Take a look at how and why I started my business and why a Virtual Assistant could be good for your business.

1. The Benefits of Working with a Virtual Assistant
People often ask me why I became a Virtual Assistant and the answer for me is simple. Being
a Virtual Assistant allows me the freedom to work with industries I am passionate and
knowledgeable about, without being restricted to working with one company. I get to help
and support small businesses, start-ups, entrepreneurs and consultants who are running
their own successful businesses, but who need a Personal Assistant to help organise their
day, their systems or even their whole work/personal lives. These people are so busy
growing their business that they are getting in a bit of a muddle without always even
realising it. This is where I step in and take the stress out of maintaining/implementing those
all-important processes, such as CRM management, diary management, social media
management inc. blogs and websites, credit control, research etc. The list is endless and can
be tailored to a client’s individual needs. The other more personal reason for setting up my
own Virtual Assistant business is because I’m a mother of two and like a lot of mother’s I
wanted to maximise being able to have a career and being there for my family, and it works
brilliantly. I wouldn’t have it any other way now. I give my all to my clients and business
without the guilt of not being around for when my children get home from school. I have
twenty years PA/Administration and Account
Management experience and have worked mainly in the
Media/PR industry, but have also worked in the Childcare
sector for a few years. My main passion remains within
the Media industry; however, I have developed a love for
the Health and Fitness industry over the last 5 or so years.

2. Most people have by now heard of the term ‘Virtual Assistant’, but do they really know
what it means?
A good Virtual Assistant or Virtual PA as I am known can save your business time and
money. Most of us specialise in helping small businesses, start-ups and entrepreneurs in all
different fields. Many of us also have a niche so either concentrate on specific industries or
specific services. It’s not a one fits all. It can take some businesses a while to find the right
Virtual Assistant for their needs. Us Virtual Assistants tend to be very upfront about the
services we offer and if we don’t offer one that you need we are likely to know a VA who
can help. We offer you all the same benefits of an office based Personal Assistant, but
without the added costs of having an employee. Another added benefit is that you only pay
for the work being done. If you only need 6 hours a week then that’s all you pay for. We can
be very flexible in that respect.
As a Virtual Assistant, we do not need a space in
your office and we do not need a telephone or
computer. We have our own office set up within
our home or personal office space, so again, no
need for the cost of an employee. There is also no
holiday pay, pension or tax for you to worry about
as an employer. We handle all that for ourselves
as a freelancer. Our presence within your
company is still very much felt despite us not
being physically present. This may scare some businesses as old habits die hard and some
wonder how a good job can be done when you’re not actually there. Well, with the right set
up process there is no need to be sceptical. A detailed meeting, whether face-to-face
initially or through Skype or over the phone can eliminate any concerns about the ‘Virtual’
element of our job title. Confidentiality is a key component to any Virtual Assistant business
and we are happy to sign an NDA where necessary.
We can save a business a lot of time by taking on the necessary, but somewhat tedious tasks
that take up so much valuable time. We can also recommend useful software to make your
life easier by simplifying some of your daily tasks e.g. a better CRM, a better diary
management system, easier excel formats and templates etc.
By saving businesses more time, we can also save you
money. Start-ups, small businesses and consultants
especially, need to capitalise on what they have without
any unnecessary costs. A Virtual Assistant will concentrate
on your business while you concentrate on generating new
business and maintaining the business you already have.
This in turn means you can focus on making more profit. I
once heard the phrase “You have to speculate to
accumulate” and I have always repeated this to myself and
to others. I never tell people that I first heard this whilst watching the film ‘The Full Monty’

3. but nevertheless where I heard it, I believe it to be very true. The money you spend on
hiring a Virtual Assistant will be worth every penny when you a) see what a difference we
can make to your day-to-day working life and b) when you see the new business/customers
coming in as a result.
A Virtual Assistant will charge for their services in several different ways. Some will charge
an hourly rate for all tasks, some will charge a monthly retainer for what we call ‘a bucket of
hours’, whilst some prefer to package up their services and sell them accordingly. There is
no right or wrong way of doing this, but personally I use a mixture of all three as all client
needs are different. Some clients need help on a regular ongoing basis while others may
only need a Virtual Assistant for ad-hoc projects, such as events, office moves or travel etc.
So now you know what we do, you may think that you could do with some support with
your business. If you have any questions about working with a Virtual Assistant, then please
do not hesitate to call me on 07968 381793 or e-mail me at faye@fayepa.co.uk. Please also
take a look at my Facebook page www.facebook.com/fayepaservices or my website
www.fayepa.co.uk for a full list of my services and testimonials from a few of my clients.