Actually if you play it right, a Virtual Assistant can make you money, in effect costing you absolutely nothing!
The question “how much will a virtual assistant cost” is a question I get asked EVERY TIME I speak to an audience of online entrepreneurs. Seriously every time!
With a growing business, of course you need to consider your team staffing budget- it is important. You don’t want to feel you’re paying too much, but you still want a high quality service that will add value to your business and lifestyle. So here are some tips to use when you’ve decided to grow your virtual team and don’t know how much to pay. (Would also appreciate any comments you’d like to make about your own personal experiences 😉
How much will a skilled virtual assistant cost?
If you are time poor and you need a skilled, trained Virtual Assistant you will need to pay more for your new virtual assistant. For many time poor entrepreneurs they are making enough money to invest a portion of their income into staff that are going to start contributing to their business right away.
From my own personal experience you’re looking at between $22-$150 per hour for this level of service. The cost variation will depend on the level of speciality and expertise of your assistant or online business manager. As a general rule, the more you pay, the more expertise and knowledge your assistant should have. It also means less time will be required from you and your assistant should be contributing to the growth of your bottom line much faster. It is possible to get an offshore provider cheaper, but beware…it could end up costing you more in time and money that you initially expected. If you’re planning to pay at a higher level, be sure to ask for real life examples of results that have been achieved.
Can I get a virtual assistant for under $20 per hour?
Yes, you can. There are many virtual assistants willing to work for under $20 per hour. There are lower budget virtual assistants producing quality work. BUT on the other side there are many “duds” out there that will end up costing you way more than you ever paid them. Caution and testing is the key here. With a cheaper virtual assistant option, you will likely spend additional time with training, explaining and getting the working relationship to the level you’re satisfied with. If you’re time poor, it is not a good option. If you’re budget poor and you want to get some virtual help then it is an option worth considering. Later this month I’ll be showing our readers exactly how to hire a lower cost virtual assistant with success…keep a look out for that announcement!
How can I hire a virtual assistant for free?
Expanding your virtual team is an investment in your business and lifestyle. It is your team that is going to be there while you’re on vacation and spending time with your family. There are a couple of ways you can get services for free:
- Some virtual assistants offer a service free trial (keep in mind that if you accept an offer of free services, it should be with the intention of TRIALING the services with a view to paying for subsequent work in the future)
- Another idea is to offer a contra deal for free. Can you swap training in return for virtual assistant services? What can you offer in return for virtual assistant services? If it is something you’re virtual assistant can benefit from, it’s worth suggesting a contra working arrangement.
- You can also get your virtual assistant services at no cost by on-charging the investment to your own clients via your products and services. It’s as easy as building in your virtual assistant costs when you’re charging out to your clients.
If you play your cards right, you can actually make money from your virtual assistant. With the right virtual team, you can quickly double you’re income while or reduce the amount of time you need to spend in your business. The question is…do you want more time, or more money or both? More about that later!
Happy hiring!