You may have considered working with a virtual assistant but hesitated because you thought it was nearly impossible to delegate or collaborate with someone who may lives across the world! But, you couldn’t be more wrong. In fact, It’s now easier then ever to build a virtual team of the most talented people in the world, who meet your specific needs. Now, you can focus on building your team based on what matters most to YOU (skillset, experience, etc.) and not worry about location.
Let’s take a look at some of the tools that make that possible:
1. Lastpass – Password sharing may seem scary at first, but it’s crucial when working with a team and using shared accounts. Lastpass makes it simple and safe. On top of that, it safeguards against phishing, malware, scams and other fraudulent activities. Password can be shared in two ways: When you give the password to virtual assistants, they can see it and use it. When you share the password, it remains covered, and unseen, but the virtual assistant can use the password.
2. Skype – Skype is awesome because it’s almost like really having someone there with you at times. You can video chat, have conference call, share files and it can be used just like any other messenger. The best part is you don’t need to travel to connect with your team or clients.
3. Dropbox – Dropbox is fabulous for file sharing. Once you sync a file from your computer to Dropbox, you can then share a link to that file with your co-workers or invite them to a shared folder. It’s simple and easy to use.
4. Glip (or one of MANY similar task management programs) – We use Glip here at NSVS to collaborate as a team and to communicate with our clients. There’s nothing like collaborating, including assigning tasks, scheduling events, and sharing files, in real-time! Say goodbye to messy email threads.
5. Toggl- Toggl is a web based tool that helps you track all your tasks. The best part about it is that it also has native apps that work everywhere- on a PC, Mac, Linux, iPad, iPhone, Android and web. Then, on the web, you can integrate it with your Google account or embed the code in your website. This way, you can use it anywhere you work, and always keep up with your time tracking. You can also run reports and send invoices quickly and easily. Toggl is one of many great apps that have such functionalities. Freshbooks is another great one.
6. Google Drive & Calendar – Google Drive allows teams to create, share and edit documents in real-time. Virtual assistants and their managers can use Google Docs to create spreadsheets, word documents, forms, presentations, and diagrams. A group chat also allows team members to communicate while working on documents at the same time. Google calendar makes it easy to share your calendar with your virtual assistant and can even be on a need-to-know bases. This way, everyone can be on the same page about scheduling, commitments and upcoming events while you keep your personal events private.
7. ScheduleOnce – Need your VA to help with your client meetings or other appointments? ScheduleOnce connects to your Google calendars and enables users to manage their ScheduleOnce appointments alongside their other commitments without getting double booked. It’s also multi-user and multi-time zone compatible.
8. Paypal – We all know about PayPal, but when you use a Virtual Assistant to help you invoice your customers and manage payments, you’ll find it’ll be a time saver.
9. Email clients like Thunderbird – Need your VA to help organize and screen your emails? Most of us have more than one email account, so with this app you can sync them all and add categories, plus tons of other great organizational tools and integrations with other apps that you may be using.
10. Screenr – Screenr is a lifesaver because sometimes a visual aid can make all the difference, especially when you are handing over a task to your new VA. You can use screener to record yourself going through the steps and explain as you go. Then, all your VA will need to do is refer back to the recording when it’s time for them to take on the task. You can also do a multitude of other things with Screenr, like create screencasts for your website, to capture feedback from your website, share screencasts on social media and YouTube… And, it’s free!
I’ve just listed 10 great tools that you can use to delegate and collaborate with your virtual assistant, but there are many, many more! Don’t let distance deter you from what could potentially be your best business decision yet! Let’s get started! For more information, contact us HERE and connect with us on FACEBOOK and TWITTER.
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