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Why Spring is the Perfect Time to Outsource to a Virtual Assistant

Spring is finally here! Soon enough we will notice that the days are getting longer and that the flowers are blooming. We have been spoilt this week and the sun has come out for a few days. It’s also that time of year when small business owners start thinking about the new tax year, tidying up finances, and making plans for business growth.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed with admin (even life admin, as we know that can build up too!), social media, emails, updating your CRMs or just anything business now is the perfect time to outsource to a Virtual Assistant (VA)…. and guess what? I absolutely love supporting small business owners like you helping you clear your to-do list so you can focus on what you do best!

Why Outsource to a Virtual Assistant?

1. More Time for What You Love

Imagine reclaiming hours in your week! Instead of drowning in emails, scheduling, or chasing invoices, you could be working on exciting projects, networking, or actually taking a break (yes, that’s allowed!).

2. No Overheads or Long-Term Commitments

Hiring a full-time employee can be expensive, especially when you factor in wages, pensions, and office space. With a VA, you only pay for the time you need, no extra costs, no long-term contracts, just flexible support when you need it.

3. Help with the Tax Year Prep

The new tax year is looming, and if your receipts are stuffed in a drawer (or worse, lost in the abyss), now is the time to get organised. A VA can help with bookkeeping, invoice management, and liaising with your accountant, so you don’t have to stress.

4. Social Media Without the Headache

Spring is a great time to refresh your social media strategy! But let’s be honest, posting consistently, engaging with followers, and keeping up with trends (and let’s not forget those pesky algorithms) can feel like a full-time job. A VA can take over content creation, scheduling, and engagement so your online presence grows while you focus on your business.

5. Accountability and Support

Running a business can be lonely, but with a VA, you have someone in your corner. Need a nudge to stay on track? A fresh perspective on an idea? Someone to celebrate wins with? That’s where we shine!

Ready to Spring-Clean Your Business?

Spring isn’t just for decluttering your home, it’s the perfect time to refresh your business operations too. If you’re tired of juggling everything and want to start the new tax year with less stress and more focus, outsourcing to a Virtual Assistant could be the best decision you make.

So, if you’re ready to lighten the load, let’s chat, I’d love to help!

Free apps and wesbites

One thing that has really impressed me over the years is the amount of fantastic free websites and apps there are out there to help you with your business.

Some of the ones that I regularly use (apart from social media) and find very helpful in my business includes:

Social media today: I get daily updates about social media, which is very useful considering there seem to be constant changes!

Canva is where I create all my social media images, as well as any posters, leaflets, email signatures and any presentations that I need (I do use the paid version but did use the free version for a long time).

Answer the public is a good way for me to see what common questions are being asked about certain industries or topics.

Trello- this is how I keep organised and is my checklist.

Google Trends- shows you what is trending and you can sign up and choose what categories you want to hear about. You will then receive regular emails on the latest trends on your chosen topics.

Toggl Track is a fantastic time-tracking software.

Publer- this is a great website to schedule posts for multiple platforms. They have recently changed it and their free option isn’t quite as good as it used to be.

More recently I have started to use Chat GPT for research and ideas.

I also use some other fantastic websites but they only have paid versions. The one that I feel is worth mentioning is Capsule CRM. I find it very easy to use compared to other CRMs I have tried.

I like things to be easy to use and self-explanatory and that’s what I find with all of these.

Do you regularly use any particular websites? Drop me an email and let me know which you would recommend.

Let’s talk about social media

I have nearly been in business for 4 years and approximately 85% of my clients have come through social media but so many businesses are still not using it.

I am primarily active on LinkedIn but do try and post on Facebook and Instagram too, as I don’t want to put all my eggs in one basket!

I have heard people say ” I have tried using social media for my business but it doesn’t work”. When I then question them, I find out that they have tried a few times and that is it. Using social media to promote your business doesn’t happen overnight and you need to take your time and be dedicated. It does get easier but initially you do have to spend a little more time on it than you maybe thought. I have also seen people schedule posts for a month and think that is their social media done for the month. They then say it doesn’t work. As much as it is great that they have scheduled posts, what about spending time on other people’s posts, and answering any comments made on your posts? I sometimes feel showing up on other people’s posts can be more important than posting daily on your own profile. If you have limited time, dedicate some of that time on other people’s posts too.

Don’t just post for the sake of posting, people want to feel it is worth them being connected with you. It is great to share some general things about you and your life but also share some industry tips, testimonials and don’t forget to remind people what is it you actually offer and how can they contact you.

Some people think LinkedIn is very corporate but I don’t find that at all, I think it is a lovely community and have infact made friends from it.

If you are not using social media in your business, send me an email letting me know what is stopping you.

If you are struggling with using social media in your business, why not book a social media boost session with me. If you are interested in booking this please send me an email: gloria@ghvirtualassistant.co.uk

I can’t believe it has been nearly 2 years since my last blog!

Wow, I can’t believe it has been so long since I last wrote a blog for my website. I suppose it shows the reality of a business owner! It can be very full on completing client work, being active on social media, doing all the admin that comes with being a business owner and everything else…. let’s not forget life itself!

I am very active across a few social media platforms including LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook. I mainly use LinkedIn and that is what I prioritise as in all honesty it is where a majority of my clients come from. If you would like to read a few benefits that I have found from using social media, take a look at this blog that I have previously written: Social media (ghvirtualassistant.co.uk).

As a business owner we need to decide what we want to prioritise and what works better for us. Saying this I am also aware that having a website is like my shop front and me not having a blog up since March 22 could mislead people in thinking that I am no longer running my business; which is definitely not the case. I am going to be realistic, I can’t commit to monthly posts but I will try to aim for at least a few blogs a year (which is better than once nearly every 2 years!). For me to do this, I need to schedule it on my to do list, as I live off my lists and if it is scheduled I know the task will be completed.

As a business owner, what do you prioritise? Is there anything you feel you need to start prioritising this year?

*If you would like to connect with me on social media, you can find all my links here: https://linktr.ee/ghvirtualassistant

Meeting Theo Paphitis

Are you making the most of the free opportunities that are available to you?

Do you persevere?

Last year I joined Twitter for one reason and one reason only, to enter Theo Paphitis’s Small Business Sunday (SBS) initiative. Did I win in week one… no, week 2… no. But I persevered and entered every week for months! Were there weeks that I felt like giving up and not entering … yes!!

Ending the year on a high!

How is it 2022 already?!

Where did 2021 go? I daresay it but where did the last two years go!

The new year gives us a perfect opportunity to review our business and see what worked in the previous year and what didn’t.

What can you outsource in your business?

As business owners, we can put immense pressure on ourselves to do everything on our own.

Have you ever considered outsourcing anything as a business owner?

When you are in an employed position, if you need someone to help you with an IT issue, you may have a tech team on hand. If you need to find something out about finances, you may have a bookkeeper or a finance team.

One year in business!

June/July marked my one year business anniversary! Although the idea of becoming a Virtual Assistant came to me many months before, it took me some time to officially start it. I say June/July, as in June I bought my domain name and paid my hosting fee but I didn’t officially start marketing my business until July 2020.

What a rollercoaster it has been! There have definitely been some highs and lows. Learning and growing is definitely something that I have done this year!

Business Organisation

Life can be busy and it can feel like there is never enough time to do everything. My friends think I am extremely organised but I am always trying to find new ways and ideas to make my life even more so. One of the reasons I became a Virtual Assistant was to offer my organisation skills to other businesses.

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