Thinking about jumping aboard the virtual assistant bandwagon? As our recent article outlined, virtual assistants are helping agents with an array of administrative tasks.
Although virtual assistants are cheaper than full-time, in-person counterparts, you’ll need to consider whether it’s a good move financially before you decide to take the plunge.
First, decide whether you truly need an assistant. While it’s great to have help at any point in your career, it’s not financially smart to pay someone for work that you have enough time to complete. Ask yourself the following questions before looking for an assistant, regardless of their location:
- Has your marketing schedule fallen behind by weeks — or even months? Marketing is the key to real estate exposure, and failing to keep up with your social media presence, online reputation and general advertising tools can severely limit your ability to close deals. When that’s the case, hiring an assistant makes sense because it will directly help you to improve your marketing and bring in more business as a result.
- Do you miss appointments due to scheduling errors? There are a million apps on the market you can install on your smartphone to help you keep organized, but an overpacked personal and professional schedule can still cause slip ups.
- Are your listings fresh? Stale listings are more difficult to sell, especially after they’ve hit the 90-day mark. A qualified assistant can help you revitalize your old listings and figure out the necessary steps to get them more exposure.
- Do you fail to follow up? Buyers and sellers sometimes need a little push, but aren’t going to call back unless you make a case for yourself. Or, have your assistant keep the lines of communication open for future relationships.