As your wedding photography business grows, it’s vital to stay organized and keep up with the day-to-day tasks that maintain a smooth working environment. Unfortunately, it’s easy for important items to fall through the cracks when keeping track of several couples at once, which can be detrimental to your business. Hiring a virtual assistant is an excellent way to lighten your workload, freeing up your time to focus on growing your company and acquiring more couples. If you’re considering adding a VA, taking time to perform the proper preparatory work will help ensure a seamless transition. By taking a few simple steps, you can prepare your wedding photography business for a virtual assistant and help ensure a successful transition! 

What Is A Virtual Assistant?

Before we can discuss the prep work you should do to prepare your business for a VA, it’s important to understand what they are and the services they perform. A virtual assistant is an independent contractor working in a location away from your business, handling many of your daily administrative services. VAs often work from home, accessing documents like a shared calendar remotely and completing digital organizational tasks. 

More businesses than ever are taking advantage of the benefits virtual assistants offer, providing essential services while keeping overhead costs low. Most virtual assistants have experience working as office managers or administrative assistants (or wedding & event coordinators in our case), so they understand the demands of running a successful company. Additionally, some VAs are proficient in social media and marketing management, helping increase your internet presence and reach more potential couples.

Services Virtual Assistants Provide

Although ‘general’ VA services vary, here at the Genie VA, as virtual assistants for wedding photographers, we provide tasks catered more towards your industry/business:

• Responding to inquiries/DM’s & Emails

• Scheduling calls 
• Sending vendor galleries 
• Setting up your monthly galleries
• Marketing
• Social media support
• Collecting reviews & testimonials
• Checking off CRM tasks
• And More

Benefits Of Hiring A Virtual Assistant

Although it can be difficult to relinquish some of the duties required to keep your business running smoothly, hiring a virtual assistant is an excellent way to allow you to focus more on your clients and less on office work. Some of the main benefits of hiring a virtual assistant include:

• Freeing up time to focus on growing your clientele
• Cost-efficiency
• Flexibility to only pay for the services you need
• Peace of mind
• Greater workload capabilities

Preparing To Hire A Virtual Assistant

Once you decide to hire a virtual assistant, there are steps you can take to prepare beforehand to help ensure seamless integration. While there may be an adjustment period, taking these steps will help you get your relationship off to a successful start. 

Be Clear On The Tasks Required

It’s always important to communicate clearly to your VA your expectations and the tasks they are required to perform so that you can set them up for success. Take some time and create a list of all the areas you would like to outsource, writing them down as you go. If you have clear expectations to provide to your VA, you will give them the best opportunity to succeed, which in turn, will help your business thrive!

Have Clear Standard Operating Procedures

Do you use a specific calendar to track appointments? Maybe you have weekly deadlines you’re required to meet. Providing your virtual assistant with clear SOPs will ensure your business continues to run smoothly. What are some examples of standard operating procedures you can prepare in advance for your VA?

How-To Documents

While there’s a good chance that your virtual assistant will have experience with many different types of software like Word, Excell, Google Workplace, and more, providing them with a comprehensive how-to of your preferred systems is essential. Creating how-to documents for the services you require will help your virtual assistant complete their tasks without having to guess what and how you want projects done. 

Create A Workflow

Workflows are vital in your CRM, which is why you should have them set up for every couple so that you can store all the information about their project and what they need in one place. For example, you might have one workflow in place for couples having an engagement session and another for your wedding couples. The tasks that are part of these workflows will differ, and it’s important to explain and communicate their content to your VA. Workflows are also beneficial as your VA manages your CRM, allowing them to see the exact tasks they need to accomplish each day.

Prioritize Tasks

Along with a detailed workflow, let your virtual assistant know which tasks are a priority, so they can be sure to complete them in a timely manner. Any time-sensitive duties should be marked as a priority so it doesn’t fall by the wayside. 

Provide Login And Password Information

If your VA will need to access password-protected documents, providing them with the necessary information to log in is essential. Creating an easily accessible list of all login and password information will make both of your lives easier!

Prepare For Your First Meeting

Meeting a potential virtual assistant for the first time can be stressful, and it’s easy to forget questions or instructions you may have. It’s ok to ask as many questions as you feel is necessary to ensure you choose the best VA to meet your needs since you must be able to trust them to accomplish all the required tasks. Writing down everything you’d like to discuss beforehand will make your meeting run smoothly, putting you both at ease. If training is involved, consider creating a guidebook for your VA with all pertinent information, how-to documents, and SOPs.

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Hiring a virtual assistant is an excellent way to help propel your wedding photography business forward, freeing you up to focus on creating stunning images the couples you photograph will cherish forever. By properly preparing before your VA begins working, you can help ensure a smooth integration without any delays for your business.