You're interested in hiring a Virtual Assistant yet unsure about what price you should be paying for their assistance. There are a lot of variables that go into how much you spend on a VA for your business. Generally speaking, when you hire a VA, you are not on the hook for paid holidays, breaks, taxes, benefits, and insurance that comes with hiring an employee. The VA company that you work with will take care of all that. Yet while it is true that you save on all of those things by hiring a VA, you must also be cognizant of the other factors that will go into your budget.
Virtual Assistants Who Need More Guidance Are Typically Cheaper
Most of us want a “savvy” VA who can problem-solve, plan strategically, and doesn’t need much hand holding. This means the VA will be more experienced and likely a higher rate than a lower priced VA who may need more attention, guidance, and management.
Keep in mind that a lower priced VA will also work more slowly, spending 3 hours or more on a task that could take a higher priced VA only an hour to do. It may end up costing more in the long run to work with a lower priced VA than it would to just spend more upfront during onboarding. This is where you need to think and consider beyond the hourly wage that you are being charged.
Think About How Long You’ll Need Your VA
The amount of time you have your VA for is going to be a big factor in how much you need to budget for. Do you need a VA for a one-time project? Do you want a long-term assistant? Consider the nature of the task that you need their time for. If it’s simply helping you get organized, that might be a one-time project taking up a few hours of their time. If you need them every day for email management, that will be an ongoing billing you can purchase bulk hours for (or move forward hourly).
One thing that many business owners might forget to factor in is that when you hire a freelancing VA whose rates are likely going to be much cheaper than going with a VA company, you can be susceptible to being ghosted. Without a reputable company behind them, a VA can come and go as they please. So, if you are going to rely on your VA for a longer-term commitment, make sure you are working with a company that will not leave you scrambling last minute to finish your projects.
Helpful Tip: Determine exactly what you need to outsource, then find the perfect fit for your business and what your business needs.
Expect Premium Pricing for Coveted Skills
Not all VAs are made (or priced) the same. The reason for that is because a VA at a lower price likely does not have the skillsets that are in high demand. Many VAs can handle basic tasks like data entry or returning calls. But it is highly unlikely that for $20 an hour you will find someone who knows their way around copyediting, social media, Photoshop, LeadPages, and more.
Here are a few questions to ask yourself if you are still uncertain if you should pay a premium price:
What software do I want the VA to know?
How experienced do I want the VA to be in this software/platform?
Am I willing to pay for someone to “figure out” a platform?
Everyone has a different definition of what “expensive” means. What might seem overpriced to one person might seem very reasonable to another. Yet a good bottom line is this: Hiring a Virtual Assistant to help you is an investment in your business and should always be treated as such. Remember to think through all of the variables and do what is right for yourself and your business!
At Virtual Assist USA, we've found that we are priced competitively amongst others in the industry who offer experienced, US-based Virtual Assistants. You can find our complete Rates & Packages on our Pricing Page.
