When working with a wedding photography virtual assistant, it is important to train them according to your needs. Our team at the Genie VA works with a number of different professionals, each with their own unique style and needs. It’s crucial to understand the differences in their brands and how they operate. Here are our top tips to train a virtual assistant for wedding photographers.

Share Instructions with Your Wedding Photography ​​Virtual Assistant

First and foremost, you’ll want to share instructions with your new assistant. This would be important for anyone who is joining your business. Have clear instructions on what needs to be done and when. Outline the basics of how each task operates, and any key information that they will need to know.

Give Them Information About Your Target Audience

Your virtual assistant for wedding photographers will want to know all about your audience. Who are you marketing to? What is your messaging centered around? Share any key demographic information that may be important. You’ll want them to understand who your brand is speaking to, especially if they’re doing social media management or blogging.

Teach Your VA About Your Current Marketing Strategies

What do you have going on right now? Share that information with your new assistant. It will be important for them to understand your brand. You’ll also want to list key competitors. This can be helpful for your virtual assistant to research competition and their strategies. Improve your business by sharing as much information as possible.

Help Your Wedding Photo VA Understand Your Brand

Do you only speak in a formal tone, or is it more of a casual vibe? What’s it like when you email your couples? Let your virtual assistant absorb the nuances of your brand. This is important for email assistance, social media captions and engagement, and so much more. Any brand colors, fonts, and logos should be shared as well with your team.

Share Your Portfolio of Work with Your Virtual Assistant

A great way to familiarize your virtual assistant with your brand is by sharing your portfolio of images. This will help them understand the style and feel of your brand. If they know what you do, they can immerse themselves in the business. Plus, having visual assets is great for working with your blog or Pinterest management.

Familiarize Them with Your Wedding Photography Services

Do you offer engagement sessions or rehearsal dinner coverage? How about if you offer albums and prints? Let your virtual assistant know all the services you offer. It may help them when they directly communicate with clients. They may even be able to upsell services while they are writing posts, captions, or emails.

Communicate Regularly with Your VA for Wedding Photographers

As you know, with any relationship, communication is the key to success. Have regular chats with your team to discuss deadlines, requests, and other information. You’ll also want to let them know when your busy season is coming up so they can plan ahead. Plus, this is a great time to let them know… you’re not ghosting them! You’re just busy during the peak of the season.

Understand the Best Communication Styles

Do you prefer to email over texting? Some people even prefer Whatsapp or Slack for their virtual assistant communications. Figure out what is best for both you and your wedding photography VA. Be sure that you create a comfortable way to regularly communicate in case any issues arise.

Stay Within Your Dedicated Boundaries

Any healthy business relationship requires boundaries. Be sure that you set them up clearly from the beginning. You’ll want to be sure that you and your virtual assistant both understand when you are available and when you’re offline. Lots of VAs work irregular hours, so also establish your preferred hours for responses.

Provide Honest Feedback on Their Services

Finally, the most important element to training your wedding photography virtual assistant is to provide honest feedback on their services. You will want to establish a regular feedback loop to help you grow your business and continue the relationship. If something isn’t working, let them know in a clear and constructive manner. Work together to ensure that you both feel comfortable with how things are flowing. Here at The Genie VA, if you’re one of our 1:1 Support Clients, we offer a service review call every single month to check in on the progress of tasks, how you’re feeling, and if there’s anything you’d like to change!

Set Your Expectations for Your VA for Wedding Photographers

If you expect some tasks to be done in a certain way, please be sure that you communicate that clearly. When you communicate your needs, it will help your virtual assistant deliver quality work. They may not know that you prefer some tasks prioritized over others, so be sure to let them know.

Ask for Metrics When Necessary

If you’re not sure how certain tasks are moving along, ask for metrics. For example, you may want your wedding photography VA to provide metrics on social media engagement, follower counts, or views. Alternatively, you may want them to track blog and website impressions if they are working on SEO. Having measurable insights can share how well your team is working together.

Find the Best Virtual Assistant for Wedding Photographers for You

At the Genie VA, we have a variety of team members to fit your needs. We want to find the best fit for your business and have your needs met. If you want to train your wedding photography virtual assistant, reach out to get started today. Our team is ready to lend a helping hand in the growth and expansion of your business.

Photography Credit: Megan & Kenneth